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.

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 not doing well, and

quivered, a flash of

to lend a hand, right? You gotta at

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

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

had struck a

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

You’re anxious for him to find forgiveness here, as if my not forgiving him makes

silence for a

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

his hand,

She was supposed to bring him down? Nobody told her she had

unmoved, Charlie breathed a sigh of

from jail, but then all news of her was locked down tight.

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

was sunk with no returns. Without the funds for Diaz Tower’s rebuild or to repay the bank loans,

continuing. “Later on,

eyes flickered involuntarily, and her

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

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,

telling you is just the tip of the iceberg; there were layers of

incident with Ms. Cicely going to jail was

past that chaos without a scratch wasn’t a bad thing, but two months later, when things started settling down, he began to

Diaz fought to keep Diaz International because you wanted it; he

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

Erik hadn’t fallen

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

Damon frowned. “You didn’t knock

time. No sooner had I finished speaking than that jerk opened the door and started wailing on me without

“Everything in here was handpicked by Ms.

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

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 ban that

he wanted her free yet didn’t

so slightly, her emotions battling within her. What would happen if things continued

was Erik who suddenly became seriously ill, and Seth survived for three

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

with Charlie’s approach. It was

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

Cicely, waiting for her to

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

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

Kane blinked.

“That would be

fell over the

gave Damon a thumbs-up. Impressive. Was

think that

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

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.

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

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

Cicely’s eyes trembled fiercely.

internally exclaimed in shock. Everyone knew better than to judge others’ affairs, let alone offer such leading advice. But Damon’s words were on point. That was

you were

right? Getting what I want is right. Letting her go, torturing myself like he’s doing now?

Damon developed a

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

was stunned by his rhetoric and then

a smile, softly 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

took her hand into his large, warm palm.

smiled at Cicely, “How did you ever come to choose him so resolutely? When you decided to go to prison, did you have any doubts, or were you

gesture betraying her agitation. It took Cicely a moment

such a powerful duo. I can’t argue with you

Cicely spun around

*

not moving an inch forward. How could they simplify and beautify their words

for over

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

Cicely sighed.

elicited no response. Behind the door, there

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

knocks echoed again. They were gentle, rhythmic,

tranquil as water, seeped through

who had been utterly still, suddenly twitched his

staring blankly into

illusion? She couldn’t

“Seth, open up.”

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

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

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