Chapter 1989


    He pressed himself against her, hisrge hand sping her wrists, one leg propping her up as his


    lips deviated from their initial trajectory. The fiery kisses trailed down her skin, biting down hard at a


    sensitive spot, guiding her inch by inch toward an inevitable surrender.


    He enveloped herpletely, leaving no room for her to move. Each tremble, each bite at her neck,


    each shiver that followed the glide of skin on skin exhausted Cicely of all her strength.


    The terror she had faced that night shattered her facade of resilience. Tears welled up in her eyes,


    their bitterness threatening to spill. "Seth, please don''t. I''m scared."


    At her tremulous voice,den with unspoken grievances, Seth froze, his lips still pressed against


    her neck but motionless.


    "Seth, Ray almost forced himself on me tonight. Are you going to do the same to me like he did?"


    Slowly, Seth withdrew, looking down at her with eyes still bloodshot, yet the fierceness and cruelty


    seemed to recede.d2


    Tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrobly as Seth''s gaze followed their path, lingering at her


    jawline, then settling on the swell of her chest highlighted in the soft glow of the light.


    His eyes darkened a shade.


    Her corbone heaved in irregr spasms as if she carried the world''s sorrows on her shoulders.


    Seth felt it too, the weight of her despair, pressing down on him, softening the edges of his own


    hardened resolve. He wiped away her tears, noticing her eyshes tremble with fear at his touch.


    His hand was wet, yet the tears felt strangely prominent between his fingers. He leaned in, resting


    his forehead against hers, his voice a hoarse whisper of contrition. "Sorry."


    Cicely''s eyes quivered, a single tear clinging to hershes.


    The fierceness of a moment ago was now reced by a tenderness she had never seen. "What day


    is it even?" she thought, facing a side of Seth she''d never known.


    "Leave, I need to shower."


    After sensing the danger had passed, she spoke softly, her words interrupted by a sob.


    Seth watched her for a moment, then quietly offered, "I can help you shower."


    "I can do it myself."


    Her whole being radiated resistance, and Seth didn''t insist any further. After a pause, he simply


    said, "You have fifteen minutes."


    And with that, he let her go. Drenched, he grabbed a towel, drying his hair as he left the room.


    Cicely waited until the bathroom door closed behind him before finally letting down her guard. She


    adjusted the water temperature and stripped off her clothes.


    When she emerged fifteen minutester, Seth stood by the window, now in dry clothes that hung a


    bit loose on his frame. He turned at the sound of the door, the harshness gone from his face


    reced by aposed and distant coolness.


    He strode towards her with long steps and effortlessly lifted her, cing her on the bed.


    "Got a thing for picking people up today, huh?" The difort in her body and the pain in her foot


    brought Cicely back to reality.


    Seth crouched down, lifting her foot onto his knee. He removed the soaked band-aid, cleaned the


    wound gently, and applied a new one.


    Cicely watched in silence as he took care of both feet. "Where is Danielle? You just left her there?"


    Her soft voice broke the stillness of the room.


    With no expression, Seth ced her foot into a slipper. "Were two ps enough to calm your


    nerves?"


    Cicely scoffed, "Do you think that''s enough? After tonight, Danielle and I have a lifetime to settle."


    "Why care about her then?" Seth stood up and grabbed a hairdryer from the nightstand.


    Cicely fixed her gaze on him, "I only care about myself."


    He turned on the dryer, silent but with a warm breeze.


    Cicely let him dry her hair.


    "My presence tonight was an ident, almost ruining your ns, so I should apologize, but in the


    end, it was just Danielle being reced by me in your scheme. I guess there’s no need for sorry."


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


    Seth''s hand froze in her hair.


    "Maybe I like you too much. I always find excuses for you, then convince myself on your behalf. I''ve


    been thinking since I hid in the restroom, why tonight of all nights? You knew Ray was pursuing


    Danielle. Bringing her tonight meant to y the guardian angel but then you handed her to Ray.


    "You drugged him, didn''t you? He wasn''t just drunk. That waiter was your man, wasn''t he? You used


    Danielle for the party, then pushed her away to achieve your ultimate goal, right?"


    Her exterior was calm, but inside she trembled with the weight of her deductions. She had thought


    of these possibilities in the hotel bathroom, dismissed them, revisited them on the drive home, and


    again in the shower. The only usible conclusion was the most chilling. She didn''t want to believe


    it. That Seth could be so ruthless and calcting.


    Even though she loathed Danielle to the core, she couldn''t fathom what Danielle would be like once


    she knew the truth.


    "Do you pity her?" Seth asked, his voice even as he resumed his task.


    Cicelyughed bitterly, "Am I crazy? Pity her? No, I just think..."


    "You think I''m terrifying. That someday, I might do something simr to you." He interrupted her,


    stating the facts without emotion.


    Cicely fell silent for a moment, "I''m also worried if Danielle had truly been taken advantage of by


    Ray tonight, would you feel guilty enough to take responsibility for her for life?"


    "He wouldn''t have seeded."


    Cicelyughed softly, "So that''s it then."


    If something had happened to Danielle, Seth would never abandon her.


    Seth''s fingers threaded through her hair, gripping the side of her ear, pulling her towards him. He


    leaned in close, his gaze dark and fathomless, like the abyss itself.


    "Scared, are you? I''m ruthless, my methods are filthy and my temper violent, so you''re frightened.


    Does it seem like I''m a wolf in sheep''s clothing, a far cry from the knight in shining armor you''ve


    always pined for? Do you want to break up with me, huh?" His voice was low and deceptively soft,


    yet it carried an undercurrent of danger. It was as if a single nod from her, a whisper of ''break up'',


    would lead him to crush her without a second thought.


    Cicely closed her eyes, unable to hide her exhaustion, "Fear is in the past, I''m tired and I need to


    rest. After all, it''s not quite right to use her and then just leave her there. Go pick her up and bring


    her home, will you?"


    She brushed off his hand and slid under the covers.


    Seth stood by the bed, his presence as cold as his prating stare. She was pushing him away.


    Earlier tonight, even just a couple of hours ago, she had been exceptionally averse to him getting


    too close to Danielle in any sense. And now, she was the one suggesting he should go to her.


    "You want to break up with me?" he asked again.


    Cicely, with her eyes still shut, replied, "I''m not sure. Do you need an answer right now? Because if


    you do, I can think about it now."


    Seth watched her form for a long time before he finally said softly, "No. You sleep first."