The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

Noah had many friends, and in previous years, she used to stick close to him. Whenever Noah was roped into a new group chat, Ella was inevitably there as well.

Take, for instance, the old neighborhood crew—friends from way back when, the sort who grew up on the same block and trudged to school together. As time marched on, they’d all spun off in their own orbits, some landing in different cities, others hustling through the same ol’ town, but whenever a reunion cropped up, Ella would be there, mingling and melding with the crew as if she’d never been anything but one of the gang.

This particular group was a bit looser with their banter than most.

It was a Thursday night when Ella, fresh from a shower and cozied up in bed, noticed her phone buzzing with a barrage of messages from the gang. Amidst the chaos of notifications, her name was flashing in a bold, beckoning red.

Driven by curiosity, she tapped into the thread, only to be greeted by a chorus of congratulations for Noah.

She clicked on the message that had tagged her: [@PrincessElla, spill the beans! Who’s the lucky lady Noah’s snagged? Pics or it didn’t happen.]d2

Ella blinked in disbelief. Noah’s got a girlfriend?

Instinctively, she scrolled through the chat history and discovered that someone had shared their upcoming nuptials with a celebratory digital toast. After the initial wave of well-wishes, talk turned to the dwindling number of bachelors in the group, and naturally, all fingers pointed to Noah.

Bombarded with tags and probably fed up, Noah had blurted out a bombshell: [Not single. Don’t bother sending me wedding gifts under a hundred grand.]

[Damn!]

[Holy smokes!]

[The big shot at Visionary Productions keeping his love life under wraps?]

[Which girl has he charmed?]

[@PrincessElla, come on, give us the deets on your new auntie-in-law! Pics, please.]

The chat erupted with further tagging, congratulations, and a burning curiosity that only intensified with Ella’s cryptic response. Her fingers hovered over the screen for an eternity before she finally tapped out a message, forcing a smile through the digital divide, her fingertips trembling above the keys. [No comment, folks. But let’s just say she is quite the looker.]

Her playful deflection only stoked the group’s curiosity. In no time flat, Noah added someone new to the chat: [Any questions? Ask her yourself.]

A brief silence fell before the chat exploded again.

[Damn, the lady herself?]

[Really?]

[The Mrs.?]

[Hello everyone, I’m Rebecca.]

[Welcome to the family.]

[Pics or it didn’t happen.]

Ella quietly exited the chat, her mind replaying the image of the woman she’d seen at the mansion. Noah and Rebecca truly seemed well-matched.

The next day, Noah went public with the engagement.

outlets were all over the story, digging into Rebecca’s background. The Mintons—owners of P City’s largest private hospital,

up. Her actions were beyond reproach. Even as her identity became fodder for the internet, criticism was scarce.

Ella had encountered that fateful night. Apparently, Noah and Rebecca had known each other

the engagement was all anyone could talk about. Some even approached Ella with cryptic congratulations on gaining such a stunning aunt-in-law. She found it all quite

in

smile playing on her lips, and nodded before diving into her book. “Is it

“What is?”

crush on

a pause, Paul replied, “Very

nodded,

for a moment. “What’s on

bitter laugh, Ella said, “I am wondering, if he is so smart, how did

Paul furrowed his brow.

*

Ella to pick her up for a trip back

blue and white striped sundress that accentuated her delicate collarbone, adorned with a red pendant necklace that set off her fair complexion. Her hair cascaded over

to her classmates with a smile, then turned her gaze to his car. The

beautiful familiar face revealed by the slowly retracting car window still made her smile stiff for a moment. She instinctively looked at the driver’s seat, but all she could see

she quickly adjusted her emotions, greeted Rebecca

smile warmly. “Hi

she was in, Rebecca turned around to chat. They talked about Ella’s major, her

make Noah

romance—such a wonderful age. With your smarts

modestly. “A few.” That was

wasn’t surprised. “Then you have plenty of

focused on her studies. Romance can

silence when he

on

the test of time. When graduation comes, everyone would go their separate ways. It is a waste of emotions and time,

love each other, the girl will follow the boy wherever he goes,

while the conversation revolved around her, it was Rebecca and Noah who ended up in a heated debate, but then Rebecca swiftly brought Ella back into the

took a moment to

expression, however, turned sharply grim, his lips pressed into a thin line. He remained silent for

family a heads-up because they showed no surprise at

trailing behind Rebecca, who had already looped her

pace, Ella couldn’t help but

the robust laughter of Jon filled her ears. “Have a seat. Make yourself at

Jon,” Rebecca said, her ease and grace

the couch first. At Jon’s gesture,

and stepped through the foyer into the

looked up with a warm smile, gesturing her over. “Met your future aunt-in-law

“Yep, I have.”

her to sit next to him. “I saw in the news, the engagement is set for

Ella will be free then, and she can

to remind her of this event, even timing it