Free Web NovelChapter 99: Chapter 99: You Dare to Break Up With Me? (2)
Elliot Sheridan pinched the bridge of his nose. Owen Sawyer’s reminder made everything click into place.
He had seen Georgia Thorne embracing Justin Sullivan that day, and blinded by rage, he had told Owen Sawyer not to suppress the news. He’d let Joanne Donovan do as she pleased, all for the sole purpose of making Georgia jealous.
There were plenty of other fish in the sea—women who wanted to pursue him were a dime a dozen. It wasn’t as if Georgia Thorne was the only one he could have.
’I can find women like her anywhere.’
And now, he had indeed made Georgia jealous.
But the girl had gotten a little too jealous—she’d actually tried to break up with him!
’Talk about digging a pit only to fall into it yourself!’
Elliot Sheridan went into the room and changed out of his suit.
He’d been on a business trip for days and his phone had been off, so Elliot Sheridan had no idea that Georgia Thorne had called him to get his side of the story.
In truth, Georgia had trusted him at first.
It was only later, when he didn’t answer her calls and Selena Sheridan’s words seemed to confirm the truth of Joanne Donovan’s claims, that she couldn’t help but break up with Elliot Sheridan.
Georgia Thorne had her pride. Even if she liked Elliot Sheridan, she couldn’t just shamelessly throw herself at him.
All day, Georgia hadn’t been able to focus on work. Even during meetings, her mind kept wandering.
After work, on her way home, Nancy Hughes called to say she had to work overtime and wouldn’t be back that night.
Georgia hummed in acknowledgment, changed her route, and headed straight back to the apartment instead of going to the supermarket.
Since she was alone, she couldn’t be bothered to cook anyway. She remembered there was still instant ramen at home.
It was late September, and by the time she got home from the office, the sky was already starting to darken.
With her head down, Georgia didn’t notice the black car parked in front of her apartment building.
She went straight upstairs. As she pulled out her keys, she discovered the door was already open.
Georgia’s first thought was, ’Did a burglar break in?’
The security in their complex was usually quite good; break-ins were practically unheard of.
Mustering her courage, Georgia pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The apartment was brightly lit. There was no sign of the mess she had expected; everything looked exactly as it had when she left that morning.
The tension in her chest began to ease. ’Could it be that Nancy didn’t have to work overtime and came home early after all?’
"Nancy, is that you?" Georgia called out a couple of times, but there was no response.
She glanced around again. ’That’s strange. Could I have forgotten to lock the door when I left this morning?’
She had been in a funk all day because of Elliot Sheridan.
She had been in such a daze that she couldn’t think straight. She tried her best to remember, but she couldn’t recall whether she’d locked the door or not.
’I think I did... but I just can’t remember clearly!’
She dropped her bag and sank wearily onto the sofa, only to hear a sound coming from her bedroom.
Her heart, which had just begun to settle, shot right back into her throat. She snatched a nearby cup and crept slowly toward her bedroom door.
Georgia pressed her ear to the door, listening intently. ’Did the noise stop again?’
’Was I just imagining things because I’m so on edge?’
Georgia swallowed hard. ’Imagined or not, I have to sleep in there tonight. I have to go in!’
Her palm grew slick with sweat as she nervously twisted the doorknob and slowly pushed the door open.
She had barely opened it a crack when someone on the other side grabbed the knob and yanked the door wide open.
A dark shadow fell over her. Terrified, Georgia squeezed her eyes shut and swung the cup with all her might.
Her descending wrist was caught and held fast by a large, powerful hand.
The slightly calloused palm and a familiar scent assailed her senses. Just as Georgia was registering her surprise, a low, magnetic male voice floated to her ears.
"Georgia, were you really going to hit me?"
The voice was so familiar. Georgia’s eyes flew open, and the handsome face of Elliot Sheridan was reflected in her clear, panicked irises.
Stunned for a moment, her grip on the cup slackened. It fell to the floor with a SMASH, shattering at their feet.
She raised her other hand and pounded it against his chest. "Elliot Sheridan, you scared me to death! I thought a burglar broke in!"
"A burglar? Have you ever seen one as handsome as me?" Elliot Sheridan’s face was grim. With one large hand, he easily captured both of her smaller ones.
Georgia was easily frightened. Whenever she read ghost stories, she would be dying to know the ending but too afraid to look.
And when she finally did muster the courage to finish, she would be so thoroughly creeped out that she couldn’t sleep properly for a week.
Georgia was already emotionally fragile, and after the shock Elliot had just given her, she burst into tears.
His voice grew a little deeper and rougher. "What are you crying for? I haven’t even started to settle the score with you yet!"
Elliot’s voice was low. He had planned on giving her a harsh lecture, but she had started crying first.
Georgia wiped away her tears, not wanting to appear weak in front of him.
"How did you get in!" Georgia tilted her head up. The tears were gone, replaced by the look of a little termagant.
"I picked the lock."
Georgia was speechless.
Georgia’s eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn’t believe that a man of his stature actually knew how to pick locks!
’So that’s it!’ she thought. ’I knew I locked the door this morning.’
Georgia walked to the entrance and examined the lock, but she couldn’t find any marks from it being picked.
’He’s a professional!’
Georgia stood by the door. "Elliot Sheridan, what right do you have to come into my home? We have nothing to do with each other. Please leave!"
"Georgia, there’s a limit to how jealous you can be, you know?" Elliot Sheridan frowned, his expression dark as he watched her.
He liked it when Georgia got jealous, but he did not like her talking about breaking up.
Georgia lowered her gaze, staring at the tips of her toes.
She was jealous, yes, but she also had her pride.
"Elliot, I’ve thought about our relationship carefully. I was too hasty when I agreed to be with you. I was confused and didn’t think it through."
"So, you’ve thought it through now? Your head is clear, and you want to break up with me?" Elliot’s low voice was laced with anger, his eyes stormy as he stared at Georgia.
His gaze made all the hairs on her body stand on end. She was a little frightened.
That was Elliot for you. When he turned cold, he was utterly frigid. His deep, furious eyes looked as though they could swallow her whole.
Taking a deep breath, her eyes reddening again, she said, "That’s right. I’ve thought it through. We’re not right for each other! You’re thirteen years older than me; we have a generation gap. I can’t accept being with a man that much older, for one. And for another, you already have a fiancée. It’s best we keep our distance."
’The chasm between them was vast, far wider than the reasons she had just listed.’
’Their personalities were different, their family backgrounds were worlds apart, their...’
"So, you’re serious about this? You want to break up?"
"Yes, that’s right!" Her voice grew thick with emotion, and she kept her head down, not daring to look Elliot in the eye. "I still have him in my heart. I can’t forget him, so I can’t fall for you. It’s better if we just break up!"
Elliot Sheridan was a proud man. In his thirty-four years of life, he had never bowed his head to anyone.
But for Georgia, he had made an exception.
Letting Joanne Donovan leak the news had been a momentary lapse in judgment, which was why he had come to explain in person.
But Georgia hadn’t given him the slightest chance to explain. The first thing she did was demand a breakup!
She even claimed she couldn’t forget Justin Sullivan!
Elliot had his own pride, and he wouldn’t allow anyone—not even Georgia—to trample it underfoot.
Elliot’s vicious gaze bored into Georgia. "Fine! Georgia Thorne, remember what you said today!"
A gust of wind rushed past her as the door SLAMMED shut, and Elliot’s figure vanished.
Sinking to the floor, Georgia wrapped her arms around herself as tears streamed endlessly down her cheeks.
A few days later, after a long stretch of working overtime, Nancy Hughes finally had a day off.
