The Enticing CEO's Chosen Bride novel Chapter 1961

The car pulled up in front of the already ajar gates of the Ellis family estate. Seth didn't even bother to engage the parking brake. He slouched in the seat, his gaze fixed on the closed doors of the Ellis family mansion, some distance ahead, his long fingers drumming slowly on the steering wheel.

After a while, he finally retracted his gaze, turning to look at Danielle. His expression was cool, his voice icy. "Who told you that hating one person necessarily means you like another?"

Danielle's eyes were red-rimmed. "Can I take that to mean you don't like Cicely?"

Seth pursed his lips, his gazes becoming darker with emotions. "But do you really not think I'm annoying because of Cicely?" It was a mix of suspicion and accusation.

Suddenly, Seth's mouth twisted into a smirk, and he let out a low chuckle. That chuckle stopped Danielle cold. As far as she could recall, she had never heard him laugh before. Yet this laugh was laced with sarcasm, a cool elegance with an undertone of rebelliousness.

He rested his hand casually on the steering wheel, half-turned to her with a faint smile. "Don't flatter yourself too much."d2

Danielle's face flushed, then paled, her pride wounded by his contempt, yet she had nowhere to hide. "You..." Danielle's lips trembled with her heart, her voice catching, "Are you trying to sever ties with me with those words?"

Tears streamed down her face.

"Patty just left less than an hour ago, and you're in such a rush?"

Seth's expression didn't change. "What is our relationship, exactly?"

Danielle was at a loss for words.

"To me, you are simply the daughter of my mother's best friend. Is that a relationship you think I need to spend time clarifying?"

A negligible, unimportant tie. To him, it meant nothing.

Danielle bit her lip hard enough to leave a mark. After a moment, she also let out a bitter laugh. "If that's the case, why waste your time talking to me? Seth, do you really have no other intentions?"

Seth frowned.

A slender figure appeared at the front door of the mansion, walking towards them as Seth's phone beside him also began to ring. It was Cicely's call.

His gaze shifted to the incoming call display on the screen, and he pulled up the handbrake before picking up the phone.

Danielle tried to smile but failed. She sat beside him, and he didn't bother to make more conversation, but Cicely's call was worth applying the parking brake for. Was this a cue for a long phone chat?

Seth answered, his eyes on Cicely as she closed the distance. "What's up?"

Cicely walked towards him, speaking into the phone, "Come on in, why are you just sitting out here?"

Only two people were in the car, and Danielle could hear the voice on the phone crystal clear. That bright and cheerful voice filled Danielle with resentment.

She unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the car door, got out, and slammed it shut with force.

Seeing Danielle emerge from Seth's car, Cicely paused in her steps. She had heard from the maids that Danielle had left early in the morning, but she never bothered to track her whereabouts and had not asked. It was unexpected to find her with Seth.

Her gaze drifted to the man in the driver's seat, arching an eyebrow, she asked, "What's going on?"

Seconds later, Seth stepped out of the car, ending the call.

Cicely pocketed her phone and approached him. With an air of nonchalance, she asked, "What's the deal with you two?"

Danielle watched her coldly, "What's your relationship with him that he has to explain his whereabouts to you?"

Cicely almost rolled her eyes before closing them briefly, then glanced over dismissively, "What my relationship with him is and whether he needs to explain himself to me, what's that got to do with you? Also, you really are full of annoying habits. Could you have a little self-awareness and not take yourself so seriously? Why are you seeking validation from me?"

"Don't take yourself too seriously." Those words might as well have been Seth's echo. Danielle's grip on her purse distorted its shape.

Just having been humiliated by Seth and now by Cicely, her annoyance surged. Sensing Seth showing no intention of defending her, she bit her lip and walked away.

Cicely glanced at her, then gave Seth's car a once-over before dialing another number.

"Miss."