The Billionaire's First-Born

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Spencer stared at the resignation letter I handed him. Mayden wasn't here, so he's here instead of her. I've lost track of how many days I've been gone. I know I made a mistake by failing to attend to my duties on their company's behalf, so even if he fires me, there will be no problem, but...

It's been almost three months since I last attended my duty, but until now he hasn't fired me.

He removed his gaze from the paper I gave him before he turned to me and laid the paper on the table. I stared at him when he leaned against his seat while looking at me.

"I quit, Spencer. Sorry for the trouble I've caused," I said, but he didn't bother to open his mouth to reply to me. "I know that your parents lost a lot because of what I did. Don't worry because I will pay for all the money you gave and for helping my family when my sister died." I sighed heavily before I shifted in my seat. "Spencer, please allow me to pay the money I got from your family by—"

"I'm not firing you, Solanna," he said, which made me look at him before he leaned back in his seat once again. "I know what happened to your siblings. And I know that until now, you are still paying the debt to your debtors, including us. There is no replacement for the help we have given you, so don't worry. That is our way of helping your family." He smiled at me. "You don't need to pay for it, Solanna. All you have to do is stay in my family's business because my parents want you a lot."

My tears pooled in the corner of my eyes because of what he said. Even though I have done so much that will make them mad at me, they are still able to favor me in everything.

I have nothing more to ask for.

"But... I-I need to go," I said.

His eyes widened a fraction because of what I said, so I couldn't help but lower my gaze to the table in front of me. I know that he was shocked by what I said, but I can't help but turn a blind eye because of so much anxiety.

How can I tell him that I am already contracted to someone else?

The bills we paid for Marco's surgery did not come from my savings. The bills and expenses that we paid to Monique and also for the bills that we spent on filing the case did not come from my savings. My parents didn't allow me to do charity work and beg on my social media accounts for help. My parents were the ones who spent everything, and do you want to know from whom they got the money they paid for all our expenses?

Of course, to the Monteros, and do you know what the compensation is for the money they gave to my family?

Me.

It was me, and I agreed to what they wanted to happen in order to reduce the debt they had.

"Where are you going?" he asked in astonishment as I bit my lip.

I can't say that my parents sold me. I can't say that I agreed with that agreement between Henrietta and my mother, but... I don't know why I agreed to what they discussed.

What they offered me seemed so hard to let go. It's too good to let it go, and it seems like it's a big opportunity for us to help my family. And I don't want to reject it either.

My mom told us that the expenses they paid for everything came from Henrietta. Henrietta told my mother that the money they gave to my mom was their help for her. She told us that she would not charge for that thing if I agreed to work for their family. She also told us that that money would not be deducted from my salary if I ever agreed to what they wanted to happen.

My mother also told me that, like she said three months ago, Henrietta wanted to triple my salary, and they were also willing to pay for my college if I stayed with them.

They offered me a lot of things that seemed hard to believe, but what else do I expect from billionaires like them?

I feel like they are one of the wealthy clans who couldn’t live a happy life if they didn’t help families in need just like us. I feel like they just want to help us with what happened to our family.

"Are you trying to—"

"Someone is offering a great opportunity, Spencer," I said, which made his brows furrow in confusion. "They want me to serve their family in exchange for a large amount—"

He stood up from his seat while looking at me, so I couldn't help but look away from his gaze.

"Is the money you get from my family not enough, Solanna?"

"What?"

He shook his head, as if he was telling me that what I heard was wrong. "I mean, isn't your salary enough? Do you want me to triple it?"

"It's not that, Spencer!"

"Then, why?" he asked, which made me look at him once again. "We need you, Solanna. Don't leave us. Don't leave me..."

I sighed heavily because of what he said. "Spencer, you don't get me." I stood up from my seat while still looking at him. "I have to leave for my family. I'm not doing this for my own good. I'm doing this for my family. You yourself told me before that if there's an opportunity, I should go wherever it is. Spencer, I'm doing this just for their own good, and it's also for me, so that I can pay for my tuition if I ever have the opportunity to enter college."

"Sorry for the words I threw a while ago," he said before he sat on his seat while caressing his temples. "If that's your decision, then I won't choose you to stay with us."

"I'm sorry, Spencer. I hope you understand me."

He smiled painfully at me and it looked like that smile from his lips wasn't genuine like what I expected a while ago before I entered his office. He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.

Based on his posture, it seems like he was just trying to rest himself. I feel like I raised her blood pressure because of what I did.

"You may go, Solanna."

"I'm sorry—"

"Just," he said, as if he was cutting me off from what I was going to say. "Just... go."

I slowly nodded my head at what he wanted to happen before I decided to leave the office where he was. Reeme was a few feet away from me. They were busy at the counter even before I stepped closer to their side. When they saw me approaching the counter where they were, they hurriedly turned to look at me and smiled a bit.

"Oh? You're not going to be on duty?" Samantha asked, which made me shake my head while smiling at her. "Why?"

Reeme turned to look at me and smiled a bit. "Is he agreed to what you want to happen?"

Reeme and I were the ones who first talked earlier, even before I entered Spencer's office, so I know that even if I don't answer her anymore, I know that she already knows what I'm going to reply to her question.

She smiled weakly at me when I nodded at her. Samantha looked confused while looking at us, so I knew even she had no idea of our discussion even before I stepped inside Spencer's office.

"He ignored me when I tried to apologize for my decision," I said, which made Samantha look at us.

Reeme shook her head in disbelief. "That's not a good thing."

"I know," I replied.

"Wait!" Samantha interrupted our discussion, which made us look at her. "What are you guys talking about? Is there something wrong that I don't know?"

"I quit," I said, which made them turn to look at me. "I wanted to quit my job, and Spencer allowed me to."

Just as I expected, she hurriedly grabbed my shoulders and repeatedly shook them, as if she was trying to wake me up from my decision.

"No. You're kidding us!"

My brows furrowed because of what she said. "No. I'm not."

"It's true," Elena, who was now walking towards us, said.

She noticed that Samantha couldn't believe what she found out, so I wasn't surprised when Elena harshly tapped her head, which made me chuckle a bit.

"Spencer has already issued a memo that you will no longer work here," she said before her smile weakened a bit. "You should go, Solanna. He told me to drive you away before he left the office. I'm sorry, Solanna."

I bite my tongue to restrain myself from asking her because it seems like it's not appropriate. Shock was plastered all over their faces because of what Elena said. I know that they were surprised by what she said, and even I was surprised by the memo that Spencer released.

Is he able to drive me away from him now?

I chuckled without humor before I turned to look at them. Until now, they are still shocked by what Elena said. I know that Elena also doesn't want to say it directly to the point, so I know that what she said is already filtered so that she can avoid hurting me.

I know my best friend and his temperament, and... what do I expect?

I slowly nodded at them before I walked away from that place. Even before I stepped my foot out of the cafe, someone pulled my hand. I slowly turned to look at who it was, and the tears pooled in the corner of my eyes when I saw Spencer, who was now looking at me.

"Sorry..." he said, almost in a whisper, before he pulled me closer to him and hugged me tight. "If it's your decision, I won't stop you, Solanna. If it's for your own good, then I'll support you and your family."

I saw my friends, who were now shocked while looking at us in the distance. The fascination was visible on their faces while they were looking at us, so I couldn't help but smile at them.

I tapped Spencer's shoulder, which made him look at me and wipe the tears pooled in the corner of my eyes.

"Thank you for your help, Spencer."

Sometimes the two of us get into trouble just because of a small problem, and I think that's inevitable in friendship. Sometimes we get mad at each other, but just like what I said before, our tantrums don’t last an hour. It usually takes an hour, in fact. We know each other and we know when we are wrong.

He apologized, just like he said a while ago. He respected the decision I wanted and he allowed me to leave the city just to fulfill the contract I signed with the Montero family. He apologized for the words he used on me earlier, which I accepted because he told me that he was mad at that time, so that's how the words came out of his mouth. At least he knew that he hurt me, so he left his office immediately to apologize to me before he let me go.

I know that letting me go is one of the hard decisions for him. We've known each other for a couple of years, and I know that he's used to my presence. I know it will be difficult for the two of us when the Monteros pick me up, but I'm sure I'll still contact him even if it's not allowed.

I subsconciously crossed the pedestrian lane. Because of the thoughts that were gradually spinning inside of my head, I no longer became aware of the things around me. I never realized that there was a car coming in my direction and was about to run over me.

My brows furrowed when I saw that the car was familiar to my eyes, so instead of avoiding it, I stopped right in the middle of the pedestrian lane and waited for it to arrive.

My eyes widened a bit when I saw a car that was almost running over me. I hurriedly closed my eyes when I felt I had run into its bumper. I feel the pain in my side when I sit on the road. It's a good thing that he quickly stopped the car, because otherwise, I might have died by now.

My oranges, bought earlier in the store, were slowly rolling down the road. Some of the people walking earlier on the side hurriedly helped me. They wanted to call for help, but I told them that I'm okay even though my side hurts because of what happened.

"Are you sure you're okay?" they asked, which made me nod before I carefully stood up. "Be careful."

They talked about a lot of things and expressed concern about my injury, but instead of listening to them, I approached the car where that reckless driver was sitting.

My brows were shot when I knocked on it's window.

"Get out of the car, you dimwit," I said while continuing to knock on its window.

Whoever he or she is, he or she takes two minutes before he or she decides to lower the driver's seat window.

I saw a man who was wearing shades sitting in the driver's seat. He looked at me as if he wasn't worried about how I was doing, and it made me furious.

"Don't you know how to drive?" I asked aggressively, pointing at the road where I was a while ago. "Didn't you see me? Are you blind?"

"How much?" he asked, as if he was uninterested in talking to me.

"What?"

I want to laugh because of what he said. Instead of asking me if I was okay, he asked me how much I needed.

Do I look like a social climber?

"How much do you need to shut your mouth?" he asked before removing his shades and staring me down.