Ex Cried as I Wed a Tycoon

"Nita? Nita, are you still there?" Effie called into her phone several times, but Nita's voice never came back.

Her grandmother looked over, concern creasing her face. "Effie, what's wrong?"

"Nita dropped her phone-I'm going to look for her, see what happened," Effie replied, grabbing her jacket.

Her grandmother cautioned, "Be careful. If anything feels off, get out of there right away."

Effie chuckled as she pulled on her shoes. "So you're telling me to act like a scared little turtle and hide if there's trouble?"

Her grandmother shot her a look, lips twitching at the corners. "Better to be called a coward than to end up hurt. Nothing is more important than your life."

"Fair point. After all these years under your influence, I must've inherited your survivor's instincts. I'm all about self-preservation," Effie teased.

Her grandmother couldn't help but laugh, giving Effie a playful nudge. "You and that smart mouth of yours."

Effie grinned and called back, “I'll be back before you know it, Grandma." "Alright, take care."

the door clicked shut, her grandmother's smile

long when Vinson Elliott

and tensed—until Vinson rolled down his window, flashing a wide,

her, "Hey Effie, fancy running into you out here! Where

with pleasantries. "You two aren't fooling anyone. What do you really

unbothered. "We're just following orders. Lyman told us to keep an eye on you, so here

soon as I find

of Nita wiped the smile from Vinson's face. "She got herself mixed up in

out looking for

She's already a manager does she really need more

glance. "Why are you so worked up? Do you have a thing for

give me

mind out of the et gutter. She's my

happens to her, I lose one

smirked. "Shouldn't you be happy to have someone so driven on