The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride
Chapter 1946

Chapter 1946

Seth ended the call, the screen displaying a mere 54 seconds of conversation. His phone lingered in his hand as his emotionless gaze stared at the digital numbers. His chiseled face held no warmth, and his narrow eyes seemed to gaze into an abyss.

A sense of vague disquiet settled over him.

He had felt her rage bubbling just beneath the surface, and noticed her restraint and the shadow of disappointment. Her final, resigned "I see" echoed in his mind, painting a vivid picture of her slumped over a desk, a mix of defiance and vulnerability etched into her posture.

With a slight shift in his eyes, Seth pocketed the phone and pushed through the library doors.

Kane, draped in a black cardigan, lounged on a chair, its four legs precariously balanced on two, his whole frame swinging to maintain equilibrium.

Noticing Seth's stoic entrance, Kane propped himself up on the table, his expression brimming with curiosity. "When will she get here?" he asked, his voice tinged with mischief.d2

Seth glanced at him. "It's not her."

Kane paused, his eyes whirling with thoughts. "Ellis family's little princess, huh?"

Seth remained silent.

Kane, knowing Seth's temperament well, smirked. "You're in for it now, caught the eye of that girl."

He settled back, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Surprising, though. She's always so aloof, like no one's good enough for her. Cold to everyone, hard to figure out. Then again, I never really got to know her, so who knows what she's really like. But she is stunning. Ever wonder what she'd be like as a girlfriend? The type to get all cute and cuddly?"

Seth's brows knitted together, his pen pausing mid-sentence, as Kane's words stirred an unexplained irritation within him. "If you're not here to study, then get lost."

Kane snapped back to reality. "Aren't I supposed to help you cram? You're turning on me already?"

Seth slammed his pen down, his icy gaze fixed on Kane.

Kane, ever the opportunist, raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, my bad, okay? But considering your sudden mood, is it because I mentioned Cicely? You don't think she's pretty?"

"Kane."

The warning in Seth's voice was unmistakable. Kane nodded frantically, "Fine, fine, I'll shut up about the Ellis princess."

Though Kane pledged silence, he couldn't help but probe, "Do you actually dislike Cicely?"

With a sharp snap, Seth closed his book, and Kane immediately clammed up, sitting ramrod straight.

Seth's lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes cold. His attention, however, didn't linger on Kane for long. It snapped away, shooting past Kane's shoulder to the opposite side of the room.

A youthful boy's eyes met Seth's icy stare, a flash of panic crossing his face before he offered a nonchalant nod.

Seth's frown deepened. The boy was unfamiliar, but just before withdrawing his gaze, Seth's eyes lingered on the textbook in front of the boy.

Eighth-grade curriculum.

Seth looked back at the boy, who was now avoiding his gaze.

"Who's that?"

Kane followed Seth's gaze. "Oh, him? Joel Davis, the Davis family son. His great-grandfather made a fortune in construction materials. The business is stable. Davis Construction has long-term deals with several major families in P City."

Seth's interest piqued, "Which families?"

"The Harpers, the Ziems, the Ellises, the Trettons... a bunch."

--

When Danielle arrived at the library, Kane was resting his head in his hands, dozing off. Seth, on the other hand, sat upright, supporting his head with his hand beneath his jaw. His distinctively slender fingers pinched the corner of the book page, as if ready to turn it at any moment.

She approached Seth, watching him for a moment before softly saying, "Hey, Seth."

Startled from his nap, Kane nearly nosedived onto the table at the sound of Danielle's gentle voice.

Seth's fingers parted slightly, glancing up before his eyes shifted to the seat next to Kane. "If you have questions, ask him first."

Danielle glanced at Kane, then back at Seth, whose focus had already returned to his book. Feeling a bit deflated, she placed two cups of milkshake on the table. "I just bought these."

"Look at that, a beauty with a warm touch," Kane chimed in, grabbing a cup.

Danielle opened her mouth to speak but held back. With a second milkshake still unclaimed, she ventured, "Seth, there's one for you..."

"I don't have a sweet tooth," he replied flatly, his voice devoid of any inflection.

Danielle quietly took a seat beside Kane, her eyes starting to mist as she opened her bookbag, the disappointment weighing heavily on her.

Danielle was the Ellis family's darling, undeniably beautiful. Kane, now fully awake, rubbed his face and scooted closer. "Don't be shy, Danielle. If you have any questions, just ask. Did you get a chance to preview the material? Maybe I can start with the basics."

Danielle took a deep breath, stifling the lump in her throat, and managed a strained smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Thanks, I'm good for now. I'll hit you up if I run into something I can't crack. Hope it won't disturb your studying."

"No sweat, I'm on top of my game, acing my classes left and right. I can handle your questions, no biggie."

–

Cicely completed the homework by herself. Some questions were left blank, and although she filled in answers for others, there was no guarantee they were all correct.

She ended up slumped over her desk, staring at the blanks with a growing sense of defeat, her mind wrestling with whether to call Seth or not. His tone earlier hadn't exactly been sunshine and rainbows. She didn't fancy getting snapped at, and she was wary of interrupting his study groove.

After much dilly-dallying, knowing she couldn't stall any longer, she reluctantly opened the class group chat and dropped a weary sigh emoji.

She was a knockout, but not the type to be trifled with easily. Others often found it tough to get on her wavelength, which meant responses to her messages were few and far between. But there was someone who shot back a reply in a heartbeat.

Joel: [ What's up?]

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