The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

A shiver of ice threaded its way through Cicely’s being, chilling her to the core. She rose from his embrace, her freshly dried hair cascading over her shoulders. Her natural, uncolored locks made her complexion appear even more luminous. “What are you getting at?”

Seth stared at her with an inscrutable gaze, his dark eyes betraying none of their secrets.

“I want to be with you, in every way possible. We should live under the same roof, sleep in the same bed, and Hugo should call me Dad and you Mom. We should be a family, officially. So…”

He paused, then continued, “Can we get married? Will you marry me? Can I marry you?”

Cicely blinked, momentarily lost for words. Her mind was a whirl of kitchen knives, blood, and emergency rooms.

“I don’t want to wait anymore.” Seth’s tone was even. “So is it true that if I pay back Issac’s life, you’ll agree to marry me?”d2

Cicely stared at him for a long time, wanting to scoff, but her lips merely twitched. “Am I going to marry a dead man?”

Seth pressed his lips together, “Let’s have the wedding first.”

“Have the wedding and then have me play the grieving widow? I’m telling you, Seth, that’s not happening. If you die, I’ll move on with Hugo and remarry immediately.”

A shadow crossed Seth’s brow, a chill creeping into his gaze. “Try remarrying, and see what happens.”

“What does it matter to you if you’re dead?”

Seth let out a cold laugh, “If you dare remarry, I’d turn the underworld upside down just to come back and find you.”

Cicely caught her breath, instinctively inhaling sharply. “You’re insane.” Anger turned her face ashen, her breathing uneven.

Seth simply pulled her close, guiding her to sit on his lap. “So, did you just agree to marry me?”

Cicely furrowed her brows, “Are you dreaming?”

“Weren’t you talking about remarrying?”

Cicely hesitated, “Were you serious just now?”

Seth’s voice was husky as he kissed her cheek, “Yeah, I want to marry you.”

Cicely looked down, her delicate face tense, “I was talking about Issac!”

Seth didn’t reply, burying his face in the crook of her neck with a soft “hmm.”

Pushing his hands away, Cicely drew back. “That’s enough.”

Seth watched her impassively, his voice deepening, “Enough of what?”

“I said it’s enough.” she reiterated coldly. “You win, okay? I can’t stand to see you hurt or dead. The thought of you in surgery had me scared to death. Is marriage what you want? Fine, I’ll marry you.”

“Damon says the most important thing in life is to be comfortable. Grandpa says the dead will never be as important as the living. Everyone thinks I’m being melodramatic, tossing and turning until I nearly lose you to know fear. They all live so freely and clearly, each one convinced that you love me more than anyone else, dropping hints left and right to make me let go.

“Yes, they’re right. I’m being ridiculously sentimental. I’m holding on to my righteousness too tightly.”

Seth listened quietly, his hand soothingly stroking her back, his expression calm. “Though I dislike others meddling in our affairs, and even less so that you were persuaded by them to be with me, I’m still grateful. As long as there’s a reason for you to be with me, no matter who says it or what they say, I’ll accept it.”

Cicely clenched her fist.

Seth looked up at her, “When you said you still loved me, I was happy, but that was all. You loved me three years ago, yet you still left me. Now, I just want you with me. I don’t expect your love; my love for you is enough. But if your love for me is a reason for you to stay, that’s all I could ever ask for.”

She closed her eyes as her lashes trembled slightly. He’d said too much. More than once, he expressed his determination to be with her.

Before, he would never speak of it, but now, he feared she wouldn’t understand. Some of the words were so honest that one would love them and hate them.

She said she loved him, and to him, it was just a pleasant thought. If he only said pretty words, it wouldn’t be him, and she wouldn’t believe it.

Honesty often grates.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

Cicely continued, “I’m new at this, not as enlightened as they are. Right or wrong, stubborn or obsessive, it’s fair for them to point things out. But it’s not like I have to agree with everything they say.

“It’s not about forgiveness. I don’t pity you, nor am I compromising because you’re relentless. I don’t have time for convoluted thoughts. I simply want to. I want to make my life better. I still love you, and I won’t fall for another man. I can’t share a bed with another man, let alone… you know. I don’t want to live like a widow at such a young age. You’re rich, powerful, capable, and you love me to death. By being with you, I have everything to gain.”

“Get married?” Cicely echoed, then nodded. “If you take good care of me, provide for me, and can handle my tantrums and mood swings, then I’ll marry you.”

Seth’s caressing hand paused. Cicely looked at him, “What? Can’t do it?”

His eyes darkened, “That’s it?”

“That’s what?”

“Keeping you happy, affording you, and handling your mood swings.”

Cicely raised an eyebrow, “Not enough?”

He pulled her close, his voice muffled against her neck. “Ask for more. Demand more. Otherwise, I won’t feel secure.”

“I’ll think of more later. If you’re insecure, then don’t marry me. Let go. I want to sleep.”

Cicely reached out to push him, only to be held tighter. Seth’s low, husky, dulcet voice coming from the crook of her neck. “I will.”

“Oh, are you still bringing up Issac?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Then I won’t marry you.”

He hugged her tighter, “I won’t mention him.”

Cicely’s gaze softened, “Let go, I’m tired.”

Seth hesitated, then held her gaze without letting go, “You napped this afternoon.”

“So?”

“You’ve been abstinent for two months. Do you need me to take care of you?”

Cicely stiffened, her face flushing a sudden red as she pushed him away and scrambled onto the bed. “I don’t need it!”

“It’s been two months…”

“I’ve been fine for three years. Get out, Seth. You’re still injured, you must be out of your mind.”

Seth turned and followed her, “I can find other ways to help you.”

Cicely burrowed under the covers, her voice muffled but tinged with irritation. “If you say that again, get off the bed.”

*

The next day, while Cicely was still nestled in the cocoon of sleep, the news of her impending marriage to Seth had swept across the internet like wildfire.

Ever since Seth had parked himself at her place, she rarely had the chance to make Hugo’s breakfast. It wasn’t that she was shirking her duties, but with Aunt Lana and Seth falling over each other to tend to Hugo, sparks flied, and she figured she might as well bow out. It meant more freedom for her.

When she awoke, Seth was nowhere to be seen. She stretched languidly, propped herself up against the headboard, and lazily reached for her smartphone on the nightstand.

When she skimmed through the news, her drowsy gaze sharpened at the sight of headlines blaring about her marriage to Seth.

She headed downstairs for a bite. Seth must have timed her descent perfectly, because the moment she appeared at the top of the stairs, there he was, waiting. “Take a seat in the dining room. Breakfast will be ready in two.”

Sitting down, Cicely leaned on the table, watching Seth bring out breakfast from the kitchen. “Everyone online is talking about us getting married. Did you do this?”

“To ward off any hopeful contenders.” Seth slid into the seat beside her, cracking an egg and peeling it for her. “You don’t like it?”

She shook her head as she picked up her utensils, “Not at all.”

Seth fed her the egg, bite by bite, until it was gone. Then she spoke up again. “Let’s just get the marriage license sorted, no need for a wedding.”

Seth’s gaze darkened slightly, and he reached for a napkin, meticulously wiping his fingers. Silence settled over the dining room.

Cicely had finished her breakfast and set down her fork that Seth stood to clear the plates. Suddenly, she said, “Being together is what matters, right? It’s just a formality. It’s not that important.”

Seth paused with the dishes in hand, waiting for her to finish. “They’re the same wedding planners you hired back in the day, you know. They didn’t think you found weddings unimportant then.”

Cicely hesitated, not expecting him to move so fast, to have already contacted the wedding planners. “Back then, I was young and full of vanity. I wanted a wedding that was grand and exquisite to announce to the world I was marrying you. Now, I think…”

“Cicely,” Seth cut her off, “no woman doesn’t want a wedding.”

She smiled, “Chloe didn’t have one, did she?”

would let her

silent. She knew Damon adored Chloe. He’d rushed back for their engagement

ceremony.” Cicely was firm, her

“I’ve already started planning.”

Her tone left no room

a long while before

and walked back into the kitchen, his dejected figure stirring a bitterness in Cicely’s heart, along with

into the kitchen and wrapped her

gaze fixed on the

I’ll move into our place.” Her concessions, an obvious attempt to soothe him, were clear. “Did you wear out the bed

Seth found a clean towel, dried his hands, and turned to face

smiled, “I’ll

his presence, her eyes soft and filled

*

registry office was swarming with reporters. Their probing questions came fast and furious, with Danielle’s name coming up

to protect Seth and Cicely,

congratulations on your

and where will the ceremony be

the media be

dared to cross Seth, and since they couldn’t ask about Danielle, they stuck to the happy occasion. But Seth seemed somber, his face devoid of joy even though he’d just remarried Ms. Cicely and gotten what he wanted. In contrast, Cicely’s face was alight with a subtle,

for the well wishes, but a ceremony

back then, you didn’t have

“The wedding isn’t what’s important. What matters is that

Seth, finally realizing that he was

and the absence of a wedding spread

forward to Ms. Cicely’s wedding, expecting unparalleled luxury, a

and a handsome groom,

them back together, a grand wedding was back on the cards, but the princess is saying no

her childhood bodyguard died saving her wedding dress. Maybe she’s afraid of stirring

The conversation dwindled.

details of what had happened back then were hazy, but it was a

*

want to see

visit Chloe. To bump

Damon’s commanding presence. Years of navigating the high seas of corporate strategy had honed his ability to exert an overwhelming force whenever he spoke, especially around her, where his

who’s been coddled and praised her whole life. If you’re

words for Cicely was less effective than laying out the stark choices:

wanted to bolt. Even married, she didn’t think he would let her off the

is your choice about the

even blush mentioning other people’s weddings?” Cicely snapped, seizing the rare

of your concern?” Damon’s voice was

also stay out of my business? Whether I want a wedding or not, what’s it to

you think I enjoy

“So what? My wedding is none of your

tree desperately needs to be picked. You

scoffed, “So you want to offload that rotten

apparently priceless to you.

words, especially when he said something

“Keep planning the wedding.”

protested, “I don’t want

was unyielding, “I don’t care what you want. I’m determined to get rid of that thing, and

going to do? Chain me to the

at her dismissively, “Want to try

a lump in her throat. Then she

the wedding. Keep

Cicely was speechless.

something at Cicely. It

She was stunned.

I’ll be displeased. If he can’t do it, he can just give his life back to

felt lightheaded, “Is that

was

was in the corner, playing piano with Hugo, fully aware of the commotion in the living room but kept her amusement

off, leaving the pistol on

*

agreed to a wedding. Cicely’s mood was erratic as she absentmindedly scrolled through her phone. “Curious about what kind of surprise Damon has in store.” Each

need to go abroad. Let’s

“Okay.”

*

a clean bill of health, and the wedding day

of the arrangements were to Cicely’s liking from

was cleared from eight to midnight, though no

a foul mood, and went straight to the bride’s dressing room at the hotel, flopping onto the bed

sat in front of the vanity mirror, stifling a yawn. The makeup artists hesitantly approached to do her makeup. Once done, they stood by, unsure of what

clutching her robe, and asked, “Is

wedding dress hasn’t

in this wedding, yet hadn’t expected that everything would be meticulously planned except for, ironically,

Maybe she

the regrets that felt even more poignant today,

wouldn’t have planned such an

restless and suffocated

as her patience ran out, there was a knock at

with hope, “It must be the dress.”

the delay. May

dress. There’s only Ms. Cicely and Mr. Diaz’s wedding in this hotel today. You can’t be

was frantic; time was running

“Alright, thank you.”

conversation and thought the man’s voice sounded vaguely

Her heart clenched.

looking for a wedding dress for her, and

had promised her, after

those memories. It

would never show up at her wedding. He had already

if she were the bride. “Mrs. Diaz, the wedding dress is here, let’s

opened her eyes, her expression neutral, and walked into

suite, their hands delicately cradling the wedding gown like a precious relic. They knew that the dress chosen for Mrs. Diaz’s wedding would

traced with silver thread, the train cascaded down like

Diaz is gonna be the most beautiful bride the world has ever seen,” one of the stylists murmured, awe

is

blow

tight-lipped smile, feeling a twinge in her heart. She had heard such exuberant praise before, but now it seemed to lack the same joy. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate the compliments; every woman did. But

dropped to her reflection in the mirror, and she took a

everyone has regrets.” She

be, happy. Let the past be the past, along with its regrets. The ones who love you wish for your happiness. So you must

turned to

held aloft by two assistants. Her emotions fluctuated wildly from surprise to anger, to sorrow,

this dress? Did he think it best to cling to the standards of the past, or did he believe she loved this dress so much back then that

he should know, this dress, for her, was nothing but a sorrowful memory. He couldn’t have

artist stuttered, taken

to reality. She couldn’t believe Seth would make such an arrangement, for their shared

But this was…

she suddenly burst out of the room, clad only in her robe, flinging open the door of the hotel suite. There was no one

chased after

the makeup artist’s voice, she turned, a mix of

delivered the dress?” Her voice broke,

don’t know him.” the artist replied

shoulders with a nervous urgency. “What did he look

hesitated, fearing her words might crush Cicely’s spirit, but she described the stranger as best as she could. “He was quite handsome, expressionless,

her world buzzing, her legs nearly

A white suit…

suit…” she murmured, disbelief and overwhelming excitement fighting for dominance on her face as

it be him? Was

“Cicely…”

to see a striking woman in a soft green sheath dress, her makeup light and

and spilled over. Her lips quivered as she ran to Cicely and embraced her, burying her head in Cicely’s chest, sobbing in a way that shook her poised image. “I hate you. Are you crazy? So many people worry about you, and you

was touched by the woman’s outburst but managed a

whispered

red and accusatory. “You haven’t forgotten

you’ve become

three years, everyone had grown. Just seven days earlier, at the International Pine Forest Film Festival, Emiliana had won the award for

too ashamed to face you if you hadn’t married

favored Danielle, Seth boldly recommended Emiliana overseas. He provided the learning and

let such an opportunity slip by. Now, with her