The Enticing CEO's Chosen Bride novel Chapter 2041

Before he returned, Seth had found Cicely's words in the car utterly baseless and irrational.

What had he said to her? He told her not to be too greedy, and not to be so fussy. He accused her of sentencing him to death without cause, of making a fuss over nothing.

When she said she could forgive him even if he fooled her just once, he told her she was living a lie, and it was meaningless.

What else did he say? He mentioned he needed to think about whether he really liked Danielle and that maybe he could give it a shot with her.

The memory of Cicely standing at the car door with that panicked and helpless look in her eyes resurfaced in his mind. A bitter taste suddenly rose in his throat, and as Issac clasped his collar tightly, Seth’s hands clenched into white-knuckled fists at his sides.

She had given him so many chances, even waited for him to deceive her.d2

Seeing Seth's stricken expression, Issac, regardless of his own raging anger, realized he had to step out of their world. Issac let go, stepped back, straightened his clothes, and left the bedroom.

The room fell silent.

Seth gazed at her for a long moment before slowly approaching her. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Cicely looked sideways at the slight gap left by the closet door not being properly shut. "I guess I felt it would be too dramatic to say it out loud. Besides, what's done is done. Speaking about it won't change anything. Why humiliate myself further?" She threw his earlier words back at him.

"I'm sorry."

A flicker passed through Cicely's eyes as she slowly turned to meet his gaze. "The last thing I wanted to hear was an apology because I really don't want to tell you it's okay. It's all so trivial, confirming indeed that you messed up, and it doesn't undo what's happened."

Seth watched her silently, as if waiting for her to vent all the pent-up resentment in her heart.

Cicely took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she looked at him with a faint laugh, "Am I being unreasonably stubborn again? Are you always right, and everything I say is just adding to my mistakes?"

As she spoke, she glanced casually at the digital clock on the table, then lowered her eyes, concealing the turmoil behind them, and spoke indifferently. "I'm going downstairs to join Grandpa and Dad for New Year's Eve."

Seth stepped forward, "I'll carry you down."

Cicely turned her head away, her posture as she sat waiting for him to carry her was notably stiff and unwelcoming.

Seth bent down, his long arm sweeping under the bend of her legs, his voice low and dim as he spoke. "I didn't go to the hospital."

Cicely wrapped her arms around his neck to avoid falling. She didn't respond.

Seth lifted her up and headed for the door, continuing, "Because I seriously violated traffic laws."

A sardonic smile played on Cicely's lips. She had seen it all before.

"U-turning on the overpass, driving the wrong way, crossing the median. I got detained, and had to pay a 200 dollar fine."

Cicely's brows twitched, and she looked up at him. "What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing much, just I deserved paying my fine for leaving you there."

Cicely pulled a wry smile, "Don't shift the blame to me. I'm not the one who made you lose points or pay a fine."

Seth cast a glance down at her, stopping by the stairwell wall to carefully set her down.

Cicely frowned, looking at him with her injured foot raised. "Do you think now that Issac is gone, you're the only option I have to get downstairs?"

Seth grasped her waist and leaned in close, his back slightly bending to meet her forehead, his voice carrying a hint of hurt as he reiterated, "I didn't go to the hospital."

Cicely's eyelids flickered slightly. She was once again struck by how deviously manipulative this man could be. He was actually playing the victim and acting hurt, and she was amazed he had it in him.

"Not going to the hospital is a regret? I never stopped you from the beginning, so there's no need to feel hurt with me, and you won't gain anything."

Seth's grip tightened slightly, his voice deep and husky, "Do you really have to play dumb with me?"

Cicely's frown deepened, "While wasting time with me here, aren't you afraid Danielle might actually drop dead in the hospital without seeing you?"

Anger began to cloud Seth's eyes, his emotions turning murky. "You don't have to say such nasty things." His breath lowered, "That was not very wise to make you into someone you are not because of her."

Cicely chuckled lightly, "Perhaps the truth is harsh. What's the point of living a lie?"

Seth's eyes darkened further, a flash of sharpness passing through, quickly suppressed. "I shouldn't have said those things in the car. I didn’t go to the hospital, I never considered liking her, and I wasn’t really planning to try with her. Stop using those words against me, okay? They were wrong. It’s my mistake."

His current attitude gave Cicely an illusion, that to continue arguing with him seemed pointless. It made her feel even more like a petty, vindictive shrew.

But if he admitted he was wrong, did that mean the pain those words caused could be completely erased?

She closed her eyes, pushing down the sadness in her heart.

Her slightly pursed lips were seized by his cool ones, gently probbing, "The countdown is about to start. Even if you don't forgive me, can we leave this behind? Let's welcome the new year together, okay?"

Leaving this in the past year and starting anew the next?

Cicely was carried downstairs by Seth, and both Erik and Creighton looked a bit weary. It wasn't common for people their age to stay up for New Year’s Eve, so it must have been tough for them to hold out until now.

However, seeing Cicely seemed to invigorate them. "Let's hurry, the countdown is about to begin. Let's go outside for the fireworks."

The TV show was also gearing up for the New Year's countdown.

Seth wrapped Cicely in a blanket and a warm down coat before carrying her outside.

In the yard, Brody and a few men had already set up the fireworks, ready to be ignited at the right moment.