Secret Marriage: The CEO's Pampered Wife

"The night before last, she sat by the window all night. By the time I found her, she was already running a fever," Justin Sullivan explained.

Selena Sheridan had collapsed on the floor, her body ice-cold.

He placed her on the bed, and she remained in a stupor until she started running a fever in the middle of the night.

She woke up a few times, delirious, calling out Georgia Thorne’s name, so he decided to just call Georgia over to check on her.

Selena Sheridan was being very uncooperative with her treatment. At first, she refused to go to the hospital, and then she wouldn’t take her medicine.

Justin Sullivan had rarely seen her throw a tantrum, but no matter what he said, she wouldn’t listen.

He was never very good with words when it came to women, and with Selena Sheridan, he was at a complete loss.

Later, when trying to give her the medicine, he finally said, "If you don’t take this, I’m sending you back to the Sheridan Family!"

The previously rebellious Selena Sheridan immediately quieted down, apparently taking his words to heart.

Even in her semi-conscious state, Selena Sheridan started to cooperate, taking her medicine and getting shots.

"What happened to her?" Justin Sullivan asked.

That night, he had happened to be driving by.

Someone had suddenly rushed into the road. Before he could even drive past, the person had already collapsed.

He thought it might be a scam, so he got out of the car and turned the collapsed woman over.

Only when he pushed aside the long hair covering her face and saw it was Selena Sheridan did he carry her to his car.

He had intended to take her to the Sheridan residence, but after a moment’s thought, he worried there might be trouble, so he turned the car around and drove to the hospital instead.

The check-up results showed she had fainted from malnutrition. It wasn’t a major issue.

’She’s a young lady of the Sheridan Family. Who would dare let her go hungry?’

Georgia Thorne placed a towel soaked in cold water on Selena Sheridan’s forehead. "Her parents are getting a divorce. She just couldn’t handle the shock."

Justin Sullivan grunted in acknowledgment and asked no more questions.

Justin Sullivan had met her parents a couple of times. They had seemed like a loving couple, so a sudden divorce would certainly be hard to accept.

Georgia Thorne cared for Selena Sheridan attentively. It was nearly dusk when Selena finally, groggily, opened her eyes.

"Georgia, what are you doing here?" Selena Sheridan’s voice was extremely hoarse, as if it had been scraped with sandpaper.

She seemed to recall this being Justin Sullivan’s apartment.

"You have the nerve to ask? Look at the state you’re in!" Seeing her finally wake up, Georgia Thorne cried tears of joy.

’A state?’

Selena Sheridan looked at herself. She really was in a sorry state.

She had fainted, and of all places, in front of her ex-boyfriend.

"Can I have some water?"

"Yes, I’ll go get you some!" Georgia Thorne wiped her tears and hurried out.

Justin Sullivan hadn’t left. He was sitting in the living room, working on his laptop.

"Um, is there any water?" Georgia Thorne asked, embarrassed to be interrupting his work. "Selena is thirsty!"

Justin Sullivan looked up at her. "Yes, in the kitchen."

"Oh." Georgia Thorne replied, dashing toward the kitchen.

After pouring a cup of hot water, she returned to the room. "Careful, it’s hot!"

"Thanks." Selena Sheridan placed the cup aside. "You came... you didn’t tell my family, did you?"

"Not yet!" Georgia Thorne shook her head. Selena Sheridan breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Don’t tell them."

Selena Sheridan was still angry. She didn’t want to go home, and she certainly didn’t want to live under the same roof as that woman.

"But... Selena, your family is really worried about you. They’ve been frantically looking for you everywhere. They even called the police. You..."

Georgia Thorne wanted to persuade Selena Sheridan to go home. Even if she couldn’t accept Naomi Shaw, she shouldn’t put herself in danger.

But seeing the determined look in Selena Sheridan’s eyes, she changed her tune. "Your grandparents haven’t been able to sleep, and neither has your second uncle! Your mom came back and had a huge fight with your dad. He hasn’t slept for days trying to find you, you just didn’t see it..."

"You don’t have to speak up for my dad!" Selena Sheridan cut her off. "If he dares to marry that woman, then for the rest of his life, he won’t have me as a daughter!"

"Selena..."

"Georgia, don’t you dare tell my family where I am, or we’re no longer friends!"

Hearing the serious tone in her voice, Georgia Thorne sighed softly. "Then what are you going to do?"

"I don’t know!" Selena Sheridan lay back on the bed, not even bothering to drink the water.

Her mind was blank. She had no thoughts about the future, only wanting to escape for as long as she possibly could.

When Elliot Sheridan got home from work, he didn’t see Georgia Thorne.

"When did my wife go out?"

"She took a call this afternoon and went out," the part-time housekeeper answered honestly.

She went out in the afternoon and still wasn’t back.

"Did she say when she’d be back?"

The housekeeper shook her head.

"You can go start dinner."

"Okay!"

Elliot Sheridan gave Georgia Thorne a call.

At that moment, Georgia Thorne was chatting with Selena Sheridan. When she saw Elliot Sheridan’s call, she immediately turned off her phone.

"Who was that?" Selena Sheridan asked casually.

"A sales call," Georgia Thorne said with a dry laugh, turning her head to look at the darkening sky outside.

Twilight was deepening. Elliot must have called because he got home and didn’t see her.

Georgia Thorne sat for a little while longer, but Selena Sheridan noticed her fidgeting and figured she probably had somewhere to be.

She spoke up, "Alright, you’ve been here with me all afternoon. It’s getting late, you should head back."

"Okay!"

When Justin Sullivan heard she was leaving, he offered to drive her home.

His more important goal, however, was to find out where she was living now.

She flatly refused. "No need. You should stay and take care of Selena. She’s not well."

Justin Sullivan’s gaze drifted toward the bedroom. Selena Sheridan certainly needed someone to look after her right now, but...

He was unwilling to let such a good opportunity slip away.

"Be careful on your way then."

"Okay! Goodbye!"

The moment she left Justin Sullivan’s apartment, Georgia Thorne immediately turned her phone on and called Elliot Sheridan.

Elliot Sheridan’s voice was heavy on the other end of the line, and Georgia Thorne’s heart skipped a beat.

"I have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?" Georgia Thorne asked timidly.

"Where are you!" Elliot Sheridan gripped his phone tighter. He hated this feeling of not being able to reach Georgia Thorne.

It was just like before, when she ran off to Akashima by herself, leaving him all alone.

Not seeing her made him frantic with anxiety. He wanted to drag her back and give her a harsh scolding, but in the end, he was the one who had eagerly run off to Akashima to see her.

When he saw her in a classroom, chatting happily with another man, all his anger had surged, making him wish he could just pack her up and take her away.

But then he saw her and couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Elliot Sheridan truly felt like he was debasing himself, to a point of no return.

Her heart hammered against her ribs. Not daring to deceive him, she answered honestly, "I just came from Justin Sullivan’s apartment!"

"What!" Hearing her answer, Elliot Sheridan wanted to smash his phone to pieces.

She was being utterly foolish. She knew Justin Sullivan had designs on her, yet she still went to his home in person.

Elliot Sheridan was furious now, and even through the phone, she could feel his towering rage.

Afraid he would misunderstand, Georgia Thorne hastily explained, "The good news is, I found Selena!"

In most other matters, Georgia Thorne wasn’t timid at all; she loved to challenge new things.

But when it came to Elliot Sheridan, she really didn’t have the nerve. He had always been hard to read.

Besides, they had only just managed to reconcile. She didn’t want things to get tense again because of Justin Sullivan.

"Selena is at Justin Sullivan’s apartment! I went there to see her!" Georgia Thorne explained loudly, then pointedly added, "There’s nothing going on between Justin and me!"

To be precise, they hadn’t even exchanged more than a few sentences.

The other end of the line suddenly fell silent. Georgia Thorne thought Elliot Sheridan was truly angry and whispered, "I’m coming back right now!"

The moment the words left her mouth, the line went dead.

Georgia Thorne hailed a taxi and rushed back to the apartment.

Elliot Sheridan sat in the study, his mood incredibly foul.

Honestly, Elliot Sheridan didn’t believe Georgia Thorne would ever do anything to betray him.

It was just that he felt uneasy, and the reason was Justin Sullivan.

There was no guarantee Justin Sullivan wouldn’t try some dirty trick behind his back and make a move on Georgia Thorne.

He pulled a cigarette from the pack, lit it, and took two drags before the tightness in his chest eased slightly.

When Georgia Thorne got home, she changed her shoes and asked the housekeeper where Elliot Sheridan was.

The housekeeper’s gaze drifted toward the study. She said softly, "Sir went in and hasn’t come out since!"

Georgia Thorne pushed open the study door and was immediately choked by the thick smell of smoke inside.

Inside the study, the door and windows were shut tight. The cold air from the AC hissed out, and the smell made Georgia Thorne’s heart ache.

She saw Elliot Sheridan sitting at her desk, holding a stack of drawing paper.

He was completely engrossed, seemingly unaware of her entrance. His slender eyes were narrowed in concentration.

His other hand held a half-smoked cigarette, and he gently exhaled a puff of smoke.

Gently closing the door, Georgia Thorne walked over and called out softly, "Honey, I’m home!"

Georgia Thorne’s voice was soft, and to Elliot Sheridan, it felt like a dream.

Unreal.

Georgia Thorne couldn’t quite see his expression and didn’t know if he was angry. The heavy atmosphere emanating from him sent a chill down her spine.

She took a few steps forward, drawing closer, and the man suddenly looked up.

His dark, sharp eyes met hers. Flustered, Georgia Thorne averted her gaze, her eyes landing on his hands.

The papers were filled with doodles she had made when she was bored—mostly sketches of this man’s features.

"Honey," she whispered again, her red lips parted.

He stubbed out the cigarette in his hand. The man, who had been sitting, suddenly stood up and pulled her into his arms, sending the stack of drawings scattering to the floor.

Georgia Thorne was pulled forcefully into his embrace, her cheek pressed tightly against his chest, unable to move.

She had thought he would be angry; she never expected him to inexplicably pull her into a hug.

Georgia Thorne squirmed, but she felt the arms around her waist tighten their grip, locking her in even more securely.

She let out a small gasp and looked up at him. "Honey!"

"13!" Elliot Sheridan lowered his head and uttered a baffling number.

Before she could react, he kissed her on the lips.