After finishing their meal, Eugene suggested they stroll around the mall a bit longer, but Lydia looked visibly exhausted.”I didn’t sleep well last night, and I really need to catch up on some rest,” she explained.Seeing the dark circles under her eyes, Eugene could only nod, despite wanting to spend more time with her. “Alright, I’ll take you home so you can get some sleep.”They hadn’t had time to pick out the skincare products, so Eugene took matters into his own hands. He bought every skincare set for older women from the brand, even throwing in the extra serums.The sales associate’s grin widened as she rang up the purchase. “Wow, you’re really generous! With this many sets, three people could use them and still have some left over.””These are all for her mom. I wasn’t sure which set she’d prefer, so I thought I’d get a few and let her decide,” Eugene explained, keeping his gaze on Lydia.The sales associates, quick to pick up on things, immediately realized he meant future mother-in-law.One of them even leaned toward Lydia to offer some praise, “Your fiancé’s a keeper. It’s rare to see someone this thoughtful these days. I’ve got kids, and my husband still complains when I buy something for my mom.” “He’s not my fiancé,” Lydia corrected with a smile, shaking her head. “I’ll cover these myself, thanks.”After all, they were for her mom. As the associate had pointed out, it was different when a son-in-law was buying for his mother-in-law, but she and Eugene were just friends. She couldn’t justify letting him pay.The associate paused, momentarilysurprised. So it was one-sided on hiscardend. But as long as the sale was made, it didn’t matter much whose it was. She handed Lydia the card reader, and Lydia swiped her card, finishing the transaction in a few seconds. When Eugene returned, juggling all the sets, he spotted the receipt in Lydia’s hand. “Why did you pay for it?” he asked, looking a bit puzzled. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ƒind ηøᴠel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.”Of course, I did. They’re for my mom, so it makes sense I’d pay. Besides, this many sets aren’t cheap,” Lydia replied, passing him one of the bags. “Could you carry this for me?”Without waiting for his response, she headed for the exit. Eugene hurried after her, bag in hand. “Lydia, just tell me how much it was. I’ll transfer it to you. I offered to buy a gift for your mom. You shouldn’t be covering it.” “Why do you want to buy something for my mom?” Lydia stopped and looked at him.Before he could answer, she continued, “Because to her, you’re a future son-in-law, and it’s normal for a son-in-law to buy things for hismother-in-law. But remember, we’re just pretending. I can’t afford to get too wrapped up in this and spend your money.” From the beginning, Lydia had made it clear to herself that they shouldn’t get too entangled. She wasn’t short on cash, anyway.Eugene fell silent. He was the one who had suggested this whole “pretend relationship” idea, and now it was backfiring. He could only give her a resigned smile. “We’re both well-off. There’s no need to keep tabs on every dollar.””But even close friends keep thingsfair. Just because we’re both comfortable doesn’t mean it’s right to take advantage of each other. Now, let’s get going. These bags are heavy, and I can’t carry them much longer.” Lydia picked up her pace toward the car.