Ex Cried as I Wed a Tycoon

Chapter 77

Mr. Holt was caught completely off guard. The pepper spray burned his eyes so badly, he couldn't even keep them open.

"Goddamn it!" he cursed, voice hoarse with rage and pain.

Seizing the moment, Effie drove her foot straight into his groin with all the force she could muster.

A strangled scream tore from Mr. Holt's throat. His body doubled over, both hands clutching himself as his face drained of color. Cold sweat broke out across his brow and he could barely keep his balance, staggering back a few steps before collapsing onto the floor in a pathetic heap.

Effie watched him, a cold smile curving her lips, disdain flickering in her eyes.

She quickly stepped back, putting more distance between them, her gaze wary in case he tried to retaliate.

Mr. Holt gritted his teeth, forcing himself to look up at her, eyes blazing with hatred and agony. Struggling for breath, he rasped, "You... you bitch! Damn you! You actually dared to lay a hand on me!"

Wasn't this woman unconscious just now? How was she suddenly standing there, full of fight?

Effie's reply was icy. "You brought this on yourself, Mr. Holt. Did you really think I'd let you push me around? Dream on. Maybe this will teach you a lesson."

was so overwhelming he couldn't move, left

to himself that he'd make Effie pay for

her mind was already working out her

outside, she sucked in a deep breath of fresh air, shaking off the suffocating panic that had gripped her minutes before. Her head

needed to

she didn't recognize, slipped a few bills into her hand, and whispered

The maid hurried off.

it was the matriarch's birthday banquet today, the household staff was stretched thin, so they'd hired some extra help at the last minute. This

long before a familiar

shadows, hiding

Suzan, looking smug and self-satisfied, pushed

later, chaos

in the corner, Effie heard the commotion and let a

your guard down, either. Suzan was getting exactly

room, Suzan had come in expecting to find

found herself face