Chapter 2047


    Charlie''s stride halted, his fury cresting. "What..."


    Camden shrank back, tears streaming down his cheeks. "My son and wife are in his hands, Mr.


    Diaz. I can''t risk their lives for thepany. I''m just a regr Joe, busting my hump for the firm, and


    I''m willing to do that. But I can''t put my family''s safety on the line. It''s just not fair. Why me..."


    Seth was silent for a long moment. Charlie watched his expression carefully, but it was as calm as a


    still pond, eerilyposed. "How long would it take to start over?"


    Camden, still cowering, thought for a second. "It’s a six-month job. If we work our ass off, two


    months."


    Seth closed his eyes.


    The wedding next month... It was toote.d2


    "Go find Ray, see if he has a backup ready."


    Camden nodded eagerly, "Right, right, right! Maybe he still has a backup. We need to find him fast


    before he leaks our program."


    Charlie jolted into action and dashed out.


    *


    Seth spent the whole night in his office, waiting for Charlie''s response. Ray had suddenly be


    their only hope.


    At the school, Cicely had fallen asleep at her desk numerous times, her rest fitful and uneasy. She


    had hoped it was all a dream, but each time she woke, the reality of her surroundings and the two


    busy figures nearby brought a suffocating feeling. Anxiety and helplessness welled up, followed by


    silent tears.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    The thought of Seth, who had spent two years and a fortune on this, potentially facing ruin was


    unbearable.


    Disappointment? Regret? Defeat? Despair?


    She didn''t want to see him like that. Just the thought was heart-wrenching enough.


    He could me her and they could not get married, but she couldn''t bear to see that look on his


    face.


    Issac had been by her side the whole time, pained to see her this way. As dawn broke, he stepped


    out to buy breakfast. Two portions for Joel and Joel’s friend. The remaining one he ced before


    Cicely.


    The school cafeteria''s offerings were always the same - buns and oatmeal.


    Joel and his friend, having worked all night, didn''t stand on ceremony. They munched on the buns


    without taking their eyes off their screens. The room filled with the hearty scent of the steamed


    buns.


    Cicely woke again, and Issac pushed the bag toward her, "Have some breakfast."


    Cicely, groggy, looked around, sniffed at the bag, then her face turned, and she bolted from the


    room, hand over her mouth. Issac followed quickly.


    Outside the room, Cicely leaned against the wall, heaving with nothing to bring up.


    Issac handed her water. After rinsing her mouth and quenching the churning in her stomach, she


    settled down.


    Issac, concerned, draped her dropped jacket over her and whispered, "I''ll take you to the hospital."


    Cicely shook her head, "I''m fine. Just didn''t sleep well."


    She sat down by the flowerbed, pulling the jacket tight around her, and sniffed. "I can''t stand the


    smell in there. Can you check on their progress for me? Can they crack it?" Pale and weak, her


    voice barely held strength.


    Issac reluctantly left her to ask Joel about the progress.


    Joel looked worn but hopeful, "We should be able to do it. We''re trying to interface and modify, but


    we can''t give a definite timeline. Just tell her to hang in there and that it''ll work out."


    Issac nodded, "Thank you."


    He reported back to Cicely. Despite being promised a certainty, no answer made sense to her


    without getting a sessful decoder break.


    She looked up at the brightening sky, biting her lip in worry. "Issac, what do you think Seth will do


    when he finds out the program is gone?"


    After a pause, Issac replied, "He won''t lose it. He''s young but steady. Even with something like this,


    or if he ever fails at something, he won''t act irrationally."


    Cicely''s swollen eyes reddened again. "But he''s been working on this for two years."


    Issac avoided her pained expression, "Everyone faces failure once."


    "But I want his life to be smooth. I don''t want him to face failure, especially not because of me."


    Guilt and the harshness of reality made Cicely''s heart ache with every thought. She hung her head,


    tears falling, drop by drop.


    Issac approached, gently cing a hand on her head, soothing her. "The data won''t run away from


    the sh drive. They''ll crack the program sooner orter. You really don''t need to worry this much.


    Speak to him clearly, and he will understand, especially since you did it for his sake. Even if it''s not


    recovered, it hasn''t leaked, and these programs are made by people. They can write them again;


    it''s just a matter of time."


    Cicely''s mood steadied with Issac''sforting logic. She looked up, "What time is it?"


    "Seven. What you need to do now is get some good sleep, then exin things to him at the


    company."


    "But he''ll be worried if he finds out. I can''t sleep."


    "There are two hours until work starts." Issac held her back as she tried to rise, "You can definitely


    sleep for two hours before going to thepany. I booked a room for you in the hotel next door. Go


    rest a bit."


    Cicely felt truly awful, and this time Issac was insistent. She acquiesced and went to get some rest.


    ...


    Yesterday, Patty dropped by the set to see Danielle. Danielle promised to show her around the


    studio city that evening, so they ended up staying at a hotel.


    The next morning, they were up early, ready to head back to the city center. After they finished


    breakfast in their room and packed up, they headed downstairs.


    Just as they were about to walk out the front door, Danielle was suddenly grabbed by the arm by


    someone who appeared out of nowhere. She let out an instinctive scream.


    "Danielle, it''s me."A familiar, anxious voice rang out. Danielle snapped back to reality and saw that it


    was Ray.


    "What... how..." She nced at a startled Patty and quickly shook off Ray''s hand. "Let go of me!"


    Ray didn''t let go, but looked around and took out a cellphone from his pocket and handed it to


    Danielle. "Danielle, I really like you, but I can''t expect you to be with me. This is thest thing I can


    do for you. I hope you get what you want, and I wish you happiness."


    "Also, don''t go to Diaz International before noon to see Seth. If you want to talk to him, you can ask


    him to meet you somewhere else."


    Danielle was confused, "What are you talking about? Why can''t I go to Diaz International, and why


    should I go see him..."


    "Danielle, I''m out of time, I have to go. Just remember what I said."


    Ray kept an eye on his surroundings as he spoke, then abruptly cut Danielle off, pulled his cap


    down low, and hurried away.


    Patty, frowning at the scene, asked, "Who was that guy? All sneaky like a fugitive. What''s with the


    phone? Is there something important on it?"


    At that moment, Patty''s driver approached, and after greeting them, Danielle linked arms with Patty


    and they walked down the steps.


    "Let''s check it out in the car."


    *


    After finishing his breakfast and taking a stroll outside, Creighton received a call from Patty. Right off


    the bat, Patty''s shrill voice almost pierced someone''s eardrums.


    "Creighton, you sure raised a piece of work! She’s so heartless and ruthless, the Diaz family can''t


    afford to have her, nor would we dare. This wedding is off! Forget it! I will never agree to let her


    marry into the Diaz family in my lifetime."


    If Patty had just criticized him, Creighton wouldn''t have minded, but she started off by belittling his


    daughter to nothing, and Creighton''s temper red. "Patty! What''s gotten into you this early in the


    morning? Where did Cicely wrong you to deserve such strong opinions?!"


    Patty snorted, "Where did she wrong me? She nearly ruined Diaz International. Where do you think


    she wronged me?! Is she at home? If so, tell her toe to Diaz International right now. We''re


    going to settle this today."


    After Patty hung up, Danielle suggested, "Patty, Ray advised us not to go to Diaz International this


    morning. Let''s ask them to meet us somewhere else instead."


    "Why can''t we go to Diaz International?! Since when does my family''s territory depend on his say-


    so."


    With thepany on the brink, it was understandable for Patty to be livid. Now with her chest


    heaving with indignant rage, her fury was palpable. "I always knew she was a curse, and yet I had


    to be entangled with her. We got nothing from the Ellis Group but managed to drag Diaz


    International down first. What a disaster!"


    "To Diaz International!" Patty almost roared at the driver. Danielle frowned but seeing Patty''s raging


    and domineering demeanor, didn''t dare to speak up and just apanied her to Diaz International.


    *


    Creighton was left confused and annoyed after being yelled at and abruptly hung up on. He wanted


    to call Cicely to ask what was going on, but considering the time, she might still be asleep. Instead,


    he called Issac, only to find his phone was off.


    His brow furrowed in concern.


    He immediately called Seth.


    Seth''s phone was picked up quickly, and he sounded exhausted.


    "Seth, did you and Cicely have a fight?"


    Seth paused, "No."


    "Then why did your mother just call me wanting to call off the engagement, badmouthing Cicely like


    she''s the worst? Are you with Cicely now?"


    "No. There was an issue at thepanyst night. I didn''t go home, I''m still here. She was out with


    friendsst night."


    "I see. I hope everything''s fine. I can''t reach her. Could you try? By the way, your mother mentioned


    that there was a problem at thepany. What happened?"


    Seth pursed his lips, "I''ll contact Cicely right away."


    "Alright."


    Creighton hung up feeling unsettled, especially since Seth avoided talking about what happened at


    thepany. Given Patty''s hysterics on the call, he worriedly sent Brody to check on Diaz


    International.


    *


    Cicely had no intention of sleeping. No matter how ufortable she was, she couldn''t close her


    eyes, so she just took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and left the room.


    Issac had been waiting at the door, and seeing her like this, he sighed deeply. "Going to Diaz


    International?"


    Cicely nodded.


    "Want to grab some breakfast first?"


    Cicely shook her head.


    Issac no longer insisted. They headed straight for Diaz International.


    Upon arriving at thepany, they saw Charlie, looking exhausted.


    Cicely thought that with such a big issue, Seth would definitely be at the office, even on a weekend.


    That was the logical conclusion. "Charlie, is Seth in his office?"


    Charlie looked up, his gaze locked on her with an unfamiliar blend of anger and sarcasm. "In the


    Engineering Department."


    His tone and terse reply caused a hitch in Cicely''s heart. She pressed her lips together tightly and


    with a dim expression, she muttered, "I''ll go up and find him."


    Issac followed Cicely this time, apanying her upstairs. The office was eerily quiet on the


    weekend.


    Cicely instructed Issac to wait at the door while she pushed open Camden''s office. Three pairs of


    eyes turned to her in unison.


    Patty and Danielle stood before Seth, seemingly in the middle of a conversation with him.


    Camden’s desk was in disarray, theputer tower and monitor now separated and strewn across


    the room.


    Her first nce was towards Seth, whose bloodshot eyes met hers with an unfamiliar coldness and


    ferocity. "Sleep wellst night?" he asked, his voice raspy to the extreme.


    Cicely gripped the door handle tighter and after a brief silence, mustered the courage to speak.


    "Seth, I didn''t go homest night. I came back to the officete..."


    "Is it because you spent the night partying with Emiliana that you didn''te home?"


    Seth''s gaze never wavered from her, each question sounding like an evasion of something else.


    Cicely bit her lip and shook her head, "No, that''s not it."


    Seth''s eyes darkened, and he looked away. "As long as you haven''t been cheating on me behind


    my back, there''s no issue. I''m busy now, you should leave."


    Cicely nced at the chaos of the office. As she was about to open her mouth to say something,


    Patty''s shrill voice suddenly cut through the air. "That’s it? Seth, did you even hear what we just told


    you, or are you deliberately ying dumb?"


    "She deliberately sabotaged your two-year project! Doesn''t this mess prove it? The confidential data


    is gone, and theputer is trashed. All your efforts are wasted, and Diaz International might go


    under because of her. This evil woman!"


    Cicely''s frown deepened as she turned to Patty and Danielle, who was smirking behind her. "How


    did you know about it?"


    Patty, teeth clenched in anger, pointed at her, her eyes red with fury. "Listen to her! She admits it


    and you still don''t believe it?"


    Cicely, however, stepped closer to Danielle, her gaze sharp. "I''m asking you, how did you know


    about the data wipe?"


    With a crisp p, Patty''s hand struck Cicely''s face hard.


    Seth''s eyes shook violently, and he abruptly stood up from his chair. Issac, having heard the


    commotion, burst through the door and shielded Cicely behind him.


    Patty, now in a rage beyond control, red at Cicely. "What right do you have to confront Danielle


    like this? After what you''ve done, you still act so superior. It''s shameless!"


    Issac''s expression was icy. "Madam, the situation isn''t clear yet. Please calm down."


    "Not clear? What more rity do you need? Does this suffice?"


    Sheughed mockingly, pulling out a phone from her bag – the one Ray had given Danielle – and


    after pressing something, tossed it onto the desk before Seth.


    A familiar voice began to y, its rity allowing one to imagine the speaker''s expression at the


    time:


    "Everyone knows that Seth is cold and aloof. The most important things to him are his mother and


    Diaz International, left to him by his father. My affection for him is no secret, and even though we''re


    set to marry, he''s never said he loves me. I don''t know when he might leave me, so I thought, if I


    could control something so important to him, he wouldn''t just walk away. You''re well aware his


    mother favors Danielle, and to this day her desire to set him up with Danielle is still alive and well.


    There was no way for me to break in from his mother, so my sights were set on Diaz International.


    "I''ve mentioned transferring Diaz International to my name a few times, but he''s resisted, saying


    that if the software development fails and thepany faces losses, then Diaz International would


    easily fall into my hands. Honestly,pared to the Ellis Group, Diaz International is small fry.


    Whether it fails or not, its value is irrelevant to me; I just want it.


    "My goal is topletely destroy this program. Diaz International will then face huge bank loan


    issues, then the Ellis family will help, and Diaz International will fall into my hands.


    "There are no cameras, no proof of who did it. He has no reason to suspect me.


    "Mr. Ray. If I''m to destroy, I''ll do it thoroughly. I know a bit about coding. If you move these files with


    a regr USB, any engineer here could recover the lost files exactly. What''s the point of what you''re


    doing?


    "That USB is infected with a virus I had specially prepared for today. Once plugged into the


    computer, it will automatically destroy everything inside, including theputer''s operational data,


    resulting in both data destruction and hardware failure."


    …


    Ray''s voice was interspersed, but it no longer mattered.


    Cicely''s face, which didn''t have much of a color to it, wentpletely pale all of a sudden.


    Instinctively, she looked towards Seth, who was also looking back at her, his eyes slowly morphing


    from grim to mocking, and he even let out a coldugh. "You''re quite something, obliterating even


    theputer''s operational data. You''ve done a thorough job indeed."


    Cicely shook her head frantically and approached him, "It''s not like that, Seth."


    Suddenly, Seth raised his hand, batting away hers as she reached for his arm. Cicely staggered,


    steadying herself on the nearby desk.


    “So what is it?” Seth eyed her coldly, his gaze like nailsced with frostbite, piercing through her


    nerves inch by inch. “You’ve mentioned more than once that you wanted to get your hands on Diaz


    International, and you’ve even talked about tearing it down. I thought you were just being flippant,


    Cicely. All this time, you find everything dull, and you can''t stand to look at a singlepany report


    as if it’s like pulling teeth, but you''re oddly fascinated by those intricate programming codes, always


    scurrying off to the engineering department. What''s the deal with that, huh?”


    “Which words on the recording would you say are not true? Maybe you''re right about one thing.


    Without surveince, I''d have no reason to suspect you. But you’re wrong too. There’s no


    surveince, just the audio.”


    Danielle stood to the side, her gaze fixed on a crack in the floor, a smirk tinged with irony ying


    across her face. It looked like she didn’t have to lift a finger; Cicely was done for.


    Cicely felt terrible, her head was spinning, and her heart ached.m“Seth, I did say those things on


    the recording, but none of it was true. I only said that to trick Ray.”


    Seth narrowed his eyes and turned to look at her, his clenched fist resting slowly on the desk beside


    him. It seemed like he was thinking, trying to believe Cicely’s words, looking for a way out for her.


    But at that moment, Danielle suddenly spoke up, “If it was just to trick Ray, having him copy the files


    onto a sh drive would have been enough. Why did you remind him that he might get caught, and


    to destroy the evidence thoroughly if he was going to do it? Don’t you see the contradiction in your


    words?”


    That one sentence from Daniellepletely overturned all of Cicely’s exnations.


    Seth’s eyes flickered, and when he looked up again, they had returned to their previously dark and


    cold state. Just as Cicely was about to bring up the matter of the sh drive, his look silenced her.


    At the same time, four uniformed officers stepped in.


    Patty quickly said, “You guys are from Department of Justice, right? It’s her, she conspired with


    others to maliciously destroypany secrets, causing significant losses, and the evidence is


    irrefutable. Please take her away immediately. We’re preparing to press charges.”


    Seth’s brow furrowed slightly as he turned to look at Patty, but Patty went on, handing Ray’s phone


    over to one of them.


    Hearing the words ‘Department of Justice,’ Cicely’s head shot up, her expression a mix of panic as


    she looked towards the tall, imposing man beside her. “Seth, are you suing me? Are you going to


    press charges against me?”