Adrian finally finished scanning his things, calm as ever. With one hand tucked in his pocket, he picked up his groceries and strolled away, looking effortlessly cool.
Sarah froze, eyes following him like she was hypnotized. “He’s so cute… even cuter than Ethan,” she whispered dreamily.
Amy’s jaw dropped. She immediately slapped her hand over Sarah’s mouth. “Take it back!” Amy hissed. “Ethan is cuter than him—way cuter. Don’t let Ethan hear you say that or you’ll be writing your own obituary.”
Sarah pulled Amy’s hand off, still smiling with that starry-eyed look. “But look at him… golden hair… calm face… like he just stepped out of a movie.”
Amy rolled her eyes, dragging the cart forward. “You know what? Forget it. Let’s just tell everyone we’re not hosting anything. No party. Nada. Cancelled. Boom. Done!” She threw her hands up like she was surrendering to the universe.
Sarah sighed dramatically, clutching a pack of balloons to her chest. “But Amy… you don’t just cancel a party. That’s like… declaring war on fun.”
Amy groaned. “Then fine. Let’s declare war, pack our bags, and move to Mars. At least over there nobody throws surprise parties with fake posters!”
Sarah giggled, shaking her head as she shoved the cart forward. “Honestly, you’re right. Mars sounds easier than surviving west bridge."
  Amy and Sarah dropped everything back into the cart with a loud clunk.
“That’s it,” Amy declared, dusting her hands like she just finished a battle. “Party cancelled. Balloons cancelled. Friendship cancelled. Life cancelled. Let’s just go back to school.”
Sarah nodded quickly, grabbing her bag. “Yeah. No party. If anyone asks, we’re… I don’t know… moving to another school.”
The two of them started marching toward the exit, leaving the sad, half-filled cart abandoned in the aisle.
Just then, a supermarket staff member jogged up to them. “Excuse me, ladies,” she said politely. “You can pick whatever you want. It’s already been paid for.”
Amy and Sarah froze mid-step. Slowly, they turned around in perfect sync, eyes wide.
“What… do you mean paid?” Sarah asked suspiciously, clutching Amy’s arm like they were in a horror movie.
The staff just smiled. “Don’t worry about it. Just… enjoy yourselves.”
Amy gasped, pointing dramatically at the ceiling. “Wait, wait, wait—don’t tell me… an angel came down and cleared our bill!”
Sarah smacked her forehead. “An angel? Really? More like a ghost.”
Amy leaned in, whispering like it was top secret. “Or maybe it’s a sugar daddy ghost.”
Sarah covered her face smiling “We’re blessed”
Still, their eyes sparkled as they turned back to the cart. Slowly at first… then faster and faster, they started grabbing things off the shelves like maniacs.
Amy clutched a giant bag of chips to her chest. “Who cares who paid?! Let’s not waste a miracle!”
Sarah hugged three boxes of cookies. “This feels illegal… but I love it.”
  Amy snatched the biggest family-size chips bag off the shelf. “Mine!”
Sarah grabbed a mountain of cookies, stacking them like gold. “Don’t look at me—I’m taking everything chocolate!”
Amy dashed to the soda aisle, dragging two bottles under each arm like a warrior. “Sarah, hurry! Before they change their mind!”
Sarah piled instant noodles like bricks. “I’m building a house with this!”
The staff just stood there blinking as the two girls raided the shelves like it was a survival game.
Amy shouted over her shoulder, grinning like a maniac, “We don’t know who paid, but thank you, mysterious wallet angel!”
Sarah added with her mouth already full of cookies, “Bless your soul, whoever you are!”
*************************
  The supermarket’s private office was quiet, cool, and far too elegant for a grocery store. Adrian sat deep in the leather chair, one leg crossed over the other with practiced ease. His golden hair caught the faint light slipping through the blinds, but his focus never wavered from the phone in his hand. Each swipe of his thumb was slow, deliberate, as if time itself bent to his pace.
The door clicked open. A woman in a pressed uniform stepped inside, holding a clipboard against her chest. Her voice was polite, careful.
“sir. We… we informed the two girls just like you asked. They’re picking whatever they want.”
Adrian’s eyes remained fixed on his phone. He gave the smallest nod, his face unreadable.
“They seemed… very surprised,” she added softly. “They’re taking full advantage.”
A flicker of a smirk tugged at the corner of Adrian’s mouth, gone almost as soon as it appeared. He shifted slightly in his chair, his voice calm and low.
“Good. Pack up my groceries.”
The woman nodded and turned toward the door. But just before she left, his voice cut through the quiet again—soft, smooth, leaving no room for debate.
“And don’t tell my mom about this,” Adrian said without looking up. “I’ll tell her myself.”
The woman froze for a brief second, then bowed quickly. “Of course, sir.”
The door shut again, leaving him in silence. Adrian leaned back, thumb still idly scrolling, his expression cool and unbothered.
---
It turns out his mother owned the supermarket. The place was massive—two floors, glass walls, and marble counters that gleamed under soft lights. Classy, modern, and elegant. Expensive wines, designer chocolates, and rare imports were displayed on polished shelves—but at the same time, the store had aisles of regular cheap snacks and basic groceries, perfectly organized and separated.
It was a place where luxury and simplicity lived side by side. And Adrian? He fit right in, calm as though the empire around him was nothing out of the ordinary.