Chapter 1967


    Seth didn’t react.


    Danielle nced at Patty with a hint of panic, aware that she might not know as much as her,


    having been abroad. She then looked at Creighton. Her lips quivered before she spoke, “Since


    when?”


    Creighton’s gaze was icy as he watched her for a few seconds. “Just now. While you were out


    quietly fetching Patty, nning to surprise us with her return.”


    Creighton admitted to himself that his words carried a deliberate sting. For years, this girl, no matter


    what he did, never seemed to warm up to him.


    He never judged the pursuit of love as right or wrong, but if from the beginning, Cicely had not


    expressed her love for Seth, had held back, and had concealed her feelings for Seth, then what


    kind of role would Seth be in Danielle''s eyes? Would Danielle realize that there might be romantic


    feelings between her and Seth?


    It was just because Cicely wanted him.d2


    From the moment Danielle stepped through the doors of the Ellis family home, she had been


    competing with Cicely in the shadows. Over the years, she seemed to have used Cicely as a


    yardstick to measure the meaning of her own life.


    Creighton’s dissatisfaction and sarcasm were evident in his tone.


    Danielle took a small step back.


    Patty, who had been smiling all along, silently watched everything unfold before turning her gaze to


    Seth. “You said yes?”


    Seth calmly hummed in affirmation.


    Patty was still smiling, “I had no idea.”


    “It’s not toote to know,” Seth said coolly.


    “Hmm.” Patty hummed thoughtfully, “How is it not toote? You’ve missed your chance to say no.


    Now all you have left is regret, which can hurt a girl’s heart even more.”


    Creighton’s expression darkened instantly. “Patty.”


    “Hmm?” Guests had started to leave, and the spacious living room was left to the butler and


    servants cleaning up.


    Patty’s eyes twinkled with mirth as she turned to Creighton, her hands tensing slightly in the


    shadows at the sight of the coldness in his eyes.


    “That look...” she muttered with a softugh, “Why does it always seem like I’m the one who has


    done wrong, no matter the circumstance? Seth is my son, and I have the right to an opinion. Your


    precious daughter is so delicate and fragile, I worry she won’t be handled with care. If she feels


    slighted, how am I supposed to exin that to you?”


    Creighton’s voice was stern, “I don’t need your exnations, nor do you owe me any. This is


    between Cicely and Seth.”


    Patty watched him quietly for a moment before speaking with a light chuckle. “True, young people in


    love, why should I take it seriously?”


    Her eyes flicked to Seth, who stood with furrowed brow and a cold expression. “As a man, keep


    your boundaries. Don’t get in too deep.” Her implication was crystal clear.


    “Patty, what exactly are you trying to do?”


    Patty’s smile gradually faded, and her gaze, along with her voice, turned cold. “Am I wrong again?


    It’s not okay for him to back out, and you’re not happy if he dates your precious daughter. Tell me,


    what would be right?”


    “Is this how you view a rtionship?”


    “And how do I view it? I know your daughter likes Seth, and I don’t want her to get hurt. Plenty of


    people get hurt in love. The person you love doesn’t always have to be an exception. Perhaps you


    still don’t understand that to others, love isn’t about fulfillment, but destruction.”


    Creighton frowned. “Patty, your words make me doubt whether you ever truly loved Tod.”


    For a moment, Patty’s face twisted. Then she smiled warmly, gazing directly at Creighton, and said


    slowly, “What do you think?”


    Creighton’s frown deepened, and he was silent for a moment.


    The atmosphere became tense, and even Danielle felt something was amiss. She harbored a full


    heart of doubts, suspecting some entanglement among the elders of their generation and perhaps...


    Her gaze lingered on Patty and Creighton, lips pursed, not daring to continue her thoughts.


    If Danielle could sense the tension, Seth most certainly did. His eyes narrowed slightly as he


    watched Patty, but Patty did not let the atmosphere linger long, soon covering her mouth with a


    chuckle. “I’ve had a son with him, and you question whether I loved him?”


    The mood lightened somewhat.


    “I was just preparing for the worst. They''re young, who knows how long their romance willst, and


    how long the novelty will stay fresh? Love should be approached with caution, as in the end, it is the


    girl who suffers. I’d hate to see the rtionship between our two families, years in the making,


    affected by their youthful love.”


    Creightonposed himself, considering Patty’s words reasonable. Despite that, no one believed


    Patty’s words were without underlying meanings.


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


    After seeing Patty and Seth off, Cicely’sing-of-age celebration came to an end. Cicely was now


    in her room, ted with the evening’s events. She was particrly satisfied with this celebration


    After all these years, her rtionship with Seth had finally been confirmed.


    --


    The night hadn’t even ended when the inte exploded with news of Cicely’svish celebration


    and the confirmation of her rtionship with Seth. From then on, nearly everyone knew that the little


    princess of P City was no longer avable.


    Seth thought Patty might say something, but she remained silent.


    “Why didn’t you tell me you were back?”


    “Now I regret it. If I had told you, maybe tonight you wouldn’t have ended up making your affair with


    Cicely the talk of the town.”


    The car slowed to a stop in front of the Diaz family mansion. Seth unfastened his seatbelt, his voice


    detached, “There’s no escaping it.”


    "Is that so?" Patty scoffed, her voiceced with a mocking chill. "Seth, that sounds like you''re


    making excuses, like it''s got nothing to do with real feelings. Is that it?"


    Seth swung the car door open and stepped out onto the curb.


    Patty was quick on his heels. "Answer me!"


    Seth circled the front of the car, his tall frameing to a halt before her.


    "You''d like that, wouldn''t you?"


    "Yes, I really hope so." Patty''s lips twisted into a bitter smile, "But I also hope that she really loves


    you, more than I can see, more than I can imagine."


    A crease formed between Seth''s brows as his eyes locked onto hers, the light from the yard unable


    to prate the dark shadow of his gaze. After a few seconds, a low chuckle escaped him.


    Patty''s face darkened. "What''s so funny?"


    "If you''d just spill the beans about your beef with the Ellis family, maybe I''d consider getting even on


    your behalf. But why should I hurt a woman who only has eyes for me, without a good reason? Do


    you really think I''m that heartless?"


    Patty''s eyes flickered, and she stepped back. "So, you like this woman who only has eyes for you,


    huh?"


    Seth stood tall, his expression unreadable. "What if I do?"


    Patty''s face darkened in an instant. "You can date all you want, but don’t even think about marrying


    her. I won’t have it."


    Without giving Seth a chance to respond, Patty turned on her heel and strode into the mansion.


    Seth remained rooted to the spot, his dark eyes tracking Patty''s retreating figure, his expression


    unreadable.


    Instead of following her inside, he took out a slim cigarette, lit it, and leaned against the car. The


    wispy smoke veiled his already shadowed eyes. His gaze, which usually betrayed no emotion, was


    now obscured even in its outline, dark, brooding, tinged with a touch of arrogance and solitude.


    Patty had said a lot tonight, but most of what she had told him was of this nature. It seemed like


    their conversations revolved solely around Danielle and Cicely.


    No, not seemed. In truth, their so-called mother-son rtionship had little ovep. The amount she


    spoke with Danielle in a day probably matched the sum of their yearly interactions.


    These past two years, their interactions had increased, yet they were all about influencing his


    future.


    The cigarette glowed and faded in the night, and in his mind, his heart, his taste, his body, Patty''s


    words from tonight reyed unconsciously, over and over.


    "I hope she truly loves you, more than I can see, more than I can imagine."


    Patty had said so much that was worth delving into, pondering, even agonizing over, but it was this


    sentence alone that seemed to echo in his being, looping endlessly.


    She truly loves you. More than one can see, more than one can imagine...


    What would that be like?


    Drawing thest drag deeply, Seth crushed the cigarette butt beneath his foot. Why bother


    pondering? He wasn''t likely to find out anyway.


    *


    One day, Cicely couldn''t help it and went to thepany to find Seth.


    Having grown up under Creighton''s wing, she knew that being at the helm of apany meant


    managing a myriad of employees andyers of hierarchy. Still, she barely saw him.


    He must be very busy. Busy with what, she had no idea.


    Cicely arrived at thepany and found Seth''s office. There he was, sitting at his desk, his


    handsome, aloof face staring at theputer screen, the light reflected on his silver-framed


    sses.


    Hearing her approach, he nced at her, his reaction as still as a pond, as if her presence was fully


    expected.


    He looked at her briefly before returning his focus to the screen, his long fingers tapping rapidly on


    the keyboard, the only sound in the office the rhythmic "tap tap tap" of keys being struck.


    Watching him work with such focus, Cicely felt a twinge of resentment at his apparent disregard for


    her, but she obediently took a seat on the sofa by the floor-to-ceiling window.


    The sound of the keyboard continued uninterrupted, yet Seth''s gaze had followed her movement,


    lingering momentarily on her feet before returning to his work.