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.

Standing 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 some idea of what’s happening, right? Charlie said

flash of

lend a hand,

was pointless. She knew Chloe was sharp as a tack, a woman who’d weathered many storms. Chloe had clawed her way to where she

clenched, trembling hands, Cicely closed her eyes for a moment and then slowly nodded. “Alright.” Cicely gave a wry smile.

recent words had struck a chord with everyone

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

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,

was silence

couch. “If you don’t wanna hear

grasped his hand, not in

put. She was supposed to bring him down? Nobody told her

a

jail, but then all news of her

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

were stalled, and money was sunk with no returns. Without the funds for Diaz

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

flickered involuntarily, and her poised figure on the couch

was the Diaz family’s roots. And it sold for a hefty price due to its prime location. But it was nowhere near enough to rebuild Diaz International or pay back

the Ellis family had a shake-up. Some shareholders banded together, trying to oust the Ellis family from power. Between the

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. Cicely going to jail

thing, but two months later, when things started settling down, he began to withdraw,

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 C&P Entertainment, let it fend

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 how much you hated him? Or was he still figuring out how to be

month, unreachable. If Erik hadn’t fallen critically ill, who

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

her, Damon frowned. “You didn’t

what happened last time. No sooner had I finished speaking than that jerk opened the door and started wailing on

handpicked by Ms.

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

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 ban that had been placed on her aunt. Ms. Lana has been

tug-of-war within him; he wanted her free

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

suddenly became seriously ill, and Seth survived

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

Charlie’s approach. It was all

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

eyes were on Cicely, waiting for her to make the next

most impatient, and seeing her unmoved, his brow knitted tightly.

face a mask of calm. “He’ll come out for me, right?

Kane blinked.

“That

fell over

and he gave Damon a thumbs-up. Impressive.

“You think

hummed in affirmation, “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,

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

about shifting blame, but recognizing the multiple facets of every situation. The most important thing is to choose what makes you happiest. Why trap yourself in the most torturous path when

because of his mother. My dad never

exactly. It’s 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.

Cicely’s eyes trembled fiercely.

others’ affairs, let alone offer

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

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? Since when did he aspire to

but laugh. Had Damon developed a smooth-talking routine

serious atmosphere, it was something to be able to make Kane crack a smile. Damon shot him a look that

by his rhetoric and

saying, “We 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 cherish should stay by my side. I think no one in this world can claim a purer love for him than me, and

next to Chloe, smiled and took her hand into

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

took Cicely a moment to compose herself before

powerful duo. I can’t argue with

words, Cicely spun around and marched

*

her, not moving

away in a bedroom for over a

endlessly 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.

Behind the door,

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

series of knocks echoed again.

as water, seeped through

floor, who had been utterly still, suddenly twitched

staring blankly into the empty room, his

She couldn’t possibly

“Seth, open up.”

for just a moment before pushing himself up with the help of the bed. Having sat for too long,

ignored a 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

up into the weary, disheveled face of the man who was staring at her in surprise,