The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride novel Chapter 2039

"I'm feeling a bit under the weather. I'm going to lie down for a bit upstairs. Make yourself at home," Patty said with a wave of her hand. Her disdain for Cicely was an open secret.

Cicely nodded, holding her glass of water with care. "Take care of yourself," she replied.

It wasn't long after Patty had left that Creighton called Cicely. "Cicely, have you arrived at the Diaz residence?"

Cicely hurt her leg, and although Patty had told her to do as she pleased, she was pretty much confined to staging her little rebellion from the comfort of the couch.

Gazing out at the sunny day beyond the window, Cicely replied with her usual calm, "I'm here. What's up?"

"Danielle's there too?"d2

Her eyes darkened a bit, but her lips held a steady smile. She could hear the barely restrained fury in Creighton's voice. "No, why do you ask?"

There was a pause before Creighton answered, "Nothing, I'm at the hospital. The doctor said Patty had come to take Danielle out, and I thought she might have brought Danielle back."

"Well, Patty is indeed out at the moment, and with Danielle's leg condition, they couldn't have gone far. I've sent Seth out to look for them."

"No need, I've sent someone."

"He's already gone."

Creighton took a deep breath.

"Alright then." After a moment, he added, "It's your first time at the Diaz place. Don't be too quick to lose your temper or act out, okay? As tough as it is, you just need to get through today."

"I know," Cicely said softly, "Dad, but I've seen the menu for the New Year's Eve dinner, and I still prefer our family's cooking. Save me some for later."

"You little rascal. Just don't be picky over there, alright?"

"I know, I know. Just make sure to save me some of my favorite dishes."

"Got it."

Cicely chuckled lightly, her tone cheerful, and full of coquetry.

"Hanging up now."

"Alright."

The moment the call ended, the smile on Cicely's face faded, and her hand clutching the phone trembled imperceptibly.

*

Creighton waited at the hospital for Danielle's return. When Seth arrived carrying her, his face darkened.

However, since he had spoken with Cicely earlier and believed Seth had found Danielle and brought her back to the hospital, he didn't ask any further questions. He simply stated, "I've spoken to the doctor. We'll bring you home for the New Year's Eve dinner."

Danielle, seated on the bed and avoiding Creighton's gaze, said, "I'm not going back." Her tone was defiant.

Creighton, trying to keep his patience, said, "Granddad's waiting at home."

"My legs are a mess. Going back will only cause trouble for you all. It's just a dinner, I can eat by myself. Don't worry about me." With Seth there, Danielle didn't say anything too harsh.

"There are plenty of staff at home to look after you."

"Uncle!" Danielle snapped, her patience wearing thin, "I really don't want to be shuffled back and forth. It's inconvenient for you, and for me. Just let me stay at the hospital."

Seth glanced at Danielle, then said to Creighton, "She has a point. It would be a hassle. You should head back. I'll bring Cicely home early tonight."

Creighton, his patience spent, was grateful for Seth's intervention. "I'll have someone send dinner over to you tonight." With that, he left the room in a huff.

"You may not like Cicely, and that's between you two, but you should be aware of how the elders feel about you. Don't wear out everyone's patience. A smart person wouldn't push away the support of the Ellis family."

Danielle scoffed, "The Ellis family is Cicely's rock, not mine."

"Do as you please." With a final cold remark, Seth exited the room.

Left alone, Danielle sat on the bed for a long while before suddenly sweeping everything off the bedside table in a fit of rage.

*

Back at the Diaz residence, Cicely sat alone on the sofa.

"Where's mom?"

"Not feeling well. She's resting." Cicely's tone was light as she added, "I need to use the restroom."

Seth bent down to lift her in his arms.

"Did you say anything to Creighton? Or did he say anything to you?"

From outside the bathroom, Seth clearly heard her reply, "Nothing."

"Danielle refused to go with him."

"Whatever." Cicely stood up, leaning against the wall and straightening her clothes, "Her absence is a blessing for them anyway. After all, who wants to dine in the presence of a bitch face?"

Exiting the bathroom, Seth stood in the doorway, watching her balance awkwardly on one foot beside the toilet.

Cicely dropped her clothes and looked at him expressionlessly, "What? Don't like me calling Danielle's face bitchy?"

Seth carried her back upstairs, placing her on the bed in his room where she sat with an air of nonchalance.

Her gaze swept the room, which had remained unchanged.

Her stuffed pillow was still on the bed, her knick-knacks still on the table, and likely their toiletries were still in the bathroom. Yet all of it suddenly felt foreign to Cicely.

These were things she'd bought when she used to cling to Seth, wanting to fill his life with her presence, hoping that even in her absence, these items would remind him of her. Now though, she found it all rather silly. The passion she once felt seemed to have cooled.

Perhaps it was because her perspective had shifted. The man she once chased was now hers. What had been childish antics now seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

"Can I come here often?" she asked.

Seth watched her silently, disliking the way she had looked around the room moments before.

"Of course."

Cicely smiled, "I suppose if I visit too often, Patty might have fewer years to live. But then again, I don't care to see her anyway."

"Then don't come."

Cicely grabbed the pillow beside her and lay down, hugging it to her chest. "I'll try to visit less, then."

...

A veritable feast lay sprawled across the dining table, enough to feed a small army, yet there were only three of them to partake in this culinary extravagance. More than twenty dishes, each one a testament to the culinary skills of a dedicated host.

The day's earlier mishaps seemed to have dissipated into thin air.

Patty was the life of the party, her laughter and banter injecting warmth into the atmosphere.

Seth, ever the stoic, barely said a word throughout the meal, occasionally serving a helping of food onto Cicely's plate. Patty probably couldn't stand how well Seth treated Cicely. Every time Seth served Cicely food, she would fall silent for a moment.

Despite the three of them tackling the spread, the table was hardly less crowded by the end of the meal.

They lounged in the living room afterward, engaging in small talk that felt painfully awkward to Cicely.

Seth, sensing the mood, eventually announced, "It's getting late; we should head out. You should get some rest."

Patty's demeanor chilled instantly. "You're not staying over?"

"No, I've got plans with some friends. Might be out late, so I won't be coming back tonight."

Compared to the excuse of taking Cicely away from the Diaz family, the boys' night out seemed far more believable. Patty didn't press them to stay.

On New Year's Eve, even Charlie, dedicated as he was, decided to take a break and go back home to enjoy a reunion dinner with his family.

Seth drove them back to the Ellis household.

Cicely sat in the passenger seat, clutching a stuffed pillow she'd snagged from Seth's bedroom.

The normally congested streets were eerily quiet.

Cicely rang Creighton, chirping over the phone that she was on her way back, just in time for the countdown to the new year.

After hanging up the phone, Cicely fell silent once again, her tone a far cry from when she was on the phone just now.

"Still upset?" Seth broke the silence about halfway through the journey.

Cicely's gaze was fixed on the rare expanse of open road, her voice tinged with a faint smile. "Which incident are you referring to?"

Seth eased on the brakes as the traffic light turned amber. The three-second pause was telling. "All of it."

The red light bathed them in its glow, the numbers on the signal ticking down, casting flickering shadows across their faces.

"Do I seem to get angry often these days?" Cicely's tone was indifferent, as if discussing someone else's troubles.

Seth’s jaw tensed, detecting sarcasm.

"You've been off too," she continued. "You lost your temper this morning, right? I tried holding back today, and it was unbearable. Making it through dinner was a stretch for me."

"After you left this morning, her mood has been erratic, but someone was always with her. Aside from throwing things and losing her temper, she was fine, but it's New Year, some caregivers gathered to have a meal. Miss Danielle tried to go to the bathroom on her own, but she fell out of bed. She's been taken to the examination room for further tests."

Cicely's body lurched forward with inertia, her relaxed feet suddenly bearing the brunt of her shifting weight, a heart-wrenching pain shooting through her. She bit down hard, closing her eyes to suppress the sudden agony. Her right hand clutched the armrest, sweat nearly seeping out of every pore. She didn't see Seth's expression, but she could guess the look on his face when he hit the brakes.

"I'll be right there." His voice was chilling, accompanied by the screech of tires on asphalt.

Cicely leaned askew against the car door, veins on her pale forehead standing out amidst beads of sweat.

"Seth." Her eyes shut tight, her voice strained to its limit.

Seth glanced at her, but didn't slow down. "We need to make a stop at the hospital."

Cicely's heart tightened for a moment, and before she could fully grasp how sad she felt, the pain from her foot was a more tangible and intense reminder of reality.

The heart...

No cuts, no blood, no swelling, no bruises.

Whoever said a wounded heart hurt more than the body was wrong.

He spoke without room for argument, not a command, but leaving no space for rebuttal.

"I need to get home for dinner."

Seth's brows furrowed, "You'll make it."

His speed unyielding, Cicely's closed eyes trembled, pushing the unbearable pain deep down, emotions following suit.

"Seth, pull over." Her voice was calm, almost soothing.

Sensing something, Seth slowly decelerated, easing to the roadside. Cicely took a deep breath, unbuckling her seatbelt.

Hearing the click, Seth turned to look at her. "I told you, I need to get home for dinner. I'm no use at the hospital, Danielle won't be happy to see me, and with my leg, I'd just be in the way. So, I'm not going to the hospital. I'll get out here."

As she spoke, she pushed open the car door. A hand clutched her wrist tightly.

Cicely's expression didn't waver. "Something else?"

"You heard..."

"Oh, right." Cicely cut him off as if suddenly remembering something. "Don't let the hospital call Grandpa or my dad. Even if they find out, Danielle's broken leg is still broken, they're not miracle workers. It won't heal just because they arrive."

Seth's grip on Cicely's hand loosened slightly. Her ostensibly caring words sounded more like sarcasm.

In his brief distraction, Cicely shifted, her uninjured foot reaching outside the car. The hand on her arm tightened once more.

"You know I'm aware of your leg trouble. I can't leave you here alone. I'll take you home first." He paused, as if holding back unsaid words.

Cicely clutched the pillow in her lap, refusing. "No need. This road doesn't allow U-turns, you've already broken the law once, so let's not do it again. Seeing how you were earlier, it felt like Danielle was about to die. Don't waste time here with me, go save her before it's too late and you end up blaming me forever."

Wasn't it almost like Danielle was dead?

He hadn't thought about Cicely’s leg possibly being hurt again after that abrupt stop.

He'd used a drink with friends as an excuse to get Patty to let her go home early. He'd coldly turned down Kane's invitation, saying he was busy. But in two minutes, without a second thought, he'd disregarded the traffic laws, ignored her injury, forgotten his eagerness to take her home for dinner, all to rush to the hospital.

“Cicely, what exactly does it take for you to let it go? If I genuinely wanted to have something with Danielle, I certainly wouldn't let you find out. I thought by being open with you, you'd feel secure. But now it seems like you'd be okay as long as I keep my affairs out of sight, right? As if ignorance would somehow make everyone happy?”

The door was ajar, and the warmth from the car's heater had dissipated completely. The icy air seemed to solidify between them.

“How do you define letting it go? Seth, how does her condition have anything to do with me? And why do I have to let her affect my mood every day? She inexplicably stands in my way, an unexpected hurdle I'm supposed to jump over without question? Everything about this situation has been thrust upon me by her and all of you. I didn't do anything—I just loved you, and now I can't escape or hide from her. It’s like I’m forced to face her.

“Is it me who can't get over it? No, it's you all! You're driving me absolutely mad!

“You and her have nothing going on? Are you really sure you don't have even the slightest bit of affection for her?”

Seth's face, already clouded with frustration, sunk deeper, but upon hearing her accusation, his eyes snapped up, pinning her with a heavy gaze. “Do you think there's any compelling reason why I'd harbor feelings for her and still choose to be with you?”

Cicely let out a scoff, “That sure sounds like an insult to you, doesn’t it?”

Seth, trying to keep his patience, asked, “Did something happen between me and Danielle, or did I ever say I had feelings for her? What exactly are you worried about?”

Cicely’s smile was faint, yet her eyes were as cold as the chilling air that lingered in the dark night outside. “You don’t love her, but you don’t love me either.”

That was the crux of it all.

She had always thought it didn’t matter if he didn’t love her; as long as he belonged to her, that was enough. She loved him, and that was her possession.

Everyone spends their lives striving for a perfect outcome, giving their all.