The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

Chapter 2124

Noah instinctively stepped back, his shoulder pressing against the nearby digital billboard.

Shock flickered through his dark eyes as he reached out to push her away, but Ella leaned in again, nibbling at his lips.

A tremor ran through Noah's heart as he lowered his eyelashes, shock mingling with the sight of the girl's delicate face. Her eyes were tightly shut, but her long lashes quivered.

She was nervous and scared. The moment her lips touched his, her heart ached fiercely. She truly loved him.

She yearned for more of this touch, but sadly, he could never be hers.

Her kiss was clumsy, retreating one moment and pressing harder the next. Finally, she slowly lifted her eyelids, her dazed eyes glistening with tears.d2

"Uncle Noah, I like you. But this is enough. Let's pretend I had you just this once. When we meet again, you'll just be my uncle and I'll be your niece for the rest of our lives."

After she spoke, she pushed him away forcefully, as if afraid he'd lose his temper, and then she hurried toward the security checkpoint.

Noah, coming back to his senses, could still feel the lingering warmth and softness on his lips. After the initial shock, he shoved aside the hint of longing in his heart, his brows furrowing deeply as he turned to look at the girl who had already reached the security area.

She had just passed through the manual check, grabbed her bag without looking back, and ran off.

Her figure and her actions, especially those resolute eyes and words, tightened his heart suddenly. The emotions he had been holding back these days surged once again.

He detested this persistent feeling, his face cold as he walked out of the airport terminal.

Outside, the chauffeur stood by the car, chatting with another driver. Seeing Noah, the chauffeur quickly ended the conversation and opened the car door for him.

As the chauffeur circled to the driver's side, he bid the other driver farewell.

"I guess I'll have an easier time without having to chauffeur him around; we should grab a beer sometime." The other chauffeur patted the chauffeur on the shoulder, "Hit me up with a call."

"Sure thing!" The chauffeur agreed cheerfully, smiling as he hopped into the car.

"Sir, shall we head straight to the office?"

It was still early to head to the office, and he could easily go home or leisurely enjoy a breakfast instead, but Noah simply hummed in affirmation. The chauffeur wasn't surprised.

Noah looked unwell, his mind replaying Ella's words and gaze at the airport, and that unexpected kiss.

"Sir, are you concerned for the young lady's safety traveling alone?" The chauffeur hesitated before speaking. The entire Tretton family, even the whole of P City, knew how Noah doted on his niece. And Miss Ella was indeed smart and lively, endearing to all.

Noah didn't respond, his eyes closed, his slender fingers pressing against his forehead, his ring finger brushing his lips, feeling again that tender sweetness.

Unaware of what had transpired between them, the chauffeur thought Noah was just worried about Ella's safety. So he continued, "You don’t have to worry too much, sir. We've arranged bodyguards, haven't we? If you're really concerned, why not call Mr. Paul? I heard from his driver that he's also heading to Western Europe."

Noah's fingers stiffened, and he suddenly looked up at the rearview mirror, his voice cold and ominous. "What did you say?"

The driver flinched at Noah's tone and his intimidating look. "I just said not to worry too much."

Noah cut him off, "Which Paul?"

"Well, Mr. Paul from the Reeves family. If I remember correctly, he's quite close with Miss Ella."

In a flash, Noah's eyes flickered with numerous thoughts, and then a tide of rage surged in his chest.

She deceived him?

She wasn't going on a trip alone. She had planned to go with Paul. They had kept their overseas trip a secret from him?!

"Turn back."

The chauffeur's hand trembled, "What?"

"Back to the airport!" He nearly roared those three words.

The chauffeur fell silent.

When the car continued on straight for a while longer, Noah took a deep breath, his voice now seemingly calmer than before, but even more chilling. "Didn't you hear me say back to the airport?"

"Sir, we are on the overpass..."

A vein throbbed on Noah's forehead.

Noah pulled out his phone and dialed Ella's number. The call was met with a cold female voice indicating the phone was switched off.

At this point, Ella's attitude these past few days, her actions at the airport today, the oversized, heavy suitcase, her demeanor with Jon, and even the looks and actions of his father, all seemed out of the ordinary.

But why? After all, it was just a trip abroad for a few days. Even if she went with Paul, she would have to return eventually, so why such attitudes?

The familiar, loathsome feeling in his chest suddenly surged, doubling in intensity.

He had never wanted to admit, and thought it impossible, that the unnamed emotion plaguing him was—unease.

Finally, after exiting the overpass, the car turned around. Noah then dialed Paul's number. The mechanical voice that answered was no different from Ella's.

Noah's expression darkened, as if a storm was brewing. He then made another call, "Delay the next flight to the Netherlands by half an hour."

"Sir," the driver interjected nervously, "I believe Miss Ella's flight might have already taken off."

Noah glanced at the time on his phone; it had been more than ten minutes since the flight's scheduled departure. Ella seemed to have timed her security check to perfection.

He then called the two bodyguards he had arranged, only to find their phones off as well. It seemed she had indeed gone.

After a long moment, he let out a low chuckle, "Ella, you've got quite the nerve."

The sinister tone sent a shiver down the chauffeur's spine.

"Proceed to the office."

The chauffeur: "Yes."

"Once you're back, I'll deal with you properly." He murmured lowly, as if only meant for himself to hear.

He pressed his fingers against his throbbing temples, his hand clutching the phone trembling slightly.

Seven days. That was all the liberty he had given her. He'd let her gallivant abroad with Paul for a week.

Jon had been waiting at home for Noah to discover something, and he had even prepared himself for the possibility that Noah might question him. However, Jon waited for a whole morning, and Noah didn't show up.

Noah was too smart not to notice something. The chauffeur had also already given Jon the lowdown on the day's events. From the driver's shaky voice, Jon could imagine the rage that must have seized his son.

Noah had even considered pulling strings to delay an international flight. What was he even thinking?

In the following days, Noah behaved as if nothing had happened.

He made his daily pilgrimage back to the family home, wined and dined, even stayed the night, but never once mentioned to his father that Ella had snuck off with Paul. Noah didn't bring it up, and Jon didn't mention it either.

This little escapade of Ella's was likely to dilute more than just her own feelings. Jon had a hunch that it was his seemingly indifferent son who was in dire need of time.

"Why are you always home these days? You shouldn't leave all the engagement party planning to Rebecca. Women are sensitive creatures, especially insecure at times like this. You should be spending more time with her."

Noah's eyelids lifted, his gaze piercing as he stared down his father before retracting his eyes just as discontent appeared on his father's face. "Once the theme's settled, there's little to fuss over. I'll be there for her when it matters. Our affairs are in order."

Jon's face darkened with displeasure. "Noah, nobody forced you into marriage. Now, whatever's on your mind, you must ensure there are no hiccups at this engagement party."

"What's there to worry about? Why would you think something might go wrong with the engagement party?" Leaning back on the couch, Noah's gaze once again settled on his father, his eyes calm yet penetrating.

Jon squinted back, "Before asking me, you ought to ask yourself that question."

Noah rose from his seat, "The engagement party will go off without a hitch, and it will be a splendid affair. Ella wants to have fun, right? After her little jaunt, she can continue to enjoy herself at the party. To ensure her enjoyment, perhaps we should upscale the event even further."

Jon sipped his tea nonchalantly, unfazed. "The engagement party is for your future wife, not for Ella's amusement."

"Isn't pleasing both a better outcome?"

With a loud "crash," a fine cup shattered at Noah's feet. "What do you mean by 'pleasing both'? What nonsense are you spouting? What does Ella have to do with your engagement party? You

think she'd be keen to attend?"

The last sentence made Noah suddenly clench his fists. "So what?"

Jon's breathing hitched as he realized he'd been baited into this conversation.

Such a convoluted ruse...

He closed his eyes tightly, weariness washing over him, and then he shut his eyes. "Get out. I'm tired and not in the mood to discuss this now."

Noah's gaze lingered on Jon before he turned and left, his face taut.

*

Upon arriving in the Netherlands, Ella and Paul didn't check into the hotel arranged by Noah. They bought new SIM cards and checked into a different hotel. The bodyguards assigned by Noah were replaced by those dispatched by Jon as soon as they landed.

After catching up on sleep, they contacted the travel agency set up by Noah.

Ella had dicussed this with Paul, so he decided to go with the same agency. The reason was to avoid Noah catching on too soon. If his agency reported they couldn't see her, she wasn't sure if Noah would come storming after her.

She knew her grandfather had been pressuring him at work, but she needed to keep him at bay.

In fact, Noah had indeed kept tabs through the agency back home, and hearing that Ella was dutifully participating did indeed settle him.

He was waiting, gambling. He was sure that Ella would return as promised and when she did, he wouldn't let her off lightly.

Noah had suppressed his unease, outwardly calm as he dealt with an unexpected pile of work and prepared for his engagement party with Rebecca.

Everything continued smoothly.

On the 13th, he arrived at the airport early in the morning.

He had sat in the villa's living room all night, not sleeping. At dawn, he grabbed his jacket and drove straight to the airport. The return ticket he had booked for Ella was for a flight that afternoon at five.

As he sat in his car, his bloodshot eyes were fixed on the watch on his wrist. He waited in the underground parking lot all day, and as the hand struck four, he stepped out and stood at the arrivals gate, his gaze heavy and fixed on the exit.

Tall and imposing, he stood motionless, an aura of intensity surrounding him.

Wave after wave of people left the terminal, and as the plane's landing time approached, Noah's expression turned even more steely.

After ten, twenty, thirty minutes, Noah's fist clenched white in his pocket. He waited stubbornly for forty minutes, fifty minutes, an hour.

From five in the evening until midnight, he waited through every incoming flight, but the one person he sought, the disobedient niece, never appeared.

For seven days, he hadn't thought or asked about anything, just gambled that Ella was merely hiding her travels with Paul.

As long as she came back, he would simply give her a good scolding. All the suspicions that had unsettled him before were deliberately pushed aside. He believed that teaching her a lesson about deceiving him on this matter would be sufficient.

He had wagered that she wouldn't deceive him again, that she didn’t have the guts, but it seemed her audacity had grown.

Jon's call came at that moment, Noah answered, and Jon's words were direct, "Come home. Ella isn't coming back."

"What do you mean she isn't coming back?" Noah's voice was ice as he turned and strode towards the airport's main entrance.

"Is it the Reeves family?" His tone was heavy, resonating with an ominous chill.

Jon's angry voice followed, "What are you planning to do?!"

"Paul had sweet-talked Ella away, hadn't he? I'll make the Reeves cough her up. And as for your little matchmaking plans with Ella and Paul, you can forget it. I won't agree to Ella marrying him.”

Jon took a deep breath, his voice raspy with exertion. "Noah..."

Noah hung up the phone abruptly, and drove straight to the Reeves' estate.

Staring at the disconnected call, Jon's face was a mask of shock. Had his son lost his mind?

"Sir." The butler stood by, equally shaken by the confrontation.

Jon, trembling, handed his phone over and, with a heavy heart, ordered, "Get the car ready. We're heading to the Reeves' estate."

"Yes, sir."

Noah's car was stopped right at the gates of the Reeves' mansion by Jon's arriving vehicle. Unable to drive through, Noah stepped out of his car.

Jon stood there, immovable as an ancient pine, his presence alone blocking the way. Seeing Noah, he shook with barely contained rage. "You actually came here?!"

"Move aside, Dad."

Jon's chest heaved with fury. "Noah, what are you thinking? You do realize you're engaged to be married?!"

"What does that have anything to do with me finding Ella?" Noah spoke calmly, but the chill in his eyes under the dim streetlights was unmistakable.

"You're crazy. You want to find Ella? I'm telling you now, you have no claim over the Reeves. And don't delude yourself. You know very well I've replaced the bodyguards you set for Ella, and she's not in Western Europe anymore. In fact, she did catch a flight out of Western Europe today, but not to return home. She went somewhere else."

Noah's cold, intense gaze was fixed on Jon's face. He even took two steps toward Jon, and the icy pressure emanating from him was so intense that Jon felt a palpable oppression. "Where did she go?"

Jon snorted coldly. "I had thought to tell you later, but now, I can't think of a single reason why I should."

"Dad, I'm Ella's uncle."

"I hope you remember that forever. You're Ella's uncle!" Jon roared with anger. "I won't tell you where Ella is. She won't be coming back! Don't go looking for her. Don't disturb her life anymore. You have no right to interfere in her life, much less dictate it."

Noah's face twitched fiercely. "Not coming back?" He paused, then chuckled bitterly. "So to avoid me, she's even willing to leave you? Who's she supposed to live with that I can't disturb? Paul?"

"Anyone but you!" Jon's words hung in the air, leaving a profound silence.

Paul’s father, Gilbert, who had been standing behind Jon, was visibly shocked by these revelations. Jon and Noah had been at odds the moment they stepped out of their cars, and he hadn't even had the chance to speak.

When Jon had come earlier, mentioning not to disclose Paul's study abroad, Gilbert had been surprised.

They knew that Ella had gone with Paul. They thought it was good news, and there was no need to hide it from Noah. But seeing the Jon's grave expression, Gilbert had complied.

Little did Gilbert know, Noah would come storming over, demanding to take Ella away.

It wasn't until Jon's declaration that Gilbert realized everything. Noah had feelings for his own niece.

What if this got out...

Moreover, wasn't Noah supposed to be getting engaged?

Deep down, Noah knew his father was right, and he had thought the same way. He'd never considered a future for Ella, not even any relationship beyond uncle and niece. Noah just knew she was supposed to live with him, within his sight.

Others wouldn't accept any relationship beyond uncle and niece. Ella couldn't bear the gossip and criticism from all sides. He just thought Ella should live with him for life.

However, his father's words shattered the belief he had held so confidently, the one thing he thought would never change.

What was left for him and Ella?

In that moment, it was as if he awoke. Their living together was the only meaning of their relationship as uncle and niece. So what was the point of the relationship he had worked so hard to maintain? Why break this delicate balance?

At this point, Jon also realized his own lapse. Family secrets had spilled out.

Jon tried to calm the rage in his chest and after a while, his voice softened yet still carried an irrefutable authority and chill. "Ella is doing fine out there, and you don't need to worry. You live your own life. You should know, that Ella made this choice to fulfill your wishes. For the next few years, it's best if you don't see her. When the time comes, she will return.”

“She's trying to let go of her feelings, and you'd best adjust your mindset quickly. From the moment you announce your engagement, the Tretton family's daughter-in-law will only be Rebecca." Jon spoke with a tremble, but his words were filled with unwavering dignity and seriousness.

"I gave you both a chance, especially you. If you don't want Ella to get hurt, then stay away from her. You are my son, and I can't do much to you, but with Ella, I can. If you can't see that, then she will bear the consequences."

Noah's breath hitched, his heart felt as if it was being squeezed tightly, and the air in his chest seemed to be drawn out slowly. His Adam's apple bobbed, and when he spoke again, he seemed much calmer. "You don't need to threaten me."

"Don't believe me? Just wait and see if I'm really threatening you."

Jon's expression and eyes didn't show the slightest trace of being moved.

Noah pressed his lips together, glanced at Gilbert standing awkwardly behind Jon, who could only respond with a forced half-smile.

Finally, Noah turned and got back into his car without a word.

It was only after the car turned and disappeared into the distance that Jon exhaled, his tense body suddenly relaxed, and he staggered, supported by the quick reflexes of Gilbert.

Jon had never imagined he would one day confront his son like this, and it had drained him of so much strength.

Steadying himself, Jon gave a reluctant wave in Gilbert's direction and finally managed to utter an apologetic "Sorry."

*

Noah drove a considerable distance before he suddenly slammed on the brakes. The sound of screeching tires echoed through the early morning stillness on the deserted mountain road.

His mind raced back to every move Ella made when she left. He had sensed something was off but had been lying to himself all along.

She wasn't saying goodbye for a mere seven-day road trip. She was bidding farewell for good, leaving him behind.

Noah thought to himself. "Ella, if you've got the nerve, then make sure I never see you again."