Ex Cried as I Wed a Tycoon

Chapter 9

Effie glanced at her phone. The message was from Suzan.

A frown creased Effie's brow before she could stop herself.

She tapped open the chat. It was a photo.

The image showed a torn-up charm-shredded into jagged scraps.

Effie stared at the screen, her frown deepening. She knew this charm well. Two years ago, she'd made a pilgrimage to St. Mary's Abbey herself to get it. Back then, she'd bought into the monastery's legends, so determined to prove her devotion that she climbed all 999 steps to the summit, knelt at the altar, and prayed with fervor. She'd scraped her knees raw that day in the biting wind, but her heart had brimmed with hope.

She'd just wanted this charm to protect her beloved-to keep him healthy and safe.

Mitchell had found out and been moved almost to tears. He'd swung her around in a joyful hug: “Effie, I'm the luckiest man in the world."

Now the charm was nothing but a heap of torn paper, as ruined as their love.

Looking back, it felt like some sort of cruel joke.

next message blinked on screen, thick with

me this charm. You remember it, right? The one you worked so hard to get? Oops, I accidentally

do feel a little guilty... but Mitchell said it's just a cheap old charm. If

So long as Effie was hurting, Suzan

a mass-produced trinket, a dollar each. If you like them, I

flared instantly. Was Effie taking a

Damn it!

With Effie's parents gone, she was like an orphan; if Suzan managed to steal

thought made Suzan smile with

she was starting to look forward to her new

finger, her mind

getting married. Was she reckless? Maybe. But she didn't regret

Effie opened

his profile picture, surprised to see a photo of a cappuccino topped with intricate latte art. The delicate design was warm and inviting—so at odds with Lyman's usually

he like

about the image felt oddly familiar, tugging at

lost in thought, a new