The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride
Chapter 2034

Chapter 2034

Danielle's chest tightened with emotion. Cicely was here in Seth's place?

Cicely said Danielle was nothing but trouble. Indeed, there she was, bedridden and unable to carefor herself. If that wasn't a bother, what was?

Cicely sure had a knack for twisting the knife with her words.

"Get out." Even as she tried to suppress her feelings, those words betrayed her anger and agitation.

"Don't get all worked up, you know. Getting angry is bad for your health. If you end up bedridden forlife, Seth and I will be driven to madness, won't we?"

Danielle glared at her coldly and then let out a mocking laugh. "You're scared, aren't you? If I reallyam disabled for life, you'll never be able to shake me off."d2

Cicely's eyes flickered slightly as she looked at Danielle, who seemed to have given up hope. Cicelygave a faint smile. "How shameless are you to say such things? Sadly for you, even if you wish fora life of disability, the Ellis family won’t allow it, and neither will Seth. Even blood relatives fed upafter years of care. How important do you think you are in Seth's heart? You've got, what, anotherthree or four decades to live? How patient do you think he'll be, to tend to you day in and day out?Or rather, do you think Seth could ever love someone disabled?"

Danielle's pale lips trembled violently as she glared at Cicely. Each word was a stab to her mostvulnerable spots.

"Don't think for a second that you're off the hook just because you're disabled. Don't even dream ofrunning away. You were so proud, weren't you? Well, even if you die, I will dig you up from yourgrave and lash your corpse to satisfy my hatred. Eat up. Maybe if you get better soon, you might beable to slap me back. Otherwise, don't blame me for bullying you."

Grinding her teeth, Danielle eyed the neatly laid out food before her. Her hand twitched, but Cicely'sicy, detached voice rang out again.

"If I were you, I wouldn't starve myself just to spite someone. I'll prepare your meals over and overuntil you're willing to eat, that's if you don't replace me annoying."

Just as her arm began to lift, it froze in place. To eat or not to eat, either way, Cicely would win.

"You're ruining my appetite. Please, leave now."

Cicely looked up at the nurse standing by. "Keep an eye on her. Let me know whether she eats ornot."

"Understood."

Danielle took a deep breath.

Cicely didn't look at her again, turning towards the door to leave. But before Cicely could take twosteps, the door swung open from the outside.

She paused, her expression darkening as the man who entered caught her eye.

It was Ray. The sight of Cicely brought a surge of intense hatred to his eyes.

Issac, who had just returned from the restroom, rushed in, positioning himself in front of Cicely.

Cicely, standing behind Issac, furrowed her brows as she recalled Ray's expression when heopened the door. She reached out and pushed Issac aside. "Mr. Ray, feeling any better?"

Ray's face stiffened, his teeth clenched as he glared at Cicely, embarrassment mixed with rage.

Cicely smiled, "Mr. Ray, don't you think you're misdirecting your anger? You were the one whonearly took advantage of me that night when you were drunk. I haven't even come to settle thatscore yet, and here you are looking as if I've castrated you myself."

The words hit Ray hard.

"Ms. Cicely," Ray stammered, "Seth never told you what really happened that night?"

Her gaze lowered slightly, "Does what he say negate the fact that you almost raped me?"

Raising her eyes with a faint smile, she added, "I'm aware of Mr. Ray's current condition andgenuinely regret it. Let's put our grievances aside for now. But please, Mr. Ray, get your factsstraight. It was your drunken folly that night that led to this mess, not anyone else's doing. Ms.Danielle is the true victim here, now incapacitated and dependent. Let's not make her situation anyharder."

Issac, listening to the exchange, could hardly believe the facade.

Ray turned briefly to Danielle, his expression flustered, "I'm here to visit, not to cause trouble. Ofcourse, I know Danielle is the biggest victim."

"Is that so?" Cicely nodded with a smile, "Then I must have misunderstood. With that cleared up, I'lltake my leave."

Issac shielded Cicely as they left the hospital room. "Ray wasn't involved in the accident, so wecan't hold him accountable. He's been hospitalized here. He came by yesterday, but I didn't let himin."

Cicely clenched the bag in her hands until her knuckles turned white. Encountering Ray againbrought back the chaos of that night, the helplessness and the fear, so vivid and terrifying that eventhe mere thought of it made her shudder.

"Miss?"

Cicely blinked away the memories, "It seems Mr. Ray is quite fond of Danielle."

Issac had been skeptical. A rich playboy, surrounded by a constant stream of women, suddenlyproclaiming true feelings for one seemed far-fetched. But now, it seemed genuine.

"Perhaps."

Cicely scoffed, "Not perhaps. With his family on the brink, he's willing to throw money into thischarade for Danielle. It's clear she means a lot to him. I even suspect this accident wasorchestrated by his family for her sake."

Issac frowned at the thought.

Ray liked Danielle so much he'd nearly get her killed? That seemed a bit far-fetched.

*

In the hospital room, Ray stood by Danielle's bed. His handsome face etched with concern andguilt. "I'm sorry, I had no idea it would turn out this bad."

Danielle wasn't in the mood to give Ray any more attention than she had to. Holding her forkclumsily, she shoveled food into her mouth with mechanical indifference.

"Ray, it's a dog-eat-dog world. Regardless of the tactics used, your family is finished," she said, notlooking up from her plate. "Is it really necessary to go for the jugular? Nothing's happening to himnow, and your family is on its last legs. Before, there was at least a chance for a comeback, butnow, you guys have blown it for good."

Ray's hands were clenched so tight his knuckles were white, and a vein throbbed on his forehead."He orchestrated the downfall of my family from the very start, Danielle. I've told you not to befooled by his act. His ruthlessness is beyond what you can imagine. My dad said the moment heentered showbiz and started his agency, he had his sights set on bringing us down."

"A fledgling talent agency, run by a guy who hasn't graduated from college yet. He relied on thesethings to make everyone relax their guard against him, and then suddenly delivered a fatal blow. Heplayed innocent but was actually cunning and ruthless. That night, I wasn't simply drunk. I've neverhidden my feelings for you, and if Cicely hadn't shown up, who do you think would have been at thereceiving end of my actions?"

Danielle's face drained of color. She had pondered this question before, but she was too afraid todelve into it. She didn't want to confront the potential cruelty of this "possible truth."

"That's impossible." she whispered.

Ray took a deep breath. "I know you wouldn't believe it, which is why I never brought it up before.I've checked with the doctors about your condition, and the prognosis is optimistic, albeit a roughroad ahead. I came here today to see you and to ask you something."

Danielle still didn't look up, her voice restrained and flat. "Go ahead."

"When you stepped in front of that car for him, was it truly out of a willingness to risk your life tosave him, or was it just a ploy to achieve some ulterior motive?"

Danielle paused mid-bite and finally turned to look at Ray. "Does it make a difference? Even with amotive, my only desire was to win him over."

Ray gave a melancholic smile. "It's different. The accident was unforeseen. Even I didn't expect myfather to be so obstinate. If you knew the crash would be severe, would you still have stepped in?"

After a long silence, Danielle set her fork down and looked up at him. "What kind of answer are youhoping for?"

Ray pressed his lips together. "You should know."

"Then no, I wouldn't."

Ray stared at her quietly. "I didn't expect you to brush me off like this."

"It's not brushing you off. If I had died, what would be the point of saving him?"

Ray nodded slightly. "Whether true or not, that's the answer I needed to hear. And you don't have toplay the villain in front of me to push me away. At this point, if I stop caring for you, it's like denyingeverything I've ever felt. If I could go back, I would, but since I can't, I need to replace a reason for it all."

Danielle had never seen Ray this composed yet so obsessively insane. Her hand on the blankettrembled slightly. She was afraid of Ray in this state. With nothing left to lose, there was no tellingwhat kind of madness he might resort to.

*

Cicely and Issac stepped out of the elevator on the ground floor, only to see Seth standing acrossthe hall.

Tall, stoic, and brooding.

His brow furrowed imperceptibly when he saw Cicely.

Cicely's grip on her purse slackened for a moment then tightened. She stepped out, with a familiar,faint smile on her face. "You're here?"

Seth's gaze was heavy. "You hate hospitals. What are you doing here?"

"I heard she had another episode. Came to check on her with some lunch," Cicely admitted. After abrief silence, she glanced at him coolly. "I have no interest in bullying a cripple, so don't worry."

Seth appeared here not long after Cicely arrived at the hospital. Issac, standing on the side,instantly grasped what Seth was worried about. "Mr. Diaz, Ms. Cicely is here on your behalf tocheck on Miss Danielle, considering how busy you've been lately. She thought it might give you abreak."

Seth's gaze faltered for a moment.

Cicely adjusted the scarf around her neck, presenting only her profile to him, yet the subtle smile atthe corners of her eyes and lips was evident.

"Her moods are volatile, and your presence might exacerbate them, potentially even leading toharm."

Cicely looked up at him with a light smile. "I have Issac with me. Do you think a crippled personcould hurt me when I'm fully able and protected?"

Seth's expression darkened. "The sooner she recovers, the sooner I can sever ties with her."

"I know," Cicely replied, hands tucked into the pockets of her down jacket. "That's why I braved thedisgust and came."

Once again, that demeanor. No overt anger, just a serene and gentle defiance. But the more shedisplayed it, the clearer Seth could sense her underlying sarcasm and rebellion.

"Have you had lunch?" Seth reached out to pull her closer, remembering the lesson he'd learnedjust a week prior.

However, Cicely stepped aside, avoiding his touch. "Whether I have eaten or not, you probablydon't have the time to join me. And as it happens, I don't feel like sharing a meal with you today."

Faced with such blunt rejection, Seth's complexion soured.

"Have you ever trusted me?" The question floated into Seth's ears, simple yet profound. After a briefpause, he looked up to replace the woman already walking away. She didn't leave room for an answer,as if the question itself had a foregone conclusion in her mind.

*

Issac followed Cicely out.

"Where to next, miss?"

Cicely settled into the car and pondered for a moment, her expression neutral. "Let's visit Dad at theEllis estate."

"Alright."

As the car rolled through the gates of the Ellis family estate, Cicely gazed through the window at thesprawling manor, feeling an unexpected sense of desolation. The dark green pines stood tall butfailed to bring any sense of vitality.

Cicely furrowed her brows, and the already somewhat suppressed emotions deepened a bit. Shegot out of the car and walked towards the villa. The living room was empty, with servantsoccasionally moving about in silence. Even their breathing seemed to be cautious. "Miss, you'reback."

Brody rushed over at the sound of her arrival, a look of surprise on his face. "Why didn't you give usa heads up, Miss?"

Cicely glanced upstairs, "Where's Dad?"

"He finished lunch not too long ago and was reading in the study. Not sure if he's fallen asleep."

"What did he have for lunch?"

"We made some buckwheat wraps."

Cicely paused her ascent up the stairs, turning to look at Brody from the first step, "And what else?"

Brody hesitated, "There were a couple of side dishes."

Cicely's frown deepened as she turned and headed straight for the kitchen. With a stern face, sheordered the servants to bring out what Creighton had for lunch.

Half a plate of the brownish buckwheat wraps remained, along with two side dishes—one being alight salad of carrots and celery, the other a chilled platter of ham and cheese.

Gripping the back of a nearby chair, she lifted her gaze to the servants, "Is this what you preparedfor my father's lunch?"

The servants were too frightened to reply, their heads lowered in silence.

"Miss," Brody said helplessly, "Sir has been preferring lighter meals these days, and he specificallyasked for these dishes. Even if we prepared more, he wouldn't touch them. Elderly folks' meals arequite simple. When you're not home, sir says there's no need to cook so much."

Cicely knew Brody well enough not to doubt his words, but in her memories, the Ellis family's diningtable was always a feast of variety.

Upon reaching the study, she found Creighton slumped in a chair by the window, a book resting onhis chest, his head tilted, seemingly asleep. A sudden pang of sorrow hit Cicely, and her eyes

began to redden.

This vast estate now had but one master. That grand dining table now set with only a humble cornerfor his simple meal.

She had married early, head over heels in love, insisting on living with Seth and leaving her fatheralone in the house.

She blamed herself deeply in her mind.

She didn't wake Creighton, gently covering him with a blanket before tiptoeing out of the study.

When Creighton woke from his nap and came downstairs to replace Cicely discussing something withthe servants, his face lit up with an unmistakable joy. "You little rascal, why didn't you tell me youwere coming?"

"What, got secrets to hide before I arrive?"

Creighton playfully glared at her. "You're not fighting with Seth again, are you?"

"How could there be so many quarrels?" Cicely laughed, linking arms with Creighton and settlingonto the couch. "He's busy with work, and I was getting bored on my break, missing all the home-cooked meals. Dad, how about inviting Grandpa over for dinner tonight?"

Creighton nodded, "You'll have to ask him. He listens to you more than he does to me."

"Alright, I'll talk to him."

Cicely stayed glued to Creighton for the rest of the afternoon. She badgered him into teaching herchess, playfully demanding take-backs that left Creighton both amused and exasperated.

When Erik arrived, father and son squared off while she placed bets and sipped tea, occasionallychiming in with unsolicited advice.

Erik bristled, "Silence is golden; don't meddle in the game."

This afternoon was lively and bustling, and even the servants were working energetically. The entireEllis family seemed to have returned to how it used to be.

During dinner, Creighton inquired about Seth.

Cicely said he was too busy to make it back. Creighton frowned, giving her an extra glance, "Areyou two really okay?"

Cicely, exasperated, "Just hope for us to be alright, will you?"

Creighton relented.

After dinner, Cicely still sent Seth a message. [I'm at the Ellis estate, won't be coming home tonight.]

She wasn't about to create a dramatic runaway scenario with Seth, spending a night away fromhome. After all, she couldn't let Grandpa and Dad sense anything amiss.

Seth didn't reply, and she didn't wait up for him.

At eight, Seth showed up at the Ellis estate's doorstep. Cicely concealed her slight frown andmoved to assist Seth with his coat. "Why are you here?"

"Didn't your message imply for me to come?"

Cicely hung his coat on the rack, her voice neutral, "No, it was just to let you know."

"Unless it's unavoidable, there's no reason for a married couple to sleep apart. I took your messageas an invitation for us to stay here tonight."

Before she could respond, he had pulled her into his embrace and they walked together into theliving room. "Good evening."

Creighton, seeing the couple's closeness, smiled, "I’ve heard you’ve been working hard these pastfew days, have you eaten dinner?"

"Not yet."

"Well then, go ahead, I'll have the staff whip up a few dishes. Cicely, take care of it."