"..."

"You have the day off, right? Let’s hang out this afternoon. You were gone for two weeks for military training, and I was bored for two whole weeks!" she said, her tone wheedling.

’Seeing too much of this would be more than my heart could handle.’

"Georgia, have you caught a cold?"

Elliot Sheridan moved quickly. He slipped on his loungewear, walked over to Georgia Thorne’s bed, and sat down, mouthing two words to her: ’Reject her.’

Georgia Thorne felt like she was going crazy. Elliot Sheridan was wearing a crew-neck shirt, part of his loungewear, and the collar was wide. As he leaned over her, her line of sight gave her an eyeful of everything underneath.

’I’m not a pervert,’ she thought, but a rush of heat surged through her nose, and for a second she thought it might start bleeding.

"Um, I’m really not feeling well today. How about tomorrow instead?"

"Alright, then!" Selena Sheridan sounded a little disappointed. "Should I come to your house to check on you? You’re sick, and I bet your family doesn’t even know!"

"N-No, don’t!" Georgia Thorne refused hastily. She glanced up at the man so close to her, her slender fingers twisting the bedsheet. "I, uh, I didn’t go home. I’m still at the dorm. My roommate will look after me. Don’t worry, I promise I’ll be back to my healthy self for you tomorrow."

"Alright, then. Make sure you get some rest!"

"Bye."

Elliot Sheridan had never been a man driven by lust. His standards were high; he wouldn’t casually touch a woman who didn’t meet them.

Georgia Thorne was the only woman in years he’d truly wanted to claim for his own.

Georgia Thorne was like a blank sheet of paper, and he couldn’t resist the urge to add a few strokes, to leave his own mark upon her.

He was her first man. That fact alone had been enough to thrill him.

After she hung up the phone, Elliot Sheridan took Georgia Thorne again, hard and deep.

Georgia Thorne’s throat was raw from crying, but the man on top of her showed no signs of letting her go.

Instead, his lips curled into a faint smile. "You said you had a cold. How would it be believable if your voice wasn’t hoarse?"

Georgia Thorne, "..."

But Georgia Thorne was a girl with a vengeful side.

Tormented by Elliot Sheridan like this, a spark of rebellion ignited within her. Her nails, which she’d let grow out a little, left deep marks on his back.

Afterward, Georgia Thorne’s voice was, indeed, shot.

That afternoon, she returned to the Thorne Family estate. Fortunately, only the servants were home. She grabbed some clothes and headed back to school.

She didn’t want to spend a single second longer in that house.

Once she was close to graduating, she would find her own apartment and get away from them for good.

Selena Sheridan had bought a plane ticket to Breccon for the following Saturday.

Today, they were having a small get-together, a sort of farewell dinner.

Selena Sheridan couldn’t bear to part with Georgia Thorne. She had always considered Georgia her sister, and over the years, their bond had only deepened.

After their meal out, they had planned to go their separate ways, but Selena suddenly slapped her thigh, exclaiming that she’d forgotten the gift she meant to give Georgia.

Left with no choice, Georgia Thorne had to go back with her to the Sheridan Family’s home.

Selena Sheridan had bought Georgia Thorne a bracelet identical to her own: a pomegranate-red agate one.

The pomegranate red was a perfect match for Georgia Thorne’s slender, pale wrist.

The two chatted in the room for a little longer. Seeing it was getting late and she still had to get back to campus, Georgia left.

Just as she stepped outside, a black car pulled up beside her.

It was an unfamiliar car, and she wondered who it could be.

The window rolled down, revealing Owen Sawyer’s face.

"Miss Thorne, it’s on my way. Allow me to give you a ride," Owen Sawyer said respectfully.

"That’s not necessary, I can get back on my own."

"This is President Sheridan’s order. I hope you won’t make things difficult for me, Miss Thorne."

Owen Sawyer had invoked Elliot Sheridan’s name. Georgia Thorne had no choice but to obey.

She pulled open the car door and obediently got in.

At the school gate, Owen Sawyer suddenly remembered something and pulled a gift box from the glove compartment for her.

"What’s this?"

Georgia Thorne unwrapped it curiously. Inside was a set of skincare products.

"President Sheridan asked me to give them to you."

Owen Sawyer was always trying to understand President Sheridan’s motives. He would say he didn’t care, yet he had Owen make a special trip to the Sheridan estate to chauffeur Georgia Thorne and deliver these things. But if he did care, why send his assistant to buy them?

Georgia Thorne clutched the gift box, her face flushing as she couldn’t help but recall the words Elliot Sheridan had whispered in her ear the night before.

"The paler your skin, the more the marks will show."

As Selena Sheridan was about to go abroad, the entire Sheridan Family gathered for a farewell dinner for her.

She was the Sheridan Family’s only, treasured granddaughter, and everyone was sad to see her go.

Unsurprisingly, Selena Sheridan had invited Georgia Thorne as well.

At the dinner table, Georgia Thorne remained quiet. The Sheridan Family treated her amicably enough; there was no unpleasantness.

She had never been a big eater, so she put down her chopsticks after only a few bites.

The phone in her pocket, pressed against her hip, began to vibrate.

She could tell from the vibration pattern that it was a text message.

She took it out and saw it was a text from Elliot Sheridan.

It read: ’Come outside. Seeing your red lips makes me want to bite you.’

Georgia Thorne made an excuse and stepped outside into the chilly night air.

Without a jacket, goosebumps immediately prickled her skin in the cold.

As she looked for a slightly warmer spot, she heard people arguing.

"Carter Sheridan, we’ve been married for so many years, and you’re only telling me you want a divorce now?" The sharp, uncontrolled voice belonged to Hillary.

Carter Sheridan took a drag from his cigarette. "You should know that if it wasn’t for Selena, we would have divorced long ago."

"That’s right. Now that you’ve found a new lover, you’re ready to cast me aside—the wife who’s been with you through thick and thin. How heartless of you!"

"Hillary, stop making a scene. You’ve always known I don’t love you," Carter Sheridan said, taking a sharp breath and giving her a heavy look.

"You don’t love me? Hah! Carter Sheridan, you have the nerve to say that after all I’ve done for you, for Selena, for this family? And now that you have some woman on the side, you want to throw me away? Be honest, has your mistress given you a son? This ’not loving me’ crap is just an excuse because I couldn’t give you a son, isn’t it!" Enraged, Hillary smashed a flowerpot on the balcony.

Hiding nearby and eavesdropping, Georgia Thorne jumped, her body trembling violently before she quickly pulled back.

’I think I just heard something I wasn’t supposed to hear.’

’Weren’t Selena’s parents always so polite and formal with each other? Why are they fighting?’

"Heard it all?" A voice suddenly cut through the air, startling Georgia Thorne, who had been lost in her own thoughts.

She stumbled backward and would have fallen if Elliot Sheridan hadn’t caught her with his quick reflexes.

Her slender, pale fingers gripped Elliot Sheridan’s shirt, wrinkling the fabric. She cleared her throat. "You knew about Selena’s parents?"

Elliot Sheridan released her and lit a cigarette. "I’ve known for a long time."

He spoke to Georgia Thorne without reservation. "If not for Selena, they would have divorced ages ago. My brother has been keeping another woman for a long time."

Georgia Thorne, "..."

’I really know way too much now.’

Elliot Sheridan led Georgia Thorne to the garden in the backyard.

On a long bench, he parted her legs and settled her astride his lap.

"I haven’t touched you in a few days. Did you miss me?"

Georgia Thorne was too shy to speak, so Elliot Sheridan kissed her hard, as if punishing her, demanding an answer.

When she said no, he kissed her even harder, his voice rough. "Try again."

That snapped her back to reality.

Georgia Thorne’s first instinct was to run, terrified of Selena Sheridan seeing her with her uncle.

’It was so humiliating.’

But Elliot Sheridan simply held her shoulders, keeping her from getting up.

"Selena..." Georgia Thorne struggled, but she heard Elliot Sheridan whisper in her ear, "Relax. It’s dark here. She won’t see us."

"But..."

"..."

Georgia Thorne did as she was told. She obediently clamped her legs around Elliot Sheridan’s waist, her body going pliant as she burrowed into his chest, truly terrified of Selena seeing them.