The Enticing CEO's Chosen Bride novel Chapter 2135

Ella directly came to Noah's office. Her presence had become a regular sight at the company over the past few days.

As she vanished into the office, the staff couldn't help but exchange whispers behind her back. They gossiped about how she, the 'niece', was shamelessly chasing after her young uncle, casting her as some sort of slut, a master manipulator in a game of hearts.

Ella had heard all the cruel remarks, and the online trolls were even worse. Strangely enough, words that once cut deep now seemed to bounce off her without leaving a mark.

Her steps were confident as she approached Noah's office, where the secretary stood up out of habit. "Mr. Noah's in his office. Can I get you anything to drink?" the secretary asked.

"No, thank you," Ella replied with a sweet smile before she turned the handle and stepped into Noah's space.

Noah was just coming out of his private lounge, fiddling with his shirt cuffs. He looked up at the sound of the door, showing no surprise at her entrance. After all, in the entire world, Ella was probably the only one who could walk into his office without knocking.d2

"Been out having fun?" he asked casually, walking over to the window and picking up his coffee mug from the desk. He was relaxed, clearly enjoying a moment of respite after a busy stint.

Ella closed the door behind her and watched him for a moment, feeling a lump rise in her throat, which she quickly swallowed down. Taking a breath, she walked toward him.

Noah took a sip from his mug and noticed Ella's unusual silence. He turned to look at her, only to feel her arms slowly wrap around his waist from behind, her body pressing against his. He paused, gripping the mug a little tighter as he glanced down at the hands around his waist.

"Did someone give you a hard time today?" he asked, his eyes still on her hands.

Ella shook her head. "As if I'd let that happen and embarrass you."

Noah's lips twitched into a half-smile as he took her hands in his, set the mug down, and turned to face her.

Ella looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Uncle Noah," she said with a playful grin, leaning into his embrace. "How can I really seduce you?"

He paused for a moment, feeling the warmth of her body against his, his gaze darkening. "Why not try tonight?" he suggested.

Ella shook her head. "Nah."

He raised an eyebrow inquisitively just as she suddenly rose on her toes and pressed her lips to his. Her kiss was clumsy yet sweet, her tongue tentatively brushing against his lips before boldly seeking entry.

In that moment, Noah's body tensed, something within him snapped, and he pulled her closer, returning her kiss with fervor and urgency.

Unlike her tentative exploration, his kiss was dominant and demanding, leaving no room for her to breathe. She struggled to keep up, her hands clutching at his shoulders as she tried to match his intensity.

After what felt like an eternity, Noah slowly pulled away, resting his forehead against hers, his gaze lingering on her flushed face.

Ella's lashes fluttered as she leaned in for more, even as Noah stopped, she continued to kiss him, moving from his lips to his jawline, her actions innocent yet teasing, until she reached the hollow of his throat.

Her persistence stoked the fire within him, and his desire flared as he looked at her with a burning intensity. "Ella, that's enough." he breathed.

But she seemed not to hear, playfully tugging at his tie. Then, she lifted her misty eyes to look at him, a kind of inquiry mixed with fear and anticipation. Her intentions were evident.

Noah grasped her hand, his voice a husky whisper, "Are you sure?"

Ella bit her lip and buried her face in his neck, her voice barely audible. "I haven't. I'm scared, but I... I want you, Uncle Noah."

Her voice trailed off, but Noah suddenly tightened his grip on her chin. "You haven't?" he asked, incredulous. Had she really remained untouched all these years with Paul?

Her cheeks blazed with embarrassment. "I can't be with someone I don't love."

He chuckled, clearly pleased. As soon as the words left her mouth, he lifted her into his arms.

Caught off guard, she let out a surprised yelp.

He carried her to the bed, his voice rough with desire, "Save your screams for later."

As he laid her down, Ella looked up at him with a mix of nerves and excitement. "Does this mean I've seduced you?" she asked.

Noah loosened his tie, a dark smile playing on his lips. "You never had to do anything. But I'm not complaining."

Ella pouted. "You liar, before you would've..."

Her protest was silenced by his kiss. When the kiss ended, Ella was disheveled and breathless.

"Don't dredge up the past," he warned. "Do you really think I'm an animal who would prey on a barely legal girl, let alone my so-called niece?"

"But I'm still your 'niece'," she pointed out.

"Yes, but you're not eighteen anymore."

"So..."

"Stop talking, or I might just admit that I've been regretting my restraint these past years. Eighteen or not, niece or not."

Ella's lashes quivered. "You should be thankful I didn't throw myself at someone else. They say you never forget your first love, and for a woman, your first time is even more unforgettable. It plants a seed deep inside that this is the man for you, for life."

"And if that had happened..."

"There's no 'if'. Your first love, and your first time, they both have to be me."

Ella smiled, her arms encircling his neck as she whispered seductively in his ear, "Uncle Noah, I want you."

His eyes narrowed dangerously.

*

From the tormenting pain at the beginning to the heady bliss at the end, her first time was a journey from agony to ecstasy.

Noah cradled her from the bathroom to the bed, where, with cheeks blazing, she quickly burrowed under the covers.

Seeing her bashful demeanor, Noah quirked a smile, "Come on, pop your head out. I won't look."

"Go away," came Ella's muffled, soft voice from beneath the duvet.

Noah arched a brow, "Remember to keep your head out."

The lounge door opened and closed, and only when the room settled into silence did Ella slowly peek from the covers. Her eyes, devoid of shyness or sweetness, scanned the room before she pulled a wry smile and closed them gently.

The drawn curtains shielded the afternoon sun, and in the dimness, tears seeped from Ella's tightly shut eyes into the soft pillow.

She had truly received what she wanted.

She felt content. There was no greater bliss than having one's desires fulfilled. She wanted happiness for all those she held dear.

*

Noah left for the boardroom. The TV network's summer schedule was disrupted due to recent events, with new shows and planning on the horizon.

Noah was in good spirits, but remained his usual frosty self in front of his subordinates. They were all business, respectful, speaking only when necessary – despite the inner turmoil they felt, they showed nothing out of the ordinary.

Noah eventually noticed something was off. His assistant's phone vibrated too often, with calls cut off only for a barrage of texts to follow.

After several instances, the odd expressions on the others' faces became harder to mask. Noah's frown deepened, tossing his stylus aside with a steely gaze towards his assistant. "Spill it!"

The assistant pressed lips together, scanning the room which prompted the others to quickly gather their things and left.

With the room clear, Noah's expression darkened further, but he allowed them to go.

"Mr. Noah."

Once alone, the assistant approached, presenting the phone to Noah. The top trending headline glared back, "Niece's scandalous slap in cafe confrontation with fiancee."

The word "niece" struck a chord in Noah.

When he clicked into the topic, the first post was a video from a major media outlet. It showed Ella from the moment she entered the cafe. Her confidence and arrogance were something he'd seldom seen lately.

The exchange between the two seated, made Noah's already icy expression even more intimidating. Even when Rebecca splashed water in Ella's face, he seemed unfazed.

"I've realized that your leaving wasn't about letting go. This return of yours was premeditated.

"I might not marry him, but don't fool yourself into thinking you can have him. You covet your own uncle from a young age, and now that you've had a taste of victory, you come here gloating.

“As a niece seducing her own uncle, playing the third wheel, what dignity do you have to take pride in front of me? Who could truly accept you two? The Tretton family is nearly being chewed up in whispers. Noah is now a walking target of scorn, and is this your so-called love?"

Ella's response was a resounding slap.

"You're right, I am not content to let the man I love marry another woman. What I want, I'll scheme for it if necessary. So what if I seduced him? He fell for it, didn't he? I got what I wanted, and why should I care about anything else? Will the Tretton family have me killed? Will their fortunes crumble because of this?

"Rebecca, life is about results. You're upright, sensible, and educated, but the victor here is me."

Ella used "victor" to echo her earlier "premeditated" scheme.

The assistant watched Noah's face carefully, "The public is almost unanimously condemning Ms. Ella for meddling in a marriage, being a home-wrecker. And they say that you might have been manipulated."

Before the assistant could finish, Noah's glare silenced him.

"Mr. Noah, what should we do now? In the video, Ms. Ella admits to intentional seduction."

Noah tossed the phone aside, his gaze never leaving it. After a moment, he spoke, "Remove the trending topic."

"But that might cause more dissatisfaction."

"Remove it!"

"Yes, sir."

The assistant, picking up the phone, called the media platform. As soon as he mentioned pulling the topic, the other end said something that stunned him.

"What did you say?" Noah looked up.

After a moment, the assistant hung up with a gloomy expression. "Mr. Noah, it seems Ms. Ella has reached out to several media outlets, wanting to clarify some things."

At that, Noah shot up from his chair and burst through the lounge door. The woman who should have been resting was gone.

Rage flickered across Noah's face. He stepped out of the office, his stride uneven as he demanded from the bustling secretaries, "Where is she?"

Startled by his expression, the secretaries paused before quickly reacting, "She left shortly after you, Mr. Noah."

*

Meanwhile, outside a media building, reporters swarmed.

"Did the Tretton girl call you here too?"

"Yeah, some clarification or something. I don't know what she can possibly clarify now; the video has her admitting to seducing her uncle."

"Rebecca said it, right? She’s young and already eyeing her uncle's bed. Now I'm thinking her sudden departure five years ago had hidden motives."

"I guess so. Wasn't there talk of a long game in the cafe footage? She's been plotting for at least five years. For someone so young, she's quite the schemer."

"What's unforgivable is how brazen she is as the other woman, slapping the fiancée in public. Impressive."

"Jon could never have imagined, the girl he raised, turning out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing."

"I'm actually curious what she can say now, with things being so dire. How will she get herself out of this?"

As the buzz of anticipation swelled, Ella made her unhurried appearance before the eager crowd. A sea of reporters swarmed towards her.

Standing at the center, Ella offered them a smile. "Thank you all for coming. I'm flattered by the attention, really. Who knew that a simple coffee shop rendezvous would make such waves online, courtesy of some nosy onlookers. I thought I had it all figured out, that the object of my affection was finally mine. But before I could relish my triumph, this whole indescribable mess blew up."

The reporters weren't interested in her preamble or any unrelated chatter. They cut her off mid-sentence.

"So, Ms. Ella, are you admitting that everything you said at the coffee shop is true?" one asked.

"Did you leave P City suddenly five years ago because there's more to the story?" another prodded.

"What's the purpose of this meeting? Are you here to clarify things?" a third inquired, the urgency palpable in their voices.

Ella maintained a faint smile despite the press' aggressive questioning. She glanced over them and after a brief, collected pause, she resumed speaking.

"I can't deny the coffee shop incident; those were indeed my words, and yes, I slapped Ms. Rebecca. But rest assured, I won't try to weasel my way out of this.

“The reason I'm standing here is because Ms. Rebecca got something right. I've had a crush on my so-called 'uncle' for a long time. When I came of age five years ago, I did something rash that angered him, and I chose to go abroad. Yes, it's just as you imagine. After he got engaged, I did something shameless, and he was furious. So, he sent me overseas to study.

“As for why we're together now and he abruptly called off his engagement with Ms. Rebecca, it's simply because I took advantage of a moment when he was unguarded, repeating the same mistake I made five years ago, and then forced him to take responsibility. After all, even though he was unaware, it's still a betrayal of his fiancée, and I couldn't let him off the hook for taking my innocence.

"To protect me, he broke off the engagement publicly, taking on the roles of a heartbreaker and engaging in an immoral affair."

As she finished, a cacophony of noise erupted around her. Words like 'shameless' and 'disgraceful' reached her ears, clear as day.

Ella's fingertips dug into her palm, yet her smile remained flawless.

"If the coffee shop incident hadn't leaked, I would've contentedly savored my victory. But now that it's out in the open... The Tretton family has raised me, and shown me immense affection. Even if I'm ungrateful, I recognize their goodness. Revealing the truth today is my way of repaying them for their kindness.

“In the end, I must thank my grandfather and Uncle Noah for their love and bias. I'm truly sorry for tarnishing the Tretton name and causing harm. I don't seek forgiveness. From now on, I'll stay far away from the Tretton family. And Ms. Rebecca, my apologies."

With that, Ella blinked, flashed a smile, and turned to leave.

The reporters tried to follow, but were blocked by the security staff pre-arranged by the media building.

Ella hurried into a car, head lowered.

"Miss Ella." The driver, a member of the household staff, had been instructed to lay low.

"To the airport, immediately."

Ella's hands clutched at her chest, fighting to contain the sobs that threatened to break through her controlled facade.

She hadn't planned to leave so quickly. She thought she had more time to be by his side, but she couldn't let Noah bear so much. She couldn’t let him and the entire Tretton family become the butt of everyone's jokes.

There was no better way than to take all the responsibility upon herself. Their relationship was never going to be accepted, with too many factors keeping them apart.

If she cut ties with the Tretton family completely, if she left altogether...

It was just a matter of time; time would eventually dilute everything, including love, resentment, and frustration.

*

It was only after seeing the hastily arranged press conference that Rebecca finally realized it. The sorrow she'd glimpsed on Ella's face at the coffee shop was real, and the contradictory feeling that had struck her then had found its answer.

From the moment Ella entered the coffee shop, Rebecca felt a strong sense of discord. Now it was clear: Ella had planned this from the start. Her arrogance and provocative words— it was all intentional.

Rebecca didn't need to read the online comments to know how harshly Ella was being judged. Ella had chosen to shoulder everything, even at the cost of her own future, to shield everyone else as much as possible.

In that moment, Rebecca's own resolve seemed meaningless. Her engagement to Noah hadn't started from affection. It was an escape from another failed relationship. She only held on to this out of nothing but her unwillingness to face another defeat.

Rebecca had believed love was the strongest bond, yet it couldn't keep someone by her side. She had thought mutual interests were unbreakable chains that could bind two people, but in the end, she lost to love again.

Rebecca had never considered ruining her life for someone else. At least now, she wouldn't gamble her future for Noah.

Moreover, she even felt deeply humiliated and secretly resentful because of Noah's unilateral announcement of the break off the engagement, to the point of harboring jealousy.

What was the point? Why go to such lengths for a man she didn't love?

*

At Visionary Productions' building, Noah watched the entire live broadcast of the press conference, his anger almost physical as he nearly destroyed the new media room.

The program planning team working nearby fell silent, startled by his outburst.

"Mr. Noah." His assistant approached tentatively, hoping to calm him down.

Noah, his arms braced against the media control desk, his forehead bulging with veins, was seething. "Nonsense."

The assistant stopped, hearing only Noah's low mutter. "What nonsense she's spouting..."

The assistant stood frozen, unsure of what had just unfolded. Moments ago, the office was buzzing with a cheerful vibe. Even Mr. Noah had seemed in good spirits during the meeting.

Why did Ms. Ella suddenly do this? Was it because of the trending topic that had blown up online? But even so, her reaction seemed unnaturally swift.

No sooner had Mr. Noah stepped out of his office than she had followed, making a beeline for the press conference. And the words she spoke there left no room for interpretation; they were harsh and resolute, the kind that invited severe criticism.

The assistant wondered if Ms. Ella was lying, but deep down, he hoped her words were true. He wanted to believe that Mr. Noah was exactly as she described him, that it was all part of her calculated plan.

Lost in thought, he failed to notice Mr. Noah suddenly look up, his usually composed and detached face now etched with a panic and vulnerability the assistant had never seen before.

There was no time to react as Mr. Noah strode past him, the breeze from his swift movement ruffling the assistant's hair. Instinctively, the assistant hastened to follow but was abruptly stopped at the entrance of the skyscraper by a group of imposing figures.

"Sir, Mr. Jon has requested your presence," one of them said.

Noah's fists clenched, his face taut with tension, "I have other matters to attend to. Step aside."

"I'm sorry, sir, but Mr. Jon insists on seeing you immediately."

Noah's body was tense, like a bow drawn tight, "I will see him. Now, out of my way."

The men didn't respond with words, but their unwavering stance was clear—they wouldn't let him pass.

The frustration on Noah's face crumbled into a rare display of anger, and his hand flew out to strike the man before him. Despite this, they closed in, determined not to let him leave.

The building's security rushed to Noah's aid, and chaos ensued in the lobby of the company.

In the end, Noah was ushered out amidst the commotion by two security guards. The assistant had the car ready.

"To the airport," Mr. Noah commanded, his voice betraying a tremble of urgency that couldn't be ignored.

The assistant's heart skipped a beat at the order.

By the time Jon's men caught up, the car was already speeding away. Nevertheless, Jon had made up his mind. He had people following Noah all the way, and even at the airport, he intercepted Noah.

This time, Jon himself stood at the airport entrance, barring Noah's path.

Jon saw the disheveled, frantic Noah, his grip tightening on his cane.

"Dad, I need to go to Ella." The pleading in his son's husky voice was something Jon had never heard before, and it clenched his heart.

Jon's lips quivered before he shook his head firmly. "Noah, you know what Ella has told the press. You can't unring that bell. I won't approve of this union, and no one will accept a woman who has done such a thing."

Noah shook his head, "You know she's not like that. It was deliberate."

"Then don't waste her sacrifice."

Jon's voice landed like a hammer, "She's put her life on the line to protect you and the Tretton family. Noah, do you want her efforts to be in vain? Think about it, how can she stay in P City now? It's not about whether the Tretton family can accept her; it's about whether anyone in P City can."

"I can clarify, none of it was true."

"And so? You're willing to risk yourself and the Tretton family for her? How will you explain? How will you clear things up? Who would believe it?"

But Noah was unwavering, stepping forward, "Dad, step aside. I need to find her."

Jon closed his eyes in defeat, "You won't see her again. She's already gone."