The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

Noah’s body jolted, his gaze froze in an instant.

“Come on, Noah, don’t let Ella’s sacrifices be in vain. She wanted you and the Trettons to be okay. Just do it for her.”

“Where did she go?” Noah spoke as if Jon’s words had never reached his ears.

Jon silently stared at him.

Noah clenched his fists, his thin lips quivered, a ring of red encircling his eyes. He persistently repeated those few words. “Where did she go?”

No response came, his hoarse voice repeating the unchanged phrase. “Where did she go?”d2

Jon’s eyes shut almost in resolution.

Noah’s adam’s apple bobbed, “Dad, I’m begging you.”

Jon suddenly shuddered, his eyelids fluttering before snapping open.

“Ella did nothing wrong, it’s all on me. I’ve let things spiral into this mess. How can I live with myself using her life as a stepping stone?

“I can’t do what you call letting go, that’s not letting go. Dad, I can’t let Ella leave. There’s no one else in this world who’ll love me like she does.

“I know I messed up, but letting her go is an even bigger mistake. I need to make it right. I need to take care of her. I can’t stand the thought of her being with anyone else. What if someone breaks her heart?”

Considering the possibility, Noah’s throat worked violently, his voice ragged beyond recognition. “She loves me. She must be heartbroken without me. Dad, she must be crying right now. I have to find her. Dad, please.”

Jon slowly opened his eyes, wincing as if stabbed by the thought. His son, once proud and strong, now knelt before him, a picture of desolation and desperate pleading.

Ella was crying. Yes, she was crying.

Despite her calm expression during their last encounter, her eyes were red, her voice trembled, and every word she spoke seemed to exhaust all the strength in her body to restrain the emotions on the verge of collapse. So, he left just to give her space to vent her emotions.

She must be crying now.

He still couldn’t forget the profound sadness seeping through her stubborn gaze. Nor could he erase the image of her bending over in pain, clutching her chest, as he looked back after walking away. Tears, unstoppable, slid from his eyes.

“It’s all your fault… all your fault…” Jon gripped his cane with all his might, his trembling voice breaking into sobs.

“If only you had shown half of this resolve from the start, Ella wouldn’t have suffered so much. It’s all your fault. You hurt my Ella, forcing her away from me time and time again. You don’t deserve Ella, Noah. You just don’t.”

Tears streamed down Jon’s face, and the butler rushed to his side for support.

Only now did everyone understand that Jon had been holding up all this while.

Worried about the Trettons, concerned for Noah, but even more for Ella, Jon didn’t want anyone to be hurt, yet in the end, that was exactly what happened.

Jon was torn. Back then, he didn’t object to their relationship, yet not optimistic about it either.

Putting aside their familial connection, Jon didn’t think Ella being with his son, a man cold and calculated, concerned only with profit, was a good thing. But who knew Ella would harbor such deep feelings for Noah?

Moreover, the current situation was crafted by his own son, deemed clever by everyone.

“You’re the last person who deserves forgiveness. It’s all on you.” In a sudden motion, Jon raised his cane, striking Noah again and again with unforgiving force.

Noah’s eyes shut tight, teeth clenched, silently bearing the relentless beating.

The commotion drew airport staff, who, after failing to intervene, could only watch as the cane fell repeatedly on the man kneeling on the ground.

The onlookers grew in number, but Jon showed no sign of stopping. It wasn’t until the butler saw blood oozing from the corners of Noah’s mouth, his dark shirt gradually soaked, that he anxiously grabbed Jon’s hand. “That’s enough, sir. If you keep this up, he won’t last.”

Jon thrust away the butler’s hand with a forceful swing, the finely carved boxwood cane snapping in two.

A collective gasp rose from the crowd.

Noah, unable to hold back, groaned, a cough bringing up more blood.

“It’s because of you. All the hurt is because of you. You’re the least deserving to be with her. My Ella, so kind and sweet.”

Jon tossed aside the broken cane, the butler steadying him, his arm trembling uncontrollably. “Get out. Just get out.”

Noah’s throat worked, the metallic taste suppressed, as he staggered to his feet, gripping his knee, his search relentless and nearly obsessive. “Where did she go?”

“I won’t tell you. If you can find her, do it. If not, it just proves your bond was never meant to be.” With those words, Jon had finally spoken his piece.

Noah nodded, silently moving past his father, weaving through the crowd, and entering the airport lobby. His steps went from shaky to erratic, then purposefully striding, searching desperately for something in the vast hall.

His assistant caught up from behind, and Noah grabbed his arm like a lifeline, his voice tinged with urgency. “Help me find her, quick. Help me find her.”

The assistant was inwardly shaken; today’s Noah was something he couldn’t have fathomed. “Mr. Noah, please, take it easy. I’ll check the counter for Ms. Ella’s flight. Just please calm down.”

moment of clarity

the assistant had no interest in Noah’s rare moment of panic, his focus solely on finding Ms. Ella’s whereabouts. “Mr. Noah, please have a seat. I’ll go check now and come back as soon as I have

noticed a bloody imprint where his arm had been

a tempest. The dark fabric of Mr. Noah’s shirt was stained with

thing

to beating his son, his pride and joy, to death for someone with the heart of a cold-blooded ungrateful

who supposedly fell victim to her calculations, would rather be beaten to death upon learning everything and still kneel on the ground begging Jon

the mantle of guilt to

on Ella’s flight. The country she was headed to was nowhere near where she had been studying. She

hop to another nation upon landing, switch to different means of travel, or perhaps even end up in some godforsaken corner

Noah’s frantic panic was

minutes ago. The assistant relayed this to Noah, who shot up and commanded, “Book

the perspiration mingling with the pallor of Noah’s face, the pool of crimson below, and the blood still dripping from his arm, the assistant

His expression was resolute, his

the assistant pulled out his phone to check the

*

in a tizzy. In the era of instant digital news, it was impossible to ignore the headlines screaming across

the press conference – admitted to a sordid affair with her uncle and announced she was leaving the Tretton family, heading straight for the

Noah’s pursuit to the airport, where his father confronted him outside the terminal, leading to the kneeling, begging scene that nearly ended in his

all on video,

looks like the Tretton family’s adopted grand-daughter wasn’t

surfaced, this one of Ella’s conversation with Paul at a diner before she met with Rebecca. Linking the timing and events, the picture

is a complete 180 from how she acted at the coffee shop with Rebecca. Was she pretending to be a

like she was deliberately provoking Rebecca at

and her uncle, considering the family

the adopted grand-daughter isn’t the heartless traitor she was made out

*

her chin on her hand, her slender fingers tapping idly on her cheek as

calm, handsome man opposite him. Her brows arched slightly. “If this keeps up, your

to Cicely’s delicate face. His lips parted, his voice carrying a barely

at her cup and pushing it away

at her. “Thought you wanted to try the airport coffee? All this way for just a

feel I owe you more for the trek here? Should I

it reached for the cup, holding it gently

exactly has Chloe

just thought you’d prefer being bothered by me

curled into a half-smile. “In truth, her antics barely affect me.

bond?” Cicely pondered the words, turning her hand within his, her fingers brushing his palm playfully. “You think we’re close? Then perhaps you should

Was this the world’s most

that woman even need

him into meddling in the Tretton family affair, even dragging Cicely into the mix to increase the pressure, Seth’s temples began

for the

her mouth. “I see you look troubled.

“Is that so wrong?”

softly. “What if I said I didn’t

“I’d

and that was more than enough to make

“And?”

he won’t die on a plane to B Country, but he

didn’t say anything

*

and not even Noah, with all his wealth, could convince

his complexion shifting from a pale, sweaty pallor to a flushed, sweat-drenched

wasn’t until his assistant mustered the courage to touch his forehead that the scorching heat transferred to the palm

an eye on the departure board. Make sure they keep looking. I need that

away, but his strength was waning, his voice barely audible and his

the check-in time loomed closer and no news of a canceled ticket came, Noah, against his assistant’s advice, took matters into his own

one budged, no matter

him that they had contacted their people in B Country to monitor Ella’s movements. Once she landed, they would intercept her as

late at night. Noah hadn’t reached the car when his tall figure suddenly collapsed. The

*

whisked from the terminal to

in the restaurant, Rebecca investigated another matter—perhaps seeking an answer for herself, or maybe looking for a reason. When Rebecca found the answer, she laughed mockingly, yet

had faced the media

love between us. I was escaping a failed romance, and he was avoiding

love, I could leave anytime. He even gave me the right to initiate the annulment. Because of this generosity, I found

For someone as outstanding as him, marriage was never a necessity. He feared

I know he loves someone else. He simply found his love before me. If it wasn’t him today, it might have been me tomorrow or next year. It was just a