The Enticing CEO’s Chosen Bride

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 to obstruct 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 a lot 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 sent off to do something."

Cicely admitted that thinking about such seemingly sentimental things at this time was somewhat ridiculous, 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 and deal 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 as soon as possible."

Cicely nodded, "Okay."

*

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

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

"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 with you 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 forceful action."

Forceful. And they did just that. Without letting Cicely argue, they clamped down on her hands and with 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-set eyes 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 handcuffs around 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 a coldness seeping into her from every pore.

Her pretty face, which had just shown fear and panic, was now facing him. Her expression changed from 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 did actually hurt someone, my family would ensure my safety. You think you can make me give in this way? 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 abyss of his gaze. His hand in his pocket clenched again, hidden from view, veins bulging, knuckles whitening, 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 showing goodwill?"

After speaking, she didn't wait to see Seth's reaction or hear what he might say, but took the lead in moving forward. "Weren't you in a hurry to get back for the statement? Not in a rush anymore? Even if 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, "Could you 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 to casually look around.

The room was small, with a one-way mirror opposite her, a camera in the corner, and a cheaply varnished table with a recorder on it. Nothing else noteworthy. The working conditions were less than 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 hurt anyone.

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 telling Patty 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 my hand 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. Diaz really suggesting locking up his wife at the station? But then on second thought, after all, the person who was hurt was his own mother. It seemed normal for him to react this way. Still, the idea of detaining Cicely, who had narrated the incident without hesitation, felt wrong. Did Seth doubt her account?

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

The door to the interrogation room opened and someone went to the interrogator and whispered a few words. Cicely watched as the interrogator lowered his head and nodded while listening, and with 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. She worried for Cicely, so she only spent a fleeting ten minutes with her long-absent father before hurriedly departing. All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

The interrogation had just ended when Lana arrived at the police station. Lana's patience waned after a brief wait. She marched toward the inner offices, ignoring the calls of the officers. "Move! You said 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 Seth standing 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 the entrance. So, he was here, and had watched the entire process of her interrogation. And the decision 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 my grandfather. I need to find Issac."

Lana nodded, ready to take action, but Seth interjected coldly. "Until things are clear, she's the one who 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 face fiercely.

Seth's entire face was struck to one side, the bright red fingerprint instantly left a mark on that handsome 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 the second half of her life, and her husband is her heaven, her earth, her shelter, the person she needs to trust and rely on for a lifetime! With the two mainstays of the Ellis family now fallen, during her most 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 these words. Every point hit her tear spot.

And Seth, with his skewed face, stared at her face. With an expressionless face, he watched her indifferently, 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 leave with 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're so confident in the powers of the Ellis family, you can try, see if you can really get her out. I'll give you three days. If you can get her out, you can leave on your own. If you can't, we'll see you in court three 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 is still 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 of his 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, will you 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, and you 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 cold words.

"Three days."