STEP-DAD'S SECRET

12|

✯𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏~𝐃𝐀𝐃'𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓 ✯

(𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 ✿ 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕)

𝑊𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑏𝑦 𝐵𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑗𝑏14

©2025© 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑗𝑏14

No part of this book should be published, copied or translated or i Sue you. It's been signed under f✦ckin platforms and apps. You copy, you get sued!

⁠ CHAPTER (12) TWELVE

MAI'S POV

I woke up early, the morning sunlight streaming through my window. I got ready for school on my own, no maid or assistant to help me. I dressed in my uniform, brushed my hair, and grabbed my bag. My stomach growled, reminding me I needed breakfast.

I headed to the kitchen, expecting it to be empty. But Roman was there, standing at the foot of the stairs, about to head up. His shirt was partially unbuttoned, revealing a glimpse of a small tattoo on his chest. My eyes flicked to his neck, where a lipstick kiss mark stood out, red and bold. It looked like someone had kissed him there, and recently.

A spark of something ignited within me, but I pushed it down. I didn't care. Roman's personal life was none of my business. I focused on making myself a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Roman didn't acknowledge me, didn't even glance my way. He just kept heading upstairs, leaving me to my breakfast.

When I finished eating, I wiped my hands and grabbed my bag. My driver was already waiting outside, the car idling by the curb. I slipped in, and we drove off to school. The morning traffic was light, and we made good time. I spent the ride staring out the window, my mind blank. Roman's presence lingered in my thoughts, but I refused to dwell on it. I had better things to focus on. Like school. Like Zoey. Like Caleb. And good. I arrived at school early, the empty hallways a stark contrast to the usual chaos. Since Zoey wasn't around, I headed to my first class. After a 10-minute wait, the class began. But something felt off - Caleb and Zoey were both absent. I checked my phone, wondering if I'd missed a message, but there was nothing.

The second class started, and still, no Caleb and Zoey. The third and fourth classes came and went, but the two were nowhere to be seen. I started to get worried, thinking something terrible might have happened to them.

When the bell rang for break, everyone filed out of the classroom, chatting and laughing. I stayed seated, waiting for the room to clear. That's when Zoey burst in, Caleb in tow. They looked disheveled, their usual energetic selves nowhere to be seen.

"Bestie!" Zoey exclaimed, plopping down beside me. Caleb followed suit, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.

"You guys look...," I started, eyeing their rumpled clothes and tired faces.

"Terrible," Zoey finished for me, running a hand through her tangled hair.

"I feel terrible," Caleb added, rubbing his eyes.

I laughed, a snort escaping my nose. "Explain. I thought you guys were dead or attacked by an animal or something."

Zoey grimaced. "Well, my parents are back, so I went to meet them. But they said, 'Why didn't you go to school?' I told them I wanted to see them and didn't need to, but they chased me out to school."

Caleb chuckled, despite looking like he'd rather sleep. "Overslept. My alarm got spoilt."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And you, Zoey? What happened with your parents?"

Zoey shrugged. "Just the usual. They don't understand me."

Caleb shook his head, a hint of wistfulness in his voice. "At least you have parents. Mine are still on their business trip. And luckily, you're not living alone with a butler."

Zoey's eyes sparkled with mischief. "I would love that life, no offense."

The two of them started arguing back and forth, their banter familiar and easy. I watched them, a small smile on my face. Finally, I intervened. "Well, you guys have a lot of notes to copy. And trust me when I say it's a lot."

I pulled out my notes, and Zoey's eyes widened in horror. She pretended to faint, her body slumping forward dramatically. Caleb and I burst out laughing.

"Zoey, you're such a drama queen," Caleb chuckled.

Zoey popped back up, a grin on her face. "Hey, someone's got to keep things interesting around here."

I handed her my notes, and she began to scribble furiously, Caleb looking over her shoulder. Zoey refused to start writing, while Caleb agreed. Caleb started writing, his hand moving swiftly as he copied down the notes. Meanwhile, Zoey and I snacked on some food. She munched on an apple, the crunching sound filling the air.

I smiled, remembering the PBJ sandwich I'd made earlier. "Hey, Caleb, want some?" I offered, tearing the sandwich in half. Caleb didn't even look up, just held out his hand and took the half sandwich from me. He continued writing as he ate, his focus solely on the notes.

After we finished the PBJ sandwich, I glanced at Caleb's lunchbox, which was sitting on the desk. "Mind if I dig in?" I asked, already reaching for it. Caleb grunted, still writing, and I took that as a yes. I opened his lunchbox and found a sandwich, some chips, and a fruit salad. I smiled, knowing his butler had probably packed his lunch. I took a bite of the sandwich, savoring the flavors. I continued sharing food with Caleb, the three of us chatting and laughing as we ate. After we finished our lunch, Zoey's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Guys, there's a party tonight at Ava's house... well, her pool house."

Caleb and I exchanged a curious glance. "For what?" we asked in unison.

Zoey grinned. "See, this is why you need me. Today's her and her boyfriend's one-month anniversary of being together."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that a thing?"

Zoey shrugged. "I wish I knew, but I don't, so probably it is for Ava. You know how extra she can be."

I giggled at the thought of Ava's over-the-top personality. Caleb asked, "Are we invited?"

Zoey nodded. "She invited everyone. Just go with your swimsuit, that's all."

Caleb's eyes lit up. "So we're gonna be seeing girls in bikinis."

Zoey's face turned mock-shocked. "Dude, I'm innocent!" I coughed, trying to stifle a laugh. Zoey looked at me, feigning surprise. "What? I'm just saying, I'm pure and wholesome." Caleb and I burst out laughing, and Zoey joined in, her innocence act crumbling. We all stopped laughing at that point.

I chuckled, teasing Zoey about her innocence. "You aren't innocent if you've kissed the TV when they were showing K-drama."

Zoey's face turned bright red, and she laughed. "I stick to what I've said, so we're all coming, right?"

Caleb hesitated, his brow furrowed in concern. "Wellll, I don't know... I'm not sure if it'll be a good idea."

Zoey playfully rolled her eyes. "Come on, Caleb, don't be a nerdy boyfriend. Mai's going."

I smiled, confirming Zoey's assumption. "Of course, I would."

Caleb's eyes met mine, a questioning look in them. "What about... Your step-dad?"

I waved my hand dismissively. "Don't worry, he'll be cool about it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You're not going," Roman said, his voice firm.

I told him about the pool party, expecting him to be indifferent. I frowned, taken aback. "Why?"

Roman's eyes locked onto mine. "Because I said so. Now, eat your dinner before it gets cold. And don't try sneaking out anywhere because I will find you."

I felt a surge of frustration. "Stop controlling my life like it's yours."

Roman's smile was infuriatingly calm. "It is mine, Princessa."

I glared at him, my anger simmering. "That's not how it works. I'm an adult, not some possession you can dictate to."

Roman leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving mine. "You're a nineteen year old young adult living under my roof, which makes you mine to protect. And I won't let you go to that party."

I scoffed. "Protect me from what?"

Roman's expression turned cold. "From everything. Including yourself, if need be."

I pushed my chair back, my appetite gone. "I'm not a child, Roman. Stop treating me like one."

Roman's voice was unyielding. "You're not going to that party, Mai. That's final."

I glared at Roman, my anger boiling over. "Why don't you want me to go?" I demanded.

Roman's expression didn't change. "Because I said so."

I frowned again, my frustration growing. Who did he think he was, controlling my life like it belonged to him? I was Mai, and if I wanted to go to that party, I would go. I finished my dinner in silence, my mind already racing with Plan B. When I was done, I pushed my chair back and stood up. "Good night," I said sweetly. "I hope you fall down the stairs when you're walking."

Roman's nod was calm, but his words sent a shiver down my spine. "It will happen to you if you disobey."

I smiled to myself as I left the dining room. In my room, I quickly put on my bikini under my normal clothing. Then, I arranged my pillow and blankets to look like I was sleeping. I covered the lump with a sheet, making sure it looked like I was in bed. Satisfied, I took out my phone and started a fake recording of myself snoring softly. I hid the phone under the bed, making sure it would continue to play throughout the night.

With my plan in place, I snuck out of my room through the window, careful not to make any noise. I made my way down the stairs and through the estate, avoiding security and guards with ease. Once I was outside, I hailed a cab and headed to the secret meeting spot Caleb had told me about. I used some of the money he had given me earlier to pay the driver. The cab drove away, and I felt a thrill of excitement. I had outsmarted Roman, and now I was free to enjoy the party with my friends. Little did he know, I was just getting started. When we reached the meeting spot, I saw Zoey already waiting, but she was only wearing a sweater. I stepped out of the cab, and it drove away. "What's the.....Zoey?" I asked, eyeing her outfit.

Zoey shrugged. "So, I'm the weird one, right?"

Just then, a car pulled up, and Caleb appeared at the driver's side window, grinning. "Hop in, guys!"

We got into the car, and Caleb looked at Zoey in confusion. "Ammmm... Zoey?" he teased, eyeing her sweater.

Zoey laughed. "Yes, yes, I'm wearing a bikini under."

Caleb raised an eyebrow. "Weirdo."

I joked, "Maybe she's just cold-blooded."

Caleb chuckled. "Should I play a song here?"

Zoey raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you like too young to be driving?"

Caleb smirked. "I'm clocking twenty soon, plus I already got a driver's license. But you, kid..."

Zoey playfully hit his arm. "I'm not a kid."

I chimed in, "Yes, let's listen to music."

Caleb nodded and started playing a song. The beats of "Free" by JINU and RUMI from K-pop Demon Hunters filled the car, and we all started bobbing our heads to the rhythm. The music was infectious, and soon we were all laughing and singing along.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As we arrived at the pool party, the darkness was illuminated only by the twinkling string lights and the glow of the pool. The sound of laughter and music filled the air, and we quickly changed into our swimsuits. Zoey and I slipped into our bikinis, while Caleb showed off his athletic build in his swim shorts.

We grabbed some snacks and drinks, and as we were enjoying the party, Ava and her boyfriend made their way to the center of the pool area. Ava's smile sparkled in the dim light, and her boyfriend's eyes shone with adoration.

"Hey, everyone!" Ava announced, her voice carrying across the pool area. "We wanted to take a moment to thank you all for coming to celebrate our one-month anniversary. We're so grateful for our friends and loved ones, and we're having an amazing time tonight."

The crowd cheered and clapped, and Ava's boyfriend pulled her close for a romantic kiss under the stars. Zoey and I squealed in excitement, while Caleb chuckled and shook his head. The party continued, we danced, played games, and enjoyed the music under the night sky. The atmosphere was electric, and we were all having a blast.

But Mai knew that she was taking a risk by being there, and she couldn't shake off the feeling that Roman might find out...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The mansion's opulent decor seemed to mock the emptiness of Mai's room. The fake recording of her snoring had stopped, and the silence was oppressive. The bedside lamp cast a warm glow, illuminating the lump of pillows and blankets that Mai had carefully arranged to deceive anyone who might check on her.

The room was still, except for the soft hum of the air conditioning. The closet door was slightly ajar, revealing a sliver of Mai's colorful clothing. A stray thread from her discarded sweater hung precariously from the door handle, swaying gently in the breeze from the vent above.

On the bedside table, Mai's phone lay silent, its screen dark and unresponsive. The fake recording had been cleverly crafted, designed to convince anyone listening that Mai was fast asleep. But the ruse had been discovered, and now the room seemed to vibrate with tension.

Outside, the night air was filled with the distant sounds of music and laughter. The party that Mai had slipped away to was in full swing, and she was likely dancing the night away with her friends. But back in the mansion, Roman's anger simmered, fueled by Mai's defiance and deception.

The security cameras had captured Mai's escape, and Roman's eyes had narrowed as he watched the footage. He would find out where she was, and when he did, there would be consequences. Roman's fingers drummed impatiently on the bedside table as he dialed a number on his phone.

"Yes?" a voice answered on the other end.

Roman's voice was low and even. "Crash the party."

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