?<strong>Chapter 399:</strong>


    “Mrs. Norris, this is overly generous,” Oliver said, hesitant as he held the bag.


    With a wave of her hand, Carrie downyed the gesture. “It’s nothing, just a small thing. Hardly a splurge.” Despite her words, the five-hundred-dor price tag was far from trivial. She wouldn’t even splurge that much on herself.


    Kristopher got into the car just in time to witness their exchange, his features clouding over with displeasure. Realizing he was being ignored, he interjected clumsily, “Did you really go out of your way to find him a sses case?”


    Oliver’s hand paused, the bag suspended in the air, as he grappled with whether to keep it or give it back. Carrie cut through the tension, saying, “Keep it, Oliver. It was just a spur-of-the-moment purchase.”


    Her mood brightened as she turned towards Kristopher. “Actually, I picked up something for you too. Something just for you.”


    Oliver, relieved, set the bag down beside him. “Thank you, Mrs. Norris.”


    Trying to appear nonchnt, Kristopher asked, “And why exactly would you get me a gift?”


    Carrie handed him the unattractive frog. “I thought this was rather fitting for you.”


    Kristopher epted the item, his incredulity mounting as he squished the unappealing frog toy. “Really, how is this supposed to be ‘fitting’ for me?”


    With a twinkle in her eye, Carrie replied, “Think of it as a stress-relief tool. Given all the tension you carry from work, it seemed appropriate.”


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    Just as Kristopher was almost convinced by her yful justification, his eyes caught sight of a tag dangling from the frog that proimed “Free Gift.” He swayed the toy by its tag, questioning, “This was a giveaway?”


    Internally fuming at the store’s tant promotion, Carrie kept her cool, retorting, “You seemed quite taken with the freebie pen earlier. I thought this one might appeal to you, so I grabbed it.”


    Disgusted, Kristopher flung the frog to the car floor, his voice icy as he addressed Oliver. “What’s next? Am I sleeping here in the garage tonight?”


    “Apologies, Mr. Norris,” Oliver muttered, resigned to his role as the fall guy.


    As they pulled out of the parking space, Kristopher crisply added, “Head to Bayview Vi.”


    Carrie looked at the discarded frog with irritation. Even if it wasn’t to his taste, it was a gift, and it deserved better treatment. She reminisced about the tiny tokens they used to receive at diners—insignificant yet cherished by her because Kristopher would nonchntly hand them over. She had valued each one.


    With these memories in mind, she scooped up the frog, lowered the car window, and responded, “If you don’t want it, don’t just leave it here. Toss it out.”


    Carrie was about to throw the frog away when Kristopher quickly took it from her, grabbing it out of her hand. She nced at him, surprised by his sudden move. His fingers curled around the frog, squeezing its grotesque face, making it appear even more unattractive. Oddly enough, the frog’s squished expression resembled Kristopher’s stern face. Carrie couldn’t help but find the simrity amusing. She bit her lip to stifle augh, then, forcing a serious expression, asked, “Didn’t you say you didn’t want it?”


    Kristopher ced the frog in the pocket of his suit near the car door, his face unreadable. “Once a gift is given, you can’t take it back.”


    Carrie, caught up in the absurdity of the moment, let go of her frustration. She poked the frog’s squashed face and teased, “It kind of looks like you, doesn’t it?”


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