His deep voice was laced with a commanding authority—a chilling severity that made her dare not speak.
"Not yet." She bit her lower lip, shaking her head slightly.
"Apologies, but I have no interest in minors."
"But…" Georgia Thorne started to reply anxiously, but a cold glare from Elliot Sheridan stopped her short.
Elliot Sheridan pulled out a cigarette and lit it. The pale, bluish smoke obscured her delicate, youthful face.
"Miss Thorne, I don't like to repeat myself."
The silence stretched on, and the rims of Georgia Thorne's eyes slowly began to redden.
'She would be an adult in just one month.'
The way Elliot Sheridan smoked was handsome and sexy, so mesmerizing it was impossible to look away.
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Secretary Sawyer entered with a set of women's clothing.
"Miss Thorne, here are your clothes." Secretary Sawyer sensed the tense atmosphere in the room and frowned. He glanced at the indifferent Elliot Sheridan before handing the clothes to Georgia Thorne.
She mumbled a "thank you" and, clutching the bath towel, hurried into the bathroom.
She was barefoot, her pale, delicate feet padding against the floor. Above them rose her smooth, slender legs, and higher still, a woman's sacred, inviolable place.
He took a final, forceful drag from his cigarette, coolly retracting his gaze before viciously grinding the butt out in the ashtray.
"Sir, you have a tender submission to attend this afternoon," Owen Sawyer reported, laying out the upcoming schedule.
Elliot Sheridan didn't answer. He picked up a fresh suit jacket, slung it on, and strode out of the room.
When Georgia Thorne emerged from the bathroom after changing, Elliot Sheridan was gone.
She sighed. 'I missed my chance today. I'm afraid I'll never get another one.'
As Georgia Thorne gathered her things, she saw the man's suit jacket lying on the floor—the one she had stained with her blood.
She picked it up. The smell of blood wasn't strong, but a mature, masculine scent still clung to the fabric.
'It smelled good.'
She placed the jacket with her own clothes and left the room.
As soon as she was out the door, she called Selena Sheridan.
"Selena, can you come and get me?"
Selena Sheridan heard the distress in her voice, had Georgia Thorne tell her the address, and sped over immediately.
Half an hour later, Selena Sheridan got out of her car. Seeing Georgia Thorne standing helplessly by the entrance, she rushed over and pulled her into a hug.
Tears welled in Georgia Thorne's eyes. "Selena."
"Georgia, don't cry. It's all over now."
On her way there, Selena Sheridan had been so worried that she'd asked Georgia Thorne to explain everything that had happened.
'She couldn't believe that old man, Jared Thorne, was so heartless he'd even sell his own daughter.'
Georgia Thorne couldn't cry anymore. Her heart had gone cold with bitter disappointment.
She was Jared Thorne's illegitimate daughter from an affair. Jared Thorne had only brought her into the Thorne family after her own mother had passed away.
Her only wish had been to escape that family as soon as possible. But just when she thought she had almost made it, Jared Thorne had played such a cruel trick on her.
「The Thorne Residence」
Jared Thorne paced restlessly, wondering what had become of his youngest daughter.
Hayley Sullivan sat to one side, calmly sipping her tea. "What are you so worried about?"
"Sigh… Do you think Georgia Thorne will…?"