Secret Marriage: The CEO's Pampered Wife

Chapter 158: Chapter 154: To Be Honest, It Would Be Pretty Good if You Took the Surname Shi

Elliot Sheridan had the face of a celebrity, attracting countless girls wherever he went.

Georgia Thorne had just steadied herself when a young girl in a kimono walked over and asked him eagerly, "Can I take a picture with you?"

Akashiman women always had soft, sweet voices. When they put on a cute act, few men could refuse.

Georgia turned her head away, deliberately refusing to look at him.

’He...’

’The thought of him taking a picture with another woman made her heart clench.’

Elliot Sheridan smiled at Georgia. He knew how jealous this little woman could get. He leaned over and whispered a few words to the girl.

When Georgia saw this, she got even more furious!

’He just finished taking pictures with me, and now he’s already moving on to take them with some young girl!’

She started to storm off in anger, but the girl grabbed her wrist. "I’m sorry, beautiful lady, but your husband said that if I want a picture, I have to get his wife’s permission. I was wondering if you would agree?"

Georgia froze, her gaze shifting to Elliot. He simply raised an eyebrow, waiting for her response.

’Husband? Wife? Did he actually take what those passersby said seriously?!’

Georgia huffed. "He can take a picture with whoever he wants. It has nothing to do with me!"

To anyone listening, it sounded exactly like a wife drowning in jealousy over her husband.

Seeing she was angry, the girl quickly explained, "Actually, I lost a bet with my friends, and now I have to take a picture with a handsome guy. My friends pointed out your husband. Ma’am, could you please help me out? If not, my friends will never let me hear the end of it!"

The girl in front of her looked like a high school student and was dressed very prettily.

Following her pointed finger, Georgia saw several other girls her age, also in kimonos, whispering amongst themselves.

"But, he’s not my husb—"

Before Georgia could finish, the man’s arm turned her by the shoulder to face him. He gazed at her with deep affection. "What’s this? You take my wallet and then disown me as your husband so quickly?"

"Uh..." ’He was the one who stuffed his wallet into my hands! Who said I took it?!’

"Ma’am, please, I’m begging you. Just help me this once!"

The young girl pleaded with her. Georgia’s heart softened, and figuring she was just helping someone out, she agreed.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" The girl was overjoyed. She immediately shoved the camera into Georgia’s hands, quickly stood next to Elliot, and flashed a peace sign.

Georgia pressed the shutter button. The girl’s sweet smile and the man’s tense profile appeared on the screen.

"Thank you so, so much! I wish you two a lifetime of happiness and that you’ll grow old together!"

Clutching the camera, the girl ran back to her friends, her radiant smile wide as she called out her blessings to them.

Elliot moved closer, his arm wrapping around her soft waist again. "Giving your husband away so easily?"

Georgia’s face burned. She jabbed his abdomen with her elbow. "Who’s your wife? Stop making things up!"

Taking the hit to his stomach, Elliot laughed instead of getting angry. "Seriously, though, you changing your last name to Sheridan wouldn’t be so bad!"

"Why would I take your last name?!" Georgia huffed, twisting out of his embrace.

She walked quickly ahead. On New Year’s Eve, the streets were packed with people.

Elliot caught up to her in a few large strides. "Joanna Sheridan sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?"

"Uh..."

Georgia rolled her eyes. ’What’s so great about it?!’

’Joanna Sheridan... He was just making a silly pun on our names. A stone bridge, of all things! And I’m not a bridge.’

A stone bridge...

’I would become a stone bridge, to endure five hundred years of wind, five hundred years of sun, and five hundred years of rain, just for you to walk across it once.’

The minutes and seconds ticked by, inching closer to midnight.

The later it got, the lower the temperature dropped.

Even wearing a thick down jacket, she still felt cold.

Georgia was shivering, but the man beside her, wearing only a black trench coat with dew settling on its fur collar, looked completely unfazed.

"Aren’t you cold?"

"I’m used to it."

Elliot pulled her tight against him, holding her close in his arms. Her heart ached for him, and she grabbed his large hand. It was finally starting to feel as warm as hers.

She tucked it into her own pocket. "If you’re cold, we can just go back."

"I’m not cold. There are only a few minutes left until midnight!"

The "few minutes" Elliot mentioned turned into twenty.

As the clock neared midnight, the deep, resonant tolling of a bell began to echo through the air above them.

The sound came from Senrin Temple, accompanied by the countdown timer on the Corithium.

The crowd around them began to count down in unison, ready to welcome the new year together.

At midnight, a brilliant fireworks display erupted from the Corithium, blooming into a kaleidoscope of strange and beautiful shapes against the black night sky.

People all around were wishing each other a "Happy New Year!"

Georgia tilted her head up, watching the lingering fireworks, when the man’s soft voice drifted to her ear. "Happy New Year."

Georgia whipped her head around to look at the man beside her, his handsome face illuminated by the colorful glow.

A smile lifted the corners of her mouth. "Happy New Year."

She had thought she would be spending this New Year all by herself. She never expected him to be here by her side.

’Being alone is truly lonely.’

Even after the year turned, many people were reluctant to leave. They stood on the streets, friends exchanging blessings, and lovers kissing passionately as if no one else was there.

Elliot cupped Georgia’s face and, just like the other lovers, kissed her deeply.

This was their first kiss of the year.

After the crowd passed, Georgia and Elliot dispersed with the flow of people.

The two of them searched for a long time before they found a small inn with a room.

They were looking for a room at the last minute. The good hotels were all fully booked, so finding any room at all was not easy.

While they were looking for a hotel, Georgia was already so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open.

The inn was small, and there was only one room left.

With no other choice, Georgia and Elliot took the room together.

She was physically exhausted and overwhelmed with sleepiness.

The moment her head hit the pillow, she was fast asleep.

When Elliot came out after a hot shower, he saw the little woman curled up in the blankets, sleeping soundly.

’That journey from Kelda was certainly tiring!’

Not wanting to wake her, he lifted the covers, got into bed, and gently turned Georgia over to hold her in his arms.

Elliot had just finished his shower and was still damp. Georgia mumbled, "So cold."

Elliot held her even tighter.

He could finally get a good night’s sleep.

「The next morning」

While Georgia was still asleep, someone was trying to wake her up.

They hadn’t gotten to sleep until almost one in the morning. Georgia was terribly sleepy and wanted to stay in bed.

"Get up," the man urged her coldly.

He yanked open the curtains. The sun outside was exceptionally bright.

The light flooded the bed. Georgia shielded her eyes with her hand and rolled over, turning her back to the glaring sun. "So sleepy... want to sleep."

The night before, the two of them had slept in the same bed, and nothing had happened.

They had simply held each other, sleeping peacefully and happily. Not only had Elliot slept well, but so had Georgia.

Elliot sat on the edge of the bed, watching the little woman who had rolled over to face away from him, still bundled in the covers. He reached his hand under the blanket.

The temperature under the covers was high, and Georgia’s body was warm. When a large, cold hand touched her, she shivered.

"Get your hand off me!"

"Get up. We’re going out."

"I’m not going!"

"I’m so tired! ... Elliot, stop touching me! Your hand is so cold... and it tickles... no, quick, take your hand away!"

Elliot was being mischievous, actually tickling her!

Georgia was very ticklish. She writhed, half-crying and half-laughing.

In a panic, she grabbed Elliot’s misbehaving hand and pressed it against her chest. "It’s cold outside!"

"You don’t want to get up? Fine. Then maybe we can do something else?"

Georgia’s eyes widened. At first, she didn’t understand what Elliot meant.

"I’m up! I’m getting up right now!"

Terrified that Elliot might try something, Georgia scrambled off the bed and darted into the bathroom like a flash.

BANG went the door, followed by the click of the lock.

Left alone on the bed, Elliot let out a soft chuckle.

When Georgia finished washing up and came out dressed, Elliot was nowhere to be seen in the room.

’That’s strange, where did he go?!’

Georgia had just sat down and was fumbling for her phone to call him when she heard a noise at the door.

Elliot came in from outside carrying breakfast. He placed the hot congee on the table and took off his trench coat. "Come eat."

Georgia said, "Oh," and sat down, noticing he had bought two servings.

She opened the containers. Steam billowed out. There were two different flavors.

She turned her head and looked up at Elliot. "Which flavor do you want?"

One was sweet potato, and the other was lotus seed and lily bulb.

Elliot sat down right next to Georgia. "Whatever."

Unused to the proximity, Georgia scooted over a little, handed him a spoon, and then picked up the sweet potato bowl.

When Georgia ate congee, she liked to add a lot of sugar; otherwise, she found it bland.

She had just sprinkled in some sugar when the man beside her had already started eating.

"You’re not adding any sugar?"

He furrowed his brow. "Hurry up and eat. We’re going to a ski resort after this."

"A ski resort?"

Georgia followed Elliot out the door, and they took a taxi straight to a ski resort on the outskirts of Kyoria.

As she got into the car with Elliot, she said, "We could have taken a train. Why did we have to take a taxi? It’s such a waste of money!"

The words had barely left her lips when the driver slammed on the brakes. Caught off guard, Georgia lurched forward.

In that same instant, Elliot’s reflexes kicked in. He shot out a hand to shield her head and pulled her into his arms.

"There isn’t much time left!"

Georgia didn’t hear him clearly. The blare of a car horn from behind them drowned out his mumbled words.

The driver turned around. "There was a sudden car accident up ahead. Are you two okay?"

Georgia replied that she was fine, but Elliot turned her head to face him. "If you hit your head, tell me. Don’t try to be tough."

"I’m really okay. You protected me, didn’t you?" Georgia said with a smile, meeting the man’s panicked eyes.

She shook her head, indicating she was truly fine.

The driver glanced at them and said with a smile, "Are you a newlywed couple, here in Kyoria for your honeymoon?"

Why did everyone assume they were a married couple?