The Enticing CEO's Chosen Bride novel Chapter 2132

Noah couldn't quite articulate the tumult swirling within him. He had shattered every taboo, tearing the veil of a long-held uncle-niece relationship, and he was certain—he had always wanted her.

Five years ago or perhaps even earlier, his feelings for her had been a restrained shadow, a dim and somber secret. He should have acted sooner, without all the reservations. Hadn't he just made things worse now?

For the first time, he detested the decision he had once deemed rational. It was, perhaps, his most regrettable act in this lifetime.

"It's my fault." He pulled her close, his voice a low, rich timbre in her ear, his tone a perfect match for the guilt and self-reproach that shaped his words.

Ella shook her head slightly within the circle of his arms, her eyes closed. After a few seconds of silence, she spoke. "Is the company taking a big hit? Are the Mintons causing you trouble?"

"I'll handle it. I'll sort out everything. You just stay by my side, that's all you need to do."d2

"Okay."

He planted a kiss on her forehead, and Ella's eyelashes trembled. Her heart fluttered. She even anticipated a perfect resolution, but as days passed, other than Noah being busier, the media hadn't shifted its focus.

She knew it from the start—no one would see their being together as right.

She had only sent Paul a message, a brief [I'm sorry], ignoring his subsequent calls. She hadn't stepped outside, occasionally browsing the internet to follow the buzz about Visionary Productions, the Tretton family, the Reeves family, and the Mintons.

As days drifted by, the buzz waned, and life seemed eerily normal—as if nothing had happened.

Her compliance probably soothed Noah's initial agitation. It seemed that her presence alone was enough to settle everything.

Despite breaking the bonds of their familial roles, they hadn't crossed the final threshold. They didn’t even share a bed. They were together, yet not quite.

Aside from her watching him leave for the office and returning for dinner, they scarcely spent time together.

The entertainment world was abuzz with Chloe's latest protégé—a leading man recently catapulted to stardom—caught in a scandal. Photos and videos of him vacationing abroad with his wife and child were crystal clear, despite the child's eyes being pixelated. The couple's sweet interactions were undeniable. For male stars, nothing was more taboo than the revelation of a hidden family. With his popularity at its peak, this disclosure threatened to shake his already unstable fanbase.

The scandal had everyone's attention for two days, overshadowing the firestorm around Visionary Productions. Even Ella, stuck at home, couldn't help but get caught up in the drama.

Two days later, the actor held a press conference outside the Starlight International building, admitting to his marriage and child.

The man was in a loving marriage, his reputation untarnished by rumors, his career built on talent and hard work, so the press conference was met with respect for his forthright gratitude for the chance to reveal his marital status.

During the occurrence of this incident, Chloe handed over the broadcast rights contract of the TV series starring this actor to Visionary Productions. She then nudged Noah to secure the exclusive rights to a new series wrapped up by Seth.

After some research, Noah, recognizing the quality of the script, negotiated with Seth.

Given Visionary Productions' clout, the choice was a no-brainer. Even amidst turbulence, a collapse was unlikely. And should the worst happen, as a personal favor, Seth was bound to comply.

Securing exclusive rights to two series, along with online streaming rights, Visionary Productions wouldn't falter.

Noah was puzzled by Chloe's advice to buy the rights from Seth but didn't dwell on it.

That morning, visiting Seth's office for contract talks, Seth seemed in good spirits.

Sitting down on the chair in Seth's office, Noah watched the man leaning back in the leather swivel chair with a smirk on his face. Noah rubbed his forehead and spoke in a detached tone. "What's the good news? Is Cicely expecting another kid? Is that why you are in such high spirits?"

Hearing this, Seth raised an eyebrow, ignoring the icy expression on Noah's face used as a guard, and lightly chuckled, "Are you really in the mood to care about why I'm happy now?"

Noah glanced at him coldly. Not wanting to give him a chance to mock him, he didn't say much and directly took out the contract.

Since the two had communicated over the phone, Seth picked up the contract and flipped through it, then smiled and put it down. The straight back that was just now once again leaned back against the chair. It seemed that he had no plans to sign it.

Noah’s expression soured. "Hurry up and sign it. I have other things to do."

At that, Seth's long fingers absentmindedly played with the ring on his left hand. "Quite the charmer you've got there. Been nurturing her for years and now you make your move?"

Noah's expression chilled, "Feeling entertained by my missteps now that you've had a few comfortable years?"

"It's not that," Seth replied, a light chuckle escaping him. "It's more like finding comfort in knowing that someone as shrewd as you can make the same dumb mistakes as I did. Friends in folly, it's oddly reassuring."

Noah was trying to mask his annoyance with a veil of cool detachment. "Don't tell me your good mood is solely because of this."

Seth shook his head, the hint of a smirk playing on his lips. "What's really got me tickled pink is the thought of you shaving off at least two percentage points on that contract for me."

Noah's brow twitched, his icy gaze slowly zeroing in on Seth's face. "You're counting your chickens before they hatch."

Seth remained the picture of ease, his smile unaltered. "It's just a slight dip in profits, but it solidifies the network's standing in the industry. Or maybe you think everything's peachy just because your little lady's been playing nice and following the rules?"

A brief flicker of stiffness crossed Noah's features.

Seth's eyes danced with amusement as he continued, "Does that little lady truly have no care in the world?"