Free Web NovelChapter 43: Chapter 43: Quick, Tell Us What Provoked Your CEO? (Part 1)
A cold, handsome face flashed through her mind, but before she could dwell on it...
BANG! The door was thrown open.
A man’s suit jacket smelling of an unfamiliar perfume was thrown over her head, its presence strangely reassuring.
She lifted her head, and for a moment, her blurry vision cleared.
Zane Lennox’s profile was cast in shadow, his expression unreadable under the bright lights. freewёbnoνel.com
At a time like this, she would have been relieved no matter who came to her rescue.
"Get the hell out, and don’t ever let me see you again!"
"Zane!" Georgia Thorne instinctively clutched his shirt, her voice raspy as she called his name.
Elias Young had been knocked to the ground by a single punch. He was about to let loose a stream of curses, but the sight of Zane Lennox made him snap his mouth shut in a panic.
Zane Lennox had only inherited the family business the year before. Despite his youth, his ruthless methods had commanded the respect of many of the family elders.
Elias Young wasn’t so clueless as to not recognize Zane Lennox. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
"M-Mr. Lennox!" Elias Young was terrified. His demeanor shifted instantly, becoming obsequious. "Ah, so Miss Thorne is your woman!"
"Get out!"
"Yes, sir! Right away!" Elias Young scrambled out of the room, not daring to utter another word.
Only Georgia Thorne and Zane Lennox remained in the private room.
Elias Young had torn Georgia Thorne’s collar open; the button was nowhere to be found.
Her blouse gaped open, revealing a hickey from another man on her pale collarbone.
The sight made Zane Lennox’s blood boil, but his anger involuntarily subsided the moment he saw Georgia’s tears.
Georgia was sobbing uncontrollably. Her slender, pale fingers desperately clutched the man’s suit jacket as her legs gave out, causing her to crumple to the floor.
’She was terrified. This was the first time since she’d started this job that a client had nearly assaulted her.’
Zane Lennox watched the petite Georgia. The suit jacket draped over her trembled, unable to conceal her panic.
’He was also relieved he’d arrived just in time. Any later, and the unthinkable would have happened.’
Georgia cried for a while, slowly regaining her strength.
She pushed herself up, using the wall for support, and saw the man standing before her, smoking a cigarette.
She wiped away her dried tears. "Thank you for what you did today."
Georgia’s eyes were red and wet from crying.
’And yet, for the past two years, he knew he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about this flirtatious Georgia Thorne.’
Looking at her red eyes, he could even recall the time she slapped him across the face on the basketball court.
’Getting slapped in public was a humiliating experience.’
’He couldn’t recall the looks on the faces of the people around them. He only remembered how red Georgia’s eyes were, and how the sight filled him with an aching desire to pull her small frame into his arms.’
By the time Zane snapped out of it, Georgia had already grabbed her purse and was walking out the door.
She had always been very thin. Her slender, pale arms braced against the wall as she slowly made her way out.
’Georgia Thorne was a woman who could captivate a man’s soul.’
’The strange part was, she didn’t even have to do anything. And yet, for the past two years, he had remembered her every look, every smile.’
’It was baffling.’ Georgia’s retreating figure slowly vanished from his sight.
Georgia headed out, her legs weak with fear. She could feel them trembling shamefully.
She had only taken a few steps when Zane came after her. "Georgia!"
Leaning on the wall, she turned. She tried to smile at Zane, but found she simply couldn’t.
Her pale face and doleful eyes made Zane’s heart stir. He strode purposefully toward her.
He closed in on her, as swift and overpowering as a gust of wind.
Her weak hands found the strength to push him away. "Zane, watch it! This is a public place!"
Anyone could walk by in the hallway at any moment.
While Georgia felt nothing, Zane was suddenly overcome with desire.
His tall body pressed against her. "Georgia Thorne, quit your job. Come work at my company!"
’Or better yet, he could just support her, if only she were willing.’
’But she would never agree. Around him, her thorns were always out.’
She, on the other hand, was calmer and more detached than ever. "Zane, I’m grateful you saved me, but that doesn’t mean—AH!"
Georgia screamed as Zane swept her off her feet without warning.
"Zane, what are you doing? Put me down!"
Instinctively, Georgia wrapped her arms around his neck. A glance down from the corner of her eye told her it was quite a long way to the floor.
"Didn’t you twist your ankle? Stop trying to act tough!" Zane’s face was tense, his voice cold.
His gaze was too heavy. Georgia averted her eyes and mumbled softly, "I can walk by myself."
’She wasn’t so fragile that a twisted ankle required a man to carry her.’
Zane snorted, then carried Georgia out with long strides.
He did it on purpose. He knew whatever Georgia was about to say next would not be what he wanted to hear.
He secretly glanced at his boss. The president’s face was thunderous, his gloominess beyond description.
On the way here, his expression had been grave, tinged with something like worry. Now, that gravity was filled with pure rage.
’Was she there willingly?’
’No wonder she wanted to break up with me. She already had someone else lined up!’
Elliot Sheridan returned to the private room, his face ashen. Dylan Heston shot him a look and joked, "Something get you all worked up?"
The words had barely left his mouth when Elliot shot him a frigid glare that felt like a dagger.
Anyone else would have fainted from fear.
But Dylan Heston was different. He’d known Elliot for years and was very familiar with his temperament.
If anything, it just made him want to joke more. He shifted his gaze to Owen Sawyer, who was standing nearby. "Secretary Sawyer, you’re Sharon’s personal secretary. Spit it out, what got your boss all riled up?"
’He was genuinely curious; it was rare to see Elliot angry.’
’Not in the last five years, at least.’
Cold sweat dripped down Owen Sawyer’s back. He didn’t dare say a word.
’Miss Thorne... The cause of this reaction... it was a huge deal, and yet not.’
’It was hard to explain, and impossible to speak of.’
Elliot and Georgia’s relationship was a closely guarded secret. For years, no one had known about the woman by his side.
Not even his closest friends, like Dylan.
Dylan was just kidding around, so he dropped it without pressing further.
Still, it was obvious that Elliot’s mood had soured ever since he’d stepped out.
He drank sullenly by himself, ignoring anyone who tried to talk to him.
Zane Lennox carried Georgia Thorne all the way to his car and placed her in the passenger seat.
Georgia Thorne pulled her clothes tighter around herself and said a quiet, "Thank you."
Zane Lennox closed her door, walked around the front of the car, and got into the driver’s seat.
He glanced over and saw Georgia’s head resting against the seat.
He suddenly leaned in toward her. Still on edge, Georgia immediately tried to shrink away.
With nowhere to go, her hands came up instinctively to push against his approaching frame.
Georgia didn’t say a word, but her bloodshot eyes trembled, a storm of emotion brewing within them.
They seemed to scream, ’Don’t come any closer!’
He abruptly closed the distance between them until their breaths intertwined.
Zane looked down at her, his eyes half-lidded. This was the first time they had ever been this close.
’Georgia’s skin was flawless—pale and smooth. Her features were exquisite, especially her eyes.’
’When she gave a man that helpless look, she could steal his very soul.’
’How had he never noticed how beautiful she was?’
Georgia lowered her gaze, feeling his warm breath on her cheek. It made her skin feel flushed.
She didn’t like being this close to a man. She turned her head away in clear rejection.
A flicker of anger sparked in Zane.
"Do you detest me that much? Then why didn’t you pull away when I kissed you earlier!"
Radiating an aggressive aura, Zane glared hard at Georgia’s face.
"I’d had too much to drink. I was drunk," Georgia replied evenly, though she could hear the anger in his voice.
