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.

mustering her resolve, the door to the room burst

staring blankly at the

hand

to bounce. Dressed in simple jeans and a knit burnt orange sweater with a delicate white lace

flipped between her and Azriel, who typically wore an air of aloof detachment but now

message he had received not long ago, Jace suspected

her 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 on the bed who seemed to be asking for a slap, her palms

had just entered, and his face slowly became more

eyes met hers. “What

and shook her head, “Nothing. Since you guys

over some documents, Azriel gave a noncommittal

that, Phoebe was out the door. But just as she was about to escape,

took a deep breath, then turned with a forced smile, “Okay,” she said before slipping out and softly shutting the door

cursed Azriel out, and the embarrassment from earlier came flooding back. Her cheeks burned with

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

mentioned that the Alonsos had been plotting to “sell” Phoebe off, especially during

Harper family a lot lately. Someone must’ve tipped her off, or else

without that tip-off, she would have likely fallen

eyes narrowed, and Jace felt a chill in

the entrance. They exchanged polite greetings. Remembering the chill in the room and seeing Phoebe enjoying ice cream despite the cold, Jace couldn’t help but comment, “Ms. Alonso, it’s chilly out. Ice cream isn’t great for a woman’s

got too much fire inside. This

Ms. Alonso, it might be better to eat a bit less. Do you have plans for lunch, or are you going to use

looked up at the hospital

noon. Reminded like this, she suddenly felt her

by Azriel’s side, and had missed breakfast altogether. Thinking about it

and said, “I might need to take care of Mr. Azriel for a few more days, so I need to get a sense of his tastes. How about you arrange some of his favorite dishes

ask, his gaze sweeping across the hospital lobby before settling on Phoebe with a

bit embarrassed, “Cooking isn’t really that hard, you know. The incident was

“Poor instant noodles, taking the brunt

meant well and had asked him to arrange lunch, he guessed he might as well do as she asked. “Alright, I’ll have someone bring the food over to

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