Chapter 1992


    Danielle watched as Seth cradled Cicely in his arms and walked away, her mind swirling with


    Cicely''s recent words.


    "He probably feels some kind of debt towards me. I''m okay now, so I can afford to feel relieved that


    it was me who took the hit tonight. If it had been you, his guilt would have shifted to you. And if you


    wanted to take advantage of that guilt to make him stay with you, it might just work."


    "There are so many kinds of love. It doesn''t always have to be romantic to be together."


    Patty''s words from Cicely''s debutante ball suddenly crowded Danielle’s thoughts at this moment.


    She hadn''t understood then, but now, she was beginning to. It didn''t have to be love that brings


    people together, guilt could do the trick too.


    "To be with the one you love makes you a winner in life. You must learn to be content and not ask


    for too much."


    Patty''s words from the past now seemed to resonate deeply within her, but it seemed Cicely had


    beaten her to the punch.d2


    Seth felt guilty towards her. He felt guilt for not protecting her tonight. Everyone could see that the


    power in their rtionship had never been in Cicely''s hands, but now, it seemed to have shifted to


    her. As long as she yed her cards right with that guilt, Seth would stay by her side.


    And the one who made it all possible was Danielle.


    Cicely stepping in to stop any further pursuit had also given Erik and Creighton a way out. Digging


    deeper wouldn''t change anything.


    "Issac, see her out," Creighton ordered coldly, motioning towards Danielle.


    Issac nodded, stepping outside to make the arrangements.


    Erik''s gaze on Danielle was heavy with disappointment and chill.


    "How can two kids raised under the same roof turn out so different, one with such a selfish and


    spiteful heart?"


    Danielle felt deste and met his words with a bitterugh. "In your eyes, she''s always been the


    better one."


    Erik took a deep breath. "No one''s beenparing you two. It''s you who''s made her your rival all


    these years. You both are Ellis'', and her sesses don''t threaten you, nor do yours affect her.


    Eventually, the family legacy will belong to just you two, and no one wishes more for you two to get


    along than us. Forget it, if you were going to change, it wouldn''t have taken till today. You''re grown


    with your own mind, and we can''t constrain you. Pursue your dreams if you wish, but if you''re going


    to measure yourself against Cicely, just stay with the Ellis family. We can afford to keep you."


    "No need. I''ve been a thorn in your side for years, and I don''t deserve to be a freeloader." With


    those final words, she turned and left coldly.


    Erik''s brow knitted in frustration.


    Creighton''s breathing grew heavy, he sank into the sofa, his head lowered, struggling to get over


    the hurdle.


    The tension in the air thickened, and Brody felt a sense of helplessness beside him. "Sir, perhaps


    Miss Danielle is just more sensitive since she''s an orphan. Her attitude over the years might stem


    from being hung up on her mother''s story."


    At the mention of this, both Erik and Creighton''s expressions shifted slightly.


    "If she''s unsatisfied, she should take it up with me. It was solely my decision to stop her mother


    from entering our family. She has no right to take it out on Cicely."


    Brody said no more. Creighton had always worried that living with Erik might make Danielle


    ufortable or even worsen their conflicts, which was why he allowed her to stay, but it hadn''t


    changed anything.


    After a while, Creighton sighed and waved his hand dismissively. "Let it go, Dad, don''t bother with it


    anymore. Tonight, Cicely... it didn''t lead to irreversible consequences, so let it be."


    Again with ''let it be.''


    Brody stood aside, watching Creighton''s helpless demeanor, feeling a pang of sympathy. Time and


    again, it was Creighton who made the concessions because of Danielle.


    Family skeletons were meant to stay in the closet, and no matter how ruthless, one couldn''t cut off


    their own flesh and blood, especially the only child left by his own brother.


    "Sir, perhaps you should stay here for the night. It''s gettingte." Brody tactfully changed the


    subject.


    Erik, not wanting to go through any more trouble, nodded in agreement.


    *


    Cicely was ced back into bed by Seth, burrowing beneath the covers.


    "I really feel awful right now, so do the smart thing and leave. You must have a lot to deal with, just


    close the door on your way out."


    Seth watched her turn her back to him as usual, standing still for a long while before finally turning


    to leave.


    Exiting the Ellis family home, he took out his phone, which had been vibrating all night. It was filled


    with calls from Patty. He gave it a cursory nce and then switched it off.


    *


    The next morning, the events of the previous night had fully fermented and exploded. Negative


    comments and skeletons from the past were dragged into the light.


    Fans of their signed artists were moring for contract terminations, and scripts under


    Ray’s management faced a near-universal boycott.


    The turn of events was within Seth''s expectations except for one thing—Ray’s crippled.


    He had never considered it.


    Even when he decided to use Danielle, he had never thought he''dy a hand on Ray. But who


    could have foreseen it woulde down to Cicely?


    Uneptable.


    He had wanted to shelter her from the darkness and filth of society, keep her untouched by its


    ugliness. How then could he bear to see her consumed by it?


    Destroy Ray? He had wanted to kill him.


    Seth sat alone in his office, his expression as frosty as the atmosphere, the room itself felt like it


    was in the grip of winter.


    Suddenly, the door swung open. Patty stormed in, her shawl tight in her grip, her face set in a


    stormy expression.


    Seth gave her a brief nce before turning away, picking up a document from his desk. He didn''t


    say a word, allowing Patty''s uing tirade to unfold.


    His indifference only fanned the mes of Patty''s fury. "I specifically asked you to help Danielle


    shake off Ray''s obsessive grip, Seth, but instead you practically gift-wrapped her and handed her


    over to him. What the heck were you thinking?!"


    "She wants to act, and Ray''s got the connections and the clout in the theater scene. She wants it,


    and she didn''t say no. It was her choice."


    Patty squinted at him, a fierce glint in her eyes. "And was it her choice when she almost got raped


    by that bastard? You can''t keep seeing Cicely. Call it quits, now. If we''re talking crushes, Danielle''s


    probably head over heels for you too. Personality-wise, Danielle''s a way better match for you. And


    let''s not forget, because of your negligence yesterday, Danielle almost got herself in a real mess.


    Do you have any idea how devastated a girl with a spotless reputation can be if she''s nearly raped?


    You are responsible for this, Seth."


    Seth looked up, his gaze icy as he met Patty''s usation. "If you''re so keen to bring upst night''s


    fiasco, then you should know it wasn''t Danielle who nearly got raped."


    Patty scoffed with disbelief. "She was asking for it."


    A frown creased Seth''s brow.


    "She''s narrow-minded, jealous because you''re getting too close to Danielle. She went to that party


    of her own volition. Nobody invited her. If she gets in trouble, she''s asking for it."


    After a moment, Seth''s stern features suddenly twisted into a mocking sneer, apanied by a


    low, cold chuckle. He tossed his pen onto the desk and leaned back in his chair, his posture rxed


    but his voiceced with a frosty edge. "So, if my girlfriend Cicely gets into trouble, she''s asking for it,


    but I''m supposed to take responsibility for Danielle? Isn''t that a bit hypocritical?"


    Patty had never seen Seth so wickedly nonchnt, and for a second, she seemed utterly lost.


    "So you''re that eager to set me up with Danielle, huh? She''s all grace and poise, a perfect match for


    me." Seth reached for a drawer to pull out a cigarette, but then he stopped himself and pushed it


    shut. "Since she''s so graceful andpliant, does that mean I can parade around with other


    women, push them onto someone else, and then take responsibility when things go south?"


    Patty''s face was a picture of disbelief. "You... what?"


    "At that point, will this perfectly suited, adoring woman be able to stay calm and magnanimous,


    weing them into our lives?"


    Patty stared at Seth as if he were a creature from another world. "Have you lost your mind?"


    "Am I crazy?" Seth''sugh was tinged with sarcasm. "I''d have to be out of my mind to agree to take


    Danielle to that party, knowing full well it would cause drama with Cicely."


    Patty''s brow furrowed as she digested Seth''s words, her expression suddenly turning ashen. "Don''t


    tell me you had an ulterior motive for taking Danielle to that party."


    "Curious about my motive?" Seth''s smile was thin. "The current state of Ray’s family is my motive."


    Patty''s eyes widened in shock. "So you... you deliberately set Danielle up."


    "Too bad Danielle ended up pushing Cicely out in the end." The icy humor in Seth''s eyes faded as


    he spoke.


    "What do you mean Danielle pushed Cicely out?" Patty stopped mid-sentence, her puzzled gaze


    freezing as it met Seth''s. It seemed unthinkable, yet her rational mind told her it was exactly


    something Danielle would do.


    "Cicely said she was actually relieved it was her and not Danielle. Because if it had been Danielle, I


    might have felt guilty enough to agree to be with her. But as it stands, it wasn''t Danielle.


    “The truth is, I''ve put up with Cicely smashing my car and creating a scene, and I never thought


    about breaking up with her. But I still decided to take Danielle out. Because, from the get-go, I never


    intended to take responsibility for her.


    “I ignored Danielle at the party, I didn''ty a finger on her when we got back to the Ellis estate, and


    the fact that she''s still fine now is the most dignity I''ve afforded her—just because I nned to use


    her from the start."


    Seth looked straight at Patty. "After all this, do you get my point? If you think my attitude doesn''t


    matter, go tell Danielle that I only wanted to use herst night. See if she''s heartbroken or just


    upset, and if she still wants to keep her crush on me."


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Patty was speechless. She was filled with confusion and doubt about Seth.


    When had he be so hard and merciless? When had he be so ruthless?


    "Why did you change like this? You''re just..."


    "If I don''t change, the world will leave me behind. Do you think I want to live the rest of my life


    branded as some trophy boy living off a woman?"


    Patty finally understood it. Her eyebrows knitted together as her voice took on a sharp edge. "Is it


    because of Cicely?! What are you plotting? Because she''s the Ellis family''s precious daughter,


    you''re doing all this just to prove you''re worthy of her, aren''t you?! For her, you''d sacrifice


    Danielle..."


    She caught her breath, horror dawning on her. Her son, her own flesh and blood, could be such a


    terrifying person.


    For Cicely, for Millie''s daughter, he''d be this obsessed.


    But why?


    Why was it that Millie had two men so fiercely in love with her? One, who wore his heart on his


    sleeve while the other, loved humbly and silently. The man openly in love with Millie was the same


    man Patty herself cherished, and the other was Patty’s own husband, who professed his love for


    her and pledged to nurture and protect her for the rest of their lives.


    She had thought that not marrying the man she loved and instead settling for a man who loved her


    was the right choice. Yet she hadn''t expected that Tod didn''t love her at all; he loved Millie, who was


    in Creighton''s arms. He facilitated Millie and Creighton''s love, trapping her in his world for a lifetime,


    all to give Millie a peaceful life.


    One was heartless, and the other was aplete fraud.


    She hated Millie. She hated Millie for ruining her life.


    But why? How could her son fall fr Millie’s daughter?


    Seth''s mom had always been the epitome of poise and grace, but now, as she stood before him,


    herposure was shattered like a dropped porcin vase. The usually serene Patty was a storm


    of emotions, her voice sharp as broken ss.


    "Seth, you can''t fall for Cicely, not Millie''s daughter. You just can''t! Do you hear me?!" Patty''s voice


    pitched into hysteria, her bodynguage screaming of a control slipping away.


    Seth''s brow furrowed in concern as he rose to his feet. Patty, her elegant shawl crumpled on the


    floor, clutched her head in her hands, her eyes zing with distress. "Millie, Millie, Millie, why is it


    always her? Why can''t I ever escape her shadow?!"


    Themotion in the office had grown too loud, and secretaries from outside, fearing the worst,


    rushed in only to find Patty in the throes of near madness.


    "Out!" Seth barked coldly, and the onlookers scurried away, closing the door behind them with a


    click.


    Seth reached for Patty''s shoulders, trying to steady her, but she suddenly grasped his hands, her


    face a canvas of desperate pleading and appeasement. "Do you hear me, Seth? Be a good boy,


    and listen to your mother, won''t you? You can''t... you mustn''t fall for her daughter. Isn''t Danielle


    good enough? She''s the apple of the Ellis family''s eye, and she''s my best friend''s girl, she''s


    wonderful. If not her, then any other girl, any girl at all, just not her."