The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

What the heck was he babbling about!

“I'm stiff as a board, can’t dance a step.”

Azriel would have none of it. “Just do the Bunny Hop.”

Phoebe froze for a moment, then her entire face suddenly turned beet red. “I... | don’t know how.”

Azriel reached over, grabbed his phone, and after a few taps, the familiar yet foreign tune filled the hospital

room. The moment the intro hit, Phoebe wished the earth would swallow her whole.

“You... you...” She glared at Azriel, her face so hot she could probably cook an egg on it.d2

Out of all the songs in the world, why on earth did it have to be this one? She had been the butt of the joke in her

family for years because of that dance.

Back in the day, she had performed it at a school event, showing off to her grandparents the day before.

Everyone had clapped and praised her, except for one good-looking boy who had dismissively said, “It’s alright.”

To a child, there's only pretty or ugly. She couldn’t accept such a lukewarm review, so her confidence took a

nosedive, and on the following day, she was pushed on stage unwillingly and ended up crying through the entire

routine.

She remembered the intermittent laughter from the audience and couldn’t understand why they found joy in her

misery.

Little did she know, the performance was recorded and her grandparents had shamelessly flaunted it every

chance they got. People would bring it up even now, years later. She wouldn't be surprised if the video was still

floating around online.

Why was this embarrassing memory resurfacing here and now?

“You really can’t dance?”

Azriel was undeniably bored and just looking for a laugh at her expense. Seeing her blush with mortification, he

persisted, phone in hand, “Letfind you a tutorial video. You'll pick it up after one watch.”

“No!” Phoebe shot out her hand in a stop sign, “No, no, no, no! I... | can do it, I just can’t do it well, but that

doesn’t mean | can’t dance.”

Azriel arched an eyebrow, nodded, and after swiping on his phone for a bit, he said, “Alright, let's see it then.”

The music from the phone started again. Phoebe, with her eyes closed, took deep breaths until the crucial

moment when, resigned to her fate, she opened her eyes and started her stiff, awkward dance moves.

The sight was cringeworthy, and it made Azriel look like he had a twisted sense of humor. Once wasn’t enough;

he had her do it a second time, and Phoebe was grinding her teeth.

You build up a tolerance for embarrassment, she thought. If at first, the prospect of dancing your most

embarrassing dance alone in a hospital room made you want to vanish into thin air, by the second round, it felt

like no big deal.

However, just as she was mustering her resolve, the door to the room burst open without warning.

Phoebe stiffened, staring blankly at the doorway.

Azriel’s assistant Jace was frozen at the entrance, hand still on the doorknob, equally stunned for a moment.

There stood Phoebe, hands poised like bunny ears atop her head, knees bent as if ready to bounce. Dressed in

simple jeans and a knit burnt orange sweater with a delicate white lace collar, she really did look like a carrot-

loving bunny.

Jace’s gaze flipped between her and Azriel, who typically wore an air of aloof detachment but now sported a

faint, almost schadenfreude smirk.

Remembering the odd message he had received not long ago, Jace suspected that Azriel had anticipated this

scene.

Regaining her composure, Phoebe quickly dropped the act, pretending to be calm as she downed two glasses of

water, her eyes glaring through the clear glass at the man on the bed who seemed to be asking for a slap, her

palms itching with the urge.

Azriel glanced at Jace, who had just entered, and his face slowly becmore serious.

Sensing her intense gaze, Azriel’s cool eyes met hers. “What are you looking at?”

Phoebe bit her lip, set down the glass, and shook her head, “Nothing. Since you guys have business, I'll just head

out.”

As Jace handed over sdocuments, Azriel gave a noncommittal “Hmm.”

With that, Phoebe was out the door. But just as she was about to escape, Azriel’s voice, chilly as ice, followed

her, “Cback in half an hour, or else.”

Phoebe took a deep breath, then turned with a forced smile, “Okay,” she said before slipping out and softly

shutting the door behind her.

Once out of sight, her expression fell. She mentally cursed Azriel out, and the embarrassment from earlier came

flooding back. Her cheeks burned with shas she grimaced, covering her face as she scurried away.

Back in the room, Jace briefed Azriel on the Alonso family’s latest antics and the mishap at the Bowles’ dim-

witted heir’s birthday bash.

When he mentioned that the Alonsos had been plotting to “sell” Phoebe off, especially during their recent close

call, Azriel’s grip on the documents tightened.

Jace added, “Ms. Phoebe’s been associating with the Harper family a lot lately. Someone must've tipped her off,

or else with her nature, she wouldn't have acted out.”

So, without that tip-off, she would have likely fallen into their trap.

Azriel’s eyes narrowed, and Jace felt a chill in the air.

When Jace left the hospital, he ran into Phoebe at the entrance. They exchanged polite greetings. Remembering

the chill in the room and seeing Phoebe enjoying ice cream despite the cold, Jace couldn’t help but comment,

“Ms. Alonso, it’s chilly out. Ice cream isn’t great for a woman's health.”

Phoebe waved him off, “I've got too much fire inside. This is literally saving my life.”

The last few words seemed to be squeezed through clenched teeth. Jace couldn't help but find it slightly

amusing. He paused before adding, “Anyway, Ms. Alonso, it might be better to eat a bit less. Do you have plans

for lunch, or are you going to use the hospital cafeteria? Do you wantto arrange something for you?”

“Uh?” Phoebe paused and looked up at the hospital hall clock.

It was indeed noon. Reminded like this, she suddenly felt her stomach growl in hunger.

The previous night, she had only nibbled on a cucumber and a tomato, since she was keeping vigil by Azriel’s

side, and had missed breakfast altogether. Thinking about it now, she must be on the brink of fainting from

hunger.

Glancing down at the ice cream she held in her hand, she quickly took a bite. The cold rush gave her a shiver,

and with a twirl of her deep brown eyes, she grinned at Jace and said, “I might need to take care of Mr. Azriel for

a few more days, so | need to get a sense of his tastes. How about you arrange sof his favorite dishes for