The Enticing CEO's Chosen Bride novel Chapter 2011

The atmosphere had hit a standstill. The vast green-screen studio was eerily silent.

Seth's icy gaze was fixed on her, as if an invisible net, sharp and unforgiving, was stretched across the room, threatening to slice through the very air she breathed.

Danielle knew she was at the heart of the matter. How could Seth, with his keen intellect, be oblivious to what even Cicely had grasped? Ever since the Ray incident, she felt as though she had been condemned in his eyes.

“Cicely,” she started, taking a deep breath and speaking softly, “I don't want this role anymore. Is that okay?”

Cicely glanced at her with disdain. “Feeling proud, are you? Your beloved man confronts me for your sake? As if this role ever meant anything to you. You've achieved your goal; why cling to it now? But don’t pretend to be the understanding, kind-hearted one at this juncture. If he's willing to let his investment go to waste for you, you should be holding on to this role to avoid disappointing him, right?”

Danielle cast a glance at the man standing to the side, silently and coldly watching Cicely, and bit her lip. “What do you want, exactly? You want me to give up the role, right? I'm doing as you wished, so why are you being so difficult here?”d2

“It's the same reason I came here today,” Cicely said haughtily, her face emerging from the cocoon of her scarf, a portrait of arrogance and beauty. “I didn't come to see who replaced Emiliana with a superior performance, but to prove how baseless my thoughts were.”

She wanted to prove how ridiculous it was to think that Seth had personally brought Danielle into the cast to replace Emiliana, then go back and meekly apologize to Seth for her attitude the night before. She was asking for trouble, seeking a validation for her misunderstanding of Seth, but reality turned out to be even more sordid than she imagined.

Seth's dark eyes flickered.

Cicely scoffed, “So the nature of it is different. It's one thing for you to leave on your own, but quite another to be kicked out by me or someone else. Since he intends to use you, then I'll use my own methods to kick you out."

Danielle frowned, “What are you planning to do?”

Without another word, Cicely turned and walked out of the studio. The director wanted to keep her, but found no good excuse.

Danielle hesitated, then said, “I’m sorry, Seth. I… I can’t do this role.”

"And then?" Seth spoke coldly. "Cry to my mom about how unfairly you've been treated?"

A pang of pain shot through Danielle’s heart. She looked up at him incredulously, “I didn’t…”

"I don't have the time or energy to deal with the complications you've created. Since you've taken on this role, just focus and portray it properly without causing any trouble."

“But Cicely…”

“You wanted to act, right? Keep an eye on all the scripts in the pipeline. Whatever role you want, talk to my mom. She’s your rock. She won’t let you down.”

Danielle felt her spirits sink, her fleeting joy extinguished by a bucket of ice-cold water. “Can’t I just talk to you?”

Seth gave her a chilly look, “What's the difference between coming to me and having my mom come to me for you?”

He turned and walked away. Danielle blinked, coming to her senses, and took a few steps after Seth. “Are you just using me…”

“Isn’t it helping you?”

Danielle stopped in her tracks, watching Seth leave the studio.

*

Cicely had just gotten into the cab when Seth’s call came through. “What’s up? Did I leave too early for you to slap me? Want me to have the driver wait so you can get it out of your system?”

“Fine. Pull over now.”

Cicely laughed at the absurdity of it and hung up.

Within a minute, Seth’s car pulled over, blocking the taxi Cicely was in. She got out, and so did Seth.

“Go ahead.”

Standing before the towering man, she had to tilt her head back to speak, her voice terse, her eyes gleaming with biting sarcasm.

Seth, however, caught her wrist and opened the car door with an indifferent voice. “Get in.”

Cicely stood still. “If you’re trying to mollify me, save it. Nothing you do now will get a smile from me.”

“Then go home and cool off.”

“I’m going to the Ellis family.”

“To run to your dad with a grievance?”

A flicker of impatience crossed Cicely’s face. “Yeah, I have someone to back me up. Why should I put myself through this?”

Seth watched her for a second, then pushed her into the car. The car started moving.

Cicely didn’t struggle or make a scene. Instead, she settled back into her seat, watching the road with a calm, detached gaze.

After a while, Seth broke the silence. “About the girl you're fond of, I’ll rearrange another script for her. It'll satisfy both of you.”

Cicely tugged at her lips. “Will it satisfy you or us?”

Silence.

“Danielle won’t give up the role. If that girl is smart, she won’t refuse my arrangement. It’s her call, not yours.”

“Is it Danielle who won’t let go, or are you determined to keep her?” Cicely’s voice held a mocking softness. “You’re set on using her, and I’m set on kicking her out. You won’t budge, so don’t expect me to compromise. The show is yours, and the call is yours. I can’t change your mind, so let’s both not have it easy.”

Seth’s brows, already furrowed, deepened. “So even if I assure you there’s nothing between me and Danielle, we can’t get past this?”

His voice was cold and low. Cicely’s eyes shimmered, a sudden ache in her chest. What would it mean if she said they couldn't get past this?

She didn’t have the chance to speak.

Seth continued, his voice firm, "Even if Danielle wanted to drop out of the play, I wouldn't allow it. And there will be more roles for her in the future. If she really asks, I'll consider her situation before making a decision. So, are you telling me you can't stand it every time something like this happens?"