The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

“Yasmine, what about you?”

Yasmine confirmed that the rope was tied tightly and wiped the rain off her face.

“Me? What about me? You have no idea how important you are around here. If

anything happened to you, Boyd would skin me alive. You can’t die on my

watch.”

Saying these words, Yasmine couldn’t help but shiver all over, feeling an

unexpected chill in her heart amidst such a situation.

“I’ll lead the way. You follow.”

Serana nodded vigorously, her earlier trepidation replaced by a semblance of

relief. “Okay, okay.”

Enter title…

She glanced at the rope around her waist, then lifted her eyes to look towards

the mountain through the rain. Confirming that her rope was in their hands, she

finally breathed a sigh of relief. Compared to the earlier nervousness and

caution, she now appeared much more relaxed.d2

A single rope brought about a profound psychological transformation in her. It

was precisely this change that caught her off guard when the unexpected

happened.

Serana’s movements, once cautious, had grown careless.

Since she refused to climb by herself, Jasmine had to move closer, bringing

them both near the precarious branch.

A sudden gust whipped through the trees, and the branch began to sway

violently.

Jasmine’s face turned a shade paler. Gripping the branch for dear life, she

bellowed, “Don’t move!”

The wind raged, the branch thrashing even more fiercely.

“Yasmine…”

Serana watched as Yasmine’s body swayed violently, knowing there was a rope

on herself, she freed one hand to grab onto Yasmine. In an instant, Serana also

lost her balance and let out a scream.

Those holding the rope felt a sudden tug and, instinctively, they pulled with all

their might. A resounding crack split the air as the branch snapped.

When they finally pulled the other end of the rope back, only a nearly catatonic

Serana remained.

The broken branch was still hanging there, but there was no figure upon it. A

buzzing filled Bryson’s head, his body swaying as he screamed, heart-rending,

“Yasmine!!”

Serana jolted from Bryson’s agonized cry, snapping back to reality only to find

nothing but the rain before her.

The fear of this very disaster had cast a shadow over the day’s hopes. And as

fate would have it, their worst fears materialized.

“Quick! Get down the hill and find help!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Yes!”

Panic ensued among them.

Despite their best intentions and this being the most viable rescue method given

the circumstances, they had allowed a young girl to take a risk, and now

disaster had struck.

Unable to justify their actions to her family, their superiors, or the public

conscience, the weight of their failure was crushing.

Darkness had fully descended. The rain grew heavier, the sound of wind and

water ominously clear, echoing the emptiness of an abyss.

Serana was rooted to the spot, her face ashen, her body shaking uncontrollably.

A police officer, frustrated and furious, brushed back his hair and paced before

barking orders, “You take her down the mountain. The rest of you, get your

asses down there and find the missing girl!”

They sprang into action, Bryson dropping to the ground, supporting himself on

his hands and stretching out his legs, inching his way down the hill.

“Hey!”

“Don’t worry about me. Please, I’m begging you, find Yasmine!”

His voice seemed to carry all his strength. With a heavy sigh, he leaned further

down the slope.

—

As Serana was escorted down the mountain, Ava, uneasy and clad in a raincoat

with a flashlight in hand, was making her way up.

Upon seeing Serana, Ava paused, stepping aside to let them pass. She had

questions but was intimidated by the uniformed figure carrying Serana.

After they passed, she continued her ascent, following the faint noises to the

scene of the incident. Her flashlight swept the area, landing on the rope on the

ground and the broken branch. Ava froze, then took a few steps forward,

hearing noises from below.

Serana’s pale face flashed in her mind, and she gripped the flashlight tighter.

Something terrible had happened.

After a moment of hesitation, she turned and raced down the hill.

—

Back at the orphanage, Serana was settled in the infirmary when the director

came to check on her. Boyd was there too, with a bandage wrapped around his

forehead.

Serana, still not fully composed, was curled up under the blankets, shivering

with every breath. Now in dry clothes, with her hair dried and her wounds

treated, she burst into tears at the sight of Boyd.

“Boyd…”

He approached, his brow furrowed at the sight of the bruises on her face. “Did

he hit you?”

The floodgates of Serana’s fear and pain burst open as she recounted her

ordeal to Boyd.

Boyd inhaled deeply, trying to keep his voice calm. “It’s over now. I saw the guy

being taken away. The details will come out after the investigation, but you

should be safe from now on. Stop crying, okay?”

As Serana reached up to wipe her tears, she winced in pain from her wounds.

The director comforted her gently, “Thank goodness nothing worse happened.

You’re safe now. That’s what matters.”

Nodding weakly, Serana agreed.

The director continued, “Can you tell the police what happened? Start from how

you were taken. The more we know, the easier it’ll be for them to help.”

Serana cringed at the memory, her fear palpable.

Boyd intervened, “She’s still shaken. Can’t this wait until she’s rested?”

The officer hesitated, then conceded, “Rest up, I’ll wait outside. Whenever

you’re ready.”

Boyd was visibly irritated. “Does it have to be today?”

The officer gathered his notebook and pen, sighing, “It could be today,

tomorrow, or the day after. But that doesn’t mean I can’t wait outside now.”

“You’re burning the candle at both ends. Tough break.”

“For this case, no matter how hard we slog, we’re in for a scolding.”

After all, letting a kid barely in her teens take a risk to save someone and then

things going south? They might as well kiss their badge goodbye.

Boyd didn’t quite grasp the full weight of his words, nor did he care to. All that

mattered was that Serana was safe now.

The director let out a weary sigh, looking at Serana with a mix of regret and pity,

“I dropped the ball, got too caught up in cooperating with the investigation. I was