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 long nails, and began to

she held were minimal, and she couldn’t get her hands on your shares for the time being, but Mr. Azriel had a solid

a pimple. “She’s eyeing Azriel’s

to cement her

do with her?

nothing to do with her, but everything to do with

froze. “With me?

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

and within two seconds, her cheeks flared with

quietly, “Shameless people often think

you’ve just invested in a wife for yourself. You’re in their sights

beckoned a server, “Please bring Mr. Alonso

are you

they go to all that trouble? Let’s

face a portrait of

“Surprised?”

Phoebe could retort, Cole approached, “Mr. Azriel, what can I

nodded, getting straight to the

to marry your second daughter, what would be

caught off guard by the blunt proposition but felt a secret surge of joy. “Shall we talk after the

tonight, I may no longer want to

Phoebe clenched her fists.

formalities. For the wedding gift, I’ll just take those thirty percent

“Cole!!”

her seat, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Cole was startled by her sudden outburst. As he regained his composure, he realized

with rage and shaking, finally managed to speak again.

course, I’m your father. Have you lost

do you think his proposal was genuine? But of course, I’m worth a

and he flushed with shame. “You… do you truly wish

Alonso family to fall more than I do. If it weren’t for the wealth and power that built the Alonso fortress, Grace wouldn’t covet Mrs. Alonso’s position,

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

paled at Phoebe’s hysterical

Phoebe has lost it. She’s

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

chilled by

had been sitting beside them, suddenly spoke up and pulled Phoebe into his embrace, “Let’s not make a scene now. You can

your meddling, the Alonso family would be

now fully understanding the ferocity of this lamb he once thought meek, said, “Calm

resignation, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a lollipop, unwrapped it, and offered it to Phoebe.

“Peach-flavored. Open up.”

the lollipop for a long moment, her eyes wet with unshed tears, but she eventually

was perplexed. That actgually

man who always had a lollipop ready when she cried

“Thirty billion, and I’ll give you Phoebe’s hand in marriage. In the future, if the Alonso family ever needs a hand, I do hope you’ll step up to the plate. After all, you’re

thirty billion I paid ensures that Phoebe has nothing further to do with the Alonso family. As

on Azriel clouded with confusion. “What do you mean

replaced by a steely coldness. “That thirty percent stake? It’s out of my hands now. So, the largest shareholder of the

Cole’s face twitched violently.

shout. Everyone turned to

into

“To whom?!”

answer finally came when Chloe took the

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

was nearly mad

own business gala, intended to flaunt her success in Chloe’s face, had turned into Chloe’s victory lap. The change in leadership of the Alonso family was a

Phoebe stood dazed in the back garden, waiting for Azriel to bring the

out with Chloe in his arms as well. “Phoebe,”

somewhat

with the company, just let me know. In fact,

and you at the helm, I won’t

all the time. To have someone worth leaning on, who’s willing to let you lean on them, to give

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

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 me. Have you ever thought about why,

case. Azriel was more than

wonder what he’s

is probably the one thing in this

away, biting her

*

Instead, it took him a good fifteen minutes to find her by the central fountain in the hotel

Phoebe, wrapped in her coat with hands clasped

irritation

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

hidden away to cry over the Alonso family’s antics. Instead, her eyes were

“Aren’t you cold?”

his coat, and looked up at

asked, looking down at his coat

“You…”

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