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.

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?

flash

forgiving anyone, but you came here to lend a hand, right?

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

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

words had struck a chord

doing well. So

moving to 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

was silence for

walked over to Chloe and ushered her to sit beside him on the couch. “If you don’t wanna

his hand, not

stayed put. She was supposed to bring him down?

breathed a sigh of

didn’t want to see him, and he tried everything to spring her from jail, but then all news of her was locked down tight. Ms. Cicely was determined

a field day, claiming he was the one who had her locked up. The online backlash was relentless. I know Mr. Diaz doesn’t care about

loans. C&P Entertainment was hit hard 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

paused to collect himself before continuing. “Later

her poised figure on the couch

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 bank. Mr. Diaz worked tirelessly, wining and dining, ending up in the ER several times from overdrinking, just to negotiate with 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

you is just the tip of the iceberg;

time, I thought the incident with Ms. Cicely going to

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 glucose and water through

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

it guilt over your father and Isaac’s deaths, or was he feeling your prison sentence was your way of getting back at

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

Her gaze was hollow as she stared at the spotless coffee table. In her clasped hands, now clammy with cold sweat,

“You didn’t knock the door

had I finished speaking than that jerk opened the door and started wailing on me without a word. Damn near

added, “Everything in here was handpicked by Ms. Cicely, including

in their

the mood to hear more. But this time, I think the reason behind all this is still Ms. Cicely.

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

slightly, her emotions battling within her. What

years ago, it was Erik who suddenly became seriously ill, and Seth survived

There wouldn’t be another illness, nor any desire for someone else’s

Chloe agreed with Charlie’s approach. It was all up to

expression unreadable. Chloe couldn’t

Cicely, waiting for her to

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

out for me, right? And then what? To prevent this

Kane blinked.

“That would

over the

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

“You think

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

Cicely pause, then she scoffed mockingly, “Mr. Harper

to choose what makes you happiest. Why trap yourself in the most torturous path when there’s a brighter, more liberating choice? Only

because of his mother. My dad never loved her, and the so-called

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 keep this standoff with him, and maybe in a few years,

Cicely’s eyes trembled fiercely.

to judge others’ affairs, let alone offer such leading advice. But Damon’s

searched her mind for a comeback, but found none. “If you were him and Chloe was me, would you still believe

right? Getting what I want is right. Letting her go, torturing myself like he’s doing now? Since when did he aspire to be a

Damon developed

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

by his rhetoric and then slowly turned

get to where you are today. Besides, I wouldn’t give him up to any other woman. The one I love and cherish should

hand into his large, warm palm.

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

Cicely a moment to compose herself before she let out a

a powerful duo. I can’t argue with

spun around and

*

not moving

bedroom for over a month – quite

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

Cicely sighed.

no response. Behind the

leg bent, his arm resting on his knee and his head buried in

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

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

who had been utterly still, suddenly twitched

staring blankly into the empty room, his dark eyes

illusion? She couldn’t

“Seth, open up.”

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

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 chest. Her slender waist was

the man who was staring at her in surprise, his eyes reflecting unmasked tension