Chapter 44
The atmosphere in the living room suddenly lightened, and Effie found herself starting to relax.
She sat beside Lyman, listening as Lindy and Bancroft chatted about family matters. Every now and then, she answered their questions with poise and warmth, fitting in easily.
The more Lindy watched her, the more pleased she became. In her heart, she thought, This girl isn’t just beautiful-she carries herself with such grace, and her gentle, polite nature is truly endearing. The more I see her, the more I like her.
Even Friedman, who usually kept quiet, let the stern look in his eyes soften, the critical edge shifting to approval.
Bancroft beamed at Effie. “Sweetheart, you’re family now. If you ever need anything, just ask. Don’t be shy.”
Effie felt a wave of warmth wash over her. Smiling, she replied, “Thank you, Grandpa. I will.”
Lyman watched her blending so naturally with his family and reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. He whispered, “Relax. They’re easy to get along with, I promise.”
She squeezed his hand back, a soft smile on her lips. “I know. I can feel it.”
At that moment, Lindy clapped her hands together with a bright smile. “Alright, it’s about time! Let’s have dinner-tonight, we’ve got a feast to celebrate the newest member of our family!”
With that, everyone headed to the dining room in high spirits.
During dinner, Lindy brought up the wedding. Effie didn’t mind; she was already content with how things were. But Lindy insisted she shouldn’t worry about a thing -all she needed to do was be a beautiful bride when the day arrived.
Lindy made it clear she would handle everything. She was determined to throw a grand wedding-after all, a wedding in the Etheridge family was a big deal.
Looking around at everyone gathered at the table, Effie felt a surge of warmth in her chest.
She’d never imagined she’d be welcomed like this, treated with such genuine kindness.
Compared to Mitchell’s family, Lyman’s relatives felt like a different world—no coldness, no disdain; just open arms and heartfelt acceptance.
She drew in a deep breath, her voice catching. “Thank you, Dad. Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Grandpa… I promise I’ll treasure this.”
Lindy patted her hand, beaming. “That’s more like it! From now on, you’re our daughter. If you need anything, just say so don’t stand on ceremony.”
Lyman watched from the side, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he saw how adored Effie was.
He slipped his arm around her shoulders and murmured in her ear, “See? I told you they’d love you.”
As they left the Etheridge home, Effie still felt as if she were dreaming.
She silently vowed to cherish them, always.
…
Meanwhile, after Mitchell signed the agreement, he still hadn’t transferred the money. Effie decided to give him three days.
At that moment, Mitchell was downing shots with his old friend Chuck, both of them already drunk.
Between swigs, Mitchell complained bitterly.
Chuck sighed, shaking his head. “What are you thinking? I’ve watched you and Effie over the years you two were great together. How did it come to this?”
Mitchell scoffed, “Effie’s the one who’s unreasonable. I’ve spoiled her for years. Now she’s selling me her shares, ready to cut all ties? Who’s afraid of who? She should remember-if not for me, she wouldn’t have the life she has now.”
He gave a dry laugh, thinking Effie would come crawling back to him.
Chuck could only sigh again-no amount of advice seemed to get through.
“Compared to Suzan, Effie’s miles better. She’s smart, beautiful, independent— everyone’s seen how outstanding she is. Suzan’s just a fling. If you take her seriously, she’ll bring you nothing but trouble.”