Ex Cried as I Wed a Tycoon

Chapter 222

Effie paused, then said, "Alright. If you want me to come home, I can on one condition."

Shepard's face lit up instantly. He knew it-Effie would never give up on a father as generous as him!

"If that's how you feel, that's wonderful. Name your terms. Don't just stop at one, I'd agree to several if you wanted..."

Before he could finish, Effie cut him off, her lips curling into a sly smile. "Kick Vera and Suzan out, and hand over your shares in The Bagnold Group to me."

Shepard's smile froze. The nerve! She was asking for far too much-did she want his car next?

Those shares belonged to her mother by right!

"Absolutely not! No way!" Shepard ground out, his jaw clenched.

Effie just smiled. She'd expected this-there was no way he'd ever agree.

"So that's my only condition. If you can't even manage that, how am I supposed to agree to your request?"

"Get out."

His voice dropped, cold and sharp. "Effie, if you push me away now, you'll

abandoned you. Mrs. Lloyd never cared about

out in

would have left her aching for days. But Lyman's presence in her life had slowly begun

ones

she'd like some sweet and

a man with so much power and status, was

comical expression and couldn't help but laugh. “Grandma, he makes me breakfast every day. Sometimes even dinner too. He's actually

eyes crinkling into narrow slits as she

though Lyman had been busy in the kitchen, the thin walls meant he'd heard every word Shepard had

Shepard, his voice icy. "My wife doesn't need a safety net. She's worthy of

like? You're not one of the

eyes narrowed. "And you've never once acted like a real father. So spare us the lectures-you have no

"Such hypocrisy."

there, and now he scrambled to explain himself. "Mr. Etheridge, you've misunderstood. That's not what I meant,