The Billionaire's First-Born

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

It's been a long time since we last saw each other. Blake told me that today was his flight to America. I don't want him to think that I'm sad when he leaves, so even though it's against my will, I still managed to smile to myself before I wished him a safe flight.

"Take care of yourself, Blake," I said, almost in a whisper, which made him chuckle at me.

"Yes, Solanna. Take care of yourself too. I'll be back too," he said.

I felt my eyes roll a bit because of what he said. He wasn't in front of me, so I was comfortable rolling my eyes at him while talking to him on the other line.

I should also start to pack my baggage now because Henrietta's family will pick me up tomorrow. We don't have each other's numbers, but my mother told me that I'd just wait for them at the terminal tomorrow. They also asked me if I could bring a card with my name on it, but I refused their request.

Who the hell would bring that kind of stuff to the terminal? We won't meet at the airport, so why do I have to bring it?

"I don't care even if you don't come back to the Philippines," I hissed, which made him chuckle.

Ever since Blake took my number, we have always been chatting through phone calls and text messages. He always teases me while I, on the other hand am always annoyed with him. I feel like I already met Spencer’s twin brother when I met him.

"If I had just introduced you to Spencer, I know you two would get along because you two have the same habit," I said, while rolling my eyes.

He chuckled because of what I said. "Who's that?" he asked, as if he had become interested in the name I mentioned. "Is he your boyfriend?" My brows furrowed because of what he said. f**k that word. "Is he one who always follow you?"

"He was just my best friend and he didn’t always follow me because we rarely met," I replied. "He already has a girlfriend."

I rolled my eyes whenever he crossed my mind. I always think of his girlfriend as, what is he doing now?

Spencer told me that his girlfriend is always attending their tryouts and she's always present whenever they have a game. Unlike me, who doesn't care about the sports he likes, his girlfriend always supports him in everything, so I know that even in racing, his girlfriend supports him.

Sometimes I wonder if she also rides with him on his motorcycle every time they have a dinner date. Do his parents like his girlfriend? I hope not.

I know that his parents only want me, so I know his parents don't want her. The miserable part of her life. I can almost smell that.

"Ah, so you're jealous of her?"

I felt my brows furrow a bit because of what he said. I couldn't even remember what we were talking about and our topic for today.

I looked at the stars that were now shining in the sky. The cold breeze from the veranda comforts me a lot. I feel like the stars in the sky comfort me because even though I didn't bring a candle to light, the moon and stars remained bright on the quiet night.

"Me? Jealous of her?" I asked while pointing at myself even though I knew he couldn't see me. I chuckled sarcastically, which made him laugh at me. "Why should I be jealous of her? I'm better than that girl even though I haven't met her personally."

"Your courage, Solanna."

"Just right."

We remained silent for a few minutes before he spoke again.

"My siblings are already waiting for me."

I sighed heavily before I nodded to myself. I said, "You should go. Have a safe flight, Blake."

"Thank you, Solanna," he said before I heard him sigh heavily on the other line. "I'll call you when I get to the US."

I was the one who cut our call when I heard on the other line his sister. It seems like his sister is rushing him because there's a possibility that the plane will miss him.

I secretly smiled to myself before I looked at the bright night. I slowly closed my eyes and asked myself if Blake's flight would be safe tonight. I also didn't let myself stay on the veranda for long because I also had to go in to prepare my luggage for tomorrow.

It was late at night when I finished packing my bags. I need to wake up early tomorrow, so even though I'm not sleepy yet, I forced myself to sleep.

I don't want to leave my family, but I need to. If Monique hadn't taken her own life, maybe my family and I are still be happy today. We have no problems, and the monthly expenses are the ones we have to pay. If she's here, then I also don't have to sign a contract with the Monteros.

But then again, if this is heaven’s plan for us, then I will. Maybe there's a reason for everything. Everything has its own reasons. What if our lives change because I take too long to serve their family? What if they also become part of my family's luck?

That's right. I should start to think about the positivity because nothing will happen if I continue to be pessimistic instead of thinking about the positive outcomes of what I do.

It is a part of one's life to be optimistic and pessimistic. Of course, you must consider the negative consequences of your actions so that you are not overly hurt if you make a bad decision in life. We do not always achieve success in life. Sometimes we experience failure, but then again, failure is also a part of our lives, and that is a fact.

You can't learn from what you do if you do not go through failures.

I stared at my baggage before I turned to look at my brother, who was now looking at me. I know that he cried secretly earlier because he thought that I had to work far from them because of him.

Yes, I need to help our parents with our expenses and debts, and I do it just to help them. My parents already knew that I purposely asked them for it, and they didn't force me. Yes, they always asked me if I could accept Henrietta's request back then, but I always rejected their offer. As time went by, that's when I found out that Henrietta's request for me was also a big help.

My mom always told me that I had nothing else to do in their house but to serve her spoiled brat son. I have no choice but to be that man's personal assistant. My mother told me that Henrietta's first-born was a spoiled brat and lacked discipline, so he was a bit rude to deal with other people. She even told me that there was no need to be afraid because Henrietta's son already knew that I was Femice's daughter, which is my mother's name.

Of course, he will respect me as a person because I am the child of his former babysitter. If he forgets, he should allow me to repeatedly remind him of who I am in order for him to recognize and respect me.

"Is there anything else I can do to change your decision, Solanna?" Marco asked, which made me purse my lips.

Until now, it was still obvious that his eyes were swollen with tears a while ago. The doctors told us that he could not be as emotional as possible. Even though he's becoming emotional these days because of my departure, even then it didn't have any side effects from his surgery, and I'm glad to know it.

I kneeled in front of my brother while still looking at him. I put my both hands on his shoulder and smiled when he turned to look at me.

"I'll do this for you, Marco, and for our parents so they don't have to suffer anymore," I said, which made him avert his eyes from me. "Don't worry because I will always call you. I will always greet you and talk to you. I will always check you from time to time if I ever have the time," I said, but he still didn't look at me. "Just promise me that you won't get tired because it will be bad for you. Promise me that you will be a good child to our parents, Marco."

He looked at me because of what I said. "Why do I feel like this is also the last time I'll see you, Solanna?" he asked, which made me purse my lips. "Based on your will, I feel like you're bidding your goodbye too. Do you have any plans to repeat what Monique did before?"

"What?" I asked before I added, "No. Of course not, Marco." I turned to look at my parents to ask for help with my explanation to him, but they didn't look at me. I turned to look at him once again and smiled painfully at him. "I promised you that I would never do what Monique did, Marco. I promised you that I would be back soon."

He didn't say a word to me, so instead of waiting for him, I decided to stand up from my seat and turned to look at my mother, who was now looking at me and waiting for me to approach her.

"Marjorie is the one who will pick you up at the terminal," she said, which made me nod at her. "You'll call me if you ever have free time, Solanna. I always send you a text message to check on you, and you should reply to me. Okay?"

"Of course, Mom. I will," I smiled at her before I turned to look at my father, who was now looking at me. "Take care, dad. Always take care of yourself."

"Okay, Solanna," he said, before he smiled painfully at me. "Remember to always send us a message with your mother. I will always wait for your phone calls and text messages."

I nodded at them before I hugged them tight. When I finished hugging them, I approached Marco again to give him a tight hug.

"Remember what I told you, huh?" I said.

It took him a couple of minutes before he slowly nodded at me. I smiled at him, and the smile I showed him wasn't that genuine, but I know that he didn't notice that.

"Take care, Solanna, and come back if you've ever paid your debts with them," he said, which made me nod at him.

He hugged me on his own, so I couldn't help but also look at my parents. I know that even they were surprised at what Marco did because it seems like this was also the first time he voluntarily hugged me.

Marco isn't vocal about his feelings, and he never hugged me like this. Every time I have the opportunity to hug him, I still make the first move, and my hug for him doesn't last because he also automatically leaves my hug.

His hug made me stiffen a bit in my posture. I know that he was afraid of what happened to Monique, and I also know that he was afraid that I would do the same to him. I feel like he had trauma from what happened to our sister, so that's why he acted like this.

"Promise me that you will keep your promise," he said, which made me slowly nod.

It took me a couple of minutes before they let me board the bus that would take me to the terminal. I just kept my eyes on the window the whole trip while thinking about something.

What role will I play in their family?

Would my life be better if I was with them?

All I had to do was pay off the debt to their family. Once I finish paying my debt to them, I will leave their house.

I will keep my promise to Marco, and I will study as long as I have the chance.