The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

What the heck was he babbling about!

“I’m stiff as a board, can’t dance a step.”

Azriel would have none of it. “Just do the Bunny Hop.”

Phoebe froze for a moment, then her entire face suddenly turned beet red. “I… I don’t know how.”

Azriel reached over, grabbed his phone, and after a few taps, the familiar yet foreign tune filled the hospital room. The moment the intro hit, Phoebe wished the earth would swallow her whole.

“You… you…” She glared at Azriel, her face so hot she could probably cook an egg on it.d2

Out of all the songs in the world, why on earth did it have to be this one? She had been the butt of the joke in her family for years because of that dance.

Back in the day, she had performed it at a school event, showing off to her grandparents the day before. Everyone had clapped and praised her, except for one good-looking boy who had dismissively said, “It’s alright.”

To a child, there’s only pretty or ugly. She couldn’t accept such a lukewarm review, so her confidence took a nosedive, and on the following day, she was pushed on stage unwillingly and ended up crying through the entire routine.

She remembered the intermittent laughter from the audience and couldn’t understand why they found joy in her misery.

Little did she know, the performance was recorded and her grandparents had shamelessly flaunted it every chance they got. People would bring it up even now, years later. She wouldn’t be surprised if the video was still floating around online.

Why was this embarrassing memory resurfacing here and now?

“You really can’t dance?”

Azriel was undeniably bored and just looking for a laugh at her expense. Seeing her blush with mortification, he persisted, phone in hand, “Let me find you a tutorial video. You’ll pick it up after one watch.”

“No!” Phoebe shot out her hand in a stop sign, “No, no, no, no! I… I can do it, I just can’t do it well, but that doesn’t mean I can’t dance.”

Azriel arched an eyebrow, nodded, and after swiping on his phone for a bit, he said, “Alright, let’s see it then.”

The music from the phone started again. Phoebe, with her eyes closed, took deep breaths until the crucial moment when, resigned to her fate, she opened her eyes and started her stiff, awkward dance moves.

The sight was cringeworthy, and it made Azriel look like he had a twisted sense of humor. Once wasn’t enough; he had her do it a second time, and Phoebe was grinding her teeth.

You build up a tolerance for embarrassment, she thought. If at first, the prospect of dancing your most embarrassing dance alone in a hospital room made you want to vanish into thin air, by the second round, it felt like no big deal.

was mustering her resolve, the

stiffened, staring blankly

Jace was frozen at the entrance, hand still on the doorknob, equally stunned for

Phoebe, hands poised like bunny ears atop her head, knees bent as if ready to bounce. Dressed in simple jeans and a knit burnt orange sweater with a delicate white

between her and Azriel, who typically wore an air of

long ago,

composure, Phoebe quickly dropped the act, pretending to be calm as she downed two glasses of water, her eyes glaring through the clear glass at the man

had just entered, and

gaze, Azriel’s cool eyes met

set down the glass, and shook her head, “Nothing. Since you guys

over some documents, Azriel

just as she was about to escape, Azriel’s voice, chilly as ice, followed her, “Come back

deep breath, then turned with a forced smile, “Okay,” she said

Azriel out, and the embarrassment from earlier came flooding back. Her cheeks burned with shame as she grimaced,

in the room, Jace briefed Azriel on the Alonso family’s latest antics and the

“sell” Phoebe off, especially during their recent close call, Azriel’s

associating with the Harper family a lot lately. Someone must’ve tipped

that tip-off, she would have

eyes narrowed, and Jace felt

Phoebe at the entrance. They exchanged polite greetings. Remembering the chill in the room and seeing Phoebe enjoying ice cream despite the cold, Jace

much fire inside. This is literally

“Anyway, Ms. Alonso, it might be better to eat a bit less. Do you have plans for lunch, or are you going to use the hospital cafeteria? Do you want me

and looked up at

like this, she suddenly felt

since she was keeping vigil by Azriel’s

held in her hand, she quickly took a bite. The cold rush gave her a shiver, and with a twirl of her deep brown eyes, she grinned at Jace and said, “I might need to take care of Mr. Azriel for a few more days, so I need to get a

across the hospital lobby before settling on Phoebe with a hint of wariness,

hard, you know. The incident was just an accident. It’s not about my cooking skills,

instant noodles, taking

as well do as she asked. “Alright, I’ll have

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