Secret Marriage: The CEO's Pampered Wife

Elliot Sheridan was clearly driving slower this time, but he didn’t stop.

"Where are we going? I want to go back!" Georgia Thorne demanded, noticing the road was growing more and more remote.

The man in the driver’s seat remained silent, continuing on his way.

Portmire was a coastal city. The drive from downtown to the shore only took two hours.

And sure enough, Elliot Sheridan parked the car right by the ocean.

Georgia Thorne refused to get out of the car. Elliot Sheridan opened her door. "Do you need me to carry you out?"

His tone was laced with impatience, and Georgia Thorne fell silent. She slowly, reluctantly, got out of the car.

Elliot Sheridan immediately took her hand. She struggled, but couldn’t pull away.

She looked down at their clasped hands, and a film of moisture blurred her vision.

His palm was warm and dry, so comfortable she found herself reluctant to let go.

’This is the last time,’ she silently warned herself. ’It will absolutely never happen again.’

Elliot Sheridan held her hand as they stepped onto the soft sand.

The sand was damp. Each step on the flat shore left a deep impression, and wet, yellow sand clung to their shoes.

She watched as they drew closer and closer to the water’s edge, until one of his feet was already stepping into the sea.

Georgia Thorne struggled again. "What on earth are you doing?!"

"You want a divorce, don’t you, Georgia? If you can stand to watch me die, then we’ll get a divorce!" Elliot Sheridan turned back, his weakened features twisted with a savage expression.

He released Georgia Thorne’s hand and walked into the sea. Waves crashed against him, one after another, soaking his trousers.

The water climbed higher, from his ankles to his knees, yet he never paused his advance.

Her eyes instantly welled with hot tears, blurring the sight of his retreating back. He was clearly using his own death to pressure her.

Her strength vanished, and she collapsed onto the sand.

The cold seawater lapped at her ankles, and the bone-chilling cold sent a shiver through her. But the man just kept walking deeper into the ocean, step by step.

"Elliot! You don’t even love me, so why put on this act?!" Georgia Thorne screamed at his back as tears streamed down her face.

Hearing Georgia Thorne’s words, Elliot Sheridan whipped his head around furiously. "You’re not me! How would you know if this is an act?!"

The pain in his stomach intensified. His face was a taut mask; he felt like Georgia Thorne was going to be the death of him.

’I’ve poured my heart and soul out for her, and she can’t see any of it?!’

’An act? How dare she even use that word.’

He looked back. The woman had collapsed onto the ground, a miserable, crying mess. The sight softened Elliot Sheridan’s heart. He wanted to go to her, pull her into his arms, and coax her to stop crying.

But in a situation like this, Georgia Thorne needed someone to push her, and push her hard. Only then would she be able to see his feelings clearly.

"Georgia Thorne, the choice is yours! Life or death!"

Georgia Thorne wiped away her tears and watched as he continued walking into the sea.

When the water reached his chest, she couldn’t stop herself from screaming for him to stop. Elliot Sheridan actually paused. "Do you still want a divorce?"

Seeing her pain seemed to ease the cramping in his own stomach. He knew he still had a place in her heart.

Georgia Thorne couldn’t possibly watch him die. She shook her head frantically. "No! I don’t want a divorce!"

Call her spineless, call her weak—it didn’t matter. In that moment, Georgia Thorne had yielded to Elliot Sheridan.

She had no choice but to yield.

"I don’t know who brought up Quentin Chase to you, but I’m telling you, there is no place for him here with me. There’s only you. Do you believe me?"

Elliot Sheridan had to back Georgia Thorne into a corner today, to completely resolve the conflict between them.

But Georgia Thorne was lost, staring at him through a blur of tears.

Quentin Chase had always been another wound in Georgia Thorne’s heart.

She had just been through a marriage full of deceit. Now, she had lost the ability to trust.

She didn’t know if she should believe Elliot Sheridan, but once again, he was using his own life to coerce her.

"You don’t believe me?" Elliot Sheridan’s face was merciless. He gave her no time to think and started walking deeper into the water.

The farther he went, the deeper the water became. In just a few steps, it was already over his chest.

"I believe you! I believe you!" Georgia Thorne cried out.

"You really believe me?"

"I really do! Elliot, please, just come back!" Georgia Thorne sobbed, scrambling up from the sand and stumbling into the sea after him.

’With every step, the frigid seawater seemed to pierce her bones. He really has me figured out,’ she thought.

Elliot Sheridan had just recovered from a serious illness and his body hadn’t fully healed. He had walked into the sea on a wave of pure anger, but now, hearing Georgia Thorne’s words, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He gave Georgia Thorne a relaxed smile and slowly began to walk back to shore.

But after the soak in the cold ocean, a burning pain flared in his stomach, so intense it felt like it wasn’t his own. His face grew even paler.

Georgia Thorne rushed into the water to support him. His body was cold to the touch.

"You really scared me to death!" Georgia Thorne rebuked him, her voice thick with tears.

Georgia Thorne sensed something was wrong with Elliot Sheridan and quickly draped his arm over her shoulder. "Elliot, are you okay?"

Supporting him, she hurried toward the shore. The late-November sea was bone-chillingly cold.

"Georgia, have I ever told you I love you?"

No. In all the time they had known each other, even after they were married, he had never said those three words.

"Good. It’s not too late, then." Despite his weakness, the man arched an eyebrow and smiled handsomely. He repeated earnestly in her ear, "Georgia, I love you!"

It was as if he was trying to make up for every "I love you" he’d never said, repeating those three words in her ear over and over.

Elliot Sheridan squeezed her hand, his eyes full of sincerity. "Georgia, I love you!"

Georgia Thorne didn’t know how to respond to this long, long overdue "I love you." She lowered her gaze, her heart undeniably stirred by Elliot Sheridan’s three words.

A gust of sea breeze made both their drenched bodies tremble. Georgia Thorne supported him. "Let’s get back to the car."

Georgia Thorne helped him into the car and turned on the heater.

Having both waded into the ocean, they were soaked to the bone and looked utterly pathetic.

Georgia Thorne pulled a clean towel from the glove compartment. "You should take off your wet clothes."

Elliot Sheridan was completely spent. He leaned back against the seat. "I don’t have the strength."

He didn’t seem to be lying. His complexion was ghastly, his sunken eyes shot with blood, the skin beneath them dark and bruised-looking.

Georgia Thorne reached out and started unbuttoning his shirt, then draped the towel over his shoulders.

Elliot Sheridan was exhausted. He turned onto his side and rested his head on Georgia Thorne’s lap.

The position made Georgia Thorne uncomfortable. She shifted as she felt his warm breath tickling her lower abdomen.

The man in her lap cracked open his eyes. "Don’t move. Let me sleep for a bit."

Georgia Thorne went still. She watched the man as his eyes closed again. After a long hesitation, her trembling fingers gently stroked his hair.

She closed her eyes and resigned herself to her fate.

’He was the only person who would be so ruthless with himself, pushing himself to the brink just to soften her heart.’

After they had been in the car for over two hours, Georgia Thorne reached out and touched Elliot Sheridan’s clothes, realizing they were nearly dry.

But the man in her lap showed no sign of waking.

His color was terrible. A pang of pity shot through Georgia Thorne as she hugged him, realizing for the first time that his body felt even colder than her own.

Fearing he might be developing a fever, she whispered in his ear, "Elliot, wake up!"

The moment Georgia Thorne spoke, Elliot Sheridan’s eyes opened.

He was overcome with exhaustion. He grabbed Georgia Thorne’s hand, clasping it tightly in his own, and called her name hoarsely. "Georgia."

"I’m here!" she answered quickly, draping the now-dry clothes over his body. "Are you feeling cold?"

Elliot Sheridan shook his head. "I’m very warm."

Georgia Thorne thought he must be hallucinating. His body was obviously cold to the touch; how could he possibly feel warm?

She didn’t know that for Elliot Sheridan, as long as she was by his side, he would feel warm anywhere.

"Let’s go back," Georgia Thorne said, helping him sit up and slowly dressing him.

"What’s really wrong with you?" Georgia Thorne felt something was seriously amiss with Elliot. He was completely limp, without even the strength to lift his hand.

Elliot Sheridan leaned on her shoulder. "It’s nothing."

Elliot Sheridan was in terrible shape. In his condition, he was in no state to drive, and Georgia Thorne didn’t know how to drive either.

She fished his phone out of his pocket, but after its saltwater bath, it was dead. Her own phone was out of battery.

When it rains, it pours.

"Elliot, don’t fall asleep!"

"It’s fine. Just let me sleep a little longer. I’m just a bit tired," Elliot Sheridan said softly.

Georgia Thorne was about to die from worry. Something was very, very wrong with him.

"Don’t sleep, okay? We... let’s get out of the car!" Georgia Thorne pushed the door open and helped Elliot Sheridan out slowly. "Watch your step."

It was two in the afternoon, when the sun was at its most intense. Georgia Thorne breathed a sigh of relief as she scanned her surroundings.

Luckily, there was a house not too far away. Georgia Thorne draped Elliot Sheridan’s arm over her shoulder. "Can you still walk?"

Most of Elliot Sheridan’s weight was leaning against Georgia Thorne. He used his body to block her line of sight, clutching his stomach where she couldn’t see. "I’m fine. Let’s go."

The house wasn’t far, but at their current pace, it would take them half an hour to reach it.

By the time the two of them reached the front of the house, they were panting with exhaustion.

Most of the people who lived by the sea were fishermen. Through a large, rusted iron gate, she could clearly see a courtyard hung with fishing nets and other gear.

"Excuse me, is anyone home?" Georgia Thorne called out several times.

After a moment, a little girl came skipping out of the house toward the gate. "Little miss," Georgia Thorne said, relieved. "Are your mom and dad home?"

The little girl looked at her shyly. "Daddy’s not home. It’s just me and Mommy!"

"Can you go get your mom, then?" Georgia Thorne’s urgent tone frightened the little girl, who took a step back. Georgia immediately tried to explain. "This man here is hurt. We were hoping we could maybe stay here for a little while. Would that be okay?"

The little girl looked at Georgia Thorne, then at the weak-looking Elliot Sheridan beside her. Neither of them looked like bad people. She turned and ran back toward the house, shouting for her mother.