Chapter 1988


    With that, he wrapped his arms around her waist.


    Cicely shivered involuntarily. His eyes suddenly darkened further. Sensing her subtle attempt to pull


    away, Seth tightened his embrace and effortlessly scooped her into his arms.


    Cicely''s hands found their way to his shoulders, her gaze flickering unsteadily up to his face. The


    ferocity hadn''tpletely left his expression, yet there seemed to be an unusual softness mingling


    with it now.


    How could one person manage to disy such contrasting emotions in the same instance? Cicely


    wondered if it was just her wishful thinking, misreading the signs. After the night''s overwhelming


    events, she was feeling particrly fragile.


    Isaac, noticing Cicely''sck of resistance, silently followed them out.


    Once they reached the parking lot, the hotel''s valet promptly delivered Seth''s car and held the door


    open for them.d2


    Cicely, who had been pretending to rest with her eyes closed the whole time, suddenly spoke up,


    "Isaac."


    "Yes, Miss?"


    "Help me into the car."


    Seth paused, ncing down at her with an inscrutable expression. Cicely''s face was neutral, her


    eyes averted from his.


    Isaac stepped forward, reaching out to take Cicely from Seth''s arms. Seth didn''t let go. Instead, he


    carried her directly to Isaac''s car parked nearby.


    Someone opened the car door, and Seth gently ced Cicely inside before sliding into the seat


    beside her.


    Cicely''s brow furrowed, and she moved subtly to the side, resting her head against the window,


    eyes closing once more.


    "Mr. Diaz, what about your own car?" Isaac inquired.


    "Trash it."


    A flicker of movement betrayed Cicely''s reaction behind her closed eyelids.


    Isaac hesitated, then made a quick call, giving orders with practiced ease to have a certain Maserati


    demolished without a second thought. After all, it wasn''t going to be of any use anymore.


    As Seth started the car and nced at Cicely, he drew her closer to him. Her frown deepened, but


    Seth cradled her head against his chest. She made a feeble attempt to resist, and he simply held


    her firm, murmuring, "You''ve always hated difort. Isn''t this better than leaning against the


    window?"


    Cicely stopped struggling.


    They rode in silence until the antiseptic scent of a hospital hit Cicely''s senses, and she opened her


    eyes to find Seth carrying her inside.


    "Don''t move, you''re running a fever," Seth said, his voice cold.


    Cicely struggled to sit up, "Isaac, I want to go home."


    Isaac looked troubled. "Miss, you''re ill."


    "What, must I beg you now?"


    Isaac''s expression changed, he pursed his lips, took a few quick steps, and stood in front of Seth.


    "Mr. Diaz, hand her over to me."


    Seth held his ground, meeting her gaze, "Are you sure you want to pick a fight with me now?"


    Cicely lifted her gaze and finally looked at him for a moment.


    "What''s the right asion for a quarrel, Seth? Is it because you''ve been neglecting me, iming


    you''re too busy, yet somehow had the time to personally escort Danielle away from the Ellis family?


    Or because you insisted on her taking the passenger seat in your car? Or perhaps because tonight,


    you escorted her to the party, even choosing a dress for her as a gift?


    "When''s the right time for this discussion, Seth? Today? Tomorrow? Next month, or next year? Or


    should I schedule an appointment to argue with you at a more convenient time?"


    Seth''s lips were a thin line, his gaze fixed on her. Her tone was even, her face impassive, but her


    eyes sparkled with mockery.


    Isaac stood by, understanding that Seth was only concerned for her well-being, but after the events


    of thest few days, it was only natural for her to be upset.


    "Silent? Then, when you decide on a good day for me to be upset, let me know. Even if you think


    today''s suitable, I''m too exhausted to care. I hate hospitals. I want to go home."


    After saying this and seeing Seth not making a move, she directly released her grip around his


    neck, attempting to flip herself out of his arms.


    With an unsteady bnce, she hung in mid-air, and Seth''s expression changed slightly. However,


    Isaac quickly caught her. Cicely reached out and circled Isaac''s neck, calmly saying, "Let''s go


    home."


    Issac nced at Seth, then carried Cicely past him.


    Seth stood there for a moment before turning to watch Isaac take Cicely through the hospital doors.


    After lifting Cicely into the car, Isaac nced at the tall figure standing at the hospital entrance


    watching them. He said calmly, "Aren''t you really worried that doing this will push him away or give


    him a chance to break free from you?"


    Cicely''s eyshes fluttered, and she lifted her gaze, "Break free from me?"


    A bitter smile crossed her lips. "It seems everyone knows I''ve been the one clinging to him."


    Realizing his mistake, Isaac said softly, "I apologize."


    "It’s okay," Cicely replied, hugging the pillow Isaac had handed her, "It''s the truth, and I''m not


    ashamed. If he wants to leave, let him go. If he truly wanted to leave, not even begging would make


    him stay. And I would never beg."


    Isaac nodded, "As long as you understand that."


    Before driving off, Isaac called a doctor to meet them at the house. Cicely always disliked hospitals


    and doctors, and now back at home, she was likely in for another ordeal. Considering the night''s


    events, it seemed no one was going to have an easy time.


    The car hadn''t been on the road long before Isaac noticed a taxi that had been tailing them. It


    followed them all the way to the quiet residential area and didn''t stop even as they pulled into the


    driveway of the secluded vi. The car came to a stop outside the grand Ellis estate, and it was


    Seth, emerging from a taxi behind them, who scooped Cicely up in his arms.


    Her eyes narrowed as she recognized the familiar scent wafting around her, and when her gaze fell


    upon that familiar face, she closed her eyes once more.


    Seth''s voice was a low rumble, "Awake now?"


    Cicely leaned into him, her eyelids heavy, her voice weak, "You''re never around when I need you,


    but when I wish you''d disappear, you''re like a bad penny."


    Annoying.


    Without a word, Seth carried her into the Ellis family''s living room. Cicely forced her eyes open,


    trying to muster some energy.


    The atmosphere in the living room was tense, but when she saw the doctor standing off to the side,


    her expression immediately darkened. "Who asked for you?"


    The family doctor offered an awkward smile. It was a tough gig being the Ellis family doctor. Cicely


    had never given him a break, treating him like an enemy since she was a child.


    Lucky for him, the Ellis family took such good care of her, sparing him frequent visits. Still, it was


    enough for one lifetime.


    "I''ll take her upstairs."


    Before leaving, Seth nced at the doctor, who quickly got the hint, grabbing his medical kit to


    follow.


    Cicely wasid on her bed, staring daggers through Seth''s shoulder at the doctor trailing behind,


    "Who let you in? Get out!"


    The doctor was visibly ufortable.


    "Miss, your father is both angry and worried about you. Let me check on you, and I''ll try to avoid any


    needles."


    That seemed to clue Seth in on why Cicely was so upset. She was afraid of needles. His tense


    expression softened a bit. "Just let him check on you. We might not need needles now, but if we


    wait, who knows?"


    "Yeah, Miss, Mr. Diaz is right. You can''t ignore your health. Illness shouldn''t be neglected."


    Cicely was not buying it, "I want to sleep right now. Is it yourprehension at fault, or did I not


    make myself clear? And you, get out." Her gaze shifted to Seth.


    "If you really don''t want to see me, then let the doctor do his job, and I''ll be gone as soon as he''s


    done. Or is it that you actually don''t want me to leave?"


    Cicely scoffed, "I know that''s reverse psychology, but I really am annoyed with you right now."


    She looked up at the doctor, "Go ahead, and then disappear from my sight."


    Feverish and shaken, Cicely wasn''t exactly in great shape. In the end, the doctor only prescribed


    some medicine and instructed her on how to cool down. After Seth insisted he treat the wound on


    her heel, the doctor finally left.


    Cicely perched on the edge of the bed, her cold gaze fixed on Seth standing beside her.


    "Seth, what, you''ve developed a taste for pestering me?"


    "It''s not just your privilege."


    Cicely paused for two beats, then emotionlessly slid off the bed. Seth caught her arm, "What are


    you doing?"


    "I admit I''ve been clinging to you, but have I ever stopped you from taking a shower?"


    "You can''t shower now."


    She looked at him, then down at her dirty, disheveled dress. "Can''t shower?" She looked back up at


    him, her eyes filled with sarcasm, "Are you trying to make sure I remember the scent of another


    man on me?"


    His grip on her hand faltered, his voice low and dark, "He didn''t touch you."


    "I think you know his characters almost as well as I do. Do you think he would be able to control


    himself? He touched me."


    Seth''s grip on her arm tightened, his eyes piercing into her, "He didn''t. Shut up..."


    Cicely felt as if today was her day of suffering, every pain converging on this moment. Her head


    ached, her arm ached, her foot ached, and her heart ached.


    "I was alone with him in a room, do I know what happened, or do you? Seth, he did touch me. He


    pinned me to the bed, held my shoulders down, and started ripping at my clothes..."


    Recalling the event made her voice tremble, "He tried to kiss me..."


    The tension in the air snapped like a taut wire suddenly cut. Cicely felt her arm might break under


    his grasp. The helplessness and fear from before flooded her mind, making the physical pain she


    felt now seem trivial.


    "Do you know how disgusting he was, or are all you men the same, getting aroused by any


    woman..."


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    "Shut up!" Seth''s voice was a sudden explosion,den with pain and anger.


    Cicely was stunned for a moment, then felt a severe pain in her arm as she was almost dragged


    into the en-suite bathroom. She had barely steadied herself when the showerhead above suddenly


    drenched her, her breath catching, unprepared for the sudden deluge and the sound of tearing


    fabric. Seth had violently torn her dress in two, peeling it from her body.


    "Seth, what the hell are you doing?!" She screamed, covering herself in horror.


    Seth stood there, soaked to the bone, his hair stered to his forehead, his face a canvas of dark


    madness and violence. His eyes were sharp as knives, looking as if they could slice someone to


    pieces.


    Cicely felt a chill, remembering how he had kicked in the bathroom door earlier that night. And now,


    he stood before her with a restrained ferocity, calmly discarding his suit jacket before tossing it aside


    and fixing his deep gaze on her.


    She retreated in shock, but he suddenly pressed her shoulders, unsympathetically pinning her


    against the wall behind her.


    The aura emanating from him was terrifying, even more so at such close range.


    "Where did he kiss you, huh?"


    Seth closed in, his ck eyes threaded with visible red veins. His voice,den with extreme danger,


    seemed ready to tear her apart.


    Cicely shook her head, scared, "He didn''t..."


    Her body was suddenly pressed harder against his, almost crushing her into the wall.