Chapter 2022


    Charlie stopped mid-sentence and nced at Seth.


    Seth, lips pressed tightly together, made his way over.


    Patty stepped aside with a frosty look as he opened the office door and followed him in.


    Charlie faintly heard Patty ask Seth, “Do you know why I came today?”


    That question… He scratched his temple and shifted to the side.


    Just then, the elevator dinged at their floor, making Charlie''s heart skip a beat. He knew this was


    trouble. Before he could think of what to do, he saw Cicely stepping out with two bags in her


    hands.d2


    He hurried forward, reaching to take the bags from her. “Ms. Cicely, you might need to wait a bit


    longer. Mr. Diaz is still in a meeting.”


    Cicely gave him an extra look, “Charlie, you feeling okay today?”


    With a sheepish grin and a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead, Charlie replied, “Yeah, I’m fine.”


    Cicely rarely invested her thoughts in others and didn’t take much notice of Charlie''s odd behavior


    today. She headed straight for Seth''s office. “It’s fine. I can wait for him in his office, I’m not in a


    hurry.”


    Charlie tried several times to stand in her way, not keen on her nearing the office, but each attempt


    faltered before action. Such an obvious refusal would make the problem too apparent.


    “Ms. Cicely...”


    “Seth!”


    Cicely''s silhouette paused at the office door.


    The former was Charlie''s final, helpless plea. Thetter, a sharp rebuke, came from Patty inside the


    office.


    Charlie closed his eyes, especially embarrassed when Cicely silently nced his way.


    “What are you trying to do? Warning Danielle to not talk too much in front of me? If you don’t want


    to worry me, then why don’t you just agree to her? She’s not without merit. Numerous talent


    agencies are vying for her. Now she wants to sign with you, and you treat her like this? Rejected her


    several times? She can’t even get an appointment with you? Is that reasonable?!”


    “This is mypany''s business. I can judge whether she''s qualified.”


    “What kind of judgment do you have? Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. Is it because of


    Cicely again? How much more are you going to cater to her?”


    “If you know I’m trying to please her, then stop bringing up Danielle’s issues and causing me


    trouble.”


    Cicely frowned from outside the door.


    Pleasing? Talking about pleasing her in front of Patty? She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head,


    subconsciously wanting to hear more.


    “So, how much does Danielle have to suffer? If wasn’t Danielle’s identity, signing her would be the


    obvious choice, right? You said Cicely is nice and understanding. If you exin it to her, she


    shouldn’t object.”


    “If everyone is so keen on Danielle, she’ll get better treatment elsewhere than from signing with me.


    Are you sure you want me to bring up Danielle’s case in front of Cicely, who has harbored


    resentment for her?”


    Patty took a deep breath, “But Danielle joining yourpany is just a matter of time.”


    “Definitely not now.”


    Seth''s tone finally broke through his restraint, showing a hint of impatience.


    Cicely''s hands at her sides clenched tightly, her gaze shadowed by a faint gloom.


    Silence fell in the office for a moment, and Patty’s next words were less heated. “What about


    Danielle then? Seth, I’m warning you, Danielle is set on acting now. When you weren’t the same


    circle, it’s all good, but now that you''re in the same industry, you must look after her. Don’t use


    Cicely as a shield. If you really care, you''ll manage it.”


    Still hopeful, she added, “If you directly sign Danielle and look after her, that''s only right. Even if


    Cicely finds out, she can''tin.”


    “If she truly encounters a problem, I’ll consider helping. But for now, when I say I won’t sign her, I


    mean it.”


    “Fine. I’ll talk to Danielle, but remember, by next year, after you’ve married her and, as you said,


    secured the Ellis family’s influence and shares, you better sort this out. I must be crazy to actually


    agree to let you marry her.”


    Cicely’s heart skipped a beat, and suddenly her legs felt weak. She stepped back, feeling


    lightheaded.


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


    Charlie, who was too far from the office to hear the exchange, approached Cicely with concern, “Ms.


    Cicely, are you alright?”


    Cicely''s hands trembled slightly as she looked up at Charlie, her beautiful face expressionless, her


    voice as calm as water. “I need to use the restroom.”


    Not two minutes after she left, Patty emerged from the office.


    Charlie entered next. He ced the two paper bags on the coffee table. Seth was sitting in his chair,


    his face a mask of brooding darkness. “Mr. Diaz, Ms. Cicely brought these from the Lucky Spoon.”


    Seth’s gaze lifted slowly, the storm in his eyes yet to dissipate, his voice low and strained, “Where is


    she?”


    Startled by Seth’s demeanor, Charlie replied hesitantly, “She’s in the restroom.”


    Seth’s attention finally shifted to the paper bags on the coffee table. “Did you get the cake?”


    “I just sent someone to pick it up; it should be back soon.”


    “Alright.” Seth pinched the bridge of his nose and stood from his chair, moving towards the door.


    Charlie quickly stepped out, “I’ll check if the cake has arrived.”


    Shortly after Charlie left, Cicely returned. Seth was now seated on the couch, havingid out the


    soup and a few side dishes, the coffee table half-covered.


    Seth caught Cicely''s entrance from the corner of his eye, his features indifferent as he nced her


    way. "Don''t tell me you skipped lunch."


    Cicely locked eyes with him for a couple of seconds, offering a half-hearted smile before


    approaching. "I did, actually."


    Seth furrowed his brows. "What on earth were you doing that you missed lunch?"


    "I dropped by the wedding nner''s office, then window-shopped at a couple of bridal boutiques."


    She settled beside Seth, her gaze fixed on his face as she approached, searching for any hint of a


    reaction. But whether she was too naive or Seth was too good at hiding his feelings, Cicely couldn''t


    read anything out of the ordinary. His smile was measured, and when he spoke, smile tinged his


    voice. "Spot any dresses that caught your eye?"


    "Well, I only hit three shops. Saw some pretty ones, but I think there might be something better out


    there."


    "Did you try any on?"


    "Isn''t trying on dresses something you''re supposed to do with me?"


    Seth cradled a bowl of porridge, spooning a taste and offering it to Cicely''s lips, which she epted


    with an open mouth.


    "Yeah, maybe this weekend I’ll have some time." He spoke only after seeing her obediently swallow.


    Cicely picked up a fork, spearing a bite of side sd and popping it into her mouth with a satisfied


    squint. "Sounds good."


    Seth fed her another spoonful. "Eat up, okay?"


    Taking the spoon from him, Cicely responded, "You should look at tuxedos too."


    Seth just chuckled nomittally, reaching for another bowl of soup.


    As they neared the end of the meal, there was a knock at the office door. Setting down his bowl,


    Seth called out, and Charlie came in bearing a cake.


    "Ms. Cicely, this is a sugar-free cake Mr. Diaz specifically asked me to pick up for you."


    "Thank you."


    Cicely turned towards Seth with a beaming smile. "So nice. What do you want as a reward?"


    "Any reward I want?"


    She nodded. "Of course."


    Seth raised an eyebrow, looked at her and said, "How about you throw some of your shares my


    way?"


    "Sure." Cicely pulled the cake closer without a hint of hesitation.


    Seth gave her a longer look, his smile fading a touch. "A cake for apany?"


    "What''s mine is yours, isn''t it? In the end, I''m up one cake, right?"


    Seth fell silent, leaning back on the couch, watching as she casually forked cake into her mouth.


    "Do you even know what owning even one percent of the Ellis Group’s shares means?"


    Cicely tilted her head in thought. "Lots and lots of money?"


    Seth pursed his lips. "Not wrong. One percent of a huge sum could equal the profits of a five-star


    hotel for at least a decade, not counting future appreciation."


    "Well, that’s the Ellis Group."


    Her expression wasn''t particrly surprised; she’d known the Ellis family was wealthy since she


    was a child.


    "But that''s my dad''s, and it will be yours in the future. If you''re counting on me, a hundred five-star


    hotels wouldn''t be enough for my adventures."


    After saying this, Cicely looked at Seth with a smile. "So, I guess you’ll be taking care of things,


    hubby?"


    Seth''s eyes narrowed slightly. "What did you call me?"


    "Hubby? Isn''t that right?" Cicely''s face was the picture of innocence.


    Seth eyed the cake in her hand. "Is the cake good?"


    "Delicious."


    "You''ve had quite a bit. Aren''t you tired of it?"


    "I''ll stop after this piece. If you didn''t want me to have so much, why buy a whole cake?"


    "I wanted to make sure you had enough, not that you''d eat it all. The room''s got toiletries if you


    need them." He gestured towards the hidden lounge.


    Cicely popped thest bite of cake into her mouth, then sighed contentedly, patting her belly gently.


    "Looks like I might have to hit the gymter."


    Seth''s gaze flickered over her t stomach, his lips tightening.


    As Cicely opened the lounge door and stepped inside, a warm pressure suddenly pressed against


    her from behind. She was nudged into the room, instinctively turning her head in confusion. A force


    encircled her waist, and before she could react, she found herself pinned against the wall.