Secret Marriage: The CEO's Pampered Wife

"Of course!" Elliot Sheridan nodded emphatically.

Leah climbed onto the sofa and secretly whispered in Elliot Sheridan’s ear.

She didn’t know what the little rascal had told Elliot Sheridan, but he was now looking at her with a teasing glint in his eyes.

Elliot Sheridan wrapped his arms around her. "Did you think I was handsome back then?"

Handsome?

Even at his most disheveled and unshaven, he radiated a kind of rugged, decadent charm. Of course he was handsome.

But she wouldn’t admit it. "Don’t listen to Leah’s nonsense!"

"But you were the one sneaking glances at me. What’s there to be embarrassed about? If you’d like, I can let you look at me openly. No need to be sneaky."

"..." ’Why did his words make it sound like I’d done something shameful?’

"Hmph, who wants to look at you!" Georgia Thorne pushed his hands away and turned her head.

"Then how about I look at you instead?"

"What!"

Georgia Thorne snapped her head back, only to bump into Elliot Sheridan, who had leaned in. The side of her nose brushed against his chin, and she felt the tickle of his short stubble.

"From now on, I’ll only have eyes for you, okay?"

Georgia Thorne’s face immediately flushed. She shot him a quick glance from under her lashes but said nothing.

But inwardly, she was muttering, ’This man’s sweet talk is getting better and better.’

Back when Georgia Thorne was in school, she’d gotten along well enough with the boys. She knew that when they were chasing a girl, they would write heaps of long, sappy love letters.

Even she, a girl, found them cringeworthy, but the boys themselves were always incredibly proud of their work.

She had actually thought those boys were so talented, until she accidentally discovered the existence of books like *The Ultimate Guide to Love Letters*.

It was getting late, and Georgia Thorne decided it was time to leave.

Lynn Thorne saw her off at the door. "You two be careful on your way home. Come visit more often when you have time."

"I know!"

Before they left, Lynn Thorne, still not reassured, added a few more words, this time to Elliot Sheridan. "This sister of mine has a bit of a temper, so you have to be the one to give in to her. If that still doesn’t work, you come find me!"

"Sis!" Georgia Thorne looked at Lynn Thorne in exasperation. ’Who bad-mouths someone right in front of them?’ Lynn Thorne retorted, "You’re married now. Live your life properly. No more getting moody over little things!"

She could tell tonight that the mood between the young couple was a little off. Elliot Sheridan was trying to talk to Georgia Thorne at every turn, while Georgia Thorne was avoiding him at every turn.

"..." ’Was I being moody?’

Georgia Thorne felt completely blameless. Meanwhile, Elliot Sheridan considerately wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Don’t worry, Sis. I’ll be sure to give in to her!"

With him saying that, she suddenly sounded like the unreasonable one.

Georgia Thorne huffed, pushed his hand away, and started down the stairs.

"Goodbye, Sis, Brother-in-law!" Elliot Sheridan said with a wry smile.

"Alright, you two head on home now!"

When Georgia Thorne got to the landing, she saw the same little boy sitting by the stairs. She thought his name was Miles.

She walked over to him. "Miles, are you waiting for your mom?"

Miles turned his head, his clear eyes filled with unconcealed loathing. "Go away, you bad person!"

"..."

Georgia Thorne rubbed her nose, feeling completely innocent. She hadn’t done anything to the child, yet he called her a bad person on sight.

"I’m not a bad person. I’m Leah’s aunt. We met last time, remember?"

"I know you are. You’re a bad person, hmph!"

’How in the world am I a bad person?’

Georgia Thorne didn’t think the boy was truly bad; she felt he was good at heart. ’Did I do something to make him misunderstand me?’

Just as she was pondering this, Elliot Sheridan came down the stairs. When he heard Miles insulting Georgia Thorne, his expression instantly darkened.

"Such poor manners. You already know how to insult people at such a young age?"

When Miles saw him, his eyes lit up for a moment. He opened his mouth to speak, but upon hearing Elliot Sheridan’s reprimand, his eyes instantly welled with tears.

Even Georgia Thorne was afraid when Elliot Sheridan got angry, let alone a small child.

In an instant, Miles’s eyes were brimming with tears, and it looked like he was about to cry.

Georgia Thorne had a soft spot for children and couldn’t bear to see them cry. She quickly tried to soothe him. "Don’t be afraid. This uncle... he doesn’t mean any harm. He’s actually a very nice person."

Miles didn’t wail, but tears streamed down his face, making him look quite pitiful.

Georgia Thorne felt at a loss. She squatted down and pulled a lollipop from her pocket. "Here, have this. After you eat it, let’s not be angry at the grown-up anymore, okay?"

But children can be the hardest to placate; sometimes, even candy isn’t enough.

Take Miles, for instance. He slapped the lollipop out of Georgia Thorne’s hand. "I don’t want your stuff, you bad person!"

"Is that what your parents taught you?" Elliot Sheridan’s brows furrowed as he sternly reprimanded the boy. Georgia Thorne grabbed his arm. "Don’t be so harsh!"

The lollipop shattered on the ground. Georgia Thorne didn’t think much of it and picked up the pieces.

It was the same lollipop Leah had stuffed into Elliot Sheridan’s pocket. He, in turn, had pressed it into her hand to curry favor, calling it a "bribe."

Elliot Sheridan rarely lost his temper. If Georgia Thorne hadn’t been there to hold him back, he likely would have said something even harsher.

He clenched his fists, his dark eyes fixed sharply on Miles. "Apologize!"

Miles pressed his lips together, stubbornly refusing to apologize to Georgia Thorne. He leaned back against the wall, looking for all the world like he was the one who had been wronged.

"Elliot Sheridan, why are you picking on a child!" Georgia Thorne tugged on his arm, trying to pull him away.

But she couldn’t budge him. "He’s just a kid. You’re going to make him cry."

In fact, Elliot Sheridan had already scared Miles to tears; the boy was just trying his best to hold them back.

"If you don’t apologize, then go get your parents. I want to see what kind of people raised a child like you!"

Miles had one weak spot: his mother.

If his mother found out, she would definitely be angry with him again.

After a moment’s thought, Miles mumbled a very reluctant "sorry."

His voice was quiet, but Georgia Thorne heard him and acknowledged it with a soft sound.

But Elliot Sheridan wouldn’t let him off the hook. "What did you just say? Louder!"

This time, Miles truly burst into tears of frustration. He lifted his head to glare fiercely at Elliot Sheridan, shrieked "I’m sorry!" at the top of his lungs, and bolted up the stairs.

Georgia Thorne called after him several times, but Miles didn’t look back.

"You made the poor kid cry!" Georgia Thorne said, fuming.

"He was the one being rude first. Consider it me teaching him a lesson on his parents’ behalf. Otherwise, who knows how he’ll turn out in the future!" Elliot Sheridan said matter-of-factly, without a hint of regret.

"He’s in a pitiful situation, you know. I don’t think he has a father, and his mom works late every day to support him! ...Forget it. You wouldn’t understand even if I explained it to you!"

Georgia Thorne angrily stomped away. ’Putting on such a fierce face... what child could possibly like that!’

The car pulled up in front of Georgia Thorne’s apartment building. Just as she got out, the man beside her got out as well.

"Georgia Thorne!" He called out to her, standing by the car door.

Georgia Thorne turned back, her face dark. "What else do you want?" she snapped.

"Nothing. I just wanted to say your name. Go on up," Elliot Sheridan said calmly.

"..." Georgia Thorne had the distinct feeling she was being toyed with.

She quickly walked back to her apartment. No sooner had she switched on the light and sat down than a knock sounded at the door.

Her mind a jumble of thoughts, Georgia Thorne went to open the door. "Who is it?"

"It’s me," Elliot Sheridan answered in a deep voice. ’Who else would it be?’

Georgia Thorne’s expression instantly darkened. Just who was she expecting, deep down in her heart?