Chapter 2013


    Slipping out of his shoes, Seth casually shrugged off his jacket as Patty stood up, turning to face


    him with a questioning look. "Where''s Cicely?"


    “Why are you looking for her?”


    "Don''t y dumb with me." Patty''s cold voice cut him off sharply. "I know you two have shacked up


    together. I told you the other night, as long as you agreed to get Danielle a spot on the show, I''d turn


    a blind eye to your antics. But what did you do? You get Danielle on set, and Cicely throws a fit,


    pping her in front of everyone and trying to force her to leave. You were there—you know what


    went down. The Ellis family may spoil her rotten, but why should I?"


    "I told you I wouldn''t meddle in your affairs as long as you kept your word about Danielle. But this?


    This is a whole different ball game. If you don''t know how to break it to her, then I will."


    Patty''s gaze followed Seth as he entered the house without a moment''s pause, heading straight to


    the kitchen. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and turned to see the untouched dinner on


    the table.


    He hesitated for a moment, then walked back out.d2


    "Are you even listening to me?!" Patty''s voice rose, her emotions teetering on the edge of control.


    "Look, I did agree to bring her onto the show. But what happens after that? You didn''t specify, and


    I''m not obligated to baby her if she gets roughed up.


    "If she''s decided to join this industry, then she''s got to toughen up. Today it''s Cicely, and there will


    be someone else tomorrow. Let''s face it, she didn''t get in on talent. People will always whisper


    about the backdoor deals and the talent squeezed out because of her. Might as well get used to it."


    Patty''s brows knitted together. "So I should be thanking Cicely for pping Danielle, is that it?"


    Seth set the water bottle on a cab by the balcony, his indifferent gazending on Patty. "Cicely


    wouldn''t hit her for no reason. If it was just about bringing her on set, she wouldn''t lose her cool like


    that."


    "There''s no good reason to hit someone!" Patty retorted, her distaste for Seth''s obvious bias was


    almost visceral.


    Seth''s eyes turned icy. "Then go ask Danielle. Would she rather it be Cicely who hit her, or would


    she prefer if I''d done it myself?"


    Patty gasped, "You..."


    "Cicely wouldn''ty a finger on her just because of the show. While you''re busy feeling sorry for


    Danielle, maybe consider why she was hit in the first ce."


    Seth clearly wanted to end the conversation. "Tell her to straighten up. I didn''tmit to her even


    when times were good, let alone now with her constant scheming. It only makes me dislike her


    more. And as for our rtionship," he gestured between them, "I''m sure you can distinguish it from


    what she has with you. Let''s not let here between us, okay?"


    Stunned by Seth''s cold words, Patty took a moment to collect herself. "So what about the inte


    fiasco today? Not only was she pped, but now the whole web is mocking her as a ''pretty face


    with no talents'', and the show''s reputation is tanking. You''re not going to hold Cicely ountable?"


    "And who should I hold ountable? If Danielle hadn''t joined the cast, none of this would''ve


    happened. Don''t make me list every little thing to prove that you can''t get favors for her through


    me."


    Patty frowned in confusion, watching him. "Seth, you told me you''d never fall for Cicely. You


    promised there would be no future between you two. Better not get in too deep. You''re defending


    her too much, downying the issue, always making excuses for her. Did she confess something to


    you? It''s clear as day that she orchestrated the online mess to get back at you for bringing Danielle


    in. It''s all about her own twisted jealousy. Otherwise, why would Danielle be targeted out of the


    blue? Anyone could guess that Cicely''s behind it all—who else could pull such strings?"


    Seth pursed his lips, his brow furrowed as if contemting something obvious.


    "Seth, if you really don''t want to hurt her, break it off now. Otherwise, if you catch feelings, or she


    falls harder, it''ll hurt you both even more."


    "Isn''t that what you''d prefer to see?" Seth moved from the balcony towards her. "If there''s nothing


    else, I''ll take you home."


    Patty, feeling like she hadn''t vented her frustrations, walked to the door in a daze, then suddenly


    turned. "So, where''s Cicely? Isn''t she living with you? Why didn''t I see her today?"


    "She went back to the Ellis family."


    "Having a spat?"


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


    "Yeah."


    "You sure are patient with her."


    With a driver waiting, Seth opened the car door, helping Patty in.


    "You''re not going back for dinner?" Patty looked out the rolled-down window.


    Seth smirked. "Now you remember I haven''t had dinner?"


    A bit sheepish, Patty replied, "I was too upset."


    Seth said nothing more, just told the driver to go. Patty, sensing he was done talking, didn''t push


    any further.


    Watching her car fade into the distance, Seth didn''t head back inside but instead took his car keys


    from his pocket and got into the car that he had just parked.


    *


    Cicely emerged from her shower after a lengthy soak, her hair only partially dried. She thered on


    some lotion before sitting at the desk near her window. She pulled out a nail file from her drawer,


    but then, recalling the task she had for Issac, she grabbed her phone instead.


    No message from Issac.


    Cicely wasn''t in any rush to prod him along. She casually tossed her phone aside, kicked her feet


    up onto the chair, and started clipping her nails with a nail clipper.


    The sound of a knock echoed through the room, and without even lifting her head, Cicely called out,


    "Come in."


    The door swung open and she could hear footsteps approaching. She paused mid-clip, turned her


    head, and saw a tall, lean figure striding toward her, with a ss of milk in hand. She frowned. "Who


    said you coulde in?"


    "You did."


    Setting the ss down on the desk, Seth nced down at her, his thin lips curving into a faint,


    nearly imperceptible smile. It was a softer expression than his usual aloof demeanor, one that


    wasn''t entirely unfamiliar to Cicely. She had an inkling of why he might be here.


    She refocused on her toenails. "I thought you were too busy. Found some time to drop by now?"


    "I wouldn''t want to know the consequences of me arriving anyter," he replied.


    Seth watched her curled up in a position that seemed anything butfortable. Circling to face her,


    he pulled a chair over, took the nail clipper from her hands, and, grasping her ankle, ced her foot


    on his thigh.


    Cicely squirmed, but Seth anticipated it and never let go. "Stop fidgeting, or you might end up


    bleeding."


    That got her to hold still.


    Watching his defined hands carefully trimming her nails, she pursed her lips, leaned over to grab


    the milk, and took a sip.


    The asional crisp "click" of the nail clipper was the only sound in the room. After finishing her


    milk, Cicely looked at him coolly. "So, what? You think that just because you''ve sorted things out,


    we can let bygones be bygones?"


    Seth ran his fingertips over her nails to check for any snags, his voice calm and deep. "Who would I


    me?"


    "Me," Cicelyughed softly. "I threatened to kick her out, and then this happens. Anyone would think


    it was me. Don''t you?"


    Once he was sure the nails were done, Seth looked up and set the clippers on the desk. "So did


    you do it?"


    Cicely snorted and withdrew her foot. "Is this a new way of settling scores with me?"


    "I''m not here to settle any scores. Even if you did do it, I wouldn''ty a finger on you."


    She smiled wryly. "I should be grateful for your generosity, shouldn''t I? But really, you wouldn''t do


    anything to me? Have you found something out, decided it wasn''t me, and now you''re here to make


    nice?"


    Seth''s lips curved into a half-smile. "So it really wasn''t you."


    Cicely’s expression darkened immediately. He was baiting her with her own words. She found her


    slippers, stood up from the chair, and faced him. "If there''s nothing else, you can leave. I don''t want


    to see you right now."


    "I''ve skipped dinner and I''m hungry," Seth said, catching her hand as he stood.


    "If you''re hungry, head to the kitchen. There''s nothing for you here. Seth, what are you—"


    Before she could even pause, Seth had lifted her onto the desk. He encircled her, leaving no room


    to escape. "There''s nothing in the kitchen. Only in your room."


    He was so close, his handsome face just inches away, momentarily making Cicely think he was


    trying to charm her with his looks. But her anger, simmering for two days, wasn''t about to be quelled


    by a pretty face. "Don''t try that with me. How infatuated do you think I am with your looks, to believe


    that you can just sh your face and make everything go away?"


    Seth''s gaze slowly swept over her features, and at her words, he let out a low chuckle. "Didn''t you


    just say it wasn''t you? Why so angry?"


    Cicely leaned back slightly, only for Seth to pull her back in by her waist. His smiling eyes locked


    onto hers for a moment before finally resting on her lips.