Chapter 294 - 281: Turn Off the Light First, I’m Really Fine
"Hm? Going to bed so early today?" Elliot wrapped his arm around her waist, nuzzling into the crook of Georgia Thorne’s neck.
He loved Georgia’s scent. For some reason, it always put him at ease.
But tonight, her scent seemed a little different. It was tinged with the smell of antiseptic.
"Are you hurt? Why do I smell antiseptic?"
’Does he have a dog’s nose or something? It’s so sharp!’
Georgia’s heart skipped a beat. She laughed nervously, avoiding his eyes. "I accidentally cut my finger while chopping vegetables today. It’s just a small cut!"
"Really? Let me see." Elliot started to sit up to turn on the light, but Georgia threw her arms around him. "Don’t turn on the light! It’s really just a tiny cut. It’s nothing!"
Georgia was acting strangely. Why would she be so nervous about him looking at a small cut?
The more evasive Georgia was, the more suspicious Elliot grew. He flicked on the light and saw her hiding under the covers.
"Georgia, come out from there!" Elliot said angrily. ’Something’s definitely wrong.’
Of course, Georgia didn’t dare come out. A muffled voice drifted from under the blankets. "Turn off the light first! I’m really okay!"
Elliot tugged at the blanket, but Georgia held on tight, and he couldn’t pull it away.
Furious, Elliot simply lifted her up, blanket and all, and then tore the covers from her face with one hand.
"I’m really fine!" Georgia immediately clapped a hand over her face, trying to hide it from Elliot.
But it was too late. Elliot saw everything clearly.
Her right cheek was red and swollen. "Georgia," he said, his voice tight with anger, "what happened to your face?"
There was no point in hiding it anymore. Georgia averted her gaze and stammered, "It’s... it’s nothing!"
Elliot set her down on the bed, his brows knitting together sharply. "Who hit you?"
’An angry Elliot is terrifying.’ Georgia snuck a glance at him from the corner of her eye. His expression was so dark it looked like someone owed him a million dollars.
Georgia sat beside him and wrapped her hands around his arm. "It’s really not a big deal. Let’s just go to sleep."
"Don’t change the subject. Who was it?" Elliot pried her hands away, his voice sharp with frustration. "You took a slap today to keep the peace, but that will only embolden them. Tomorrow, whoever did this will come after you even harder!"
"You’re exaggerating," Georgia muttered. "Besides, I’m not an idiot. I know how to fight back."
’Fight back?’ he thought. ’With her small frame and nothing but a stubborn streak, how could she possibly fight back?’
The more Georgia talked, the more tightly Elliot’s brows drew together. She decided to just keep her mouth shut and hugged his arm again. "Okay, okay, I promise it won’t happen again!"
"So don’t be angry anymore, okay? Hmm? Hmm?" Georgia leaned in, trying to wheedle him out of his anger.
"Stop trying to change the subject. That won’t work on me. Go get dressed."
"Get dressed for what?"
"We’re going to the hospital for a check-up."
Georgia was forced to get dressed and go to the hospital with Elliot.
On the way there, Georgia kept sneaking glances at Elliot, tilting her head as she wondered if he was still angry.
The slap to her face was one thing.
But then Elliot saw the thin, long, sharp scratches on Georgia’s arm. His anger flared. "Who was it?!"
He roared, startling the nurse who was treating Georgia’s wounds.
Georgia tried to soothe the nurse. "It’s okay. He just seems fierce on the outside. He’s actually very nice."
The nurse gave an awkward smile, glanced at the furious Elliot, and quickened her pace with the bandages.
Once her wounds were bandaged, Georgia hurried to catch up with the man striding ahead of her.
"Elliot! Mr. Sheridan? Hubby?"
Georgia clung to his arm, trying out different names for him. When she got to "Hubby," the stone-faced man finally reacted.
He looked down and shot her a glare. "Don’t talk to me until you’re ready to tell me who it was."
With that, he deliberately pried her hand off his arm, took several long strides, and left her standing behind him.
Georgia put her hands on her hips. ’So dramatic!’
Georgia scurried to catch up. "Fine, fine! I’ll tell you, happy now?"
Elliot stopped in his tracks. "Who?"
"Amanda Thorne," Georgia said, her voice quiet. "She came looking for me after I got home yesterday afternoon."
"She found out we were married and assumed I seduced you while you two were still together. We argued, and... well, you see what happened." Georgia gestured to her injured face and arm, looking at him with an even more pitiable expression. "I’ve told you everything, so please don’t be angry anymore!"
Elliot’s lips thinned into a line, and a chilling glint flashed in his dark eyes.
"I understand."
Georgia rested at home for a day, and the marks on her face had mostly faded.
When she went to work the next day, she ran into Laura Chase and the others as soon as she arrived at the office.
The design division at Archetype Company was divided into four main departments, each with a different focus.
For example, Department A handled jewelry design, B was for fashion design, C was for art design, and D was a miscellaneous department that combined all other types of design, making its roster of designers quite varied.
Georgia was in Department B, which was further divided into ten teams.
That morning, all the members of Department B gathered for a meeting, with the department head speaking at the front of the room.
He announced the projects for the new quarter and gave special praise to Seth Shields’s team.
Their recent collaborative project with Sheridan Corporation had been a huge showcase of the company’s design talent. Moreover, President Sheridan himself had met with the department head and expressed interest in future collaborations.
This was undoubtedly fantastic news for the company, and the department head also made a point to praise Georgia.
Although Georgia was a brand-new hire, the creativity she displayed in her work was one-of-a-kind.
At the event, numerous socialites and heiresses had specifically requested designs from Georgia.
Georgia had become an overnight sensation.
After the meeting, Nathan Rhodes walked over. "Congratulations, Designer Thorne!"
"Oh, stop teasing me!" Georgia said, unable to hide the happy smile on her face.
"Don’t be so modest," Nathan said, patting her shoulder. "Look at the five of you who just started. You’re getting all the attention!"
"That’s only because Team Leader Shields gave me a huge boost!" ’Otherwise, I never would have had the chance to shine.’
"If Seth Shields is willing to back you, it’s because he recognizes your talent! Right, Team Leader Shields?" Nathan winked at Seth, who was standing nearby, and adopted a mock-serious tone. "Excuse me, Team Leader Shields, but for such a major event, why were you willing to entrust the design to a rookie?"
Seth Shields glanced at Georgia. "Talent will always shine through."
And speaking of which, the way this particular talent—Georgia—had begun to shine was truly astounding.
At the event, many of his old friends had pointed to Georgia’s piece and asked if he knew the designer.
Since Georgia was one of his own, he had been filled with pride. How could he possibly not know her?
Georgia was definitely the fastest-rising rookie the company had ever seen.
Some were envious, while others were jealous.
In a single morning, Georgia’s status had changed. She went from intern to official employee, and the company even printed business cards for her.
The pink card read: Georgia Thorne, Lead Designer, Archetype Company. She was overjoyed.
The first thing she did was take a picture and share it on Weibo.
Georgia had a small following—mostly fellow cat lovers who were fans of Blue—and they quickly flooded her post with likes and encouraging comments.
Now, like the other official designers, Georgia could take on private commissions in addition to her work on team projects.
That afternoon, she started getting calls from people asking about her availability. Since this was her first time handling such requests, she asked Seth Shields for advice.
Seth told her that since she didn’t have a major project assigned to her yet, she could take on a private commission, but she had to report it to the company.
Georgia accepted a commission. The client was a female celebrity who needed three formal gowns for the Valois Fashion Week in a month.
She arranged to meet the client at her workplace that afternoon. A short while later, she received a text message from the client’s assistant.
Since this was Georgia’s first time handling this sort of thing, Seth assigned an assistant to help her, a girl named Vivian Sawyer.
Vivian was an intern who had just joined the company a few days prior. She happened to be free, so she was assigned to assist Georgia.
Vivian was thrilled about the assignment. "Miss Thorne, you can just call me Vivi!"
Vivian had a lively personality, was very diligent, and got along well with everyone.
"It’s nice to meet you. Thanks in advance for your help."
"Oh, you’re too kind, Miss Thorne! I should be the one saying that to you!"
During the lunch break, Georgia helped her move her things to a new desk. "Miss Thorne, I can get these myself!"
Flustered, Vivian took the box from her and set it down by the desk next to Georgia’s.
Once Vivian was settled in, the two of them headed out for their afternoon meeting.
Vivian was quite chatty, chattering away the entire trip. She was especially envious of how Georgia had become a lead designer so soon after joining the company. "Miss Thorne, you’re amazing!"
"There’s nothing to be envious of. You can do it too, someday."
After chatting with her for a while, Georgia learned that Vivian had actually majored in jewelry design in college.
’She really should have been assigned to intern in Department A,’ Georgia thought. ’She won’t learn much following me around.’
Vivian’s eyes shone with ambition. "You bet I will!"
The client for this commission was Tiana Underwood, a popular actress who had just won Best Supporting Actress for her outstanding performance in a recent film.
Her agency was seizing the opportunity to promote her heavily, and her schedule was now packed with engagements.
They heard she was currently filming on set.
Georgia and Vivian arrived at the film studio, where Tiana Underwood’s assistant was waiting for them at the gate. "Excuse me, are you Miss Thorne?"
"Hello. I’m Georgia Thorne, and this is my assistant, Vivian Sawyer."
The main entrance was swarmed with reporters and fans, so the assistant led them in through a back gate. They walked down a well-lit path for a short distance before arriving at the film set.