Chapter 399

"Mrs. Blackwood, this is too much," Ethan said hesitantly, holding the designer bag with trembling fingers.

Vivian waved off his concern with a careless flick of her wrist. "It's nothing special, just a little something I picked up." Though she spoke lightly, the five-hundred-sterling price tag had made her wince. She wouldn't spend that much on herself.

Adrian slid into the car just as their exchange concluded, his stormy expression darkening further. Feeling excluded, he interjected sharply, "You actually went shopping for him?"

Ethan froze, the bag hovering awkwardly between them as he debated whether to accept or return it. Vivian cut through the tension. "Keep it, Ethan. It was an impulse buy."

Her mood lifted as she turned to Adrian with a mischievous glint. "Though I did find something special for you."

Ethan exhaled in relief, placing the bag carefully beside him. "Thank you, Mrs. Blackwood."

Adrian feigned indifference. "And why would you get me anything?"

Vivian presented him with the hideous frog plush. "This reminded me of you."

Adrian took the grotesque toy, his disbelief growing as he squeezed its misshapen face. "This is supposed to represent me?"

Her eyes sparkled with amusement. "Consider it a stress reliever. With how tightly wound you are, I thought it appropriate."

Just as Adrian began to soften at her playful reasoning, he spotted the dangling tag proclaiming "Free Gift." He dangled it accusingly. "This was a giveaway?"

Internally cursing the store's obvious promotion, Vivian maintained her composure. "You seemed quite taken with the free pen earlier. I assumed you'd appreciate this one too."

Disgusted, Adrian tossed the frog onto the car floor and addressed Ethan icily. "Am I sleeping in the garage tonight?"

"My apologies, Mr. Blackwood," Ethan muttered, resigned to being the scapegoat.

As they pulled away, Adrian commanded crisply, "Take us to Seabreeze Villa."

Vivian glared at the discarded frog. Even if he disliked it, the gift deserved better treatment. Memories surfaced of the small trinkets they'd collected from diners years ago - insignificant tokens she'd treasured because Adrian had casually handed them to her.

With these thoughts swirling, she retrieved the frog, rolled down the window, and declared, "If you don't want it, don't leave it here. Throw it away properly."

Just as she prepared to toss it, Adrian snatched it from her grasp. Startled, she watched as his fingers closed around the plush, squeezing its distorted features until it bore an uncanny resemblance to his own scowling face. The absurd similarity nearly made her laugh.

Suppressing her amusement, she asked pointedly, "I thought you didn't want it?"

Adrian stuffed the frog into his suit pocket by the door, his expression unreadable. "Once given, a gift can't be taken back."

The ridiculousness of the situation dissolved her irritation. She poked the frog's squished face playfully. "It does look like you, doesn't it?"