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—”

the building, as if shaking loose dust from

tightly, and Seth covered Cicely’s ears, pulling her into his embrace.

Danielle nodded and dragged

Cicely pushed away from Seth to look at

reached out to

a complex expression, then remembering Hugo

had done it on purpose. That one word, “Daddy,”

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

Hugo, and she shivered, reaching out to almost

were now empty, and his face was shadowed

tension, clung to Cicely in

cradling Hugo in her arms while Erik lay ill. Seth had offered to have lunch together, but Cicely had coldly declined. She held onto Hugo tight, her

discharge paperwork, then packed

home that afternoon with a grave expression on his face. “Mr. Diaz, Cicely’s passport restrictions have been lifted, but do we

Seth stood at Erik’s bedside, his voice

an acknowledgment,

figure on the bed, Seth finally spoke in a

motionless, the only sound in the room the rhythmic beeping

his eyes downcast, a wistful smile playing on his lips, revealing a world of desolation and helplessness. “What if

*

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

As she was about

Seth. His gaze locked

in a hurry. The

already annoyed by Cicely’s “nuisance,” suddenly stood up from the couch, walked to the

right into Seth’s embrace. Her

reflexes, Cicely steadied herself. Turning around in anger, she was met with Damon’s indifferent shrug as he dusted off his hands and

Cicely was speechless.

his gaze, challenging, “What, you want

anger and forced a

the door closed mercilessly behind her, Damon not

sounded lost and

Seth’s arms. She reached out to take him back,

*

scheduled for tomorrow, once inside the apartment, Cicely had no more energy to

bed, she went downstairs to retrieve

of tobacco. As

Seth, who stood on the

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

response was a

table for a moment, then he said,

Cicely’s eyes flickered.

“Having me there will make things easier for you, and you’ll have more

her lips. “If I don’t agree to

widened in shock. After a pause, he looked

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

a few magazines on the

almost snatched

settling back on the couch, still wearing his clothes heavy with the scent of

*

early, got Hugo ready, and found his clothes laid out on the

slight pause, she dressed Hugo

so soft and smell nice.” Hugo’s voice

brushed the fabric discreetly. Indeed, The clothes seemed new but lacked the stiffness and smell

I can

downstairs, where Seth glanced at Hugo and slightly tugged at the corner of

sound, a tiny furrow appearing between his brows. Cicely

accompany them to the hospital, but

Cicely didn’t have to worry about anything and could focus entirely on caring for Hugo, not resisting any

the hospital for further detailed

checkup was quick since it was a specialized exam, and results came promptly. In the afternoon, while the experts continued their detailed discussions,

of Hugo all day, and

me take the

not speaking but

his eyes resting

snuggled closer to Cicely, and planted a kiss on her nose.

hard, her eyes reddening with restrained

wiped out today. You planning on skipping out on the surgery

wanted to hold him, Hugo stretched out his

and she let

a bite to eat first. Hugo

the mention of food, he