STEP-DAD'S SECRET

11|

✯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 (11) ELEVEN

MAI'S POV

I slowly opened my eyes, taking in my surroundings. I was lying on a comfortable bed, surrounded by familiar walls. But what caught my attention was the oversized t-shirt I was wearing – Zoey's t-shirt. I looked down and giggled, feeling self-conscious. The shirt was huge, swallowing me whole.

Zoey's leg was draped over me, her foot resting on my lips. I gently raised my feet and smacked her leg, trying to move it away. Zoey stirred, waking up with a start. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked at me with a dazed expression. A small patch of white saliva was visible on her cheek, and her hair was a tangled mess. I couldn't help but giggle at the sight.

"Look at you," I said, trying to stifle my laughter.

Zoey rubbed her eyes, slowly coming to. She looked at me, her gaze softening. Then, she glanced at herself and chuckled.

"Look at you too, messy gorilla," she said, her voice husky from sleep.

I giggled some more, feeling warmth in my chest. "You snored like a dinosaur in your sleep," I said, teasing her.

Zoey's face turned bright red when she realized what I was talking about. She looked sheepish, rubbing the back of her neck.

"I'm a light sleeper," she said, laughing. "I don't snore."

I raised an eyebrow, still grinning. "You were making a lot of noise," I said.

Zoey playfully hit me with a pillow, and I ducked, laughing. "I'm surprised you didn't saw through the bedframe with all that snoring," I said, chuckling.

Zoey's face turned even redder, and she threw another pillow at me. "Shut up, Mai! I do not snore that loud!"

I dodged the pillow and laughed. "Oh, I'm just saying, I'm surprised the neighbors didn't call the fire department thinking the house was on fire with all the 'chainsawing' going on."

Zoey groaned and buried her face in her hands. "You're never going to let me live this down, are you?"

I grinned mischievously. "Nope. I'm going to make sure everyone knows about your impressive snoring skills. Maybe we can even put it on a billboard."

Zoey looked up, a glint in her eye. "You're going to pay for this, Mai. Just you wait."

I giggled and held up my hands in mock surrender. "I'm shaking in my boots, Zoey. Bring it on."

The playful banter continued, with neither of us willing to back down. It was just another morning in our little household, filled with laughter and teasing. Just as we were getting into the swing of things, I suddenly stopped and looked at Zoey with a concerned expression.

"Wait, what's today?" I asked, my brow furrowed in confusion.

Zoey shrugged, looking equally clueless. "I don't know... maybe Tuesday? Monday? Wednesday?"

I laughed at her uncertainty. "You're not much help, Zoey."

Zoey grinned. "Hey, I'm just trying to narrow it down."

I glanced at the window, realizing the sun was higher in the sky than I expected. "What's the time?" I asked, feeling a growing sense of panic.

Zoey picked up her phone to check the time. I didn't have mine with me, having left it in my room, at roman's mansion . After a moment, Zoey's expression turned worried. And then I remembered what day it was.

We both exclaimed in unison, "Oh no, we're late for school!"

We jumped into action, rushing around the room to gather our belongings. Zoey grabbed her things, and I quickly got dressed into Zoey's extra uniform they'd given us before.

"Why didn't your alarm go off?" I asked, feeling a bit frantic.

Zoey shook her head. "I don't know. I might have not even set my alarm, but we need to hurry!"

We rushed out of the house, racing against the clock to make it to school on time. The morning teasing was forgotten in the face of our shared panic. We ran down the street, our breath getting shorter and shorter. Suddenly, Zoey stopped and turned to me, a sly grin spreading across her face.

"Hold up, we can just get a cab," she said, her eyes sparkling with a solution.

I nodded enthusiastically, feeling a surge of hope. "Yeah, that's a great idea! Do you have money?"

Zoey looked at me expectantly. "I thought you'd have some."

I chuckled. "Me girl, I walked to your house last night without any cab. I'm broke."

Zoey thought for a moment, then rummaged through her pocket. She pulled out a single dollar bill and held it up triumphantly.

"This is enough for two people to reach almost half way to school," she said, "so we'll just walk—"

Before she could finish her sentence, a sleek black BMW pulled up in front of us, screeching to a halt. The tinted windows made it impossible to see who was inside, but the sudden stop caught our attention. We exchanged a curious glance, wondering what was going on. I was expecting Caleb, my boyfriend, or maybe even a handsome stranger to step out of the car. But instead, a middle-aged man with a kind face emerged from the driver's seat. He was dressed in a crisp uniform and had a professional demeanor.

"Good morning, ladies," he said with a smile. "Ma'am, Mr. Roman had ordered this ride for you to school. I'm your driver for the day."

Heavens had actually watched over me.

I was taken aback by the mention of Mr. Roman, but I quickly composed myself. "Oh, okay. Zoey, let's go," I said, nodding to my friend.

We slid into the back seat, and the driver closed the door behind us. As we drove to school, I noticed my school bag sitting on the seat beside me. I picked it up, feeling a sense of relief that I didn't have to carry it all the way to school. When I opened the bag, I saw that it was stocked with all the supplies I needed for the day. But what caught my attention more was a paper tucked between the books. I pulled it out and saw that it was a letter from Roman.

"Dear Mai," the letter read, "I've arranged for you to have a driver to school today. After school, I'd like you to join me for an outing. We'll have something. Looking forward to seeing you. Best, Roman."

I looked up at Zoey, who was busy scrolling through her phone. "Hey, Zoey, look at this," I said, holding out the letter.

Zoey's eyes widened as she read the note. "What's going on?" she whispered. "Roman."

I looked at Zoey, feeling a mix of anxiety and uncertainty. "What am I going to do, Zoey?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Zoey's expression turned serious as she considered my question. "Maybe you should just go," she said finally. "But if it gets out of hand, call me and I'll be right there ASAP."

I nodded, still feeling uneasy. "But last night... what if he talks about what happened?"

Zoey's eyes locked onto mine, her gaze firm. "Then you make sure it doesn't happen," she said, her voice low and confident. "You're a strong person, Mai. You can handle this. Just go, see what he wants, and we'll deal with it from there."

I took a deep breath, trying to steel myself for what was to come. With Zoey's words of encouragement, I felt a surge of determination. I would face whatever Roman had planned, and I would handle it with confidence. The driver pulled up to the school entrance, and we breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you," I said, smiling at the driver as we stepped out of the car.

As soon as we were clear of the vehicle, I ripped the letter into pieces and threw it away in a nearby trash can. "Out of sight, out of mind," I muttered to Zoey.

We rushed towards the school building, but our late arrival wasn't going unnoticed. The principal's secretary spotted us and quickly ushered us to the principal's office.

"Late again, ladies?" the principal asked, her voice stern but familiar.

We both nodded sheepishly, knowing we were in for it. "Yes, ma'am," we chimed in unison.

The principal sighed and handed us each a detention slip. "You'll serve punishment during lunch and after school. Let's hope you're on time tomorrow."

We nodded, accepting our fate. Serving punishment wasn't the best way to start the day, but at least we had each other's company. As we walked out of the office, Zoey nudged me. "Hey, punishment isn't so bad. We'll make it fun."

I smiled, feeling grateful for my friend's optimism. "You're right. Let's make the most of it."

We trudged to our second class, still feeling the sting of our late arrival. As we took our places in the punishment line, the English teacher, Mrs. Thompson, gave us a stern look.

"Late again, I see," she said, her voice dripping with disappointment. "You'll both serve an extra 30 minutes of detention today. Let's hope that teaches you a lesson."

We nodded, feeling a bit chastised. After serving our punishment, we returned to our seats, a bit subdued. As I approached my seat, I noticed Caleb already sitting there in his spot near mine, a sly grin on his face.

When I saw what he had placed on my chair, my expression softened. A small, delicate white lily lay on the seat, its petals pure and unblemished. I couldn't help but smile, feeling a warmth in my heart. Caleb caught my eye and winked, his eyes crinkling at the corners. I felt a flutter in my chest, and my smile grew wider. The stress of the morning seemed to melt away, replaced by a sense of happiness and connection with Caleb. The scent of the lily wafted up, and I gently picked it up, bringing it to my nose for a sniff. Caleb watched me, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"I saw these at the flower stand outside, and I thought of you," he said, his voice low and gentle.

I smiled, feeling touched by the thoughtful gesture. "It's beautiful, thank you," I said, tucking the lily into my bag to preserve it.

The teacher began the lesson, and I tried to focus on the material, but my mind kept wandering back to the lily and Caleb's sweet gesture. I glanced over at him, and he caught my eye, smiling softly. As the lesson progressed, I felt a sense of calm wash over me, the stress of the morning's events fading away. With Caleb by my side and the lovely lily in my bag, I felt like I could face whatever the day threw our way. My mind kept drifting back to Roman and the mysterious outing he'd planned for after school. I wondered what he wanted from me and whether I should tell Caleb about it. But every time I thought about mentioning it to him, I hesitated. Something about it didn't feel right.

I pushed the thoughts aside and focused on the present moment.

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

Time flew fast and now I was stuck in detention with Zoey, the minutes ticking by slowly. We chatted quietly, trying to make the most of our time.

"Just a few more minutes, and we're out of here," Zoey said, glancing at the clock.

I nodded, feeling relief wash over me. Detention was a drag, but at least I had Zoey to keep me company. I glanced at the clock, counting down the seconds until our freedom. What would Roman say to me when I saw him? I was determined to get more information out of him, but a part of me was nervous about what he might say or do. The detention lady smiled slightly as she dismissed us. "Okay, Mai and Zoey, you can go."

We both stood up, stretching our stiff muscles from sitting for so long. As we walked out of the school gates, I spotted the same sleek black BMW parked by the curb. I nudged Zoey.

"Hey, that's my ride," I said, nodding towards the car.

Zoey raised an eyebrow. "Guess I'll catch a ride home then."

I turned to the driver. "Can you drop Zoey off at her house first, then take me home?"

The driver hesitated for a moment, his expression unreadable. "Okay," he said finally, opening the door for us to get in.

I slid into the back seat, followed by Zoey. As the driver pulled away from the curb, I wondered what Roman had planned for me,again. The uncertainty sent a shiver down my spine. Zoey's hands touched mine, and I felt a surge of surprise. "Relax," she whispered.

I was about to respond, but Zoey's expression changed. "Well, I'm home! Byeeeee!" she exclaimed, quickly gathering her belongings and opening the door.

She slipped out of the car and waved goodbye, disappearing into her house. I was left sitting alone in the back seat, feeling bewildered.

After she was out of view, The driver said, "May we leave, ma'am."

I took a deep breath and replied, "Yeah, sure." We headed towards the mansion, the gates opening smoothly as we approached.

We reached the estate and entered the mansion. When I stepped out of the car, a maid hurried over to me. "Your dress is waiting, ma'am," she said with a curtsy.

"Dress?" I repeated, confusion etched on my face.

"Yes, we have two hours before...the evening," the maid replied, tactfully avoiding the term "date."

I rolled my eyes. "It's not a date," I said firmly.

The maid smiled sweetly. "Oh, well, let's get you in your tub-like-pool then. We'll make sure you're perfectly relaxed and ready." She gestured towards the stairs, inviting me to follow her. I trailed behind her, still trying to piece together what was happening. I followed the maid to a luxurious bathroom, and I asked, "Is it the one from last night?"

The maid smiled. "No, ma'am. You get to use a different one. Like the boss said, we want you pretty."

I nodded slightly. "Oh, right."

The maid opened the door, revealing a room that looked like a spa. There was a tub-like pool in the center, surrounded by candles and soft music. The maid helped me out of my clothes and into a plush robe.

"Let's get you in the tub, ma'am," she said, leading me to the pool.

As I slipped into the warm water, I said, "I'll bathe alone, thank you."

The maid nodded understandingly. "Of course, ma'am. I'll be right outside if you need anything."

I soaked in the tub, feeling the warmth relax my muscles. After a while, I got out and changed into a fresh robe. The maid returned to help me with my hair.

"You have beautiful hair, ma'am. It's so soft and silky." She complimented.

I smiled slightly, feeling a bit more relaxed despite the strange circumstances. The maid's gentle touch was soothing, and I let her work her magic on my hair.

I said, "Thanks," as the maid finished washing and conditioning my hair. We spent the next 90 minutes getting ready, and before I knew it, the maid was leading me to a dressing area.

When I saw the outfit laid out for me, I raised an eyebrow. It was a red, backless V-neck dress that hugged the body. The hem wasn't ridiculously short, but it still showed a decent amount of leg. I couldn't help but think, "Typical Roman obsession over short dresses."

The maid helped me into the dress, expertly adjusting the fit and smoothing out any wrinkles. As she styled my hair and finished the final touches, I noticed that, like always, there was no makeup planned for me. It's not like I even liked makeup. I was either Roman's preference for a natural look, or he just didn't want me to bother with it. Either way, I was fine with it, I didn't even want him or this. The maid gave me a final glance over, nodded in satisfaction, and said, "You look lovely, ma'am."

The maid's voice was soft with concern. "You're also shaking, ma'am. Is anything bothering you?"

I looked at my hands, surprised to find them trembling slightly. "No, why would you say that?" I tried to brush it off.

The maid's expression remained gentle. "You're shaking, and you look stressed."

I hesitated for a moment, thinking to tell her what roman was to me, before responding, "It's just that roman is my step—"

Just then, a man entered the room. "Ma'am, the boss calls for you."

I let out a sigh and followed the man. When I reached the car, I was surprised Roman wasn't waiting for me downstairs. I got in alone, but a small part of me felt a flutter of excitement. When we arrived at the restaurant, Roman was waiting for me at the door. He offered his hand, a charming smile on his face. I ignored it, breezing past him into the restaurant. "Let's just get this over with," I said, my tone neutral.

Roman's eyes locked onto mine as he said, "Still feisty, I see."

I shrugged, my response simple, "Don't care, let's just finish this evening."

The restaurant was fancy but eerily empty. We were led to a table, and the waiter handed us menus.

Roman didn't bother looking at his, saying instead, "I'll have what she's having." I ordered water, and the waiter left.

The silence was oppressive. Then, I felt Roman's shoe tracing lines up my leg. I shifted uncomfortably, and just then, our water arrived. Roman had a steak appear in front of him, along with his water.

I raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you order what I have?"

Roman smiled, for another first time in history. "And I also got this."

He dismissed the waiter, and we were alone again. The silence hung heavy between us, punctuated only by the sound of Roman cutting into his steak. I couldn't help but stare at the steak, the savory aroma wafting up and making my stomach growl audibly. Roman looked up, a knowing glint in his eye. "Isn't your water enough?" he asked, his voice low and smooth.

I felt a surge of embarrassment, but I managed to keep my tone even. "Yes, it's enough, thank you very much."

Roman's smile was polite. "You're welcome."

Just then, another waitress arrived with a bottle of water and a plate of sliced fried chicken. My eyes widened as she placed the water in front of me and the chicken in front of Roman. I felt a pang of frustration, almost snapping at the mistake. Fried chicken was my weakness, and Roman knew it. The waitress smiled and left, oblivious to the tension. Roman picked up a piece of chicken and took a bite, his eyes never leaving mine. The wait staff continued to parade in, each one bearing more dishes. Roman's table setting transformed into a veritable feast, with succulent roasted meats, steaming vegetables, and an assortment of decadent desserts. Meanwhile, I was stuck with... water. Bottle after bottle of it, each one placed in front of me with a cheerful smile from the wait staff.

I felt my annoyance simmering, my eyes fixed on Roman's spread. He was enjoying every bite, savoring each flavor with an air of satisfaction. I, on the other hand, was growing hungrier by the minute, my stomach protesting the lack of real food. Roman glanced over at me, a knowing glint in his eye. "Enjoying your water, Mai?" he asked, his voice dripping with amusement.

I gritted my teeth, trying to keep my response civil. "It's... refreshing," I managed to say, my tone tight with irritation. Roman chuckled, the sound low and husky, and continued eating.

I locked eyes with Roman, my hunger and frustration boiling over. "I can't eat just water," I said, my voice firm. I gave in.

Roman raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement dancing on his lips. "Okay, you can choose whatever you want," he said, his voice low and smooth.

I flagged down the waiter and ordered three plates of chicken: spicy fried, honey glazed, and lemon pepper. Roman's eyes widened slightly, but I didn't care. When the food arrived, I dug in, abandoning all pretenses of etiquette. I tore into the chicken with my hands, grease and sauce dripping down my fingers. I devoured each piece, savoring the flavors and textures.

Roman's gaze was unnerving. He watched me with an intensity that made my skin prickle. His eyes seemed to darken, his pupils dilating slightly. I felt like a starving animal in front of him, and his gaze made me wonder if I was losing control. But I couldn't help myself; the chicken was too good. I ate with reckless abandon, Roman's eyes fixed on me the entire time. I continued eating, savoring the flavors, until Roman's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, his expression unreadable. "I'm leaving," he said, pushing his chair back. "The driver will drop you home, and I've already paid for your dinner."

I paused, a piece of chicken hovering in mid-air. "Where are you going?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant despite my curiosity. "Aren't you going with me? Not like I care."

Roman's smile was cold. "I'm going to meet my mistress," he said, his voice devoid of emotion.

My eyes narrowed, but Roman was already standing, his jacket draped over his arm. He turned and walked away, leaving me alone at the table. I watched him go, my mind racing with thoughts and questions. Who was this mistress? And why did Roman feel the need to rub it in my face?

I pushed the food away, my appetite suddenly gone. The driver would take me home, but I felt like I was stuck in a nightmare. Roman's words lingered in my mind, refusing to be shaken off. I couldn't help but wonder what else he wasn't telling me.

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