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.

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

quivered, a flash of vulnerability crossing her

to twist your arm into forgiving anyone, but you came here to lend a hand, right? You gotta at least hear the guy out before you can actually help, don’t

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

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

recent words had struck a

was doing well. So her words came

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, compared to him, I’ve had it easy these years, and I’ve got sympathy to spare

was silence for

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

his hand,

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

Charlie breathed a sigh of relief and spoke

tried everything to spring her from jail, but then all news

locked up. The online backlash was relentless. I know Mr. Diaz doesn’t care about gossip, but then the financial hardships

with no returns. Without the funds for Diaz Tower’s rebuild or to repay the bank loans, there were sharks circling to buy out Diaz International, including

“Later on, Mr. Diaz sold the Diaz family

eyes flickered involuntarily, and her poised figure on the couch

enough to rebuild Diaz International or pay back the

to oust the

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

with Ms.

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

was only later I realized what I thought was transition wasn’t. He just hadn’t had the time to think about you. Then it hit me, Mr. Diaz fought to keep Diaz

was your way

Erik hadn’t fallen critically ill, who knows, he might’ve died

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

frowned. “You didn’t knock the

could respond, Kane, somewhat agitated, chimed in. “Knock it down? I told you what happened last time. No sooner had I finished speaking than that

was handpicked by Ms. Cicely,

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

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

so slightly, her emotions battling within her.

was Erik who suddenly became seriously ill, and

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

Chloe agreed with Charlie’s approach. It was all

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

Cicely, waiting for

seeing her unmoved, his

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

Kane blinked.

nodded, “That

fell over the

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

think that

out of her obsessive love and hatred towards your father. If we must talk about grievances, they stem from issues

scoffed mockingly,

is to choose what makes

because of his mother. My dad never loved her, and

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, your son will get a

Cicely’s eyes trembled fiercely.

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

found none. “If you were him and Chloe was me, would you

right?

couldn’t help but laugh. Had Damon developed a

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

was stunned by his rhetoric and

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 think no one in

next to Chloe, smiled and took her hand into

you decided to go to prison, did you have any doubts, or

a gesture betraying her agitation. It took Cicely a moment to compose herself before she

two are such a powerful duo.

Cicely spun

*

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

a bedroom for over a month

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,

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

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

tranquil as water, seeped through the thick door, slightly

floor, who had been utterly

lifted his head, staring blankly into the empty

She couldn’t possibly

“Seth, open up.”

moment before pushing himself up with the help of the bed. Having sat for too long, and perhaps due to the

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.

face of the man who was