The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

Cicely instinctively took a step back, bumping into Seth who had followed closely behind her.

Seth wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his embrace. Those people passed by them without a second glance.

Cicely’s eyes softened for a moment, and she straightened up, attempting to step out of Seth’s arms.

Seth didn’t let go. In a low voice, he said, “Cicely, let’s take Hugo to see an eye specialist.”

“No need,” Cicely firmly replied, “Damon has already made arrangements. Tomorrow, I’ll take Hugo myself.”

Seth pondered for a moment, “Alright, if Damon’s arranged it, there should be no issues.”d2

Standing slightly behind her, he couldn’t see her face, but his gaze was fixed on Hugo’s youthful features, which bore a striking resemblance to his own.

Perhaps sensing Seth’s gaze, Hugo, out of curiosity or wariness, turned his blind eyes towards Seth, his gaze filled with caution and inquiry. Such a guarded look brought a slight smirk to Seth’s lips.

Hugo’s eyes furrowed, a clear sign of his displeasure, as he buried his face into Cicely’s neck.

When Cicely turned to face Seth, she found his eyes already on her. She frowned slightly, a muffled commotion catching her attention.

“It wasn’t me! I haven’t done a thing, what proof do you have?”

The voice was familiar. Cicely turned to see familiar bouncers at the door.

“Let me go!”

As Danielle’s voice grew more piercing and clear, she was dragged out by the men. Her pale face twisted in anguish, she was dressed in a hospital gown, struggling despite her evident lack of strength.

Maybe it was their gaze that caught her, but Danielle suddenly straightened up, her struggle turning into a desperate attempt to reach them.

Seth tightened his hold on Cicely, “Let’s go inside.”

“Seth!” Danielle’s cry stopped him, and she ran up to him. “Did you send these men for me?”

Seth remained silent.

A bitter, trembling smile cracked Danielle’s lips, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Won’t you leave me even a shred of dignity? How desperately do you want to destroy every good memory I have of you? I’ve done nothing wrong, Seth. I just loved you. Why must you be so cruel to me?”

“I tolerated your lies for three years, and I donated blood desperately to save Grandpa, nearly half my blood. Yet you sent people to arrest me the day after the surgery?!”

She had thought the revelations of the previous day were the depths of despair, but today she discovered a new abyss.

How easy it was to be hurt, to despair, and to collapse? Was this the pain Cicely had felt years ago? Indeed, it was a tragic thing.

Her gaze slowly shifted to Cicely and the child in her arms. She paused, “Cicely, who are you holding?”

Danielle’s expression was filled with a heavy deathly pallor and madness. Cicely took a step back, holding Hugo close. “That’s none of your concern.”

“Who is he?!” Danielle screamed, her whole body trembling, her face contorting into something fierce.

Hugo, hidden in Cicely’s embrace, furrowed his brow, tightened his grip on her collar, and turned his head to “face” Danielle. “Don’t you dare hurt my mom!”

Danielle’s eyes widened with shock as she stumbled backward at the sight of Hugo’s face.

Hugo, unable to see Danielle’s expression, wanted to stand up for his mom but felt powerless. His little face clouded over with dark anger, mirroring Seth’s own angry expression.

Danielle shook her head, “No, it can’t be. You were in prison… How could you have his child…”

Hugo’s dark eyes “looked” towards Danielle, then after a few seconds of silence, he turned and reached out, fumbling until he found Seth’s sleeve. “Daddy, hug—”

Seth’s heart thudded violently, his eyes involuntarily trembling. “What did you call me?”

Hugo frowned, pursed his lips, and repeated, “Daddy, hug—”

Cicely was also shaken, unable to regain her composure, but Hugo in her arms was squirming, truly wanting Seth to hold him.

Seth looked down at Cicely, and seeing no objection from her, he reached out and lifted Hugo into his arms. Seth held Hugo with practiced ease and natural grace.

Danielle’s mind went blank, her ears ringing. If not for the people on either side, she would have collapsed to the ground.

They had a child together three years ago! What did that make her?

For three years, every beautiful moment she had imagined with him had already been claimed by Cicely.

Was there any joke more ridiculous than her?

She had not been able to compete with Cicely three years ago. And now, after all her scheming, she had lost miserably again.

She laughed and cried at the same time, shaking her head, unable to accept this reality. Yet, the undeniable truth was right before her.

“Ah—”

echoed through the building, as if shaking

ears, pulling her into

Danielle nodded and dragged away the completely broken

Cicely pushed away from Seth

eagerly reached out to

her head with a complex expression, then remembering Hugo could not see, she

That one word, “Daddy,” had been a final devastating blow

was he really thinking? Did he understand the grudges between adults? Did he know how effortlessly he could corner

on the man holding Hugo, and she shivered, reaching out to almost snatch

and his face was shadowed by

the tension, clung to Cicely

hospital room, cradling Hugo in her arms while Erik lay ill. Seth had offered to have lunch together, but

she went to the welfare center to complete the discharge paperwork, then packed her belongings, ready to fly out of the country the

Diaz, Cicely’s passport restrictions have been lifted,

stood at Erik’s bedside, his voice

muttered an

finally

the room the rhythmic beeping

on his lips, revealing a world of desolation and helplessness. “What if she doesn’t want

*

If it had just been Chloe, it might have been fine, but Damon was back. With Hugo in tow, it was even less appropriate for her to continue imposing on

stay. As she was about to leave with Hugo in her arms, the doorbell

there, just outside the door, was Seth. His gaze locked

frowned, unmoving at the threshold. Seth wasn’t in a hurry. The two stood facing each other in

up from the couch,

right into Seth’s embrace. Her arm instinctively protecting

was met with Damon’s indifferent shrug as

Cicely was speechless.

his gaze, challenging, “What, you want to cross

her anger and forced a smile through gritted teeth,

door closed mercilessly behind her, Damon not even bothering with a

Hugo’s voice sounded

now in Seth’s arms. She reached out to take him back, but Seth subtly dodged her attempt. “Your passport is still with

*

once inside the apartment, Cicely had no more energy to maintain the standoff with

she went

stairs, she could faintly smell the scent of tobacco. As she reached the

Seth, who stood on the balcony of

heard her approach; he stubbed out his cigarette in the crystal ashtray and turned to

response was

on a magazine on the coffee table for a moment, then

Cicely’s eyes flickered.

things easier for you, and you’ll

clenched her fists, a hint of a smile on her lips. “If I

eyes briefly widened in shock. After a pause, he

was indifferent, her voice cold, “You said you’d give

up the passport from among a few magazines on the coffee table and handed it

eyes narrowed as she almost snatched the passport from his

with the

*

next morning, Cicely woke up early, got Hugo ready,

she dressed

and smell nice.” Hugo’s

new but lacked the stiffness and smell of newness,

I can smell

Hugo downstairs, where Seth glanced at Hugo and slightly tugged

a tiny furrow appearing between

to the

airport, then abroad, Seth and Charlie handled all the arrangements. Cicely didn’t have to worry about anything and could focus entirely on caring for Hugo, not resisting

abroad, they went straight to the hospital

exam, and results came promptly. In the afternoon, while the experts continued their detailed discussions, Seth noticed

go of Hugo all day, and her tension was now manifesting

take

shifted slightly, not speaking but her body language showing

was soft, his eyes resting calmly on Cicely’s beautiful

blinked, snuggled closer to Cicely, and planted a

her eyes reddening

extending his arms. “You’re wiped out today. You planning

wanted to hold him, Hugo stretched out his

eyes flickered, and she

go grab a bite to eat first. Hugo must be

at the mention of food, he nodded vigorously. “Yeah! Mommy,