Secret Marriage: The CEO's Pampered Wife

Kai had just stepped into the residential complex when Georgia Thorne’s voice called out from behind him.

He turned around and saw a black sedan pulling in, with Georgia Thorne peeking her head out.

Kai was stunned for a moment. The car before him was no ordinary vehicle; its owner was clearly either rich or powerful.

Georgia Thorne turned her head to say something to the man in the car, then got out.

"I haven’t been at the office these past two days. Did anything happen?"

Kai shook his head subconsciously, his mind still wondering about the relationship between Georgia Thorne and the man in the car.

"Is your cold any better?"

"Much better. He took me to the hospital!" she said, glancing at Byron Shaw inside the car.

Kai smiled sheepishly. "That’s good, then!"

"I wanted to tell you, you don’t have to wait for me tomorrow morning. He’ll be taking me to work."

"Oh, okay!"

After saying that, Georgia Thorne got back in the car and waved goodbye to Kai.

Kai didn’t realize how stiff his own smile was as he watched the car drive away.

Georgia Thorne got in the car, and Byron Shaw asked, "Who’s he?"

"A colleague from work."

"He likes you?"

"Maybe!" ’Even if he doesn’t, I need to nip that idea in the bud.’

The next morning, in a rare move, Georgia Thorne asked Byron Shaw for a ride to the office.

Byron Shaw agreed. As it happened, he also had matters to discuss with Elliot Sheridan.

Byron Shaw drove himself. As they passed the entrance to the complex, he saw the man Georgia Thorne had greeted yesterday standing at the gate, and he suddenly understood something.

He glanced at Georgia Thorne out of the corner of his eye, but her gaze was directed elsewhere.

Twenty minutes later, the car stopped in front of Elliot Sheridan’s company building. Byron Shaw turned his head and asked, "That thing you called me about the other day—were you serious?"

"I was serious. I want to divorce him!" Georgia Thorne smiled at him. "What are the chances we can get a divorce?"

"With me on the case, what do you think?"

Given Byron Shaw’s undefeated record in court, her divorce from Elliot Sheridan was a sure thing.

"But I have to ask, why do you want a divorce?"

This was what Byron Shaw couldn’t understand. Even with the issue concerning the child, at most Georgia Thorne would have suggested separating from Elliot Sheridan for a while. The conflict hadn’t escalated to the point of divorce.

"Because the whole thing was a sham from start to finish!"

"..."

He didn’t know what state of mind Georgia Thorne was in when she said that, only that her face was a mask of a forced smile.

’A divorce might be for the best, then.’

"I’ll have someone deliver the divorce papers to Elliot Sheridan."

"Thank you!" Georgia Thorne said, her eyes lowered.

"Georgia, we’re family. You don’t have to be so formal."

Georgia Thorne looked up again. "I’ve been a bother staying at your place these past few days. I’ll find some time to move out."

"Georgia!" Byron Shaw said her name, annoyed. But Georgia Thorne cut him off. "I’ve already found a place. I’m moving out this weekend!"

Without waiting for Byron Shaw’s reaction, she pushed the door open and got out of the car.

After two days off, there was too much work piled up. Georgia Thorne sat at her desk, burying her head in her tasks.

She worked straight until noon, when Nancy Hughes came looking for her.

"What’s more important, work or your health!" Nancy Hughes said, poking at the rice in her bowl as she watched Georgia worry about work even while eating. "Speaking of which, how are you getting so thin!"

"Mm, I felt like I was getting fat recently, so I’m on a diet!" Georgia Thorne said with a serious, deadpan expression.

"Pfft, you, on a diet? If you get any thinner, how am I supposed to live with myself!" Nancy Hughes looked at her scrawny friend and couldn’t help but bring up Elliot Sheridan. "You were better off with Elliot. Back then, he had you all plump and healthy. How long have you two been apart, and you’re already so thin..."

As Nancy Hughes spoke, she saw Georgia Thorne’s face fall and knew she had said the wrong thing. She quickly changed the subject. "Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring him up on purpose."

"Nancy, to be honest with you, I’ve already decided to divorce him."

"Huh?" Nancy Hughes looked at Georgia Thorne in shock, taking a long moment to process her words. "You’re not kidding, are you?"

Georgia Thorne calmly took a sip of water. "What do you think?"

Nancy Hughes had known Georgia Thorne for a long time. They had been best friends since college and had never once had a serious argument. She knew her friend’s temperament well.

Once she made up her mind, she would never change it.

"Georgia, honestly, he’s a really good man. Don’t you want to reconsider?" Nancy Hughes said haltingly, speaking up for Elliot Sheridan.

"No need. I still have work to do, so I’m heading back to the office now." Georgia Thorne picked up her tray and left.

Nancy Hughes watched her friend’s retreating back, vexed. In truth, she still hoped Georgia Thorne and Elliot Sheridan could reconcile.

It had been so hard for them to finally get together, and besides, she could see that Elliot Sheridan was genuinely good to Georgia Thorne.

Georgia Thorne had just stepped out of the cafeteria when Nancy Hughes caught up to her.

"This phone... he asked me to give it to you."

"Thanks!"

Georgia Thorne took the phone and strode toward the office.

For the rest of the afternoon, Georgia Thorne buried herself in her work. When it was time to leave, she hurried out.

Instead of going home as usual, she went to a hospital near the company.

"Doctor, I’d like a prescription for some sleeping pills," Georgia Thorne stated her purpose bluntly.

A doctor wouldn’t casually prescribe sleeping pills. Georgia Thorne took out the medical record from her hospital visit the day before. After reviewing the diagnosis, the doctor prescribed her a small bottle of sleeping pills.

"For your first time, one or two pills will be enough. Given the severity of your insomnia, you mustn’t exceed the dosage," the doctor instructed.

Georgia Thorne left the doctor’s office with the medicine and was spotted by Owen Sawyer, who was there to accompany Elliot Sheridan while he got his wound dressed.

Elliot Sheridan had stood guard outside Georgia Thorne’s apartment for a day and a night, and then threw himself into working overtime without a break. He hadn’t gone to the hospital, not until the wound on his hand began to fester. Owen had to beg him to finally come get it treated.

While Elliot Sheridan was in the patient room getting his wound cleaned, Owen Sawyer was just wandering around outside.

He never expected that while wandering, he would see Georgia Thorne coming out.

He rushed into the doctor’s office. "That woman who just left, what’s wrong with her?"

"I’m sorry, but we cannot disclose patient information. It’s a matter of privacy," the doctor said sternly.

"She’s someone I know!" Owen Sawyer stepped forward anxiously. "What exactly did she see the doctor for?"

Owen Sawyer returned to the patient room. A nurse was still cleaning Elliot Sheridan’s wound.

His wound had festered badly, with pus forming in some areas. The nurse treated it with extreme care.

Elliot Sheridan sat impassively on the sofa, holding out his hand and letting the nurse clean it. He showed no expression, as if he couldn’t feel any pain.

Just as Owen Sawyer opened his mouth, he suddenly thought of something important. ’If Elliot finds out Georgia got sleeping pills, won’t he immediately rush out to find her?’

’Then what about the wound on his hand? Would he even let them finish treating it?’

At that thought, Owen Sawyer closed his mouth again, but his eyes were filled with anxiety.

Ever since that night he left Byron Shaw’s apartment, Elliot Sheridan hadn’t slept a wink.

’The immense pressure is becoming unbearable for him. It’s better to let him have a breather from this whole thing with Georgia for now. I’ll tell him later.’

Owen Sawyer told himself this, looking at Elliot Sheridan, who was resting with his eyes closed. He actually felt that Elliot was quite pitiful.

On Friday, when Georgia Thorne came home from work, Byron Shaw was already waiting for her.

For the past few nights, Georgia Thorne had been packing her things. She would be moving out early Saturday morning.

"Are you really leaving?" Byron Shaw said gravely, his brow furrowed. "It’s not safe for a young woman like you to live alone!"

"It’s okay, I’ll be fine!" Georgia Thorne said with a smile. "Besides, I’ve already paid the rent for the whole year."

Byron Shaw had tried to persuade her several times, but Georgia Thorne wouldn’t listen. She was dead set on moving out.

Before Georgia Thorne went into her room, Byron Shaw stopped her and handed her a document. "Take a look at this. If it’s okay, you can sign it."

Her confused gaze fell upon the document. At the top, in large letters, were the words "Divorce Agreement." "Thank you."

She took it and went back to her room.

Byron Shaw was a lawyer, and he had secured every right Georgia Thorne was entitled to. She skimmed over it briefly.

After dinner, Georgia Thorne brought out the divorce agreement. "I don’t need any of his assets. I’ll leave with nothing."

’I don’t want anything of his, and I especially don’t want to owe him anything.’

Byron Shaw was highly efficient. After dinner, he typed on his computer for a little while, then handed the document to her. "You can sign it now."

Georgia Thorne took the document into her room. After carefully reading the terms, she looked at the blank space under the wife’s signature line.

As she picked up the pen, she couldn’t help but remember her wedding day.

Back then, her heart had been filled with both nervousness and fear. It had all felt like a dream. She couldn’t even write her own name properly; he had to hold her hand and guide it, stroke by stroke, as she signed.

Looking back now, all that past sweetness truly had been a dream. And now that she was awake, all that remained was endless heartache.

With tears in her eyes, she signed her name in the blank space.

’Elliot, I hope from this day forward, we have nothing more to do with each other.’

She shook two sleeping pills from the bottle and lay down on the bed.

The medicine took effect, and this time, Georgia Thorne fell asleep quickly. She finally had a good night’s rest.

’Perhaps getting this divorce was the right decision after all.’

Meanwhile, Byron Shaw was still awake, busy with a court case.

He had just poured himself a cup of coffee when Naomi Shaw called to ask about Georgia Thorne.

Byron mentioned that Georgia was planning to move out, and Naomi immediately grew frantic. "Is it because I came to your house? Is that why she wants to move out?"

"You came over?" Byron Shaw asked, surprised. Naomi Shaw replied from the other end of the line, "You were away on a business trip a while ago, and I couldn’t resist going to your place!"

"Sis, you’re so reckless. I told you she wouldn’t be able to accept you so quickly!" Byron Shaw sighed. Georgia Thorne couldn’t even accept him, her uncle, let alone Naomi Shaw.

Naomi Shaw hadn’t expected this either. She mumbled quietly, "I didn’t expect it either... I just really wanted to see her at the time. Besides, she didn’t seem to react strangely at all."

Even if Georgia Thorne had shown any strange emotions, Naomi Shaw, who was preoccupied with her own joyful surprise, wouldn’t have noticed at all.

Because Georgia had let her into the house, she had assumed that Georgia was already starting to accept her, even just a little.