The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

How could Ella just abandon Paul and walk away? She dug her heels in, trying to stand her ground, even leaning back against Noah’s hold, but he didn’t flinch or change expression as he continued to pull her along.

“Let go of me!” Ella snapped in a low growl, frustration boiling over.

Noah didn’t reply, just kept that stoic face as he relentlessly led her upstairs.

Ella grabbed the banister, forcing Noah to a halt. She was breathless from the struggle but still demanded, “Why are you doing this?”

Noah’s gaze was heavy, “Ella, make no mistake, he provoked me first.”

“I’m well aware!” Ella retorted immediately, “Tonight, I’m his date, and your actions are clearly disrespecting him.”d2

“Why should I give him any respect?” Noah shot back.

“Have you thought about the consequences of your actions tonight?!” Ella’s knuckles whitened as she gripped the banister, her voice trembling slightly.

“Do you see the looks we’re getting from downstairs? Do you have any idea what they’re all thinking? Aren’t you afraid of the rumors that could spread?”

At her words, Noah glanced down the stairs with a slight turn of his head. The grand ballroom was aglow, filled with the clinking of glasses and the murmur of well-dressed guests exchanging pleasantries. All eyes were on them now, a mix of shock, curiosity, and inquiry.

He squinted slightly, then let out a low chuckle. Turning to face her, the smile on his face sent a shiver down Ella’s spine. She felt the pressure of his arm around her waist increase as he stepped closer. Their proximity was such that no words could explain it away.

“What are you doing?” she stammered.

“I was just thinking,” Noah’s voice was low as he stared at her panicked face, “maybe we should give them the drama they’re so curious and eager to see?”

Ella was stupefied, disbelieving what she was hearing, “Have you lost your mind?”

Downstairs, whispers were growing louder, the questioning of their relationship clear. She glanced instinctively towards Paul. If Noah really did something drastic, where would that leave Paul’s dignity?

Her action only incensed Noah further. Even now, her first thought was concern for Paul.

Suddenly, Noah’s hand grasped her chin, forcibly turning her face back to him. A collective gasp rose from the crowd below. Ella’s heart tightened, and in a surge of defiance, she pushed Noah away and turned, lifting her dress as she ran up the stairs.

At this moment, she didn’t know what was best to do; she only knew that getting away from Noah was paramount.

She didn’t understand his sudden desire for such drastic action. If it had been four years ago, she might not have hesitated, even welcomed it, but things were different now.

He was engaged, and she had a boyfriend. More importantly, she no longer harbored feelings for him. She refused to deny the progress she’d made in those four years of absence.

“Ollie!”

Unable to calm the storm of emotions downstairs or worry about Noah’s reaction, she hastened upstairs.

Missing the expected climax of the evening, Ollie looked a bit disappointed but still gave Ella a big hug as she arrived. “I’ve missed you so much these years. You’re amazing, you know, leaving and coming back without a peep.”

Ella quickly apologized, “I’m so sorry.”

Ollie snorted, “Sorry won’t cut it. You have no idea how much we’ve been through with your Uncle Noah trying to find you.”

“What?”

With a playful flick on Ella’s head, Ollie remarked, “All because of you.”

Ella was surprised.

“Grandpa Jon already warned us ahead of time. However, that Noah can be so petty.”

At that moment, Noah approached with a cold expression, “Talking behind my back and not even having the decency to avoid me?”

Ollie, linking arms with Ella, retorted, “If you knew I was talking about you, why didn’t you just walk away?”

Ella admired Ollie for her unchanged directness over the years.

Noah shot her a frosty glance, which Ollie ignored, leading Ella to a lounge area reserved for VIPs.

“Come on, tell us all about your life these past few years.”

Cicely straightened up, glancing at the still buzzing ballroom below, and a subtle smile played on her lips as her eyes flitted from Noah to Ella. “Your date looks rather forlorn.”

the room before she ventured, “Can I invite

“Of course!”

“Absolutely.”

“Sure thing.”

“No.”

Ella didn’t even need to think twice to know

an extreme, his eyes

who could hardly contain

*

dress in hand, headed straight

approached the staircase, she softly

drama, but to their surprise, the protagonist, who had just

of her

upstairs with me.

to him, stepping forward. At

to face an irate Noah. Her heart skipped

forcefully whisked away by Noah, his grip tighter than before, his

into chaos. With the same

for his suddenly missing niece from years ago was an open secret. Rumors about the uncle and his niece had been floating around for years. Though Noah’s sudden engagement had shut

Tonight, it was clear that the issue was far from

just recently quieted, was about to be abuzz with

*

out of the banquet hall and into the elevator, still in a state of shock and anger. She struggled fiercely, but to no avail against Noah’s

that had just unfolded before the crowd, she felt a wave of helplessness wash over her, and her eyes

uncontrollably, dreading the answer she suspected but

felt was a suffocating lump in her chest. “Why can’t you

due to her, sent a

up in her eyes when she mentioned Paul. “What did he ever do

against the elevator wall. A gasp of pain escaped her as Noah’s imposing frame

hitched, her eyes widening as the blurry vision of Noah’s face contorted with wrath became all too clear in his fierce

was futile as Noah’s arms, strong and unyielding,

of fury, and despite his anger, he was reminded of the kiss she had impulsively given him at the airport

nonchalantly, as if their past meant nothing—She was

finally released her. Without giving her a chance to speak, he

did Ella come to her senses. Instinctively, she buckled her seatbelt, and closing her eyes, she tried to

a deep breath, gripping the seatbelt tightly, her voice

“What do you think?”

“Why?

a grinding, explosive force. “Don’t mention him

silence that followed

came to a sudden stop. Ella turned to the familiar outline of the

but Noah carried her out of the car and

me go! I’m not going in!” Her struggles,

Noah carried her upstairs, to her old room, under the astonished gaze of the household

as clean and unchanged as the

bed and kissed her again, her panic soared to new heights. More terrifying than the elevator was the fact that

her voice was

his touch as scorching as his gaze,

but he pinned it beside her body. He finally stopped and looked down at her, the turmoil in his dark eyes

Ella shook her head, “No! Let

that the veins on his forehead betrayed. “That won’t do. I

we can’t. Please, let

trailed down her cheek, her jaw,

she closed her eyes. “Have you thought about what this makes me? You’re engaged. By doing

for a moment, there was a pause. Noah abruptly halted his

her disheveled skirt as she retreated

on the bed, bending one

for Noah’s rationality to return. It was just a moment of impulse on his part, as long as he

could…” The room had been quiet for a while before Ella spoke up softly, “I could pretend that tonight

Noah suddenly turned to look at her, his

regained his composure entirely. However, his

words, he

Ella was still in a daze. So, what did he mean by that?