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.

business. Why should I let my education suffer because

turned to run away. Her gaze swept past Danielle,

the distance, his gaze lingering on Danielle. “Aren’t

Danielle’s eyes flickered. “Seth.”

calmly,

to skip a

something you should discuss with the Ellis

her eyes pleading. “Won’t you even

“That’s your business.”

tone was flat as

door with her bare hands. “I just got back to the Ellis family, and I don’t know how to approach

“Are you sure you have to make trouble for me

door. “Trouble?” Tears welled up in her eyes.

have to do everything

Danielle’s eyes, stung by Seth’s words. “Seth,

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

lips pressed into a thin line. Without answering her question, his cold gaze

enough to shatter

holding a pen in her hand, with

saw Danielle return, Cicely lazily shifted her gaze

in her eyes. Thinking back on Cicely’s attempt

first time she’d called Cicely by name since

tough nut to crack. Nothing seemed to faze her, with her aloof and superior demeanor that had turned away

Despite her gentle, affectionate

seriousness likely meant trouble. Her

were clenched tightly, trying to hold back the turmoil within as

out a sardonic chuckle, “So what? You

face turned a shade redder. At their age, love was something they were just beginning to grasp, the edges of understanding blurry and strange. They knew the words—the labels—but they were just that: terms to be read and

an indisputably derogatory one. Cicely’s blunt

we’re going to be living under the same roof for the foreseeable

Danielle was speechless.

obviously ridiculous,” Cicely said, her laugh ringing out as she twirled a pen into her messy bun. “You don’t fancy me, and I surely don’t fancy you. So the whole confession thing

fancied you.” Danielle protested.Books Chapters Are Daily

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

I’ll cling to him. As long as the end result is to my satisfaction, I’m not above playing dirty. Besides, I made my move on Seth first. Whatever you want to discuss now, it’s too

And he’s not going to let you push

loves me, great; if not,

love her back. But if he didn’t, she couldn’t just let him walk away,

irrefutable. She fancied him, and having him near

but from the moment I declared him mine, he’s off-limits to anyone

long, staring at Cicely. “Do you really think he’ll indulge you like that? Stay with you even if he doesn’t love you? Cicely, you’re spoiled. Not everyone is part of the

dismissively. “I’ll cross that bridge

It was there, backed by her father, and someday it would

know that Danielle’s offhand retort would prove

sofa with a spread of

as Cicely

study going? Jumping straight into the seventh grade, do you think you