Chapter 1959


    Seeing Cicely, Seth barely registered an emotion. She tried making conversation, but his responses


    were as t as day-old soda.


    Creighton caught a glimpse of Cicely''s disappointed face, but it didn''t seem to crush her spirit.


    Just then, Cicely looked up, her eyes crashing into Creighton''s. He gave her a look that screamed "I


    knew it would go down like this," a cocktail of resignation and inevitability.


    A cloud of gloom settled over Cicely. "I''ll leave you to it then," she said, heading for the door as


    Creighton called after her. "Danielle is studying, try not to disturb her when you get back."


    "As if I want to see her. I''m not going home right now."


    "Then where will you go?"d2


    "To hang out with friends."


    Her words hung in the air as the door mmed with a resounding "bang."


    Seth stood still, his chin slightly tucked, his eyes a narrow mystery.


    Creighton sighed, a mix of indulgence and helplessness voring his breath. Later, he turned over


    his ever-loyal assistant to Seth. "I''ll have him run you through everything about Diaz International,


    down to the nitty-gritty. You''ve got three days to get up to speed. If something''s not clear, ask Seb,


    or you cane to me anytime."


    Seth nodded.


    "In a bit." Creighton nced at his watch, "at ten, we''ve got the senior meeting for business. You''ll


    attend with me."


    Seb, overhearing this, shot a surprised look at Creighton. Seth, too, was looking his way. He had no


    experience with corporate affairs, and he knew these meetings weren''t for just anyone. He wasn''t


    even on the payroll.


    He had a hunch about what Creighton was nning, his eyes darkening. "I don''t belong there."


    "Whether you belong or not is for me to decide," Creighton countered, well aware of Seth''s


    concerns. "Don''t feel pressured just yet. Your capabilities are yet to be tested. I want you at this


    meeting to get a feel for the environment. By choosing you, I''m choosing to trust you."


    He locked eyes with Seth. "Even if things don''t go as nned, the Ellis family may well end up in


    your hands, to care for along with Cicely."


    Seth''s lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes turbulent, but he said no more.


    Creighton''s stance had always been clear. Whatever his rtionship with Cicely, he wouldn''t force


    it.


    He coughed into his fist, and Seb was quick to hand him a ss of water, which Creighton''s


    trembling hands struggled to hold.


    Seth''s brow furrowed slightly.


    After a sip, Creighton set the ss down and gazed at a photo frame on the desk, rubbing his


    temple. The frame held a picture of him, Cicely, and Millie, taken when Cicely had just started


    kindergarten, a moment captured by the school as a keepsake.


    Back then, Cicely was in a beautiful pink dress, her hair exquisitely done by Millie. Her lovely face


    was too cute, her smile too bright, her teeth too white, her big eyes too curved with joy.


    It was the happiest, most innocent of smiles. Now, it’s forever out of reach even though he could


    easily see her smile even today.


    Since Millie''s death, he could hardly recall seeing Cicely cry. He only learned from the housekeeper


    that, on the day Millie passed, Cicely had run to the Ellis family''s backyard, wept gut-wrenchingly


    inside a decorative rockery, her stifled sobs overheard by a passing gardener.


    When he found her and held her, her voice soft with a thick nasal sound, her eyes swollen, she


    asked him, "Daddy, will mommy never be with me again? I won''t taste her cakes or have her braid


    my hair, or hear her tell me princess stories at night."


    Creighton couldn''t find words to ease her pain. All he could do was hold her close. "You still have


    me," he said.


    She was too clever and sensitive. Her sobs broke free, tearing his heart to shreds. The guilt, the


    pain, the sorrow - they all mingled together, overwhelming him, and he wept with her.


    That was the first andst time he heard her cry so desperately and unrestrained.


    At Millie''s funeral, Cicely sat quietly in his arms, silent throughout, not shedding a single tear. He


    later found out from the red-eyed housekeeper that when she took Cicely to rest, her unusual


    silence had prompted concern. "Miss, if you''re upset, it''s okay to cry." But Cicely had just crawled


    under the covers and shook her head. "I''m not sad. I don''t want to make Daddy sad."


    The housekeeper''s eyes welled up, and so did his. That was his and Millie''s precious daughter.


    How could he let her suffer even a sliver of hardship now?


    His affection for her, be it indulgence or spoiling, he had never regretted. He would grant her every


    wish.


    "Your mother will be returning to the M Country in a few days. If it''s inconvenient for you to live


    alone, you''re wee at the Diaz family."


    "No need," Seth cut in without hesitation. "I can manage on my own."


    Creighton looked up. "What if I want you to look after Cicely?"


    Seth''s voice was even. "No one would think the Ellis family can''t take care of their own darling."


    Creighton took a deep breath. "Alright, go on now."


    Seth nodded and was the first to leave. Seb lingered, concerned, suggesting to Creighton, "Mr. Ellis,


    maybe you should have a check-up at the hospital."


    Creighton waved him off. "Just leave."


    Seb didn''t push further.


    --


    Cicely didn''t hesitate to dial Joel''s number for a meetup. When she mentioned hanging out with a


    friend, Joel was the only one who came to mind. They''d been orbiting each other''s social spheres


    lately.


    Joel dashed into the cafe, gasping for breath. Across the room, Cicely satnguidly in an armchair,


    with a slice of cheesecake and atte before her, gazing out the window.


    She turned her head as he approached, resting her chin on her hands, azy smile on her fair,


    lovely face.


    "Was there ever such a hurry?" she teased. "Why the rush?"


    Joel took a deep breath and sat down across from her. "Didn''t want to keep you waiting."


    Cicely nced at her phone for the time and sighed, "We''ve still got plenty of time. What''ll you


    have?"


    "I''m not familiar with this stuff. Rmend something?"


    Cicely nodded. "How about atte?"


    "Sounds good."


    While waiting for thette, Joel asked, "Any particr reason you wanted to meet up today?"


    Cicely, her slender fingers idly scrolling on her phone, looked bored as ever. "Mmm..." she drawled,


    "I did well on the exams, thanks to you. Just wanted to say thanks, treat you to lunch."


    "You don''t have to be so formal about it. I learned a lot helping you, too. It''s mutually beneficial."


    Cicely shook her head. "Still, I imposed on you. I don''t like owing favors."


    With nothing more to say on the matter, Joel couldn''t help but feel a tinge of disappointment.


    They lingered in the cafe until noon before heading to the adjacent bistro. "I''d think most girls would


    kill time shopping rather than sitting in a cafe," Joel remarked.


    Cicely strode to the bistro''s counter, gave her name, then leaned on the polished ck marble,


    smiling sideways at him. "Shopping can be a delight, but it''s exhausting. I''m not reallycking


    anything right now. My mood dictates my shopping sprees, and even if I did need something..."


    She blinked yfully, "Someone would usually have it ready for me."


    Joel nodded in understanding.


    Of course, for Cicely, the family''s darling, her attire, custom-designed and delivered each season,


    there was no need for shopping unless she fancied it.


    The choice of bistro was mainly because Cicely found the online pictures charming and quaint.


    Once seated, Cicely snapped a photo with her phone, touched it up, and shared it on her social


    media.


    Her caption read: "Feeling good, appreciation lunch."


    Seth had been swamped all morning until his pal Seb texted him for lunch. Only then did he take a


    break. Rubbing his temples, he identally hit his phone screen and noticed Cicely''s update at the


    top of his feed.


    He hesitated, then clicked. Her recent post popped up first. Photos of gourmet dishes, and words:


    appreciation lunch.


    His eyes narrowed slightly. He hit the home button, leaving the screen and heading out.


    Thepany cafeteria was decent, leaning toward hearty rather than exquisite.


    Seth wasn''t much for talk, and Seb, ustomed to his quiet, didn''t mind their silent meal, only


    speaking about work-rted matters.


    Seth didn''t think twice about it, but Seb was certain. Seth was in a darker mood than in the morning.


    But the reason? Seb wouldn''t dare to ask orment. Despite his young age, it was clear Seth was


    not easy to approach.


    Managing apany was never a trivial task, and Seth was fully aware of that. Throughout the day,


    his focus had been on the fundamentals, interlinked and essential.


    Perhaps influenced by Seb or Creighton, he received a call before the end of the workday. "Don''t


    rush things," Creighton advised. "You don''t have to be so hard on yourself. It''s important to take


    your time to understand the basics thoroughly. Start slow, be thorough, and everything will fall into


    ce."


    "Bnce work and rest for better results."


    Perhaps that was true.


    With half an hour left to his workday, Seth hung up and didn''t push himself further. He tidied his


    desk and left the building.


    On his way home, he reopened his social feed, going straight to Cicely''s post. On the reflective


    surface of the white te, you could see a shadow.


    Her ssmate, the one she was thanking, who else could it be but Joel?


    A sardonic smile curled at his lips. He turned off the screen, his thoughts darkening.


    An urgent call to the office had canceled his ns to tutor Danielle. It wasn''t that Cicely was


    particrly fond of him; it was more about possession, not wanting to give Danielle any satisfaction.


    As long as he didn''t end up with Danielle, Cicely would be content.


    Now she was out enjoying herself with someone else, wasn''t she? He looked out the car window,


    his expression grim.


    Arriving home, Patty was instructing the staff in packing, just a few clothes and many boxes of local


    specialties and odds and ends.


    At dinner, Patty reminded him. "I''ll be staying in M Country for a while, maybe traveling with friends.


    I don''t understand the business, and I hate being around work. If you need anything, go to


    Creighton. To repay him..."


    Her voice trailed off, then she continued, "Just take good care of his daughter."


    The sudden change in her attitude caught Seth off guard. He frowned at Patty, who smiled


    knowingly. "What else does Creighton care about more than his daughter? Just y to his


    interests."


    Seth''s eyes fell, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Indeed, that was the case.


    “Look, I’m not saying you can dismiss Danielle entirely. You’ve got to take care of her for me too.”


    Seth’s patience wearing thin.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Patty sighed, her voice taking on an unusual edge of severity, “The debt I owe to Danielle is


    something I can never repay in this lifetime, but that doesn’t mean I can just stand by and do


    nothing. Seth, consider it a favor for me.”


    “Do you think babysitting her is going to ease your guilt?”


    Patty shook her head, “It might help me sleep a little better at night, at least.”


    Seth pushed his te aside and stood up. “You feel guilty, you want to live with a clear conscience,


    so the best solution is to push her out of sight, out of mind. If you keep her close and constantly


    think aboutpensating her with whatever means necessary, did it ever cross your mind that one


    day you might spoil her rotten? And then, what grand gesture are you nning to make up for it all?


    Sure, I can look after her, but how long are you expecting me to y guardian angel?”


    Patty’s expression turned icy as she put down her fork, wiped her mouth with a napkin, and stood to


    face Seth. "You never used to talk to me so much about taking care of her. Why do you make such


    a fuss every time ites up now? You’re asking me how long? Until the day I draw myst


    breath.”