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.

hospital, with their heiress Rebecca apparent holding a PhD and

ground up. Her actions were beyond reproach. Even as her identity became fodder for the internet, criticism was scarce. The public was too enamored with the

she was the woman Ella had encountered that fateful night. Apparently, Noah and Rebecca had

the engagement was all anyone could talk about. Some even approached Ella with cryptic

her textbooks, Ella settled into a seat in the

smile playing on her lips, and

“What is?”

on my

pause, Paul replied,

simply nodded, her

her for a moment. “What’s on your

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

Paul furrowed his brow.

*

Noah phoned Ella to pick her up for a trip back to

parked outside the school, catching sight of Ella through the car window. She was dressed in a simple blue and white striped sundress that accentuated her delicate collarbone, adorned with a red pendant necklace that set

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

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,

adjusted her

the smile warmly. “Hi

turned around to chat. They talked about

games to make Noah

your smarts and looks,

smiled modestly. “A few.”

wasn’t surprised. “Then you have plenty of

studies.

driving in silence when he suddenly cut Rebecca off with

on dating if

can’t withstand the test of time. When graduation comes, everyone would go their separate ways. It is a waste of emotions and time, and

ways? If they truly love each other, the girl will follow the boy wherever

Rebecca and Noah who ended up in a heated debate, but then Rebecca swiftly brought Ella

Ella took a moment

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

seemed Noah had given his family a heads-up because they showed no surprise

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

pace, Ella couldn’t help but admire the picture they

Jon filled her ears. “Have a seat. Make yourself

ease

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

her gaze away and stepped through the foyer into the living room, “Grandpa,

gesturing her over. “Met your

“Yep, I have.”

of distress before pulling her to sit next to him. “I saw in the news, the engagement is set for July

break. Ella will be free

to remind her of this event, even timing