Chapter 1958


    Nobody knows a daughter like her father. Cicely remained silent, and Creighton wasn''t expecting


    any other answer from her. He gazed at Cicely, musing for a moment before slowly saying,


    "School''s starting again, you''ll be a senior, and that boy, he should be a sophomore in college now,


    right?"


    "Yep."


    Cicely couldn’t skip senior year. No matter how hard she worked, she''d only managed to close the


    gap by a year. At least there were two more years of college ahead to spend time together.


    "Being a young man, he shouldn''t be idling his summer away anymore."


    Creighton''s words took a moment for Cicely to understand, and she looked up at him with a puzzled


    expression.


    "What do you mean by idling away?"d2


    "He''s got a lot of responsibilities to take on in the future, he''s not a child anymore, it''s time he


    learned to manage the family business."


    Cicely paused, her eyes shifting, gradually lighting up with a hint ofughter. "I want in on that too."


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    Creighton looked at her somewhat mockingly, "I never saw you take an interest in the family


    business before."


    Cicely nodded unabashedly, "Yeah, I''m only interested in Seth."


    "Shameless."


    --


    Creighton dialed Patty''s number. He never quite understood why Patty had always been reluctant to


    let Seth get involved in the business. So he didn''t beat around the bush. If Patty agreed, he was


    sure there would be no issue on Seth''s end.


    "Let Seth start getting involved with the business this summer?"


    "Not to manage it, just to get his feet wet. I don''t believe even the brightest person could manage a


    company right off the bat. Running a business is serious, and it''s time he learned."


    Patty fell silent for a moment, "Can''t it wait another two years? At his age, he should be carefree,


    enjoying college life."


    Creighton chuckled, "I don''t know what you''re really thinking, but that can''t be the real reason. Seth,


    at his age, doesn''t have the luxury to talk about carefree college experiences anymore. If this


    continues..."


    Creighton was blunt, "The kid will be ruined."


    His words caused Patty''s face to darken. She was silent for a long time.


    "I suppose no matter your reason, it can''t be more important than Seth''s life. I won''t be in charge of


    Diaz International forever, just like I can''t run the Ellis family''s affairs forever. While I still have the


    energy, hand Seth over to me."


    Patty''s grip on her phone tightened, "Hand him over to you? Creighton, do you pity us, or is this


    about something else?"


    Creighton frowned, "No matter the reason, it''s all to Seth''s benefit."


    There was a second of silence on the other end, then a smallugh, "Right, you''re correct. Alright,


    I''ll leave Seth to you. I appreciate you taking this on."


    Creighton didn''t linger on the call and hung up to call Seth.


    Seth had been eager to get involved with thepany for some time. He didn''t hesitate when


    Creighton called. Now that Creighton had the Diaz family''s business down to a science, Seth was


    not too proud to learn from someone with experience.


    "Good, I''ve cleared it with your mother. You''lle to the office tomorrow."


    Cicely''s eyes brimmed with excitement, "He agreed?"


    Creighton nodded, "As expected."


    A smile spread across Cicely''s face. "I''m going too, then."


    Creighton gave her a look, "You''d only be there to cause trouble. I''m sending him to learn, not to


    y around. Do you think he''ll have time for you?"


    Cicely didn''t like that, "Anyway, tomorrow is his first day, and I can''t miss it. At the very least, just for


    one day."


    Creighton shook his head, resigned but not refusing.


    Before long, there was noise on the stairs, and Danielle''s figure rushed down. She clutched the


    expensive fabric of her dress, her eyes red and using. She red at Cicely, "Is Seth going to


    study at thepany this holiday?"


    Cicely couldn''t be bothered with her.


    Danielle then turned her gaze to Creighton, "Did you arrange this?"


    Creighton pursed his lips, nodding, "Yeah."


    Danielle staggered, tears welling in her eyes, her lips trembling. "You''re doing this on purpose,


    aren''t you? You both know! He was supposed to tutor me this holiday so I could skip a grade?"


    Creighton''s brow twitched, "I''ve considered this. Tomorrow, you''ll have the best tutor for your


    studies."


    "Why?" Danielle burst out, "Is it because me being with him for the holiday threatens Cicely? So


    you''re using this to help her stop it?"


    As soon as she finished speaking, a pillow flew at her head. Cicely then stood up from the sofa


    abruptly.


    "Danielle, don''t tter yourself! You being a threat? Indeed, I don''t want Seth getting cozy with you,


    but make no mistake – it''s not because you''re a threat to me, but because I don''t want him near any


    woman, not even a female animal, got it?


    "Where do you get the confidence to think that a holiday together means you''re set for life? Even if I


    gave you a holiday to be with him, what would change?


    "Besides, what were you thinking? Don''t be so selfish. Isn''t it more important that he gets a head


    start in thepany, preparing to take over one day, rather than missing personal tutoring sessions


    with you?"


    Danielle let the pillow fall to the ground, her hair disheveled, her eyes fiery as she stared at Cicely.


    "Selfish? Cicely, you''re thest person who gets to call anyone selfish. Everything you do has a


    motive, everything is for your gain."


    "True, everything I do is for myself. Maybe I have no right to judge others, but you, don''t y noble


    with me. I might be selfish, but I wouldn''t ignore his wounds just to be with him for a holiday."


    Danielle''s eyes shed fiercely as she bit her lip hard. "He didn''t want me to touch it."


    "So, what else do you want to say?" Cicely sneered inwardly. "Also, Danielle, putting aside


    everything you just mentioned, even if there was a hint of favoritism in this arrangement, you have


    to deal with it. Creighton''s my dad, and if he does y favorites, so what?"


    "Don''t look at me with those eyes, always acting as if you''re the orphan with a cause. Watching the


    entire Ellis family tiptoe around you, do you ever even appreciate it? Tell me, how has the Ellis


    family, my father, ever wronged you?


    "They''ve always been weing you, but after all these years, have you ever weed them?


    You''re the one pushing everyone away, feeling sorry for yourself? Take a good look at what you


    really are."


    Cicely had been tolerating Danielle for more than a day or two. It was well known that from day one


    of Danielle entering the Ellis family, the two of them never saw eye to eye. Compared to Danielle,


    with her timeless grace, dignified beauty, and air of purity, they actually preferred the pampered little


    princess who grew up in the Ellis family—whiny, arrogant, haughty, and willful.


    At least when Cicely was bad, she was openly bad, unabashed. After spending so much time with


    her, they weren''t even sure if the family''s little princess could really be considered bad.


    Once again, Danielle was left speechless by Cicely''s words. Having been with the Ellis family for


    two years, she couldn''t say a bad word about Creighton''s treatment of her.


    The care she received, identical to Cicely''s, was undeniable, and the whole family bore witness, but


    now, it was still obvious who was favored and who was not, wasn''t it? Yet Cicely had turned the


    me back on her.


    She''d never epted the Ellis family, always pushing them away. Indeed. Creighton wasn''t her


    father after all. What right did she have to ept them?


    Time reveals a person''s heart. Creighton had been deeply disappointed with Danielletely. Cicely’s


    words earlier had struck a chord.


    "Having Seth intern at thepany was my idea. To say it''s for his benefit is true, and I won''t deny


    that I have my own motives. I will find you a tutor, and it''s up to you to ept it or not. If you''re


    resentful, you can confront him. If he chooses tutoring you over thepany, I won''t force him."


    "But..." Creighton stood up, his expression dark as he looked at Danielle, "He may start at a high


    position, but it was me who gave him that opportunity. If he wants to go back on it, I might not be


    there to support him. To have him tutor you and end up a nobody, that''s your choice."


    Danielle''s breath hitched. Then, realizing what he meant, her eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you


    threatening me?"


    Creighton frowned, looking at her impassively, "Even if you''re young, you should know what''s fact.


    Or do you think everything revolves around you? That time will wait for you?"


    Life is short. How many mistakes could one afford to make?


    Danielle bit her lip hard. Anger, frustration, and resentment filled her eyes.


    Creighton''s heavy sigh echoed in her ears. Danielle paused, sensing the profound disappointment


    and helplessness in that sigh. Her hands clenched tightly, teeth biting down on each other.


    Cicely cast a cold nce at her, then followed Creighton out.


    --


    The truth was, Danielle never let herself suffer too much. Despite the major conflict with Cicely and


    Creighton and the lingering resentment, she still epted the tutor arranged by Creighton.


    It was clear to everyone that it was the wisest decision.


    A fuss was a fuss, but in the end, one''s life was their own. If she refused to learn, she''d only be


    hurting herself.


    --


    The next day, Cicely and Creighton went to thepany. The Ellis family''s little princess hadn''t


    been to thepany many times, but there wasn''t a soul there who didn''t know her.


    Dressed in a simple, in-colored dress, her delicate face was undeniably beautiful, a face,


    perhaps, the whole of P City would recognize.


    Thepany''s attitude towards her was clear, treating her like the genuine princess of the Ellis


    family. What else could they do? They just had to treat her like royalty.


    They had barely settled into the office when Seth appeared in Creighton''s office.