Chapter 2101


    Damon wasn''t one for the pleasantries.


    The surgery had been a sess; as far as he was concerned, Seth waking up was just a matter of


    time, the worst-case scenario being a bit of a waiting game.


    Lana''s words fell on deaf ears as Damon''s gaze remained fixed on Cicely, his voice firm, "Once


    should be enough of a lesson. If we drag this out, are you really waiting for him to throw in another


    life for good measure?"


    Cicely''s heart skipped a beat, her emotions betrayed by her face, and Damon, seeing this, was


    satisfied. He turned to Chloe, who was huddled in his arms, and deftly fastened the buttons of her


    trench coat cor. "If you don''t agree to get hitched, I won’t meddle in whether he lives or dies after


    this. But if you do tie the knot..."


    After adjusting Chloe''s coat and tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear with a half-smile,


    Damon''s gaze shifted back to Cicely. "There might just be an absolute stunner of a surprise in it for


    you."


    Cicely''s brow furrowed. "What do you think could possibly surprise me now?"d2


    Damon''s lips curled into a smirk. "If I say there''s a surprise, there definitely is one. If you''re curious,


    why not walk down the aisle and find out?"


    The crowd exchanged nces, wordless. They all knew Damon was breaking his back over Seth.


    He was pulling out all the stops – carrot and stick.


    Kane and Nathan exchanged a knowing look. Damon was going all out for Seth; they''d make sure


    Seth knew it and was eternally grateful to Damon.


    *


    Three days felt like an eternity. Damon''s few words hadpletely spooked Cicely. Seth was still


    not out of the woods, and anything they feared could happen at any moment.


    The ICU strictly prohibited visitors. The round-the-clock vignce was torturous.


    Seven dayster, Seth came to and was moved to a regr room. Cicely, along with Hugo, visited


    him. Her expression was neutral, revealing no emotion.


    Fourteen dayster, Seth was off medical support. Cicely still showed little emotion, visiting at the


    same time every day, just before noon, always with Hugo. They never brought lunch; it was always


    Charlie who brought it, and the three of them ate together. Seth ate his share, Cicely sat on the sofa


    feeding Hugo, and asionally herself.


    Nathan and Kane were daily fixtures, their banter often ending with Seth sending them away with a


    cold nce. Yet the next day, they were back again.


    One monthter, Seth was nning his discharge, and the hospital had given the green light.


    In that month, Cicely had scarcely spoken a few words to him. She came every day, ate lunch with


    Hugo in his room, and then went upstairs to see Erik.


    On the day of Seth’s discharge, Cicely arrived early. Hugo had been restless all night and woke up


    at the crack of dawn. Cicely, roused by his fussing and unable to vent on Hugo, bottled up her


    frustration.


    At 8:30 AM she was at the hospital, Seth no longer in bed. He stood by the window, already


    dressed, and despite the severity of his injuries, he never once appeared disheveled. Seth was


    standing upright at this point, cell phone in his right hand, talking on the phone.


    As Hugo entered, he joyously called out to his father. Seth turned his head, his gaze shifting from


    Hugo to Cicely, unblinking, his thin lips suddenly uttering a few emotionless words. "I''ve got to go.


    Something''se up."


    Cicely had just overheard him say "Don''t press it.," but before she could ponder it, Seth was by her


    side. He grabbed her wrist. "Up with the birds today?"


    Cicely looked at him, her tone detached. "Thanks to him."


    She pushed Hugo toward Seth, feeling jealous.


    Seth looked down as Hugo gazed up at him adoringly, sandwiched between his father and Cicely.


    Seth smiled faintly, ruffled Hugo''s hair, and gently nudged him aside. Taking a few steps forward, he


    enveloped Cicely in his embrace.


    Hugo stood to the side, suddenly feeling superfluous, his little lips pouting. He wandered out to the


    adjoining room, familiar with the ce after a month of visits. On the coffee tabley his unfinished


    coloring book.


    As Seth inhaled the subtle scent of her neck, he spoke, his voice a low murmur in her ear. "You


    haven''t paid much attention to me this month." There was a hint of usation and hurt in his tone.


    Cicely pressed her lips together, her eyes cold as they fell upon the neatly made hospital bed.


    "Does it still hurt?" she asked, her voice frosty.


    Seth hugged her tighter. "Not anymore."


    Silence filled the room.


    Eventually, she pushed him away and looked up into his handsome face, towering over her by a


    good margin. She smiled slyly and then pped his cheek with a swift motion.


    Seth''s face turned with the force of the p, a clear handprint appearing on his chiseled features.


    Yet, there was no other sign of emotion; he remained asposed and aristocratic as if the p


    hadnded on someone else''s cheek.


    Secondster, he turned his head back to face Cicely''s sardonic smile. He took her hand, his


    fingers spreading hers, gently kneading her palm. "Doesn''t hurt?"


    Cicely''s fingertips trembled.


    Seth brought her hand to his lips, kissing it softly.


    Looking up at her again, his expression faltered slightly.


    Cicely''s eyes were red, her voice quivering. "Do you feel relieved now? Like you''ve finally gotten it


    off your chest?"


    As Seth stared at her, he saw the fear, the aftershock, the anger, and even more emotions that


    made it clear to him. Her indifference and calm of the past days had been nothing but a fa?ade to


    suppress and control herself.


    It was as if a tiny outlet had suddenly been forced open, and all the pent-up emotions were bursting


    forth.


    Her chest heaved violently, and suddenly pulling back her hand from his grip, she clenched it into a


    fist and began pounding on his shoulder, her voice strained with tension. "Seth, you''re an absolute


    nutcase. Fucking jerk!"


    Cicely had never cursed anyone like this before. Even when utterly infuriated in the past, she would


    never have expended her energy on blind rage, let alone disy the hysterical outburst she was


    showing now. Maybe she had never been pushed this far before.


    Seth let her beat on him, but as he heard Cicely''s words, he was momentarily stunned. His chest


    roiled, but he couldn''t hide the surge of tion in his heart. He grabbed her hands, pulling her tightly


    into his arms, his gaze burning into her.


    His overwhelming joy was like a sting to Cicely, fueling her anger even more. "Amusing, isn''t it?"


    "You''re worried about me."


    Tears streamed down Cicely''s cheeks, a relentless torrent as day after day, the haunting image of


    him plunging a knife into his own heart yed on repeat whenever she closed her eyes. The


    shimmering silver of the de seemed to shorten inch by inch before her, a cruel mimicry of how


    her own nerves felt severed, slice by slice.


    Though the steel pierced his chest, it was she who felt as if death itself were upon her. As the vision


    slipped through her mind once again, her face turned ashen, her body visibly trembling.


    Seth held her tight, his deep and husky voice a soothing balm in her ear. “Sorry.”


    “I told you I don''t want to hear that word again.”


    “I apologize.”


    Cicely''s breath hitched.


    Seth''s hand glided up her back, “I told you I''d be okay. I do everything with the sole purpose of


    being with you, so nothing''s going to happen to me.”


    “That''s easy for you to say now that you''re okay, Seth. Do you think I''m still the naive girl you could


    easilyfort? Everyone rted to you was there that day, even Damon wasn''t sure he could save


    you. There you were, lying unconscious in the ER, and your life in someone else''s hands. What


    makes you so certain?”


    “Because I have to live. I want to be with you. I owe you. I haven''t yet made it up to you. I can''t bear


    the thought of you with another man. You love me the most, and I can''t let you lose me. You''d be


    scared, lost, taking all the me on yourself, drowning in guilt. I won''t let you suffer alone in this


    world.”


    Cicely bit her lip, her throat tight with emotion, her vision blurred by tears. After a while, she


    suddenly let out a cold, mockingugh, tears streaming down her face. “You say you have to live,


    and so you will. How very mighty of you, controlling fate with such precision. It seems there''s


    nothing in this world you can''t handle, right?”


    Seth reached out to wipe her tears away, kissing the tip of her nose, resting his forehead against


    hers.


    “No,” his voice was hoarse, kissing away her tears, “you know it''s always been you. Ever since you


    first said you liked me, loved me, I''ve been terrified that one day you''d decide you didn''t want me


    anymore.”


    Cicely''s breath caught. She looked up at him, her eyshes wet with dewy tears.


    Seth leaned in and kissed her. “You say you like me, but I''m not that great. I''ve always been worried


    that once your novelty of me wears off, and you realize I''m not as perfect as you thought, you''d


    leave me without hesitation. So I wondered if you would always love me and stay by my side as


    long as I am good enough, strong enough, worthy enough to give you what no one else can."


    She had never heard him open up like this before,ying all his fears bare before her.


    Was he afraid? Afraid her love was just a whim, and she''d let him go...


    Turns out, he was afraid of these things too. She thought she was the only one scared from the


    start.


    Cicely closed her eyes, the feeling all too familiar. “So you''ve always thought my feelings were that


    shallow.”


    “No, it''s that I didn''t understand.”


    He wasn''t born with inherent wisdom.


    “What about now?” asked Cicely.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    “I still don''t understand.”


    Cicely frowned, and Seth lifted her chin, his dark eyes seeming to pierce hers, “So you need to


    teach me well. I''m foolish, it''ll take a lifetime to learn.”


    Cicely''s heartbeat was erratic, but her frown deepened, “I''m not qualified, and I don''t understand


    either.”


    “Great, then we''ll learn and explore together.”


    “Seth, who gave you the impression that everything is just like it was before?”


    “You promised me, and there''s no backing out now, even if you wanted to.” His brow furrowed, his


    tone unwavering, “You''ll see if you can ever leave me.”


    With those words, he leaned down to im the lips he''d longed for.


    Cicely reached out to push him away, but stopped short, not wanting to hurt his wounds. Her hands


    hovered in mid-air, uncertain. She was backed up against the nearby wall, and her retreat


    instinctively made her grip the fabric of Seth''s shirt on his shoulders. He kissed her fervently,


    determined to drown her in the passion.


    Seth indeed felt a release in his chest. It happened in the instant Cicely pped him. Rather than


    the shock and anger, he foundfort in her outburst.


    Her tantrums in his presence were far preferable to her previous indifferent calm. Her willingness to


    show anger was the best oue he could hope for.


    He was addicted, his kisses bing uncontroble, Cicely reeling but still clinging to a sliver of


    sense.


    Once discharged, many woulde to visit, and she hadn''t nned on anything happening here.


    This situation would be awkward if seen.


    Fortunately, Seth was still rational. After a prolonged kiss, he nibbled at her earlobe, his deep,


    throaty voice seeping into her ear. “How about we move into our home?”


    His words and kisses tickled Cicely''s ear, sending a shiver through her as she turned her head


    slightly away. “We''re divorced.”


    Seth fell silent for a moment, “The doctor says I need three months to fully recover.”


    Cicely pushed him away, smoothing her hair, with a wry smile on her face, “Aren''t you good at


    freeloading? It''s not far, you cane over for meals very conveniently.”


    The door was knocked, ending their conversation.


    Seth naturally returned to their marital home upon discharge.


    Cicely went back to Cicely''s Mansion. That evening, Seth timed his visit perfectly to freeload a meal.


    And in the end, he also ended up sharing half of Cicely''s bed.


    *


    For over a month, the news about Danielle never ceased.


    From the moment she was escorted from the hospital and caught on camera by the media, the


    inte was aze. All the background and consequences were dug up byizens, including all


    the dirt that had umted over the years, which C&P had previously managed to suppress. It


    came crashing out like a tidal wave, unstoppable.


    Some disapproved of Seth''s years of emotional deceit, mocking him disdainfully, and many viewed


    him with contempt.


    However, the P City princess had been sent to prison years ago based on Danielle''s false testimony


    in court. Even Seth''s Mother killing herself and ming Cicely for doing that was orchestrated by


    Danielle. Danielle''s charge of premeditated murder was established, with evidence publicly


    disclosed by legal authorities.


    Compared to that, Seth might have had ulterior motives, but his kindness to Danielle over the past


    three years was well known. Not only was she the most popr artist of C&P Entertainment, but


    she also reigned supreme as the queen bee of the entire western showbiz industry. Every


    imaginable advantage was handed to her on a silver tter, a path so smooth it sparked envy and


    jealousy alike.


    The buzz about Danielle was relentless, regardless of how sensational the news or how heated the


    gossip. Yet, after a month or so, the storm would always subside.


    Her name was in everyone''s mouth again these days, and for a notorious reason. Danielle had


    been diagnosed with a mental illness.


    ording to thew, if a person is found to have a mental disorder, they could be exempt from


    criminal responsibility.


    Cicely scanned the news on her phone and let out a cold, mockingugh. She remembered walking


    into the hospital room yesterday while Seth was on the phone.


    "Don''t press it," he probably meant whether to go public with the news of Danielle''s confirmed


    mental illness or not.


    Was Danielle actually insane? Or was it all an act? If it were true, then like those people online were


    saying—holding various des, clutching the trophy for Best Actress, a bulldozer in the series


    business, every show a hit masterpiece, she would be the joke of the century.


    All those fans, idolizing a madwoman, rallying for her day and night, going wild, then tearing apart


    any artist that so much as grazed their goddess. It was absurd.


    But if Danielle faked it well enough to fool the assessment, that was impressive in its own right.


    Seth came over and asked what she wanted for lunch. Cicely was lounging on the couch, with an


    empty fruit te in herp. She nced at him and set the te on the coffee table. "Whatever, I''m


    not picky." The house staff would make sure it was something to her taste anyway.


    Seth eyed her phone briefly, pursing his lips.


    Cicely didn''t bother to hide it, her voice dripping withzy scorn. "We haven''t even really started,


    and she''s already slipped out of this mess. Am I fated to be entangled with her?"


    Seth took her phone, turned it off, and tossed it aside. "Got a craving? I''ll cook for you."


    "No, just lost my appetite. I don''t feel like eating anything."


    With that, she stood up, "Feed Hugo lunch, will you? I''ll skip it."


    Seth caught her hand. "You''re going to skip a meal because of her?"


    Cicely sneered slightly, her delicate features carrying a mix ofziness and haughty indifference. "I


    don''t see why I should bother. Danielle''s mere existence is nauseating. No one''s in the mood to eat


    after glimpsing a pile of crap."


    "Then let''s make her disappear."


    Cicely frowned.


    Seth chuckled, reached for the remote, and turned on the TV. "Rx and watch some TV. The thing


    you''re worried about won''t happen."


    Cicely was puzzled. And before lunchtime, she got her answer.


    Danielle was sent straight to a mental hospital. She was genuinely disgusted by Danielle, but she


    hadn''t given much thought to what would be of her or what fate awaited. So this oue was


    quite unexpected.


    The person meant to be set free was shipped off to a psychiatric ward. Cicely wondered how


    Danielle herself felt about that.


    Probably picturing Danielle’s loathing and hysteria, Cicely couldn''t help but smirk. It felt somewhat


    immoral to revel in Danielle’s misfortune, but this slight immorality was the least of the leniency she


    could afford Danielle.


    Sitting down at the dining table, Cicely picked up a fork and looked at Seth. "This was your idea?"


    "Are you not pleased?"


    Cicely raised an eyebrow, indifferent. "It''s fine. Rather than a clean death, I prefer to watch those I


    loathe suffer while alive."


    ————


    Seth gave her a deep look. "I can see that."


    *


    For half a month, Seth freeloaded both food and a bed.


    Cicely sat on the bed''s edge, watching the man who brazenly emerged from her bathroom with a


    hairdryer in hand, her brows finally knitting together. "ying sick to get care, only to end up


    pampering someone else—is that amusing to you?"


    Seth plugged in the dryer and began to work on her hair. The warm breeze blew through her hair


    from his fingers. Seth yed with the soft strands, his gaze darkening.


    Once her hair was dry, he pulled her into his embrace, burying his face in the nape of her neck and


    inhaling her scent. His husky voice made Cicely''s skin crawl—not from romance, but sheer shock.


    He murmured, "Can I give you that life of Issac''s ahead of time?"