Chapter 430
“Andie, come to Mommy.”
Grace’s voice softened a little, but a trace of anger still lingered in her tone.
Lyman quickly got out of the car and pulled Grace away from behind.
Seizing the moment, Grace tried to wrap her arms around Lyman’s waist, but he instinctively stepped back.
Undeterred, Grace clung to him again.
Lyman pushed her away, careful not to use too much force. “Grace, calm down.”
Effie held Andie in her arms, quietly watching the tense exchange between Lyman and Grace.
Grace glanced up, her eyes locking on Effie. A sly smirk tugged at her lips, and a flicker of challenge sparked in her gaze.
She expected to see anger on Effie’s face, but instead, Effie simply smiled back at her, unbothered.
Grace froze, confusion flickering in her eyes. What was Effie playing at? Did she love Lyman or not? If she did, why wasn’t she reacting at all?
While Grace was still caught up in her confusion, Lyman took the chance to push her aside.
“Enough, Grace. Andie’s not doing well right now. Let’s just go home,” Lyman said firmly.
Grace could only mutter, “Fine.”
In the end, Lyman insisted that Grace sit in the backseat with Effie, while he took the passenger seat up front.
Grace stared at Effie the entire ride, as if she could drill holes right through her.
Effie met her gaze with a calm, fearless smile, completely unfazed.
Grace’s brows knitted tightly. She really couldn’t figure Effie out.
The drive to Friedman’s place wasn’t long, but to Grace, it felt like an eternity. The moment the car finally stopped and she could get out, she felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.
When Grace and Andie walked in, Lindy greeted them with delight. “Why didn’t you let us know you were coming home? We could’ve picked you up!”
“I wanted to surprise you,” Grace replied, flashing a sweet smile.
“Well, now that you’re back, I’ll call your sister and have her come for dinner too,” Lindy said.
At the mention of Annabel, the smile vanished from Grace’s face. “Godmother, please don’t. My sister’s still upset with me. Let me talk to her first, then we’ll meet.”
Lindy sighed. “Alright. You know
your sister worries about you all the time. She’s always looked out for you, like a mother. Talk to her okay? She only wants the best for you.”
Grace nodded obediently. “I know.”
Lindy brightened. “I’ll have someone pick up your favorite roast beef sandwiches. You’ve lost weight.”
Grace grinned, her tone playful. “Yes, please! I’ve missed home-cooked food so much while I was away.”
She rattled off a few more of her favorite dishes.
Suddenly, something occurred to her. She glanced over at Effie, her eyes full of challenge, as if to say, See? Godmother cares about me most.
Effie just smiled again, refusing to rise to the bait.
Grace’s annoyance only deepened. What’s with this Effie, anyway? No matter
what she does, Effie barely reacts—it’s like punching a pillow.
Effie had seen these little games before; Suzan and Vera used to act just like this. Back then, Effie would’ve tried to compete, always wanting to win, but in the end, she only exhausted and hurt herself.
Now, Effie had learned her lesson. She wasn’t going to make herself miserable for
people like that anymore.
Just then, Lindy turned to look at Effie.