Effie replied coolly, "I probably won''t be free tonight. There''s a project at work that needs to be rushed."


    Shepard didn''t seem the least bit surprised by her refusal. Still smiling, he pressed on, "What about tomorrow? Or the weekend? You have to make time for your old man at some point, right?"


    Effie cut through the pretense. "If you have something to say, just say it. And if you''re lonely, you can always have your darling daughter keep youpany. I''m sure Suzan would be delighted."


    Shepard''s face darkened instantly.


    Ungrateful girl!


    But now that Effie might know Lyman, he forced himself to swallow his anger.


    "You''re my daughter too. Blood ties aren''t so easily broken," he said through gritted teeth.


    Effie gave a cold, mirthlessugh. "You didn''t call just to talk about blood ties, did you? If that''s all, I''ll hang up. I''m busy."


    "Come home tonight. I have questions for you. You muste back." Shepard''s tone turned urgent.


    Before Effie could respond, he hung up.


    Effie''s expression stayed frosty. She had no intention of humoring him, but she knew Shepard all too well. If she didn''te home, he''d probably show up at her office.


    Fine. She''d go back and see what he was plotting this time.


    After work, with Lyman out for a dinner engagement, Effie made her way back to the Bagnold family estate.


    She paused at the entrance of Bagnold Mansion, took a steadying breath, and pushed open the familiar yet strangely distant front door.


    In the living room, Shepard lounged on the sofa with a cup of tea in hand, looking rxed. When he heard the front door, he looked up, set his cup down, and called out with an uncharacteristic warmth, "You''re home!"


    Effie frowned.


    Had he been possessed by a ghost?


    Since when did he wee her back like this?


    Her guard snapped up. If she wasn''t careful, she''d probably get sold off and not even know it. "Yeah."


    Just then, Vera swept in from the kitchen, her expression exaggerated and her voice shrill. "Effie! Come in, sit down. I just made some nourishing soup for you- I''ll bring it out in a minute."


    Effie nearly shivered at the sound.


    What on earth was going on with these two?


    Truth was, ever since that disastrous birthday dinner, Vera despised Effie to her core. Every time she saw Effie, she wanted to tear her apart. But Shepard had warned her to keep it together—and to treat Effie well-because of Effie''s closeness to Lyman.


    Vera scoffed at the idea. Anyone could see Lyman was just having a fling; there was no way he''d be serious about Effie.


    But for Shepard, none of that mattered. As long as Effie could get close to Lyman, whisper a few words in his ear, business would pour in and he''d never have to worry about contracts again.


    The truth was, times were tough for the Bagnold Group. Competition was fierce, and the construction industry was oversaturated.


    Shepard was desperate to pivot the business, but that required the right opportunity—and more importantly, the right connections.


    Lyman was the perfect candidate. With just a word from him, all of Shepard''s troubles might vanish.


    Rumor had it that the Etheridge Group was developing a hot springs resort. If Shepard''spany couldnd even a small slice of the project, it would solve their cash flow problems and boost their reputation.


    So tonight, Shepard wanted Effie home for one reason: to see if she could y matchmaker.


    Vera had no choice but to y along. If the Bagnold family went under, her days as ady of leisure would be over.