Chapter 361
Noticing Effie’s gaze, Adeline smoothly stepped in front of Mitchell, her tone cutting and cold. “Effie, your little schemes are written all over your face. You want what’s on your plate and what’s still in the oven.” She sneered. “Dream on, sweetheart. Some things are just out of your league.”
Shepard had always known Adeline could be sharp-tongued, but he’d never realized she could be this ruthless. Both his daughters had just been humiliated by her, and the room hung heavy with tension.
He shifted, ready to intervene.
But Vera, as if reading his mind, quickly grasped his hand and shook her head ever so slightly.
In a whisper meant only for him, Vera said, “Suzan’s in critical condition after the mess she caused. If you anger Mrs. Lloyd now, we’ll all suffer the consequences.”
Shepard weighed his options in a flash, then decided against speaking up for Effie.
Effie raised her chin. “Sorry, but I’m really not interested in your family drama. But whatever you’ve gotten yourselves into, the whole hospital’s talking about it. Only you people could pull off something so disgraceful.”
“You little brat, what did you just say?!”
Adeline’s temper flared. She raised her hand to slap Effie.
Before she could land the blow, two hands shot out toward her. The one from behind Effie was faster, blocking Adeline’s arm.
When she saw Lyman standing there, Adeline’s eyes narrowed, though she tried to compose herself. “Lyman, dear—”
He shook off her hand with an icy glare. “We’re not that close, Mrs. Lloyd.”
Adeline’s face flushed, then paled, her composure crumbling. He hadn’t spared her even a shred of dignity.
But right now, what really stung was the other hand that had reached out from behind her. She knew her own son-there was no mistaking it. That hand belonged to Mitchell.
Sure enough, when she turned, she locked eyes with him.
“Mitchell, what’s the meaning of this?” Adeline’s voice was cold as ice.
Suzan was still fighting for her life, and here he was defending another woman?
As if things weren’t chaotic enough already.
“Mom, there’s no need to make this uglier than it already is,” Mitchell muttered, jaw tight. “You know how things have been for me lately. You know why.”
Adeline’s expression shifted.
Of course. She’d almost forgotten how Lyman had made Mitchell’s life hell recently.
She turned to Lyman, her voice hard. “Keep your girlfriend in check. Don’t drag innocent people into this mess.”
Lyman shot back, “Maybe you should keep your own mutt on a leash. Wouldn’t want him barking at everyone in sight.”
With that, Lyman and Effie led Grandmother out of the room.
As they walked, Lyman turned to them. “Sorry I was late. I had to circle the lot for a parking spot.”
Grandmother huffed. “If you hadn’t
come when you did, I’d have given that woman a piece of my mind myself. She acts like no one loves Effie as if we’d ever let her be bullied!”
Her words were cut short by a fit of coughing, her anger still simmering.
Effie hurried to rub her back,
soothing her. “Don’t worry about me,
SE People like that aret
like that are
talk. She wouldn’t dare touch me.”
Lyman said, “Now that we’ve picked up the medicine, how about we stop for some
tea?”
Grandmother brightened. “Oh, I’d love some herbal tea right now.”
“Perfect. Tea it is,” Lyman replied.
“And Blackmire’s pastries,” Effie added with a grin.
Lyman chuckled. “All the pastries you want.”
Effie turned to her grandmother. “What about you, Grandma? Want to join us?”
Grandmother’s eyes sparkled. She loved Blackmire’s pastries, and she always knew just which ones were the best.