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.

that seemed to hold her captive. “You followed Charlie here today, so you must have some idea of what’s happening, right? Charlie said Seth’s not

flash of

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

put on a show in front of Chloe. It was pointless. She knew Chloe was sharp as a tack, a woman who’d weathered many storms. Chloe had

then slowly nodded. “Alright.” Cicely gave a wry smile. “Let’s hear how rough he’s had

words had struck a chord with

hoped he was doing well. So her words came off as bravado and denial

sit on the couch. “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

was silence for a

to sit beside him on the couch. “If you don’t

grasped his

to bring

a sigh

tried everything to spring her from jail, but then all news of her was locked down tight. Ms. Cicely was determined to serve her time, and at first, he seemed

The online backlash was relentless. I know Mr. Diaz doesn’t care about gossip, but

by public opinion, all contracts with their talent were frozen, production deals were stalled, and money was sunk with no 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

“Later on, Mr. Diaz

flickered involuntarily, and her

its prime location. But it was nowhere near enough to rebuild Diaz International or pay back the bank. Mr. Diaz worked tirelessly, wining and dining, ending up in the ER several times from overdrinking, just to negotiate with the banks and scrape together enough to start rebuilding the tower we

when the Ellis family had a shake-up. Some shareholders banded together, trying to oust the Ellis family from power. Between the overt pressure and underhanded tactics, Mr. Diaz was also wrestling

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

the incident with

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

me, Mr. Diaz fought to keep Diaz International because you wanted it; he intended to

thinking, locked away. Was it guilt over your father and Isaac’s deaths, or was he feeling your prison sentence was your way of getting back at him, proving

a month, unreachable. If Erik hadn’t fallen critically ill, who knows, he might’ve

posture as before, but now utterly drained. Her gaze was hollow as she stared at the spotless coffee table. In her clasped hands, now clammy

Damon frowned. “You

time. No sooner had I

in here was handpicked by Ms. Cicely, including that door.

room fell silent, five people lost in their thoughts, until Kane let

glanced at Cicely, who remained impassive, her gaze lowered. He pursed his lips and said, “I 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. Recently, Mr. Diaz had me lift the travel

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

grip tightened ever so slightly, her emotions battling within her. What would happen if

suddenly became seriously ill,

be another illness, nor any desire for someone else’s

Charlie’s approach. It was all up to Cicely

at Cicely, who hadn’t moved an inch, her head still lowered, and her expression unreadable. Chloe couldn’t say

waiting for her to make the

his brow knitted tightly. “Cicely,

a mask of calm. “He’ll come out for me, right? And then what? To prevent this

Kane blinked.

“That would be

fell over the

mouth fell open, and he gave Damon a thumbs-up. Impressive.

think that would

“I do. Your father passed because of his heart condition, and his mother died out of her obsessive love and hatred towards your father. If we must talk about grievances, they stem from issues the older generation failed to

mockingly, “Mr. Harper sure has

about shifting blame, but recognizing the multiple facets of every situation. The most important thing is to choose what makes

cold smile on her face slowly fading. “All of this started because of his mother. My dad never loved her, and the so-called grievances were her

like you choosing to go to prison voluntarily; you could use your suffering to get back at Seth. Don’t be surprised if others lose their sanity over emotions too. You could

Cicely’s eyes trembled fiercely.

others’ affairs, let alone offer such leading advice. But Damon’s words were on point. That was

comeback, but found none. “If you were him and Chloe was

my side as I wish. What’s right? Getting what I want is right. Letting her go, torturing myself like he’s doing now? Since

help but laugh. Had Damon developed a smooth-talking routine

to be able to make Kane

his rhetoric and then slowly turned to

Besides, I wouldn’t give him up to any other woman. The one I love and cherish should stay by my side. I think no one in this world can claim a purer love for him than me, and I’m the one who wishes

smiled and took her hand into his large, warm palm. “What a coincidence, so do

to choose him so resolutely? When you decided to go to prison, did

uncontrollably, a gesture betraying her agitation. It took Cicely a moment to compose herself before she let out a derisive snort and stood

two are such a powerful duo.

Cicely spun

*

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

in a bedroom for over a month – quite

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

Cicely sighed.

no response. Behind the door,

his arm resting on his knee and his head buried in the crook

what felt like an eternity, a series of knocks echoed again. They were gentle, rhythmic, but soft. Still, Seth made no

minutes passed, and then a voice, tranquil as

floor, who had been utterly still,

head, staring blankly into

She

“Seth, open up.”

himself up

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 chest. Her slender waist was immediately ensnared by

disheveled face of the