The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

Cicely took a moment to digest his words— Her slap hadn’t landed, so he wasn’t seeking justice for Danielle. She supposed she could reluctantly accept that answer.

“Figured out how to make it up to me yet?”

Seth glanced at her coolly. “I didn’t make you mad.”

“Use the excuse of bringing me homework to check if Danielle was being bullied by my grandad, use me as a cover to care for another girl, and you think I shouldn’t be mad?”

Seth fell silent, walked over to the car, and tapped on the window. “Pop the trunk.”

The driver complied, and the trunk slowly opened.d2

Seth walked over, bent down, and pulled a box from the trunk. As he opened it, he said in a deep voice, “Come here.”

He didn’t look up, and it wasn’t clear who he was speaking to.

Cicely approached. She saw him rummaging through a first-aid kit and instantly understood. A smirk tugged at her lips.

Watching Seth take out a bandage, Cicely arched an eyebrow and said, “Is this your way of making it up to me?”

He shot her a glance, took her hand, and applied the bandage to her wrist.

“The Diaz family’s business has always been under your dad’s wing. I wouldn’t want him to find out I’ve upset his little princess and have him take it out on the company,” Seth explained.

“So you really are trying to butter me up.”

Cicely’s wrist was slender, and the bruise-reducing bandage wrapped around it neatly. She waved her arm in the air, a playful smirk on her lips as she looked up at him. “Don’t want my dad to see it?”

Wasn’t it more obvious now?

Seth pressed his lips together, silently packing up the first-aid kit, but Cicely stopped him. She picked up another bandage, tore off the wrapper, grabbed his hand, and placed it on the back of his hand. “Courtesy demands reciprocity.” It was where she had hit him with the book earlier.

After a glance at the haphazard wrapping, Seth let his hand hang, closed the first-aid kit, and shut the trunk, staring at her impassively. “All good now?”

Cicely raised an eyebrow. “Of course not. I got hurt because you were protecting her. Isn’t it only natural you make it right?”

She flaunted her wrist in front of him. “I’m thirteen, not three. You can’t fool me that easily.”

Seth’s gaze swept over her face, past her shoulder, landing on the books she had thrown to the ground. “Still don’t want your homework?”

Cicely turned and saw the scattered books, frowning.

“Speak up.”

“What’s there to say? I threw them out, and now you want me to pick them up?” She’s not going to embarrass herself.

Seth simply walked over, bent down, and picked up the books, methodically packing them into a bag. “I’ll have someone return your stuff later. You don’t need to come tomorrow.”

Cicely’s face darkened again. “You wouldn’t do that!”

Seth remained silent, opening the car door.

bag was snatched from his grasp. Cicely stood holding her backpack. “Learning is my own business. Why should I let my education suffer because I’m mad at you? Tomorrow’s the final exam,

gaze swept past Danielle, still standing there in a daze, her brow

watched her disappear into the distance, his gaze

Danielle’s eyes flickered. “Seth.”

calmly, waiting for her

want to skip a

something you should discuss

bit her lip, her eyes pleading.

“That’s your business.”

tone was flat as he got into

bare hands. “I just got back to the Ellis family, and I don’t know how to approach them with a request yet, but I have

sure you have

clenched her fists tightly around the door. “Trouble?” Tears welled up in her eyes. “Why is it okay for Cicely and not

you have to

eyes, stung by

although they were supposed to be her family, she didn’t know any of them. Now,

her question, his cold gaze fell

voice was cold enough to shatter

was nestled on the sofa, holding a pen in her hand, with a spread-out

saw Danielle return, Cicely lazily shifted her gaze

the look in her eyes. Thinking back on

the coffee table, the first time she’d called Cicely by name since she

hadn’t had much interaction, not for lack of trying on Danielle’s part, but Cicely was a tough nut to crack. Nothing seemed to faze her, with her aloof and superior demeanor that had turned away

waste of time to get close to her. Despite her gentle, affectionate name, her personality couldn’t be further from it. Yet, everyone

but she knew the seriousness likely meant trouble. Her posture unchanged, she continued to look at Danielle with a lazy gaze, waiting for her to

trying to hold back the turmoil within as she said, “I’ve

“So what? You

of understanding blurry and strange. They knew the words—the labels—but they were just that: terms to be read and ostensibly understood. Actual experience with love

‘the other woman’ was an indisputably derogatory one. Cicely’s blunt words had

logic, since we’re going to be living under the same roof for the foreseeable future, does

Danielle was speechless.

pen into her messy bun. “You don’t fancy me, and I surely don’t fancy you. So the whole confession thing is

Seth never said he fancied you.” Danielle protested.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated for All

confessed to him, didn’t I?” Cicely’s smile

As long as the end result is to my satisfaction, I’m not above playing dirty. Besides, I made my move on

he’s not going to let you

Cicely tossed the notebook onto the coffee table. “I want him, and that’s why I’m possessive. It’s enough that I fancy him. If he loves me, great; if not, I’ll make him say he does every day. Love’s just a word, right? As long as

her own question. Of course, she wanted Seth to love her back. But if he didn’t, she

irrational proclamation. Yet, as unreasonable as Cicely’s words were, they were irrefutable. She fancied him, and having him near was enough. Certainly better than loving someone from afar and suffering

long you two have been living together, but from the moment

love you? Cicely, you’re

cross that bridge when I come

exist? It was there, backed by her

Danielle’s offhand

with a spread of snacks on the coffee table. She

Patty said casually, as Cicely

straight into the seventh grade,