"What do you mean?" Isabel still didn''t get it.


    Carole leaned in and whispered quietly in her ear.


    ...


    The Next Morning


    When Effie woke up, Lyman had alreadyid out breakfast.


    She walked into the kitchen and couldn''t help but smile at the spread-scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, toast, and a bowl of nourishing soup. It was far more than she usually ate.


    "You really didn''t have to make all this," she said.


    "I wanted you to try everything. Go on, eat up. When you''re done, I''ll drive you to work," Lyman replied.


    Effie shook her head. "That''s okay, I''ll drive myself." She wasn''t ready for her coworkers to see Lyman dropping her off.


    "All right," Lyman said, relenting. "But if you need anything, just call me. Oh, and I have a dinner meeting tonight."


    "Okay, I''ll remember." Effie nodded, then sat down and ate breakfast with quiet poise.


    She left for the office soon after.


    The jewelry designs she''d been working on for Isabel were almost finished. Today, she needed to send the first draft for approval.


    As soon as she arrived at work, Effie threw herself into the day''s tasks.


    Around noon, her phone rang.


    She nced at the screen-a number she didn''t recognize. Probably a sales call, she thought, and ignored it.


    But the phone kept ringing, stubbornly refusing to be dismissed. Finally, she picked up.


    "Effie, it''s me." The familiar voice on the other end made her tense.


    She almost hung up immediately.


    "Don''t hang up. Come downstairs, let''s grab lunch together," Mitchell said.


    "I''m sorry, I''m really busy. Mitchell, we''re not together anymore," Effie replied, frowning.


    "If you don''te down, I''lle up and find you," Mitchell answered coolly.


    Unbelievable.


    Effie took a deep breath. "Fine. Meet me at nk te Coffee."


    She was curious-what did he want now? They had nothing to do with each other anymore.


    "Alright," Mitchell said, finally satisfied, and hung up.


    Truth be told, he didn''t even know why he insisted. Hearing that Effie was seeing Lyman had left him unsettled, and he needed to talk to her face-to-face.


    At lunch, Effie headed straight to nk te Coffee.


    She wore a soft beige dress that hugged her graceful figure, her long dark hair falling straight down her back. No shy jewelry, just a delicate silver chain around her neck.


    Mitchell had arrived early. When he saw Effie walk in, he paused-she seemed different. Softer, calmer, far more serene than he remembered.


    Effie sat down across from him, her expressionposed. "Say what you need to say. This is thest time I''ll meet you, so please don''t disturb my life anymore."


    Mitchell looked at her, searching her face. The Effie who used to look at him with adoration now met his gaze with a quiet, distant chill.


    Her eyes held no affection, only a polite indifference.


    "You''ve changed, Effie," he said, his voice tentative.


    Effie looked up, her tone t. "People change, Mitchell. If you have something to say, say it. I don''t have much time."


    She had no patience for small talk.


    Mitchell flinched at her coldness, his brow tightening.


    He took a steadying breath and asked bluntly, "I heard... you''re with Lyman now?"


    Effie arched an eyebrow, a hint of mockery in her voice. "Mitchell, that''s my business. I don''t see how it concerns you."


    Honestly, what was wrong with him?


    They''d broken up long ago-what right did he have to question her now?