The Billionaire's First-Born

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

"I don’t like the price of products in supermarkets," he said, which made me twitch my lips. "They have the same quality, but they have different prices. They almost looked the same, but their prices were a bit expensive compared to the prices in the public market."

"It never entered my mind that you were stingy."

He laughed because of what I said. He replied, "I'm not stingy, I'm just responsible for using my cards."

I nod at him and it seems like he was right in what he said. I was the one who cut the pumpkin he chose earlier, even before I came here. My mom is busy on the other side of her stall, and she is also talking to one of her customers.

From where I was standing, I could clearly see Blake's eyes, who remained looking at me. Whenever I turned to look at him, he immediately avoided staring at me or just smiled at me just to conceal what he had done. I just shrugged at him and continued doing what I was doing until I finished what I was doing.

"This place isn't good for you, Blake," I said, which made him look at me. I handed him the plastic bags containing the vegetables he had bought. "A lot of bad people live here."

"If that's so, then are you a bad person too?" he asked.

I turned to look at him with annoyance plastered on my face, and I was no longer surprised when he burst into laughter. My mom secretly looked at us and smiled a bit, while I did nothing but glare at him. I was hoping that he would stop laughing if I glared at him, but it seems like my stare had no effect on him because he just kept on laughing.

"I said, people live here, Blake. We are not residing here," I said, almost a hiss. "Are you even thinking?"

"Okay, then. Sorry," he said.

He puckered his lips and handed me a card, which I didn't accept because we don't accept cards from our customers.

Where am I supposed to swipe that card? In his buttholes?

He said, "Sorry, I don't have cash, Solanna," before he smiled at me, which I didn't reciprocate. "I wish that you guys accepted cards like this."

"Where would I swipe that card, Blake?" I hissed before I gave him the receipt for what he bought. "We don't accept cards, Blake. We don't have a PDQ machine. We only have a small business stall, so don't expect something that is technology-related."

"Then, what are you guys using?"

I furrowed my brows while looking at him. I pointed at my temple while sarcastically looking at him.

"We used our minds, with a little bit of help using the calculator."

His lips raised a bit. He asked, "A calculator?" with intonation.

I sighed heavily before I leaned closer to him, which made his lips raise a bit in a smile. I said, "If you don't have cash in your wallet, then tell me. I'll pay for your purchases."

"No," he said, before he chuckled. I couldn't do anything but roll my eyes at him when I saw him pull out cash from his wallet. "I'm just kidding you. You're too serious."

"You're too serious," I mimicked, which made him laugh at me. "If I just didn't know you, I might have punched you."

"Maybe you're saying the opposite," he said, while looking at me teasingly. "You can punch me instead of punching a customer you don't even know."

"I can do both," I said while still furrowing my brows. "I'm not allowing anyone to ruin my day."

"Is that so?"

My mind has been busy thinking about him. It's been two months since I last saw him. Now that he's finally here in front of me, I wanted to ask him where he had been.

It's my opportunity to ask him about his reasons, so...

"It's been two months since I last saw you, Blake," I said, which made him look at me confusedly. "Where have you been?"

"Why, Solanna? Did you miss me?"

"Why would I?" I asked, which made him chuckle before he shifted his weight. "Seriously. Where have you been? I'm not worried about you, but not seeing you for a month seems strange to me. Is there something wrong?"

His lips raised a bit for a smile before he shook his head.

"I'm sorting out some papers, Solanna. I didn't tell you last month because I knew you were busy about..." he said before he secretly turned to look at my mother, who was now turning her back on us.

That's when I remember that he was with me when we went to the police station that time regarding Meriah's case. I slowly nod at him.

"Papers for what, Blake?"

He smiled a bit. "My parents want me to return to the US. They want me to study law."

I felt my head slowly nod at him before I smiled forcefully at him. Even though I knew it was hard for me, I was still able to accept what he said.

Monique had already left me. I feel like Spencer left me too, because something new will make him happy. I didn’t expect to see Blake here at the market, and I’m glad that I did. I just don't expect that he has plans to return to the US, and I don't expect him to leave me just like my sister and my best friend did.

Why do people always leave me?

Their reasons were all valid, but why do I feel like I can't accept it even though their decision is for their own good?

Am I not good enough for these people to stay by my side?

"Are you okay, Solanna?"

His question brought me back to reality. I faked a laugh while looking at him before I jokingly pinched his cheek, which made his brows furrow while looking at me.

"Study Law? I had no idea it was your dream to be a lawyer," I said, making his lips twitch slightly. "Being a lawyer isn't good for you, Engineer Blake."

"I know, but I have no right to criticize their decision for me," he said, which made my lips purse a bit. "I have to obey them because they will disown me if I don't obey what they want."

"That's not a good point, though."

"I know," he said before he shrugged and leaned his back against our stall. "That's what they did to my brother. My brother wants to be a painter, but because he is the eldest son and he is the only one our parents expect to manage our firm, he had no choice but to study business-related courses. " I nod at him.

Business-related courses are not that bad. The only important thing is that you have a degree and have graduated from college.

If I had the chance to go to college, taking courses isn't important for me. The only important thing for me is to get into college and have a bachelor's degree, and after that, get a good job with a salary above the minimum wage. I also want to work abroad, so for me, it doesn't matter what course I take.

"That's the reason why my brother almost failed his course," he added. I turned to look at him with confusion plastered on my face. "And I don't know if that's really his reason or maybe he has some other reason."

"Why?" I asked, which made his brows furrow before he turned to look at me. "May I know again what your brother wants to become?"

"He wanted to be a painter," he said.

My lips parted a bit because of shock at what he said. In today's life, being a painter is no longer trendy. Yes, I have seen many artists, and being a digital artist is also in-demand these days, but it never entered my mind that painting is still trendy until now.

Yes, I see a lot of people doing house painting, but I know that they just do that as a hobby because there is no income from painting. That's my own opinion though, and I'm not belittling those who make money from being artists.

"It never entered my mind that it needed a course to become a house painter," I said while furrowing my brows because of confusion.

Blake burst into laughter because of what I said, so I couldn't help but pucker my lips while looking at him.

"What are you laughing at, Mr. Blake?" I asked, almost a hiss while looking at him. "Is there anything funny?"

"Who told you that I was referring to a house painter a while ago, Solanna?" he asked.

I did nothing but roll my eyes at him.

"You told me that your brother wants to be a painter!"

"I'm talking about being an artist, Solanna—the one who paints portraits!" he said.

Oh! I thought...

Even though I knew I was wrong, I decided to fight for myself because of the embarrassment that he was laughing at now.

I said, "Being a house painter and an artist are just the same — they have the same thing to do, so therefore they make no difference!"

Some shopkeepers turned to look at us because of our conversation. I saw my mother, who was now confused while looking at us. Somehow, I was still complacent because until now she was still busy with her customers.

"They make a big difference, Solanna."

"Then, fight for what you want to fight for." I rolled my eyes because of so much annoyance at him.

I feel like a fool in his eyes. Instead of listening to him, I just rolled my eyes.

"The painter I was talking about is an artist who paints portraits using their art brushes, while the house painter you were talking about a while ago is the person who paints the whole house," he explained, but instead of listening to him, I just rolled my eyes. "Passion and work are completely different, Solanna."

"They were just the same."

"No. They are not the same," he said, while smiling at me.

I crossed my arms while looking at him, raising my brows in annoyance. I said, "You already have everything you bought, Blake. Aren't you leaving yet?"

He laughed when he saw that I was annoyed with him, so he decided to step back from his stance before he took out his phone and asked for my phone number.

To get him out of here, I decided to give him my number.

"I will call you if I have my time, Solanna!" he said before he turned his back on me and walked away.

I pursed my lips while looking at him walking away, and when I never saw him again, I slowly felt my lips raise a bit for a smile without me noticing.