Ex Cried as I Wed a Tycoon novel Chapter 513

By the time Effie reached the base of the mountain, almost all of The Etheridge Group's employees had arrived.

She quickly slipped into the crowd, joining the rest of the design department.

Shirley leaned in close, keeping her voice to a whisper. "Effie, since we're all out here on a retreat, are you going to try sneaking off to meet Mr. Etheridge?"

A faint blush spread across Effie's cheeks. "It's a company teambuilding event, not a date."

Shirley shot her a sly grin. "Don't worry, over the next two days, I'll do everything in my power to give you guys cover so you can sneak off together."

She felt a profound sense of duty. As the only person in the company who knew Effie's secret, she had to fiercely protect it.

Effie's lips twitched in amusement. "Well, gee, thanks."

Shirley gave her an exaggerated wink. "Don't mention it."

Just as they were finishing their whispered exchange, Grace finally arrived, leading Andie by the hand.

Because the entire staff was present, a wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd the moment she walked straight up to Lyman and he effortlessly scooped the little boy into his arms.

"Whoa... is that the boss's wife and... daughter?" someone whispered.

Andie was exceptionally cute, and with his slightly long, curly hair, everyone made the exact same mistake Effie had the first time she saw him, unable to tell if he was a boy or a girl.

But the gender of the child wasn't the main focus of the gossip. The real shock was the apparent intimacy between Grace and Lyman.

The prevailing assumption immediately became that Lyman had been secretly married all along, and this elegant woman was his wife.

Standing nearby, Shirley was practically vibrating with anxiety. She desperately wanted to march over to the gossiping group and set the record straight—that Effie was his real wife.

But Effie grabbed her arm tight, silently warning her to stay put.

Shirley whipped her head around, giving Effie an utterly bewildered look.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify