The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

Chapter 2125

Noah had not given up on tracking down Ella's whereabouts, but every path he took was blocked by Jon. All traces of Ella had been wiped clean.

Noah didn't believe Jon could cover her tracks so perfectly, yet for days his people came back with nothing.

Ella had teamed up with Jon. It seemed that she was determined to stay out of Noah's reach.

The engagement party was an extravaganza, the kind that made headlines and filled social media feeds with images of opulence and joy. To the outside world, Noah had shown the Minton family great respect and had showered Rebecca with honor and affection, or so it seemed.

Rebecca was radiant that day, her happiness undeniable.

The event was recorded for posterity, sure to garner attention and buzz across the media landscape. Each guest wore a smile, their well-wishes for the couple evident in every handshake and hug.d2

Jon was there, mingling with people he was on good terms with, accepting their congratulations with a practiced grace.

Noah's gaze, however, kept straying to the entrance of the banquet hall. He was the picture of elegance in a tailored midnight suit, crisp white shirt, and black bow tie - the very image of a gentleman. But the warmth was draining from his striking face, his usually indifferent smile turning cold and sinister.

Ella did not attend. She never showed up.

Suddenly, Noah wondered why he was so desperately searching for someone so determined to escape him. It was self-degradation, plain and simple.

Everyone noticed the change in Noah's demeanor, but they wisely kept their distance.

Jon kept a watchful eye on his son, relieved when the engagement party finally ended without incident. He breathed a sigh of relief. Deep down, Jon had always knew that Noah wouldn't do anything rash or make a spectacle of himself. But because of Ella, for the first time in years, Jon doubted his mature, steady, and reliable son.

After the engagement party, life for Noah and Rebecca seemed unchanged. They lived their separate lives, focused on their careers, only now with new titles to their names.

Jon never got to hear Noah ask about Ella again. A few days later, Noah came home early in the morning reeking of alcohol just as Jon was on the phone with Ella. She was settling into school, sorting out many things, and was just updating her grandfather.

Jon hadn't expected Noah to return at such a moment, and was caught off guard, unsure of what to say.

Noah staggered, his shirt wrinkled, his normally impeccable hair now a tousled mess, looking utterly defeated.

Jon had never seen this side of his son. "What are you doing drinking so much so early in the morning?" Jon asked with a frown.

"Socializing," Noah replied flatly, his eyes fixed on Jon's phone.

Suddenly realizing something, Jon tightened his grip on the phone, "You should head up and rest."

Noah, however, approached him, his gaze still locked on the phone. "Finished talking?" Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Ella's heart skipped a beat when she heard Noah's voice through the phone.

"If you're done, then I have a few words." Before he finished speaking, the phone had switched hands, now held by Noah.

"Noah!" Jon growled in protest, but Noah just let out a cold laugh.

"Don't worry, I won't ask where she is."

Ella didn't manage to hang up in time before she heard Noah call her name.

"Ella.

"Not talking, huh? Well, you don't have to. Just listen – you want to leave? Fine. Since you've gone, then don't come back. You think a few years will break our connection? How could that be enough? You'd better stay out of my life forever, you got that?"

Ella felt each word like a demon's fist, her heart lying bloodied in her chest. The lump in her throat kept her from uttering any syllable for a long time.

"Noah! You're insane!" The idea of Ella never returning was something Jon could never accept. She'd been sweet, sensible, and had brought him joy for many years.

Jon valued relationships more than anything at his age. How could he agree to never see Ella again?

Noah remained silent, just listening to the breathing on the other end of the line. After a long silence, Noah hung up coldly.

Jon, trembling with rage, stood and slapped Noah across the face. "You're a disgrace!"

The butler, standing nearby, gasped, "Sir!"

Noah's face turned to the side from the impact, his eyes darkening.

"Why shouldn't she come back? Why couldn't Ella return to me? She's my granddaughter, what right do you have..."

Noah sneered, "She’s nothing but an ungrateful brat. Otherwise, could she have abandoned you so easily? Why bother..."

"Shut up!" Jon was seething, his whole body shaking, especially the hand that had just struck Noah. "Get out! Go upstairs."

Noah turned and left the villa.

"Mr. Noah." The butler quickly followed, worried about Noah driving in his condition. He called a driver and insisted on escorting Noah to the car, opening the back door for him.

Noah gave him a dark look.

"For safety's sake, Sir. Don't worry Mr. Tretton," the butler urged.

Noah didn't resist.

After ensuring Noah was sent to rest at the downtown villa, the butler returned to report to Jon, who then slowly sat back on the sofa.

Jon took a while to calm himself before picking up his phone to call Ella again. "Ella, your uncle was drunk. Don't mind what he said."

Ella forced a smile, "I know, Grandpa. How could I not come back? I'm looking forward to taking care of you. Just look after yourself while I am not around, okay?"

"Yeah, I will. And don't worry about me too much. Focus on your studies, and tell me if you need anything."

"Sure, I got it."

"Alright then, I'll be waiting for you at home. Just two years."

"Mhm."

However, two years passed, and Ella did not return as promised. On that day, it was Jon himself who waited at the airport to no avail.

Paul stood alone in the room.

Jon leaned on his walking stick, wearing a simple button-up suit, a hopeful smile on his face that slowly turned to dismay.

A chill went through Jon. It wasn't for no reason that he slapped Noah that way in the first place. He wasn't sure if Ella would be hurt by Noah's words and take them seriously. Now, it seemed his fears were well-founded.

"Paul, where is Ella? Why didn't she come back with you?"

Paul had grown even more upright than two years ago, his features chiseled, matured, carrying himself with an effortless grace.

Hearing Jon's question, Paul offered a thin smile. "Grandpa Jon, Ella sends her apologies. She's not coming back this time. The university really values her, wants her to advance, and has offered her a position. It's likely that Ella will stay there to work."

Jon's body shook, and his eyes reddened instantly. "Not coming back? Why didn't she tell me?"

"Ella felt really sorry, unsure how to break it to you. But don't worry, she'll come back eventually, she promised she would. She just needs a bit more time."

Jon steadied himself and nodded. "That's right, she promised me."

In his heart, Jon blamed Noah for Ella's absence. If only Noah hadn't spoken those words, Ella might have made a different choice.

The Reeves family had reserved a private dining room at a local hotel for a welcome home celebration for Paul. Jon had made reservations there as well, originally thinking to have a grand reunion with both kids. Now, with Ella absent, he still had many questions for Paul and decided to join the dinner.

They discussed Ella's situation at the university, with Paul ensuring that she was hardworking, smart, and well-liked by both professors and peers, which was why the university was so keen to keep her.

Jon was reassured, then asked, "How are things between you and Ella?"

Paul hesitated slightly, "We're good, I'm waiting for her to come back."

Jon's eyes brightened with hope upon hearing Paul's answer. "So, in these two years, have you two made it official?"

Paul, slightly embarrassed but still exuding a mature charm, admitted, "After a year there, she finally agreed to give us a try."

"To try?" Jon paused, then chuckled, "Isn't that just dating? You're a catch, Paul. Of course, Ella would like you."

Jon was put at ease by Paul's words. Since Ella had agreed to be with Paul, she would surely come back. She had her own life, and Paul was her future. It wasn't just about coming back for her old grandpa, but also for Paul.

"Why didn't you choose to stay with Ella? It's always good to advance yourself."

Gilbert replied, "The Reeves family needs Paul to take over eventually. There's a lot to learn about the business, and taking over sooner means settling down sooner."

Jon agreed, "That's right, stability is most important. I can rest easy knowing Ella is with you."

Just then, the door swung open, and Noah's tall, imposing figure appeared.

The years had matured Paul, and they'd only added to Noah's already composed demeanor. Now, his detached coldness seemed even more pronounced, a barrier of frost that he wore like armor.

His icy gaze swept the room, not finding the girl who had left two years ago.

His dark eyes flashed with a touch of gloom as he recalled the half-finished sentence he had heard upon entering.

In an instant, his gaze settled on Paul, who met his look without flinching, as the room fell into an awkward silence.

Gilbert, sensing the tension, quickly tried to lighten the mood, "Noah, you've arrived. Come, have a seat."

But Jon snorted in displeasure, "What are you doing here? Want to lecture Ella? You don't have the chance. As you wished, Ella's not coming back."

Noah's grip on the doorknob tightened imperceptibly.

Jon looked disdainfully at the spread of gourmet dishes on the table, his voice tinged with spite, "As you wanted, she will likely not return. My Ella is exceptional, and in a few years, she'll be a high- ranking lecturer at an international university."

Noah was silent for a moment, then chuckled, "That would be best. She'd justify the investment the Tretton family made in her."

Jon took a deep breath, his face darkening.

"Since tonight is a welcome party for Paul, I won't impose. You guys have a nice evening."

Noah left, and the door closed firmly behind him, the atmosphere in the room instantly lightening.

*

Noah's outward calm puzzled the others. They knew how angry he had been when Ella left without a word, and they had witnessed his rage.

Noah's behavior tonight was attributed to spite – they thought he was still holding a grudge after all these years. They couldn't have known that Noah's calm was just a facade.

Since Paul's return, the Reeves family had faced constant obstacles, all traced back to Noah's doing. He put pressure on the Reeves family without restraint, brazenly disregarding the relationship between the two families.

When Jon learned of this, he summoned Noah home for a harsh reprimand. "You'd better give me a good reason."

Noah, unaffected, lounged in an armchair, replying coolly, "I don't like them."

"Noah!"

"Or, to put it another way," Noah continued calmly, "Anything or anyone related to Ella, I find disagreeable."

Jon, angered, began to cough violently.

Two years had passed since Ella left, and Noah rarely visited his family home, breaking the once steadfast rule of returning every weekend.

When they did meet, they either exchanged cold stares and silence, or Jon would be provoked into breathless anger.

Whether it was about Ella or Noah's persistent refusal to set a wedding date, the tension was palpable. Now, it was about Ella once more.

"Two years, Noah. Two years should be enough for any grudge to fade. Why hold on to anger against Ella? Can't you let it go after two years?!"

"Whoever crosses me has to pay a price. If I can't teach her a lesson directly, then people connected to her will have to suffer in her stead."

"Are you saying you need to teach me a lesson too?"

Noah, clearly out of patience, stood up. "There's no need for such talk. You are my father."

As Noah turned to leave, Jon's voice commanded with gravity, "Stay away from the Reeves family."

Noah left in silence.

Once again, they parted on bad terms.

In truth, secrets can’t stay hidden forever. In two years, Noah had managed to find out where Ella was. However, as if in spite, he refused to continue searching for her, to see her, or to inquire about any news related to her.

Stubbornly, he waited for the day she would breach the contract, which gave him the perfect excuse to mock her abilities and heartlessness.

Yet, she surprised him once again. She never came back.

Returning to his downtown villa, Noah climbed the stairs to his room without a word, the servants long accustomed to his growing coldness. They silently withdrew from the dining room, where an untouched modest meal of three courses and a soup lay on the temperature-controlled table.

*

Another two years blinked by. This year marked the fifth since Ella had left.

As the summer holidays approached, along with another graduation season, Ella had finished her two-year master's program abroad and, unsurprisingly, earned her degree.

Although the school had hoped to keep her, she felt it was time to move on. She hadn't returned two years ago, and the guilt weighed on her. She couldn't be so selfish any longer.

Her life had been shaped by her grandfather, and she owed him a debt of gratitude.

The summer heat in her homeland was still oppressive. As soon as the aircraft door opened, a wave of hot air hit the passengers, eliciting low groans and remarks about the climate.

After collecting her luggage and stepping into the blazing sun outside the airport, the heat rising off the pavement was palpable, and the occasional breeze did nothing but stir the warm air around her cheeks.

Sweat beaded on her forehead as she slipped on a sun-protective garment from her bag, her gaze searching the surroundings.

"Ella."

A Rolls Royce pulled up at the exit, and a voice joyfully called out her name. She smiled at the familiar face peeking from the car window.

Paul parked the car and strode over to her with open arms, enveloping Ella in a warm embrace. "Welcome home."

Ella hummed a contented "Mm," patting Paul's back softly.

He let go of her, took her suitcase, and placed it in the trunk. "Get in the car, I bought you some ice cream. It's in the mini-fridge."

She glanced inside the car, and Paul led her to the passenger seat before retrieving a vanilla- flavored ice cream for her, mentioning there were also honeydew and pineapple flavors.

"Thanks."

As the car gradually left the airport, Paul appeared visibly excited about Ella's return. "Is there anything you need to buy or any errands you need to run?"

Ella shook her head. "No, I just want to see Grandfather right away."

To avoid a fuss, Ella hadn't informed them of her return date, so when Paul dropped her off at the family estate, a precious cup was accidentally shattered. Taken aback by the sudden sight of his granddaughter after over four years, Jon dropped his cup in shock.

Ella, seeing the aged lines on her grandfather's face, felt a surge of guilt and regret. Tears immediately filled her eyes. "Grandfather."

Jon's eyes reddened as well, and his lips quivered for a long time before tears came to his eyes first. It wasn't until Ella ran towards him and dropped to her knees beside him, choking back sobs

and apologizing over and over, that he snapped back to his senses and reached out with a trembling hand, grabbing her arm. "Silly child, get up. I don't blame you."

The butler hurried to assist Ella onto the sofa. "Miss Ella, are you hungry? Shall I have the staff prepare something for you to tide you over until dinner?"

"Thank you, Tony, but I'm not hungry right now. I'll wait for dinner."

"Alright, then I'll have some tea and snacks brought for you."

The butler scurried off as Jon's excitement settled, and Jon eagerly asked Ella about her life abroad, to which she responded in great detail.

Paul sat quietly, listening and observing. Ella had changed anew over the two years. Her hair, once short, had grown out, and the girlishness had faded, replaced by a serene and gentle elegance. Her transformation was striking.