The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride novel Chapter 1944

Cicely just arched an eyebrow, her smile faint as she clasped her hands behind her back and gracefully settled into the chair. Clearly, Seth's response did nothing to sway her. "You might have a point though. We're both young, haven't met many people, and who knows, there might be a guy even better than you out there."

Seth had just picked up the quiz he'd prepared the day before when Cicely's words gave him pause, causing his thin lips to tighten unwittingly. A hint of a sneer touched his fine features. "A better man?"

Cicely tilted her head back to look at him, her eyes twinkling. "Does that bother you?"

Seth tossed the quiz onto the table in front of her, his gaze drifting to the corner, his voice laced with a clear chill. "I guess I'm still questioning what a good man really is."

"Hmm." Cicely tapped her chin thoughtfully. "You know, you don't have to be all that perplexed. Just keep on liking me more the way you are now."

Seth's eyes slid back to her, reaching for the remote to turn up the thermostat a couple of degrees. "I don’t know about that," he said, his tone indifferent.d2

Cicely finally lost her teasing smile, a frown creasing her brow. "Then try harder to like me before we talk."

Not liking her meant there was no 'liking more' to speak of. She was certain that was what Seth meant by his comment, and it seemed the only reasonable interpretation.

A half-smile twitched at Seth's mouth as his gaze dropped to the petite, stylish alarm clock she'd set up on the table. "It's time for your exam. Two minutes have already passed."

Cicely glanced at the clock without thinking. It was two minutes past ten. She grabbed her pen, quickly skimmed through the multiple-choice questions, and then suddenly looked up again.

"Are you mocking me for being young now? What's wrong with my taking a test? College students take tests all the time, some even with babies in their arms."

Seth seemed to chuckle softly. "Did I say anything?"

Cicely opened her mouth to retort, her pretty eyes spinning twice in their sockets as she ran his words through her mind, realizing that he had indeed seemingly said nothing. She knew exactly what he meant, but frustratingly lacked the proof.

Cicely sighed. "Just trying to enlighten you."

Did they like her? They all loved themselves more.

Those who seemed to stand at the top of the food chain were actually the most pitiable. They were all living in lies. Once she stepped out of the Ellis family's shelter and truly tasted the vicissitudes of life, what would happen to her?

A swan with clipped wings, a wild horse with a broken leg, a fish out of water. They were all her.

His gaze lingered on the top of her head for a long time. It was only a possibility after all. Perhaps she truly had the capital to live her life so willfully and arrogantly.

He moved to sit on the bed, picked up a book, and leaned against the headboard.

"I'm young, maybe there will be a better man than you someday."

Suddenly, he set the book down, frowning as he looked up at the slender figure hunched over the desk, filling out her test. A shadow of gloom lingered in his eyes.