The Enticing CEO's Chosen Bride novel Chapter 2037

To claim Cicely wasn't the least bit fazed about meeting with Patty would be misleading, but when it came down to it, Cicely knew she had to play it by ear.

You just deal with things as they come. If Patty was in a good mood, Cicely could relax a bit more. If not, best to steer clear. It wasn't like it was a new revelation that Patty wasn't her biggest fan.

The chill outside was biting, and naturally, Cicely wasn't about to freeze her buns off waiting by the door. She cozied up in the lounge area, wrapping an arm around Seth's.

The receptionist quickly offered them some tea and pastries.

Seth stepped aside to take a call and returned after a few minutes, sitting across from Cicely. He took a sip of warm water from his cup.

After two minutes of silence, Seth broke the ice. "Spit it out, will you? What's so fascinating about my face?"d2

Cicely grimaced. She'd always been told if she didn't understand something, she could ask him. But with him always buzzing around, she never did. And now, he hadn't even mentioned anything about work.

Cicely twirled a strand of her hair, her palm warming against the porcelain mug, and said nonchalantly, "I overheard General Manager from project development today. He was talking about this new mechanical equipment upgrade that's going to knock the socks off the old models. We could corner the market with this tech. The Ellis family has the know-how and the development rights. And he's got a point. Instead of bidding and choosing another manufacturer, why not just hand the deal over to Diaz International? Given the ties between Diaz International and the Ellis family, why haven't you considered it?"

Seth's expression was cold. "The big fish like the Harper family, and the Watson clan are all eyeing the Ellis project. Diaz International doesn't have the muscle to deal with the Ellis family's offer just yet."

"So what? If the Ellis family picks Diaz International, the rest can just sit on their hands and watch. Seth, so many would kill for that kind of opportunity. Are you really not up for it, or do you just chicken out when you see the likes of the Harper family, or the Watsons? Or is it just that you flat-out don't want to work with the Ellis family?"

"As the interim head of the Ellis Corporation, I can say that the Harper family and the Watsons are all more fitting partners than Diaz International. And about not wanting to work with the Ellis family, are you suggesting I use my position in the Ellis Corporation to make things easier for Diaz International?"

Cicely, predictably, wasn't surprised by his stance. "What's wrong with that? As a businessman, the bottom line is what counts. Why sweat the small stuff? If it's a matter of pride for you, I'll bang the gavel."

Seth's mouth twitched into a half-smile. "Is there a difference?"

Cicely furrowed her brows. "Too scared to take the big deals, too proud for the small fries. What's the point of running Diaz International? Might as well let the Ellis family swallow it up. That way, you wouldn't have to worry about any flak for teaming up. Hmm, that's actually a pretty solid idea."

The more she thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

Seth narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

Reading his silence, Cicely propped her chin in her hands and smiled at him. "What if we actually go through with that? Assess the value of Diaz International and convert it into shares for you in the Ellis family? Or, you could hand over Diaz International to me personally, and I'll cut you in on a slice of the Ellis family shares. How about that?"

Seth looked at her coolly. "What's all this rigmarole for? Why the sudden interest in Diaz International?"

Her eyes twinkled. "Just occurred to me, if there's anything on this green earth that matters to you besides your mother, it's probably Diaz International, left to you by your father. You know, I've been thinking that I don't really have an ace up my sleeve that gives me an edge over you. But Diaz International? That might just be it."

Seth's gaze was meaningful and unfathomable as he watched her. "Indeed, that's the last bit of Diaz International. So what if I say no?"

Cicely leaned back on the sofa, with a carefree smile on her face. "Then maybe it's time to let it go?"

Seth's thin lips tightened, clearly displeased with her answer.

Seeing his reaction, Cicely just smiled thinly. "Then isn't my suggestion to roll Diaz International under the Ellis family banner the best one?"

"What did Diaz International ever do to tick you off?" The voice came from behind Cicely, a familiar tone that belonged to none other than Patty.

Cicely glanced at her mug, then switched on her charm as she stood up.

Patty was already standing opposite her, her face a stormy mix of gloom and wariness.

"I was just thinking out loud. Then I figured it wasn't such a bad idea after all. Leaning on the Ellis family ain't too shabby, right? Especially since we will be a family soon. No need to keep things so separate."

Patty let out a scoff, "The future is the future. You bite off only as much as you can chew. And a heads-up, don't even think about laying a finger on Diaz International."

Cicely arched an eyebrow, her eyes carrying a mild, nonchalant smile, choosing not to speak further. If Patty wasn't bringing it up, neither would she.

Especially since Seth had already stood up, his expression far from rosy. "Let's go."

Patty glanced at Cicely, probably mindful of Seth's expression. Patty pursed her lips, as if forcefully suppressing a multitude of discontent.

That evening, they had dinner at the Diaz residence, but Cicely felt that perhaps not dining with Patty might be the real way to make her happy. Therefore, staying the night was out of the question.

On the drive back to the Ellis residence, Seth took the wheel while Cicely sat shotgun. "Where are you off to tomorrow?"

"Same as today."

"Leaving me alone in the office again, huh?"

"If I'm there, I'll disturb your studies."

Cicely rested her arm against the car window, twirling a strand of hair around her slender finger.

She was silent for a few seconds before slowly speaking, "Yeah, maybe."

Seth's lips curled into a half-smile, "Should I prepare some new sketchbooks for you?"

Cicely shook her head, "No need, I've got my own."

Seth fell silent.

Back home, the butler welcomed them respectfully. "Miss, we received quite a few parcels for you today; they've been temporarily stored in the warehouse. If you'd like to open them now, I can bring them out for you."

Cicely changed her shoes and said, "Well, bring them out, please."

There were indeed many packages. Cicely sat cross-legged in the living room corner on a waterproof mat and started to slice open the parcels with a craft knife.

Most of them were small items – mugs, thermos cups, small decorations in the room. She not only unpacked them but also studied them. Her demeanor while reading instruction manuals was many times more focused and serious than when she read documents.

After Seth showered, he came down to find Cicely amidst an array of knickknacks. "Go freshen up; we're up early tomorrow."

Cicely looked up and handed him a white travel tumbler. "This one's for you."

Seth examined it—it had a notable heft, and engraved on it was a portrait of Cicely with her name beneath. Beside her was a matching black one, likely with his portrait and name. The rest of the items were pairs, hers in dark tones, his in light.

"What made you think of buying all this?"

"Only after coming back this time did I realize there are no traces of you living here, and it feels uncomfortable."

She spoke while still engrossed in the small items, her tone and demeanor suggesting it was the most natural thing in the world. Seth didn't say much else, just urged her to get some sleep.

The next morning, seeing the white tumbler in the car, Cicely smiled contentedly.

After dropping her at the Ellis estate and setting the staff to work, Seth drove off once more. Cicely's focus was still scattered, but after reviewing a couple of documents, she realized they were much the same as what she'd heard from department heads yesterday.

Frowning, she set the paperwork aside, paced the office, and then there was a knock on the door.

It was Shane, arms laden with parcels. "Ms. Cicely, these parcels, they're all addressed to you."

Cicely, bored till now, perked up at the sight, "Put them on the desk."

Seated in Seth's chair, she resumed her task with the craft knife.

Before noon, Seth returned to an office transformed. His desk now sported a picture frame, a new pen holder, several stylographs, a fresh mouse pad, and a couple of notebooks.

The desk in the corner mirrored his, albeit with a simpler color scheme, complete with a cushion on the chair.

A fresh bouquet of flowers had even appeared on the coffee table. He was starting to question the wisdom of leaving her alone in the company.

Cicely, acting as though she'd done nothing out of the ordinary, asked upon his return, "What's for lunch today?"

Seth countered, "How much work did you get through?"

Cicely raised three fingers, then hesitantly added a fourth, "Four documents."

Seth tapped a few keys on the computer, bringing up a video of the office surveillance, capturing every bit of Cicely's boredom—and her interest in everything but work.

No surprise there.

The video was silent, and Cicely, unaware of its contents, only saw Seth's lips curve slightly upward. "I'm hungry," she stated, approaching him. Seth quietly closed the video.

Cicely came closer, seeing a screen full of text. Seth looked at her, "Made quite a progress today, spent the whole morning reviewing files?"

Cicely nodded, "Yes."

His gaze drifted over the new objects on the desk, and he nodded, "Good job. As a reward, I'll take you out for lunch."