Chapter 2033


    Seth raged at her, but she just chuckled coldly in response, unfazed by his fury.


    "Does that bother you, Seth? Have you ever thought about the kind of attitude you''re expecting from


    me?


    You want me to act as if nothing''s happened? I''ve been doing just that for a long time, but it seems


    like it hasn''t worked."


    Her lips twisted into a defiant smirk.


    "Or do you want a full-blown showdown? What for? To make you neglect Danielle? To forbid you


    from making up for your neglect towards her, turning you into some heartless jerk?"


    Suddenly, Seth''s eyes, filled with rage, froze.d2


    She had actually considered all of this.


    Tears rimmed Cicely''s eyes, yet sheughed, "A confrontation would mean putting you in a tough


    spot between two women. Do you think that would be easier for you? Fine, now that everything''s


    out in the open, can you honestly let Danielle go?"


    Seth''s lips pressed tightly together as he faced the woman before him, defiant and dripping with


    sarcasm.


    "When she''s fully recovered," he finally said.


    With a softugh, Cicely nodded, "Just as I expected.


    And then what? What do you expect me to be like in your presence?"


    Seth remained silent.


    "The Ellis family has given me enough pride tost a lifetime, Seth. I''ve always looked down on


    Danielle. I warned her to stay away from you because she was a nuisance, buzzing around with her


    intentions clear as day. It was disgusting, like watching a fly. I''ve always treated her that way, and


    she knew it. But now, I feel like a joke. A person I''ve always despised has be my biggest


    threat. I''m worried that one day this person, whom I''ve trampled underfoot, will step on my face and


    laugh at my failure.


    "I''ve thought about you, Seth, maybe too much. That''s why I''ve beenpromising, praying that I


    won''t be the oneughed at in the end. My dignity is in your hands; what else do you want from


    me?"


    Her voice rose as she said his name, her eyes zing with defiance and mockery.


    Seth realized he needed to control himself, like right now.


    Whether Cicely liked him was always clear.


    He knew her attitude was based on her feelings for him, s


    o why did he lose control tonight?


    He embraced her, his voice now restrained and hoarse, his breath warm against her face.


    "I haven''t been good enough, and you have the right to be angry, tosh out at me. But don''t reach


    out to other men, Cicely. I don''t like that."


    "Other men? Oh, I hadn''t realized I am still so attractive. Just a second encounter and I''ve already


    stolen a heart. You don''t like it, so I can''t do it. Is that it? It seems you''re well aware of how much I


    like you, that''s why you can say such things so easily.


    "If you''re aware, then there''s no need to bring it up again. I like you, so I won''t give other men a


    chance. My feelings aren''t so cheap, not until I truly believe they''re worthless."


    Her expression briefly turned chillingly cold and dismissive before she pushed him away and left for


    the bathroom without a word.


    "Go eat if you haven''t. I''m not in the mood for dinner with you."


    *


    After a shower, Seth was still in the bedroom, now in his pajamas, with damp hair, clearly post-


    shower as well.


    Cicely blow-dried her hair tonight. Mainly because she had been staying with Seth recently, and this


    habit of not blow-drying her hair had been gradually changed by Seth.


    She didn''t want to deal with hismands or his somber face because of wet hair, and tonight, she


    didn''t want him drying it for her either.


    Seth''s gaze habitually swept her hair before watching her slide under the covers with a calm


    expression.


    "I''ll call Charlie back tomorrow, but I''ll follow up on Danielle''s condition until she''s healed. I promised


    her a new show, and that''s it. No other promises, nothing else between us. Your worries won''t


    happen," he said, standing by the window.


    Cicely, her hair now loose,y down. She spoke, waiting for his response.


    "You''re making amitment tonight. You''ll take care of her until she''s better, you''ll secure her a


    career-making show, and then no more ties with her, right?"


    "Right."


    "Good. I trust you."


    What other choice did she have?


    Her response was neutral, but she gave the reaction he needed.


    He wasn''t satisfied, but couldn''t pinpoint what more he wanted.


    He moved to the bed, unwilling to ept her turning her back to him.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Perhaps knowing what Seth might do next, Cicely spoke first.


    "Have you ever thought about the day I might leave you?"


    Seth paused, then pulled her into his arms.


    Cicely faced his chest, eyes wide open, waiting for his response.


    "No, I haven''t thought about it. You won''t," he said with conviction, as if he knew her through and


    through.


    Cicely''s eyes flickered, then closed, "I can''t imagine it either."


    The bedroom light went off, and the woman in his arms'' breathing evened out.


    Seth, eyes narrowed in the dark, gazed at the wardrobe''s reflected patterns, his arms still tight


    around her.


    Would she leave him?


    How could she?


    If he didn''t want to let go, how could she possibly leave his side?


    But the moment the question arose, a flurry of panic surged in his heart, as if the mere spection


    of such a day could tear a gaping hole in his chest, with no way to mend or fill it.


    *


    True to his word, Charlie came back, and first thing the next morning, he made a point to check in at


    the apartment in person.


    It was Monday, and Cicely had school. She hadn''t sleptte the previous night and had woken up


    early.


    Seth took it upon himself to make breakfast that morning, and Cicely answered the door for Charlie.


    Their meeting was marked by a smile that was almost too eager to please. "Ms. Cicely, I''m here to


    take you to school."


    He was the one who usually waited in the car downstairs. Today, he made the extra effort toe


    up, his intentions as clear as day.


    Cicely couldn''t be bothered to call him out on it. She tossed him the car keys. "There are two picture


    frames in the trunk. Bring them up for me."


    Charlie caught the keys deftly and immediately went downstairs.


    Soon after, he was lugging two frames—onerge, one small—into the living room.


    Cicely tore off the packaging, revealing two brand-new, well-designed frames. Therger one held a


    photo of the two of them together, and the smaller one was a solo shot of Cicely.


    Charlie, by her side, saw the images too. When Cicely nced his way, he gave an awkwardugh.


    "Ms. Cicely, you look stunning."


    Cicely shed a wry smile. "Go find some tools in the storage room and help me hang them up."


    "Sure thing."


    As Seth emerged from the kitchen with breakfast, he heard Cicely''s voice and found her directing


    Charlie on how to hang the frames by the bed. She was in a wedding dress, and he in a suit—it was


    a moment captured without him remembering when.


    Her tone suggested she was in a good mood.


    "A bit to the right."


    "Be careful with the wall. Don''t make it ugly."


    "And mind my picture. If you ruin it, you can make amends with your life."


    It wasn''t a particrly hard task, but Cicely''s words had Charlie sweating bullets.


    Seth approached, his gaze briefly sweeping over Charlie, his voice cool and steady.


    "It seems you''re quite at ease with Charlie around."


    Cicely''s lips curled into a small smile. "Of course, after all this time, Charlie and I ought to have built


    some rapport."


    Charlie nearly leapt out the nearby window.


    This was surely Ms. Cicely''s way of getting back at him.


    "Time to eat."


    Seth''s chilly voice came from behind. Cicely didn''t move. "A little more to the left. There, that''s


    perfect."


    Charlie exhaled in relief, only for Cicely''s voice to rise again. "There''s another frame. Hmm, hang it


    in the study. What are you doing?"


    "Time for breakfast."


    Seth''s face was a mask of displeasure as he pulled her away, almost forcefully.


    After breakfast, Seth and Cicely left the apartment together.


    He dropped her off at school before Charlie took over the driving duties to head to the office.


    The school was abuzz with the scandal involving Santino from yesterday, but Cicely checked online


    only to find that, thanks to Santino''sment outside the restaurant the previous evening, his fans


    chose to stand by him, rejecting the rumors. It was only after Santino''s studio issued an official


    statement denying the affair that the matter finally settled.


    A few people mentioned her, but it didn''t make a ssh.


    She wondered if her reputation in P City wasn''t strong enough, or if someone had deliberately


    quashed the story.


    Cicely didn''t dwell on it.


    Once it was over, it was over.


    Later, Santino sent her a message, apologizing for any trouble he might have caused.


    Cicely felt some responsibility too, but in the end, the matter was resolved, and it was best to let it


    go.


    However, the brief interaction with Santino had confirmed some of his words for her.


    For instance, the usually busy Seth had taken the time to drive her to school in the mornings, pick


    her up in the afternoons, and have dinner with her in the evenings.


    She could tell he was genuinely busy at times, but he never let it interfere with his work.


    His efficiency visibly increased.


    Yet, it was clear he was getting tired.


    Women don''t need men to tell them how busy they are because they''ll always find reasons to be


    understanding and to feel for them.


    They''ll step back,promise, and willingly forsake their desires to amodate them.


    Like her, she wished Seth would continue spending time with her, but she didn''t want to see him


    exhausted.


    Thankfully, it was only for a week.


    *


    Cicely spent a day resting at home during the holiday.


    The next day, she received a message from Issac: [Danielle was causing trouble at the hospital


    again.]


    Starting some simple rehab exercises had reignited her pain and weakness, leading to another


    emotional breakdown.


    If Cicely didn''t know Danielle was truly crippled, she would have suspected it was all an act to


    garner attention.


    It had worked for her before.


    Danielle''s room was in disarray.


    It showed signs of being cleaned up, but that was no match for Danielle''s deliberate mess.


    Cicely visited around noon, bringing lunch from home.


    Danielle''s edgy bravado seemed to wane upon seeing her, her demeanor shifting to a feigned calm


    as she faced Cicely coldly.


    "Here to gloat over me again?"


    "There are a lot of people far more entertaining than you. Now, other than lying in bed, what''s so


    interesting about your little performance art of throwing things around?"


    Danielle scoffed. "Cicely, I may be broken now, but it won''tst forever. I won''t suffer all this for


    nothing. Everything I''m enduring now, I''ll im back double someday."


    Cicely opened the food container, letting the aroma of the meal waft out.


    Hearing Danielle''s words, her grip on the container''s edge tightened.


    "Danielle, I really don''t like you. I despise you so much that every word out of your mouth sounds


    like a conspiracy to me. For example, all this suffering you''re enduring, nearly crippled, experiencing


    inhuman pain—I suspect it''s all part of your grand design."


    Danielle''s hands clenched the nket. After a few seconds, sheughed derisively. "Funny, I hate


    you just as much."


    Cicely''s smile was thin. "You''re not even on my level. Your misery in bed has nothing to do with me,


    nor does it mean everyone owes you something. But remember, Danielle, you still owe me."


    Cicely nced at the caregiver beside her, who promptly set up the tray table and arranged the


    lunch before Danielle.


    Danielle looked down at the spread that could be consideredvish, a sarcastic smirk forming on


    her lips as she turned to Cicely.


    "What''s this supposed to mean? I thought I was in debt to you? What''s this, kill me with kindness?"


    Cicely couldn''t help butugh as if she had just heard the funniest joke.


    "When have I ever been anything but spiteful in all these years that you could use that term to


    describe me?"


    Danielle''s face turned sour with malice.


    A frostyyer settled over Cicely''s eyes too, her voice as cold as ice, "I''m not one to turn the other


    cheek. But don''t you worry about me poisoning you; you''re hardly worth the effort of exacting such a


    price. What goes on between us is our own business, but my visit today has everything to do with


    you and Seth. After all, you risked your life to save him, and as the one he loves the most, it''s only


    natural I take care of some nuisances for him while he''s tied up with other matters."