Free Web NovelChapter 142: Chapter 138: Grown Bolder
Georgia Thorne stopped in her tracks, looking at his handsome, blurred face through a layer of smoke.
Now that they had broken up, they should be acting like strangers.
Her fingers tightened on her purse strap, so hard it dug into her palm. She kept her head down, wanting to slip past him.
She brushed past Elliot Sheridan, but before she could take a single step, he grabbed her elbow and yanked her back, spinning her around to face him.
Elliot dropped the cigarette butt in his hand, grinding it out under his foot. His dark, handsome eyes were simmering with a rage that now erupted.
"Georgia Thorne, you’ve really got some nerve. I’ve never taken back a gift I’ve given!"
"Then you can just throw it away. It’s useless to me anyway!" Georgia said in a low voice, her thoughts suddenly thrown into chaos.
’Was he waiting here for me on purpose?’
"Are you that scared of me? You won’t even look at me!" Elliot gripped Georgia’s wrist even harder. "Do you think I won’t do anything to you, huh?"
"You were by my side for three years, and all you learned was how to grow a spine. Is that what spoiling you did?" he said, his words sharp and deliberate, his grip tightening with every syllable.
Georgia just furrowed her brow, her flushed face remaining expressionless.
"If you wanted to return something, you should have given it to Owen Sawyer. Didn’t you know to return it to me in person? Even to say thank you, you send a text instead of calling me! Is this how Jared Thorne taught you manners?"
"Whether I have manners or not is none of your business!" Georgia glared at him. "Let go of me!"
As if striking a snake at its most vulnerable point, Elliot’s grip was right on her injured right arm. Threads of pain shot through it, so intense it was starting to go numb.
The color drained from her face, leaving it deathly pale. Tiny beads of sweat broke out on her smooth forehead.
"If it hurts, then say it!"
Georgia was stunned. She snapped her head up to meet his fierce, sharp eyes. ’He knows?’
Before Georgia could react, Elliot rolled up the sleeve on the arm he was holding. The sight of the ghastly black-and-blue bruises was shocking.
He frowned deeply. ’Whoever did this didn’t hold back.’
Georgia’s skin had always been delicate. In the past, the marks left during their lovemaking would take a week to heal.
And he had loved to add new marks over the old ones, again and again, a mischievous way to make them last forever.
’These bruises won’t heal for at least a month!’
"It’s none of your business!" Georgia tried to yank her arm away, but struggling only intensified the pain.
"Georgia Thorne, being with me just taught you how to be stubborn, is that it?"
Tears welled in Georgia’s eyes, but she didn’t speak.
Elliot knew she was stubborn at her core; she had just never shown it before.
’He’d squeezed so hard, yet she hadn’t even made a sound!’
Seething with anger, Elliot flung Georgia’s hand away. He pulled a small green tube of ointment from his suit jacket. "This is much better than the stuff you get locally. Apply it three times a day. Make sure you do it! I’ll be checking."
Georgia was speechless. "Uh..."
Elliot shoved the ointment into Georgia’s hand and stormed off.
This wasn’t what Georgia had expected at all. Watching his departing back, she felt a deep unease.
’What was that all about? Did he really come all this way just to yell at me and give me some ointment?’
Georgia returned to the private room, where Lynn Thorne and Attorney Larkin were talking.
As soon as she sat down, Lynn leaned over and whispered, "What took you so long?"
"Um, it’s that time of the month."
Lynn understood immediately and turned back to continue her conversation with Attorney Larkin.
The meal ended about an hour later.
Georgia stood absently in the elevator. With a DING, the doors opened. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
She didn’t react at all until someone from behind bumped into her. Only then did she snap out of it and follow them out of the elevator.
She had only taken two steps when she heard someone call out, "Hey miss, you dropped something!"
Lost in her own world, Georgia didn’t realize the person was calling to her and kept walking ahead.
Until the person who had called out stepped in front of her.
"Miss, you dropped this!"
Caught off guard, Georgia almost bumped into him.
"Are you talking to me?"
Only then did she get a proper look at the man in front of her.
He looked to be in his thirties, with a handsome face and a tall build. He wore a black pinstripe suit and exuded an air of refinement.
Even his voice was gentle.
"I believe this is what you dropped."
A fair, slender hand opened, palm up. A small green tube of ointment lay in its center.
It was the exact same tube that Elliot had forced into her hand just moments ago.
"Oh, yes, it’s mine." Georgia gave a dry laugh and took the ointment from the man’s hand. "Thank you."
"You’re welcome."
The man remained gentle, modest, and polite.
Georgia gave him a nod and headed outside.
That evening, when Nancy Hughes was applying ointment to Georgia’s arm, she noticed a green tube that was different from yesterday’s.
"Why the new ointment?"
"Mm, I heard this one is a little better."
"Is that so?" Nancy said doubtfully.
She squeezed out a bit of the clear ointment, rubbing it in her palm. A cool scent immediately filled the air around them.
When she applied the ointment to the bruised arm, it felt cool and soothing at first, but after a few seconds, a fiery pain began to burn.
Georgia gritted her teeth and endured it. The pain from the doctor’s ointment was nothing compared to this.
"Does it hurt a lot?" Nancy asked, noticing the fine beads of sweat on Georgia’s forehead.
"Try it and you’ll see!" After the pain subsided, she was left feeling drained.
"That said, the ointment does smell especially nice."
「The next morning」
Georgia woke up early.
She looked at her arm. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but the bruises seemed to have faded. It looked like it was actually working.
She put the green ointment away. Applying it was just too painful to bear.
Georgia said goodbye to Lynn, ate breakfast, and headed to the office.
At noon, Attorney Larkin called and asked them to come to the law firm.
Lynn had originally planned to go alone, but Georgia was worried and went with her.
In the conference room, three cups of coffee on the table were steaming.
Lynn angrily slammed the documents in her hand onto the table. "Attorney Larkin, you already took the money! How can you go back on your word!"
"I’m sorry, Miss Thorne. I can compensate you for the breach of contract, but I really can’t take this case!"
Attorney Larkin’s expression also turned cold, leaving no room for negotiation.
’They had clearly agreed on everything last night,’ Georgia thought, frowning. "Business is built on integrity, Attorney Larkin. I’m very curious as to what could make you abandon even that!" free𝑤ebnovel.com
Attorney Larkin sneered, his cold gaze shifting from Lynn to Georgia’s face. "I haven’t abandoned my integrity. I will pay you the penalty for breaking the contract. In any case, I will not be taking this case."
"If you ask me, Attorney Larkin, you’re not suited to be a lawyer at all. Going back on your word like this... I doubt anyone will ever hire you to represent them!"
Georgia pulled Lynn to her feet. "Sis, let’s just find another lawyer. Someone like this... we’re better off without him!"
"But..." Lynn still wasn’t ready to give up. The lawyers at Everlight were the best.
"There are no buts!"
Georgia had to drag Lynn away. She had a pretty good idea what could make Attorney Larkin breach his contract rather than take this case.
’The Sutton Family... they really don’t pull any punches.’
The two sisters stood at the door. Lynn was clearly reluctant to leave.
"Sis, worst-case scenario, we’ll just find someone else, that’s all!" Georgia couldn’t budge her, so she tried to reason with her.
"Everlight’s lawyers are the best in all of Portmire! Other than them, I can’t think of anyone else who can help me!" Lynn couldn’t hold back her tears.
The hope of this lawyer was the only thing getting her through each day.
She had pinned all her hopes on Attorney Larkin, hoping he could help her win back custody of her son.
"Sis!"
"Miss, what a coincidence to run into you here."
Just as Georgia was about to try and persuade Lynn, a familiar voice cut in.
Before Georgia could even process it, the tall, handsome man was already standing in front of them.
"What, you don’t remember me?" The man’s eyes crinkled in a gentle smile. "I’m the one who found what you dropped yesterday!"
"Oh, oh, hello, sir!" Georgia belatedly recognized the man before her.
The man seemed a little disappointed, but his smile only widened as he extended a hand. "My name is Byron Shaw. I’m a lawyer here. Are you two here for something?"
"Well, we’re..."
Before Georgia could speak, Lynn eagerly cut in, "Attorney Shaw, hello! I’m Lynn Thorne, I’m here because..."
"Attorney Shaw, you’re the only one who can help me!" Lynn clutched onto Byron Shaw as if he were her last lifeline, refusing to let go.
"Let’s talk in the conference room." Byron Shaw gently supported Lynn and led her into an empty conference room nearby.
His assistant, Grace Wagner, who was following behind, quietly reminded him, "Attorney Shaw, you have another client meeting shortly."
"Postpone it."
"But..."
Grace took a step forward, about to say more, but a single icy glare from Byron Shaw silenced her.
They moved to a different conference room. As soon as Lynn sat down, she was about to stand up again. "Attorney Shaw, I was originally working with an attorney from your firm..."
Lynn explained everything that had happened over the past two days, crying as she spoke.
Byron thoughtfully pulled out a tissue and handed it to her. "Miss Thorne, are you referring to Attorney Aaron Larkin?"
Lynn nodded. "I really can’t find another lawyer. Leah is so important to me. Attorney Shaw, can you please help me with this case?"
"Well..."
Byron sat up straight. He rested his chin on his long, slender hand, his brow furrowed as if in hesitation.
It was Grace who reminded him again, "Attorney Shaw, your case schedule is already booked for the next six months."
