Chapter 2036


    "Misunderstood?" Cicely''s drowsy eyes suddenly sharpened as she gazed at the handsome face


    just inches from hers. A gentle smile tinged her eyes, "If such misunderstanding warrants a penalty


    for self-justification, then what about when you misunderstand me? Shouldn''t I consider how to


    punish you?"


    Seth''s face held the same amused expression, yet a chill seemed to seep into his smile. "Go ahead.


    Punish me any way you see fit."


    Cicely slightly tilted her head, calmly and seriously meeting his gaze. "You must feel pretty


    confident, thinking that because I''m so into you, any punishment will be trivial and painless."


    Seth pinched her beautifully curved jawline, "So, ask yourself, do you really have the heart to give


    me a severe punishment, huh?"


    Cicely raised an eyebrow and ran her hand across his face, her lovely eyes brimming with


    tenderness.


    "I couldn''t bear to."d2


    Capturing the emotion in her eyes, Seth felt a subtle stir in his heart, his fingertips gently caressing


    her smooth chin, "You like me that much?"


    Cicely was candid, "Mm-hmm." Her hand moved from his face to his cor, fiddling with it, "But have


    you ever heard, love and hate are two extremes. The more one loves someone at the start, the


    more they might hate themter?"


    A coldness crept into Seth''s warm and smiling eyes, but Cicely''s gaze remained yful, her eyes


    and brows soft with flirtation, "Don''t worry, though. Even if that dayes, which I doubt it will. I


    wouldn''t choose to hate you."


    It felt like a bee sting to the nerve, his dark eyes fixed on Cicely for a long time before he cracked a


    faint smile. He let go of Cicely''s chin and stood up straight. His shirt was already missing two


    buttons that Cicely had undone; he casually unfastened the rest.


    "I''ll let you off tonight. It''s still early, so be good and wait for me."


    He turned to leave and then paused, "If you''re not obedient, I''ll have to wake you up my way."


    Cicely had no desire to find out what his method of waking her might be. So when Seth emerged


    from the shower, Cicely was propped up in bed, engrossed in a video game. She nced at him,


    then refocused on the still unfinished game.


    Seth climbed into bed and snatched the phone from her hands. Cicely didn''t react strongly, "Is there


    something you need to tell me?"


    "Yeah, join me at the office tomorrow morning."


    While talking, he swiped and tapped on her phone screen.


    Cicely frowned, "I don''t know anything about business, what am I supposed to do there?"


    "If you knew even a little, you wouldn''t need to tag along with me to the office first thing in the


    morning."


    "Do I have to go?"


    "Aren''t you the good little girl? Do you think your dad asking you to learn more is him picking on you


    for no reason?"


    Cicely frowned, still resistant.


    "Whether it''s your life now or in the future, your only sure bet is the Ellis family. Your dad won''t


    manage the Ellis family forever. If one day, shareholders take advantage of a weak moment and


    start eating away at you, swallowing up the entire Ellis family, you won''t even know where to cry.


    Don''t be naive, thinking everyone around you is harmlessly benevolent."


    "Does that include you?"


    "Including me."


    Cicely fell silent.


    "The Ellis family is mine, isn''t it yours too? What''s there to argue about?"


    "Anything, only when truly in your own hands, is secure."


    Cicely watched him quietly, "What makes you insecure? You think one day I might leave you? Or


    maybe you want to leave me one day without concern?"


    Seth''s fingers froze. Turning to her, his gazes were unfathomably deep.


    His voice chilled further. "It sounds like you''re quite convinced you''ve fallen for a man who leaves a


    trail of broken hearts."


    "I''m just saying. But beyond these two reasons, is there anything else?"


    Seth''s expression didn''t improve, and he didn''t speak.


    Cicely''s eyes shifted, the shadow in their depths reced by a shallow smile. "I shouldn''t be so


    quick to assume. In fact, instead of you being unhappy, you should be reflecting on why I harbor


    such ufortable suspicions."


    Seth handed her phone back, "I''ve downloaded some files to your email. Read as much as you can


    before sleep, and ask me about anything you don''t understand tomorrow."


    Cicely took the phone, the document app he had just downloaded for her was filled with a blur of


    text. "What will you be doing?"


    Seth nced at her, then got out of bed, lifting the covers. "I''m not happy right now, and I need to


    reflect. Naturally, I can''t stay by your side and affect your mood."


    Cicely watched him get up, grab a coat, and walk out. Her face looked troubled. Cicely understood


    all too well; it wasn''t about reflection. The man was throwing a tantrum.


    ＊


    Seth stayed in his study for two hours. Approaching eleven at night, he stood up, his face looking


    worse than before.


    Back in the bedroom, the lights had dimmed, leaving only a nightlight by the bed. Seeing the


    woman sleeping with the phone in her arms, his anger reignited.


    Heartless woman.


    He slid into bed, taking the phone from her hand and nced at the document she hadn''t closed.


    It was the same one he''d opened for her before leaving. He then looked at her peaceful sleeping


    face and sneered.


    No wonder Creighton was in a rush to find her a reliable man.


    Locking the phone and tossing it aside, he watched the woman sleep in disarray, his face cold as he


    pulled her into his embrace.


    Cicely, used to the man''s arms and scent, shiftedfortably against him, mumbling drowsily.


    "Done sulking?"


    For a moment, Seth wanted to wake her up, maybe keep her up all night. But after her one


    sentence, she fell silent again, and any further pursuit would seem petty.


    ＊


    He wasn''t petty; the next morning, he woke Cicely with a kiss that was more reviving than a cup of


    strong coffee. Even for school, Cicely rarely awoke this early. Already prone to morning grumpiness,


    she was even more irate when robbed of breath.


    Shoving Seth away, she kicked him hard a couple of times. "Are you out of your mind?!"


    Seth shed a mischievous grin as he swung his legs out of bed, "Time to rise and shine, off to the


    grind."


    "No way! I am not going." Cicely yanked theforter over her head in protest.


    "Better show your face." Seth''s voice carried a serious note.


    Cicely didn''t budge.


    "Are you really gonna make me do this the hard way?"


    After a moment, Cicely flung theforter off with a huff, sat up, and lobbed his pillow straight at


    him, but what strength could she muster just out of bed, and with a pillow at that?


    Seth was close by, and the pillow barely registered upon impact.


    "I''m so over this, I''m not going to the office."


    Seth bent down, picked up the pillow, and ced it back on the bed, "I''m going to get ready. If I


    don''t see you up by the time I''m out, I''ll just carry you to the bathroom. If you don''t want me to wake


    you up for the second time, then go back to sleep."


    Cicely gritted her teeth in frustration. As Seth turned away, the corners of his lips curled into a sly


    smile.


    Frowning, she threw the covers aside and stomped off to the bathroom, where Seth was busy


    squeezing toothpaste onto his brush. He watched her grumpy reflection in the mirror.


    With a subtle raise of his eyebrows, he shifted aside to give her space.


    Cicely approached, took her brush, and Seth, as if on cue, applied toothpaste to it. She nced at


    their reflection. Seth nonchntly ced the toothpaste tube aside.


    Eyes back on her task, she started brushing. It was not like she needed his help with something as


    simple as toothpaste. The frothy white bubbles conveniently hid the slight smile of her lips.


    After breakfast, they headed to the Ellis Corporation together.


    "How much of the document fromst night did you read?" Seth pretended not to know anything.


    "About two pages. So what am I supposed to do at the office, exactly?"


    Seth just smiled and didn''t respond.


    Reaching the office, Cicely understood why he hadn''t mentioneding in yesterday. He had


    prepared a new desk and chair in the corner, waiting for her immediate deployment.


    "The documents are on theputer; you can keep reading there."


    Cicely turned her face away, "Computers have radiation."


    Seth seemed to anticipate this excuse, "There are printed copies avable."


    Cicely fell silent. She felt like no matter what excuse she came up with, Seth would have an answer


    for it. Reluctantly, she moved to the desk and found a pile of folders.


    "Mark anything you don''t understand, and we can go over it together."


    "What will you be doing?"


    "Off to a C&P meeting."


    Cicely frowned, "You''re leaving me here alone?"


    "Are there wolves in the office now?"


    "Just focus on the reading; I''ll be back by noon."


    Cicely opened her mouth to retort but held back. "Just go."


    Seth nced at her before leaving the office.


    Her eyes had been darting around, a clear sign she was up to no good. What could she possibly stir


    up in the office?


    In fact, after Seth left, Cicely did take the documents seriously for a while, making plenty of marks


    with her pen, but within half an hour, the pen was discarded, and her phone was out.


    Forty minutester, she left the office, returning after another half-hour to Seth''s desk. She


    rummaged through the drawers, fiddled with the decorations, then took a pen and doodled on a


    ck leather notebook she found inside.


    Eventually, she yed with her phone and then, noticing the time, went back to her desk and the


    documents.


    As promised, Seth returned before noon. Cicely sat there, the picture of a model student.


    "How much did you get through?" he asked.


    "It''s a bit challenging since it''s new to me, so I''m on the third file."


    "Just three files in a whole morning and you''re proud of that?" His sarcasm stung.


    Cicely bristled, "Mr. Diaz, the fact that I''m even sitting here is a miracle."


    Seth approached his desk, noticing the ck notebook she had taken out. Flipping it open, he


    found her doodles—a passable cartoon portrait, and their names written in a confident, mboyant


    hand.


    Cicely saw her ''artwork'' and flushed slightly, but quickly adopted an air of nonchnce.


    Seth pursed his lips and took a deep breath, "Anything you didn''t understand?"


    "Yes."


    "Bring it here then."


    Instead, Cicely tidied the documents away. Seth waited for an exnation.


    "I''m hungry," she dered as if it justified everything.


    Seth pinched the bridge of his nose and sank into his chair. "Lunch is on its way. Come over here."


    Already prepared? Noints there.


    Still, she grudgingly clutched the files and approached him. Before she could reach him, his long


    arm pulled her into an embrace. "What the heck, Seth? This is an office," Cicely said, leaning back


    with a wary expression.


    "Cicely," his grip tightened around her waist, his voice deep and serious, "Who''s the one taking


    liberties here, huh?"


    "What do you mean?"


    Seth chuckled softly, "Back in the day, you''d concoct all kinds of schemes to get me to tutor you.


    Sweet and respectful. Now, you can''t even be bothered to hide your impatience and this half-


    hearted attitude. If that''s not taking liberties, what is?"


    Cicely arched an eyebrow, "Respectful? That''s because I harbored intentions towards you, and it''s


    intentional, Mr. Diaz."


    Her candid admission reeked of impunity, but Seth had noeback, "So you don''t feel like


    harboring intentions towards me anymore?"


    "With our current rtionship, that would mean cheating, Mr. Diaz."


    Seth was momentarily speechless.


    Cicely, feeling victorious, smiled, "What''s for lunch?"


    "Trust me, it''s to your taste."


    Seth pushed her away and leaned back in his chair, turning to face hisputer, his expression


    and voice cold.


    Cicely watched him—


    The man was annoyed again.


    Lunch was fetched by Charlie from a local diner, indeed Cicely''s favorite. But Seth seemed to have


    no intention of joining her.


    "Aren''t you eating?"


    His response was drowned out by the rhythmic cking of the keyboard, punctuated by a t "Not


    hungry." His mood was as frosty as a winter''s breeze. The entire office was suffused with the


    unmistakable vibe of ''he''s upset, and it''s a big deal''.


    "You expect me to eat all this by myself?" she asked, her brow furrowed as she gestured toward a


    tableden with food, while he didn’t even bother to nce her way.


    "If you can''t eat it, leave it. Nobody said you had to finish everything."


    Cicely narrowed her eyes and huffed, "Then I guess you''ll be sleeping alone tonight."


    Seth looked up at her with an icy gaze.


    She settled onto the couch and picked up the elegantly wrapped silverware, stating coolly, "Nobody


    said we have to sleep together every night. If you can''t sleep, wait until you''re sleepy."


    Seth''s handsome face was stoic, "How long are you nning to keep up this attitude with me?"


    Cicely yed the innocent, "Isn''t it you who''s been in a mood?"


    "Are you sure you want to keep butting heads with me?"


    The grip on her silverware tightened before rxing. "Just eat."


    Seth continued to watch her.


    "Eat with me, and I''ll sleep with you."


    Seth fell silent.


    *


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    Seth had been at the Ellis Corporation since the afternoon, holding two meetings, and had stayed in


    his office.


    Cicely wanted to ck off, but under Seth''s watchful eye, that wasn''t easy. Besides, with him


    summoning various department heads for updates on all sorts of tedious reports and progress


    reviews, the office atmosphere was tense and serious. As the well-known heiress of the Ellis family,


    even if it was just to maintain image for her father, she couldn''t afford to be seen as cking off.


    As the end of the workday approached, Cicely found most of her attention stolen by the department


    leaders'' trembling, overly respectful demeanors and their every word. She hadn''t made much


    progress with the paperwork, but Seth hadn''tmented on it.


    "Let''s go downstairs for a bit. Mom''s shopping nearby, and we''ll drive her home in a while."


    Cicely''s brow twitched, "I should probably let my dad know."


    "No need, I''ve already told him."


    Cicely murmured an acknowledgment and moved to the door to put on her coat.


    Together, they descended the stairs, but Patty hadn''t arrived yet.