The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride
Chapter 2023

Chapter 2023

It was Seth. She could smell his scent and see his silhouette. Trapped between the wall and hischest, she questioned, "What are you doing?"

Seth bent over, his handsome face just inches away. The slender dark pupils seemed to be filledwith the lingering scent of aged wine, and even the warm breath sprayed on her face appeared tocarry a hint of alcohol. His lowered, seductive voice was too easy to bewitch the heart. "I'm here formy reward, of course."

Cicely blinked, "You're not expecting me to sign the transfer deed right now, are you?"

A firm squeeze on her waist answered her as Seth pressed his lips to hers in the midst of herprotest.

Cicely gasped, her hands instinctively rising, poised to push him away, but instead, they found theirway to his shoulders.

As the kiss deepened and showed no sign of stopping, Cicely began to struggle. When there was abrief pause, she managed to say, "Don't tell me your reward involves even more."d2

Seth's lips brushed her cheek as he maneuvered her towards the bed, pinning her beneath him witha bent knee. His free hand reached up, deftly undoing the buttons of her blouse.

"Considering the company shares could be given away as a reward, doing a bit more is well withinmy rights." he mused.

Even after their many moments of bare honesty, Cicely still found herself easily allured by any movethis man made. As her blouse fell open, revealing her porcelain skin, she bit her lip, falling silent.

Seth smirked, his fingers weaving through her hair, cradling her neck, drawing her close, and theneffortlessly captured her lips once more. She was swept into the whirlpool he stirred, losing all

coherent thought.

Forget Patty, forget Danielle, forget company shares, forget love or not. She didn't need to thinkabout anything. Right now, she could simply indulge in what she had.

It wasn't too late. She retracted her earlier yearning for something called "love." Let it be as itstarted; he coveted what she had, and that was enough. She just needed this man to belong to herentirely.

The curtains were drawn at some point, and as the evening sun blazed, the room was enveloped indimness.

Curled in the blankets, Cicely's hair was strewn messily over the pillow and bedding. Her eyes werehalf-closed, her long lashes fluttering occasionally.

Her arm lay casually across the mattress, her breathing slow and even. The flush on her delicateface deepened as she saw her slightly curled fingers move in the dim light, the ring on her fingercatching a glint.

The finger moved again, and a warm presence pressed against her back, interlocking fingers, and awarm kiss was planted behind her ear.

She stared at the hand that was holding her, while a patch of chill lightly hit her skin from behind.She wasn't sure whether to feel ironic or grateful. The ring was on him, but he refused to put it onhis finger.

Turning to face Seth, her gaze met his desire-laden handsome features. With easier access, Sethburied his face into her neck.

"Seth, do you believe I love you?"

The one who falls first is destined to lose, and she never hid it. Perhaps it was youthful ignorance orsimply an innate honesty.

Could love ever be hidden?

Even now, she'd likely make the same choice. In the Ellis family, she was never taught, nor did shelearn, to be deceitful. Illusions always crumble, like over-edited selfies that can't withstand the lightof day.

Why pretend not to love? Why fear the truth being uncovered?

She never considered these questions, so she never thought about hiding.

The kiss at her neck seemed to cool slightly. "Mmm." He knew, how could he not? Everyone knewCicely loved Seth. He was too clever.

With a lazy smile, she asked, "Do you love me?"

He didn't answer directly. Men have a million ways to dodge or gloss over a question when theywish to. "Have I ever done anything to make you feel unloved?"

What a shrewd response. Was this a mere evasion, or did it imply that his love for her was genuine?

"No, you're wonderful. I guess every woman wants to hear those words."

Seth chuckled softly, "Actions speak louder than words. Especially for men, that phrase is quitecheap."

So cheap that even saying it felt beneath them. Insincere to the point of disbelief.

As expected, she didn't get the answer she probably wanted. Cicely closed her eyes and snuggleddeeper into the pillow. "Let's not. I'm tired."

"Mmm, rest here. No need for the gym."

Her brows twitched, eliciting a low laugh from Seth. Even the most seemingly reserved menbecome wicked in these matters, it seemed.

Remembering their intimate moments and the raw words spoken in his deep, husky voice, hercheeks flushed with heat.

Underneath his reserved exterior was a fierce passion, overwhelming in its contrast.

After the day's exertions, the gym was indeed unnecessary.

Seth adjusted the room temperature and tucked the blankets around her. Then there wasmovement from the bathroom, sounds of ease as if at home.

How long had it been since Seth felt this comfortable with the Ellis family?

Dismissing the foggy, useless thoughts from her mind, Cicely drew a long breath and burrowed herface into the pillow.

When she awoke later, the room was dark. Groggily turning over, her hand stretched out from underthe covers and encountered warmth. The next second, it was held.

She paused, turning her head to peer through the darkness. "Seth?"

"Sleeping until now. What are your plans for tonight, hmm?"

Cicely inhaled deeply, sighing long and hard. "What time is it?"

"Seven."

"Hmm..."

After sleeping the afternoon away, she certainly wouldn't sleep early in the evening.

*

So, after finishing dinner, the two of them returned home. After washing up, Cicely hugged herlaptop and searched online for wedding videos, wedding styles, wedding venues, and even went asfar as planning the honeymoon.

The two stayed in the study together, with Cicely wearing headphones. Except for occasional faintsounds, there was hardly any noise.

Several times Seth looked up to see her utterly engrossed in the screen, her expression one ofintense focus.

Seth furrowed his brow in thought. Was this okay?

He knew what she was up to and could see her excitement about the wedding. But given herpersonality, shouldn't she be coming over to ask for his opinion now and then? Yet, she was tooquiet, as if her excitement was hers alone.

He waited for her to come over and share something—anything—but as the clock ticked pasteleven, there was no sign of her doing so.

"Getting late, we should go to sleep," Seth said, his voice carrying a chill.

"Well, I'm not sleepy yet. You go ahead," she replied, unfazed.

Seth stood up with a frosty expression and walked over to her. Towering above Cicely, who wasnestled on the couch, Seth didn't wait for her to look up before he removed her headphones, tookthe laptop away, and scooped her into his arms.

Cicely opened her mouth to protest but ultimately, nothing came out. It wasn't until he laid her downon the bed that she finally voiced her discontent. "I feel like there are still so many things I haven'tconsidered. I told you I wasn't tired."

"I am," Seth replied curtly.

"If you're tired, sleep. I'm not holding you back."

"Sleep with me."

She paused, a bit taken aback. "What, can't sleep without me now?"

Seth didn't answer, just pulled her close into his embrace. Cicely didn't struggle. She just cozied upwithin his arms.

"The wedding's next year. No need to rush things now."

"That's not it. Just getting a head start, you know? My wedding has to be the best-prepared eventever."

"So, what have you figured out? What kind of wedding do you want? Have you decided?"

She sighed. "I can't decide. I want a beach wedding, but then a church is classic. Those traditional-themed weddings have their charm. But I can't quite picture you in anything but a suit. Maybe weshould stick to a hotel wedding—it's timeless and foolproof."

Her voice was filled with indecision, and even her final decision seemed driven more by hispreferences than her own wishes. She still hadn't asked what he thought.

*

Come the weekend, true to his word, Seth took Cicely to a bridal boutique to try on wedding gowns.

Men trying on formal wear seems a simple affair. Clad in a tailored black suit, Seth embodied an airof indifferent nobility, the crisp lines accentuating his tall figure. His calm demeanor belied hisyouthful age.

Seth sat on a plush sofa reserved for grooms-to-be, casually flipping through a bridal magazine, hislong fingers idly turning the pages.

The staff, cheeks flushed, kept stealing glances in his direction, their gazes periodically drawn tohim.

After some time, the automatic doors before him glided open. There stood Cicely, radiant in a whitewedding gown under the spotlight, as an attendant meticulously adjusted her train before steppingback with an approving smile aimed at Seth. "The bride is ready."

Seth’s gaze had already lifted to meet Cicely, adorned in a simple bridal makeup. The mermaid-cutgown hugged her figure from chest to waist to hips to just above the knees, showcasing herstunning silhouette. The off-shoulder design revealed her graceful collarbones, dotted with faint pinkmarks.

The staff's initial gasps of admiration quickly turned into blushing whispers as they noticed themarks on Cicely's skin. Their eyes darted back to Seth, their minds undoubtedly concocting a vividnarrative of passionate intimacy behind closed doors. Just by looking at the marks left on her, theycould imagine the fervor of their private encounters.