Chapter 135

"And this bracelet too."

Susan took a closer look at Alexandra's wrist. "These gifts are pretty valuable. Even though our family isn't short on money, these gifts show how much Frederick and his grandfather care."

Alexandra looked at Susan, puzzled. "So, what should I do?"

She had never been in a relationship before, let alone received gifts from a boy. She knew Frederick was sincere, but she felt uncomfortable accepting the gifts and was pressured into it. Not reciprocating didn't feel right either.

"You should give them a gift in return," Susan suggested. "It can't be just any random thing, no matter how expensive. It has to show your genuine effort and thoughtfulness, just like the gifts you used to give Oliver."

"I don't know how to give gifts," Alexandra admitted. "Growing up, I only gave gifts to Oliver, John, and Clara. Except for Oliver, no one liked what I gave them. As I got older, I faced more cold shoulders and stopped giving gifts altogether."

"Did Oliver like your gifts?" Susan asked, feeling a pang of sadness.

What kind of treatment had her cherished daughter endured in the Smith family? John and Clara were truly awful. How could they not appreciate such a lovely, capable girl like Alexandra?

"Oliver always told me he was happy, but I didn't have much money back then. He would tell me not to spend money on gifts and to save it for myself."

Alexandra reminisced about her time with Oliver. "Seeing Oliver's smile always made me happy, so I never listened to him and gave him a gift every year."

"I always put a lot of thought into his gifts, sometimes even making them myself."

"Exactly!" Susan exclaimed, seeing the fondness and happiness on Alexandra's face when she talked about Oliver. It was clear Oliver had been good to her. Now, with Oliver still in the hospital, Susan had already decided to seek out doctors abroad to see if they could help him recover. Keeping him in the hospital indefinitely wasn't a solution.

"If you could be so thoughtful for Oliver, why not do the same for Harris and Frederick from the Johnson family?" Susan said earnestly. "Even if the gift isn't expensive, as long as it's heartfelt, it will be enough, just like the gifts you gave Oliver."

"There's no need to rush. I'm sure they won't mind waiting. When you figure out what to give, they'll be very happy."

Susan ruffled Alexandra's hair. "But you, since you started working, you're always out early and back late. Now you're even going out to dinner with Frederick. You hardly spend time with your dad and me anymore!"

If Alexandra remembered correctly, didn't Susan say earlier that she and Andrew didn't need Alexandra to keep them company? How quickly things change! Women, no matter their age, are truly unpredictable.

"If you want, I can come home for dinner every night," Alexandra offered.

She didn't really enjoy eating out with Frederick. Even though she'd only been with Andrew and Susan for a few months, she felt more at ease eating at home.

Frederick always went out of his way to find fancy restaurants, but it was just too much hassle, and Alexandra wasn't into it.

"That's not necessary. It's nice that Frederick is being so thoughtful. Spend more time with him. Your dad and I will feel better knowing you're happy," Susan said, her words a bit scattered, leaving Alexandra at a loss for words.

"Didn't you just say you wanted me to spend more time with you?" Alexandra asked, confused.

"Well, because you didn't grow up with us, we feel like we missed out on so much. We want to make up for lost time," Susan explained, pulling Alexandra into a hug. "But you're an adult now. You can't always be with your parents. You have your own life and things to do. Seeing you happy makes us happy."

Alexandra had never experienced much motherly love. Her grandmother in the Smith family had been kind to her, but her health was poor, and she passed away after a few years. After that, only Oliver treated her well. So, motherly love was a foreign concept to her.

Even though she was now back with Susan, she sometimes felt awkward in their interactions. Susan was wonderful, both to her and to Celeste. Alexandra liked Susan a lot, but the more she liked her, the more unsure she felt.

"Mom, it's getting late. You should rest," Alexandra said.

Due to her upbringing, Alexandra had always been reserved. She had no close friends and treated her family with the same distant politeness. But these few words of concern were different for her. She noticed her emotions had been more volatile lately, especially around Frederick. His actions often left her feeling agitated and confused.

After talking with Susan, her mind was racing with thoughts.

"Alright, you should rest too. You can sleep in a bit tomorrow," Susan said, sensing the distance between them. Despite their efforts to get closer to Alexandra, it always seemed difficult. Susan knew she couldn't rush things, so she held back her impatience.

"Goodnight, Mom," Alexandra said, for the first time initiating a goodnight.

It was just a simple word, but it made Susan's heart flutter. She looked at Alexandra with even more tenderness and nodded. "Goodnight."

The next morning, Celeste was up early, wearing a light pink camisole that accentuated her perfect figure, her straight shoulders, and collarbones looking especially sexy. Her hair cascaded down her back and over her chest, making her look incredibly delicate. Lila, who had just walked in, couldn't help but admire her.

"Ms. Celeste Windsor, you look stunning today!"

"I woke up an hour early just to do this light makeup. Does it look natural?" Celeste asked, turning to Lila.