Secret Marriage: The CEO's Pampered Wife

’He’s a patient. I won’t stoop to his level.’

Georgia Thorne simply took out her phone and started chatting with Nancy Hughes.

Feeling completely ignored, Elliot Sheridan grew even more furious.

Around eight o’clock, Georgia checked the time and figured it was about time to leave.

"Get some rest tonight. I’ll come see you tomorrow after work!"

The moment the agitated Elliot Sheridan heard her words, he immediately looked up. "You’re leaving?"

"You just focus on resting!" Georgia Thorne said as she gathered her bag.

’I can’t believe this,’ Elliot fumed. ’I thought she would stay and take care of me tonight. What a heartless woman.’

"If you leave, who’s going to take care of me tonight!"

"Didn’t Secretary Sawyer hire a caregiver for you?"

"I’m not used to strangers, and the caregiver doesn’t know me!" he said angrily.

Georgia’s expression was placid. "Don’t worry, Secretary Sawyer already told the caregiver all about your habits. Besides, the caregiver is very experienced and will take good care of you."

Elliot was speechless for a moment. He was a proud, thin-skinned man; there was no way he could bring himself to say, "You have to stay and keep me company tonight," right to Georgia’s face.

The more he looked at Georgia’s face, the angrier he got. "Go, go, go! Just get out of here!"

Fuming, he rolled over in his blankets, turning his back to Georgia. She said calmly, "Alright, I’m leaving then!"

The next day, as soon as Georgia Thorne walked into the company, she noticed everyone was looking at her strangely.

At that moment, she had no idea that the news of her marriage to Elliot Sheridan had already spread throughout the entire company.

Georgia wasn’t used to being the center of attention and hurried into her office with her head down.

She might have escaped the crowd outside, but a gossip-filled Wendy Young was waiting in the office.

"Georgia, is your husband really Elliot Sheridan?"

"How did you know?" She had never mentioned this to anyone at the company.

"Ah, so you really did marry Elliot Sheridan?" Wendy Young looked crestfallen. "It’s not just me anymore—the whole company knows you’re Mrs. Sheridan now!"

"How could that be?"

Wendy Young had admired Elliot Sheridan for years, respecting him more than any celebrity idol. To find out her idol had suddenly married, and that his wife was right beside her, was a huge blow.

Wendy looked Georgia up and down, wondering what her idol saw in her.

Sure, Georgia was pretty, but not stop-traffic gorgeous. You could find plenty of girls as pretty as Georgia.

Although she was crushed, she still explained the situation to Georgia.

Georgia was completely stunned. "You mean, everyone knows we’re married now?"

Wendy Young nodded affirmatively. "But the rumors about your marriage to Elliot Sheridan have split into several different versions. Which one do you want to hear?"

’I don’t want to hear a single one,’ Georgia thought. ’No wonder all the women were staring at me with such hostility when I walked in.’

She had become famous in a single day, with countless versions of her marriage rumor circulating. The most widely accepted version was that Georgia had proactively pursued Elliot, using some sort of scheme to marry him.

Even though she didn’t want to listen, Wendy Young kept chattering nonstop in her ear.

She talked until her mouth was dry. "Georgia, why didn’t you just tell us from the start that your husband was Elliot Sheridan!"

To think she’d made such a fool of herself in front of Georgia, bragging to the actual wife about holding hands with Elliot. Looking back, it was mortifying to the extreme.

"Could it be that what Team Leader Hughes said is true?"

"Who?"

"Nancy Hughes! You don’t know her? She’s the one who said you’re divorcing Elliot Sheridan. Is that true?"

What Nancy Hughes had said was that Georgia was going to divorce Elliot. But after her assistant spread it around, the story morphed into a version where Elliot had found a new love, had grown tired of Georgia, and was divorcing her to make his new flame the next Mrs. Sheridan.

Luckily, Nancy had the foresight not to say anything more.

’These people could spin black into white,’ Georgia thought. ’You have to admire their imagination.’

Georgia couldn’t give her an answer. Divorce was no longer an option; she had promised Elliot.

Besides, the true feelings welling up from the bottom of her heart told her that she didn’t want a divorce either.

After all, they had cleared up all the problems between them. The only regret left was the child; other than that, there was nothing.

Wendy Young pestered Georgia all morning, but Georgia remained tight-lipped.

At noon, Georgia received a call from an unknown number. She answered hesitantly, "Hello? Who is this?"

"It’s me!" Elliot Sheridan said, sounding displeased.

"Is something wrong? Is your stomach acting up again?"

"Georgia Thorne, are you trying to jinx me? Can’t I call you unless something is wrong?!" Elliot seethed through gritted teeth.

"..."

Ever since he woke up yesterday, Elliot had been treating her with nothing but cold, harsh words, as if she had done something wrong.

"When you come over this afternoon, bring my razor. And I don’t want to eat the hospital’s congee—it’s disgusting. You make me some!"

Without giving Georgia a chance to refuse, he hung up.

Georgia was stunned. ’He could just have Owen Sawyer buy a new razor at a nearby supermarket! And how can someone who’s lost his sense of taste complain that the hospital’s congee is disgusting?!’

Just as she put down her phone, it rang again. Assuming it was Elliot calling back, Georgia answered, "Is there something else?"

The person on the other end paused for a moment. The voice that spoke was not Elliot’s.

"Miss Thorne, have you forgotten me already?" A man’s crisp laughter came through the phone.

Georgia asked uncertainly, "Erin Irving?"

"Miss Thorne, I wonder if I might have the honor of having lunch with you?"

Georgia didn’t know Erin Irving well. "Sorry, I..."

"I’m right downstairs from your company at this very moment. If Miss Thorne doesn’t mind, I can come up and get you myself!" Erin Irving cut her off before she could finish.

’Come up and get me? The rumors are bad enough as it is!’

’He must be doing this on purpose.’ Georgia gripped her phone. "No need, I’m on my way down!"

Hanging up, Georgia hurried downstairs, wondering what this Erin Irving wanted with her.

’Of all the times he could have shown up, he had to pick now.’

Enduring the curious stares of everyone, she went downstairs. As soon as she reached the entrance, she saw Erin Irving’s secretary standing there.

"Miss Thorne, please come with me," the secretary said respectfully.

Erin Irving was sitting in a car parked not far from the company entrance. He opened the door, revealing his handsome face. "Miss Thorne, long time no see!"

Georgia didn’t get in the car. Instead, she stood by the door. "President Irving, if you want something, you might as well just say it."

Erin Irving arched an eyebrow and chuckled. "Haven’t I already told you? I’m pursuing you, Miss Thorne!"

She didn’t believe for a second that Erin Irving was pursuing her.

"And haven’t I already made it clear to you, Mr. Irving, that I’ve rejected you?"

"You rejecting me is your business, Miss Thorne, and me pursuing you is my business. The two are unrelated," Erin Irving replied smoothly.

"You!"

"Miss Thorne, if you don’t get in the car soon, people will see. I don’t mind, but I’m not so sure about you!" Erin Irving interrupted.

At this time of day, many people were coming out for lunch, most of them employees from her company.

Most of them recognized Georgia and were standing to the side, whispering to their colleagues.

"Lunch isn’t necessary, Mr. Irving. It’s the thought that counts!" Georgia said and turned to leave, but then she heard Erin sigh from inside the car. "It seems Miss Thorne feels my gesture of sincerity is insufficient. In that case, I’ll have to get out of the car myself and sincerely invite you to lunch in person!"

"You!"

Georgia was so mad she could stomp her feet. She spun around to face the man who was about to get out of the car. He was an absolute rogue.

’Just what I was afraid of!’

Erin Irving watched her with a calm and composed air, his seemingly placid eyes betraying no emotion, as if to say, ’What will you choose, Miss Thorne?’

This was clearly coercion. Georgia gritted her teeth. "No need! Your sincerity is more than enough, Mr. Irving. You’re showing me such consideration!"

"Miss Thorne, please!"

Georgia angrily got into the car, slamming the door loudly. Erin Irving merely smiled at this and instructed his secretary to drive.

At an elegant Western restaurant, Erin Irving led Georgia into a private room.

They ordered Western food. Georgia only took a few bites before putting down her cutlery with a clatter. "I’m finished!"

"Miss Thorne, what’s the rush? You still have plenty of time before you need to be back at work this afternoon!" Erin Irving took a sip of red wine, savored it, and then said, "Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to get you back to the office on time. I would never make you late for work."

Georgia didn’t like Western food. She only had a few sips of water and spent the rest of the time waiting for Erin to finish eating.

Halfway through the meal, Erin Irving suddenly looked up and met Georgia’s stare. He elegantly wiped the corner of his mouth. "Am I so handsome that the sight of me has already filled you up, Miss Thorne?"

Her face was taut, her brows furrowed. ’I’ve never met such a shameless man.’

If she was full, it was from anger, not from feasting her eyes on him.

"I was just trying to make a joke, to lighten the mood. Was it not funny?"

"Hilarious!" Georgia forced a smile. "It’s a real shame Mr. Irving isn’t a comedian. Such a waste of talent!"

"Is that a compliment?" Erin Irving accepted it with a smile.

Georgia, "..."

After the meal, Erin Irving did indeed get Georgia back to her company’s entrance on time.

"Dining with you was a true pleasure, Miss Thorne."

Georgia’s expression was sour. "Really? I can’t say the same."

Georgia pushed open the door, got out, and darted into the company building.

Just as she got into the elevator, she got a call from Erin Irving. "Miss Thorne, let’s have a meal together again sometime!"

"Sorry, I’m very busy!"

In the car, Erin Irving chuckled when he heard the short BEEP BEEP BEEP of the disconnected call, then closed his phone.

’I didn’t expect Georgia Thorne to have such a stubborn streak.’

As she stepped out of the elevator, she ran right into Nancy Hughes, who had come looking for her. "Where were you at lunch?"

"I went out to eat with a friend. What brings you here?"