Chapter 2104


    Dawn''s gentle light slowly permeated the dim bedroom, a sanctuary of whispered intimacy and soft


    linens.


    The scent that lingered in the air belonged to one woman alone, a fragrance that in this world, was


    hers and hers alone.


    Seth''s eyes fluttered open to the woman nestled in his embrace, her form supple and warm against


    him. He reached out to adjust the tangled strands of hair from her cheek, revealing an immacte


    face that took refuge in his gaze.


    Even in the tranquility of her slumber, curled against his chest, her beauty was resolute and


    unapologetic. It was a confidence born of adoration and privilege, woven into her very being.


    From the moment he firstid eyes on her, he knew that the stunning girl with an air of arrogance


    was a danger to him. He''d erected barriers without reason.


    Over time, her extraordinary beauty, pride, andmanding presence became the reasons he told


    himself to detest her. Yet, those reasons, meant to fortify his defenses, became arrows that pierced


    his armor, time and again.d2


    Throughout the years, in countless moments she wasn''t even aware of, he found himself disarmed


    and defeated by her. All the reasons he''d conjured were merely "reminders" to maintain his disdain.


    The truth was, from their very first encounter, he was drawn to her. He didn''t want to admit it, and he


    didn’t want to surrender. Her affections were straightforward and fervent, her promises naive and


    unguarded, potentially faltering before they could even take root.


    He couldn''t predict, that if he fell, and she withdrew, how decisively she would exit, leaving him to


    pick up the pieces.


    The control was never his.


    His mind urged him to resist, yet his instincts were ensnared by her allure, time after time. In the


    end, his resolve was consumed bit by bit, and despite his struggles, he found himself hopelessly


    entangled.


    He loved that girl. He loved this woman.


    He loved Cicely.


    He had lost to himself and to this woman a long time ago. She had to be his. The thought of her


    with someone else was intolerable.


    In her absence, the bedroom felt like a sunless prison holding him captive. He was like a prisoner


    who had willingly shackled himself.


    He reflecting on the way she looked at him when she loved him, reminiscing about her resolute


    demeanor when she said they would no longer meet in life or death, fantasizing about her returning


    tozily roam around this house, getting angry with him, acting cutely, furrowing her brows and


    being picky, bossing him around. It was both torture and salvation.


    Now, with his fantasy realized, all he could do was hold on to her.


    Seth watched her serene face in slumber, his dark eyes softening, his lips gently touching the tip of


    her nose. When he opened his eyes again, they glistened with unshed tears. Fortunately, she still


    loved him, and she was willing topromise.


    The ticklish sensation of his kiss stirred Cicely from her dreams. She snuggled deeper into Seth''s


    chest, then stilled. Her expression was endearingly vulnerable.


    A warmth surged through him, and he restrained himself from waking her.


    *


    At nine, Cicely awoke to an empty bed. Stretchingnguidly, she sighed and nced out the


    window.


    The oatmeal-colored drapes she had chosen herselfplemented the cold gray tones of the


    bedroom, warmed by subtle touches of amber.


    She had infiltrated Seth''s world, slowly bing a part of it. Her fixation since childhood had finally


    borne fruit. She had won the man''s obsessive love.


    The victory was bittersweet, so her happiness had to be reimed twofold.


    The door opened gently, and she turned to see the man approaching her, his figure lean, his


    features striking. For a fleeting moment, she saw through the mature man before her to the fifteen-


    year-old boy, tall and aloof, standing in front of her uncle''s coffin, meeting her gaze with detachment


    and a hint of wariness. She had followed him from the wake to the living room, until he finally


    admitted he loved her.


    Twelve years in the making.


    The distance from the door to his side, from fifteen to twenty-seven, seemed to blur in the blink of


    an eye.


    "What are you thinking about?"


    She was pulled up from the bed, leaning on his shoulder as he slipped a robe over her. His deep


    voice echoed in her ear.


    She turned to his clean-shaven cheek, her hand climbing his shoulder, fingers weaving through his


    short hair to touch his earlobe, her breath warm against him. "I''m hungry."


    Seth paused and looked at her, then gathered her hair into a ponytail, his hand warming her slender


    neck before showering her with tender kisses.


    "Where are you hungry?" His husky voice murmured, lips brushing her ear with each word. Cicely


    shivered with a tingling sensation.


    She came to her senses a bit, still sprawlingzily on his shoulder, "So hungry, so thirsty."


    Her voice was soft and pleading, making Seth breathless with concern. He quickly grabbed the


    ss of water already on the bedside table and brought it to her lips.


    Ten minutester, Cicely found herself seated at the dining table in front of a beautifully arranged


    breakfast. She took a sip of milk, watching the man cutting the ham for her, and casually asked,


    "Aren''t you eating?"


    Seth paused and watched as Cicely set down the egg she had just bitten into, curling her legs on


    the chair, cupping her milk ss, and saidnguidly, "I''m not hungry. I''ve lost my appetite."


    Seth pursed his lips, cing the sliced ham in front of her, "Finish up. I''ll eat with you."


    The servant nearby hurried into the kitchen to prepare another breakfast.


    After Damon showed up at the gym for a week straight, Seth finally frowned. "Do you really need to


    come every day?"


    Seth nced at him expressionlessly, "They say married men tend to getfortable and put on


    weight. You seem quite cozytely."


    Damon''sposure shifted slightly, ncing reflexively at the mirror before rxing again and


    turning his gaze back to Seth, with a rare hint of teasing in his voice. "So, who''sined about


    you getting fat?"


    Seth felt a twinge in his temple but scoffed lightly, "You should thank me for reminding you to keep


    fit before Chloe expresses any disdain."


    Damon dismissed the idea, "I work out two to three times a week, y golf asionally, and our


    diet is quite healthy and regr. I don''t think I need to thank you."


    Seth fell silent.


    *


    Friday was a day off at the kindergarten, so Hugo got to sleep in. Cicely had arranged for Chloe,


    Yulia, and a few others toe over for a backyard barbecue.


    The grill was set up in the yard, and the kids were ying nearby, theirughter filling the air. The


    women sat at a white table, sipping on herbal tea, watching the men busy themselves around the


    grill.


    The scene was quite the spectacle.


    Cicely propped up her chin, utterly bored, her beautiful eyes brimming with amusement. “It''s true


    what they say, always pick a man by his looks. You''llst a few years longer."


    Chloe chuckled. "What do you mean?"


    "If you end up with an ugly one, every time he annoys you, you''ll think you were blind to have


    chosen him. Unattractive and useless, it''s like a double whammy. But with a handsome man, just


    looking at his face can cool half your anger."


    Yulia watched Nathan, who was grilling and munching, now shooing Kane away from the grill with


    an impatient gesture: "Scram, scram, I''m grilling these veggies for my wife."


    She smiled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Cicely. Over the years toe, they might face


    many ups and downs, but as long as the initial spark that brought them together remained, and they


    held each other in their hearts, any friction would simply be part of their shared journey,


    deepening their love andmitment.


    *


    Damon was the first to bring a te of perfectly grilled meat and vegetables to Chloe, leaning


    slightly to nt a kiss on her forehead. "Need anything else? I''ll make it for you."


    Chloe nced at the assortment on her te—her favorites were all there. "This is enough."


    As they spoke, Cicely''s slender, fair hand reached over to swipe a skewer of beef from Chloe''s


    te. Damon nced at her action, his eyes darkening slightly as he caught sight of Seth


    approaching. With a swift motion, Damon snatched the skewer just before it reached Cicely''s


    mouth. "How dare you have the audacity to eat something grilled by someone else''s husband?"


    Cicely paused, her beautiful eyes locking onto Damon for a moment, barely concealing her irritation.


    In Damon''s eyes, it seemed as if Chloe was the only woman in the world.


    Chloe sighed in resignation. When it came to holding a grudge, perhaps no one could surpass


    Damon. With the grievance of damaging his reputation, Damon was stingy even with a single


    pleasant expression when facing Cicely.


    The atmosphere grew tense, and then Seth came over, cing a te in front of Cicely. "What''s


    wrong?"


    Cicely shot Damon a look, her eyes quickly reddening. Rising to her feet, she flung herself into


    Seth''s arms, her voice soft and tearful, pointing at Damon with an using look. "Honey, he''s


    picking on me. You have to fight him for me."


    Chloe''s eyelid twitched.


    Yulia''s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden change in the delicate beauty.


    Seth gently patted Cicely''s shoulder, silently meeting Damon''s gaze.


    Chloe expected to see a hint of helplessness or confusion on Seth''s face. but Seth, expressionless,


    simply said, "Let''s have it out then."


    Everyone was speechless.


    *


    It wasn''t just talk; the two men really ended up throwing punches at a boxing gym. Soaked with


    sweat, they finally sat on the center of the ring, taking big gulps of water handed to them by the


    staff.


    Resting his arm on his bent knee, Damon asked, "Couldn''t you tell her act was deliberate and


    clumsy?"


    Sweat dripped down his jaw, and Seth shook the water bottle in his hand, letting out a lightugh.


    "She''s willing to make a scene with me. That''s all that matters."


    Damon fell silent, remembering the Seth he knew from the years without Cicely—a facade of


    nonchnce, yet trapped in a quagmire of confusion. So now, he understood that to Seth, Cicely


    was both a goddess and a demon. For her, he''d dly be her most devoted follower.


    "Aren''t you afraid you''ll spoil her rotten?"


    Seth looked up and let out a sigh, his eyes reflecting the bright light overhead.


    "She''s been pampered from birth, yet I still fell for her, head over heels. Besides, she''s never hurt


    anyone, ever."


    Damon looked down, silent, considering the truth in Seth''s words. The princess of the Ellis family


    was proud and arrogant, marching to the beat of her own drum, exuding a bold and unrestrained


    demeanor, covered in thorns but never causing harm to anyone.


    There had to be a reason to fall in love with someone. If Seth couldn''t help but love her, how bad


    could she be?


    "You''re not one to talk." Seth finished his water and stood up, extending a hand to Damon. "You''re


    no different with Chloe."


    Damon smirked, epting Seth''s help to stand up. "She''s the one worth it."


    *


    Seth came home sporting a new bruise on his face, and Cicely noticed it the moment he walked in.


    Her brow furrowed, a sh of regret crossing her face. "I was just joking. Couldn''t you tell?"


    Seth''s eyes softened with amusement. "Didn''t you say he was bullying you?"


    "Why go for a proper fight then? You should''ve just ambushed him. I told you to hit him, not get hit."


    Seth thought for a moment. "Ambushing Damon wouldn''t be right."


    Watching the frustration on her face, Seth''s smile grew wider. He leaned in, nuzzling her cheek with


    his nose. "It hurts, what should I do?"


    Cicely''s eyes narrowed, her longshes sweeping his skin as she looked at him coolly. Then, she


    looked down and jabbed his chest forcefully with her finger.


    "I''ve told you before that you''re mine. You didn''t protect yourself, and you let my thing get hurt, over


    and over. I''m very angry."


    Her eyes darkened with rage as she spoke. Seth leaned in to kiss her, his voice deep and soothing.


    "I promise, it won''t happen again. Will you help me with the ointment, hmm?"


    Cicely red at him, leaned over, and expertly retrieved the ointment from beneath the coffee table.


    "If there''s a next time..."


    Seth bent down, taking a seat on the sofa, and smoothly pulled the woman into his arms, settling


    her onto hisp. He stared silently at her, waiting for her to finish speaking.


    Cicely frowned, squeezing ointment onto her fingertip, looking deep into his eyes. "If this happens


    again, I''m running away from home."


    Seth''s lips curled into a smirk. "Then, can I crash at the neighbor''s for a meal?"


    Cicely pressed the ointment onto his cheek with more force than necessary. "No, you cannot!"


    *


    The next day was Saturday.


    Hugo didn''t have to wake up early for school, so the family of three gathered for breakfast. The


    housekeeper brought in four servings of breakfast.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cicely eyed the extra te with confusion, "Is someone else joining us for breakfast?"


    The housekeeper was just as puzzled, "No, there isn''t."


    "Then this extra breakfast is for?"


    Realization dawned on the housekeeper, "Well, it''s for Mr. Diaz. Hasn''t he been having two servings


    for breakfasttely?"


    Cicely raised an eyebrow, "Since when does he eat two servings?"


    Hugo, with his big, dark eyes, shook his head at the housekeeper, "Nope, Dad just has one serving


    because he always has breakfast with me."


    Cicely paused, instantly grasping the situation.


    The housekeeper patiently exined to Hugo, "That''s because after your dad finishes breakfast


    with you, he has to keep your mompany."


    With a warm smile, she continued, "Otherwise, your mom won''t obediently finish her breakfast."


    Hugo had an epiphany and giggled, looking at Cicely, "So Mom needs Dad to eat breakfast."


    Cicely blinked, her ears turning a shade of pink. Cicely red at Seth, who sat beside her, with a


    silent smile on his face. Cicely gritted her teeth and said, "Be careful, or you''ll pack on the pounds


    early in life and your fitness will suffer."


    Seth shook his head, "That''s why I''ve been hitting the gym. You checked out the results yourselfst


    night. How did that feel?"


    The blush spread to her cheeks, "Not that great."


    Seth raised an eyebrow, "Really? Looks like I need to step it up a notch."


    Cicely''s eyes flickered, as if she remembered something, and she involuntarily shrank her


    shoulders. "I''ve decided that I''m going to wake up early and have breakfast with Hugo every day."


    Otherwise, the consequences of those two servings, she might not be able to bear.