The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride
Chapter 1881

Chapter 1881

Though they had seen much of life's harsh realities, the children at the local orphanage couldn't fathom the depths of darkness that might dwell in the heart of a seven-year-old girl who had just lost her parents.

Serana kept to herself, a solitary figure in the corner, quiet and well-behaved in class, and equally so during recess, watching the others play with an expressionless demeanor, like a still pond devoid of life.

Perhaps they sensed a kindred spirit in her, or maybe it was pity, or a thick slather of curiosity, but from that point on, Boyd had someone else woven into the tapestry of his childhood.

From then until now, Serana had become a thread running through the narrative of his life.

In their daily interactions, Serana was the picture of innocence, speaking in gentle whispers, looking at people with sincerity and care. Even as the years passed and she grew, she never changed – tender and fragile, yet brave and stubborn.

Outwardly, she seemed as delicate as a glass figurine, always needing protection, yet she fiercely tried to prove her strength, insisting she didn't need anyone's care and could even protect others.d2

Such a girl was irresistibly endearing – tender and attentive, pure and kind, brave, stubborn, and resilient.

Like her long, dark hair, the number of people drawn to her grew day by day. And it was true what they said – girls should have long hair.

Yasmine was beautiful but frosty by nature. Others kept their distance. From start to finish, Boyd was her only constant, and she never felt lonely. At least, not until she suddenly realized what loneliness was and found that certain things had become inevitable.

Boyd's time was no longer solely dedicated to her as he began to learn deeper subjects beyond the basic curriculum.

Companion? She had never considered Boyd's presence as companionship before.

But when did it start? It wasn't when Boyd's time began to scatter, leaving more for Serana.

Was it from the moments they shared meals together, or those occasional breaks when they sat beside the flower beds?

Or when they planted a lily bulb together, one digging a hole, the other tenderly placing the bulb inside?

She never felt it then.

But somehow, Serana began to irk her. And in their routine, she'd find herself unintentionally showing indifference or even hostility towards Serana.

The other kids at Angel's Haven Orphanage noticed too, whispering behind their backs, but she never bothered to refute them.

Because she knew it was true.

When did it start, exactly?

Perhaps it was when the lilies in the garden bloomed exceptionally beautiful, and the two silhouettes sitting together appeared so harmonious.

And then, a few days later, she found the desecrated lilies, and realized something had changed.

The garden's vibrant lilies had been a captivating sight at Angel's Haven Orphanage. Now, they were mostly dead, their petals scattered, leaves shredded, and stems snapped. Such an act was a

significant event in the otherwise tranquil orphanage, and the investigation began.

"It was Yasmine. Just days after planting, I saw her by the garden, holding a trowel and looking pensive," said one.

"I saw her too, uprooting the seedlings with that trowel," added another.

"Recently, her gaze towards the garden was frightening, like... like when she looks at Serana," a third chimed in.

"She doesn't like Serana. We all know that. The lilies were planted by Serana, so it must've been her," concluded another.

The accusations piled up, but Yasmine just smiled.

She had merely added extra seeds after Serana planted, knowing the germination rate was low. And when the seedlings grew too dense, she thinned them out so the others could flourish.

They didn't understand these simple gardening concepts and blamed her out of ignorance, which she found both frustrating and laughable.

Serana said nothing, just knelt by the ruined garden, picking up petals with tears streaming down her face. Her tears drew even more displeasure at Yasmine, but the children's naive and ignorant gazes didn't warrant her concern.

"I don’t have any particular feelings about Serana. There's no motive. It wasn't me," she stated plainly.

The head of the orphanage didn't jump to conclusions based on the children's words, agreeing with Yasmine's simple statement. After all, the lilies thrived mainly because of Yasmine's care.

The matter was dropped for the time being, and the investigation continued quietly, possibly leading to a private reprimand for the culprit.

Boyd, who hadn't visited the scene of the "crime," seemed indifferent to the whole ordeal.

The following afternoon, during a rare appearance in craft class, he paired up with Yasmine, who had been working alone at a long table, as Serana was already working with someone else.

Yasmine, playing with colorful paper, greeted him casually. "Rare sight," she remarked.

Boyd set down the heavy finance books he'd been carrying – a surprising choice for someone his age that she'd grown accustomed to.

Without a word, he shook the books, and out fluttered colorful petals. One book after another, until Yasmine saw the table covered in the petals of lilies, pressed flat and still vibrant.

Her heart felt inexplicably heavy.

She looked up at him, his eyes serene but his lips curved in a casual smile. "I recall Serana was the one who gathered up all those flower petals."

Boyd regarded her with a detached gaze, standing by the table, not much taller than the piece of furniture itself. However, those eyes seemed to hold a universe of secrets, now veiled with a frosty film.

"You don't seem to care much about them," he observed.

Yasmine glanced at the petals and let out a light chuckle. "And what, pray tell, should I feel about them?"

He stared at her for a long moment. "Indeed, Serana picked them up. She cried over them for an entire day."

She paused, tearing off excess edges from the colored paper in her hands. "So, you think I should have a good cry over them too?"

"You look rather happy as it is."

Yasmine was all too accustomed to Boyd's way of conversation. Always skirting full disclosure, they nevertheless understood each other's unspoken words with ease.

Her heart continued to sink, a suffocating weight. "Don't I have the right to be happy?"

She hesitated for a second before continuing, "Do you think I had something to do with this mess?"

Boyd ran his finger over the petals. "Didn't you say you had no motive?"

Suddenly, Yasmine froze, her heart laced with an inexplicable guilt.

Motive. Perhaps there was one, shadowy and blurred. She had no particular fondness for Serana, and those lilies had indeed been an eyesore.

The reason was rooted deep within her, yet she took a deep breath and brushed past the issue.

"Yeah, I have no motive. What makes you suspect me?"

Boyd sneered. "Since when does disliking someone need a reason?"

Yasmine laughed in spite of herself, but his words rang true. Dislike was reason enough.

"Why would I have a problem with her?"

Boyd watched her for a while before responding. "You're asking me?"

Yasmine pursed her lips. "Even so, it's just a matter of probability. There are plenty who don't like her. Why are you so convinced I'm the culprit?"

Boyd took a piece of green paper and began gluing petals onto it, clearly reconstructing the lilies.

Yasmine watched coldly.

After a while, he muttered, "Yasmine, in the entire orphanage, you are the most cunning and unpredictable one."

That craft class, Yasmine hadn't managed to create anything, her desk littered with scraps.

Boyd patiently pieced together the petals into a vibrant bouquet of lilies, carefully wrapped in colored paper, which he then handed to Serana.

"Put them in an airtight jar, and they'll last as long as you want." His tone was still cool, but tempered with an unusual gentleness.

Serana's eyes sparkled with joy and gratitude. "So beautiful, thank you."

Boyd nodded, with a hint of a smile on his lips.

Too young to understand, Yasmine didn't know why her heart ached. She thought it was just unfair.

Boyd didn't trust her. She was too scheming for anyone's comfort.

Hmph.

Innately aloof.

If that was how he saw her, then she had no need to entangle herself with him any further. She didn't need a friend who was so blind and heartless.

She returned to her solitude. She had been alone before. Only now, she understood what loneliness felt like.

It was during this time that Ava appeared. When loneliness was slowly consuming her, Ava's arrival was, she admitted, desperately welcomed.

At least there was someone to alleviate her solitude and distract her from the pity she felt for herself.

She wasn't so pitiful that she needed to prove herself to those who didn't trust her. Why should she? Those who doubted her weren't worth proving anything to.

She had been indifferent to Serana before, but now, her disdain for Serana was unmistakable.

Everyone said she hated Serana, and indeed she did. If not, it would be an injustice to the animosity they had fostered.

Moreover, Serana had truly turned her life upside down.

Yasmine had followed the school curriculum at her own pace, and when bored, she would delve into books with Boyd, often beyond their curriculum or age.

Initially, it was just because he liked them, and she had nothing better to do. Subtly, she didn't want to fall too far behind him, to lose common ground and drift apart. Later, she continued reading those books, perhaps out of boredom or perhaps out of habit, but eventually, she realized that shared interests and common topics weren't enough to maintain a relationship.

She had only aimed to keep up with Boyd, not to be left in the dust. Now, she thought, maybe people needed to complement each other.

Maybe Boyd didn't need someone to match his every step, someone who always had something to talk about. Maybe when he was tired, he needed someone else's interests and passions to ease his weariness.

No one enjoyed a monotonous life. Nor should they settle for such a dull existence.

Serana was gentle and sweet, interested in things any girl would like, things Boyd would never touch on his own.

For him, it was a whole new world to explore, discover, and find common ground with Serana. From his expressions, it was clear he relished the experience.

Yasmine felt even more ridiculous. Wasn't Boyd now just like she had been once?

Those two had a world where even one extra person was too much.

Yasmine's distance from everyone else grew. Yet some people, perhaps driven by an innate desire to conquer, refused to give up.

About half a month later at lunch, Boyd approached with his tray and sat down beside her. Yasmine gave him a cold glance and continued to eat her food.

Nearly ten years old and since he'd known her, she'd always carried herself with an indescribable grace. Many called her pretentious, but she never cared.

She had always been this way, independent and proud. What she believed to be right, was right, regardless of others' opinions.

"Are you avoiding me?" Boyd tossed a forkful of salad into his mouth with an air of nonchalance.

Yasmine didn't even look up. "Why on earth would I be avoiding you?"

"What about these past couple of weeks, then?"

Chewing leisurely, Yasmine lifted her gaze, her eyes curving into crescents of mirth. "So, what, I'm supposed to orbit around you like you're the center of the universe?"

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