Secret Marriage: The CEO's Pampered Wife

Chapter 38: Chapter 38: What’s Wrong With Joanne Donovan?

"Mom, it’s not like I don’t have women interested in me. I’m not in a hurry, so what’s the rush?"

"It’s because you’re not in a hurry that I am! If you don’t bring someone home soon, don’t blame me for finding someone for you!" Sharon Ennis issued her final ultimatum.

"I have no objection to that, but you should ask Dad first. See if he’ll agree to letting me break off my engagement with Joanne Donovan first!"

Sharon Ennis sighed. "...Your dad’s a traditionalist. If it were possible to break it off, would I even need to be nagging you?!"

"What, what’s wrong with Joanne Donovan?"

"She looks fine on the surface, but her personality doesn’t mesh with yours. You two aren’t a good match."

"Oh, so someone finally understands me. In that case, Mom, who do you think I *would* be a good match with?"

"...I don’t know who, but you’d better find a partner, and fast! If you’re not married by the end of this year, don’t you dare call me ’Mom’ anymore!"

"Ms. Sharon, would you please leave? I need to change."

"Elliot Sheridan, are you really trying to be the death of me?!"

She told him not to call her Mom, and he immediately stopped.

Elliot Sheridan changed and went downstairs. Carter Sheridan wasn’t there today. When James Sheridan asked where he was, Hillary answered with hesitation.

"Carter has been quite busy with work lately. He’s probably working overtime at the company."

"He’s not getting any younger, working overtime this late. If something needs to be done, just give it to Elliot. Let Carter stay home and spend more time with you."

A flicker of unease crossed Hillary’s face, but she quickly followed it with a smile. "I understand, Dad."

"Right, when is Selena coming back?"

"Probably sometime next month. She said she’s bringing us lots of presents and is now worrying about how she’ll get them all back here!"

After dinner, Elliot left.

He much preferred being alone in his apartment, where he wouldn’t have to listen to Sharon nagging him to get married.

What’s more, according to Owen Sawyer, it seemed Georgia Thorne had something she wanted to talk to him about.

’She probably prepared a surprise for me.’

By the time he drove back to his private apartment, it was already nine o’clock at night.

Looking up from the street, he could see the living room light was still on. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ

Georgia Thorne was curled up on the sofa, hugging a pillow and watching a variety show.

She had already called Nancy Hughes to say she wouldn’t be coming back tonight.

Time ticked by, second by second, but Georgia couldn’t focus on the show. Her full attention was fixed on the front door.

’Didn’t he say he was coming back from his trip today? The food’s gone cold, and he’s still not here.’

Just as she was getting unbearably sleepy, she heard the front door open.

Georgia leaped off the sofa and dashed to the door.

"You’re back!"

Elliot languidly shrugged off his suit jacket, loosened his tie, and watched her through narrowed, dark eyes.

’He’d been on a business trip for a week, and there were a few moments when her face had surfaced in his thoughts.’

Seeing her bright, lovely face and her even more radiant smile, Elliot pulled her straight into his arms.

He looked at her with displeasure as her bright eyes blinked. "Elliot, are you hungry? I made you dinner."

"I’m starving. So starving that right now, I just want to eat you."

Elliot nibbled on her ear, a sensitive spot, his breath hot against her skin.

Georgia shoved him away with all her strength. Her goal for today wasn’t to have a tender moment with Elliot.

"Um, Elliot, I have something very important to tell you." Her delicate hand rested against his chest.

It was firm, and through the fine fabric of his shirt, she could feel his searing body heat.

"We can talk after."

Elliot easily brushed her slender fingers aside, scooped her up, and carried her toward the sofa.

"Don’t... Elliot, I really have something important to tell you!"

Unable to fight against his powerful body, Georgia’s face flushed crimson.

"What is it?!"

Seeing her persistence, Elliot rolled off her, his breathing uneven.

Georgia wasn’t in much better shape. She nervously twisted the hem of her sleeve and took a deep breath.

"Um, I’m interning now, and I’ve moved out of my school housing." Georgia hesitated, the carefully chosen words she’d prepared completely forgotten now that she was face-to-face with Elliot.

Elliot pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "So?"

"...I can support myself now, and the Thorne Family business is doing better and better. So... I think we should have a clean break."

After Georgia slowly finished, she suddenly lost the courage to look at Elliot.

’She was probably the first woman to ever break up with Elliot, wasn’t she?’

’After all, no one would willingly give up a golden goose.’

"Are you done?"

Georgia nodded, her heart hammering in her chest.

Elliot’s long fingers slowly tilted her chin up, forcing her gaze to meet his dark pupils.

A puff of acrid smoke blew into her face. "It’s been three years. We should get marr—"

Before he could finish, he suddenly shoved her down onto the sofa.

She turned to leave, glancing at the time. It was just past six in the morning.

Her entire body ached, but she didn’t leave immediately. Instead, she headed for the kitchen.

’One should see things through to the end.’ She washed her hands, rinsed some rice, and decided to make Elliot one last breakfast.

The porridge needed to simmer on low for an hour. At six-thirty, the cleaning lady arrived.

"Ma’am, could you please keep an eye on this porridge? I have to go now."

"Of course, Miss Thorne. Take care," the cleaning lady said respectfully.

After leaving the apartment, she glanced at the rising sun.

’She took a deep breath. After last night’s passion, they would be strangers from now on.’

Georgia went back to work, hustling between various clients every day over small contracts. The pay wasn’t great, and the work was exhausting.

Her life without Elliot felt no different than it had before.

Perhaps it was because she was so busy with work. Her mind was consumed with how to make enough money to support herself, keeping her occupied from dawn until dusk.

Some days, she’d get home and be too tired to even think about dinner. She would just take a shower and pass out, her mind a complete blank.

She would open her eyes to daylight, and a new day would begin.

「Friday.」

The manager of her team stopped her. "Georgia, you’re coming with me to entertain some clients tonight."

"Me?" Georgia asked, pointing to herself uncertainly.

’I thought interns didn’t have to go to these client dinners.’

Georgia had just gotten back from a client meeting. She had walked a long way to save money, and her face was flushed red from the sun, her forehead beaded with sweat.

The manager didn’t even look up. "Yes, you. Lily is sick today, so you’ll fill in for her."

"Okay!" Georgia nodded in agreement.

It was too hot to eat at noon, so she just had a bit of porridge. She called Nancy Hughes to let her know she wouldn’t be home for dinner.

Nancy had just started at the Sheridan Group. As a newcomer, her days were mostly spent running errands for her senior colleagues.

Nancy was swamped, so she just gave a quick "okay" and hung up.

That evening, Georgia caught a ride with a colleague to the client dinner.

Georgia had no idea what this client dinner was about.

She dazedly followed them into the hotel and into a huge private dining room.

Bright lights illuminated the entire room. It was opulent and luxurious; the client was clearly very rich.

Extremely rich, in fact, because Georgia saw Owen Sawyer in the room.

’The people we’re supposed to be entertaining tonight... are from the Sheridan Group?’

She was standing at the very back, trying her best to make herself small. She had no idea if Owen Sawyer had seen her, and her heart pounded erratically.

’If Secretary Sawyer is here... and he’s Elliot’s personal assistant... does that mean Elliot is here too?’

Sure enough, a moment later, a man in a black suit entered.

He immediately drew the gaze of every woman in the room.

Elliot Sheridan was exceptionally handsome. He rarely smiled in public, but even with a perpetually stern expression, scores of women still threw themselves at him.

The female colleague beside her nudged her arm. "Georgia, look! Their CEO is so handsome!"

’He is handsome.’

’Georgia had never doubted Elliot’s masculine appeal. No matter where he went, hordes of women admired him.’