?<strong>Chapter 954:</strong>


    Carrie bnced her phone in one hand and sifted through the ties with the other,paring them against the color on the screen.


    After a few moments, she found a white tie with a subtle pattern. It was slightly old-fashioned, but it was the only one that wouldn’t sh with vivid yellow.


    She hesitated before holding it up. “How about this one?”


    Kyson, who had just put his phone away, let out a breath of relief. His expression rxed as he took the tie and gave it a quick once-over. “This will do. It’s nice,” he said simply. Then, offering her a small smile, he added, “Let me take you home.”


    Carrie handed the tie to the sales clerk along with her credit card. “We’ll also take this.”


    Before the clerk could take it, Kyson extended his own card. “I can’t let you buy them for me.”


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    The sales clerk hesitated, ncing between them, unsure whose card to take.


    Carrie turned to Kyson with a teasing glint in her eyes. “Don’t fight me on this. You treated me to dinner—think of this as bncing the scales.”


    Kyson exhaled, a faint crease forming between his brows. “Do we really need to keep track of favors like this?”


    Something in his expression gave her pause. Was it disappointment? Annoyance? Something else entirely?


    She lowered her gaze and shrugged, keeping her tone light. “It’s only natural for friends to exchange gifts.”


    Kyson studied her for a long moment, then nodded slowly. “If it’s a gift, then just give me one.”


    After considering the options, Carrie selected a light blue tie with elegant diagonal stripes—the best among the selection.


    She held it up in front of Kyson, tilting her head as she assessed it against him. “This one. It suits you.”


    She handed it to the sales clerk. “Ring this up, please.”


    As they walked toward the car, the evening air carried the soft hum of distant traffic.


    Just as they reached the trunk, Kyson suddenly reached out, gently catching Carrie’s wrist. “Wait a second.”


    Carrie stopped, looking at him in confusion. “Hmm?”


    A small smile curved his lips. Without another word, he stepped forward and lifted the trunk. Inside, an abundance of fresh flowers filled the space, their fragrance unfurling into the night air.


    At the center of it ally a bouquet of soft pink roses, their petals fading to an almost ethereal white at the edges.


    Kyson picked them up carefully, then turned back to her. “Since we’re exchanging gifts, I epted yours—you can’t refuse mine.”


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