The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride
Chapter 2041-2050
Before he returned, Seth had found Cicely’s words in the car utterly baseless
and irrational.
What had he said to her? He told her not to be too greedy, and not to be so
fussy. He accused her of sentencing him to death without cause, of making a
fuss over nothing.
When she said she could forgive him even if he fooled her just once, he told her
she was living a lie, and it was meaningless.
What else did he say? He mentioned he needed to think about whether he really
liked Danielle and that maybe he could give it a shot with her.
Enter title…
The memory of Cicely standing at the car door with that panicked and helpless
look in her eyes resurfaced in his mind. A bitter taste suddenly rose in his throat,
and as Issac clasped his collar tightly, Seth’s hands clenched into whiteknuckled fists at his sides.
She had given him so many chances, even waited for him to deceive her.d2
Seeing Seth’s stricken expression, Issac, regardless of his own raging anger,
realized he had to step out of their world. Issac let go, stepped back,
straightened his clothes, and left the bedroom.
The room fell silent.
Seth gazed at her for a long moment before slowly approaching her. “Why didn’t
you say anything?”
Cicely looked sideways at the slight gap left by the closet door not being
properly shut. “I guess I felt it would be too dramatic to say it out loud. Besides,
what’s done is done. Speaking about it won’t change anything. Why humiliate
myself further?” She threw his earlier words back at him.
“I’m sorry.”
A flicker passed through Cicely’s eyes as she slowly turned to meet his gaze.
“The last thing I wanted to hear was an apology because I really don’t want to
tell you it’s okay. It’s all so trivial, confirming indeed that you messed up, and it
doesn’t undo what’s happened.”
Seth watched her silently, as if waiting for her to vent all the pent-up resentment
in her heart.
Cicely took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and when she opened them again,
she looked at him with a faint laugh, “Am I being unreasonably stubborn again?
Are you always right, and everything I say is just adding to my mistakes?”
As she spoke, she glanced casually at the digital clock on the table, then
lowered her eyes, concealing the turmoil behind them, and spoke indifferently.
“I’m going downstairs to join Grandpa and Dad for New Year’s Eve.”
Seth stepped forward, “I’ll carry you down.”
Cicely turned her head away, her posture as she sat waiting for him to carry her
was notably stiff and unwelcoming.
Seth bent down, his long arm sweeping under the bend of her legs, his voice
low and dim as he spoke. “I didn’t go to the hospital.”
Cicely wrapped her arms around his neck to avoid falling. She didn’t respond.
Seth lifted her up and headed for the door, continuing, “Because I seriously
violated traffic laws.”
A sardonic smile played on Cicely’s lips. She had seen it all before.
“U-turning on the overpass, driving the wrong way, crossing the median. I got
detained, and had to pay a 200 dollar fine.”
Cicely’s brows twitched, and she looked up at him. “What are you trying to say?”
“Nothing much, just I deserved paying my fine for leaving you there.”
Cicely pulled a wry smile, “Don’t shift the blame to me. I’m not the one who
made you lose points or pay a fine.”
Seth cast a glance down at her, stopping by the stairwell wall to carefully set her
down.
Cicely frowned, looking at him with her injured foot raised. “Do you think now
that Issac is gone, you’re the only option I have to get downstairs?”
Seth grasped her waist and leaned in close, his back slightly bending to meet
her forehead, his voice carrying a hint of hurt as he reiterated, “I didn’t go to the
hospital.”
Cicely’s eyelids flickered slightly. She was once again struck by how deviously
manipulative this man could be. He was actually playing the victim and acting
hurt, and she was amazed he had it in him.
“Not going to the hospital is a regret? I never stopped you from the beginning,
so there’s no need to feel hurt with me, and you won’t gain anything.”
Seth’s grip tightened slightly, his voice deep and husky, “Do you really have to
play dumb with me?”
Cicely’s frown deepened, “While wasting time with me here, aren’t you afraid
Danielle might actually drop dead in the hospital without seeing you?”
Anger began to cloud Seth’s eyes, his emotions turning murky. “You don’t have
to say such nasty things.” His breath lowered, “That was not very wise to make
you into someone you are not because of her.”
Cicely chuckled lightly, “Perhaps the truth is harsh. What’s the point of living a
lie?”
Seth’s eyes darkened further, a flash of sharpness passing through, quickly
suppressed. “I shouldn’t have said those things in the car. I didn’t go to the
hospital, I never considered liking her, and I wasn’t really planning to try with
her. Stop using those words against me, okay? They were wrong. It’s my
mistake.”
His current attitude gave Cicely an illusion, that to continue arguing with him
seemed pointless. It made her feel even more like a petty, vindictive shrew.
But if he admitted he was wrong, did that mean the pain those words caused
could be completely erased?
She closed her eyes, pushing down the sadness in her heart.
Her slightly pursed lips were seized by his cool ones, gently probbing, “The
countdown is about to start. Even if you don’t forgive me, can we leave this
behind? Let’s welcome the new year together, okay?”
Leaving this in the past year and starting anew the next?
Cicely was carried downstairs by Seth, and both Erik and Creighton looked a bit
weary. It wasn’t common for people their age to stay up for New Year’s Eve, so it
must have been tough for them to hold out until now.
However, seeing Cicely seemed to invigorate them. “Let’s hurry, the countdown
is about to begin. Let’s go outside for the fireworks.”
The TV show was also gearing up for the New Year’s countdown.
Seth wrapped Cicely in a blanket and a warm down coat before carrying her
outside.
In the yard, Brody and a few men had already set up the fireworks, ready to be
ignited at the right moment.
The TV in the living room was turned up to the loudest volume, the thrilling voice
counting down second by second.
“Ten, nine, eight…”
“Five, four, three, two, one! Happy New Year!”
The final second ticked by, and the fireworks in the backyard ignited, shooting
into the sky with a cacophony of whistles and pops. They exploded in a dazzling
array of colors, painting the night with their brilliance.
Amidst the festive clamor, Cicely thought she heard Seth’s voice near her ear.
She paused, turning to look at him with a puzzled expression, “What did you just
say?”
Seth looked down at her, his dark eyes reflecting the colorful lights from the
distant fireworks.
A faint smile played on his lips, and the icy look in his eyes seemed to melt
away as he gazed intensely at her, then leaned down to gently peck her lips.
“Happy New Year.”
Cicely’s eyes flickered with a hint of subtle disappointment, but it was fleeting.
She looked back up at the sky and replied softly—
“Happy New Year.”
*
Happy New Year.
There was the new year, but joy seemed absent.
Cicely’s winter break was marred by a foot injury that set her back over twenty
days.
Even so, even after a spat they had on New Year’s Day, Seth, upon returning to
work from his holiday, still bombarded her with a flurry of company emails. He’s
determined as ever.
Bored at home, Cicely read a couple out of the ten emails and then spent her
time tucked in a corner of the living room, piecing together a castle from a set of
building blocks she’d bought.
Seth came home several times to check on her progress, and finding it wanting,
he went straight to Creighton with his complaints.
Creighton could hardly contain his bemusement as he pointed at her, and from
then on, he took it upon himself to supervise her. Even as she sat in the corner
building her castle, Creighton would drill her on the company’s history, the
famous projects they’d pushed forward, their progress, outcomes, and the
comprehensive reasons behind their inception.
Cicely’s head spun with the daily analysis. She chewed Seth out in her mind
while stacking blocks—a grown man, tattling, of all things.
Danielle’s condition was not dire. The checkup revealed minor issues but
nothing significantly worrisome, only a slight delay in her recovery.
Seth still visited her occasionally, accompanying her to the hospital when it was
time for her bandages to be changed. He even went so far as to bring in a
renowned rehabilitation specialist from abroad. The Ellis family also extended
their utmost support.
Whether Danielle was spurred by some unseen motivation, her cooperation with
the therapy was surprisingly zealous, and her recovery progressed remarkably.
After New Year’s Eve, Cicely stopped bringing up Danielle. It didn’t matter if
Seth visited the hospital, arranged for experts for Danielle, or ensured someone
was always there to watch over her. Sometimes, Seth wondered if he was
uncomfortable with a life too tranquil.
Cicely fought with him over Danielle, and he was dissatisfied. Now that she no
longer made a fuss, he was still displeased.
He felt Cicely did not really care about what he did. It’s like as long as he was
there in the end, she could tolerate anything he did. He did not like this feeling.
Once Cicely’s foot was nearly healed, Seth brought her back to his side. He
personally drove her to the office, ensuring she stayed within his sight, whether
she was playing or dozing off from boredom.
He had even set up a desk for her in his office at Diaz International, right next to
his own. Her desk was smaller, a bit shorter than his, and whenever he brought
her there, her petite figure seated beside him exuded an air of endearing
obedience that he found quite pleasing.
Aside from work, she took an interest in almost anything. Her desk soon
became cluttered with little trinkets, including some on his desk—everything she
deemed unsightly was replaced with items she favored. He let her be.
The progress on their wedding home was on track for completion in two months.
Wedding planners had begun to consult with Cicely on the details, and she
spent her days in front of the computer in discussion. Every now and then, she
sought Seth’s opinion, which he occasionally provided with superficial
consideration. Eventually, Cicely found his advice lacking and stopped asking.
The venue was set in P City’s largest church, a testament to the Ellis family’s
penchant for indulging their loved ones. The church was funded and built by the
Ellis family over a decade ago, as a gesture of goodwill and safety for their
daughter who had married abroad.
The hotel was the most luxurious one in P City.
Just the selection of these two sites had made Cicely’s wedding preparations
the talk of the town, with everyone eagerly anticipating the event.
Cicely had become quite the busy bee, taking on some of the Ellis Group’s less
crucial matters since Seth had oddly entrusted her with them.
Though reluctant, she had picked up a few things, and she was getting to know
the company’s leadership quite well.
But life in the Ellis Group always came with its share of troubles, so she
preferred spending her time at Diaz International. Lounging idly there was
easier, as there was no need for her to get involved in company affairs.
Seth never hid anything from her. So, when she overheard Seth mentioning a
software project that had been in preparation since last year, requiring a
substantial investment and loan arrangements with the bank, curiosity got the
better of her. “What kind of software development requires such a huge sum?
What field is it in, and are you confident about it?”
Seth replied coolly, “Sixty percent confident.”
Developing the software was one thing, and market adaptability was another. If
it couldn’t seamlessly integrate into the market, failure was the only path that
awaited him.
Cicely frowned, clearly puzzled. “The Ellis Group has been dragging on that
mechanical construction project until now, and you know my dad has been
holding onto it for you. You pass up a project that’s practically handing money to
you to chase a new development you’re not entirely sure of. Two years of
preparation, and you’re only sixty percent confident now.”
“You want to prove yourself, to claim your dignity, not to play second fiddle to the
Ellis family. C&P has already succeeded, and now you’re the one calling the
shots at the Ellis Group , with notable results. Now who would dare to speak ill
of you? People are falling over themselves to get in with the Ellis Group . So
why does it seem like you’re the only one running in the opposite direction?”
Seth’s face was stern, his voice low and serious, “I’m not avoiding the Ellis
family. This project was something I intended to pursue from the start,
regardless of whether the Ellis family extended an olive branch or not.”
Cicely took a deep breath, “But what if it fails? What will become of Diaz
International? Seth, why not let Diaz International take shelter under the Ellis
Group’s wing? They can invest in your development project.”
Seth pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly irritated by Cicely’s suggestion, “I
don’t need it. If I truly fail, then the Ellis Group can consider taking over Diaz
International without any resistance.” To acquire a shell of a company would be
a piece of cake, wouldn’t it?
“Even if the Ellis Group did take over Diaz International, it would be for the good
of Diaz International.”
Seth inhaled deeply, “Let’s not talk about this anymore. Aren’t you busy planning
a wedding? That should be more important to you right now.”Cicely watched as Diaz International began to buzz with activity. The newly
established Engineering Department was already in full swing with a senior
engineer at the helm. It was apparent that Seth had been planning for this
moment for years, with a team ready to hit the ground running.
She knew that the best way she could support him was to stand back and let
him take the reins, even though she wished she could do more to help.
Opportunities for her to get involved were just scarce.
On a quiet afternoon, Cicely took a stroll through the Engineering Department,
where the team—dressed in their plaid shirts and casual blazers—worked
diligently. They were the epitome of understated brilliance, their fingers dancing
Enter title…
across keyboards as screens filled with cryptic code that Cicely couldn’t begin to
decipher.
Her impending marriage to the head honcho of Diaz International was no secret
in P City, so her presence in the department went largely unremarked. The
place was abuzz with rumors of her being a pampered lady, hardly a tech wiz,
making the complex code on screen all the more alien to her.
The department manager, Camden, a tall and lean man sporting a slick suit and
a confident air, made sure to greet her with a touch of charm. His humor and wit
were a breath of fresh air in the otherwise grave environment, making him the
darling of the coding engineers.
“Ms. Cicely, here for an inspection, are we?” Camden quipped with a grin, as
Cicely casually scanned the rows of computers, humming thoughtfully.d2
“Do you have any instructions for us, Ms. Cicely?” Camden asked, following her
gaze to the screens full of incomprehensible code.
Cicely glanced at him and then at a nearby workstation. “How are other people,
like me, supposed to make sense of all this code?” she inquired.
With a knowing smile, Camden nodded to the engineer at the desk, “Show our
future Mrs. Diaz what we can do.”
The engineer swiftly switched screens and within moments, following a flurry of
keystrokes and one final resounding press of the Enter key, a simple animation
graced the monitor. A white kitten, lollipop in paw, bounced across the screen
under the twinkling words “Wishing Mr. Diaz and Mrs. Diaz a lifetime of
happiness.” The animation was simple, but the speed with which it was created
impressed Cicely
“The code may be difficult to understand, but the result is clear enough,”
Camden remarked with a smile.
Cicely nodded, genuinely impressed. “You guys really are quite something.”
“Thank you for the compliment, ma’am.” Camden replied.
After Cicely left the department, she immediately started Googling introductory
courses in engineering.
Later, Seth returned from a meeting to find Cicely squinting at her computer
screen with such intensity, he teased, “Planning on going blind?”
Cicely shot him a sidelong glance and continued her focus on the screen.
“Meeting over, huh?” she replied nonchalantly, eliciting a frown from Seth who
took a glimpse at her screen and saw the C programming language. “Why are
you looking at this?” he asked, puzzled.
Cicely replied with newfound interest, “It’s fascinating. I visited the Engineering
Department today, and they whipped up an animation for me in minutes. It
seemed magical.”
Seth chuckled, “You won’t get it. You might as well give up.”
Cicely glared at him but didn’t persist, although she wasn’t ready to give up just
yet. A few days of learning and the novelty could wear off, but she wasn’t about
to guarantee anything to Seth.
To Seth’s surprise, Cicely’s persistence outlasted his expectations. For a week
straight, she devoted herself to mastering C programming language, bringing
her books to the office and frequently visiting the Engineering Department. She
was scarcely seen except for lunch and at the end of the day.
Her casual approach to college, where she was known as the little princess of P
City, seemed to work in her favor as no one expected her to fail. The campus
had become more of a hobby, with occasional visits to maintain appearances.
During one of those visits, Joel struck up a conversation about coding, and
Cicely, now with a bit of coding knowledge and confidence, admitted she was
studying it too. Joel invited her to join a club at school run by a senior who was a
programming whiz.
[Does he have the patience for it?] she typed back to him, aware of the slight
irritation she had been causing at the Engineering Department.
[Of course, and you’ve got me, right?] Joel assured her.
[Fine, I’ll check it out tomorrow,] Cicely agreed with a sigh.
…
The next day, Camden and a few engineers couldn’t help but suppress their
excitement when they realized Cicely wasn’t accompanying Seth to work.
Camden cautiously asked Seth about her whereabouts.
“She’s at school,” Seth replied casually, and Camden’s mood lifted slightly.
Perhaps having Mrs. Diaz around wasn’t so bad after all—it meant no overtime
work for them.
Without hesitation, Cicely joined the club Joel had mentioned. It turned out Joel
had learned more than she had, and he patiently tutored her through the basics.
Before the after-school club wrapped up, Joel casually handed Cicely a USB
drive, given her noticeable dedication to studying these past few days, he
couldn’t resist asking:
“Why are you suddenly interested in coding?”
Cicely toyed with the drive in her hand, replying nonchalantly, “Just seems cool
and interesting. Seth’s working on a new project, and I figured I might be able to
help him out if I learn a bit.”
Joel’s eyes darkened slightly, then he let out a resigned sigh, “Since it’s software
development, it’s probably all advanced code. We’re talking a good three to five
years before we’re at that level.”
Cicely didn’t seem bothered, “Knowing a little is better than nothing. At least I’ll
understand what they’re talking about.”
After thinking for a moment, Joel nodded in agreement.
Suddenly, Cicely lifted the USB drive, “What’s this for?”
Joel then remembered, “Well, that’s got a program I developed with a friend.”
Cicely uttered an acknowledgement, about to plug the drive into a computer,
“Let’s see what it’s about.”
Joel quickly restrained her wrist, “Wait a second.”
“What’s up?”
Joel explained, “It’s a blank drive. The program code is embedded within. It’s a
virus. You can’t see it.”
Cicely’s mouth hung open in surprise, “A virus? So what happens when you
plug it into a computer? Does it just die?”
He nodded and then shook his head, “The drive has a huge capacity. Once you
plug it in, it’ll automatically back up all the stored files on the computer at
lightning speed. Once it’s done copying, the computer will crash.”
Cicely looked repulsed, “Then how do you use it? Even if you copy the files,
what will hold them for extraction?”
This seemed to be Joel’s pride and joy. The usually modest and polite boy now
displayed an unmistakable air of satisfaction. “The ‘virus’ will only spread to one
computer. On the second machine, it acts like a normal USB drive, but the files
are hidden and need to be cracked to show up.”
Cicely found this intriguing, “Is this to prevent corporate espionage?”
“That’s the idea if you have a specific target.”
Cicely shook her head, “Sounds complicated. Where’s the decryption code?”
Joel shook his head, “Still working on it. It needs time.”
“So why give it to me? It’s useless to me right now.”
“I wanted you to have a piece of my achievement, as a keepsake.”
Cicely raised an eyebrow and slipped the drive into her bag. “Make sure to send
me the cracked version when it’s ready.”
“Of course.”
*
Dusk had settled. The two chatted as they made their way toward the school
gates. “Did you arrange a ride? I can drive you home if not.”
“No, it’s fine. Seth said he’d pick me up.” Cicely hadn’t finished her sentence
when someone bumped into her shoulder, causing her bag to fall and her to
stagger, but Joel quickly steadied her.
“Sorry.” The person mumbled an apology. Cicely wasn’t one to hold a grudge,
but before she could regain her balance, Joel stepped in front of her,
protectively moving her behind him.
Cicely, puzzled, peeked around and saw Ray, whom she hadn’t seen in a while.
Ray seemed to recognize them too. His gaze lingered on Cicely before he let
out a sardonic laugh, “Ms. Cicely, aside from everything else,
there is something destined between us, right?”
Ray looked haggard, the once polished young guy now appeared disheveled.
His long hair was carelessly styled, and his chin sported a patch of stubble. His
clothes were wrinkled. It was clear he was trying to maintain his image, but the
effort only made his disarray more evident.
Although Cicely was almost raped by him, given the whole story and what lay
behind it, she actually felt Ray had been dealt a raw deal.
With his penis ruined and hiss family fortune lost, Ray’s current state evoked a
twinge of pity from Cicely.
“Mr. Ray, I assume there’s nothing else?” Joel interrupted, wary of Ray’s attempt
to converse with Cicely.
Ray’s laugh held a hint of scorn, “No. The Ellis family’s darling is loved by all, I
hear. You’re getting married in a month, I guess congratulations are in order.”
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked towards the school
entrance.
As they watched Ray disappear into the distance, Joel finally relaxed, turning to
Cicely. “You okay?”
“I’m fine. You had me covered.”
Joel bent down to pick up her bag, dusted it off, and handed it back to her. “Talk
about bad luck, I thought you wouldn’t see him at school. And yet, here we are,
running into him on the last day.”
Cicely took her bag, her voice tinged with confusion, “Last day?”
“Ray came to school today to drop out. With everything that happened at home,
and it’s probably best he leaves, given how he’d be treated here.”
Joel left the sentence hanging, but Cicely understood what he meant. “I see,”
she responded flatly, “I guess that makes sense.”
“Now his family is just him, and those who used to flock around are now
avoiding him. I heard he sold off his properties a few days ago, not sure what he
plans to do.”
Cicely paused, “Sold them?”
“Yeah.” Joel nodded, “There are plenty of rich kids around here; a few bought
from him. If he’s planning to use that money to make a comeback, that’s great.
But there’s the fear he might do something drastic. I heard he had a serious
clash with Seth not too long ago. You might want to warn him to be careful.”
Cicely’s expression grew somber.
At the school gate, a familiar luxury car with its hazard lights flashing was
waiting. The understated, yet imposing black sedan was boldly parked right at
the entrance. Clusters of students leaving the school cast curious glances its
way.
Cicely recognized the car immediately. She stopped and turned to bid Joel
farewell. The silent vehicle suddenly sprang to life as Seth emerged, dressed
sharply in a suit, his demeanor austere, drawing murmurs from the onlookers.
Nobody could mistake him. In the hallowed halls of the prestigious academy, it
was rare to find a young prodigy who, even before donning their graduation cap,
had already carved out a substantial niche in the elite echelons of the business
world. He was a legend whispered about in the corridors and classrooms, his
name synonymous with success and mystery.
His visits to campus were infrequent, his presence more myth than man to most
of the students. Thus, when he did appear, it was as if a celebrity had walked
among them, causing a stir of excitement and awe.
Cicely was mid-farewell with Joel when a sudden chorus of animated whispers
erupted around her. A gaggle of girls huddled by the nearby school monument,
their excitement bubbling over as they bounced in place, their voices a mix of
disbelief and delight.
Was all this fanfare really necessary?
She turned slightly, casting her gaze back to Seth. Well, perhaps the fuss was
justified.
Just right now, his expression was less than pleasant. His brows were furrowed
in a frown, his stance aloof, as if the weight of his glare could be felt from a
distance, cold and as deep as an abyss.
Cicely belatedly pieced together the puzzle. Right, that man had a minor clash
with Joel before.
Joel had been kind enough to part with friendly advice, cautioning her to warn
Seth to beware of a certain Ray. Comparing their temperaments, Seth’s current
demeanor seemed rather off-putting.
“Alright, I should head back. Take care on your way,” Cicely said, choosing not
to provoke him further despite her lack of enthusiasm for his attitude.
Joel replied with a smile, nodding. “You too, and remember, if you run into any
trouble, just give me a shout. I’m here for you.”
“Will do.”
They exchanged smiles and waved goodbye, but Seth’s expression only soured
further.
It wasn’t until Cicely approached him, seeing the stern cast of his face up close,
that she felt a mix of irritation and amusement bubble up. “Who got under your
skin?” she asked, a teasing lilt in her voice.Seth shot Cicely a frosty glance, “How come you’re hanging out with him?”
Cicely replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world, “We’re in the same
class and part of the same club. Isn’t it pretty normal for us to hang out?”
Seth turned and opened the passenger door. As Cicely bent to get in, Seth
grabbed her arm. “What club are you talking about?”
“Uh, the coding and programming club.”
Seth narrowed his dark eyes, “Still can’t shake off this hobby, huh? It’s been
quite a while. How come the enthusiasm hasn’t faded?”
Enter title…
Cicely smiled, her eyes curving, “I’m surprised myself that I’ve stuck with it for so
long. Who knows? In a few years, you might be offering me a high salary to
work for you. Let go. You’re hurting me.”d2
Seth released her arm with a snort and a chuckle, “I bet you haven’t written that
many lines of code. If a corporate spy got their hands on you for a little
interrogation, I doubt it would take two minutes before you’d spill all my secrets.”
The smile vanished from Cicely’s eyes. Glaring at Seth, she retorted,
“Underestimate me? I could last five minutes, at least.”
“Heh,” he couldn’t help but laugh softly, his lips curling. “Get in the car.”
Cicely huffed and slid into the seat.
As soon as the car started, Cicely began to recount her recent run-in with Ray.
Seth hit the brakes, glanced at her, then eased off again.
“I’m fine. Joel was there too, didn’t even get a chance to exchange words with
him.”
Seth’s lips tightened slightly.
“Ray was at school today to drop out. I heard he’s sold off several of his
properties, too. Joel’s worried he might do something drastic again, especially
towards you…”
“Can’t you speak without bringing up Joel?” Seth’s voice was heavy with
displeasure, cutting her off mid-sentence.
Cicely paused, “Of course, that’s what I think too.”
The car sped up, taking Cicely straight to her apartment.
*
With just a month until the wedding, July was shaping up to be the happiest
month of Cicely’s life. Her birthday, her marriage anniversary, and her wedding
day were all coming up.
Her wedding dress had been custom-made by a designer Seth had flown in
from France a couple of months ago. It was due to arrive any day now. The
jewelry was specially ordered by Creighton from Belgium.
The wedding home was finished, decorated under Cicely’s meticulous
supervision, with every detail personally designed and arranged by her. After all,
it was where she and Seth would spend their lives together.
Some custom furniture was still due to arrive, but that too would be sorted out in
the next couple of days. Seth was so worried about her overdoing it, and he had
carried her back from the wedding house several times.
He had scolded her in various ways. She had pleaded for mercy, and Seth had
believed her, for a while. But she would dare to do it again next time.
The last time was just the day before when she received a call from the
renovation company saying that the custom furniture had arrived and needed
her direction for placement. She was about to leave when Seth pressed her to
the bed, leaving her weak and unable to get up until the next day.
After the Seth’s threats in bed, she was scared out of her wits, swearing she
wouldn’t dare again. Now, recalling their shameless romp, she didn’t even have
the courage to face people outside. Cicely chewed Seth out a countless number
of times alone in her room for being a brute.
Seth had Charlie take over the finishing touches on the renovation.
The third day before noon, Seth called Cicely to Diaz International.
Desperate to get out, Cicely got ready as quickly as she could, digging out
summer clothes that would cover her up as much as possible.
Black slim pants, and a white ruffled silk blouse – she was wrapped up tight.
Just stepping out of the car downstairs, Seth’s call came through. “Where are
you?”
“Downstairs at the company.”
“Wait there, I’ll come down and take you to lunch.”
“Okay.”
Seth raised an eyebrow at Cicely’s outfit today. He’d never seen her dressed like
this before. She looked like a delicate girl who somehow managed to pull off the
look of a professional woman.
“Aren’t you hot?” he quipped, noting her long sleeves and pants, which seemed
out of place in the summer heat.
Cicely shot him a glance, “Whose fault is that?”
Seth caught on instantly and chuckled lowly, wrapping his arm around her waist
as they left the building.
The lunch venue showed he had put in some effort, and the food was decent.
“You didn’t call me out just because you found this nice restaurant, did you?”
“No. I’ve got a surprise for you this afternoon.”
Cicely raised an eyebrow, asking a somewhat silly question, “What kind of
surprise?”
Seth just looked at her, saying nothing.
Cicely didn’t press further. A surprise wouldn’t be a surprise if it was revealed
ahead of time.
After lunch, Cicely leisurely savored her cake, taking in the tastefully decorated
restaurant. She was quite pleased until she noticed Seth checking his watch for
the third time, deflating her mood. “Do you have urgent work?”
Looking up at her, Seth’s gaze was calm and serious, “She’s being discharged
from the hospital today.”
Cicely paused, remembering her father mentioning this the day before, which
she had forgotten.
Swallowing the last bite of cake, she casually remarked, “Well, let’s go then.”
Seth’s eyes followed her hand as it rested on the fork beside her, his
unfathomable dark eyes briefly betraying an indiscernible emotion. “Finished?”
“Yes.”
Standing up, Seth said, “Then let’s go.”
Cicely took her time drinking some water, then slowly rose to her feet, flashing
Seth a smile as she approached him. He took her hand, and they left together.
“Did you finalize the script you’ve prepared for her?”
“Mhm.” Seth buckled her up with straightforward honesty, “It’s C&P’s big feature
this year.”
“But the script you picked for Emiliana wasn’t from C&P, and she even won an
award for that role. Big features aren’t exclusive to C&P, you know.”
Cicely turned to look at the man whose expression was a bit tense. Her smile
deepened, “Remember our deal, okay? Once she’s discharged, you promised
her a role in a show, and then you’re free of any entanglement.”
“Understood.”
Cicely didn’t say much more. She had been holding back until now, just one step
away from the outcome.
At this point, there really wasn’t any need for words or actions. It should all go
smoothly.
Danielle got discharged, and started filming. Cicely would marry Seth, and they
would announce it to the world.
Everyone would be happy, square and fair.
＊
At the hospital, everyone was there. Erik, Creighton, and Patty.
Everything was packed up. It seemed they were just waiting for them, or rather,
for Seth alone.
Danielle was dressed in a plain, ankle-length dress, revealing a stretch of her
slender, pale leg, moving as gracefully as before.
When Seth arrived, Patty finally breathed a sigh of relief. “Alright, let’s head
home. I can’t stand another second in this hospital.”
Cicely was holding a bouquet of flowers, but seeing Danielle, she didn’t seem
inclined to hand them over. Instead, she just raised an eyebrow and smiled
faintly, “Congratulations on your recovery.”
Seth stepped forward, handing over a folder to Danielle. “The promise I made to
you.”
Danielle took it, flipped through it, and found a script. Her grip tightened
suddenly, and looking up with a laugh, her eyes began to fill with tears. “Are you
that eager to be rid of me? I haven’t even left the hospital, and you’re already
looking to sever ties?”
Seth’s face was impassive, “A discharge gift.”
Danielle bit her lip hard.
Patty quickly came to soothe Danielle, glaring at Seth, “Couldn’t you have
picked a better time to give this to her?”
“Sooner or later it had to happen. She knows it well. Filming starts next month.
You’re the lead actress. Be prepared.”
Danielle’s tears fell in drops, infuriating Patty to the point of clenching her teeth,
“You…”
Suddenly, Creighton spoke up with a stern voice, “Enough! If you want a role,
the Ellis family has plenty of resources to help you. We all knew what you were
thinking when you made that deal with Seth. Having agreed to it has already
granted you significant favor. Now that we’re simply fulfilling a promise, do you
still expect to choose a time that suits you?”
“And what time would that be, to your liking?”
Cicely was taken aback; her father seemed unusually firm today. Danielle had
not even left the hospital and was already feeling slighted by Seth, and now her
father had given her another blow.
Danielle’s face froze, apparently not expecting Creighton to speak those words.
Her tears, in Cicely’s eyes, were like a fountain, flowing on command, never
drying up.
“Creighton, what nonsense are you spouting at such a time?” Patty was getting
frantic, glaring at him.
“Nonsense? Cicely and Seth are about to get married. When does Danielle plan
to give up and leave them alone?”
“We came to pick her up from the hospital, and what then? She sat there
determined to wait for someone. If she doesn’t move, we all have to sit and wait
with her. No matter how spoiled Cicely might be, she’d never stoop to such low,
selfish, disrespectful behavior. For years, the Ellis family has offered her nothing
but genuine care, and what has it gotten in return?”
It turned out Danielle was really waiting for Seth. Cicely regarded Danielle with
eyes brimming with irony.
After Creighton finished his words, he pulled Erik up, who was sitting in a chair,
leaning on a cane, with a scowl that barely hid his exhaustion.
“If it were just me today, I could wait with you. Your grandfather, at his age,
came personally to take you home for lunch, and you have the nerve to sit here
waiting. You really are something.” Creighton took almost every ounce of temper
he’d ever had in his life out on Danielle. Danielle had quite the skill to drive such
a gentle and courteous man to this state.
Danielle’s eyes blinked, and she suddenly realized her fault, but she looked up
not at Creighton or the tired-looking Erik who was still hungry. Instead, her gaze
was fixed on Seth, who stood beside Cicely. Even in embarrassment, it seemed
she only cared about Seth’s opinion.
Cicely walked to the bedside and tossed the bouquet she had been cradling into
the trash bin. She approached Danielle, her smile chillingly cold.
“What are you going to do?” Patty said defensively, stepping forward to shield
Danielle.
Cicely’s lips twisted into a discernible curve, her clenched hand in her pocket
gradually relaxing. “Why so nervous? Do you also feel Danielle indeed deserves
a good scolding?”
“Danielle, as the Ellis family’s granddaughter, it’s okay for you to be proud and
arrogant. But you need to know your place. If someone’s trying to teach you
manners, you should be humble enough to learn, not keep thinking you’re above
everyone else.
“How long have you lived, and how long have grandfather and my father lived?
The Ellis Group has remained stable under their guidance and is now a worldrenowned enterprise. How many people want to connect with them, or be
friends with them? Whether they succeed or fail, even a fool can see it clearly.
How come when it comes to you, even the most basic respect is lost?
“No wonder Seth doesn’t see anything in you, and to think otherwise would be
foolish. In fact, aside from Ray, no man would be so blind as to truly fancy you.
Unless, of course, your looks have some selling point.”
Danielle was so angry she shook all over, biting her lip until blood seeped out.
Cicely chuckled, “Since you have been discharged, what’s the point in lingering
with everyone here? Go home and prepare well for your role; after all, this script
wasn’t easy to come by.”
Patty held Danielle’s trembling arm tightly, “Let’s go, Danielle. Whatever it is, we
can talk after you’re discharged.”
They had to leave eventually.
Danielle glared at Cicely’s retreating figure, her eyes filled with undeniable
hatred. Patty squeezed Danielle’s arm and patted her back gently. The tension
in Danielle’s eyes blinked away, and her body slowly relaxed.
The group reached the hospital entrance, where three cars were parked,
arranging for everyone to get in.
Cicely now stood on the hospital steps, her arm linked with Seth’s, her gaze
faint and distant as she watched Patty and Danielle inseparable like shadows.
“Seth, tell me, do you think Danielle will really keep the promise she made to
you?”
Seth looked down at Cicely with a pensive frown. “Why do you ask this all of a
sudden?”
Cicely looked up at him, a wry and somewhat ironic smile playing around her
eyes. “I just suddenly felt that she’s not the type to keep her word. She’s too
competitive, especially against me. She won’t just give you up. You say you’ll
take care of her until she’s better, and you’ve promised her a role in a
screenplay. Do these things really mean more to her than her own life? Thinking
about it, this deal of yours doesn’t seem to favor her much, does it? Can she
really just let it go?”
Seth’s brow furrowed deeper. “I am married, Mrs. Diaz.”
Cicely chuckled softly. “But if I can’t manage to get along with my mother-in-law,
it speaks volumes, doesn’t it?”
She sighed then continued, “As long as your mom likes Danielle, she’s bound to
dislike me. That means I could be kicked to the curb at any moment.”
A deep, cobalt flame seemed to ignite in his eyes, his voice tight with tension.
“Stop that nonsense.”
Cicely sighed again, tiptoed, and rested her chin on the man’s shoulder.
“Danielle has your all-important mother to back her up. Look at me, what do I
have? Isn’t that pitiful? Won’t you consider handing over Diaz International to
me? At least then I’d have a fighting chance.”
Seth looked at her with a light gaze. “We’ve talked about this already.”
Cicely pouted in disappointment. As she turned her head, she suddenly caught
sight of a figure standing behind the hospital’s reinforced glass door, wearing a
black hat and a black mask, revealing only a pair of eyes that were coldly fixed
on her.mHer heart skipped a beat at the sight, her body staggering slightly.
When she looked again, the person seemed to smile at her, lifting a cellphone in
their hand, then turned and disappeared around the corner.
Seth steadied her promptly. “What’s wrong?”
Cicely pointed towards the door. “I thought I just saw someone I know.” She
could only say familiar, but with that disguise, she couldn’t make out who it was.
Seth looked back, but the crowd in the lobby was too thick to spot anyone
familiar to Cicely. “Who?”
Cicely furrowed her brow in thought, then finally shook her head. “I must have
been mistakenSeth whisked Cicely back to the company without a moment’s hesitation.
The whole ride there, her mind was a whirlwind of curiosity about who that
person could possibly be. She mentally flipped through every face she
remembered, but couldn’t match those eyes with any of them.
“What’s on your mind?” Seth glanced over at her several times during the drive,
each time finding her lost in thought.
She thought about it and couldn’t really think of who that person was, so she
could only shake her head, “Nothing.”
Taking a deep breath, she expelled the frustration from her system, her
eyebrows lifting playfully as she spoke, “So, any more surprises in store for me
Enter title…
today? Don’t tell me Danielle getting discharged is your big reveal.”
Seth’s lips curled slightly, “You didn’t know she was getting discharged
today?”d2
Cicely pursed her lips, “Dad called me last night.”
“You think her discharge counts as a surprise?”
Cicely rolled her eyes, “I’d rather she stayed there for the rest of her life if she
wasn’t wearing you out with every passing day she spent in the hospital.”
“Then it’s not that.”
Knowing she’d get nothing out of him, Cicely switched gears to another question
that had been nagging at her. “Actually, there’s a lunch at home because
Danielle is getting discharged. Why did you insist on us grabbing a bite before
heading over?”
“Weren’t you satisfied with today’s lunch?”
“It could’ve waited for another day.”
Their car slipped into the company’s underground parking lot, darkness
enveloping them, the sound of the tires rolling over speed bumps echoing
emptily.
“I’d hate to spoil your appetite; keeping your stomach happy seemed like the top
priority.”
Cicely paused, a smile she couldn’t suppress playing at her lips, “Since when
did you get so smooth?”
“Just stating the facts.”
They rode the elevator straight up to the top floor office.
As the door swung open, Cicely fixed her gaze on Seth, her eyes sparkling,
filled with anticipation for the surprise Seth had promised.
Seth, as cool as a cucumber, took his seat and began going through paperwork
as Charlie came in to report on the company’s project progress.
Seth browsed through the documents with a calm demeanor, signing off on
them after hearing Charlie’s update. Charlie handed over the signed documents,
and Cicely hurried over, her eagerness palpable.
Seth’s eyes hinted at amusement watching her. It had been a long time since
he’d seen her this lively and spontaneous in his presence. It was a rare sight
these days, but still deeply missed.
“Where’s my surprise?” Cicely pressed.
But no sooner had she asked than there was another knock on the door. Seth’s
eyebrow quirked up as he called for the person to enter.
Charlie walked in, only to be met with Cicely’s dark, stormy gaze. “Charlie, can’t
your updates wait to be reported all at once? Do you really have to come in and
out just to catch glimpses of Seth?”
Corner of Charlie’s mouth twitched, a bit caught off guard as he glanced toward
Seth, who was busy pretending to be fascinated by his pen. “Ma’am, this work
just came up unexpectedly, and I couldn’t delay.”
Cicely pursed her lips, leaned against Seth’s desk, arms crossed, and huffed to
show her displeasure.
Charlie cast a tentative look at Seth, feeling a tad nervous. Had he managed to
ruffle the lady of the house?
With a nod from Seth, Charlie placed the latest market research report on the
desk – a hot-off-the-press issue. Seth flipped it open and glanced through it.
Charlie continued, “Mr. Diaz, there’s already a software of similar nature making
rounds on the internet, boasting nearly three hundred thousand users. Our
development is in the final stages, and to prevent these competitors from getting
too savvy about our direction, I suggest we hold off on any further market
research to keep our information close to the chest.”
Seth, looking satisfied with the report, responded, “Do you really think that the
program I’ve spent a fortune and time to design could be so easily overtaken by
those shortcut-seekers and copycats? We’ve got the patents. Let them take a
shot at it. This research shows that our brand recognition and acceptance are
on the rise. Let them test the waters for us; it’s good publicity, after all.”
Charlie nodded in agreement.
The room fell into a brief silence, broken only by Cicely’s cool stare. “Charlie,
we’re not expecting any more last-minute documents in the next half-hour or so,
right?”
With an awkward chuckle and a couple of ‘no, no’s, Charlie beat a hasty retreat
from the office.
Cicely stood up, eyes narrowed, “You’re not tricking me into accompanying you
to pick up Danielle from the hospital, are you?”
“Tired?” Seth deflected, not directly answering her question.
Furious, Cicely retorted, “I’m going to sleep. Don’t bother waking me if my
‘surprises’ are not here!” With that, she stormed off to the office’s rest area, her
face a mask of indignation.
Ten seconds.
Fifteen seconds.
A thrilled shriek pierced the silence from the rest area, followed immediately by
the door swinging open as Cicely burst out.
Seth, lounging in his chair with a pleased expression, wasn’t surprised by her
reaction; it was as if he had expected it all along.
Cicely bounced up to him, pointing excitedly inside, “When did it get here?”
“About two hours ago,” Seth replied calmly, which meant it had arrived right
around the time she had reached the company’s lobby.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?!” She dashed back into the rest room, a
whirlwind of excitement, while Seth watched her, amused. Her curiosity was
clearly piqued by the contents inside. He pushed back from his desk and
followed her in.
In the center of the rest room stood a dazzling pure white wedding dress, its
surface almost entirely covered in delicate diamond sparkles. Despite the drawn
curtains, even the faintest light made the gown shimmer with a rainbow of
colors.
Not a detail was spared, even the gloves were adorned. The dress,
conservative in design with an off-the-shoulder cut and long lace sleeves,
exuded an air of top-tier elegance and charm. The train of the veil was so long it
hardly fit in the room, cascading down, wide enough to cover her shoulders
entirely.
She suspected every detail of the dress bore Seth’s influence, designed with
conservatism in mind.
Still, it was utterly breathtaking.
She had visited countless bridal shops before, but never had she found a dress
that captivated her heart quite like this one.
Cicely twirled in front of the mirror, her hands caressing the delicate lace of the
wedding gown she couldn’t seem to part with. “Do you think I’ll be the most
beautiful bride in the world if I wear this?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with
excitement as she clung to the dress.
Seth watched her, an amused smile curling his lips. “That’s a question for the
Magic Mirror, love.”
Cicely’s brow furrowed in mock annoyance. “Oh, c’mon! Can’t you just say yes?”
Approaching her with a relaxed stride, Seth’s fingers grazed the edge of the veil.
“Sure, you’re the most beautiful to me, but I prefer it when everyone agrees
you’re the fairest of them all. A princess only gets one answer from the Magic
Mirror.”
Well, the guy sure had a way with words.
Delighted, Cicely whipped out her phone and started snapping pictures of the
gown from every angle.
Seth stepped back, “Aren’t you going to try it on?”
“No way,” Cicely shook her head. “If I try it on in front of you now, you won’t get
the full effect on our wedding day.”
Her eyes danced with mirth as she looked at Seth. “Just you wait until the big
day to see the magic happen.”
Seth pressed his lips together, a sign that his patience was being tested.
“I’m gonna send these pics to Grandpa, Dad, and Issac.”
A shadow passed over Seth’s eyes, a hint of displeasure seeping through his
gaze. “Do you have to share everything with Issac?”
Cicely was busy typing out a message, replying without thinking, “Uh-huh.”
But then, sensing Seth’s mood, she looked up, her eyes still warm with smile.
“Issac has always been there for me since we were kids. I didn’t have many
friends, so naturally, he’s the one I talk to the most. He even bought sanitary
pads and underwear for me during my first period. And I remember once I
stained his shirt. I think he washed it himself.”
It seemed like a sudden recollection, and now, thinking back, she blushed a bit.
Back then, boys were so concerned with keeping their image, getting
embarrassed over the smallest things. They were especially offended by things
like girls getting their periods, and the boys often made fun of girls for such
things.
But Issac never did.
The more she thought about it, the more she realized how good Issac had been
to her. He’s quietly standing by her side, always there when needed, without a
single complaint. Because of his silent presence, she took him for granted all
these years, treating him like part of the background. But, he was as essential to
her as her nose, her eyes, her limbs – any part of her body.
Taken for granted, yet indispensable.
Cicely’s expression grew more serene as she pondered what life without Issac
would be like. What kind of Cicely would she be now?
Her contemplation caused Seth’s face to darken further.
“Cicely, what are you thinking about?”
His voice was deep and brooding, snapping Cicely back to reality just as her
phone vibrated in her hand. She looked down to find a message from Issac.
[Beautiful. You’ll definitely be the world’s most beautiful bride.]
Cicely’s lips curved into a gentle smile. See? That was the kind of answer that
satisfied a girl.
Upon seeing her reaction, Seth strode over and snatched the phone from her
hand.
He glanced down at the message Issac had sent so promptly. “I didn’t realize he
had it in him to say such things. Does that please you?” His jealousy wasn’t
even trying to hide itself.
“What girl doesn’t like to be called beautiful? Someone’s a bit too obvious with
their jealousy, Mr. Diaz.”
“Jealous?” Seth scoffed, then he tossed the phone back to her. “Shouldn’t I be?”
Cicely caught the phone, finding it amusing to see such a display from him. “Of
course, you should. Anyway, I might be out this afternoon for a bit, so you hold
down the fort at the office, champ.”
She pecked him on the lips and turned to leave, only to be yanked back by her
arm. “You didn’t mention having plans this afternoon. Where are you going, and
what for?”
Cicely thought for a moment. “Shopping.”
Seth’s brow furrowed. “Tell me what you need, and I’ll have someone buy it.”
“No need. Shopping is more meaningful when done personally.”
“I’ll have Charlie follow you.”
“Why suddenly assign Charlie to tail me? I’ll have Issac.”
Seth’s expression became even more strained.
Cicely sighed, her fingers fiddling with the smooth fabric of Seth’s suit sleeve.
“Issac and I have been like two peas in a pod since we were kids. He’s always
been good to me. He’s handsome, fit, even-tempered, and capable.”
Seth abruptly brushed her hand away, but she just laughed softly and caught his
sleeve again. “So, if there was anything romantic between Issac and me, you
wouldn’t have the change with me. If there was anything to develop, it would’ve
happened long ago.”
Seth tried to pull away, but Cicely held on tight.
“I’m married, Mr. Diaz. If you keep getting jealous, should we take out our
marriage certificate and give it a good look to calm your current mood?”
“The person who needs a good look is you.”
“Alright, alright. We’ll look at it together tonight at home.” She patted his hand
soothingly. “There, there. I’ll come pick you up after work, and we’ll head home
together.”
Seth just stared at her, and sighed.
*
As soon as Cicely left the office, she messaged Issac. [Going shopping.]
[Got it.]
Charlie, noticing Cicely’s departure, quickly got to his feet and greeted her. “Mrs.
Diaz, it hasn’t been an hour yet.”
Cicely gave a nonchalant “Hm” in response. “I’m leaving it to you. It seems like
you’re itching to spend more time with my husband. Didn’t want to keep you
waiting.”
The secretaries nearby couldn’t help but stifle their laughter at the exchange.
Charlie turned beet red. “Mrs. Diaz, it’s really just work.”
Cicely raised an eyebrow, giving him a knowing smile before heading for the
elevator.
Charlie, under the secretaries’ amused gazes, carried the freshly delivered
paperwork into Seth’s office.
Seth had just returned to his desk when he saw Charlie. He stopped in his
tracks. “You, follow Cicely.”
*
Stepping out of the office building, Cicely found Issac’s car already waiting for
her. He quickly opened the door and stepped out to greet her. “Miss, which mall
would you like to visit today?”
Cicely paused at the door, looking up at him. “Where do you usually shop for
clothes?”
Issac paused, his expression subdued as he spoke, “If I’m really short on
clothes, I’ll find the nearest small department store to buy some. It’s not the
place for you, Miss.”
Cicely frowned slightly, her gaze landing on Issac’s shoulder. She didn’t have
much of an idea about men’s suits or brands. She saw him every day, decked
out in a suit and leather shoes, impeccably neat and tidy. Yet, she had never
considered that his clothes might actually be so cheap.
Suddenly, she reached out and pinched the collar of Issac’s suit. Issac flinched,
instinctively stepping back.
“Don’t move.” Cicely leaned in closer, examining it carefully. In terms of color,
fabric, and craftsmanship, it was a far cry from any of Seth’s suits.
“It’s certainly not suitable for me.” Cicely let go of his collar and gracefully slid
into the car. “Then we’ll head to the most upscale department store in P City.”
“Alright.”
*
After parking the car in the underground lot, Cicely unbuckled her seatbelt.
“Issac, come with me.”
“Okay.”
A warm feeling suddenly washed over Cicely. The words Issac used most often
in her presence were “okay” and “yes.” Regardless of whether her proposals
were right or wrong, he was always like that
They walked into the elevator, and Cicely pressed the button for the men’s
designer floor.
The women’s section was mostly populated by female shoppers, while couples
dominated the men’s section.
Cicely was now the bride-to-be who was the talk of P City, and in this luxurious
place, there was no one who wouldn’t recognize her. Whenever she approached
a counter, the sales associates would surely offer their congratulations. “Ms.
Cicely, are you shopping for Mr. Diaz?”
Cicely just smiled faintly without answering. She casually perused the suits on
display, occasionally pulling one out and having Issac, who was standing by the
entrance, try it on for size.
Issac stood ramrod straight, allowing Cicely to use him as a temporary
mannequin.
After visiting three or four brand stores and trying on no fewer than ten suits,
Cicely finally spotted a white suit at another counter that caught her eye. After a
quick measure-up on Issac, she turned to the nearby sales associate and said,
“This one, get his size for him to try on.”
Issac glanced at the white suit, his lips tightening slightly. Hesitating for a
second, he still couldn’t help but speak up, “Mr. Diaz probably doesn’t like
white.”
“Who cares about that?”
She continued to pick out a shirt and tie, and then handed them to Issac to try
on. She went back to browsing the other styles on display.
Just a few minutes later, the fitting room door swung open, revealing Issac in a
white suit. Wearing a black shirt paired with a blue-gray diagonal striped tie, his
white waistcoat peeked out from beneath his open suit jacket. The jacket was
decorated with a row of carefully crafted black buttons. His overall look was a
balance of refinement and elegance.
His usual wear was always a modest black suit. This color, which he had never
tried before, turned out to suit him as well.
Cicely was pleased. “This is the one. Wrap it up when we’re done here.”
“Miss, I think my size is one down from Mr. Diaz.”
“Who said I was buying for him?”
Issac paused, mentally running through images of the Mr. Erik and Mr.
Creighton, yet none seemed to fit. “Could this be for…”
“Mm-hmm, hurry up and change. We need to get shoes next.”
“Miss,” Issac felt uneasy, glancing down at the suit he was wearing, “I’m often
working outside; this outfit doesn’t really suit my needs.”
“Who said anything about wearing it to work?” Cicely laughed lightly. “You think
I’d have you drive around in a high-end white suit? That’s not my style.”
“Then this is for…”
Cicely took a deep breath, “Did you really think I’d let you attend my wedding in
something off the rack from a small department store?”
Issac fell silent for a moment, “I’ll prepare something myself.”
“But I don’t trust your taste. You’ll be sitting with my family at the wedding. You
need to uphold the image of Cicely. If you don’t want the suit, then don’t bother
coming to my wedding.”
Of course, Issac would attend Cicely’s wedding. It was a given, no question
about it. However, Cicely’s words gave Issac pause, “Could I purchase it
myself?”
“That’s not an option.”
Silently, Issac turned and went back into the fitting room. Cicely smiled with
satisfaction and paid the bill.
After buying shoes, Issac found himself trailing behind Cicely, his arms filled
with bags of his own belongings for the first time.
Passing a café, Cicely stepped inside, ordering two cups of coffee without
hesitation. Issac couldn’t feign ignorance any longer and took a seat opposite
her.
The tall, handsome man exuded an aura of discomfort. Cicely rested her chin on
her hand, watching him, her voice soft, “Seeing that wedding dress today, I feel
like I’m finally getting married, stepping into the next phase of life, and it all hit
me hard. I thought about my life. Few people have been by my side, but they’re
the most important to me.”
“I considered what Cicely would be like without you in my life, and I can’t
imagine an answer.” Cicely sipped her coffee, gazing out the window at the
passersby. “Since I can remember, you’ve been there with me as a friend and a
brother, supporting me unconditionally, right or wrong. Wherever I am, whenever
I need you, you show up without fail. You never say much, always going along
with me, and I took that for granted, then easily overlooked you.”
Cicely turned back, catching the unguarded disappointment in Issac’s eyes. She
pressed her lips together, smiled gently. “But if you were absent from my
wedding, I think I would be very lost. Apart from the groom running away, your
absence would sadden me more than anyone else’s.”
Issac looked at her in surprise.
Cicely straightened up, stirring her coffee. “It’s the most important moments of
my life, and you won’t be absent, right?”
Issac nodded, “Right. I’ll always be there.”
At first, Charlie didn’t understand why Mr. Diaz had suddenly asked him to follow
his wife. Whenever she went out, Issac was always by her side, without fail. And
today seemed no different. Adding him to the mix seemed redundant.
seeing Cicely personally shopping for clothes
leisurely, Charlie kind
The things she said, they were enough to set anyone’s heart racing. If
she had a thing for Mr. Diaz, her words might as well have
confession.
*
out of the café and rushed back to the office, there
Seth to finish work
departures.
his way, knowing she’d be in Seth’s
soon enough.
office, Seth was hammering away at
up at her with a nonchalant lift
up in work?” Cicely flopped
Seth asked blandly,
What’d you buy?”
her tongue out, weighing the truth. Telling
off, she thought. “Just browsed
huh? Was there really a need to
like the place
“Who
up his data entry, saved the file,
or will you
his pressing
you? What could
to check up on
nothing you could do, then
you can’t
if you get all jealous and
you admit there’s something you’ve done that would
act like
outplay this man. “So if I
promise not
a laugh, standing up and moving closer to her. “I
as well keep it to yourself. As you
you up.”
“Eh?”
begun to question when suddenly,
and into his arms.
kicked and struggled,
what are you jealous
kicked open the
her into the bed.
I think we should exercise some restraint.
wedding night.”
doesn’t need to
not really looking forward to
“Heh.”
her, and she had no more
was thoroughly at his
him weakly a couple of times, her frustration
but her efforts feeble.
long before Charlie’s call came
got up to take the call, something
stay put and left
though Cicely was drained, waiting obediently was not in her
of bed and decided to wander the
to leave, so
department. They were used to
to mess with her.
league, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t
employees’ feathers.
the moment Cicely appeared, everyone sat up straight,
typing intensified. Cicely smirked and scanned the room. Noticing
around, wasn’t there,
today,” a programmer informed her
lot. They were suffering every day she
and yet not daring
didn’t hear about him taking
many things she wasn’t aware
today. He might
I’ll have a
cut Camden some slack.”
up a chair next to the programmer,
that looks like Seth for me. I
and sighed silently.While waiting for a coder to work his
message. She checked it to find a text from Emiliana.
is gorgeous. I
see it in
touched on every girl’s
wedding dress was the envy
she texted
free tomorrow night though. How about
followed by a string of
Enter title…
raised an eyebrow, [Tomorrow’s Friday. Alright, we’ll have dinner
take a look.]
[Yay!!! Love you!!]d2
[Sure. Dismissed.]
[Got it, your Highness.]
off, Emiliana had become more confident
had grown more familiar and
from Creighton and Erik. Cicely had gotten used
older folks just weren’t into
her phone and turned her attention back to the
“Are we almost there?”
more minutes,
her chin, bored. “Do you tech guys ever
to mess up someone’s
steal
do write viruses, but it’s rare and
reinforcing firewalls. As for
those kinds of machines
our computers here—our firewalls are crafted
abroad, commissioned by Mr. Diaz. We’re
worries.”
murmured, “so if there’s corporate espionage,
job?”
correct, but that’s a crime. No one
“Right.”
“It’s ready, ma’am.”
“Huh?”
to the cartoon character playing on
character was adorably dressed in
with dark furrowed brows and a stern,
Seth’s typical
couldn’t help but laugh, “So this is how you see Seth,
Diaz is a commanding leader.
ma’am.”
out loud and said,
tech yielded his seat and showed her a few game commands. With a
her character threw punches with “pow, pow, pow”
even
was laughing her head off. It was hard to imagine the real Seth
taking a hit.
for over half an hour,
for her in the office, suspecting she was
she would
echoed through the office space. The tech, whose seat she
with a thunderous
the
“Ma’am.”
the game,
“Mr. Seth…”
“pow, pow, pow” continued. The office, which had been
typing, fell silent, making Cicely’s computer sound
sensed a chilling presence behind her. As
dark, ominous glare. The impact was
intense she blinked rapidly.
screen, his voice icy,
“Yeah.”
“Enjoying it?”
“Sorta.”
sound that sent shivers down her spine. “Should I
getting yourself so excited?”
was speechless. This man had the nerve to make
comment in public.
her arm, lifting her from her seat, “Let’s continue at
I’ve had my fill. Don’t wanna
hand tight against her skin, and she felt herself
when you’re this
everyone’s gaze, Seth whisked
staff of engineering department
heavens!
*
car, Cicely put as much distance between
just playing a game. Stop looking for excuses to
chuckle at Cicely’s scrunched-up figure as
car and let the couple
isn’t some
and you’re there distracting
for that. “I was there to
hard. You should consider
for their work, but now they have to
seem fair.”
the
You owe
I bullying you?” Seth gave her a sidelong glance, pulling her close
his voice teasing. “How have I bullied
held her breath, “Did you know Camden called in sick today?”
change the
eyes narrowed slightly,
you to care for
glanced at her briefly, then turned to
Camden.”
“Sure.”
came to a red light.
phone rang for a good ten seconds before
to life. “Hello, Charlie,
a tad frazzled, prompting Charlie to ask,
Camden? Something wrong?”
just that some emergency came up, and I didn’t have time to
here on behalf of Mr. Diaz,
Mr. Diaz is right
directly.”
real? You are with
don’t even have a minute to
Seth’s deep and stern voice cut through
scenes, merely watched as Camden’s trembling voice
on the
again. It’s just
it back for a couple of days, and I was
a few more days
Friday, and then it’s the weekend. You can’t make it back
days?”
do it, that’s
“Alright.”
hanging up, Cicely lounged back against the cushion,
to be ten years older than you, and yet, just a phone
got him stuttering and shaking like he’s about to
one paying his hefty salary is me.
nowhere to cry when you lose
at a
each with an
could have ice cream with Emiliana
Tomorrow, Emiliana.
I won’t be joining you for dinner
Emiliana.”
will
Emiliana rarely gets out, so dinner, a movie,
I’ll be home before midnight for
at the latest. Otherwise,
“Do I not get to have
not providing you with a satisfying
who was driving with
choked unexpectedly.
this side of Mr.
if scalded by boiling water.
was the most shameless of
*
made a reservation at the restaurant Seth had taken her to on
was discharged from the hospital. Emiliana naturally
reviews as well.
to catch a movie. The
the restaurant. They
taking a leisurely
bustling with life.
revolved around
particularly focused on the bridesmaids and
bridesmaid, you. For groomsman, Issac’s
be Mr.
the merrier! If not, Issac can
bridesmaids.”
want him in a
suggest it, he might just be up
spoils you
out a proud “Hmph,”
lobby, they passed by posters of movie
glamorous than the last.
some fame by now, and to avoid unnecessary trouble,
hat.
bustling. They grabbed their tickets and glanced over
promotional boards—several were talents
Danielle at the studio today. We were
crew happened to be there,” Emiliana
the electronic posters.
didn’t react much, “Considering it’s the biggest studio in P City and
actors, bumping into each
their costumes and crew today,
it’s a top-notch production.”
promised to help out, he wouldn’t skimp. But a toptier production, that
Diaz’s favors
agreed with a
I also saw some high-profile lady at the
so she’ll probably rest over the weekend. Let’s
when you’re about to
let’s find our
guess who Emiliana was referring
about Danielle. She nodded and let
the movie, it was nine o’clock. Cicely had called Issac, so
of the cinema, they went straight
to
“Got it.”
*
quiet over the
access card. Leading Emiliana
top floor,
was somewhat astonished, “I thought we were to see
Why are we at Mr. Diaz’s
for the dress, but who knew
his office?”
Cicely figured the man probably just wanted to corner
flicking
instantly bathed in brightness.
time here, and even without Seth present, she
help but feel tense.
decor and arrangement screamed grandeur and
that was if you ignored the little table next to the big desk. It
girlish trinkets, a plush cushion on the
mats.
the thought of Cicely cooped up in this place crossed her
couldn’t suppress a chuckle.
“What’s so funny?”
next to him at work
any work done? I can’t imagine it. All I see
of cards out of
grimaced dismissively, “The affairs
supposed
you’ve got a point there.”
pillow from the chair and hurled it at her, “Laugh
want, but let’s see
hands frantically, “No, no, I’m not up
me the wedding
huff, Cicely moved to a concealed door in the lounge area
expression froze for
aren’t we going in…” Emiliana couldn’t wait and
her words stopped
turned back with a
this afternoon,
was a testament to their passionate encounter.
crept up Cicely’s ears.
hit the nail on the head and stepped forward,
corner of a cabinet. She gasped.
her mouth, scurrying to
was displayed, now illuminated under the brightest
than it
I’m getting dizzy
sleeves are
so lush and
silver thread embroidery,
is
reaction to the stunning bridal gown was anything but
overstatement.
an air of pride, “Did you expect anything less
Only you get the sneak peek before
a few high-resolution photos with her
at the wedding. You’re going to be
snorted again, “Don’t share those pictures, okay? Wait
on the wedding day.”
a beautiful dress, you must have
“Are you done? If
head, reluctant to leave the dress’s side, “I could look at it
and it still
I’m
“Hey, wait for me…”
was loath to leave, she
and you’re already rushing
as it is.” Cicely grabbed her purse
annoyed.
“Late for what?”
me back by
an eyebrow,
sighed deeply, as if the curfew
if you are late, what’s Mr. Diaz gonna
little charm, perhaps flirt a
“I hope you
a little’ to keep
and just as Cicely was about to press
gaze fixed on the display. Emiliana pressed
button herself,
elevator was on the top floor, and upon opening, Emiliana urged
on.”
deep
ground floor, then pulled out a compact
makeup. She had plans to
drink.
doors closed and the elevator began to run,
floor, Cicely suddenly reached down and pressed the
for the twelfth floor.
elevator halted almost
Cicely stepped out just as they were closing,
catch only a glimpse of her retreating
floor!”
“Wait for me downstairs.”
completely, and Emiliana couldn’t tell if Cicely
words.
floor was familiar to Cicely, second only
it housed
had been on
should have remained there, so
at the twelfth?
Engineering Department was home to Diaz International’s
making. The software was in the final
sabotage could be a
no
crucial behind and was coming
be one thing. Or maybe someone
thought made Cicely scoff.
they did,
dark, not a
and down the hallway to
the flash of a smartphone’s flashlight
watched from a hidden angle as the figure rummaged through
searching for something
tightened Cicely’s chest with apprehension. This
could have a security
company?
stranger sounded nervous, a muffled voice
with anger and urgency.
noticed the Bluetooth earpiece, occasionally
Were they communicating with someone inside
private office in the Engineering
tremulous voice on the phone that
That
security badge.
told the stranger something significant,
straight for
I’m warning you, that file path
and you’ll be
That voice…
frowned, a tinge of recognition flashing
suddenly merged with the
the hospital door when she
pulsed at the
pieces of information started connecting in
dropped out of
or
opted for the latter.
wasn’t due to a lack
had threatened him with his
gathering, Ray had vowed to make Seth pay, and
was executing his
within
find out, he certainly could have. It was no secret that
Diaz International. So,
to either steal the program or destroy it. Then, everything
worked for would
was clearly no different from a desperado.
face
Issac to come up when suddenly, her
empty office space, the sound echoing off
walls.
Cicely’s mind went blank.
her face,
to shield her eyes from the glare and answered the
you been? Everything okay? When are you
Cicely’s face as she inhaled a quiet breath, “I’m fine,
moment more.
“Make it snappy.”
“Will do.”
tucked it into her
sheen of cold sweat.d2
said we have a certain fate,
Enter title…
as if being caught in the act was
the
herself to relax, offering a hesitant smile as she
him.
aren’y you
chuckle escaped Ray, “Not at all. It’s rare for you to
weekend, Ms. Cicely. What brings
didn’t reply immediately, taking a moment before
too bothered about getting caught, do
a nearby desk,
blow my
perhaps strike a deal?”
a beat, then burst into laughter. “So,
Seth that day outside
was just there to
closed the distance between them, their conversation as
“To be honest, our first encounter
I might have misunderstood you. I wouldn’t
romantic type, Mr.
smile widened as he removed his face
of a shady deal, so could you hand over your
and then I’d really be
her purse
button, the screen lit up, revealing a simple
had been
phone’s screen illuminated,
phone and saw
Still not satisfied, he emptied her
and other daily
with the unassuming USB
an eyebrow with a smirk,
here for the same reason as me
fixed
head, “Not sure.”
“Hmm?”
against the desk, face-to-face
is cold and aloof. The
and Diaz International, left to him by his
and even though we’re set
I don’t know when he might leave
he wouldn’t just
favors Danielle, and to this day
no way for me to break in from
my sights were
Diaz International to my name a few
that if the software development fails and the
Diaz International would easily fall
Ellis Group, Diaz International is small fry.
value is irrelevant to
Ray who
sure if your goals align with mine. I intend to
face a huge debt crisis, and
in repaying it, the company will be mine. If
and start anew, I’m sorry, but I won’t
you profit
I assume with all your planning, you’ve left
and reap any benefits. Even if
Seth will eventually catch on, and he won’t let
be the best
to her, his expression contemplative,
“A woman in love can be terrifying, willing to go
Your analysis isn’t wrong. I’ve kidnapped
back. Seth destroyed the most important
make sure he tastes the
International”
a quick buck with this worthless program.
the point of money? Better
trailed off, his gaze on her, “Aren’t you worried that if
behind this, he’ll
“You had the audacity
you afraid of the cameras
scoffed, “With the head of engineering Camden in my
was a piece of
No cameras, no evidence, no reason for him to
me.”
on her, a sardonic grin playing on
together?”
straightened up and strode toward
another access card to unlock the door
chair, powered up the computer,
given him—spot
flash drive from his pocket, aiming to plug
but Cicely’s voice, cool as a cucumber, stopped him in
Ray.”
paused mid-air as he looked up
smiled. “If I’m going to sabotage, I’ll do it right. I
with that plain Jane
without breaking a
your little exercise?”
a backup plan? Almost
we
“Destroy the computer itself.”
asked, “Smash
chuckled. “You seem to be a bit out of your depth with computers,
long as the hard drive remains intact, smashing it
the data
panic.
towards the flash drive he had placed aside,
from her bag. “That flash drive is loaded with a virus,
in the system,
operational data. The files
will be rendered useless.”
sounded like something out of a cyberpunk novel to Ray, but
heard of legendary hackers before. It
should I
We’re both in too
you’d let
long and hard, and finally,
Cicely.
me back the flash drive. It cost me a
knows? Maybe I’ll use it to get back at someone
wipes the computer as you claim, then it’s
eyebrow
inserted the flash drive into the port. The
showcasing a
across the darkness.
minutes, the display halted, and five seconds later, the screen
central unit ceased to hum,
light faded
It worked.
bit. She
short of her bold claims, but it seemed
power button of
the same went for the monitor. She hadn’t fooled
Cicely, easily noticing the faint smile playing on her
just now that love indeed could
is a force
her gaze to meet his, raising an eyebrow, “What’s on
mind?”
that Seth really did a number
princess to this extent.”
over, reached over and tried the computer switch
pull the
up a fight, but
a sliver of the Ellis Group shares. Worst case scenario,
some of the
said with a laugh as he
up to you.
And I’ll be taking your phone for now.
by the fountain downstairs. Remember
Cicely remained stone-faced.
after Ray left the building, Cicely made
found Emiliana and Issac waiting in the
lot.
were gone for so
was nearly spent from the standoff with Ray, and she shook
much. Where are
have Issac drive you.”
Cicely’s pallor and realizing she wouldn’t get far
her head. “No need, I’ve booked a hotel nearby. I’ll
wel. You should head
“Be careful on
urging Cicely into the
Cicely leaned back, closing her
happened?” Issac inquired.
took a deep breath and responded with a faint “hmm” before
see anyone else leaving the
were downstairs?”
Issac’s voice tensed. “Did you
“Ray.”
before coming to a stop on the side
face her, his expression grave. “Are
her
and
International?”
destroy Seth more than he does.
program.”
did he succeed in getting what he
“Well… Oh, right.”
straight, retrieved her phone, and
Joel’s phone was answered quickly.
unsure about
drive you gave me, did you manage
crack the program?”
cracking program. That’s been on the back burner for a while. Why are
suddenly asking about this?”
lip, a tremor in her voice betraying
it. Why is it on hold?
to crack?”
even through
ready to play with his phone before
too hard, just that other things
our senior right
clenched the phone tightly, tears circling her eyes. “Don’t
hear what
“Okay, hold on.”
landline to call
came up, “We did have some
we put
projects. What happened?”
blurted out, “The flash
the files urgently.
“That urgent?”
“Better if we start
other end
eased a little as she wiped her tears, “Are we heading to
university? I’m coming, too.”
“Sure.”
hanging up, Cicely bit her lip and sent a message
Don’t wait up.
pouting emoji
heading to
his lips, “Miss, you won’t be any help there. Better
and wait for news.”
him. I caused this mess, and
fix it. Let’s just go to the university, and you turn off your phone too,
Seth can’t reach you.”
“Understood.”
arrived at the university, Joel and his
after another.
a look of unease, they didn’t
than to start working on the computer for a
trying to understand their jargon-filled
red eyes before, much less
would cry. “You really don’t
with this. Go home, take a
arm, “I can’t, Joel… You’ve got
what I’d do otherwise.” As
a mix of heartache and guilt, “Don’t worry, we’ll figure something out.
flash drive, so I share the blame. If you won’t go home,
and try
and knowing she was of no help,
nearby seat.
*
left the house when he received
call yesterday, Seth had a hunch that something
into it and found that
no clue where they were. Then they
young son had vanished, and Mrs.
up from school. Camden was
see his wife and
yesterday afternoon, it had been
they’d been retrieved and were on their way to
company.
Cicely’s message and confirming she was with Emiliana
no urgency to
*
the
“Mr. Diaz, I’m so sorry, I
threatened my
stoic face darkened ominously. “Who threatened
“It was Ray.”
demeanor, already frosty, became glacial as he stood
air to feel like ice. “And what did he want
the company’s access cards, my office’s key cards, my
storage path for
a chill run down his
family without
ruthless, which
he tossed Ray into
and he did not pursue the matter
didn’t expect
Ray doesn’t seem to know much about computers.
I still might be
severe
left after getting
Charlie, who quickly left
scrambling behind.
*
Camden’s office, Charlie bent
it up after several
a palpable tension,
fruitless. Frantically, he switched to
minutes, his face drained of color,
like
Seth’s cool composure, pressed
Camden’s
“Mr. Diaz, all its data
clean from that computer.”
in his
a cold snap threatening to fracture
its data has been wiped
passing out,
operate, it’s gone. Without it, this
good as a piece
in despair. It
of preparation, a fortune invested, all
world’s most expensive junk.
sides, clenched into fists as if
he didn’t know
I’m just as lost. I remember
me if transferring files to it was enough. But this, this is the work of a
not some amateur.”
catching a glimpse of Seth’s
away, mumbling with his head down, “Mr. Diaz. I think he
no way he could’ve done this on his
spun on his heel, “I’ll check the
good would it
“He had me erase
tapes.”Charlie’s stride halted, his
down his
can’t risk their lives for the company. I’m just a
hump for the firm, and I’m willing to do that. But
line. It’s just not fair.
long moment. Charlie watched
pond, eerily composed. “How long would it take to
over?”
a second. “It’s a six-month job. If we
ass off,
Enter title…
Seth closed his eyes.
next month…
Ray, see if he
right! Maybe he
fast before he leaks
jolted into action and
*
the whole night in his office, waiting for Charlie’s response.
their only
had fallen asleep at her desk numerous times,
it was all
surroundings and the two busy figures nearby brought
Anxiety and helplessness welled up, followed by silent
thought of Seth, who had spent two years and
facing ruin was unbearable.
Disappointment? Regret? Defeat? Despair?
want to see him like that. Just the
enough.
they could not get married, but she couldn’t bear to
on his
her side the whole time, pained
breakfast. Two portions for
one he placed
were always the same – buns and
all night,
without taking their eyes off
hearty scent
and Issac pushed the bag toward her,
breakfast.”
groggy, looked around, sniffed at the bag, then her face turned, and
hand over her mouth.
the room, Cicely leaned against the
up.
After rinsing her mouth and quenching the
stomach, she
draped her dropped jacket
you to the hospital.”
“I’m fine. Just didn’t
down by the flowerbed, pulling the jacket
smell in there. Can you check
it?” Pale and weak, her
left her to ask Joel
looked worn but hopeful, “We should be able
we can’t give a definite timeline.
that it’ll work
Issac nodded, “Thank you.”
Despite being promised a certainty,
getting
at the brightening sky, biting her lip in worry. “Issac,
when he
pause, Issac replied, “He won’t lose it. He’s young but steady. Even
he ever fails at something, he won’t
again. “But he’s been working on
years.”
expression, “Everyone faces
his life to be smooth. I don’t want him to face failure,
because of me.”
of reality made
head, tears falling, drop by
placing a hand on her head, soothing her.
the flash drive. They’ll crack
much.
you did it for his sake. Even if
these programs are made by people. They
it’s just a matter
mood steadied with Issac’s comforting logic.
is it?”
now is get some good sleep,
at
he finds out.
starts.” Issac held her
definitely sleep for two hours before going to the company.
in the hotel next door. Go rest
awful, and this time Issac was
get
…
dropped by the set to see
around the studio city that evening, so they ended up staying
up early, ready to head
finished breakfast in their room and
downstairs.
to walk out the front door, Danielle was
arm by someone who appeared out of
instinctive scream.
voice
saw that it
at a startled Patty
go of
and took out a
I really like you, but I can’t expect you
do for you.
wish
don’t go to Diaz International before noon to
you can ask him to
talking about? Why can’t I go
should I
I have to go. Just remember what
an eye on his surroundings as
his cap down low, and hurried
at the scene, asked, “Who
with the phone? Is there
driver approached, and after greeting them,
Patty and they walked down
it out
*
breakfast and taking a stroll outside,
the bat,
eardrums.
you sure raised a piece of work! She’s so heartless
nor would we dare. This
agree to let her marry into the Diaz family in
criticized him, Creighton wouldn’t have minded, but she
belittling his daughter to
this early in the morning? Where
deserve such strong opinions?!”
did she wrong
she at home? If so, tell
now. We’re going
hung up, Danielle suggested, “Patty, Ray advised us
morning. Let’s ask them
instead.”
International?! Since when does my
depend on his say-so.”
the company on the brink, it was understandable for Patty
with indignant rage, her fury
had to be entangled with her. We
Ellis Group but managed to drag Diaz International
disaster!”
Diaz International!” Patty almost roared at the driver.
raging and domineering demeanor,
accompanied her
*
confused and annoyed after being yelled at and
up on. He wanted to call Cicely to ask
time, she might still be asleep. Instead, he
phone was off.
brow furrowed in
He immediately called Seth.
phone was picked up quickly, and he sounded
did you and Cicely
Seth paused, “No.”
just call me wanting to call off
like she’s the worst? Are you with
at the company
was out with friends last
fine. I can’t reach
was a problem
happened?”
“I’ll contact Cicely right
“Alright.”
feeling unsettled, especially since
happened at the company. Given Patty’s hysterics on
check
*
had no intention of sleeping. No matter
she just took a shower,
and left the room.
door, and seeing her like this, he
“Going to Diaz International?”
Cicely nodded.
to grab some
Cicely shook her head.
They
the company, they saw Charlie,
with such a big issue,
a weekend. That was the logical
office?”
on her with
the
a hitch in Cicely’s heart. She
tightly and with a dim expression, she muttered, “I’ll go up and
him.”
followed Cicely this time, accompanying her upstairs.
quiet on the weekend.
wait at the door while she pushed open
pairs of eyes turned
seemingly
with him.
in disarray, the computer tower and
across the
whose bloodshot
coldness and ferocity. “Sleep well last
raspy to the extreme.
door handle tighter and after a
home last
late…”
spent the night partying
home?”
her, each question sounding like an evasion
something else.
and shook her head, “No, that’s not
eyes darkened, and he looked away.
back, there’s no
leave.”
office. As she was about to open
voice suddenly cut through the
we just told you, or are
dumb?”
deliberately sabotaged your two-year project!
confidential data is gone, and the computer is trashed. All your
and Diaz International might go under
woman!”
she turned to
did you know about
clenched in anger, pointed at her, her eyes red with fury.
and you still don’t believe
to Danielle, her gaze sharp.
know about the data
Patty’s hand struck Cicely’s face
violently, and he abruptly stood up from his
heard the commotion, burst through the
him.
a rage beyond control, glared at Cicely. “What right do you have
this? After what you’ve done, you still act
shameless!”
was icy. “Madam, the situation isn’t
down.”
clarity do you need? Does
pulling out a phone from her
after pressing something, tossed it
Seth.
to play, its clarity allowing one
expression at the time:
cold and
and Diaz International, left to him by
and even though we’re set to marry, he’s never
don’t know when he might leave me, so I thought,
important to him, he wouldn’t just walk away.
favors Danielle, and to this day her desire to
well. There was no way for me to break
set on Diaz
mentioned transferring Diaz International to my name a few
if the software development fails and the
easily fall into
the Ellis Group, Diaz International is
its value is irrelevant to me;
goal is to completely destroy this program. Diaz International will
the Ellis family
fall into my hands.
of who did it. He has no reason
do it
regular USB, any engineer here could recover the
point of
infected with a virus
it
the computer’s operational data, resulting in both
hardware failure.”
…
voice was interspersed, but
a color to it, went completely pale
towards Seth,
morphing from grim to mocking, and he even let
“You’re quite something, obliterating even
done a thorough
approached him,
Seth raised his hand, batting away hers as she reached for
herself on
what is it?” Seth eyed her coldly, his gaze like
nerves inch by inch. “You’ve mentioned more than
to get your hands on Diaz International, and you’ve
you were just being flippant, Cicely. All this
dull, and you can’t stand
it’s like pulling teeth, but you’re oddly fascinated by
codes, always scurrying off
deal with that,
would you say are not true? Maybe you’re
Without surveillance, I’d have no
There’s no surveillance,
gaze fixed on a
playing across her face. It looked like she didn’t have
Cicely was done for.
her head was spinning, and her heart
but none of it was true. I only said
Ray.”
turned to look at her,
It seemed like he was thinking, trying to
for a way out
that moment, Danielle suddenly spoke up, “If it
files onto a flash drive would
remind him that he might get caught,
if he was going to do it?
words?”
Danielle
explanations.
and when he looked up again, they
dark and cold state. Just as Cicely was about
drive,
time, four uniformed officers
from Department of Justice, right?
to maliciously destroy company
losses, and the evidence is irrefutable. Please take her
preparing to
turned to
over to one
words ‘Department of Justice,’ Cicely’s
mix of panic as she looked towards
going to press charges against me?” Charlie’s stride halted, his fury
back, tears streaming down his cheeks.
I can’t risk their lives for the company. I’m just
and I’m willing to do that.
the line. It’s just not
moment. Charlie
calm as a still pond, eerily composed. “How
over?”
still cowering, thought for a second. “It’s a
off, two
Enter title…
Seth closed his eyes.
month… It
Ray, see if he has a
right! Maybe he still has a
to find him fast before he leaks our
action
*
the whole night in his office, waiting for Charlie’s response.
their only
asleep at her desk numerous times, her
uneasy. She had hoped it was
reality of her surroundings and the two busy figures nearby
welled
two years and a fortune on
facing ruin was unbearable.
Disappointment? Regret? Defeat? Despair?
him like that.
enough.
and they could not get
look on his
by her side the whole time, pained to see her this way. As
out to buy breakfast.
remaining one he placed before
always the same – buns and
and his friend, having worked all night, didn’t stand on ceremony.
taking their eyes off their screens. The room
scent of the
pushed the bag toward her,
breakfast.”
sniffed at the bag, then her
hand over her mouth. Issac
the wall, heaving with nothing
up.
After rinsing her mouth
she settled
jacket over her
you to the hospital.”
head, “I’m
the flowerbed, pulling the jacket
smell in there. Can you check on
it?” Pale and weak, her voice barely held
reluctantly left her to
“We should be able to do it. We’re trying
can’t give a
that it’ll work
Issac nodded, “Thank you.”
back to Cicely. Despite being promised a
without getting a
brightening sky, biting her lip in worry. “Issac, what
he finds out the program
won’t lose it. He’s young but
if he ever fails at something,
he’s been working on this
years.”
avoided her pained expression,
be smooth. I don’t
because of me.”
made Cicely’s heart ache with
head, tears falling, drop by
hand on her head,
from the flash drive. They’ll crack the program
really don’t need to worry this much. Speak to him clearly, and
you did it for his sake. Even if it’s not recovered,
these programs are made by
it’s just a matter
mood steadied with Issac’s comforting logic. She looked up,
is it?”
What you need to do now is get some good
at
he’ll be worried if he finds out. I
until work starts.” Issac held her back as she
for two hours before going to the company. I booked
hotel next door. Go
time Issac
to get some
…
by the set to
around the studio city that evening, so they ended up staying
up early, ready to head back to
their room and packed up, they
downstairs.
as they were about to walk out
arm by someone who appeared out of
instinctive scream.
voice rang
that
startled Patty and quickly shook
go of
and took out a
I really like you, but
can do for you. I hope you get what you
I wish
go to Diaz International before noon to see Seth. If you want to
can ask him
was confused, “What are you talking about?
should I
have to go. Just
eye on his surroundings as he spoke, then abruptly cut
down low,
scene, asked, “Who was that guy? All sneaky like
What’s with the phone? Is there
that moment, Patty’s driver approached, and
Patty and they
out in
*
his breakfast and taking a stroll outside,
Right off the bat, Patty’s shrill voice almost pierced
eardrums.
raised a piece of work! She’s so
her, nor would we dare. This wedding is
let her marry into the Diaz family in my
had just criticized him, Creighton wouldn’t have minded, but she
by belittling his daughter to nothing, and Creighton’s temper flared.
in the morning? Where did Cicely wrong you
deserve such strong opinions?!”
wrong
wronged me?! Is she at
International right now. We’re
hung up, Danielle suggested, “Patty, Ray advised us not to go
morning. Let’s ask them to meet us somewhere
instead.”
to Diaz International?! Since
depend on his say-so.”
was understandable for
her chest heaving with indignant rage, her fury
curse, and yet I had to be entangled
Group but managed to drag Diaz
disaster!”
roared at the
Patty’s raging and domineering demeanor, didn’t
accompanied her
*
confused and annoyed after
call Cicely to ask what was going on, but
be asleep. Instead, he called Issac, only
phone was off.
brow furrowed
He immediately called Seth.
phone was picked up quickly,
you and
Seth paused, “No.”
did your mother just call me wanting to
she’s the worst? Are you
was an issue at the company
was out with friends last
I can’t
mother mentioned that there was a problem
happened?”
lips, “I’ll
“Alright.”
hung up feeling unsettled, especially since Seth avoided
the company. Given Patty’s hysterics on the call, he
to check
*
intention of sleeping. No matter
she just took a shower, changed into
and left the room.
door, and seeing her
“Going to Diaz International?”
Cicely nodded.
to grab some
Cicely shook her head.
longer insisted. They headed straight for Diaz
at the company, they saw Charlie, looking
big issue, Seth would definitely be at the
was the logical conclusion. “Charlie, is Seth
office?”
up, his gaze locked on her with an unfamiliar
“In the Engineering
caused a hitch in Cicely’s
dim expression,
him.”
Cicely this time, accompanying her upstairs. The office
quiet on the weekend.
Issac to wait at the door
of eyes turned to
stood before Seth, seemingly in the middle
with him.
desk was in disarray, the computer tower and
across the
towards Seth, whose bloodshot
ferocity. “Sleep well last night?”
raspy to the extreme.
gripped the door handle tighter and after a brief
to speak. “Seth, I didn’t go home
late…”
the night partying with
home?”
from her, each question
something else.
bit her lip and shook her head,
and he looked away.
behind my back, there’s no issue. I’m
leave.”
the office. As she was about to open her
something, Patty’s shrill voice suddenly
hear what we just told you, or are
dumb?”
deliberately sabotaged your two-year project! Doesn’t this mess prove
confidential data is gone, and the computer is trashed. All your efforts
Diaz International might go under because of her. This
woman!”
frown deepened as she turned to Patty and Danielle, who
her. “How did
clenched in anger, pointed at her, her eyes red with fury.
and you
however, stepped closer to Danielle, her gaze sharp. “I’m
know about the data
a crisp slap, Patty’s hand struck Cicely’s face
and he abruptly stood up
through
him.
beyond control, glared at Cicely. “What right do you
Danielle like this? After what you’ve done,
shameless!”
was icy. “Madam, the situation isn’t clear yet. Please
down.”
more clarity do you need? Does this
mockingly, pulling out a phone from her bag – the
– and after pressing something, tossed it onto the desk
Seth.
voice began to play, its
expression at the time:
is cold and aloof. The most important things to
mother and Diaz International, left to
is no secret, and even though we’re
he might leave me, so I thought, if I could
he wouldn’t just
to this day her desire to set him up
and well. There was no way for me to break
set on
Diaz International to my name a
saying that if the software development
Diaz International would easily fall
Group, Diaz International is
value is irrelevant to me; I
goal is to completely destroy this program. Diaz
loan issues, then the Ellis family
fall into my hands.
proof of who did it. He has no reason to
to destroy, I’ll do it thoroughly.
a regular USB, any engineer here could recover the
the point of what you’re
with a virus I had specially prepared for today.
into the computer, it will automatically
computer’s operational data, resulting in both
hardware failure.”
…
voice was interspersed, but it no longer
didn’t have much of a color to it, went completely
towards Seth, who was
grim to mocking, and he even let out a
something, obliterating even the computer’s
done a thorough job
frantically and approached him, “It’s
raised his hand, batting away
herself
is it?” Seth eyed her coldly, his
nerves inch by inch. “You’ve mentioned more
to get your hands on Diaz International, and you’ve even
were just being
you can’t stand to look at
like pulling teeth, but you’re oddly
off to the
deal with that,
on the recording would you say are not
I’d have no reason to suspect
wrong too. There’s no
her gaze fixed on a crack in the floor,
It looked like
Cicely was done for.
head was spinning,
of it was true. I only said
Ray.”
his eyes and turned to look at her, his
seemed like he was thinking, trying
looking for a way out for
suddenly spoke up, “If it
the files onto a flash drive would have been enough.
remind him that he might get caught, and to destroy
to do it? Don’t you see
words?”
one sentence from Danielle completely
explanations.
and when he looked up
dark and cold state. Just as Cicely
the flash drive, his
time, four
are from Department of
to maliciously destroy company
and the evidence is irrefutable. Please take
We’re preparing to press
to look at Patty, but
over
of Justice,’ Cicely’s
she looked towards the tall, imposing man
Are you going to press charges against me?” Charlie’s stride halted, his fury
tears streaming down his cheeks. “My son and
can’t risk their lives for the company. I’m
willing to do
It’s just
was silent for a long moment.
calm as a still pond, eerily composed. “How long would
over?”
for a second. “It’s a six-month
off,
Enter title…
Seth closed his eyes.
wedding next month… It was too
see if he has
Maybe he still
to find him fast before
action and dashed
*
spent the whole night in his office, waiting for Charlie’s response. Ray
become their only
Cicely had fallen asleep at her desk numerous
had hoped it was all a dream, but each time
her surroundings and the two busy
welled up, followed by
spent two years and a
facing ruin was unbearable.
Disappointment? Regret? Defeat? Despair?
to see him like
enough.
her and they could not get married, but she
look on
the whole time, pained to see her
buy breakfast. Two
he placed
were always
having worked all night, didn’t stand
on the buns without taking their eyes off
hearty scent of
and Issac pushed the bag toward her, “Have
breakfast.”
sniffed at the bag, then her face turned, and
room, hand over her mouth. Issac followed
leaned against the wall, heaving with
up.
handed her water. After rinsing her mouth
stomach, she
draped her dropped jacket over
you to the hospital.”
shook her head, “I’m fine.
the flowerbed, pulling the jacket
stand the smell in there. Can you check
it?” Pale and weak, her
her to ask Joel about
hopeful, “We should be able to do it.
and modify, but we can’t give a definite timeline. Just tell her
and that it’ll work
Issac nodded, “Thank you.”
Cicely. Despite being promised a certainty, no answer
getting
the brightening sky, biting her lip in
when he finds out the program is
Issac replied, “He won’t lose it. He’s young but
like this, or if he ever fails
“But he’s been working
years.”
her pained expression, “Everyone faces failure
to be smooth. I
because of me.”
reality made Cicely’s heart ache
tears falling, drop by
approached, gently placing a hand on her head, soothing
away from the flash drive. They’ll crack
don’t need to worry this much. Speak to him clearly, and he
especially since you did it for his sake. Even if
leaked, and these programs are made by people. They can write
just a matter
mood steadied with Issac’s comforting logic. She looked
is it?”
need to do now is
him at
he finds
two hours until work starts.” Issac
sleep for two hours before going to
hotel next
truly awful, and this time Issac was
get some
…
the set to see Danielle. Danielle promised to
studio city that evening, so they ended up
ready to head back to
in their room and packed up, they
downstairs.
they were about to walk out the
arm by someone who appeared out of
instinctive scream.
anxious voice rang out. Danielle snapped back
and saw that it
She glanced at a startled Patty
go of
around and
Danielle. “Danielle, I really like you,
me. This is the last thing I can do for you.
wish you
before noon
you can ask him
“What are you talking about?
and why should I go
time, I have to go. Just
surroundings as he spoke, then
his cap down low, and hurried
“Who was that guy? All sneaky
Is there
moment, Patty’s driver approached, and after
Patty and
out
*
his breakfast and taking a stroll outside, Creighton received
off the bat, Patty’s shrill
eardrums.
piece of work! She’s
have her, nor would we dare.
I will never agree to let her marry into the Diaz family in
Patty had just criticized him, Creighton wouldn’t
belittling his daughter to nothing, and Creighton’s temper
into you this early in the morning? Where
deserve such strong opinions?!”
“Where did she wrong me?
think she wronged me?! Is she at
now. We’re going
Danielle suggested, “Patty,
morning. Let’s ask them to
instead.”
we go to Diaz International?! Since
depend on his say-so.”
was understandable for Patty to be livid.
rage, her fury was palpable.
was a curse, and yet I had to be entangled with
disaster!”
Diaz International!” Patty almost roared at the driver. Danielle
raging and domineering demeanor,
accompanied her
*
left confused and annoyed after being
to call Cicely to ask what was
she might still be asleep. Instead, he called Issac,
phone was off.
furrowed in
He immediately called Seth.
was picked up
and
Seth paused, “No.”
call
the worst? Are you with Cicely
There was an issue at the company last night. I
She was out with
can’t reach her.
was a problem at the company.
happened?”
“I’ll
“Alright.”
unsettled, especially since Seth avoided talking
company. Given Patty’s hysterics on the
check on
*
intention of sleeping. No matter how uncomfortable she
just took a shower, changed into
and left the room.
been waiting at the door, and seeing her like this,
“Going to Diaz International?”
Cicely nodded.
to grab
Cicely shook her head.
They headed straight for Diaz
at the company, they saw Charlie, looking
a big issue, Seth would definitely be
a weekend. That was the logical
office?”
locked on her with an unfamiliar blend
“In the Engineering
tone and terse reply caused a hitch in Cicely’s heart. She
tightly and with a dim expression, she muttered,
him.”
accompanying
quiet on the weekend.
instructed Issac to wait at the door while
eyes turned to her
Seth, seemingly in
with him.
the computer tower and monitor now
strewn across
first glance was towards Seth, whose bloodshot eyes met hers with
“Sleep well last night?” he asked, his
raspy to the extreme.
the door handle tighter and after a
home last
late…”
it because you spent the night partying
home?”
wavered from her, each question sounding like an
something else.
shook
and he looked away. “As long
there’s no issue. I’m busy now, you
leave.”
the office. As she was about
something, Patty’s shrill voice suddenly cut through the air.
just
dumb?”
deliberately sabotaged your two-year project! Doesn’t this mess prove
the computer is trashed.
International might go under because of her. This
woman!”
to Patty
“How did you know
teeth clenched in anger, pointed at her, her eyes red
She admits it and you still don’t believe
stepped closer to Danielle, her
did you know about
a crisp slap, Patty’s
eyes shook violently, and he abruptly stood up from
through the door
him.
beyond control, glared at Cicely.
what you’ve done, you still act so
shameless!”
the situation isn’t clear yet.
down.”
more clarity do you need? Does
pulling out a phone from her
after pressing something, tossed it onto the desk
Seth.
to play, its clarity allowing one to
expression at the time:
and aloof. The most
his mother and Diaz International, left to him
though we’re set to marry, he’s never
he might leave me, so I thought, if
to him, he wouldn’t just walk
her desire to set him
alive and well. There was no way for me to break
were set
mentioned transferring Diaz International to my name a few times,
that if the software
Diaz International would easily fall
the Ellis Group, Diaz International is
to me; I just
destroy this program. Diaz International will
issues, then the Ellis family will help, and Diaz International
fall into my hands.
proof of who did it. He has no reason to suspect
I’ll do it thoroughly.
files with a regular USB, any engineer here
What’s the point of what
with a virus
into the computer, it will automatically destroy everything
resulting in both data
hardware failure.”
…
interspersed, but
have much of a
towards Seth, who was
his eyes slowly morphing from grim to mocking, and
something, obliterating
done a
her head frantically and approached him, “It’s not
raised his hand, batting away hers
herself on the
what is it?” Seth eyed her coldly, his gaze
inch by inch. “You’ve
you wanted to get your hands
tearing it down. I thought you were just being flippant,
dull, and you can’t stand
it’s like pulling teeth, but you’re oddly fascinated by
codes, always scurrying off to the engineering
with
on the recording would you say are not true? Maybe
thing. Without surveillance, I’d have
There’s no surveillance, just the
her gaze fixed on a
her face. It looked like she didn’t have to
Cicely was done for.
head was spinning, and
but none of it was true. I
Ray.”
eyes and turned to look at
seemed like he was thinking, trying to
a
that moment, Danielle suddenly spoke up, “If it was just to trick
flash drive would
him that he might get
do it? Don’t you see the contradiction in
words?”
Danielle completely overturned all of
explanations.
and when he looked up again, they had returned to
and cold state. Just as Cicely was about to
flash drive, his look silenced
same time, four uniformed officers stepped
quickly said, “You guys are from Department
with others to maliciously destroy company secrets,
preparing
turned to look
Ray’s phone over to one
words ‘Department of Justice,’ Cicely’s
she looked towards the tall, imposing
going to press charges against me?” Seth caught the fear in her eyes, his breath hitched for a moment before
at the four figures before him. “The situation
investigated.”
her angry voice piercing through the
present, “The evidence is irrefutable, what’s
just because this woman’s put on
driven Diaz International into
Diaz International or me anymore, is
chest, glaring at Seth, “I’ve
just how cruel and
Enter title…
knitted together
the Department of Justice said with a
the matter hasn’t been fully
in the inquiry to ensure absolute fairness
we
unharmed.”
against her immediately!” The
emotions and words spiraling out of
gaze turned, deep and tranquil as he looked at
her head, tears swirling in her eyes. “I don’t want to go there.
are taken there. I can’t bear
and I wouldn’t do anything to bring shame
Ellis family.”
and helpless, laden with desperate pleading. No one
terrified.
long moment, taking in every facet
voice deep and chillingly
misunderstanding. Is
over with the
to believe
face was alien to him; he had never
fists clenched, Seth’s face tight with tension. Finally,
he paused, turning his head away from
spoke again, his voice was
yet exceedingly sharp. “Take her
the spot. Her wide eyes
for the tears that suddenly fell from her eyes, everyone
was a statue, rigid
imagined that one day these
Cicely, let’s go,” the two Justice Department agents
side of her, ready to
tear-filled eyes were now utterly still,
looked at Seth
away, seemingly in
their
of hope glinted in Cicely’s
Cicely
to speak, a deep and
with an investigation doesn’t
away. Try taking her
sharply as she lifted
expression stern and commanding, exuding an
indomitable authority.
“Mr. Ellis.”
was a mask of fury,
far? They’re a married couple.
in marital
of the Ellis family, of course, and
some respect. But now that they
pressure, they couldn’t leave
walked in. “Mr.
him up here. Let
Patty demanded, unfazed
granted a reprieve,
bring the accused.
Cicely, Ray burst into laughter. “Ms. Cicely, we meet again.
could escape, huh? And to think, you were so confident
believed
words
Cicely.
watched Ray, and suddenly realized
trust in her. “Trying to win over Danielle by
Should I say you’re devoted or
returned. The
Still, the pain was
where it hurt. He glared at Cicely,
again. “It’s thanks to
Cicely, truly. Without
have no regrets in this life. I really
me, or even hit
out a cold laugh. How wonderful. Even
Danielle. Even if Danielle’s
shamelessly
still supported her.
far as Ray was concerned, everything Danielle did or wanted
deserved.
“Take him away.”
words, like a curse, exploded again within her. It
blown to pieces,
smile, her expression transitioning from desolation
detachment.
she stared at the grain of
“Ray’s unwavering trust and
I’m clearly outmatched,” she said.
resigned
skipped a beat. So many people around, yet her
intended for him alone.
blaming him for not believing in her. What good was his trust when
people waiting? Could
the prejudice against her?
Cicely—was she to be content
in the
of a heartbeat, his eyes
back with
Department of Justice glanced
we should escort
Would that
say?” Patty strode over, snatched back the
over, and hit play again,
Read The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride Chapter 2041-2050
Read The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride novel Chapter 2041-2050
The Read The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride by Novelxo.com has been updated to chapter Chapter 2041-2050 .
In Chapter 2041-2050 of the The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride series, The passage describes a conflict between Chloe and Keira. Keira has hurt Chloe, and Lance Olson is caught in the middle. An old lady named Hannah observes the situation, and she wants to meet Chloe due to her good nature. However, there is a potential issue with her grandson's arrival......... Will this Chapter 2041-2050 author Novelxo.com mention any details. Follow Chapter 2041-2050 and the latest season of this series at Novelxo.com.
The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride Chapter 2041-2050
The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride novel Chapter 2041-2050