Chapter 276


    The call was from her colleague, Miriam


    "Yeah! Daisy said that she wants to treat everyone to dinner tonight. We have discussed that we would all pitch in 200 dors each. After eating, we


    will go to the Oasis Clubhouse nearby to have a gathering and karaoke session. It''ll just be a few colleagues from our department and Daisy''s


    boyfriend, Vargas, will being as well. I''ve heard that he''s quite good-looking, and he''s quite a decent man as well. Rumors said that he chased


    Daisy for quite some time! It just so happened that he was able to join us today, hence he booked a big private room for us!”


    With that said, Miriam lowered her voice and continued speaking.


    "He probably wants to let everyone know that they''re dating as soon as possible so that Daisy won''t be able to change her mind! Come join us, Alicia,


    there won''t be any outsiders!”


    Since her father''s surgery was sessful, Alicia was in a good mood. She felt that it would be a joyful event to celebrate her colleague''s birthday as


    well. She replied after checking her schedule.


    "I still have some matters to deal with in the afternoon, therefore I won''t be joining you guys for dinner! I should be done by the time the karacke


    session starts, I will see you all then! I''ll transfer the money to you in a while! Should I bring a cake?"


    "No, it''s okay. we''ll prepare those things. If the money isn''t enough. I will pay for the things first. If we''recking too much money, I''ll collect it from you


    guys afterward!”Owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    After confirming a few more details, Alicia hung up the phone.


    As soon as she turned around, Mrs. nchard gave her a smile.


    "Ally, you should go out and have some fun! I''ll clean the house and make a few dishes for dinner! Today is probably our happiest day over the past


    two years! When your fatheres home, we will finally be reunited!”


    Mrs. nchard released a deep sigh as her eyes fell upon Alicia. The only regret that she had at present was that they dyed the marriage of their


    precious daughter!


    This was the biggest pain in her heart. It would''ve been a piece of cake to find Alicia a good man to marry with the wealth of the nchard family in


    the past on top of her beauty and talents! She would''ve been able to live a life with no worries!


    Alicia could guess what her mother was thinking about once she looked into her eyes. With her smile on her face, she helped her mother sit down.


    "Mom, today is a good day, you should be happy! I will help you clean up around the house since no one has been living there for a while. I would


    definitely stay here with you if Frederick was on a business trip, he''s been very clingytely! I haven''t told him about Dad''s surgery because I was


    worried that he would think that I was asking him for money. When Dad gets better and returns home, I will bring Frederick over and we can have


    lunch together as a family!"


    Frederick would probably agree to have lunch with them. Technically, she just wanted her parents to know that she was doing well and not worry


    about her.


    Mrs. nchard naturally understood and caressed Alicia''s hair as she smiled.


    "Alright! Ally, I understand how you feel. In the past, when our family was rich, even rtives that we barely talked to visited us all the time. But when


    we were in trouble, how many people actually took us seriously? Let alone help us, it was good enough that they didn’t mock us! Even though the


    past two years have been difficult, I learned many lessons. The pecple of society are too realistic and we shouldn''t expect anyone to do us favors.


    Nowadays, more and more people have learned to please those who are doing well, but barely anyone tries to help those who are struggling! That is


    why the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. No matter what happens, we can only rely on ourselves! I never paid much attention to


    the outside world, but I can tell how well Frederick is doing. I know what you''re thinking too. There is a big difference between us and the Clements


    family. I just hope that you don''t get too deep into the rtionship. It''s easy to get into it but it''s hard to get out of it. Make sure that you love yourself


    more! Your father and I only have you!"


    She was very worried. What if her daughter gets hurt again? Will she lose her daughter forever?


    Alicia understood what her mother was trying to say; it wasn''t the first time she had mentioned it. She held her mother''s hand in hers and rested her


    head on her mother''s shoulder.


    "I know! Don''t worry, your daughter has grown up now! I''m no longer the fragile and ignorant self that I was three years ago. I will not fall that easily


    anymore..."


    Alicia will never starve herself, cry in toilets, or smoke secretly and burn herself for a man anymore.


    Never will she do these things that hurt herself and make her parents worried ever again!


    "Okay! You must be hungry! I''ll make you some noodles, have some before you get busy!”


    Locking at her mother being busy in the kitchen, Alicia thought that children with mothers were really happy.


    Without having to worry about her father, Alicia felt relieved, as if she had won the lottery. Even if she had to pay more money in the future, she won''t


    feel overwhelmed.


    She realized that she couldn''t show up at Daisy''s birthday celebration empty- handed. After checking the progress of her customized tie at Mural


    Street, she went to the shopping mall to buy a gift for Daisy.


    f


    After looking around for a long time,


    Alicia still wasn''t sure what to buy


    for Daisy. If Ker gift was too


    expensivexit would make the gifts of


    other colteagues seem cheap in


    comparison! Alicia thought abeut it


    and-decided that a gift that was not


    tooexpensive but could express her


    thoughts would be best so that her


    courtesy wouldn''t end up being a


    burden for others. Content belongs


    to


    After all, they were more of her colleagues than friends. This was actually the first time they celebrated someone''s birthday together.


    Alicia finally decided to get a stuffed toy for Daisy after thinking carefully. Most girls liked stuffed toys, and they were meaningful and inexpensive gifts.


    Even if the other colleagues didn''t get gifts, they wouldn''t look too bad inparison.


    She decided to choose an exquisite stuffed bear. There were many stuffed bears holding heart-shaped pillows with unique phrases on them. She


    chose one with the phrase "Happy Birthday’ on it and requested for the seller to wrap it nicely. Then, she carried the gift tied up with a pink ribbon


    back to her car.


    After leaving the gift in her car, Alicia went back into the shopping mall to buy more things since her father was going to be discharged soon. She


    bought some discounted clothes and daily necessities for her mother and herself. By the time she left with her arms full of shopping bags, the sky had


    darkened.


    She estimated that she would have


    to go and join''ker colleagues soon


    after she sent the things back home,


    and begarto walk back. As she >


    stepped ut of the mall, she sawd


    crowd gathering around a stalk-She


    looked up and discovered that it was


    a clearance sale in a shop t that sold


    essories; all the peopte there


    were trying to buy the discounted


    items.


    "Clearance sale! Everything is from ten to twenty dors. Buy three and get one free!”


    Shouts sounded from the speakers from time to time, and a few more stalls were set up on the side. The essories were dumped onto the stalls


    directly from the boxes. They were colorful, shiny, and nicely packaged. Since it was along the way, Alicia went to join in the fun.


    Seeing the hairpins, nes, bracelets and other essories, her eyes swept around the stall. A string of silver bells entered her sight, and she


    could hear the slight ringing every once in a while. Alicia stepped forward and took the bells. Sure enough, she could hear the tinkling of the bells


    when they moved.


    These little things were so cute and delicate!


    "Are these also sold for ten dors?”


    Raising her hand, Alicia gestured to the man collecting money on the chair. "They''re all sold for ten dors, buy three and get one free!” he replied.


    Alicia chose a shiny anklet that had


    rhinestones and silver bells on it.


    There was avaindrop- shaped zircon


    crystal pendant at the center of the


    anklet “which reminded Alicia of fiow


    F ederitk chose the earrings forher.


    She happi ly took out ten dors and


    handed them over to the man. Alicia


    was in delight, she felt awfully lucky


    that day.


    After she got into her car, she opened the packaging immediately and put the anklet on.