?Chapter 881:


    “Don’t cry, sweetheart. We still have some other figurines left,” the sales assistant said, quickly pulling out a cardboard box from beneath the counter andying out the remaining figurines.


    Luck was on Patrick’s side; there was another one of that figurine.


    His tears dried up, reced by a bright, relieved smile.


    When Brenna reached the register, the cashier greeted her politely and said, “Miss, the gentleman from earlier—your father—mentioned that you’d be handling payment for their items.”


    Brenna was caught off guard.


    Ellie’s temper red. “This is absurd! Why didn’t you double-check with her earlier? That’s her adoptive father, the man who abused her growing up. She would never agree to pay for him!”


    The cashier tried to exin, saying, “He was very insistent you’d pay. He is not a store member and has left no contact details, so we have no way to reach him now. You seem well off, Miss—could you please pay for him for now? Here’s the receipt; you can ask him for moneyter.” Guilt weighed heavily on the cashier’s shoulders. She’d had no clue there was such a painful history. Earlier, watching Alec kneeling and crying, she had assumed it was an emotional reunion.


    Desperation entered the cashier’s voice as she pleaded, “Miss, could you please help me out here?”


    Nervousness crept in—she knew her monthly wage would never cover such an expensive bill if Brenna refused.


    A tremor ran through her words. “Miss, I really can’t afford to cover the loss…”


    “I’ll pay,” Brenna replied, her tone calm.


    The relief on the cashier’s face was immediate. “Thank you so much! You’re incredibly generous. Please ept a free gift.”


    ???€$t ￠?αρ?ёя? 1π [dot


    She brought out a handful of children’s backpacks from beneath the counter. “Pick whichever one you like.”


    Meanwhile, Ellie fumed with anger for Brenna’s sake. “How could he pull something like this? I bet he never nned to pay in the first ce. Those tears and apologies were all for show, just a scheme to guilt you into paying for him. He wasn’t sincere when he apologized, not for a second!”


    “Let it go. It’s not much money.” Brenna could see that Alec’s apology probably wasn’t sincere. Yet, after years of watching him lord over her, always acting like she owed him, the fact that he had dropped to his knees—even if it was all for show—meant he had swallowed his pride. Paying the bill was no big deal for her.


    Lilith stepped in, trying to lighten Ellie’s mood. “That’s enough. Is his kneeling really worth that much money?”


    But Ellie was still angry. “It makes my blood boil!” She remembered the days when Brenna had run to Norview to escape the Barretts, scraping by just to survive. Even if Alec banged his head on the ground until he bled, she would never forgive him.


    .


    .


    .