Chapter 1994
"It''s the least I can do," ude replied.
Seth''s long gaze narrowing slightly at the scene before him. "There''s nothing here that you''re
obliged to do."
Raising an eyebrow, ud withdrew his hand and turned to Cicely. "Do you need me to stick
around?"
Cicely shot him a sidelong nce, her toneced with impatience. "Aren''t you feeling worse than I
am right now? Just go, you''re making me uneasy just standing there."
The look in ud''s eyes changed as they rested on her, a sure sign of his concern.
Seth, witnessing the exchange, felt a shadow pass over his features, his face darkening with a
mixture of anger and something else—something territorial.d2
Sensing the thick hostility rolling off Seth, ud averted his gaze. "Since you''re so worried about
me, I can''t have you fretting any longer. I''ll head out. You''ve got my number. Call me anytime."
"Hmm," Cicely murmured absently, her mind clearly elsewhere, coping with the throbbing pain in her
foot that threatened to knock her unconscious. To Seth, however, her response seemed to carry a
different weight.
As ud left, Seth pursed his lips tightly, silently sitting on the edge of the bed. He nced at
Cicely and then shifted his gaze to her feet.
Cicely flinched.
Seth first reached for her leg, his grip firm despite her attempt to withdraw. She felt his hand tighten
and eventually allowed him to remove her shoe, peel back the cuff of her pants, and slide off herN?velDrama.Org content rights.
sock.
Removing just one sock revealed a foot that was starkly pale against the crimson of her heel, with
blood matted and flesh raw. The fabric sticking to the wound made Cicely''s eyes well up with tears
from the sheer pain.
Creighton inhaled sharply. "How on earth did you manage to do this to yourself? Didn''t you feel the
pain at the start?!"
Seth lifted his gaze, looking at her with a detached calm.
Sniffling, Cicely''s voice was tinged with a cry, "Dad, my foot hurts, and you''re yelling at me. Soon
my whole body will hurt."
Seth methodically removed her other shoe. He held her foot without saying a word.
The family doctor, practically dragged in by Isaac, wore a look of concern upon seeing Cicely''s foot.
"Mydy, aren''t you the one who hates pain the most? How did you not notice such severe
abrasions?" As he spoke, he opened the medical kit with practiced ease, finding antiseptic and
bandages. "Isn''t school starting tomorrow? Maybe you should wait it out. No need to show up in a
wheelchair," the doctor added.
Catching sight of the antiseptic bottle in his hand, Cicely''s eyshes fluttered. "Can you stay away
from me? I hate seeing you."
The doctor chuckled wryly. "I know you don''t like me. If you truly despise me, don''t let yourself get
hurt again." He turned, with tweezers and cotton ball in hand.
Cicely tried to pull her foot back, but Seth''s grip did not relent. Seth met her gaze with a stern face.
"Do you think these feet are expendable?"
Cicely''s face was pale, her vulnerability and weakness now doubled.
Seth turned his gaze back to the doctor, his grasp on her foot tightening. "Treat her."
"I''m in pain!" Cicely''s face turned even paler.
"Apply the medicine." Seth insisted.
"Dad!" She looked to Creighton for help, but he knew coddling her wouldn''t solve anything.
"Just bear it for a moment," he said before stepping out of the bedroom.
"Dad! It hurts!"
After the ordeal of dressing the wound, the doctor, his hair in disarray, looked down at the sobbing
girl on the bed and shook his head hopelessly. "Make sure not to get it wet; otherwise, the infection
will be more painful. Just one painkiller for today. You can''t take any more." he advised before
quickly making his exit.
Seth stood up and lifted her in his arms, supporting her with bent legs. With one hand, he lifted the
nket and gently ced her back down. Her face, already ghostly pale, glistened with sweat on
her forehead and the tip of her nose; her eyes swollen red, and her hair damp at the temples.
"Now you are crying?" Seth''s cold demeanor softened somewhat at the sight of her distress.