The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

“Yulia!”

“Yulia, honey.”

Elizabeth and Alyssa were startled by her sudden dash. With Alyssa’s mobility limited, Elizabeth quickly passed little

Anya into Royce’s arms, who was sitting nearby.

Elizabeth got up and hurried around the couch to check on Yulia, only to see a figure flash past her. Nathan was

already hot on Yulia’s heels. Elizabeth paused, then followed suit.b2

Alyssa watched anxiously toward the bathroom, “What in the world happened all of a sudden?”

Chloe furrowed her brow slightly, replaying the day’s events since she had seen Yulia. Her gaze finally settled on the

fruit bowl. She picked up a slice of mango and popped it into her mouth.

Mangoes can be quite the divisive fruit. Some adore them, while others can hardly stomach the flavor. But since

Yulia had chosen to eat one, it meant she wasn’t averse to mangoes. Yet, the reaction it provoked was suspicious.

The sweetness of the mango clung to her taste buds, exceptionally fragrant. As she swallowed, Chloe turned to look

at Damon, whose brow was deeply furrowed, his face clouded with a particularly nasty scowl.

Raising an eyebrow, a childish and ludicrous thought flashed through her mind. He couldn’t possibly be bothered by

this, could he? Considering how he had gloated over Nathan earlier, it wouldn’t be surprising if his petty competitive

streak was flaring up again.

With each person lost in their thoughts, Royce, suddenly left holding the child, sat back on the couch, cradling Anya

in one arm, his gaze emotionless as he examined her. Upon closer inspection, one could see a mix of surprise and

scrutiny in his eyes.

Anya hadn’t spent much time around him, and now sat quietly on his lap, looking up with wide, innocent eyes that

shimmered as she stared at Royce.

Royce’s impassivity and aloofness didn’t scare her. After a long stare-off, Anya’s mouth suddenly split into a grin,

revealing rows of tiny, bright teeth.

She propped herself against Royce’s belly, climbed up, and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Grandpa is so handsome.”

Caught off guard, a range of emotions flickered across Royce’s usually stoic face.

Grandpa?

His brow twitched. Although factual, why did he feel as if the title aged him by decades?

This little one truly was charming though, her ability to endear herself seemingly boundless.

She wasn’t like her father, who was either asking for a smack or a scolding every other day.

Grandpa it was, then. That day would come eventually.

With a slight tug at the corner of his mouth, Royce watched as Anya, after kissing him, settled down cross-legged

on his lap, facing him with a broad smile. He stretched out a hand, indulgingly pinching her rosy cheek. “If you don’t

want to smile, then don’t.”

Anya’s smile drooped slightly, her face the very picture of a well-behaved, pitiable child. “Handsome Grandpa. Is

Yulipop okay?”

Royce chuckled softly, “She’s fine.”

Anya blinked, “Really?”

“Mhm.”

Anya trusted Royce completely and beamed in relief. She gazed at Royce for a few seconds before exclaiming

happily, “Daddy, Uncle, and Grandpa, all so handsome.”

In his lifetime, Royce had only two sons and had never encountered such sweet flattery from a little girl. Her few

words had the power to bewilder even the usually composed Royce.

Handsome Grandpa, successfully charmed.

Chloe looked at Anya with a mixture of love and urgency. She truly wished for a sweet, warm, and cuddly daughter

of her own, just like Anya.

—

Yulia spent a while in the bathroom, getting rid of the little she had eaten for dinner.

Nathan came after her, supporting her back with his hands knotted in concern. He felt her neck for any sign of

fever but found none.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell anywhere specific?”

Yulia leaned against the wall, feeling weak after vomiting. She covered her mouth and slowly stood up. “Please,

step out.” She didn’t want Nathan to be offended by the smell.

But Nathan didn’t heed her request. Seeing that she wasn’t going to be sick again, he helped her over to the sink

and turned on the tap.

Yulia bent over to rinse her mouth with water. Nathan kept soothing her, watching her every move, his brow

furrowed, his expression grave.

Elizabeth asked with concern, “You looked off during dinner too, and you barely ate. Is it that the food didn’t agree

with you? Or is there something you can’t eat?”

Yulia shook her head, “No, I’m not picky and I don’t have any food aversions. Maybe I just got car sick on the way

here.”

Elizabeth nodded, “Car sickness can be awful. Why don’t you go upstairs and rest a bit? I’ll have the kitchen keep

some broth warm for you. You can have it whenever you feel up to eating.”

Elizabeth’s care and attention touched Yulia deeply. “Thank you.”

Elizabeth sighed softly, “What’s there to thank me for? I’ve spent my life raising two sons who give me nothing but

worry. I’m just hoping they’ll make something of themselves and bring home a couple of daughters-in-law. Having

finally gained two daughters, it’s only natural for me to care and dote on them, isn’t it?”

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Elizabeth’s words made it awkward for Yulia to keep thanking her.

As they left the bathroom, a servant had already prepared some warm water. Elizabeth handed Yulia the cup and

said gently, “Drink this and then head upstairs to rest.”

“I’ll take her to the hospital to have her checked out.” Nathan’s voice was unusually solemn and firm, leaving no

room for argument.

Yulia turned to look at him, “I’m fine.”

Alyssa, with her sharp eyes, considered the situation and nodded, “Nathan’s right. It’s best to have a checkup at the

hospital.”

“But Yulia just got car sick, didn’t she? The back and forth could be more trouble. Why don’t we have Jane take a

look first? She lives right next door.” Chloe spoke in a subdued tone, a trace of an elusive smile playing across her

lips, leaving the others somewhat baffled.

Alyssa glanced at her, nodding in understanding, “Oh, that reminds me, I completely forgot about Dr. Jane. Quick,

someone fetch Dr. Jane to check on Yulia.”

A servant nearby responded promptly and dashed off.

Nathan, this time, stayed silent, wrapping an arm around Yulia as they settled onto the couch. His expression and

aura were such a stark contrast to his usual pushover demeanor that no one would have guessed his true nature.

Chloe arched an eyebrow, shifting her position to lean against Damon.

“No wonder Yulia always acts so demure around Nathan. It seems your little brother has quite the commanding

presence behind closed doors, huh?”

Damon’s complexion remained on the sour side. Hearing her words, he shot her a glance, but his mood didn’t seem

to lift.

Chloe, exasperated yet amused, nestled closer in his arms and teased in a low voice, “Looks like Yulia’s got her

three sons all mapped out.”

Damon’s lips tightened into a straight line.

Suppressing her laughter, Chloe continued, “I bet Nathan’s going to tire of being called ‘Dad’.”

Damon frowned and turned to give her a frosty look. “Even if she has three sons, they might not all be his. And it’s

not even certain yet.”

“You and your negative thoughts; he’s your own brother. Can’t you hope for the best? Deep down, you don’t really

think that way, do you? Just comforting yourself with denial?”

“Keep it up, and we might as well go up to bed,” Damon said gravely.

Chloe chuckled softly, “If it bothers you that much, we could always have a few more ourselves. They have four, we

could go for five, maybe?”

Damon narrowed his eyes, looking at her, “At least four hundred times?”

Chloe blinked, confused, “What?”

“Based on the lowest probability of conception, to have the remaining four kids, wouldn’t we need to have sex for

at least four hundred times?”

Despite knowing his occasional crude humor, she was still taken aback by his words, wishing she could just

disappear.

“Four hundred times, are you planning an early demise? Besides, why calculate using the lowest probability? We

didn’t need that for the first two.”

Damon glanced at her round belly, expressionless, and said coldly, “The twins were an accident.”

Chloe was flabbergasted.

Damon: “I never considered children. If I had, I would have made sure you didn’t get pregnant so easily.”

Chloe frowned at him, “Since it was an accident, maybe they shouldn’t call you Dad. You seem to dislike the hassle.”

Sensing her clear displeasure, Damon’s lips pursed slightly, and he felt a twinge of concern.

He was screwed. He’d made his wife angry.

He shifted slightly closer to Chloe and cleared his throat, whispering, “I do like these two accidents.”

Chloe forced a smile, “If you like them, what’s wrong with having more?”

Damon pinched her slightly swollen leg, “It’s too hard on you.”

Her anger deflated in an instant. She turned to look at him, her eyes betraying her touched feelings.

Damon leaned in to touch his forehead to hers, “Let’s talk about more kids later, okay? Let’s focus on bringing

these two into the world and getting you back to health.”

Their tender exchange in the midst of everyone’s teeth-gritting annoyance was something to behold.

Yulia was still feeling unwell, and their blatant display of affection was infuriating to the others.

Dr. Jane arrived shortly after.

Yulia was surrounded by the family, holding a cup of water, her complexion still pale.

Jane glanced at her, then looked at Chloe, who was being clung to by Damon, and rolled her eyes before

approaching Yulia.

The servant had briefed her on the way, so Jane squatted down, Yulia giving her a faint, forced smile in return.

Jane pursed her lips, “Give me your hand.”

Yulia handed it over.

Jane checked her pulse, casually asking, “How long have you been feeling like this?”

“Just now.”

“About a week.”

The first response was Elizabeth, cut off mid-sentence.

The second was Nathan’s voice.

Elizabeth paused, “What?”

Nathan continued, “She’s not been eating well these past few days, but this is the first time she’s thrown up.”

Elizabeth and Alyssa blinked, looking at Nathan, then at each other. When did this kid become so attentive? Even

noticing someone else’s appetite?

Impressive!

They turned back as Elizabeth smacked Nathan on the head. “You knew and said nothing?”

At that moment, a barely noticable smile appeared on Jane’s mouth as she stood up.

Alyssa and Elizabeth watched her eagerly, a mix of anxiety and expectation in their voices, “Dr. Jane, what’s the

verdict?”

Jane raised an eyebrow, “She’s fine. Just make sure she’s well taken care of. In eight months, you’ll be holding a

chubby little grandchild.”

The room fell silent for a beat.

Yulia’s head shot up, “You mean… I’m…”

“Yes, congratulations, you’re pregnant.”

“Oh my gosh!”

“Good heavens!”

Elizabeth and Granny clasped hands, nearly jumping for joy and spinning around in excitement.

Royce, who was holding Anya, looked up with a rare show of interest.

Nathan, after a moment of stunned silence, looked at Yulia and planted a firm kiss on her face, laughing heartily as

he stood up and fixed his gaze on Damon from across the room.

Chloe lifted an eyebrow and turned her head away.

Here we go. That goofball was at it again.

Damon’s face darkened in an instant, as he realized that the fool was about to kick up a fuss again.

“Come on, bro, I’ve got a little one on the way that’s been calling me ‘daddy’ from the womb—hahaha. Isn’t my

wife just amazing? She’s always making me so proud.

“But hey, congrats to you too, man. You’ve got another nephew on the way. And, my two big nephews are about to

become a big brother and sister.”

Chloe facepalmed, that guy, can’t he just chill out for once? What was there to be so excited about this, anyway?

Can’t he just be happy about having a child?! Wasn’t having another child awesome enough?

Seriously, who else would turn such a happy occasion into a reason for everyone to want to punch him?

He was truly a character, turning a celebration into something that made people want to hit him.

Everyone’s thoughts were pretty much aligned with Chloe’s. Just as they were basking in the joy of welcoming

another child, Nathan had to ruin the moment, making them all want to give him a good smack.

Yulia, unable to take it anymore, tugged at his shirt, “Nathan, please. Don’t be like this.”

Nathan, in his unique bubble of joy, barely registered Yulia’s plea. Elizabeth, on the other hand, couldn’t stand it and

punched him on the back. The punch landed with a solid “thud”.

Nathan turned around, coughing, only to find Elizabeth glaring at him, “Is there anyone in the world more annoying

than you? You actually have the talent to suppress people’s happiness and make them want to punch you instead.”

She punctuated her words with two more punches on his shoulder. “Yulia… being pregnant… isn’t something… for

you to brag about… and compete over!”

With every pause, Elizabeth’s fist landed on Nathan, emphasizing her frustration.

Nathan winced in pain, dodging and weaving in a comical fashion.

Yulia couldn’t help but feel amused. At such a moment, he still had the mood to think of other things.

Little Anya, who had been watching with wide eyes, looked up at Royce.

“Handsome grandpa. Does Yulipop being pregnant mean she’s got a baby too?”

Royce softly stroked Anya’s rosy cheek, his voice gentle, “Yes, Anya, you’re going to have a little brother or sister

soon.”

Anya’s eyes sparkled with happiness. She clasped her little hands together, “Wow, Yulipop has a baby. I’m going to

be a sister.”

Anya was so adorably excited that Royce couldn’t help but smile and nod in agreement, “Yes, congratulations,

Anya.”

Anya clapped her hands joyfully, but soon her little brow furrowed in thought.

“So, I’m going to have lots of brothers and sisters, huh? From Aunt’s twins and now Yulipop.”

She paused, then suddenly turned to Yulia, “How many babies does Yulipop have?”

Her question brought a halt to the conversation, as all the adults turned to look at Jane.

Damon was no exception. If it turned out to be twins or even triplets, would that fool Nathan not be over the moon?

Jane sighed, rubbing her forehead, “We should probably get a proper check-up at the hospital for that.”

There was a hint of disappointment, but Alyssa nodded in agreement, “Right. No matter what, a thorough check-up

at the hospital is necessary. Yulia, are you feeling any better? Anything you crave, just let us know.”

Yulia took a sip of water, shaking her head slightly, “I don’t really have an appetite right now.”

Elizabeth quickly added, “The kitchen’s stocked up and ready anytime. Whenever you’re hungry, just have Nathan

whip something up for you. Same goes for you, Chloe, make sure you’re all set.”

Chloe smiled, “Will do.”

Elizabeth rubbed her hands together in anticipation, “Oh, I’m going to be busy, busy, busy—hahaha! My daughters-

in-law getting pregnant one after the other, I’ll be swamped with grandbabies.”

She had been longing for decades for her sons to bring home daughters-in-law and give her chubby grandchildren

to dote on. Her wish was finally coming true, one after the other.

Alyssa was beaming with joy. “Me, too. My great-grandsons. I now have four generations under one roof. I feel so

lucky.”

The living room was filled with happiness and laughter, except for Damon, who sat with a cold expression, clearly

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out of place.

Chloe, too, was delighted by the news but noticed Damon’s mood and nudged him with her elbow, “I want some

green grapes.”

Damon instinctively stood up, picked a grape, and brought it to Chloe’s lips. She accepted it with her mouth.

Damon’s expression remained stern, but the fruit kept coming, one after another.

—

The next morning, Elizabeth whisked Yulia and Nathan off to the hospital.

As they stepped outside, a car was already waiting for them. Nate stood by the car door, greeting them as they

approached.

Nathan, hands in his pockets, glanced at the car blocking the entrance and raised an eyebrow, “This early? Where’s

my brother off to?”

Nate chuckled, “Mr. Damon asked me to take you guys to the hospital.”

Nathan snorted, “No need for the fuss, I’ve got my own ride, and my driving skills are pretty decent…”

Nate interjected, “He is very concerned about his nephew’s health. He insisted that I accompany you throughout

the visit, and he’s already made arrangements with the hospital in advance.”

Nathan rolled his eyes. Was it just to find out how many babies Yulia was carrying at the very first moment possible?

Why went through all this trouble for such meticulous arrangements?

Nathan held his tongue, and they all got into Nate’s car.

They reached the hospital without any issues, and true to his word, Nate was with them every step of the way. If it

weren’t for the fact of privacy, he probably would have followed them into the ultrasound room.

When the check-ups were done and they emerged, Nate was right there waiting. “Well? How many? Twins?

Triplets?”

Nathan clenched his teeth. Could his brother’s motives be any more obvious?

Elizabeth’s laughter was light and carefree as she said, “Just one, one is good. It won’t be as tough as Chloe’s

situation.”

Nate didn’t hear a word she said after that. Once he got the answer he wanted, he stepped aside and made a

phone call.

Nathan was annoyed. What was the big deal of having twins? His little princess was already a head taller than those

two in the womb. They were destined to call his daughter ‘big sister’.

Nate wrapped up his call quickly.

Nathan snorted and drew Yulia close. “One’s perfect. Mom’s right, less trouble that way.”

Yulia gave a half-smile. She hadn’t thought that far ahead.

—

Once the results were confirmed, Damon’s brooding expression lifted like mist in the morning sun.

Chloe felt heavy, barely finding rest in her sleep and woke up early.

Damon stood by the window on a call, his voice low, but Chloe could make out the gist of it.

He actually arranged all that just to get the result.

Seeing Chloe awake, Damon’s lips quirked up. “You’re up.”

Chloe shifted, and Damon helped her sit up in bed.

Propped against the headboard, she asked, “Is it confirmed?”

Damon pressed his lips together. “The Harper legacy is something to keep an eye on.”

Chloe’s lips twitched at his grandiose reasoning.

“Stay in bed, I’ll go make breakfast.”

“Mhm.”

Once Damon left, Chloe scanned the latest news on her phone. Checking the time, she finally called Rose.

When Rose found out about Yulia’s pregnancy, she was over the moon. “Is pregnancy contagious or something?

They keep coming one after the other.”

Chloe chuckled, “Nathan’s ecstatic. He’s been strutting like a peacock in front of his brother. Oh, and last night he

confirmed Anya is his daughter.”

Rose paused before bursting into laughter. “That guy sure isn’t quick on the uptake, is he? To only realize under his

own nose?”

“Last night he came over, suspecting Anya was Damon’s, then claimed she was a love child of his father.”

Chloe relayed every detail of last night’s drama to Rose, unable to suppress her laughter.

Rose’s laughter was incessant. “Could he be any more hilarious?”

Chloe took a deep breath, her smile fading, “Maybe he’s just scared. Maybe he is afraid to hope too much.”

Rose nodded, “True. Suddenly having a daughter out of the blue. Oh gosh, Chloe, I’m getting nervous. My due date

is in two days. I’m both excited and scared.”

Chloe’s expression tightened. “Morrison will be there for you, right?”

Rose nodded, “He said he’d be with me in the delivery room, but it’s not him giving birth!!”

Already in the hospital, she grew more sensitive as the due date approached.

Her spontaneous exclamation made Morrison freeze as he entered the room. Approaching her, he said, “If I could,

I’d take your place in a heartbeat.”

Rose gave him a wistful look. “Easy for you to say when it’s impossible. Men and their sweet nothings. mmm.”

Morrison leaned in, his kiss brazen and unashamed.

Chloe hung up the call in a hurry, caught off guard. They kissed passionately, their embrace clear and unfiltered,

stirring her pulse.