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.

entering, and upon seeing Cicely’s reaction, Chloe’s eyes flickered slightly. 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,

flash of vulnerability

you came here to lend a hand, right? You gotta

a tack, a woman who’d weathered many storms. Chloe had clawed her way to where she was by learning how to read people

nodded. “Alright.” Cicely gave a wry smile. “Let’s hear

recent words had struck a chord

hoped he was doing well. So her

out a scoff before 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

silence for a

and ushered her to sit beside him on the couch. “If you don’t wanna hear it,

grasped his hand, not in

Cicely stayed put. She was supposed to bring him down? Nobody

a sigh of

news of her was locked down tight. Ms. Cicely was determined to serve her time, and at first,

had her locked up. The online backlash was

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

continuing. “Later on, Mr. Diaz

eyes flickered involuntarily, and her

it was nowhere near enough to rebuild Diaz International

at C&P Entertainment wasn’t resolved 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

What I’m telling you is just the tip of the iceberg; there were layers

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

too busy, and life was 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

hit me, Mr. Diaz fought to keep Diaz International

deaths, or was he feeling your prison sentence was your

a month, unreachable. If Erik hadn’t fallen

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

frowned. “You didn’t knock the

had I finished speaking than that jerk opened the door and started wailing

handpicked by Ms. Cicely, including that

silent, five people lost in their thoughts, until Kane let out a snort, breaking

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 back for a couple of weeks, and Mr. Diaz has been increasingly agitated. I’m guessing he’s worried that you might take your

within him; he wanted her free yet didn’t want her

slightly, her emotions battling within her. What would happen if

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

this time? There wouldn’t be another illness, nor any desire for someone else’s blood. So, what to

Charlie’s approach. It was all up to

expression unreadable. Chloe couldn’t say anything; after all, it

on Cicely, waiting for

most impatient, and seeing her unmoved, his brow knitted tightly. “Cicely, you’re

what?” Cicely finally responded, lifting her eyes, her face a mask of calm. “He’ll come out for me, right? And then what? To prevent this from

Kane blinked.

nodded, “That

over the

and he gave

“You think

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, they stem from issues the older generation failed to resolve, leaving you and Seth as

gave Cicely pause, then she scoffed mockingly,

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

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

“Yes, 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

Cicely’s eyes trembled fiercely.

to judge others’ affairs, let alone offer such leading

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

anything—chase, steal, or deceive. 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

Damon developed a smooth-talking routine from all his

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

by his rhetoric and then slowly turned to look

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 him the best. This trust, I

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

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

gesture betraying her agitation. It took Cicely a moment to

are such a powerful duo. I can’t argue

Cicely spun around and

*

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

away in a bedroom for

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

Cicely sighed.

no response. Behind the door, there

the bed, one leg bent, his arm resting on his knee and his head buried in the crook of his elbow, motionless. Even Kane’s sudden loud and urgent knocking failed to stir him.

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

tranquil as water, seeped through the thick

floor, who had been utterly still,

he lifted his head, staring blankly into the empty

She

“Seth, open up.”

turned his head towards the door, his eyes bloodshot. He hesitated for just a moment before pushing himself up with

losing patience after being 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.

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