The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

“Sorry. I’m so sorry…” In a panic, she quickly withdrew her hand, her cheeks burning with a deep blush.

Azriel stood up in silence, and Phoebe quickly followed suit.

Just as she was about to dash back to her room, feeling completely out of her depth, Azriel suddenly grabbed her hand.

Turning in surprise, Phoebe looked at him. Azriel lowered his gaze again, silent for a few seconds before looking up at her.

“Azriel…”

“Last night, that man had a decent appearance and demeanor,” Azriel spoke slowly. “He comes from a well-off family, quite popular at school, and has good character.”d2

Phoebe’s eyelashes fluttered, struggling to suppress the bitterness in her heart, “you investigated him? Last night?”

“He’s into you,” Azriel replied, not directly answering her question. “Of all the guys in school, he’s one of the best.”

The more she heard, the colder Phoebe’s heart became. She laughed, with a hint of sadness in her voice. “So what? If I bring him to you as my boyfriend for your approval, you wouldn’t have a problem with that, right?”

“He’s good,” Azriel said, but then he shook his head slightly, his grip on her wrist tightening suddenly, his calm and indifferent eyes becoming fierce. “But I won’t agree.”

Suddenly, he pulled her close, spinning her around and pressing her down onto the couch. Azriel bent one knee beside her, propping his hand next to her ear, leaning over her. “I’ve thought it over and over.”

He stared at the surprised and flustered Phoebe, his voice low, and his warm breath infiltrating her skin as if seeking every possible entrance. “Since you’ve agreed to let me have a say, does that mean as long as I don’t give the nod, you’ll remain single? Maybe someone even better than him will come along for you, but I still won’t agree to you two being together.”

Phoebe felt like her heart was about to leap out of her chest, “Why?”

“Because I don’t want to.” Azriel gently brushed the hair from her cheek with his fingers, his knuckles lightly grazing her skin. “I don’t want to see you with other men, not even getting close to them.”

Under Phoebe’s astonished gaze, he smirked, a shadow of a roguish smile on his handsome face.

“Why would I push you away when I’m interested? I’ve been overthinking it. I’m far from a saint, so why have I been trying to respect you to the utmost, and to let you have your freedom, when it only makes me unhappy?

“Phoebe, if I was just a bit harsher with you, you’d have no choice but to stay by my side for the rest of your life. The fact that I paid three hundred billion to buy out your relationship with the Alonso family is enough? Don;t you think so?”

Phoebe couldn’t describe her feelings at the moment: anxious, shocked, delighted, and a sense of complexity that was difficult to articulate.

“Enough to be your servant for a lifetime?”

Azriel’s eyes narrowed, his hand pinching her cheek, “What are you playing dumb for?”

“So you’re interested in me? Like how you were with those women last night?”

“Are you curious about that?” Azriel looked at her with an ambiguous expression.

“Is that a problem?”

Azriel nodded, “Not in the slightest.” With that, he abruptly straightened up, then swooped down to scoop her into his arms.

Phoebe gasped in fright, clinging to his shoulders, “What… what are you doing?”

He merely glanced at her, “Answering your question.”

It wasn’t until she was carried to the guest room bed and he followed, covering her, that she truly began to panic. “Azriel.”

Her chin was grasped, Azriel leaning in close, “Last night, I was teased by Seth like that. Phoebe, you’re not without blame for it.”

“What?” Her nearly instinctive question was muffled back.

Phoebe’s mind went blank, her ears ringing. Inexperienced, Phoebe was left with nothing but wide eyes and a heart that seemed to have stopped for an eternity before pounding violently again.

then his forceful presence pried open her teeth, still parted

Warm touches, intermingling breaths…

that she really liked this man. She didn’t mind

relieved the game last night

but if it weren’t for the fear of

was good, but she

hands, initially instinctively pushing against Azriel’s arm, gradually relaxed their grip, fingers curling to tightly clutch the sleeve

relaxed her tensed body slightly, tilting her chin up, her lips

eyes were laced with a

in shyness, her cheeks flushed with rosy warmth, her lips

watched for a long

the embarrassment of being seen through, and for a moment, she could not look at him, but the man chuckled again and kissed her, not just on the lips this

wickedly thought that her innocence and naivety, her lack of worldly experience, even if it was purely out of curiosity and a desire to explore the unknown,

could easily have

inevitable to him, and he felt not even the slightest hint of

might as well spoil her himself. He hadn’t planned to go too far today, but now, he hesitated

the man beside her, a hand bracing against his strong shoulder. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes hazed

both, his voice a husky whisper colored with unspoken desires, “When will

lip, pondering for a moment, then shook her

settles it, then. Better to face your fears now than to be scared again next time,” he said with a chuckle that even he couldn’t suppress. It

on Azriel’s hand firm yet shy, “Azriel, I like you. So I

bit back a groan and kissed

*

missed

stared blankly at the sky outside the window, desperately recalling

body, she grabbed the blanket and covered her reddening cheeks. It had all been real. The possessiveness in Azriel’s

herself. Even if it was just a fleeting desire for him, she had no regrets. The man

“Woke up?”

calm voice filled the room. She turned and saw him, dressed impeccably,

small smile. He ruffled her

her head slightly, still in a

carried her out of the room. He set her down on the couch and handed her a glass of warm water. “Drink this first. The hotel will

gently, then

but feel a bit awkward. She obediently drank the water, and right on cue, the

handed her the utensils and glanced at his watch.

with your work. I can take

but started eating as

within the allotted half-hour. “Do you need me to

he replied, handing her several shopping bags, “Change

bags – it was her favorite

simple jeans and a

glance, then took her

gripping his hand back, decided not to worry about the unknown future. She was content and

his expression darkened slightly, “I have it. I’ll

trusted him, “Where

*

until Azriel slid the completed forms to the clerk

“What do you

“Marriage Application” on the

a bit

you not want to?” Azriel

“But my ID

chimed in with a smile, “Ms. Alonso, you can’t fill out this form without your ID.

her something, and sure

gaped, “So, when you went out today, you went to the