The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride
Chapter 2057

Chapter 2057

Lana's brow furrowed instantly as she grabbed Cicely's arm.

Cicely turned and gave her a gentle smile, "Just going in for a statement."

"No way!"

Lana's voice sliced through the air, brooking no argument.

The law enforcement officers beside them darkened in demeanor. "Ma'am, if you continue toobstruct official duties, we are well within our rights to deal with you according to the law."

"You wouldn't dare!"d2

"I'll go with you." Cicely suddenly cut Lana off. "Auntie, this isn't abroad."

Lana's eyes narrowed. After years of being spoiled rotten overseas, Lana had gradually forgotten alot about the situation back home.

"Lana, you go check on grandpa and make sure someone looks after my dad. I'll go with them. And,could you please go first? I don't want you to see me being taken away, looking like I'm being sentoff to do something."

Cicely admitted that thinking about such seemingly sentimental things at this time was somewhatridiculous, but that was just the kind of sentimental person she was.

Lana took a deep breath with her eyes closed. "I'll go with you."

"No need. With everything that's happened these past few days, there's so much to arrange anddeal with, and I don't understand any of it. I'm relying on you to sort things out when you get back.You don't need to come with me. Save some time for other important matters."

Lana was silent for two seconds. "Alright, I'll take care of everything and come to pick you up assoon as possible."

Cicely nodded, "Okay."

*

After Lana left, two officers approached, one lifting Cicely's hands while the other pulled outhandcuffs.

Seeing those cuffs, Cicely's eyes suddenly shrank, and she quickly withdrew her hands. Theindifferent compliance from just moments ago was replaced by panic and distress. "What are youdoing?"

"Ms. Cicely, as a suspect, we need to ensure there's no trouble. Please cooperate with us."

"I don't want to wear those..."

She was a lady of the Ellis family. How could she possibly wear such things? "I promised to go withyou and I won't run. So there's no need for those."

The lead officer spoke again: "If you don't cooperate, don't blame us for taking necessary forcefulaction."

Forceful. And they did just that. Without letting Cicely argue, they clamped down on her hands andwith a "click," those delicate wrists were encircled by the cold steel of the cuffs.

Cicely felt a sudden tingle in her nose, biting her lip hard to keep tears from spilling from her eyes.Her hands clenched into fists, shaking, then slowly relaxed.

Just a few steps out, at the emergency exit, Seth stood tall, his face impassive and his deep-seteyes calmly watching her. She slowed her steps.

"Mr. Diaz." The officer nodded at him.

But Seth's gaze remained fixed on the woman between them, especially on the chilling handcuffsaround her hands. His eyes narrowed imperceptibly, his hand in his trouser pocket clenched tightly.After a moment, he spoke, "Do you still want to go with your aunt?"

Cicely, chilled to the bone, stared back at him. Despite the sweltering summer heat, she felt acoldness seeping into her from every pore.

Her pretty face, which had just shown fear and panic, was now facing him. Her expression changedfrom indifference, to anger, to detachment, to a sarcastic curve on her lips.

"Is this the consequence of provoking you? The Ellis family hasn't fallen yet, Seth. Even if I didactually hurt someone, my family would ensure my safety. You think you can make me give in thisway? Let me tell you, it's impossible. How many days can you keep me?"

Seth's eyes narrowed dangerously, as if something feral was struggling to climb out from the abyssof his gaze. His hand in his pocket clenched again, hidden from view, veins bulging, knuckleswhitening, his palm's circulation cut off.

"Know when to fold, Cicely." His voice was tense, as if something was physically choking him.

Cicely just laughed, tasting his words, "Know when to fold..."

She looked down at the cold, silvery handcuffs on her hands, "Is this your way of showinggoodwill?"

After speaking, she didn't wait to see Seth's reaction or hear what he might say, but took the lead inmoving forward. "Weren't you in a hurry to get back for the statement? Not in a rush anymore? Evenif you're not, I'm in a hurry to get home." The officers quickly followed her out.

Before leaving the hospital, Cicely stopped again. Staring at the handcuffs, she said softly, "Couldyou cover this up for me?"

Following her request, an officer borrowed a lab coat from the front desk and draped it over her.

Cicely's eyes flickered.

It was ugly. Really ugly.

*

She was whisked away in the police car to the nearest precinct. Straight into the interrogation room,she went. She was then directed to sit in the chair. Suppressing her unease, she pretended tocasually look around.

The room was small, with a one-way mirror opposite her, a camera in the corner, and a cheaplyvarnished table with a recorder on it. Nothing else noteworthy. The working conditions were lessthan stellar.

Two uniformed officers, pistols at their hips, stood stoically beside her.

The interrogation didn't begin immediately. Cicely sat quietly, picking at a chipped spot on the table.

Time ticked by. She thought about the cop dramas she'd seen.

Some delay the interrogation as a psychological tactic, but did they need to? She didn't hurtanyone.

Through the one-way glass, Seth watched Cicely sitting there, her expression indifferent.

Within a minute, the interrogator entered. The supposed 'statement' was an actual interrogation.

Liar.

The so-called statement began. The interrogator asked her to recount the events.

She cooperated fully, and she shared every detail she thought was relevant, including her tellingPatty that she and Seth had gotten married and asking Patty if Seth loved her like that.

"She was insane, a total loon." Cicely's voice trembled, her fingertips quivering. "She grabbed myhand and stabbed herself with the knife. That doesn't make me the assailant, right?"

The interrogator remained silent, prompting Cicely to frown. "Is this all over? Can I go now?"

*

Seth observed Cicely with a detached gaze before finally speaking. "Given her direct involvement,we can't take her word alone. She won't be leaving until things are clear, correct?"

Charlie, who stood beside Seth, felt a sudden twitch in his eyelid at the implication. Was Mr. Diazreally suggesting locking up his wife at the station? But then on second thought, after all, the personwho was hurt was his own mother. It seemed normal for him to react this way. Still, the idea ofdetaining Cicely, who had narrated the incident without hesitation, felt wrong. Did Seth doubt heraccount?

The law enforcement official nodded in agreement. "As a suspect, she can't be released until theinvestigation is complete."

The door to the interrogation room opened and someone went to the interrogator and whispered afew words. Cicely watched as the interrogator lowered his head and nodded while listening, andwith a sudden uneasiness in her heart, she spoke again. "Is it over? I need to leave."

"Sorry, Ms. Cicely, but we're not done here. You're not free to go," the interrogator informed her.

Cicely's hand on the table shook violently, her voice quivering with fear. “What do you mean?”

*

Lana decided not to inform her bedridden father about Cicely being taken to the station. Sheworried for Cicely, so she only spent a fleeting ten minutes with her long-absent father beforehurriedly departing.

The interrogation had just ended when Lana arrived at the police station. Lana's patience wanedafter a brief wait. She marched toward the inner offices, ignoring the calls of the officers. "Move! Yousaid she was brought in for questioning, right? Is it over? Let her out!" Lana demanded.

"Ma'am, please, she'll be out once we're done," an officer tried to assure her.

But Lana was having none of it. Just then, Seth emerged from a doorway, halting her tirade.

"Where's Cicely?" Lana demanded.

Before Seth could answer, another door opened, and Cicely appeared, escorted by two officers.

Seeing Lana, Cicely's pale face finally showed a look of helpless fear, but then she saw Sethstanding nearby. Just when she was about to ask Lana for help, she swallowed her words.

Was he here?

Her gaze fell on the door behind him, which remained open. Charlie was still standing at theentrance. So, he was here, and had watched the entire process of her interrogation. And thedecision to detain her here as a criminal suspect was probably his as well.

After figuring everything out, she suddenly let out a cold laugh. Impressive...

Lana's anger, long contained, now surged forward. "Why is she handcuffed?"

"Aunt Lana," Cicely spoke up. "They won't let me go. I need to see my dad at the hospital, and mygrandfather. I need to replace Issac."

Lana nodded, ready to take action, but Seth interjected coldly. "Until things are clear, she's the onewho hurt my mother, and no matter what, she can't get out now."

Cicely's expression suddenly froze.

Lana stared at his indifferent and cold face, suddenly stepped forward, and slapped Seth's facefiercely.

Seth's entire face was struck to one side, the bright red fingerprint instantly left a mark on thathandsome face.

"This slap is for Cicely's mother!"

Seth's jaw suddenly tightened, his wrist instantly showing obvious strain.

"Do you know what it means for a woman to get married? Her husband's family is her home for thesecond half of her life, and her husband is her heaven, her earth, her shelter, the person she needsto trust and rely on for a lifetime! With the two mainstays of the Ellis family now fallen, during hermost helpless time, what have you done?”

Cicely's pupils flickered. Ah, she suddenly missed her mother.

Right... her husband, who she had always shamelessly stuck to, was not her heaven, not her earth,not her shelter, nor the one she depended on. At this time, she really could not stand to hear thesewords. Every point hit her tear spot.

And Seth, with his skewed face, stared at her face. With an expressionless face, he watched herindifferently, his voice low and relentless, "Are you still leaving?”

Cicely bit her lip hard, “Seth, my dad is still in the hospital...”

"So, are we still leaving?" It was the same question he had, stubborn to the point of extremism.

Lana squinted her eyes, "Cicely..."

"Seth, do you think... we can really still be together? I'm leaving if my dad does. I will definitely leavewith him...”

Seth lightly nodded his head, "Okay, I know.”

He turned his head back, taking his gaze away from her, and letting it fall on Lana's face. "If you'reso confident in the powers of the Ellis family, you can try, see if you can really get her out. I'll giveyou three days. If you can get her out, you can leave on your own. If you can't, we'll see you in courtthree days later.”

Cicely's breath suddenly stopped, her entire body cold and stiff.

After Seth finished speaking, he no longer looked at her, took a step forward and strode away.Behind him, Cicely's voice was lost and confused, "Are you going to sue me again? Seth, my dad isstill in ICU. Do you really have to sue me at this time?"

Seth slowed his steps. Charlie, who was still in shock, saw Seth lift his right hand to grip the cuff ofhis left sleeve. The expensive white shirt cuff has been distorted by his grip.

"It's simple. As long as you say you won’t leave, you can go out immediately."

Cicely stared at that slender figure for a long time, then laughed coldly. "If I say I won't leave, willyou believe me?"

The man flinched.

"You don't believe me," Cicely said to herself. "You don't believe me when I'm telling the truth, andyou don't believe me when I lie. Tell me, how can we go on? Seth, I can't continue with you..."

After a long time, Seth took a step forward and walked towards the exit, leaving only two coldwords.

"Three days."