In Bed with The Governor (R+18 English)

Chapter 8

I only stared at the enormous gate, unsure whether I should go inside or not. I was nervous, especially since I didn’t know my way around the school yet. I checked my schedule, and even though I was hesitant, I didn’t have much of a choice.

I started walking when, suddenly, someone grabbed the strap of my bag from behind.

I turned around and was immediately greeted by Kai’s smiling face.

“Kai,” I said, smiling back at him.

“Hi! Good thing I found you here. Are you heading to your classroom too?” he asked.

I scratched the back of my head awkwardly.

“I was, but I don’t know where it is.”

Kai looked at me.

“Lucky you. We’re taking the same course.”

“Really? T-That’s good. I’ve been worrying about this since earlier. This school is huge.”

We started walking together.

“Do you like arts?” he asked me.

“Hmm… I did when I was younger. I loved painting. I don’t know if I can still do it now, though. What about you?”

“Yes. Art is life. The older I get, the more drawn I become to all kinds of artistic concepts. Sculpting, painting, music, everything.”

He glanced at me.

“Are you into sports too?”

I didn’t hesitate to answer. Somehow, talking to him felt easy.

“Not really, but I used to be part of our school’s badminton team.”

Kai nodded.

“Then you won’t have a hard time finding a sports club to join. Don’t worry. I’ll give you a tour around the school when we have free time so you won’t have to figure everything out by yourself.”

I smiled.

“Really? Thank you. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without you. I’m too shy to ask people.”

After thanking Kai, I looked for a seat.

The classroom was divided into two sections. The boys were seated on one side while the girls occupied the other. There weren’t many of us. Aside from how expensive the course probably was, it was obvious that most of my classmates came from elite families.

“Hi!”

I turned toward the girl beside me and gave her a small smile.

“I’m Mia. You’re the one Mommy told me about the other day—the stepdaughter of Gov and Tita Emma. We can be friends if you want.”

I hesitantly accepted her hand.

“Hello. I’m Adriana.”

“You’re beautiful. You really look like your mother.”

I smiled shyly.

“So are you.”

“Thanks. I saw you with Kai. Do you two know each other? Is there something going on between you?”

I immediately shook my head.

“N-No. I only met him recently at the party.”

“Oh.”

Mia smiled at me.

“Anyway, since you don’t have anyone with you, just come with me. Don’t be shy. I don’t want you to be a loner here. And don’t worry, nobody’s going to bully you. Once they find out you’re Governor Yoa’s stepdaughter, they’ll probably back off.”

I hesitated.

I didn’t want people to know me as Yoaquin Baltazar’s stepdaughter.

I didn’t want to be treated differently simply because of my connection to him.

I quietly sighed and gave Mia another small smile.

A few moments later, our professor arrived.

“You’re Adriana? Welcome to the class. Everyone, don’t bully her, okay? Treat her right.”

After that, everyone went back to minding their own business.

I stared at the blank canvas in front of me, unsure of what to paint. Mia, sitting beside me, had already started working on hers.

“Why? Can’t think of anything to paint?” she asked.

I turned to her and gave her a small smile.

“I-I’m fine.”

She nodded.

I finally began working.

I visualized what I wanted to paint in my mind before slowly putting the first stroke onto the canvas. I was nervous, especially since it had been such a long time since I’d returned to my old hobby.

I spent hours working on my piece until the bell finally rang.

I took a deep breath and looked at my painting.

“Wow!”

I wanted to cover it, but Mia and Kai had already seen it.

“This is beautiful. You must have some Da Vinci or Picasso blood in you,” Mia teased.

I immediately felt embarrassed.

“Why are you shy? Mia’s right. You’re really good. You must have been a professional painter in your past life. Or maybe you actually were a professional painter and just reincarnated.”

I didn’t understand what the two of them were talking about.

“T-Thank you,” I said.

“Come on, let’s go to the cafeteria. What are you doing here, Kai? Go to your friends. From now on, I’m going to be Adriana’s confidant. We’re friends now, so we’ll stick together.”

“I met her first,” Kai countered.

The two of them stared each other down.

“Come on. We can all go together,” I said with a smile.

Mia smiled and immediately hooked her arm around mine.

“True.”

And just like that, the three of us headed to the cafeteria.

So far, my first day had been surprisingly easy.

I wasn’t pressured, and I wasn’t lonely.

I was still trying to absorb the feeling of finally being a student.

Something I had only dreamed about back then had finally become reality.

⸻

By late afternoon, I spotted my stepfather’s car waiting ahead.

The windshield lowered slightly, and I immediately saw Yoa behind the wheel.

“There’s your handsome Dadeh!” Mia squealed. “Wow, you and your mom are so lucky!”

“Mia, watch your mouth,” Kai interrupted.

“Why? It’s true! Adriana’s mother managed to win the heart of Governor Baltazar, who’s filthy rich and ridiculously aloof. And Adriana got an instant daddy out of it.”

Mia looked like she was already lost in her own daydream.

“Honestly, even I wouldn’t hesitate to marry him if he ever liked someone like me.”

“Mia,” Kai warned.

He looked at me.

I only gave them a small smile.

“It’s okay. She’s just being honest. There’s nothing wrong with what she’s saying. It’s just admiration. We all admire people we like, don’t we?”

Mia rolled her eyes at Kai.

“See? Adriana has a much broader mind than you. Who would be stupid enough to make herself someone’s mistress? Hello?”

She crossed her arms.

“And besides, I have no intention of ruining Adriana’s mother’s marriage. Kai, do you even think before you speak? Do you seriously think Governor Baltazar would entertain someone like me? Sure, he’s handsome and young-looking, but he’s still too old for me. I’m only nineteen, hello?”

She was only a year younger than me.

“Okay, stop arguing. I’ll see you tomorrow. Thank you for today. I’ll go ahead.”

“See you tomorrow,” Mia and Kai said together.

I walked toward the car and carefully opened the door.

“You’re late.”

His voice was cold.

“Sorry,” I answered.

I could see his jaw moving through the rearview mirror.

“Po? Really?” he scoffed.

“Why? You’re older than me. You’re also my stepfather. Is there something wrong with that?”

“Sometimes it’s better to keep your mouth shut. That way, you won’t give me a reason to get angry with you.”

I immediately fell silent.

“Why are you with that De Guzman again?” Yoa asked.

“He’s my classmate.”

He simply nodded and continued driving.

“Do you need anything? Is there anything you want to buy?”

“N-No.”

I was too embarrassed to look at him, especially with his eyebrows drawn tightly together.

“We’re going to my family’s house today.”

I blinked.

“Huh?”

“Your mother will follow later.”

“B-But—”

“What? They wanted to meet you.”

His voice turned mocking.

“My stepdaughter.”

I frowned.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Tell them what?”

I clenched my fist but decided not to argue with him.

I didn’t want him getting angry. His expression alone was enough to make me nervous.

I still couldn’t understand how my mother could tolerate him.

How did I end up with a stepfather who thought so highly of himself?

“Just don’t talk to any of them. You wouldn’t like it,” he warned.

I became nervous.

I simply stared out the window until we passed through an enormous gate.

I nearly gasped when I saw the mansion ahead.

It was enormous.

And unbelievably beautiful.

“Close your mouth.”

I immediately covered it, embarrassed.

When we got out of the car, a maid immediately greeted us.

As soon as we entered the house, I froze.

There were several people inside whom I never expected to see.

One of them was someone I recognized immediately because she was a famous celebrity.

“Stay here,” Yoa said.

I was about to speak, but he had already walked away without looking back.

I was left sitting there alone, unable to bring myself to meet the people’s curious gazes.

And for the first time since I had arrived at the Baltazar household, I wondered what exactly my stepfather had brought me into.