Grace could feel Effie''s gaze lingering on her, and she frowned in displeasure. "Hello, and you are?"


    Lyman stepped in. "This is my wife, Effie."


    Effie nodded politely. "Nice to meet you."


    Grace gave a slight nod in return, her tone tinged with quiet pride. "Hello, I''m Grace McCloud. My namees from an old poem-''Grace was in all her steps, Heaven in her eye, In every gesture dignity and love..""


    Grace McCloud? Another McCloud... Effie suddenly recalled how Annabel McCloud had once introduced herself with a simrly poetic touch. A memory surfaced: Annabel, at some point, had taken a phone call and shouted angrily, "Grace, are you an idiot?" Effie hadn''t listened closely-she found eavesdropping rude—so she''d only caught the beginning before walking away. But now, it seemed clear: Annabel and Grace must be sisters.


    "Are you Annabel''s sister?" Effie blurted.


    Grace''s expression changed at the mention of Annabel. She nced at Lyman, suddenly realizing that he must''ve already introduced Annabel to Effie.


    "What brings you back? Weren''t you and y living abroad?" Effie asked.


    Grace smiled softly at Lyman, her tone gentle. "I missed home. Missed everyone. Andie wasn''t adjusting well overseas."


    At the sound of his name, Andie suddenly piped up, "Daddy... I want Daddy..."


    A flicker of embarrassment crossed Grace''s eyes. She reached out to Andie, coaxing, "Come here, sweetheart. Let Mommy hold you."


    But instead, Andie snuggled deeper into Effie''s arms, clinging stubbornly and refusing to reach for Grace.


    Effie''s brow furrowed as she


    watched. For a child as young as Andie, it was natural to cling to the people who cared for him


    BUT


    most especially his mother. Why, then, would he rather stay with someone who was practically a stranger?


    Grace''s smile faltered. She stepped closer to Effie, her voice gentle but firm. "Thank you for looking after Andie."


    Without waiting for a response, she reached out, determined to pull Andie away. But Andie whimpered in pain at her grip, bursting into tears. "Daddy, I want Daddy..."


    It was painfully clear: Andie clung to his father even more than his mother.


    As Andie''s cries grew louder, Grace''s patience snapped. She scolded, "Andie, you''re a boy! Stop crying all the time-it''s embarrassing!"


    Effie froze in shock, ncing down at the sobbing child pressed against her shoulder. She''d always assumed Andie was a girl, with those delicate features and long, curling


    ve


    Yet the more Grace berated him, the harder Andie cried, tightening his grip on Effie and refusing to let go.


    "He''s just scared," Effie said quietly. "Give him a minute to calm down."


    Grace shot her an icy look, her brows drawn tight. She was Andie''s mother why should she take orders from Effie? Still, she kept a hand on her son''s back, intent on pulling him away.


    But Andie''s cries only intensified, shrill and desperate, as if he were being dragged away from safety. If anyone had walked in, they''d have thought Grace was hurting him.


    Lyman stepped forward, his tone gentle butmanding. "That''s enough, Grace. Just take a breath."


    It was as if his words cast a spell. Grace''s anger slowly ebbed away, and she finally let go.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!