The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

Damon wasn’t one for the pleasantries.

The surgery had been a success; as far as he was concerned, Seth waking up was just a matter of time, the worst-case scenario being a bit of a waiting game.

Lana’s words fell on deaf ears as Damon’s gaze remained fixed on Cicely, his voice firm, “Once should be enough of a lesson. If we drag this out, are you really waiting for him to throw in another life for good measure?”

Cicely’s heart skipped a beat, her emotions betrayed by her face, and Damon, seeing this, was satisfied. He turned to Chloe, who was huddled in his arms, and deftly fastened the buttons of her trench coat collar. “If you don’t agree to get hitched, I won’t meddle in whether he lives or dies after this. But if you do tie the knot…”

After adjusting Chloe’s coat and tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear with a half-smile, Damon’s gaze shifted back to Cicely. “There might just be an absolute stunner of a surprise in it for you.”

Cicely’s brow furrowed. “What do you think could possibly surprise me now?”d2

Damon’s lips curled into a smirk. “If I say there’s a surprise, there definitely is one. If you’re curious, why not walk down the aisle and find out?”

The crowd exchanged glances, wordless. They all knew Damon was breaking his back over Seth. He was pulling out all the stops – carrot and stick.

Kane and Nathan exchanged a knowing look. Damon was going all out for Seth; they’d make sure Seth knew it and was eternally grateful to Damon.

*

Three days felt like an eternity. Damon’s few words had completely spooked Cicely. Seth was still not out of the woods, and anything they feared could happen at any moment.

The ICU strictly prohibited visitors. The round-the-clock vigilance was torturous.

Seven days later, Seth came to and was moved to a regular room. Cicely, along with Hugo, visited him. Her expression was neutral, revealing no emotion.

Fourteen days later, Seth was off medical support. Cicely still showed little emotion, visiting at the same time every day, just before noon, always with Hugo. They never brought lunch; it was always Charlie who brought it, and the three of them ate together. Seth ate his share, Cicely sat on the sofa feeding Hugo, and occasionally herself.

Nathan and Kane were daily fixtures, their banter often ending with Seth sending them away with a cold glance. Yet the next day, they were back again.

One month later, Seth was planning his discharge, and the hospital had given the green light.

In that month, Cicely had scarcely spoken a few words to him. She came every day, ate lunch with Hugo in his room, and then went upstairs to see Erik.

On the day of Seth’s discharge, Cicely arrived early. Hugo had been restless all night and woke up at the crack of dawn. Cicely, roused by his fussing and unable to vent on Hugo, bottled up her frustration.

At 8:30 AM she was at the hospital, Seth no longer in bed. He stood by the window, already dressed, and despite the severity of his injuries, he never once appeared disheveled. Seth was standing upright at this point, cell phone in his right hand, talking on the phone.

As Hugo entered, he joyously called out to his father. Seth turned his head, his gaze shifting from Hugo to Cicely, unblinking, his thin lips suddenly uttering a few emotionless words. “I’ve got to go. Something’s come up.”

Cicely had just overheard him say “Don’t press it.,” but before she could ponder it, Seth was by her side. He grabbed her wrist. “Up with the birds today?”

Cicely looked at him, her tone detached. “Thanks to him.”

She pushed Hugo toward Seth, feeling jealous.

Seth looked down as Hugo gazed up at him adoringly, sandwiched between his father and Cicely. Seth smiled faintly, ruffled Hugo’s hair, and gently nudged him aside. Taking a few steps forward, he enveloped Cicely in his embrace.

Hugo stood to the side, suddenly feeling superfluous, his little lips pouting. He wandered out to the adjoining room, familiar with the place after a month of visits. On the coffee table lay his unfinished coloring book.

As Seth inhaled the subtle scent of her neck, he spoke, his voice a low murmur in her ear. “You haven’t paid much attention to me this month.” There was a hint of accusation and hurt in his tone.

Cicely pressed her lips together, her eyes cold as they fell upon the neatly made hospital bed. “Does it still hurt?” she asked, her voice frosty.

Seth hugged her tighter. “Not anymore.”

Silence filled the room.

Eventually, she pushed him away and looked up into his handsome face, towering over her by a good margin. She smiled slyly and then slapped his cheek with a swift motion.

Seth’s face turned with the force of the slap, a clear handprint appearing on his chiseled features. Yet, there was no other sign of emotion; he remained as composed and aristocratic as if the slap had landed on someone else’s cheek.

Seconds later, he turned his head back to face Cicely’s sardonic smile. He took her hand, his fingers spreading hers, gently kneading her palm. “Doesn’t hurt?”

Cicely’s fingertips trembled.

hand to his

again,

red, her voice quivering. “Do you feel

it clear to him. Her indifference and calm of the past days had been nothing but a façade

been forced open, and all

heaved violently, and suddenly pulling back her hand from his grip, she clenched it into a fist and began

have expended her energy on blind rage, let alone display the hysterical outburst she

but he couldn’t hide the surge of elation in his heart.

Cicely, fueling her anger

“You’re worried about me.”

the haunting image of him plunging a knife into his own heart played on repeat whenever she closed her eyes. The shimmering silver of the blade seemed to shorten inch by inch before her, a

her. As

his deep and husky voice a soothing

told you I don’t want to hear

“I apologize.”

Cicely’s breath hitched.

glided up her back, “I told you I’d be okay. I do everything with the sole purpose of being with you, so nothing’s going

easy for you to say now that you’re okay, Seth. Do you think I’m still the naive girl you could easily comfort? Everyone related to you was there that day, even Damon wasn’t sure he could save you. There you were, lying unconscious in the ER, and your

the thought of you with another man. You love me the most, and I can’t let you lose

suddenly let out a cold, mocking laugh, tears streaming down her face. “You say you have

to wipe her tears away, kissing the tip

away her tears, “you know it’s always been you. Ever since you first said you liked me, loved me, I’ve been

She looked up at him, her eyelashes

novelty of me wears off, and you realize I’m not as perfect as you thought, you’d leave me without hesitation. So I wondered if you would always love me and stay by my side as long as I am good enough,

him open up like this before, laying all his fears

was just a whim, and she’d

She

her eyes, the feeling all too familiar. “So you’ve always thought my feelings were that

that

born with inherent

now?” asked

“I still don’t understand.”

to pierce hers, “So you need to teach me well. I’m foolish,

her frown deepened, “I’m not qualified, and I don’t understand

learn and

who gave you the impression that

there’s no backing out now, even if you wanted to.” His brow furrowed, his

those words, he leaned down to claim the lips he’d longed

Her hands hovered in mid-air, uncertain. She was backed up against the nearby wall, and her retreat instinctively made her grip the fabric of Seth’s shirt on his shoulders. He kissed her fervently, determined

Cicely slapped him. Rather than the shock and anger, he found

presence were far preferable to her previous indifferent calm. Her willingness to show anger was the

becoming uncontrollable, Cicely reeling but still clinging to a

visit, and she hadn’t planned on anything happening here. This

kiss, he nibbled at her earlobe, his deep, throaty voice seeping into her ear. “How

kisses tickled Cicely’s ear, sending a shiver through her as she turned her head slightly

a moment, “The doctor

smoothing her hair, with a wry smile on her face, “Aren’t you good at freeloading? It’s not

was knocked, ending their

returned to their marital home

evening, Seth timed his visit perfectly to freeload a meal. And in

*

month, the news about Danielle never

she was escorted from the hospital and caught on camera by the media, the internet was ablaze. All the background and consequences were dug up by netizens, including all the dirt that

mocking

killing herself and blaming Cicely for doing that was orchestrated by Danielle. Danielle’s charge

had ulterior motives, but his kindness to Danielle over the past three years was well known. Not only was she the most popular artist of C&P Entertainment, but she also reigned supreme as the queen bee of the entire western showbiz industry. Every imaginable advantage was handed to her on a silver platter, a path so

how heated

these days, and for a notorious reason.

is found to have