Chapter 4 After transferring the money to her bank account , Alicia left the office and headed straight for the nearest shopping mall . ) Fifty thousand dollars was a huge sum for Alicia , but to Vincent , it was spare change - hardly worth a second thought.- " I'd like to see that bag , please ," Alicia said , mustering all her courage as she walked into a high- end boutique The saleswoman gave Alicia a quick once - over , then replied . " That bag is forty - nine thousand , eight hundred .

" Alicia smiled . What a coincidence - she had just enough , " Il take it . Could you please wrap it up for me ? " she said coolly , settling onto a nearby bench to rest her aching legs . In an instant , the saleswoman's demeanor changed , she flashed a bright smile and hurried off to fetch the bag.l To most shoppers in this store , a bag worth over forty grand was entry - level - nothing special . But to Alicia , this was about dignity .

The moment she held the bag in her hands , it felt impossibly heavy . Yet that sense of confidence she imagined it might bring never materialized . If anything , she only felt more out of place - more unworthy than ever . As she was leaving , something caught her eye - a designer bag displayed in its own glass case . " Excuse me , how much is that one ? " she psked . Alicia remembered this style - Vincent had once given Mina the exact same bag .

She could still picture Mina holding it , graceful and poised , confidence radiating from her like sunlight . " That's a limited edition , " the saleswoman replied with a polite smile . " It's only on display , though . If you want to buy it , you'll need to accumulate over three million in store credits , or purchase about one million worth of our other products as a bundle . Il Alicia stood there , frozen . Three million . What did three million mean ?

For Vincent , it was the kind of money he could burn just to make Mina smile . But for an orphanage , it could save every child's life . } Human life could be precious - or cheap . And Alicia had always been on the cheap end . The gap between her and Mina wasn't just in the price of a handbag . It was in family background , in upbringing , in every tiny moment that shaped them .

Vincent would never insult Mina with a casual gift worth a few thousand - he knew she was worth far more than that was Alicia , on the other hand , was the frog dreaming of being a swan . How laughable that she'd ever believed she could matter to Vincent , even a little.5 Utterly ridiculous.3 Back at her small apartment , Alicia immediately listed the bag for sale on a secondhand website . It was brand new , so she got most of her money back , and it would sell quickly .

As soon as the money landed in her account , Alicia planned to transfer it to the orphanage director's bank . The kids still didn't have proper winter clothes - forty thousand would be enough to keep them warm through the season . She took a hot shower and , wrapped only in a towel , stood by the closet trying to decide what to wear for her meeting with Mr. Lynch the next day . Just then , the door opened - Vincent hadn't called , just showed up .

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Startled , Alicia instinctively grabbed the towel tighter around herself . " Mr. Lawson … " " You handed in your resignation ? " Vincent frowned , carrying a bag of fruit he'd picked up from a grocery store near her building . " He never came empty - handed - sometimes a small cake , a bag of fruit , a simple bouquet . But nothing extravagant . " Yes , " Alicia said quietly . The apartment was , after all , one he'd rented for her , so it made sense he had a key . !!

" Don't worry about Mira . I'll handle it . Vincent reached out and pinched Alicia's cheek , then sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her closer . For once , his voice was gentle . "Are you still in pain ?? Alicia dropped her eyes and shook her head . " I've already spoken to HR . Let's pretend you never handed in your resignation . Take a few days off - come back whenever you want . " Vincent was granting her special treatment . But to Alicia , it just felt like charity .

It had always been chanty from him - ever since he'd learned his sister was the ringleader in tormenting Alicia , Vincent had treated her with the patronizing kindness of someone in power . " You're getting married … aren't you ? " Alicia took a deep breath , summoning the nerve to ask . Vincent fell silent , not answering . Alicia forced a smile , blinking away the heat in her eyes . " Im not coming back to the company . I'll move out of here soon , too . Vincent … let's end this .

I wish you and Miss Holloway all the best ." She had her own principles . At the very least , she refused to be the other woman . !! Vincent frowned , clearly displeased . " Are you picking a fight with me ? " Alicia managed a weary smile . " No " He pulled her into his arms again , almost comforting . Just stay here . When the wedding day comes , we'll talk .

" Vincent spoke so naturally , as if he didn't realize how cruel his words were 8 Maybe he never saw Alicia as a real person at all " The accident the other day scared Mina . She feels guilty for not looking after you . " Vincent said , his hand sliding around her waist - a waist he'd always been proud of . After all , it was Vincent who'd brought Alicia home as a malnourished teenager , making sure she never had to survive on dry bread and salty pickles again .

" Nineteen - year - old you was so much smaller than other girls , " he mused . " But after I brought you here , at least you could eat three proper meals a day . " Tomorrow night , Ming's hosting a family dinner at home - just a few friends . I plan to propose to her there . You should come ear help set things up . " early to Vincent tugged away Alicia's towel , his hands wandering , his breath warm against her neck .

Alicia thought Vincent could be truly cruel - just like his sister , deep down . Hadn't Mina satisfied him during their days in the Maldives ? " I'm not going . Alicia said firmly , pushing Vincent away and retrieving her towel , suddenly nauseous . Tomorrow night , she had her meeting with Mr. Lynch . " If you don't go . Mina will get the wrong idea , Vincent said , clearly annoyed - this was the first time Alicia h " She's been mamned before , she's sensitive .

I don't want her to suspect anything about us . had ever pushed him away . Chapter 5