The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

Azriel wasn’t accustomed to seeing her this incensed. He could only attribute her fury to the recent developments with the Alonso family.

Dragging her to the couch, Azriel asked nonchalantly, “So, you’re going to the business dinner?”

“You knew about Wendy throwing a business dinner?”

Azriel kept his composure, “With your sister making such a scene, it’s hard for it to go unnoticed.”

Phoebe snorted, “Looks like the Alonso’s luck is finally running out. And just as they’re about to go under, some old geezer pops up out of nowhere and hands them a fortune.”

Azriel raised an eyebrow, “Old geezer?”d2

“That’s 30 billion bucks. Who has that kind of money unless they’re as old as Methuselah?”

Azriel remained silent.

“Is this person blind or just plain stupid? Anybody with half a brain wouldn’t make such a foolhardy investment.”

Azriel pursed his lips, “You’re not the only one who sees it, Phoebe. Whoever forked over that 30 billion must see something we don’t.”

“I can’t fathom why he’d throw a wrench in the works now.”

Azriel decided to steer the conversation elsewhere.

*

The business dinner was a grand affair.

Phoebe arrived in full regalia. She caught Wendy’s resentful gaze from her wheelchair and felt a twinge of satisfaction. Despite Wendy’s scheming to have it all, she ended up ruining herself and gaining nothing.

So what if Wendy had secured that hefty investment? Phoebe still held the shares they’d been eyeing for years.

Even if the Alonso family survived this turmoil, Wendy had no skill to maintain control over those shares; Phoebe would sell them instead.

But Phoebe couldn’t have guessed that—

After she stood alone, confronting Wendy and Cole under the watchful eyes of the crowd, nearly catching a slap from her father, she found that the mysterious investor pouring 30 billion into the Alonso family was Azriel himself.

No one could fathom her shock and rage. She couldn’t accept it. He knew she despised the idea of the Alonso family’s resurgence more than anyone.

“So, you’re that old geezer! Why didn’t I just poison you with instant noodles from the get-go?!”

Enraged and fighting back tears, she bit down hard on Azriel’s hand.

The crowd was baffled by Phoebe’s seemingly unprovoked desire to see the Alonso family’s downfall.

Cole and Wendy had particularly sour expressions.

After shooting Azriel a fierce glare, Phoebe turned to leave but found herself suddenly pulled into Azriel’s embrace.

The onlookers were clueless.

Phoebe’s face buried in his chest, her nose aching and tears falling. “What are you doing?!” Had he dressed her up just to make her the butt of everyone’s jokes?

Azriel’s hand snaked behind her slender neck, forcing her to look at him. “You crying?” he asked, his smile warm and his voice soft yet clearly doting.

He raised the hand she had bitten, now bearing the clear imprint of her teeth, and said, “Old wounds unhealed, and here’s a fresh one. Where do you think you’re running off to?”

“That’s what you deserve.”

“Should I press charges for assault?”

Phoebe’s eyes widened in disbelief. Getting arrested in full view of the Alonso family would be the ultimate humiliation.

As Phoebe reluctantly calmed down, Azriel’s lips curled into a smirk. He slid his hand down to her waist, pulling her closer in a gesture both intimate and suggestive.

Phoebe, unaccustomed to such public displays of affection, blushed as red as a ripe chili pepper.

Azriel whispered in her ear, his voice a deep, velvety murmur, “Behave, and we’ll settle this at home.” His warm breath on her ear made her shrink away, but she couldn’t escape his hold.

He noticed her ear turn an even deeper shade of red, and Azriel’s brows twitched with amusement. His affectionate gesture and teasing words left no doubt about the unusual nature of their relationship.

Azriel’s atypical display of affection began to soothe Phoebe’s embarrassment, allowing her thoughts to clear. Could it be that there was a reason for his actions?

His investment had earned him a 30% stake in the Alonso family business. Combining that with her shares, he would be the majority shareholder. So, was he actually helping her?

Angie had warned her to be wary of this man’s intentions. Was he after her shares?

Her heart skipped a beat, then she forcefully suppressed the thought. Better him than Wendy anyway.

Once they were seated, the Alonso family couldn’t take their eyes off Azriel and Phoebe. Their overtly apparent thoughts barely concealed.

Glancing at the pensive woman beside him, Azriel chuckled softly, “Your father, stepmother, and sister seem a bit too interested in me. Any idea what’s on their minds?”

Phoebe looked over, catching their eager stares. Disgusted, she looked away, turning her attention to Chloe sitting nearby. “Chloe.”

to Phoebe, examining her slightly

was the company, aside from making my life difficult. The shares she held were minimal, and she couldn’t get her hands on your shares for the time

into a pimple. “She’s eyeing

going to

do his shares have to do with her? Why would she

to do with her, but everything to do

froze. “With

as she watched the investment numbers climbing on the screen. “His actions tonight weren’t

cheeks flared with

chuckled quietly, “Shameless

in a wife for yourself.

offered a half-smile and beckoned a server, “Please bring

“What are you

should they go to all that trouble? Let’s discuss our engagement

her face a portrait of incredulous

“Surprised?”

Cole approached, “Mr. Azriel,

straight to the

I said I want to marry your second daughter, what

off guard by the blunt proposition but felt a

tonight, I may no longer want

Phoebe clenched her fists.

forgo the other formalities. For the wedding gift, I’ll just take those

“Cole!!”

drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Cole was startled by her sudden outburst. As he regained his composure, he realized all eyes in the banquet hall were on them,

shaking, finally managed

“You’re out of line! Of course,

genuine? But of course, I’m worth a third of

gaze fell upon Cole, and he flushed with shame. “You…

for the wealth and power that built the Alonso fortress, Grace wouldn’t covet Mrs. Alonso’s

related to her, yet you turn a blind eye. You protect the murderer who killed your wife, my mother. You’re all guilty. Now, you want to sell me for shares to

paled at Phoebe’s

She’s insane!! Get her out

Grace, you’re the mad one. And you, Cole, after sharing a bed with

chilled by her words.

been sitting beside them, suddenly spoke up and pulled Phoebe into his embrace, “Let’s not

weren’t for your meddling, the Alonso family

now fully understanding the ferocity of this lamb he

unwrapped it,

“Peach-flavored. Open up.”

moment, her eyes wet with unshed tears, but she eventually

crowd was perplexed. That

the man who always had a

hand in marriage. In the future, if the Alonso family ever

thirty billion I paid ensures that Phoebe has nothing further to do with the Alonso family. As for being the family’s largest

on Azriel clouded with confusion. “What

steely coldness. “That thirty percent stake? It’s out of my hands

Cole’s face twitched violently.

shares?” His question was abruptly cut off by Wendy’s interrogative shout. Everyone turned to look at her, her face twisted grotesquely, her gaze on Azriel sharp enough

into a sneer,

“To whom?!”

finally came when

was unexpected, the outcome seemed almost inevitable. Chloe had often spoken

nearly mad with

had turned into Chloe’s victory lap. The change in leadership of the Alonso family

the party dwindled down, Phoebe stood dazed in the back garden, waiting for

as well. “Phoebe,” Chloe called

somewhat

company, just let me know. In fact, I believe the Alonso family will fare better with me than it

company, and I think it’s best run by capable people like you. Plus, with my thirty percent stake and you at the helm,

hair off Phoebe’s shoulder. “Phoebe, it’s okay for a girl not to be strong all the time. To have someone worth leaning on, who’s willing to let you lean on them, to give you shelter your whole life, and to let you cry and be silly with you, that’s something many people search for their entire

nodded, not quite grasping why Chloe would suddenly say all this. They rarely

though. I know you and Azriel had a past connection, and he’s the student of your grandparents. In every way, he should protect you, and in fact, he has. But financially speaking, Azriel could have easily taken the Alonso family’s thirty percent stake, or even bought it all to give to you. Yet, he gave it to

Azriel was more than

wonder what

question, instead responding obliquely, “Love is probably the one thing in this world that can’t afford

lead Chloe away, biting her

*

some work with Jace, Azriel stepped outside expecting to see Phoebe where he left her. Instead, it took him a good fifteen minutes to find her by the central fountain

in her coat with hands clasped to

of irritation surged through Azriel.

sudden sound startled the huddled girl, who slowly lifted her head to look at the tall, imposing figure beside

had been braced for a face marred by sadness, thinking she had hidden away to cry over the Alonso family’s antics. Instead, her eyes were full of

“Aren’t you cold?”

reached out, grabbing the hem of his coat, and

looking down at

“You…”

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