The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

“Ms. Cicely, could you please go check on Mr. Diaz?” Charlie asked, with a hint of desperation in his voice.

Cicely narrowed her eyes, her frown carrying a chill. “I thought after all his efforts, he was over it, ready to let me go.”

Charlie swallowed hard, the comely man’s eyes reddening before her. “Yes, Mr. Diaz thought so too. Ms. Cicely, he’s been back from abroad for over twenty days now. He hasn’t shown up around you, has he?”

A tight sensation gripped Cicely’s chest, her fingers curling slightly. After a long silence, she turned her head aside. “So? What’s wrong with him?”

Clutching his fists, Charlie slowly said, “If you go, maybe then we will find out what’s really going on with him.”

Cicely spun around, her gaze piercing as she stared at Charlie. Seconds later, she let out a scoff. “You think it’s fun to play me?”d2

Charlie took a deep breath, his eyes closed. “Do you really think I’d leave my work, and risk my paycheck, just to play a trick on you? Ms. Cicely, you’re the apple of Mr. Diaz’s eye. Would I dare to play you?”

*

Charlie drove Cicely back to her mansion, her expression colder than the frost on a winter’s window.

“He gets you to play the sympathy card just to bring me back home?” she questioned, her tone icy.

Without a word, Charlie drove past the grand gates of Cicely’s Mansion and into the adjacent, more imposing estate. He opened the car door for her, and at the entrance of the villa, a man stood waiting. As she approached, he strode forward and gave her a thumbs-up.

“Well done! I’ve never been so enlightened,” he said with a mix of sarcasm and awe.

Cicely frowned at the burly man before her and took a step back. “What’s this about?”

Kane sneered, turning to admire the splendid villa. “The house is grand, the decor lavish, but it’s all wasted on that asshole living alone.”

Cicely’s brows knitted even tighter. Kane’s crude language was grating to her ears. “Kane,” she warned.

“What? Is it just my language you can’t stand, or do you not like hearing Seth called an asshole?”

Cicely’s expression turned icy.

Kane took a deep breath. “I’m amazed. To think he’d drive himself to the brink of death over a woman.”

Cicely’s fingertips trembled slightly.

“Go inside. Could you at least check if that idiot is still alive?”

Usually, Seth was as cunning as a fox, not swayed by hard or soft tactics, except for Danielle.

In the end, it was all a facade.

What they said about Danielle being the one he held dear to his heart and soul was all a lie. He was just deliberately deceiving a woman’s feelings to make her a willing blood bank.

His methods were damn despicable.

Even if Danielle was a heinous woman, she didn’t deserve this. He should’ve kept things separate.

How did he convince himself to become such a despicable person?

And now, after all his wrongdoing, he suddenly wanted to be a good man. How idiotic.

“Ms. Cicely,” Charlie interjected, pulling her from her thoughts.

She glanced at the villa and pursed her lips. “You two are his trusted assistant and best friend. I doubt my presence will make things go your way.”

Kane suddenly turned, his frown deepening as he looked at her, then he kicked the car beside him in frustration. “For heaven’s sake, just try, okay?! What do you want me to do, get down on my knees and beg?”

Kane was known for his carefree, wealthy playboy antics. No one had seen him this crazed or grim.

Her trembling fingers clenched tightly, the pain sharp in her palm. Without another word, she stepped into the villa, Charlie and Kane following.

The familiar design, furniture, and decorations were all her doing.

The living room was empty.

“He’s upstairs in the master bedroom,” Kane said from behind her. “He’s been locked in there for seven or eight days now. At first, he was dealing with business matters, but these past few days, he’s shut down completely. Not eating or drinking, acting like a lunatic.”

Cicely was called over without any clue of what had happened. Now hearing this, all she could do was frown deeply. “Not eating or drinking for seven or eight days?”

Kane’s face was grim as he gave a dark laugh. “He’s been worse, locked away for a month once, surviving on glucose. He’s tough.”

Cicely’s heart clenched, her eyes trembling before she looked up at Kane. Her lips parted as if to speak, but no sound came out.

Charlie glanced at her, then after a few seconds of silence, took a deep breath and suggested, “Ms. Cicely, I’m sorry we called you here on such a short notice, but now that you are here, maybe we could talk first.”

Cicely’s brow twitched involuntarily. “Talk about what. I don’t want to know too much.”

“Perfect, because I’m curious to hear what’s to be said. Let’s all listen.” A deep, steady voice came from the entrance, and everyone turned to see Damon walking in with Chloe.

“Damon! Chloe!” Kane greeted them, though his enthusiasm was lacking.

Charlie nodded respectfully as well.

Cicely’s face paled, her grip on her purse tightening as she instinctively stepped back, her desire to flee obvious.

beside Cicely, Chloe looked into her eyes with an intensity that seemed to hold her captive. “You followed Charlie here today, so you must have

fingers quivered, a flash of vulnerability crossing

forgiving anyone, but you came here to lend a hand, right? You gotta at least hear the guy out

tack, a woman who’d weathered many storms. Chloe had clawed

a moment and then slowly nodded. “Alright.” Cicely

words had struck a chord with

well. So her words came off as bravado and denial

“He’s had a tough time, and it breaks your hearts. You’re anxious for him to find forgiveness here, as if my not forgiving him makes me heartless. So, you think, compared to him, I’ve had

silence

the couch. “If you don’t wanna hear

Chloe grasped his hand,

supposed to bring him

Charlie breathed a sigh

to spring her from jail, but then all news of

claiming he was the one who had her locked up. The online backlash was relentless. I know Mr. Diaz doesn’t

returns. Without the funds for Diaz Tower’s rebuild or to repay the bank loans, there were sharks circling to buy out Diaz International, including the land Diaz Tower stood on, offering dirt-cheap prices. Mr. Diaz said the deal wasn’t done; he didn’t agree, and

to collect himself before continuing. “Later on, Mr. Diaz sold

and her

it sold for a hefty price due to its prime location. But it was nowhere near enough to rebuild Diaz International

Entertainment wasn’t resolved when the Ellis family had a shake-up. Some shareholders banded together, trying to

year, no, those months, were utter chaos. What I’m telling you is just the tip of the iceberg; there were layers of

that hectic time, I thought the incident with Ms.

too hard. Mr. Diaz had no spare moment to dwell on unchangeable facts or a woman who despised him. He was always composed, never mentioning you, even indifferent when others did. I thought getting past that chaos without a scratch wasn’t a bad thing, but two months later, when things started settling down, he began to withdraw, staying away from the office, eventually shutting himself in his room. At first, he was still dealing with company paperwork, but then he stopped caring about that too. I was worried he’d starve, so I shoved

realized what I thought was transition wasn’t. He just hadn’t had the time to think about you. Then it hit me, Mr. Diaz fought to keep Diaz International because you wanted it; he intended to present it to you as a wedding gift. He fought for the Ellis family, ignored

or was he feeling your prison sentence was your way of getting back at him, proving how much you hated him? Or was he still figuring

month, unreachable. If Erik hadn’t fallen critically

couch with the same posture as before, but now utterly drained. Her gaze was hollow as she stared at

her, Damon frowned. “You didn’t knock

in. “Knock it down? I told you what happened last time. No sooner had I finished speaking than that jerk opened

handpicked by Ms.

in their thoughts, until

won’t go into details, as I suspect Ms. Cicely isn’t in the mood to hear more. But this time, I think the reason behind all this is still Ms. Cicely.

tug-of-war within him; he wanted her free yet didn’t

slightly, her emotions battling within her. What would happen

was Erik who suddenly became seriously ill, and Seth survived for

another illness, nor any desire for someone else’s blood. So, what

agreed with Charlie’s approach. It

her head still lowered, and her expression unreadable. Chloe couldn’t say anything; after all,

for her to make the

seeing her unmoved, his brow knitted tightly. “Cicely, you’re just going

calm. “He’ll come out for

Kane blinked.

“That would be

fell over

gave Damon a thumbs-up. Impressive. Was

think that would

of her obsessive love and hatred towards your father. If we must talk about grievances, they stem from issues the older generation failed to resolve, leaving you and Seth as victims

pause, then she scoffed mockingly, “Mr. Harper sure has a way with

important thing is to choose what makes you

started because of his mother. My dad never loved her, and the

be surprised if others lose their sanity over emotions

Cicely’s eyes trembled fiercely.

shock. Everyone knew better than to judge others’ affairs, let alone offer such leading advice. But Damon’s words were on point. That was just Damon

mind for a comeback, but found none. “If you were him and

Any tactic is fair as long as she’s mine, and by my side as I wish. What’s right? Getting what I want is right. Letting her go, torturing myself like he’s doing now?

developed a smooth-talking

be able to make Kane crack a smile. Damon shot him a look

by his rhetoric and then slowly turned to

aren’t you guys. Knowing he loves me, I wouldn’t let things get to where you are today. Besides, I wouldn’t give him up to any other woman. The one I love and

Chloe, smiled and took her hand into his large, warm

to prison, did you have any doubts, or were you certain that no one

blinked uncontrollably, a gesture betraying her agitation. It took Cicely a moment to compose herself before she let out a

are such a powerful duo. I can’t

Cicely spun around and marched

*

at the bedroom door, Cicely gazed at the closed barrier before her, not moving an inch

locked oneself away in a bedroom for over a month – quite impressive

been sneaking glances, could stand it no longer. He strode forward and rapped sharply on the door several times before darting away like

Cicely sighed.

no response. Behind

his arm resting on his knee and his head buried in the crook of his elbow, motionless. Even Kane’s sudden

like an eternity, a series of knocks echoed again. They were gentle, rhythmic, but soft. Still,

and then a voice, tranquil as water, seeped through the thick door,

had been utterly still, suddenly

staring blankly into the empty room, his dark eyes

illusion? She couldn’t possibly

“Seth, open up.”

his head towards the door, his eyes bloodshot. He hesitated for just a moment before pushing himself up with the help of the bed. Having sat for too long, and

second time, frowned and lifted her foot to kick the door. But just as she did, the door swung open. Her kick met air, and she stumbled forward. In a panic, she reached for the doorframe, but still collided with the man’s

disheveled face of the man who was staring at