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.”

his words, Noah paused, a moment of clarity returning. “Thanks, I appreciate

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

a bloody imprint where

thrown his punches with the wrath of a tempest. The dark fabric of Mr. Noah’s shirt was stained with the blood that had blossomed from the brutality of

the extent of pain Noah was enduring at that moment, but one thing was crystal clear to him.

his

be beaten to death upon learning everything and still kneel on the ground begging Jon to

had likely taken on the mantle of guilt to shield

requested information on Ella’s flight. The country she was headed to was nowhere near where she had been studying. She was resolute about getting

she hop to another nation upon landing, switch to different means of travel, or perhaps even end up

Noah’s frantic panic was not

taken off just ten minutes ago. The assistant relayed this to Noah, who shot up and commanded, “Book the next flight

in 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 hesitated before saying,

book it.” His expression was resolute, his

a sigh, the assistant pulled out his phone to check the next available

*

tizzy. In the era of

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

was 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

video, adding fuel to the viral firestorm

family’s adopted grand-daughter wasn’t telling the truth

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

shop with Rebecca. Was she pretending to be a saint in

deliberately provoking

to protect the Tretton family and her uncle, considering the family had already been under

isn’t the heartless traitor she was made

*

railing of the airport café’s second floor, Cicely propped her chin on her hand, her slender fingers tapping

arm and settled on the calm, handsome man opposite him. Her brows

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

down at her cup and pushing it away with distaste. “I’m

wanted to try the airport coffee? All this

the trek here? Should

the cup, holding it gently in his, a soft punishment hidden within his rough

has Chloe

brows quirked. “Maybe I just thought you’d prefer being bothered by

a half-smile. “In truth, her antics barely affect me. It makes your sisterly

hand within his, her fingers brushing his palm playfully. “You think we’re close? Then perhaps you should do her

world’s most unsuccessful attempt at stirring

woman even need his

Chloe had brandished an unpublished expose to coerce him into meddling in the Tretton family affair, even dragging Cicely into the

merely used her artist’s social media influence to stir the pot for the Tretton family, and now

expression darken, Cicely tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I see you look troubled. You really would’ve stayed out of it if

“Is that so wrong?”

laughed softly. “What if I said I didn’t

smile broadened. “I’d be quite

and that was more than

“And?”

on a plane to B Country,

say

*

and not even Noah, with all his wealth, could convince a single passenger to

from a pale, sweaty pallor to a flushed, sweat-drenched red—a clear sign that

that the scorching heat transferred to the palm sent a shiver down his spine. “Mr. Noah,

the departure board. Make sure they keep looking. I need

to push the assistant’s hand away, but his strength was waning, his voice barely audible and

closer and no news of a canceled ticket came, Noah, against his assistant’s advice, took

no matter how outrageous the

had contacted their people in B Country to monitor Ella’s movements. Once she landed, they

late at night. Noah hadn’t reached the car when his tall figure suddenly collapsed. The assistant cried out in alarm,

*

was whisked from the terminal to the

herself, or maybe looking for a reason. When Rebecca found the answer, she

where Ella had faced the media that

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

initiate the annulment. Because of this generosity, I found him tolerable at our first meeting. Unfortunately, I never found true love, but he

in love with his young niece. For someone as outstanding as him, marriage was never a necessity. He feared the consequences of his feelings so much that he was willing to use marriage as a shield. He didn’t realize it, but I

simply found his love before me. If it wasn’t him today, it might have been me tomorrow or next year.