The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

Chapter 2097

He never said “I love you,” but his love never ceased.

Back in the day, Seth loved her, and she loved him back, so a little coaxing was all it took. Now, Seth still loved her, but she didn't want to love anymore. No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t coax her back into it.

Cicely’s love had been open and bold, but her decision to stop loving was swift and decisive. Once she made up her mind, she never looked back.

It seemed that in their relationship, the control was never really in Seth's hands. The one who was truly afraid wasn't Cicely; it was Seth. Even now, that hadn't changed.

Lana closed her eyes briefly, suppressing the surge of sorrow. "What are you planning to do?" Lana asked.

Seth shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe, it's enough if she just doesn't leave. As long as she doesn't vanish from my sight, and I can see her anytime and know what's happening with her..."d2

Lana tugged at her lips. "And that satisfies you?"

Seth didn't hesitate. "It doesn't."

Lana felt a tightness in her chest. It was as if she were Seth, trapped in a space with all exits blocked, unable to find a way out.

Irritation, anxiety, near madness.

After a moment of silence, she said, "She is not leaving today. Go back to the hospital."

Seth looked at Lana and asked. "Really?"

"If you don't trust me enough, then you can have someone else watch her."

"She'll get angry."

Seth said softly, attempting to retract his arm from the pillar, his rigid body swaying slightly.

Lana pressed her lips together, looking at him solemnly, "She won’t be up this early. Come in and have something to eat."

Seth didn't move.

"When you're completely drained, down with an illness you can't shake off, or passed out for days, do you think Cicely will stay by your hospital bed or take the opportunity to run away with Hugo?"

Seth's dark eyes finally flickered.

Lana lowered her gaze and opened the door to the house. Seth stood still for a moment before lifting his feet and walking stiffly inside.

Lana instructed the servants to prepare breakfast for Seth. It was a simple meal: oatmeal, some side dishes, and two fried eggs.

"Is this what she usually has for breakfast?" Seth asked.

Lana, with a cup of hot water in front of her, hummed a response, "Yeah, she usually eats with Hugo. It's the same breakfast. Sometimes she makes Hugo a sandwich. Kids love those."

Seth nodded, glancing at the fried eggs. "She prefers boiled eggs, a little runny in the middle. They should be soaked in saltwater for a few days first."

Lana pursed her lips. "She never mentioned it."

*

After breakfast, Seth didn't linger. When he left, Charlie was already there. Noticing Seth come out, Charlie hurriedly opened the car door.

Seth was flushed. He had forced himself to eat breakfast despite having no appetite, his head spinning, his stomach churning. He stubbornly endured it.

His fever returned with a vengeance. Upon arriving at the hospital, the medical staff scurried around until they finally got an IV into him. By then, Seth was already deeply asleep.

*

Cicely came down for breakfast with Hugo, finding Lana already seated in the dining room.

"Good morning."

"Morning, Grand-aunt."

Cicely and Hugo greeted her, and Lana responded with a smile only to Hugo, "Good morning, Hugo. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah."

"Come here, today I will feed you."

"Okay."

Lana scooped up a bite of side dish for Hugo and glanced at Cicely, who was eating peacefully, biting her lip. "Planning to visit the hospital today?"

Cicely's expression didn't change. "Grandpa wants to teach Hugo chess."

"Aren't you going to see him, too?"

"Maybe. Hugo's been asking about him since he woke up."

Lana curled her lips slightly. "If you'd woken up a bit earlier, maybe Hugo could've seen him."

Cicely paused in her eating, looking up at Lana. "He was here?"

"I don't know when he arrived. When I opened the door this morning, he was already there."

Cicely looked down, her gaze falling into Hugo's bowl of porridge. "He had a car accident yesterday, got a fever, and is in the hospital, Auntie."

"I don't believe it either. The moment I opened the door and saw him, it felt like it was all happening yesterday. Who knows, he's like a madman. I am afraid he might actually die on our doorstep, so I let him have breakfast."

Cicely didn't respond.

But Hugo stopped eating. "Is Daddy going to die?"

"No, darling, Daddy is in the hospital now. He loves you so much, he wouldn't dream of leaving you."

Hugo nodded, his mood turning somber.

*

They took Hugo to the hospital to see Erik, and without playing chess, they went to Seth's ward room. Charlie was there, keeping watch.

Lana, being the elder, found the silence unbearable. Just one man, sick in the hospital, with only an assistant, who was neither family nor friend, by his side. "It's like he's living the life of an empty nester ahead of time," Lana commented sarcastically.

Charlie stood aside, glancing at Cicely. Hugo approached the bed, looking at Seth, deep in sleep, his dark eyes filled with hope and concern.

Seth's forehead was now seething with a layer of sweat, his face flushed and his brows furrowed while his thin lips flushed pale. For someone who typically showed little emotion, he must be in terrible pain to look like this.

Cicely had never seen Seth this sick before.

*

Seth was a light sleeper, but despite the room filling with people, he showed no sign of waking. He didn't wake up until past noon.

Cicely took Hugo out of the ward. "Mommy, is Daddy really sick?" NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

Cicely just held Hugo and walked forward in silence.

"Mommy?"

"Yes?"

Hugo looked at her for a couple of seconds. "Is Daddy really sick?"

Cicely hesitated. "It's nothing, just a fever."

Hugo frowned. "But I've had a fever before, and it was awful. I think Daddy feels as bad now as I did then."

"Yes." Cicely responded softly, her mind seemingly adrift.

Lana watched on silently.

*

Seth woke up around 9 p.m., and Charlie immediately notified the staff to prepare dinner. "Mr. Diaz."

Seth sat up expressionlessly, taking the glass of water from Charlie and drinking. "What time is it?"

"It's a little past nine in the evening."

Seth put down the glass and threw off the covers.

"Mr. Diaz!"

Charlie could guess what was on Seth's mind and tried to stop him, "I've got people watching over Ms. Cicely's place, you don't need to hover there yourself."

Seth's face darkened instantly, "Who gave you the permission to do that?"

"Sorry, Mr. Diaz, but I assure you Ms. Cicely won't notice."

Seth made to leave, but Charlie stood firmly in his path, pleading earnestly. "Mr. Diaz, there are thousands of employees across our companies counting on you. Even if you feel the need to keep watch yourself, could you at least grab a bite before you go?"

"It's still early."

*

In the wee hours of the morning, Cicely sat up in bed.

Alone in the dimly lit room, she remained seated for what felt like an eternity before throwing off the covers and descending the stairs.

Reaching the door, she stared at the closed double doors for a long while, then, with determination, she pushed one open. The chill air brought a cutting wind with it, nipping sharply at her bones. Cicely squinted her eyes and shrugged her shoulders against the cold.

Through the living room light, a figure strode toward her. Before she could react, she was enveloped in a man's embrace. His open coat nearly swallowed her whole.

"What are you doing out here?!" Seth's voice was hoarse and fierce, but his thunderous growl made her ears ring.

By the time she gathered her bearings, she found herself pushed back into the house.

The door shut automatically, and the sound brought Cicely fully back to the moment, prompting her to shove Seth away.

Seth wasn't exactly built like a brick house; her push sent him stumbling back against the door.

Cicely furrowed her brows, and seeing him lift his gaze to hers, her frown deepened. "Who let you in?"

"It's cold outside."

Cicely's lips twisted sarcastically, "Feeling cold now, are you?"

Seth straightened up, his Adam's apple bobbing, his voice rough, "You're cold."

Cicely closed her eyes briefly, "What exactly do you want? If I really decided to leave one day, I wouldn't choose to sneak away in the dead of night. What's the point of standing guard all night?

And if I truly wanted to leave, what could you do about it? Stop me?"

Seth was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on her as if stumped. "Other than stopping you, it seems I have no other choice."

Cicely watched him for a while, then laughed, "Are you planning to forcefully keep me by your side, like you did before?"

"Do you really want to leave?"

Seth's voice followed without hesitation.

Cicely didn't speak.

"If you don't plan to leave, then there's no need for me to force you to stay."

"So what, you plan to wear me down for the rest of our lives?"

Seth slowly approached, his dark eyes locked on her face, "I don't want to wear you down. Tell me, what do I need to do for you to love me again, and to be with me?"

His advance made Cicely's body tense. "You don't have to do anything. I'm already more than tolerant of you, Seth. Don't push your luck."

Seth chuckled lowly, his voice even more muffled due to the fever. The sound reverberated in her ears and vibrated through her heart.

Cicely turned to leave, only to find herself wrapped in his arms once more. He pressed his forehead against hers, the heat from his head warming her skin as his weight leaned into her. She pursed her lips, unmoving.

"Pushing my luck? Indeed, I want more. At first, it seemed enough to know you were still in the country, then I needed you where I could easily see you. Later, I wanted you by my side every moment. But the best would be for you to wake up and fall asleep in my arms every day."

As he spoke, his forehead caressed hers, his hot breath scorching every inch of her skin, and as he slightly turned his head, his lips found her temple.

"Damon said to chase, to block, and to deceive. Any trick is fair game as long as you're mine and willing to stay by my side. That's the right thing to do."

Cicely's brows twitched.

"Tell me, what do I need to do for you to be with me? Just say it, and I'll follow your wishes. If you refuse, then I might have to try Damon's methods."

Cicely's gaze darkened, and she pushed him away, "You're acting so shameless, aren't you?"

"But I want you."

The woman who had just climbed out of her warm bed, clad in a thin nightgown, exuded a fresh scent. The neckline of her sleepwear revealed her delicate collarbone, and even the angle of her jaw meeting her neck was stunningly beautiful. She was angry, but even her anger was enticing, her features expressive and lively.

His body pressed closer again, his lips finding the corner of her mouth. The heat from his lips was like little sparks, climbing up every overwrought nerve through her skin.

"I actually gave you the chance to leave, but you're the one who drew me out."

Cicely probably knew he was referring to the time she had got him out of his room.

"You could have locked yourself in!"

"I can't do that anymore." His breath and kisses landed near her ear, his lips grazing her earlobe. "You brought me out; you're responsible now."

What he said and how he said it was probably a mystery even to Seth himself. After touching her skin, all his thoughts focused on one overpowering desire. A desire he had repressed and locked away for far too long.

His reason shattered, his longing for her undeniable.

Cicely's strength was trivial against the weight of his body pressing down on her. She turned her head to evade, but his kisses found her neck, the hollow of her collarbone. His uneven breath made her heart race, "Seth."

Their most intimate moment had been around the Thanksgiving, when they had shared a bed. Back then, she at least knew he would hold back. But now, she felt he wouldn't stop.

Maybe it was the fever that muddled his mind, or perhaps he had trapped himself for too long and decided to take a desperate measure. Or maybe, at last, he found a plausible excuse to shift the blame onto her, unburdening himself.

"I can take you back there too."

"I won't go back." He suddenly stopped all his movements and looked her firmly in the eye, "Unless you kill me and throw me back in."

Cicely's expression flickered for a moment, her eyes blinking stiffly. Seth's lips then found hers without hesitation. In Seth's eyes, even the slightest pause from Cicely was hesitation. Hesitation meant reluctance, and reluctance meant love, even if it was self-deception.

Cicely clung to a sliver of hope, the kind of hope that whispered tonight would be uneventful, simply due to sheer luck, because his head had taken a nasty knock, and he was still burning up with fever. Even if he did harbor any desires, his current state surely wouldn't permit any action. But when she found herself swept up in his arms, carried upstairs, and pressed into the mattress, it was already too late.

"I've tried to let you go," he murmured as he loomed over her. "You didn't leave, so now there's no turning back. You can't leave me. There's no man in this world who can treat you better than I can. Staying by my side is your best option."

Cicely's mind whirled in confusion as his kisses rained down, scattering her thoughts like leaves in the wind. Her nightgown twisted and turned, revealing more than intended in the tussle. He was like a leopard that had starved for too long, finally pouncing on a delicate doe, pinning it beneath his might, nipping and grazing to calm his restless hunger before the feast.

His kisses were relentless, peppering her with attention. Several times he found those all too familiar spots, the ones that left her breathless and unable to resist.

"Why?" Cicely closed her eyes, her voice a whisper. "There are plenty of men who know how to spoil a woman."

Her words were cut off by a fierce kiss, his teeth catching her lip in what felt like a punishment. She had dared to suggest she could accept the affections of another man.

"Not gonna happen. No one can spoil you more than I can, because no one loves you more than I do. And because I've wronged you."

Seth's love, and the atonement he was determined to offer, meant she would only receive more.

A shimmer passed through Cicely's eyes.

—————

"Stop asking me to let you go. As long as you exist in this world, I can't forget you. If I let you go, I will never forgive myself."

...

Three years should have been enough to erase feelings, but it was as if someone had found a loose thread and started pulling, slowly unraveling her, until she was wrapped up in it completely.

Over and over, that irresistible sensation surged in waves, engulfing her, drowning her in its depths.