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.

Rebecca’s background. The Mintons—owners of P City’s largest private hospital, with their

senior position straightaway, but she chose to start from the ground up. Her actions were beyond reproach. Even as her identity became fodder for the internet, criticism was scarce. The public

Noah and Rebecca had known each other for ages—a fact that had entirely escaped Ella’s

was all anyone could talk about. Some even approached Ella with cryptic congratulations on gaining such a

into a seat in the multimedia classroom. Paul joined her shortly after. “You

glanced at him, a wry smile playing on her lips, and nodded before

“What is?”

on my

Paul replied, “Very

nodded,

watched her for a moment. “What’s on

smart, how did he never see my blatant attempts? And why did he let me stay close to

Paul furrowed his brow.

*

Noah phoned Ella to pick her up

a simple 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 her shoulders,

her classmates with a smile, then turned her gaze to his car. The smile on her face faded slightly, yet

her hand on the handle of the passenger seat, the beautiful familiar face revealed by the slowly retracting car window still made

her emotions, greeted

returned the smile

Rebecca turned around to chat. They talked about Ella’s major, her life at school, and then the conversation naturally drifted to whether Ella had

to make Noah jealous, shook her head.

the best time for romance—such a wonderful age. With your smarts and looks, Ella,

smiled modestly. “A few.” That was

you have

studies. Romance can wait,”

in silence when he suddenly cut Rebecca off

do you plan on dating if not in

graduation comes, everyone would go their separate ways. It is a waste of

truly love each other, the girl will follow the boy

conversation revolved around her, it was Rebecca and Noah who ended up

took a moment to ponder before responding

shot a smug look at Noah. Noah’s expression, however, turned sharply grim, his lips pressed into a thin line.

family a heads-up because they showed no surprise at

out of the car, trailing behind Rebecca, who had already looped her arm through Noah’s,

pace, Ella couldn’t help but

Jon

her ease

a seat on the couch first. At Jon’s gesture, Rebecca settled beside

through the foyer into

with a warm smile, gesturing

“Yep, I have.”

distress before pulling her to sit next to

nodded, “Yeah, during the summer break. Ella will be free then, and she can even bring her friends along for

to remind her of this event, even timing it