Ex Cried as I Wed a Tycoon

Chapter 16

Effie's heart skipped a beat, racing faster than she could control.

"Nervous? Give me your hand," Lyman said, noticing the flush in her cheeks and her quickening breath.

"What?" Effie hesitated, caught off guard.

She could feel Lyman's presence-solid, warm, and unmistakably masculine-so close that it left her breathless.

"Your hand. Come on."

Almost without thinking, Effie offered her hand. Lyman reached out and took it in his, his grip firm yet gentle. The warmth of his palm seeped into hers, his thumb tracing slow, soothing circles against her skin, sending a tingling sensation up her

arm.

Her pulse only quickened, a rosy blush blooming across her face and even creeping to her ears.

you... what are you doing?" she stammered, trying to pull her hand back, but

intent, lips curling

pocket and placed

glancing down at

you're feeling down or anxious," Lyman said, his eyes sincere and almost intense, "have a piece of candy. It helps, trust

earnest, and for a moment, Effie felt the warmth from his hand travel straight to her heart. Her

occurred to her to wonder why someone like

around the sweet.

gifts. In the living room, an elderly

greeted her politely, "Good evening, ma'am. I'm Lyman-Effie's

strikingly handsome, and carried himself with a refined air. Compared to Mitchell, he was in a

still a little skeptical. He was impossibly

his fingers with Effie's. "Yes, ma'am. I've cared for Effie for a long time. Before, she was with someone else, so I only wished her happiness. But now that he can't give her the life she deserves, I want to try. I hope

the chest. She snuck a look at him

didn't know better, she might have believed