The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride
Chapter 2026

Seth's expression was far from sunny.

He was hurt, sleepless from the night before, and his dark eyes, though lacking in deliberate coldness, held a certain dry chill.

"Cicely?"

Footsteps shuffled outside the door, and Creighton's familiar voice called out for Cicely, laced with confusion, "Why aren't you coming in?"

Seth's gaze snapped up suddenly, landing on Cicely, who was standing at the doorway, looking back over her shoulder.

His eyes narrowed slightly.d2

When Cicely turned back around, her face was etched with a faint smile.

For the umpteenth time, Seth found himself detesting her all-too-common smile.

"There's no rush. No life-threatening danger, she just has to suffer a bit," Cicely reassured, taking Erik's arm.

The group approached the hospital room. Patty shifted awkwardly to the side, eyeing Cicely with a look that was anything but natural.

It was unclear when Cicely had taken up her post at the door, and what she might have overheard.

Seth's gaze never left Cicely. Danielle's attending physician, upon hearing the Ellis family had arrived, hurried over.

"Is the kid going to be alright?" Erik's concern was genuine.

"Right hand's index and middle fingers are fractured, both legs have severe comminuted fractures, and there's a broken rib in the chest. We're confident about the surgeries, and with proper treatment and rest, she'll be healed in six months."

"Gosh! That serious."

The injuries were indeed severe, and Erik's heart trembled.

He might get angry at Danielle from time to time, but in the end, she was still his granddaughter. At a time like this, he still felt a pang of heartache.

Cicely's lips tightened, and the smile on her face uncontrollably waned.

The extent of that injury was enough to evoke thoughts of how serious the car accident had been. Any slight mistake, and Danielle might have lost her life for real.

Her eyes lingered on Danielle's unconscious face, a trace of barely noticeable scorn slipping across her otherwise serene expression. Impressive, indeed.

"Any complications?" Cicely's voice suddenly broke the silence.

The doctor hesitated, "It won't affect normal activities, but it will certainly impact her ability to perform complex dance moves, and as for playing the piano, I'm sorry..."

The doctor's words had been vague and tactful. There were various unavoidable consequences of comminuted fractures. Saying that she couldn't perform high-difficulty dance movements had been just a form of consolation.

What courage and confidence could a dancer have if they were unable to execute even "complex" moves?

"What do you mean? That won't do!" Patty's voice, a bit sharp, suddenly rose.

"Danielle has been studying dance and piano since she was little. She was a stage actress, and next spring she was scheduled to take her piano exam."

Cicely remained silent, simply giving Seth a fleeting glance.

His brow furrowed distinctly.

The atmosphere in the room grew heavy.

Staring at Danielle, who lay there oblivious, Cicely felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her.

Maybe it was the late night, or perhaps because she had woken up too early.

She looked at Seth, "I brought breakfast for you; it's in your room. Do you want to head back now?"

After a few seconds, Seth rose to his feet and moved towards her.

Cicely turned to Erik and Creighton, suggesting, "The important thing is she's alive. It's pointless for so many of us to hover around; it might even disturb her rest. Should we disperse?" Her logic was sound.

The

group

left the hospital room, leaving only the special assigned nurse to watch over Danielle.

After seeing the elders off, Cicely followed Seth back to his room.

She took the breakfast from the food box and placed it in front of him, then sat on the couch and pulled out her phone.

Seth began eating with a spoon, the silence in the room profound.

Online attention seemed to belong exclusively to celebrities.

The buzz about Seth had vanished from the charts, but there was no shortage of topics binding him and Danielle together.

[Did you guys hear? I witnessed the accident. The car that caused it was initially heading straight for Mr. Diaz's car, but Danielle's vehicle suddenly darted out, trying to shield Mr. Diaz. Then it seemed Mr. Diaz realized and rushed in front of her, but Danielle still ended up taking the hit. Her brand new car was totaled.]

[Wow, were they both risking their lives to protect each other? Is this the thing called love?]

[I also know that the two of them came out from the same club, each driving their own cars. Surprisingly, they didn't touch a drop of alcohol coming out of the club. Are they too in sync, or is there something else going on between them?]

[Huh? Really? You're implying they were together from the start, aren't you?]

Cicely exited the feed and launched a game.

"Aren't you going to ask me anything?" Seth's voice broke through the sound of her gaming.

Without looking up, Cicely responded, "Ask what? Did something happen between you and Danielle?" Seth's frown deepened, "No."

"Hmm, I believe you." Her tone was indifferent, her attitude casual, "You're straightforward, which puts me at ease. But why do you need me to ask first? Seth, we haven't been together long. If I had to question you about everything, you'd get fed up and dump me sooner rather than later. It wasn't easy getting you; don't lead me into making mistakes and then use that as an excuse to leave me."

"If I really wanted to leave, would the reason matter?" Seth replied coolly.

Cicely slowly lifted her head, smiling at him.

"So you've considered dumping me?"

Seth finished his last spoonful of oatmeal and set the spoon down.

"I'm just addressing your concerns."

Cicely raised an eyebrow, nodding with a slight smile, "I won't be petty enough to overthink things and badger you if you and Danielle occasionally cross paths. No matter why you and her ended up in the same place at the same time, experiencing the same car accident on the same road, if you say there's nothing between you and her, then I believe you.

But Seth, maybe you don't have to ease my worries. There might come a day when I actually look forward to them becoming reality."

Seth's gaze shifted, his dark eyes probing hers, emotion inscrutable.

"What were you expecting? That I'd drop you like a hot stewato?"

Cicely stood up with a wry smile, making her way over to him, "I guess maybe it's more like a mutual expectation."

She methodically packed a few containers into a lunchbox, stealing a glance at his shadowed eyes, "You look like you haven't slept a wink all night. Shouldn't you be resting? Charlie called and said you haven't even started on the IV you're supposed to be on."

"Aren't you going to explain what you just said?"

After placing the lunchbox on a nearby cabinet, Cicely chuckled softly, "What's there to worry about? The ball's always been in your court, hasn't it?"

Seth watched her tidy up the dining area and stand by his bedside, "Lie back, I'll get a nurse to come set up your IV."

Cicely approached the topic with a nonchalance that implied it wasn't up for further discussion, and Seth didn't press it, changing the subject instead, "What about you?"

"Would it be against the law if I, as your wife, didn't keep vigil by your side?"

"I don't know. To play it safe, sticking around definitely wouldn't hurt.”

As Seth spoke, he settled back onto the bed.

Cicely remained silent, simply keeping watch in the hospital room.

The nurse administered the IV. He hadn't slept all night, and Cicely had no intention of talking to him. The hospital room gradually quieted down, with both of them breathing calmly and rhythmically. Twenty minutes passed, Cicely set her phone aside, lifted her gaze to check the IV drip, and finally let her eyes rest on his face.

Her expression was serene, her gaze distant, thoughts inscrutable.

After two bags of IV fluids, Seth hadn't stirred.

Cicely texted the house staff, ordering lunch for two, asking Issac to deliver it.

As noon approached, she asked the nurse to keep an eye on Seth while she went downstairs to grab lunch and get some fresh air.

In less than ten minutes, she returned, carrying the lunchbox, only to find the bed empty.

Cicely placed the lunchbox on the cabinet, her eyes downcast as she fiddled with the edge of it, smiling slightly in silence.

She remained silent, and the nurse on the side had to speak up. "The patient in V66 woke up, the gentleman probably went there." Probably?

It was more than probable.

Seth had bandages wrapped around his head, and even lying in bed, Danielle could see it clearly.

Her voice was weak and hoarse, "Seth, are you badly hurt?"

With a nonchalant look, Seth replied, "Clearly not too bad."

Danielle's features softened with relief, her tone much lighter.

"That's good."

"Your uncle and grandfather have come to see you. They're truly worried. What you need to do now is rest up and follow the doctor's orders."

Danielle paused, her voice and demeanor becoming tentative.

"I will. But am I badly injured? How long do I need to recover?"

Seth's brow furrowed slightly.

"Quite badly. Listen to the doctor and you should be back on your feet in six months."

"Six months?" Panic filled Danielle's eyes as she shook her head helplessly, tears forming in a plea.

"That's impossible. I'm about to start filming, and this role is critical."

"No matter how critical it is, you're in no shape to shoot. There's no room for negotiation."

Danielle bit her lip, closing her eyes to hide the despair welling up inside.

Seth's lips formed a thin line, his gaze cool as he watched her.

After a moment of silence, he added, "Focus on getting better, and I'll arrange another role for you."

Danielle's eyes quivered with disbelief, staring at Seth as if to confirm she hadn't misheard.

"Seth..."

"If you're not fully recovered by then, I won't consider you for the role either."

Danielle burst into tears of joy, visibly overwhelmed.

"I'll take care of myself."

Seth's expression remained indifferent as he turned his attention to the servant sent by the Ellis family.

"You should have lunch."

Danielle obediently agreed, and the overly cautious servant propped up her bed, seeming afraid of causing any pain.

Seth silently approached, lifting Danielle in his arms for the servant to place a pillow behind her, then gently set her back down.

Danielle blushed, her heart pounding fiercely. This was the closest contact between the two since they had known each other for so long.

Danielle had little appetite. Although the lunch brought by the Ellis family was light considering her injuries, she still frowned slightly when it was opened. Just as she was about to speak and refuse, she lifted her eyes to see Seth's indifferent yet dangerously stern expression.

After watching Danielle finish her lunch, Seth returned to his room, only to be greeted by the same nurse he saw upon waking up.

A brown-red lunchbox sat on the nightstand, clearly from home.

"Sir, the lady said this is home-cooked, and she asked me to remind you to eat when you get back. She doesn't like the hospital's smell, and she's probably downstairs getting some air right now."

Seth remained silent, opening the lunchbox to find the food had been touched, a good portion missing.

The nurse added, "The lady had some of it here earlier."

Seth's brows knitted slightly as he glanced at the fork before sitting on the bed.

When Cicely returned to the ward room, the lunch that should have been eaten long ago remained untouched.

The young nurse blushed as she tidied up the medical tray. The pristine bandages on Seth's exposed arm appeared freshly changed.

"What happened?" Cicely inquired.

"The wound reopened," the nurse stated, slipping back into professional mode to advise, "You must be careful now. Make sure to protect your arms and avoid any kind of strain."

Cicely had already approached Seth, frowning with the intent to inspect his arm, but upon hearing the nurse, she discreetly withdrew her hand.

Her gaze fell on the man adjusting his sleeve, a playful smile tugging at her lips.

"Did you get into a scuffle with Danielle and end up like this?"

Seth adjusted his sleeve properly, "She's practically incapacitated now."

Cicely raised an eyebrow. So what did that mean?

Was it beneath him to lay hands on someone incapacitated?

Or was she incapacitated and now he felt obliged to take extra care of her?

Cicely sank into the couch with a huff, propping her chin on her hand as she eyed him. "Seth, I don't want to go through this again. You've got injuries of your own, and until you're in shape, you've got no business playing the hero for anyone else. Besides, it hurts me to see you hurt, and what's more, I have to stick around to nurse you back to health. I want to see you getting better, ready to be discharged, not languishing here, getting worse with each passing day."

Seth didn't seem to show much change in response to Cicely's straightforward expression of sorrow and concern. After leisurely chewing the food, he spoke calmly. "If you don't like staying in the hospital, I can arrange for my discharge at any time."

Cicely narrowed her eyes at Seth for a moment before letting out a soft chuckle.

"You're sick, and you're asking if I like the hospital to decide whether to stay or not? What does that say about how I usually treat you-like some kind of shrew?"

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