Because she was worried her grandmother might see her injuries and get anxious, Effie cut herself some bangs before heading home.


    With her new hairstyle, her grandmother lit up and said Effie looked years younger.


    "If Lymanes home and sees you like this," her grandmother teased, "he''ll think he''s got a brand-new wife."


    Yet when Lyman finally did return, he didn''t seem to notice anything different. He didn''t even mention her hair.


    Effie had assumed he hadn''t paid any attention. Turns out, he was just waiting for the right moment.


    Lyman said quietly, "Don''t worry. Those people I''ve already made sure they got what they deserved."


    Effie blinked. "Wait, didn''t the police already arrest them?"


    He nodded. "Yeah, they''re in custody. But they dared toy a hand on you. I made sure their time inside won''t be easy."


    Effie wrapped her arms around him and nestled into his chest, finding the mostfortable spot. "That''s enough. Really, that''s enough."


    He stroked her hair. "On my way home, I kept thinking-if your injuries had been worse, there''s no way I''d let them off so easily."


    She thought to herself, Thank goodness I remembered to put on ointment every day. Otherwise, this would have been a much bigger problem.


    ...


    The next day, while Effie was at work, she received news that left her stunned. "Shirley, could youe in for a moment?" Effie called out.


    Shirley hurried in, a knot of dread forming in her stomach. She nced at Effie and asked tentatively, "Effie, did something happen?"


    Effie handed her a tablet. "Take a look at this. Can you exin what''s going on?”


    Shirley took the tablet with both hands. As she read the screen, her grip faltered and she nearly dropped it.


    Clutching the tablet, she looked at Effie, panic in her eyes. "Effie, I swear-I have no idea what''s going on."


    "But the new product E&M just released is identical to your design. How do you exin that?"


    Shirley zoomed in on the product photos. She recognized every detail they were her own designs. But no matter how closely she examined them, she couldn''@spot a single difference.


    "I think someone stole my design files," she said, voice trembling.


    "Or," Effie said quietly, "did you give them away yourself?"


    With that, she produced another photo, one she''d just received. It showed Shirley


    and Suzan talking, captured from just the right angle.


    Shirley froze, her lips moving but no wordsing out. No wonder Effie''s tone


    had been so serious when she called her in-this was what it was about.


    A sh of insight crossed Shirley''s mind, and she seized it. "Suzan dide to me. She said if I helped her out, she''d get me a job at E&M-double the sry, too. But I turned her down."


    Effie tilted her head. "Why? That''s a pretty tempting offer."


    Shirley shook her head. "It''s not that simple. If I could betray you for a better opportunity, what''s to stop me from betraying her next time? Once cross that line, I''ll lose all my credibility in this industry. I don''t want to be the kind of person everyone despises. Besides..."


    “Besides what?" Effie pressed.


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!