The Enticing CEO's Chosen Bride novel Chapter 2044

Seth whisked Cicely back to the company without a moment's hesitation.

The whole ride there, her mind was a whirlwind of curiosity about who that person could possibly be. She mentally flipped through every face she remembered, but couldn't match those eyes with any of them.

"What's on your mind?" Seth glanced over at her several times during the drive, each time finding her lost in thought.

She thought about it and couldn't really think of who that person was, so she could only shake her head, "Nothing."

Taking a deep breath, she expelled the frustration from her system, her eyebrows lifting playfully as she spoke, "So, any more surprises in store for me today? Don't tell me Danielle getting discharged is your big reveal."

Seth's lips curled slightly, "You didn't know she was getting discharged today?"d2

Cicely pursed her lips, "Dad called me last night."

"You think her discharge counts as a surprise?"

Cicely rolled her eyes, "I'd rather she stayed there for the rest of her life if she wasn't wearing you out with every passing day she spent in the hospital."

"Then it's not that."

Knowing she'd get nothing out of him, Cicely switched gears to another question that had been nagging at her. "Actually, there's a lunch at home because Danielle is getting discharged. Why did you insist on us grabbing a bite before heading over?"

"Weren’t you satisfied with today's lunch?"

"It could’ve waited for another day."

Their car slipped into the company's underground parking lot, darkness enveloping them, the sound of the tires rolling over speed bumps echoing emptily.

"I’d hate to spoil your appetite; keeping your stomach happy seemed like the top priority."

Cicely paused, a smile she couldn't suppress playing at her lips, "Since when did you get so smooth?"

"Just stating the facts."

They rode the elevator straight up to the top floor office.

As the door swung open, Cicely fixed her gaze on Seth, her eyes sparkling, filled with anticipation for the surprise Seth had promised.

Seth, as cool as a cucumber, took his seat and began going through paperwork as Charlie came in to report on the company's project progress.

Seth browsed through the documents with a calm demeanor, signing off on them after hearing Charlie’s update. Charlie handed over the signed documents, and Cicely hurried over, her eagerness palpable.

Seth's eyes hinted at amusement watching her. It had been a long time since he'd seen her this lively and spontaneous in his presence. It was a rare sight these days, but still deeply missed.

"Where's my surprise?" Cicely pressed.

But no sooner had she asked than there was another knock on the door. Seth's eyebrow quirked up as he called for the person to enter.

Charlie walked in, only to be met with Cicely's dark, stormy gaze. "Charlie, can't your updates wait to be reported all at once? Do you really have to come in and out just to catch glimpses of Seth?"

Corner of Charlie's mouth twitched, a bit caught off guard as he glanced toward Seth, who was busy pretending to be fascinated by his pen. "Ma'am, this work just came up unexpectedly, and I couldn’t delay."

Cicely pursed her lips, leaned against Seth's desk, arms crossed, and huffed to show her displeasure.

Charlie cast a tentative look at Seth, feeling a tad nervous. Had he managed to ruffle the lady of the house?

With a nod from Seth, Charlie placed the latest market research report on the desk – a hot-off-the-press issue. Seth flipped it open and glanced through it.

Charlie continued, "Mr. Diaz, there's already a software of similar nature making rounds on the internet, boasting nearly three hundred thousand users. Our development is in the final stages, and to prevent these competitors from getting too savvy about our direction, I suggest we hold off on any further market research to keep our information close to the chest."

Seth, looking satisfied with the report, responded, "Do you really think that the program I've spent a fortune and time to design could be so easily overtaken by those shortcut-seekers and copycats? We've got the patents. Let them take a shot at it. This research shows that our brand recognition and acceptance are on the rise. Let them test the waters for us; it’s good publicity, after all."

Charlie nodded in agreement.

The room fell into a brief silence, broken only by Cicely's cool stare. "Charlie, we're not expecting any more last-minute documents in the next half-hour or so, right?"

With an awkward chuckle and a couple of 'no, no's, Charlie beat a hasty retreat from the office.

Cicely stood up, eyes narrowed, "You're not tricking me into accompanying you to pick up Danielle from the hospital, are you?"

"Tired?" Seth deflected, not directly answering her question.

Furious, Cicely retorted, "I'm going to sleep. Don't bother waking me if my 'surprises' are not here!" With that, she stormed off to the office's rest area, her face a mask of indignation.

Ten seconds.

Fifteen seconds.

A thrilled shriek pierced the silence from the rest area, followed immediately by the door swinging open as Cicely burst out.

Seth, lounging in his chair with a pleased expression, wasn't surprised by her reaction; it was as if he had expected it all along.

Cicely bounced up to him, pointing excitedly inside, "When did it get here?"

"About two hours ago," Seth replied calmly, which meant it had arrived right around the time she had reached the company's lobby.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" She dashed back into the rest room, a whirlwind of excitement, while Seth watched her, amused. Her curiosity was clearly piqued by the contents inside. He pushed back from his desk and followed her in.

In the center of the rest room stood a dazzling pure white wedding dress, its surface almost entirely covered in delicate diamond sparkles. Despite the drawn curtains, even the faintest light made the gown shimmer with a rainbow of colors.

Not a detail was spared, even the gloves were adorned. The dress, conservative in design with an off-the-shoulder cut and long lace sleeves, exuded an air of top-tier elegance and charm. The train of the veil was so long it hardly fit in the room, cascading down, wide enough to cover her shoulders entirely.

She suspected every detail of the dress bore Seth's influence, designed with conservatism in mind.

Still, it was utterly breathtaking.

She had visited countless bridal shops before, but never had she found a dress that captivated her heart quite like this one.

Cicely twirled in front of the mirror, her hands caressing the delicate lace of the wedding gown she couldn't seem to part with. "Do you think I'll be the most beautiful bride in the world if I wear this?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she clung to the dress.

Seth watched her, an amused smile curling his lips. "That's a question for the Magic Mirror, love."

Cicely's brow furrowed in mock annoyance. "Oh, c'mon! Can't you just say yes?"

Approaching her with a relaxed stride, Seth's fingers grazed the edge of the veil. "Sure, you're the most beautiful to me, but I prefer it when everyone agrees you're the fairest of them all. A princess only gets one answer from the Magic Mirror."

Well, the guy sure had a way with words.

Delighted, Cicely whipped out her phone and started snapping pictures of the gown from every angle.

Seth stepped back, "Aren't you going to try it on?"

"No way," Cicely shook her head. "If I try it on in front of you now, you won't get the full effect on our wedding day."

Her eyes danced with mirth as she looked at Seth. "Just you wait until the big day to see the magic happen."

Seth pressed his lips together, a sign that his patience was being tested.

"I'm gonna send these pics to Grandpa, Dad, and Issac."

A shadow passed over Seth's eyes, a hint of displeasure seeping through his gaze. "Do you have to share everything with Issac?"

Cicely was busy typing out a message, replying without thinking, "Uh-huh."

But then, sensing Seth's mood, she looked up, her eyes still warm with smile. "Issac has always been there for me since we were kids. I didn't have many friends, so naturally, he's the one I talk to the most. He even bought sanitary pads and underwear for me during my first period. And I remember once I stained his shirt. I think he washed it himself."

It seemed like a sudden recollection, and now, thinking back, she blushed a bit. Back then, boys were so concerned with keeping their image, getting embarrassed over the smallest things. They were especially offended by things like girls getting their periods, and the boys often made fun of girls for such things.

But Issac never did.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized how good Issac had been to her. He’s quietly standing by her side, always there when needed, without a single complaint. Because of his silent presence, she took him for granted all these years, treating him like part of the background. But, he was as essential to her as her nose, her eyes, her limbs – any part of her body.

Taken for granted, yet indispensable.

Cicely's expression grew more serene as she pondered what life without Issac would be like. What kind of Cicely would she be now?

Her contemplation caused Seth's face to darken further.

"Cicely, what are you thinking about?"

His voice was deep and brooding, snapping Cicely back to reality just as her phone vibrated in her hand. She looked down to find a message from Issac. [Beautiful. You'll definitely be the world's most beautiful bride.]

Cicely's lips curved into a gentle smile. See? That was the kind of answer that satisfied a girl.

Upon seeing her reaction, Seth strode over and snatched the phone from her hand.

He glanced down at the message Issac had sent so promptly. "I didn't realize he had it in him to say such things. Does that please you?" His jealousy wasn't even trying to hide itself.

"What girl doesn't like to be called beautiful? Someone's a bit too obvious with their jealousy, Mr. Diaz."

"Jealous?" Seth scoffed, then he tossed the phone back to her. "Shouldn't I be?"

Cicely caught the phone, finding it amusing to see such a display from him. "Of course, you should. Anyway, I might be out this afternoon for a bit, so you hold down the fort at the office, champ."

She pecked him on the lips and turned to leave, only to be yanked back by her arm. "You didn't mention having plans this afternoon. Where are you going, and what for?"

Cicely thought for a moment. "Shopping."

Seth's brow furrowed. "Tell me what you need, and I'll have someone buy it."

"No need. Shopping is more meaningful when done personally."

"I'll have Charlie follow you."

"Why suddenly assign Charlie to tail me? I'll have Issac."

Seth's expression became even more strained.

Cicely sighed, her fingers fiddling with the smooth fabric of Seth's suit sleeve. "Issac and I have been like two peas in a pod since we were kids. He's always been good to me. He’s handsome, fit, even-tempered, and capable."

Seth abruptly brushed her hand away, but she just laughed softly and caught his sleeve again. "So, if there was anything romantic between Issac and me, you wouldn’t have the change with me. If there was anything to develop, it would've happened long ago."

Seth tried to pull away, but Cicely held on tight.

"I'm married, Mr. Diaz. If you keep getting jealous, should we take out our marriage certificate and give it a good look to calm your current mood?"

"The person who needs a good look is you."

"Alright, alright. We'll look at it together tonight at home." She patted his hand soothingly. "There, there. I'll come pick you up after work, and we'll head home together."

Seth just stared at her, and sighed.

*

As soon as Cicely left the office, she messaged Issac. [Going shopping.]