Secret Marriage: The CEO's Pampered Wife

Joanne Donovan smiled shyly, a bashful look on her face. "Grandma, you’re always teasing me!"

"Alright, this old lady knows what you’re up to." The old woman’s impression of Joanne Donovan was actually not too bad.

However, her attitude toward Joanne Donovan becoming her granddaughter-in-law had taken a major turn. She was fond of Joanne, but she couldn’t let the Sheridan Family be left without an heir.

Besides, Elliot Sheridan was already married to Georgia Thorne. The older generation couldn’t break up the young couple; they could only help from the sidelines.

Joanne Donovan was unwilling to let Elliot Sheridan leave just like that, but there was nothing she could do. She helped the old woman sit down.

She took out the gift she had bought. "Grandma, this is a wild ginseng I had a friend bring back for me. It’s good for your health..."

’If Elliot Sheridan’s heart isn’t with me, then I need to win over the people around him.’

Joanne Donovan did her utmost to flatter the old woman. If for no other reason, Elliot Sheridan always listened to his grandmother.

The old woman wasn’t impressed by the wild ginseng. If she wanted such things, all it took was a single word and Elliot Sheridan would bring her plenty.

But accepting gifts put one in a delicate position, and Joanne Donovan’s intention to curry favor was far too obvious.

The old woman looked at the wild ginseng, then back at Joanne Donovan. ’What a pity,’ she thought.

Seeing the old woman sigh, Joanne Donovan thought she disliked her and gave a dry laugh. "Grandma, do you not like the wild ginseng?"

"It was too chaotic at home today, and I’m tired. Let’s talk another day." The old woman rubbed the bridge of her nose and stood up with her cane. "It’s getting late. You should head back early, too."

"Okay." Joanne Donovan quickly stood up to support her, but the old woman sidestepped her. "No need. You can go now."

"Alright. Goodnight, Grandma."

Joanne Donovan watched the old woman enter her room to rest, then left the house with a smile.

It wasn’t until she was sitting in her car that the smile fell from her face. The old woman’s attitude toward her had changed dramatically; she was no longer as warm as before.

’I thought I behaved perfectly in front of her. Where did things go wrong?’

Frustrated, Joanne Donovan drove away.

That night, Georgia Thorne lay prone on her bed, completely unable to sleep.

She tossed and turned, sleep eluding her.

She reached out and touched her lower abdomen. A little life had once been there, gone before she even had a chance to know.

She let out a deep sigh as tears spilled from the corners of her eyes, dampening the pillow. She felt a cramping pain in her belly.

’Maybe the baby knew I was an unfit mother, and that’s why it left me.’

She barely slept a wink. As the sky began to lighten at dawn, she got out of bed.

A heavy rain had fallen all night. When she opened the window in the morning, a cool breeze brushed against her body. The wind carried a dampness that was chilling and bone-deep.

Georgia Thorne, however, seemed oblivious, sitting by the windowsill for a full two hours.

The rain, which had stopped, started falling again. Carried in by the strong wind, raindrops splattered onto the floor, forming a puddle.

Inevitably, Georgia Thorne’s body got wet.

Her vacant eyes stared at the endless dark clouds in the distance, and her heart felt shrouded by a thick layer of them as well.

She was lost in darkness, unable to find any light.

A little after eight, Byron Shaw knocked on the door, calling her for breakfast.

Georgia Thorne’s body was stiff from sitting. She responded numbly and came out of the room a few minutes later.

"I’m going to take a shower first!" she said, grabbing a towel and rushing into the bathroom with her head down.

Byron Shaw, emerging with a bowl of congee, glanced at the wet footprints on the floor and walked toward her room with a frown.

The moment he opened the door, an icy wind blew in from the window.

The window was wide open. The curtains were soaked more than halfway, and there was a puddle of water on the floor.

’Is she trying to destroy herself?!’

Georgia Thorne took a shower and changed into dry clothes. The congee on the table was still warm.

"Drink this first." Byron Shaw took the congee from her hands and passed her a cup of ginger tea. "You were caught in the rain last night. You need to stay warm."

"Thank you!" she said, grabbing the cup without even feeling the heat.

She took a sip and immediately burned her tongue. "Oof!"

Tears welled up from the pain. The ginger tea spilled from the cup, splashing onto the back of her hand and instantly turning the skin red.

The glass cup fell to the floor, shattering with a sharp CRASH.

Hearing the noise from the kitchen, Byron Shaw hurried out to see Georgia Thorne sitting in a chair, covering her mouth.

Enduring the burn, she looked at him with a face full of chagrin. "I’m sorry, I’ll clean it up right now!"

She frantically crouched down and began to pick up the broken glass with her bare hands.

A large red patch had appeared on the back of her fair hand. Byron Shaw angrily grabbed her wrist. "Don’t you know you’re hurt? What are you doing picking that up?!"

A ball of anger was pent up in his chest. He stared angrily at Georgia Thorne, wanting to scold her harshly, but the moment he saw her reddened eyes, the words died on his lips.

His taut nerves relaxed. "Just sit still. I’ll clean this up."

Byron Shaw held her hand under cold running water for a while, then had her sit on the sofa. He brought her a new cup of ginger tea. "Be careful, it’s hot."

"I’m sorry," Georgia Thorne said with her head down as she took the cup.

Byron Shaw sighed. "Georgia, your body is your own. If you don’t cherish yourself, who will?"

"..."

Georgia Thorne’s head hung low. She stared at the ginger tea on the coffee table as wisps of steam rose, gradually blurring her vision.

As Byron Shaw was sweeping up the glass shards, Grace Wagner arrived at the door.

Grace Wagner had followed Byron Shaw for many years and had never seen anyone enter or leave his private apartment.

Georgia Thorne, drinking her congee distractedly, looked up and noticed Grace Wagner.

Grace Wagner’s expression turned ugly. It looked like Georgia Thorne had spent the night at Byron Shaw’s private apartment.

Her delicate features couldn’t help but tense up. ’When did they get together?’

She finally suppressed her confusion and called out, "Attorney Shaw, I’ve bought the medicine you asked for!"

Byron Shaw took the medicine and handed it to Georgia Thorne. "You’re a grown woman. Remember to apply the ointment."

He said it in the tone of an adult scolding a child. Georgia Thorne nodded helplessly, grabbed the ointment, and left for work.

As she passed Grace Wagner, she offered a polite greeting. "Hello, Secretary Wagner!"

Grace Wagner returned an equally distant smile. "Hello, Miss Thorne."

Georgia Thorne arrived at the company in the pouring rain.

She had just sat down when she was summoned to a meeting.

The air conditioning was on in the conference room, and Georgia Thorne happened to be sitting right in the draft. She shivered from the cold, her face pale.

In a daze, she heard someone mention her name. She looked ahead blankly, only to see everyone looking at her, smirks on their faces as if watching a show.

"You’ll do," the man said with a sour expression.

Georgia Thorne mumbled an affirmation and lowered her head.

She had been zoning out and had no idea what was discussed in the meeting. Her temples were throbbing, and she felt a little dizzy.

The man who had called her name was Seth Shields, the leader of Team C. He was currently in charge of an exhibition show.

Among the five new hires, everyone had been assigned tasks except for her.

Seth Shields was busy with a large-scale exhibition show and was short-staffed, so he requested Georgia Thorne to be his assistant.

In other words, she was there to run errands and do odd jobs.

After the meeting, Seth Shields told her to come to his office.

Georgia Thorne dazedly left the conference room. Laura Chase approached from the side.

Laura crossed her arms. "I can’t believe you’re so thick-skinned. If I were you, I would’ve resigned long ago after doing something so shameful!"

Georgia Thorne glanced at her arrogant posture and simply walked past.

’She must be the one who started the rumors about me plagiarizing.’

Perhaps because she’d caught a chill that morning, Georgia Thorne felt even dizzier after coming out of Seth Shields’ office.

She didn’t even go to lunch, resting with her head on her desk until the lunch break was over.

The voices around her grew louder. Suddenly, she felt someone poke her arm. She lifted her head with effort and saw Yvonne Chandler standing beside her. "Um, it looks like you didn’t eat lunch. This is for you."

Yvonne Chandler placed a loaf of bread on the desk. Georgia Thorne said thank you.

"Georgia, are you sick again? You look terrible!"

Georgia Thorne forced a smile. "I’m fine."

"What are you doing, just standing there dawdling!" Laura Chase shouted unhappily.

Yvonne Chandler flinched. "I’m going to get back to work!"

With that, she quickly slung her bag over her shoulder and hurried to catch up with Laura Chase.

Georgia Thorne rested in her chair for a moment. Just as she took a sip of hot tea, Seth Shields came out of his office.

"Let’s go. It’s time to head to the venue."

Georgia Thorne hurriedly grabbed her bag and followed them.

Preparations for the exhibition show Seth Shields was managing were nearing completion, with just a few rehearsals left.

Georgia Thorne, having just joined the team, understood nothing. She froze for a moment when she saw a large group of female models changing in the dressing room.

A colleague entering behind her gave her a shove. "What are you spacing out for? Get to work!"

Georgia Thorne stepped aside and hastily asked, "Um, what should I be doing?"

"Didn’t the team leader tell you?" Georgia Thorne shook her head. The person said, "Just do whatever anyone tells you to do."

Georgia Thorne was speechless. "..."

In the hour of preparation before the rehearsal, Georgia Thorne was constantly on her feet, doing everything.

One moment she was helping with the set, the next she was helping models get dressed, then she was serving tea and water. In short, she did every task that needed to be done.

This exhibition was a show combining clothing and jewelry. The models not only had to wear the company’s designer clothes but also the corresponding jewelry.

As Georgia Thorne ran back and forth, her chilled body gradually warmed up, and she broke out in a sweat.

A little while later, Laura Chase and Yvonne Chandler also arrived at the venue.

With them was the hottest female star of the moment.

With her tall figure and stunning looks, she captured everyone’s attention the moment she appeared. She spoke in a delicate, sweet voice, "Mr. Shields, hello!"

"Hello, Miss Warner. We’re honored to have you here in person!"

Iris Warner was the recent winner of a popular beauty pageant. Afterward, she starred in a few movies and became a huge hit, turning into one of the few A-list celebrities in high demand.

With a casual point of his finger, Seth Shields assigned Georgia Thorne to Iris Warner to run her errands.

After Iris Warner became famous, she put on the airs of a big star, ordering Georgia Thorne around.