Free Web NovelChapter 49: Chapter 49: Don’t Sleep in Front of Other Men Anymore
Zane Lennox was in a good mood. As he drove, his eyes kept drifting to Georgia Thorne beside him.
Georgia Thorne was like a lazy kitten, sleeping soundly against the seat.
’This must be the only time she isn’t prickly—when she’s asleep.’
The drive to her rented apartment took forty minutes.
Georgia Thorne slowly woke up to find the car parked downstairs from her apartment building.
Beside her, Zane Lennox was watching her with a leisurely expression.
Waking up to find a man staring at you would make anyone at least a little shy.
Georgia Thorne hastily unbuckled her seatbelt and grabbed her bag.
"Thank you for driving me home!"
She pushed the door open and scrambled out of the car, eager to get back to her apartment.
’I must have been dizzier than I thought. I can’t believe I fell asleep in Zane Lennox’s car without realizing it.’
’Did I do anything weird in my sleep?’
’I remember Elliot Sheridan used to say I did strange things in my sleep.’
’But I’ve always slept alone, so I never noticed myself doing anything strange.’
Georgia Thorne hurried out of the car. Just as she set foot on the steps, Zane Lennox caught up from behind.
He grabbed her elbow, pulling her back.
She looked up, instinctively starting to struggle. "Zane Lennox, what are you—"
Before she could finish, the man’s lips were already pressing against hers.
"Georgia Thorne, don’t fall asleep in front of other men again!" Her vulnerability was a temptation that could drive a man to crime.
He was very satisfied. His thumb slowly traced the corner of her mouth. "Georgia, good night."
With that, the man cleanly released her and turned to get back in his car.
In the black car nearby, Owen Sawyer was so terrified he didn’t even dare to glance at Elliot Sheridan.
He had just witnessed, in vivid detail, another passionate kiss between Georgia Thorne and another man.
"Find out about every man she’s seen recently!"
A chillingly neutral voice came from the back seat.
But to Owen Sawyer, that voice was brimming with rage.
He hastily answered, "Yes, sir," and drove away.
Owen Sawyer slowly began to piece together what was off about Elliot Sheridan.
’First, he demanded Georgia Thorne from Mason Morgan. Then there’s the stalking. And now he wants me to investigate the men Georgia has been seeing.’
’Could I assume that Elliot Sheridan has started to fall for Georgia Thorne?’
「The next morning」
Georgia Thorne went to work with a headache.
She had just arrived at the company when she was pulled into a meeting.
Apparently, a complaint had been filed that morning about their company’s poor hospitality.
And the complaint had come from the Lennox Group. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
’Last night, they forced me to drink so much, and then Zane Lennox forced a kiss on me. They should be glad *I* didn’t file a complaint against *them*.’
’And now they have the nerve to blame me first.’
Linda Wagner had been in charge of the matter.
Nicole Kane didn’t care what had happened; she tore into Linda Wagner.
Nicole Kane was the manager while Linda Wagner was just a junior employee, so she didn’t dare to talk back and just meekly took the scolding.
After the meeting, Nicole Kane announced that she would personally handle the Lennox Group issue and named a few people who would go with her.
When Nicole Kane read out Georgia Thorne’s name, Georgia felt her headache worsen.
Nicole Kane glanced at everyone present. "Any objections?"
Georgia hesitated. ’I object. I don’t want to go.’
Before she had a chance to voice her opinion, Nicole Kane made the final decision. "No objections? Meeting adjourned!"
"..."
She had drunk a bit too much last night. Georgia Thorne brewed a cup of strong tea and returned to her desk.
Just as she sat down, Nicole Kane went into her own office.
Georgia put down her cup and followed her.
She knocked on the door and entered after getting permission.
Nicole Kane glanced at Georgia Thorne and continued to review the document in her hand. "What is it?"
Georgia Thorne knew her boss’s personality to some extent. She was a straightforward person who hated it when people beat around the bush. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
She got straight to the point. "Manager, is it possible for me not to attend the dinner tonight?"
"Give me a reason."
Georgia, "..."
After a long moment of silence, Nicole Kane looked up. "Is it because of Zane Lennox?"
Georgia Thorne hesitated before nodding. Nicole Kane stood up. "Georgia Thorne, do you remember what I told you before?"
"If you have a connection, you use it. You happen to know Zane Lennox. Your presence increases our chances of successfully closing the deal with the Lennox Group. I’m a businesswoman, and profit comes first. Therefore, you must go tonight."
"..."
Nicole Kane was a pragmatist. Who wouldn’t take a shortcut when one was available? Why take the long way around?
"Besides, I also told you that a clear conscience is its own defense. If you’re sure there’s nothing between you and Zane Lennox, then what does it matter if you go? It’s not like you’ll lose a single hair on your head."
In short, Georgia Thorne had to go.
Before getting off work, Georgia Thorne called Nancy Hughes to tell her she wouldn’t be home that night.
Nancy Hughes wailed, "Why is it that when you work overtime, I don’t, and when I work overtime, you don’t? I haven’t had your cooking in days!"
Georgia Thorne chuckled. "Just wait, I’ll make you something good this weekend."
Hearing this, Nancy Hughes sounded even more mournful. "I have to go on a business trip this weekend."
"Where to?"
"Solara, for half a month!"
"Wow, that’s great!" Georgia said with envy.
Nancy Hughes’s luck was really good. She hadn’t been at the company for long and was already getting sent on a business trip.
"Great? What’s so great about it? I’m just going to be manual labor. Anyway, I have to go. Talk to you later!"
Georgia hung up and looked at the time on her phone.
The closer it got to quitting time, the more nervous she became.
The thought of running away even crossed her mind, but if she ran, she’d probably be fired for sure.
On the way to the restaurant, Georgia Thorne rode in the same car as Nicole Kane.
Nicole Kane told her not to be nervous, to just treat it like meeting anyone else.
Georgia was helpless. ’Zane Lennox’s temperament... I really can’t get a read on him.’
She apprehensively followed Nicole Kane into the private room. The other party had already arrived.
Just like the day before, Georgia was forced to sit next to Zane Lennox.
Today, Zane Lennox was acting unusually, leaning intimately close to Georgia.
Georgia smiled awkwardly and tried to move away from Zane, but Manager Garrison, who was sitting next to her, gave her a hard shove, pushing her right into Zane’s arms.
"Georgia, I didn’t know you were so forward!"
A wave of boisterous laughter erupted from those around them. Zane Lennox’s men all said Georgia was a shy girl and clamored to toast her with a drink.
At some point, Zane Lennox’s hand had wrapped around Georgia’s shoulder, making them look intimate.
Georgia stole a glance at Nicole Kane out of the corner of her eye. Her boss was laughing and chatting with Manager Garrison, completely oblivious to her plight.
On the surface, Georgia didn’t resist, but underneath, she was slowly struggling against Zane’s touch.
To be honest, she really disliked being touched by others.
Georgia was forced to drink a lot, mostly from toasts proposed by Zane Lennox’s men.
Their goal was simple: get Georgia drunk, deliver her to Zane’s bed, and thus curry favor with him.
Georgia was forced to drink again. She shifted slightly, trying to avoid Zane’s hand.
He just stuck to her again. "Georgia Thorne, you can’t escape me."
Before Georgia arrived, Zane Lennox had been smoking continuously.
When he spoke, the faint smell of smoke and alcohol wafted over her, and Georgia wrinkled her nose in disgust.
Under the table, she quietly tried to pry his hand off, gritting her teeth and lowering her voice in a warning.
"Zane Lennox, let go of me!"
Zane Lennox gave no response, maintaining a faint smile on his face.
He acted as if he hadn’t heard Georgia’s words, nor did he loosen his grip.
He just held on tightly, until both their palms grew sweaty.
Georgia had always been sensitive to the cold. When Zane first grabbed her hand, it had been ice-cold, but now it was sweating.
She shook her hand forcefully but couldn’t break free.
Out of the corner of her eye, she kept looking toward Nicole Kane, hoping to signal for help.
