In Bed with The Governor (R+18 English)

Chapter 1

“Adrianna!”

I turned around at the sound of my name and froze. Standing there was my mother—the woman I hadn't seen in almost a decade. I could only stand in silence, staring blankly at her. A few moments later, Sister Teresa joined us.

“Have you seen—oh, Adrianna!” Sister Teresa smiled warmly and walked over to me.

“My child, your mother has returned. Go on, approach her. I know you’ve been wanting to see her for the longest time.”

I remained rooted to the spot, just analyzing my mother. She was wearing what looked like a very expensive dress, and an LV bag was slung over her right arm. She wore sunglasses, and her skin looked exceptionally fair. She was no longer the mother I used to know; she had changed drastically. I slowly stepped closer, just looking at her.

“What’s wrong? You don't recognize me anymore, do you? Is your Mommy too beautiful now?” she teased.

“What are you doing here?” I asked quietly.

She reached out and took my hands, but immediately began dusting them off when she noticed the dirt on my palms—a result of me tending to the plants earlier.

“Can we talk inside? It’s far too hot out here,” she said.

“Go ahead, Emma, go inside. Adrianna, wash your hands first,” the nun instructed.

I nodded and walked over to the nearby water pump to wash my hands. I kept quiet, still processing how impossible this all felt. Now that I was twenty years old, she decided to return. She had left me in this orphanage fourteen years ago. Back then, I used to pray almost every day for her to come back for me. But today, the excitement I thought I would feel was entirely absent. I guess I had lost hope a long time ago.

I walked inside the building and sat across from my mother, with Sister Teresa sitting right beside me.

“Sister Teresa, thank you so much for taking care of Adrianna. Don't worry, I will be leaving a large donation before we head out,” my mother announced.

My brows furrowed instantly. “Head out? With me?” I asked, completely bewildered.

My mother looked at me and reached across the table to hold my hand.

“Anak, I know I’ve made so many mistakes and shortcomings. I know I neglected you for years. But you know what our situation was back then, right? I couldn't bring you into the hardships I was enduring. It didn't matter if I was the one suffering, as long as you didn't have to.”

“So you chose to leave me behind instead. You didn't even bother asking if I wanted to go with you,” I replied, my voice calm but laced with years of suppressed pain.

“You were so young back then. I didn't want you exposed to that kind of world. I was terrified that something bad might happen to you, and I knew I couldn't watch over you constantly, Adrianna. Misfortune seemed to follow you, and I could never forgive myself if something happened to you. Child, please forgive me. Let me make it up to you,” she pleaded, her eyes welling up with tears.

I closed my eyes, electing to stay silent.

I turned my head toward Sister Teresa when she gently placed a reassuring hand over mine.

“My child, I know you hold resentment toward your mother. But isn't this what you’ve dreamed of for so long? You wanted to be with your mother. This is it. Don't let pain and anger rule your heart. Nothing good ever comes from that.”

I looked back at my mother, whose eyes were now completely red from crying.

“Okay,” I murmured. Even if I didn't want to admit it, my love for my mother still outweighed the bitterness.

A bright smile immediately broke across her face, and she pulled me into a tight embrace. I was taken aback by the sudden gesture, but I found myself wrapping my arms around her too. I closed my eyes and finally let my tears fall.

“I’ll make it up to you, anak. I’ll make it up to you,” she whispered. I simply nodded.

“I’m so happy you came back for Adrianna. She has been waiting for you for so long. Go on, child, pack your things so you can leave. The town is quite a distance from here,” Sister Teresa said.

“Oh, Sister, no need! I’ll handle all of her clothes. I want everything to be completely new for her,” my mother countered. I was surprised. What kind of job did my mother have to make her look and act this incredibly generous?

“Sister, as a token of my gratitude for raising my daughter, please accept this small amount. It's the least I can do for your kindness to us,” my mother said, handing something over.

“Emma, we love Adrianna. She is a good, intelligent child. You are lucky to have her, and we were lucky to have her too.”

My eyes widened as I glanced down at the check my mother had handed over. Written on it was ten thousand dollars. That was an enormous amount of money. My mother used to be a manicurist, but looking at her appearance now, it seemed like she had hit the jackpot.

“Please don't refuse it, Sister, or I’ll really get upset,” my mother insisted. The nun smiled warmly and offered her thanks.

“I’ll go wait in the car first. Just follow me out, okay? I’ll be waiting,” my mother told me.

I nodded. Once she walked out, I turned to Sister Teresa and threw my arms around her, hugging her tightly. My tears were flowing freely now, but I didn't care to stop them.

“I’m going to miss you so much, Sister. I promise I’ll visit you here,” I sobbed.

Tears filled the nun's eyes as well as she gently fixed my hair.

“Take care of yourself out there, my child. Do not easily trust people you’ve just met. I know you are intelligent. But your physical beauty... it will surely blind many. So please, always be careful.” I nodded repeatedly, hugging her one last time.

Before leaving, I walked toward the back of the school where the young children I used to look after were studying. I just peered through the window. My heart felt incredibly heavy leaving them behind, but I knew I had to. I didn't want to say goodbye to them face-to-face because I knew that if I did, I wouldn't be able to bring myself to leave. Wiping my eyes, I said my final goodbyes to the other resident nuns.

I waved at the crying nuns as I finally stepped inside the car. The freezing air conditioning blasted over me instantly. My mother was in the front seat, seemingly finishing up a phone call. She put her phone down and smiled back at me.

“Ready to go?” she asked.

I nodded. Turning my gaze out the window, I let out a deep, anxious breath. I silently watched the road as the car moved forward. As we drove out of the town boundaries, I realized I had absolutely no idea where we were going. In all my life, the farthest I had ever traveled was just to the town center.

We made a quick stop at a fast-food chain to order some food. My mother handed me my meal.

“Eat up, Adrianna. We still have a pretty long drive ahead of us.” I nodded and began to eat.

The journey took several hours, and I ended up falling asleep along the way. When we finally arrived, I found myself staring blankly at a colossal mansion. I was completely overwhelmed by its sheer size and grandeur.

“Ma... is this your house?” I asked, astounded.

We got out of the car, and my mother stepped up beside me.

“It’s your house now too, Adrianna. Oh, by the way, I’m married now. He’s the governor of this province. He’s waiting inside. Don't worry—while he can be strict, he has a good heart.”

I was left completely speechless. As we walked through the grand entrance, I noticed the household staff stealing glances at me, seemingly struck with awe by my appearance. I looked around the interior, my mouth hanging slightly open at how beautiful everything was.

“We’re here,” my mother announced as she walked into the living room.

I stopped dead in my tracks, my eyes landing on the man seated on a large armchair. I had expected an older, pot-bellied man, since that was the typical image I had of politicians. But this man was entirely different. He stood up and turned to face us. He was tall, perfectly built, and incredibly handsome. He looked like a Brazilian model. By my estimate, he hadn't even passed his twenties yet. His gray eyes were as cold as ice, and they fixed intently on me.

“Adrianna, greet your stepfather. From now on, he will be acting as your father. He’s Yoaquin Valter Baltazar,” my mother introduced.

I swallowed hard and tentatively extended my hand.

“H-Hello, I’m Adrianna,” I stammered.

Yoaquin accepted my hand. The moment our skin met, I quickly yanked my hand back. A sudden, intense jolt—like a surge of electricity—shot straight through my core. I saw his brow furrow slightly before he shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Call me whatever you want. Take care of your daughter, Emma. I have a lot of work to do,” he said coldly, turning on his heel and leaving the room.

I was left alone with my mother. She had gotten pregnant with me at a young age, when she was only eighteen.

“I know you’re wondering how I managed to capture his heart. He’s incredibly handsome, isn't he? Aside from his looks, he is profoundly wealthy. Of course, with your Mommy’s natural beauty, who could possibly say no to me? You definitely take after me—you look as pure as a virgin. He’s actually a few years younger than me. He’s only twenty-nine, so don't be surprised. We both need each other, especially with the elections drawing near. Don't hesitate to tell me what you want, Adrianna, and we’ll buy it. Just feel at home here, okay?” she chattered happily.

“Hold on, let me call Aling Bulma so she can show you to your new room.”