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?”

Damon would let

for their engagement party, so of

fuss. Everyone knows we’re getting married. We don’t need a ceremony.” Cicely was firm, her heart set against reliving imperfect memories that would force her to

“I’ve already started planning.”

cancel it.” Her tone left

was silent for a long while

stirring a bitterness in Cicely’s heart, along

and wrapped her arms around his waist from

gaze fixed on

move into our place.” Her concessions, an obvious attempt to soothe

dried his hands,

“I’ll

soft and filled with smile. He couldn’t resist leaning in to kiss her nose, murmuring a low

*

registry office was swarming with reporters. Their probing questions came fast

sent people to protect Seth and Cicely, but the reporters

Diaz, congratulations

and where will the ceremony be

the media be

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

a ceremony isn’t

didn’t

isn’t what’s important. What matters is that

to the silent Seth, finally realizing that he was genuinely unhappy. Sensing the mood, the

and the absence of

to Ms. Cicely’s wedding, expecting unparalleled luxury, a feast for the

we all? A beautiful bride, and a handsome groom, just the thought

grand wedding was back on the cards, but the

died saving her wedding dress.

The conversation dwindled.

back then were hazy, but it was a big deal, and it had cost someone

*

didn’t want to

at the office, and she had time to spare to visit Chloe. To bump into Damon,

of corporate strategy had honed his ability to exert an overwhelming force

once, and his response was characteristically blunt. “Cicely’s the type who’s been coddled and praised her whole life. If you’re all sweetness and light

laying out the stark choices: no way back,

bolt. Even married, she

choice

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

my business any of your

shot him a defiant look. “So could you maybe also stay out of my business? Whether I want a wedding

you think I enjoy

My wedding is none of your

apple that’s about to fall from my tree desperately needs to be picked. You hold a

to

to me, but apparently priceless to you. Are you sure you don’t want

dared to question Damon’s words, especially when he said something held “priceless” significance. She couldn’t imagine anything in the world

“Keep planning the wedding.”

“I don’t

to get rid of that thing, and you’re going to want it

you going to

glanced at her dismissively, “Want

in her throat. Then

wedding.

Cicely was speechless.

at Cicely. It was a

She was stunned.

been saved by me. You like to play with life and death, huh? Well, if you don’t hold that wedding, I’ll be displeased. If he can’t do it, he can just give

“Is that

expression was

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

leaving the pistol on

*

she absentmindedly scrolled through her phone. “Curious about what

be over the top. No need to go abroad. Let’s

“Okay.”

*

clean bill of

of the arrangements were to Cicely’s liking from three years

was cleared from eight

to the bride’s dressing room at the hotel, flopping onto the bed to continue

the vanity mirror, stifling a yawn. The makeup artists hesitantly

stood up, clutching her robe, and asked, “Is

dress

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

dress. Maybe she was

her eyes. All the mental preparation she had done, the deliberate suppression of memories, including the regrets that felt

have planned such an elaborate wedding to mess up the dress. Mrs. Diaz,

Cicely grew increasingly restless and suffocated by the tense

her patience ran out, there was

makeup artists lit up with hope, “It must be the dress.” They hurried to the door and

the

Cicely’s wedding dress. There’s only Ms. Cicely and Mr. Diaz’s wedding in

was frantic; time was

“Alright, thank you.”

overheard the conversation and thought the man’s voice sounded vaguely

Her heart clenched.

man, protecting her without regard for his own life, grievously injured yet still looking for a wedding dress for her, and his

promised

tightly, pushing down those memories. It couldn’t be.

at her wedding. He had already

makeup artist came in, carrying the wedding dress bag, beaming as if she were the bride. “Mrs. Diaz, the wedding

her eyes, her expression neutral,

that the dress chosen for Mrs. Diaz’s wedding would be extraordinary, but upon unveiling it, a collective gasp sliced through the air. It was

sleeves, traced with silver thread, the train cascaded down like

be the most beautiful bride the world has ever seen,” one of the stylists murmured,

is

gonna blow everyone

now it seemed to lack the same joy. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate the compliments; every woman did. But the slight tinge

her reflection in the mirror, and she took a deep breath, curving her lips into a sweet, blissful

regrets.” She

you’re marrying your love, a man who cherishes you more than life itself. You are, and will be, happy. Let the past

turned to the makeup artist. “Can

off as her eyes fixed on the wedding dress being held aloft by two assistants. Her emotions fluctuated wildly from surprise to anger, to sorrow, to vulnerability, and finally to the brink of collapse. Each expression was a poignant testament to her inner

the past, or did he believe she loved this dress so much back then that he simply wanted

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

makeup artist stuttered, taken

would make such an arrangement, for

But this was…

her mind taut as a bowstring. After a long moment, she suddenly burst out of the room, clad only in her robe, flinging open the door of the hotel suite. There

makeup artist chased after her,

sound of the makeup artist’s voice, she turned,

delivered the dress?” Her voice broke,

know him.” the artist

closer, gripping the artist’s shoulders with a nervous urgency. “What

spirit, but she described the stranger as best as she could. “He was quite handsome, expressionless, probably not much of a talker. Tall, with a straight posture,

buzzing,

A white suit…

overwhelming excitement fighting for dominance on her face

him? Was Issac

“Cicely…”

soft green sheath dress, her makeup light and refined, her figure delicate and graceful,

welled in the woman’s eyes 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

emotions, was touched by the woman’s outburst but

whispered her

red and accusatory. “You haven’t

you’ve

grown. Just seven days earlier, at the International Pine Forest Film Festival, Emiliana

been too ashamed to face you if you

recommended Emiliana overseas. He provided the

about Seth, Emiliana couldn’t let such an opportunity slip by. Now,