Secret Marriage: The CEO's Pampered Wife

She looked at the groceries she’d just bought; thankfully, there wasn’t much. She put everything in the refrigerator.

The housekeeper noticed Georgia didn’t look well. Worried, she cooked some plain rice porridge for her before leaving.

Georgia collapsed onto the bed, exhausted and drowsy, desperate to sleep.

But a throbbing ache in her head kept her from falling asleep, no matter how much she wanted to.

She wrapped herself tightly in the blanket, burying her face in the covers. She didn’t know how long it was before she finally fell asleep.

"Wake up, Georgia. It’s me!"

A familiar voice floated by her ear. Georgia rolled over and opened her eyes, but the face before her was a blur.

She murmured unconsciously, "Elliot? You’re back!"

"Silly girl, I told you I was coming back from my trip today. Did you forget?" Elliot pulled her into his embrace, brushing the sweat from her forehead. "Were you having a nightmare?" he asked softly.

That was enough to wake Georgia up a bit more. Clutching his sleeve, she gave a soft "mhm."

"What did you dream about?"

"I forgot."

’She’d had a nightmare, but now that she was awake, she couldn’t remember what it was about.’

Georgia had slept until after eleven, but she still felt drowsy, her eyelids refusing to open.

But her stomach was growling. She rubbed her eyes. "I’m hungry!"

"You didn’t eat dinner?"

She shook her head against his chest. She had gone straight to bed when she got home.

"I went shopping with Selena and the others today. I’m so, so tired!" It was a level of exhaustion she had never felt before. "I want to eat something!"

Shopping takes a huge amount of energy. Georgia was so hungry she forced herself out of bed to make something to eat.

In the kitchen, she happened to see a note left by the housekeeper. There was plain rice porridge.

She poked her head out of the kitchen. "Do you want some porridge?"

Elliot thought for a moment, then nodded. He’d been on a plane for over ten hours and had only had a little water.

Georgia added heaps of white sugar to the porridge, especially in Elliot’s bowl.

She watched as he casually took a spoonful of porridge, showing no reaction whatsoever.

"Well? Can you taste anything?" Georgia asked, her voice full of expectation.

"Nothing," Elliot answered honestly, setting down his spoon. "What did you put in it?"

"I put in tons and tons of sugar. You really can’t taste anything at all?" Georgia stirred the porridge in her bowl, disappointed.

Elliot stroked the back of her hand comfortingly. "I’ve made it through all these years. I’m used to it by now."

"..."

Georgia wondered how many people he’d said that to in the same flat tone. Her expression fell. "Have you ever seen a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner? I’ve heard they’re amazing, that they can cure anything. We should go see one someday!"

"There’s no need!" Elliot refused sternly. He then added, "Right after I found out, I tried countless remedies. I’ve already given up hope."

Georgia was at a loss for words. ’It made sense when she thought about it.’

’The Sheridan Family was wealthy; they must have hired countless doctors to treat him.’

"But you still have so much time... so much time to learn what sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy taste like. Don’t give up so early!"

Georgia didn’t want Elliot to give up. After all, he had his whole life ahead of him. What if he met a better doctor who could cure him?

"Yeah, I know."

After they finished their late-night snack, Elliot carried her into the bedroom.

He laid her on the bed, his slender fingers slowly unfastening the buttons of her pajamas. "Did you miss me while I was gone?"

"Stop. Go take a shower first!" Georgia grabbed his large hand and pushed him away.

Elliot had rushed straight home after getting off the plane.

His shirt was wrinkled, and looking at his exhausted face, Georgia whispered in his ear, "We have all night, don’t we?"

Her soft, tender voice drifted into his ear, and Elliot smiled.

He reached out and stroked her long hair. "Alright. I’ll go shower first."

He pulled off his shirt and disappeared into the bathroom.

However, by the time Elliot emerged from his shower, Georgia was already curled up snugly under the covers, fast asleep.

He whispered her name in her ear, but Georgia didn’t stir at all.

’Was she really that tired?’

He lifted the covers and got into bed.

The person nestled in the bed seemed to sense his presence, automatically shifting over to make room. Then, once Elliot lay down, she wrapped herself around him.

It was always like this. Georgia loved to cuddle up to him in her sleep.

He hadn’t seen her in a week, and he’d missed every inch of her.

"Zane Lennox..."

His expression instantly darkened as he looked down at her.

Just like before, she was having a nightmare. And the man in her dream wasn’t him, but Zane Lennox.

She seemed deeply caught in it, unable to break free.

In her sleep, Georgia called out Zane Lennox’s name over and over, muttering incomprehensible nonsense.

Any desire Elliot had felt vanished. He threw back the covers and got out of bed.

The empty side of the bed grew cold. Georgia instinctively reached out, and when her hand met empty space, she just pulled the covers tighter and fell back asleep.

He didn’t know what to feel. The woman he loved was dreaming of another man, and this wasn’t the first time.

He had rushed here from the airport, travel-worn, just wanting to see her as soon as possible. And for what? Hearing her call out Zane Lennox’s name, he finally understood what a heart turning to ice felt like.

He’d experienced all facets of life. He’d gotten everything he ever wanted.

The fact that Georgia, even in her dazed state, had recognized him instantly put him at ease. At least he knew she still loved him in her heart.

’When she wakes up, she won’t remember a thing. I can just pretend I don’t know anything. That way, we’ll both feel better.’

Elliot stood on the balcony and smoked an entire pack of cigarettes. He needed to calm down.

He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to control himself, that he’d storm in and demand to know why she was dreaming of Zane Lennox. What kind of dream was it?

He ground out each cigarette butt with his foot, until a pile of them littered the floor.

After standing in the cold wind long enough, he came back inside.

Georgia was still asleep, wrapped up tightly in the blanket.

It reminded him of something that had happened a few years ago—the first time he’d realized he could feel anger on Georgia’s behalf.

He had searched everywhere for her, only to find she had ended up in his bed.

He had taken her fiercely, and she had angrily chewed him out for it.

The girl rarely got angry, but that day she had been absolutely furious.

But she was like a kitten with no claws, only knowing how to hiss at him, with no way to fend off his fervor.

’He knew that, in that moment, he had been ecstatic. A joy unlike any he’d ever known had bloomed in his heart.’

’He’d been intoxicated by her long ago, slowly becoming addicted. Before he knew it, he was past the point of no return. He didn’t even want to be saved; he’d rather drown in it.’

Standing by the bed, he heard Georgia murmuring again, her words broken and intermittent.

This time, Elliot heard her words with perfect clarity. "Zane Lennox, don’t... I trust Elliot. I love him."

His furrowed brow immediately relaxed. Even if it was only in a dream, hearing her confession was enough for him.

Having had two nightmares in a row, Georgia finally remembered what they were about.

She shifted, feeling a man’s arm around her waist. As she turned, it tightened, pulling her closer into his embrace.

It was only nine in the morning. He was usually an early-to-bed type.

His eyes were closed, his face peaceful in sleep.

’Last night, she had been so drowsy when he got back that she hadn’t gotten a good look at him.’

But now, her eyes were wide open as she carefully studied him.

Elliot’s skin wasn’t pale, but a medium, wheat-toned color. His sharp features were exquisite and strikingly handsome—much more so than any of those male celebrities on TV.

’The only shame was, it looked like he was getting wrinkles.’

She reached out a curious finger, tracing the lines at the corner of his eye. There were dark circles under his eyes, followed by a few fine wrinkles.

’She thought about the photo on his ID. If only she could have met him a few years earlier.’

’Then she could have seen what he looked like in his youth.’

’Then again, even if she had met him earlier, she probably wouldn’t have dared to harbor such feelings for him.’

The corners of her mouth turned up in a sweet, involuntary smile. ’It’s so wonderful,’ she thought. ’This man is all mine.’

Elliot felt something on his face, a light, ticklish touch.

He opened his eyes and caught a glimpse of Georgia grinning mischievously at him, though he didn’t know why.

He threw a long arm around her, pulling her tighter into his embrace until their bodies were pressed flush against each other. He leaned down and breathed into her ear, "What’s so funny?"

Elliot had gone to bed very late. His emotions had been on a wild rollercoaster over the course of just a few hours.

It had been almost too much for him to handle.

He had left countless marks on her body, claiming her as his own, before finally falling into a restless sleep while holding her late into the night.

Georgia, completely oblivious to what had happened the previous night, admired her handiwork and snickered. "Honey, how come I never realized you were as beautiful as a goddess before?"

Georgia’s grin was so obvious; you could tell at a glance she was up to something.

Elliot was no fool. He remembered the feeling of her touching his face earlier. Reaching up, he touched his cheek and found his palm came away red.

’Lipstick?’

"Is it pretty?" Georgia laughed even harder, her bright, starry eyes brimming with pride.

’She had taken the opportunity while he was sleeping to draw something on his face.’

"It’s lovely."

"Where is it?"

"What’s what?" Georgia feigned ignorance, looking at him with a blank expression.

She had already hastily hidden the lipstick under her pillow; there was no way she would hand it over obediently.

"Not going to hand it over? Do you want me to search you for it? Fine, I’ll be happy to oblige!"

Elliot smirked. His sharp eyes had already spotted her sneaking something under the pillow earlier.

He deliberately pretended not to know, his hands starting to roam casually over her body.

"It’s not on me, stop feeling me up!"

Georgia raised her voice to stop him, trying to push him away, but her strength was no match for his. He easily caught her hands in his.

’She was only wearing pajamas, which didn’t even have pockets. How could she hide anything on her?’

Georgia bit her lip and glared at Elliot. He was definitely doing this on purpose.

"Still not talking?" Elliot raised a nonchalant eyebrow, his handsome hands continuing their exploration of her body.

Georgia’s face flushed completely red. "Alright, alright, fine!" she pleaded. "I’ll tell you where it is!"