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 Seth’s

fingers quivered, a flash of vulnerability crossing

here to lend a hand, right? You gotta at least hear

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

her eyes for a moment and then slowly nodded. “Alright.” Cicely gave a wry smile. “Let’s hear how rough he’s

recent words had struck a chord with everyone

was doing well. So her words came

him to find forgiveness here, as if my not forgiving him makes me heartless. So, you think, compared to him, I’ve had it easy these years,

silence for

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

his hand, not in

was supposed to bring him down? Nobody

breathed a sigh of relief

he tried everything to spring her from jail, but then all news of her was locked down tight. Ms.

locked up. The online backlash was

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

paused to collect himself before continuing. “Later

involuntarily, and her poised figure on

know, the Diaz family had lived there for generations. Despite renovations, it 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 bank. Mr. Diaz worked tirelessly, wining and dining, ending

shareholders banded together, trying to oust the Ellis family from power. Between the overt pressure

utter chaos. What I’m telling you is just the tip of the iceberg; there

I thought the incident with Ms. Cicely going to jail

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

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

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

up for a month, unreachable. If Erik hadn’t fallen

before, but now utterly drained. Her gaze was hollow as she stared at

“You didn’t knock

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

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

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

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 ban that had been placed on her aunt. Ms. Lana has been back for a couple of weeks, and Mr. Diaz

a tug-of-war within him; he wanted

ever so slightly, her emotions battling within

ill, and Seth survived for three years to get

about this time? There wouldn’t be another illness, nor any desire for someone else’s

Charlie’s approach. It was all

hadn’t moved an inch, her head still lowered, and her expression unreadable. Chloe couldn’t say anything; after all, it wasn’t

Cicely, waiting for her to make

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

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

Kane blinked.

“That

fell over

and he gave Damon a thumbs-up. Impressive. Was that

think that

towards your father. If we must talk about grievances,

scoffed mockingly, “Mr. Harper sure has

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 there’s a brighter,

face slowly fading. “All of this started because of his mother. My dad never loved her, and

your suffering to get back at Seth. Don’t be surprised if others lose their sanity over emotions too.

Cicely’s eyes trembled fiercely.

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

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

as I wish. What’s right? Getting what

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

and then slowly

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

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

choose him so resolutely? When you decided to go to prison, did you have any doubts, or were you certain that no one in the world could

a moment to compose herself before she let out a derisive

a powerful duo.

words, Cicely spun

*

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

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

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

Cicely sighed.

elicited no response. Behind the door,

on display. Seth slumped against the bed, one leg bent, his arm resting on his knee and his head buried in the

a series of knocks echoed again. They were

then a voice, tranquil as water, seeped through the

had been utterly still, suddenly twitched his

he lifted his head, staring blankly into the empty room, his dark

illusion? She

“Seth, open up.”

himself up with the help of the bed.

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.

looked up into the weary, disheveled face of the