The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

Obsidian Enterprises had been brewing new endeavors recently.

Chloe was meticulously packing Damon’s suitcase for his business trip. “I’ve squared away the essentials with Nate already. Here’s the medicine pouch. If you feel a cold coming on, remember to take a couple of these powdered mixes. I’ve also packed antacids and hangover pills. I included three sets of clothes for you, and I’ve ordered some outfits to be delivered directly to you over there in a couple of days.”

As Chloe bent over the suitcase, sorting through items with great attention to detail, familiar garments suddenly appeared on the surface of the luggage. Upon closer inspection, she realized they were her own clothes. Lifting her eyes, she watched as the tall, broad-shouldered man knelt before her, his defined fingers carefully folding her clothes and placing them atop his own. “What are you doing?”

“Coming with me on the trip,” he said, his voice firm and unyielding.

Chloe sighed with a hint of resignation and began removing the clothes from the suitcase, “I can’t go with you. I need to stay home and take care of the kids.”

Damon’s expression darkened a shade, “They have grandparents, nannies, and housekeepers.”d2

“But I’ll miss them. I need to see them every day to feel at peace.”

Damon took the clothes back from Chloe’s hands, pressed them into the suitcase, and then silently stood up and left the dressing room. She was sure of it – he was upset.

Chloe pondered how to soothe him later, but before she could act on it, Damon re-entered, one child in his arms and another dangling from his hand, both as beautiful and delicate as dolls.

Chloe was clearly familiar with Damon’s way of holding the babies, especially when she saw the little babies being lifted and kicking his tiny legs, giggling happily. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of helplessness. She remembered vividly how her heart had leaped the first time she saw her precious son treated in such a cavalier fashion.

Over time, she’d come to question what exactly constituted a man’s idea of “romance.”

“What are you—”

Before Chloe could finish, Damon bent down and placed the little one inside the suitcase. Chloe stared in astonishment.

With a grunt, Damon glanced at the little creature reaching out cheerfully for Chloe from within the suitcase and said, “Pack him up and bring him along.”

Startled, Chloe quickly scooped her son out of the suitcase. She knew Damon wasn’t serious about shipping their son off in a suitcase, but seeing him now, doting on his soft, sweet daughter with nose rubs and kisses, Chloe couldn’t help but feel even more protective of her son.

The disparity in affection was striking.

She had once discussed this favoritism with Damon quite seriously, but in the end, she somewhat agreed with his conclusion: Their son would also have to spoil his sister unconditionally.

With a silent apology in her heart, Chloe held her son close and kissed him again and again.

In spite of this tender moment, Chloe didn’t agree to join Damon on his trip.

Soon after, Nathan’s boisterous voice echoed from downstairs. “I’m here to see you!”

Sometimes Chloe thought Damon was so lucky to have a brother like Nathan – despite taking his fair share of beatings, Nathan’s uncanny timing often rescued her from tricky situations.

His reasons for showing up were seldom what one might call “normal” though.

had arrived with his entire family in tow. The butler had already directed the staff to

hard to miss as he admired the family coming down from the

thing or two about sweet-talking, and without making a fuss, he glanced at Damon’s sour expression before turning his attention to the baby girl in his arms. “Wow, isn’t my niece Little Moon becoming more beautiful by the day? She’s starting to look so much like her

to his daughter. His preferential treatment was

comment was strategic, flattering both Damon’s treasured daughter and his beloved wife, Chloe. Though Nathan often came off as unreliable at home, this time he had made

face remained stoic, but his slight nod was a grand concession

amused smile behind her hand, while the staff lowered their heads to conceal their

Chloe’s side, resting her chin on Chloe’s knee and gazing at her handsome cousin with sparkling eyes. “Chloe, Little Sun

gently touched Little

them to

Little Sun, you still need to pay attention to

Anya’s hair, her eyes filled with

beamed even brighter. “I’ll always protect Little Sun and Little

and each time, Chloe felt a deep sense of warmth and joy. The pure, unblemished affection Chloe had once

profit seemed to strip them of their humanity. They measured kinship in dollars and cents, turning affection into something as transactional as a business deal. If this was the case in the Summers household, she could only imagine the emotional void in the grander Harper family, where any genuine sentiment must have felt like a burden, something to be disregarded and lacking.

all their conflicts, had proven to be an exception to her cynical expectations. They trusted her, acknowledged her, loved her,

was complete with Damon, but he

such a great sister,” someone noted, warming Anya’s heart

his arm, his fingers toying with her small hand. He watched contentedly as the

arm around Yulia as they sat opposite on the couch, grinned, “We’re about to go on a business trip, so I asked Yulia and Anya to

her lips barely parting. Clearly, fatherhood was doing wonders for Nathan’s communication

unimpressed. “Another

he leaned back with a defiant air of resignation. “Just thought they’d keep her

was there to worry about? Were the housekeepers

long as their mother didn’t stir up trouble, she would be

–

The Diaz residence.

lit bedroom, a mess of

of dark hair spread over the pillow, and faint marks dotted the smooth shoulders. Strands of hair partly concealed

swung open, and the light

approached the bed, bending down to place a glass of water on the bedside table, then sat down beside the

him, grabbing the blanket in

covers, planting a

hoarse from discomfort, and she pinched the hand wrapped around her waist

chuckle from the man behind her. “Sorry,” he whispered, his breath warm against

yanked the blanket over her head,

into his lap with a fluid motion. She could feel every bone in her body

until Cicely sighed in relaxation. After a

in his embrace, her scent filling his nostrils as his kisses peppered

ever going