I'm The CEO's Bedwarmer

"She strives to inspire other people to live a meaningful life, one that is beyond self. Ladies and gentlemen, to give the response on behalf of the graduating batch-"

Nicole felt like she was about to pee from excitement as she waited for the university administrator to call her name. The administrator was currently delivering a speech at their graduation ceremony.

This was the day Nicole had been waiting for the most-the day when all her hardships and perseverance to finish her studies would finally pay off.

"Our university's summa cum laude, from the College of Aeronautical Engineering-Natalia Nicolette Lorenzo."

A thunderous round of applause erupted from the professors, her fellow graduates, and even the guests attending the university's graduation ceremony.

Proudly, Nicole stood up from her seat and walked toward the stage, wearing her black graduation gown. She was greeted with a warm smile by one of her favorite professors-one of the people who helped her get to where she was today.

"That's an incredible honor you've received, Miss Lorenzo, but why do you look so sad?"

Professor Dela Fuente greeted her with a smile. Nicole forced a smile in return and, before receiving the medal and diploma she had worked so hard for over the years, she scanned the crowd one last time. Just like before, the seats she had reserved for her family were still empty.

It seemed her family was serious when they told her they had no intention of wasting their time watching her receive the highest honor from their university.

With a heavy heart, Nicole forced another smile and nodded at the kind professor. She could still hear the loud applause from the audience, but Professor Dela Fuente was right-despite achieving such a prestigious honor, she couldn't bring herself to feel completely happy.

No matter how great her achievements were, she still had no family who was willing to support her, no one to proudly say, "We are so proud of you."

"Congratulations, my dear."

The university administrator greeted her with a smile. Nicole returned the smile and shook the administrator's outstretched hand, receiving the gold medal that signified she was the only student among all the university graduates to achieve the highest distinction.

She held back her tears as she slowly reached for the medal. Unlike most of her fellow graduates, who had family members accompany them on stage to place the medal around their necks and hand them their diplomas, she had no one. She only had herself.

And so, she would be the one to receive the medal. She would be the one to put it around her own neck.

Tears welled up in her eyes even more when Professor Dela Fuente stepped forward and took the medal from the administrator. Nicole couldn't hold back her tears anymore. The kind professor smiled at her as if silently reassuring her that she wasn't alone.

Nicole quickly removed the black graduation cap from her head and bowed deeply in gratitude as Professor Dela Fuente placed the gold medal around her neck.

"Th-thank you, ma'am."

Nicole expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the professor, who simply smiled and gently placed the cap back on her head.

"Congratulations, my dear. You still have a speech to give, so wipe those tears."

The professor said teasingly. Nicole responded with a tight hug, which the professor returned warmly.

A few moments later, the professor gently pushed her toward the podium where she would deliver her speech.

Nicole quickly walked to the podium, feeling nervous.

"G-good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Two weeks before the graduation ceremony, one of my professors asked me to write an amazing speech for all of you. I spent many nights thinking about what to say, but honestly, I couldn't come up with anything. To be honest, standing here in front of you feels like standing in the middle of dangerous dinosaurs-it's terrifying."

A wave of laughter rippled through the audience. Nicole forced a smile and took a deep breath before continuing.

"I realized that instead of standing here and talking about random things tonight, why not take this opportunity to express my gratitude?

Gratitude to the dedicated professors who not only sharpened my mind but also the minds of my fellow students.

Gratitude to the parents who are here today, supporting their children-which made me think to say... Mama and Papa, this honor is for you."

Nicole sincerely raised her gold medal and looked up at the sky, where countless stars greeted her. She forced another smile as she wiped away the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

"I also want to thank Montefalco Spinfluence Aircraft Corporation for helping me achieve my dream of graduating. Thank you for your unwavering support of scholars like me.

I am Natalia Nicolette Lorenzo-proud to say, summa cum laude, and finally a graduate of aeronautical engineering. Thank you all once again, and good evening."

As Nicole finished her speech, another round of thunderous applause filled the venue.

She quickly stepped down from the stage and was immediately surrounded by her classmates and friends.

"Congratulations, Nicole! We are all very proud of you!"

Her friend Leah greeted her with a wide smile. Nicole returned the smile and took the initiative to hug her.

"I'm proud of you too, Leah. Thank you so much for everything you've done for me."

Nicole said sincerely.

"What do you mean? What help?"

Leah feigned ignorance, making Nicole playfully roll her eyes, which only made Leah laugh.

Nicole truly owed a lot to Leah. She had been the one she often borrowed money from-for transportation, food, projects, and all sorts of expenses whenever her salary from her fast-food job or tutoring gig was delayed.

"That's nothing. I should be the one thanking you. I admit my brain isn't the sharpest. If it weren't for your help in improving my studies, I don't think I would have made it to graduation."

Leah said with a laugh.

She wasn't wrong. Nicole didn't exactly agree that Leah was "dumb," but she did everything she could to help her. Despite her busy schedule with part-time jobs and side hustles, she always found time to tutor Leah so she could pass their tests, quizzes, and exams.

"By the way, after the ceremony, I wanted to invite you to my house. My dad and my siblings are throwing a party for me."

Nicole paused for a moment to think if she could go. It was still early, barely 8 PM, so her Aunt Norma probably wouldn't scold her for attending a celebration-after all, it was her graduation too.

"Nicole, dear, congratulations! I'm so happy for you."

Nicole's attention was caught when Leah's mother suddenly approached and hugged her tightly. She smiled at the gesture, especially when she felt Leah's reassuring touch on her shoulder.

"Thank you so much, ma'am," she politely responded as Leah's mother let go of her. However, the older woman frowned.

"Ma'am? Oh, you silly girl, I've told you many times to call me 'Tita.'"

She spoke in a mock-hurt tone. Nicole scratched her head awkwardly and forced a smile.

"I'm sorry, T-tita. I'm just not used to it."

"That's okay, don't worry about it. Did Leah tell you about the party later?" she asked with a smile. Feeling shy, Nicole simply nodded.

"Make sure to come with us, okay? By the way, where's your family?" Leah's mother asked while glancing around.

Nicole scratched her head again, unsure how to respond. She wanted to say, 'My family doesn't care about me, so they didn't even bother coming here,' but of course, she couldn't.

"T-they were busy, so they couldn't make it," she lied with a forced smile.

Leah widened her eyes at her, clearly knowing she wasn't telling the truth and was once again covering for the people she still called family. Nicole simply smiled at Leah, hoping to reassure her.

"Oh, alright then. Just make sure you come with us later, okay? You have to be there," Leah's mother reminded her again. Nicole nodded with a smile.

She wasn't sure if it was right to attend the party, knowing that if she did, she would likely face trouble when she got home. But whatever. Hopefully, Aunt Norma and her older sisters would understand that she just wanted to celebrate her graduation, even for a little while.

Nicole's jaw almost dropped when she saw how beautifully decorated Leah's house was. From the outside, colorful lights lit up the entire area, and butterfly ornaments adorned the place, making it look like a scene from a fairy tale. The theme colors were pink and purple.

"Hey, are you sure this is a graduation party? It looks more like a debut," Nicole whispered to Leah as soon as she got out of the car. Leah just laughed and pulled her toward the back entrance.

They went straight to Leah's room, where two gorgeous gowns-one pink and one purple-were waiting. Nicole was stunned when Leah excitedly handed her the purple gown and said,

"Take off your graduation robe and put this on."

"Huh? Why would I wear this? This is your party. I'd look ridiculous if I dressed like you," Nicole asked in confusion. Leah just laughed again.

Leah's family was wealthy. They had been friends since elementary school because, despite their status, Leah's parents enrolled her in a public school. They met when Leah was bullied by their classmates after getting a zero on an exam back in third grade.

"Mom and my sister wanted you to be part of the celebration, and of course, I do too. You're like a sister to me, and we're very grateful for all your help since we were kids. So stop complaining and just put this on so we can start the party!" Leah said playfully as she helped Nicole take off her toga.

"Doesn't your neck hurt from all these heavy medals hanging around it?" Leah asked curiously as she carefully took off Nicole's medals and placed them in an expensive-looking bag.

"No, haha!" Nicole laughed.

Leah excitedly helped her change, and despite feeling a little reluctant to participate, Nicole eventually smiled and nodded. Even though their gowns and the party decorations made them look like little girls rather than college graduates, she couldn't help but feel excited.

"Cheer up, Nicole. Everyone knows this party is for you and Leah. Enjoy yourself, dear," Leah's father greeted her warmly as they descended the grand staircase. Nicole shyly smiled and glanced around.

Her jaw dropped again when she saw that Leah wasn't joking. Written on the stage in stunning calligraphy were the words:

"HAPPY GRADUATION, LEAH AND NICOLE!"

Nicole woke up gasping for breath, startled from her deep sleep. Not only was she utterly shocked, but she also felt like she was drowning-no wonder, as a whole bucket of water had just been poured directly onto her face. And it wasn't just any water-it was ice-cold.

She bolted upright, shivering, not only because of the freezing temperature but also due to the sharp pain from the hard objects that had hit her face. No wonder-it was large ice cubes.

"Well, well, isn't life so good for you, our dear princess?"

The loud voice came from her cousin, Luciferia. Judging by the look on her face, Nicole knew she was the one who had thrown the cold water. Not only was her mean cousin standing right in front of her, but she was also holding a blue plastic dipper.

"I-I'm sorry, Ate Lucy. I woke up late. I was up all night because of our graduation party," Nicole apologized, quickly getting up to fix her soaked pillow and blanket.

Her cousin's real name was Lucy, but Nicole had taken to calling her Luciferia because of her terrible attitude-she might as well be Satan's sister.

Luciferia was four years older than her and the youngest daughter of Aunt Norma, who took Nicole in when she was eight years old after her parents died in an accident. Aunt Norma had told her back then that she had no other close relatives left to take her in, and since she was her mother's cousin, she had no choice but to take responsibility.

"Graduation party 'ours'? Ha! You really are delusional, poor girl. Don't think that just because you wore a fancy gown last night, you suddenly have the right to be lazy. Listen here-you may have graduated from that expensive university, but you're still our servant in this house. Don't forget that!"

Luciferia's voice remained harsh, making Nicole bow her head before speaking.

"I-I know that, Ate. I'm really sorry. It won't happen again."

Nicole apologized even though she didn't quite understand why she needed to.

"What's going on here? Why are you two yelling so early in the morning?"

A moment later, another one of her cousins, Luciferia's older sister, Lizabelle, entered the room.

If Luciferia was the youngest, Lizabelle was the second and middle child. Just like her sister, she was equally mean. It was a good thing their eldest sibling wasn't home yet-if all three of them ganged up on her, Nicole's life would truly be a living hell.

Nicole sighed and chose to ignore the two, knowing they wouldn't let the day pass without making her their morning entertainment. Instead, she hurriedly cleaned up her sleeping area.

She glanced at the old wall clock hanging near the cracked mirror and saw that it was almost seven in the morning.

No wonder Luciferia was fuming again-Nicole was indeed late. She was supposed to be up by four in the morning, and by now, she should have already finished ironing clothes, cleaning the bathrooms, and most importantly, cooking breakfast for her demon-like cousins.

Despite being old enough to do those chores themselves, they still dumped everything on her.

Nicole couldn't help but wonder-if she weren't around, would they even know how to feed themselves?

"Well, well, our little princess is finally awake. I saw your rich friend's social media post last night-you looked like you were having fun."

Lizabelle's voice dripped with mockery. She tugged harshly at a few strands of Nicole's hair, making her bow her head slightly.

"You think wearing a fancy gown and graduating changes anything? You're still poor. You're still our servant. And most importantly, you're still an orphan."

Nicole winced at her words but kept her composure.

"Ate, I never thought graduating meant forgetting any of that. Leah and her friends just invited me last night. I didn't even insist on wearing the same kind of gown as them. I was just about to start mov-"

"Just admit it-you're an ambitious social climber. You keep hanging out with rich people because you want to feel like you belong."

Lizabelle cut her off, raising a hand as if to slap her. Nicole instinctively flinched, expecting the blow.

This was how her family always saw her friendship with Leah. They had always believed she was trying to climb her way into wealth, which wasn't true. Nicole didn't understand why they thought that way-their minds were too narrow.

"What are you standing there for? We're hungry! Get moving!"

Nicole flinched in surprise when Luciferia suddenly yelled again. The sheer volume of her voice made Nicole cover her ears with both hands.

"I-I'm going now.. You don't have to yell..."

Since talking was second nature to her, Nicole couldn't help but answer back to her cousin. She immediately wanted to slap herself for it. Her lack of a filter often got her into trouble-not just with her cousins but especially with Aunt Norma.

"Well, look at you! Talking back now, huh?"

Luciferia sneered, raising the dipper she had just used to pour freezing water on Nicole's face, ready to strike her with it.

Nicole's hands instinctively flew up to shield herself. The dipper might be small, but she knew it would hurt if it hit her head. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the impact-only to be stopped by the voice of the last person she wanted to see.

Aunt Norma.

"What's going on here now?"

Her aunt's loud voice echoed throughout the room. Nicole swallowed hard. Of course, Aunt Norma was glaring at her and only at her. As always, even though she had done nothing wrong-even though it was her cousins who had barged in and started this mess-she would still be the one blamed in the end.

"This adopted brat of yours, Ma! Just because she graduated from college, she thinks she's better than us!" Lizabelle complained, sounding like a child tattling to her mother.

"Psh, no wonder she never learns," Nicole muttered to herself.

She wanted to say it out loud but held back. She would only get in more trouble if she did. But it was infuriating. She had been quietly minding her own business, and yet, her cousins had chosen to start a fight. And now, as always, their mean-spirited mother would side with them.

Instead of speaking, Nicole let out a deep sigh. What else was new? It was always like this. The only peace she ever got was when her cousins were away at their factory jobs in Cavite.

"Lucy, Liza, go back to the house. I need to talk to Nicole."

Aunt Norma's voice was cold and serious.

Her two cousins shot her one last glare before begrudgingly leaving.

Once they were gone, Nicole was left alone with her aunt, who remained standing in front of her, staring her down.

Nicole gulped as Aunt Norma slowly took a step toward her.

"Where is your college diploma, Nicole?"

Her aunt's voice was sharp, her gaze even sharper-like she was watching a criminal.

"I-I left it with Leah, Auntie. I was afraid it might get wet or damaged here..." Nicole stammered.

It was the truth. She didn't trust keeping her diploma here. Knowing her cousins' cruelty, they might even destroy it on purpose.

"I told you from the beginning not to go to college. I knew you'd become too arrogant, especially knowing that none of my children even stepped foot in a university."

Her aunt's sharp glare didn't waver. Nicole furrowed her brows slightly, trying to process her words.

It was true that when she finished high school, Aunt Norma had laughed in her face when she said she wanted to find a way to go to college. She had been willing to take any course, willing to work hard to support herself.

Nicole had lost count of how many times she had been hurt while begging for her aunt's permission to study. Eventually, she had started to believe that maybe her aunt was right-that maybe dreaming big was just an illusion, something beyond her reach.

That's why, when she received a letter from a prestigious company offering her a scholarship under a study-now-pay-later program at their university, she had been overjoyed.

She had gotten into a good school. She had studied aeronautical engineering-her dream course.

No matter how hard it was, she had endured it all just to finish her studies.

She only wished she could make the family that raised her understand that everything she went through was also for them.

That one day, she would help them, too.

Nicole lowered her head, feeling defeated. She had no energy left to defend herself.

"So, what were you again? Summa cum laude?" her aunt scoffed. "I suppose that just makes you even more full of yourself now."

Nicole merely shook her head.

"Remember this, girl. You owe us for taking you in. Whether you graduated or not, whether you're a summa cum laude or not, you will never leave this house. You will serve us for the rest of your life. You will repay me for every single thing I did for you. Do you understand?"

Her aunt's voice was filled with anger.

Nicole held back tears and nodded.

Only when Aunt Norma finally turned and walked out of the room did Nicole feel like she could breathe again.

"I'm Late!"

Nicole shouted loudly as she sleepily glanced at the clock and saw that it was only a few minutes before seven o'clock. She quickly got up from her sleeping mat, hastily folded the blanket she had used, and carefully placed it inside a wooden cabinet along with a single thin pillow. She also rolled up the tattered sleeping mat, which she estimated she had been using for about seven years, and neatly tucked it under the broken bamboo sofa.

After tidying up her sleeping area, she grabbed a change of clothes from a small cardboard box she had asked for from a nearby store. She also took the towel that was neatly hung up and quickly ran towards her Aunt Norma's house to take a bath.

As expected, a flying washbasin was the first thing that greeted her as soon as she stepped inside the house.

Luckily, just like yesterday, she was quick enough to dodge it today. Instead of hitting her beautiful face, she caught the basin mid-air.

With how skilled she had become at catching flying objects, she might as well join a football or rugby team.

After all, every single day of her life, her aunt would always greet her with flying objects. If it wasn't a basin, it would be a dipper. If not that, then a bucket-sometimes even a mug or a breakable glass.

Nicole had long learned to shrug off her Aunt Norma's actions, convincing herself that maybe this was just her aunt's way of saying "Good morning."

She entered through the back door, where the kitchen was located. It was the closest way to her aunt's house from the storage shed she lived in.

Yes, a storage shed. She had been thrown out of the main house by her Aunt Norma at the request of her spoiled cousins, who wanted her out of sight. They claimed she was an eyesore.

Well, she figured they were probably just annoyed because she was undeniably more beautiful than them.

To be honest, it was actually better that she was in the storage shed. At least she had some peace and quiet compared to when she lived inside their fancy bungalow, surrounded by her cruel cousins. Back then, even in the middle of the night, they would wake her up just to fetch them a glass of water.

Moving to the shed was tough at first. There was no electricity, and it was filled with rats and mosquitoes, probably due to the darkness and the clutter. But after a few months, she got used to it. She cleaned up the place, reduced the number of pests, and got rid of the awful smell.

Now, at least, she could sleep peacefully without anyone disturbing her.

"Good morning, Auntie!" Nicole greeted her aunt with a big smile.

Instead of returning the greeting, her aunt simply shot her a nasty glare.

"There you are. Go find a job so you can finally be useful around here! You've been freeloading for years!" Aunt Norma shouted at her.

Nicole forced a smile and simply nodded.

Her Aunt Norma wasn't that old-probably in her fifties-but she was incredibly grumpy. Not a single day passed without her shouting.

Then again, like the flying objects, Nicole had grown used to the insults and harsh words. Even when she did nothing wrong, she was constantly bombarded with curses.

She tried to understand her aunt. Maybe she was just bitter because she had been single for a long time. Maybe she just needed some love.

Nicole knew she was only fooling herself with that reasoning. The truth was, her aunt had always been this way towards her-even when she was a child.

At least, this time, her aunt didn't scold her about the fight she had with her cousins, Luciferia and Lizabelle. Instead, her aunt just pushed her to find a job, saying she needed to be useful now that she had graduated.

Nicole had been tirelessly searching for a job for days. Even though she was a summa cum laude from a prestigious university, work was hard to find. She applied everywhere, even at a gas station as a pump operator.

But today was different. She received a call from the company that had sponsored her scholarship. They wanted her to come in for a job interview!

Nicole felt like this was the opportunity she had been waiting for. She almost jumped for joy when she got the call.

Her interview was scheduled for eight o'clock, and now she was sitting in a coffee shop near the company, anxiously waiting for her coffee order. She kept glancing at the time, worried about being late and missing this life-changing opportunity.

She could have skipped coffee and gone straight to the company, but she hadn't eaten since last night. She had run out of food, and her aunt had been in one of her terrible moods, so she didn't get to eat breakfast either.

Besides, she didn't want her breath to smell bad during the interview.

A smile spread across Nicole's face when she finally heard her name being called at the counter. She eagerly stood up and was just a few steps away from her order when a tall man in a business suit blocked her path.

Her eyes widened in shock as the man casually took her coffee.

"Miss, I'll take this. I'm in a hurry," he said.

The man coolly repeated himself.

"Oh no, look at the name written on the cup-Nicole. I'm sure your name isn't Nicole. That's mine!"

Nicole insisted, clearly annoyed. But the man just raised an eyebrow at her, staring at her seriously.

"You are keeping me late with this nonsense," he said, irritation evident in his voice.

He slightly bent down, reached into the pocket of his black slacks, and pulled out some cash.

"Here's 3,000 pesos. Get as many coffees as you like. I don't care, I have to go," he said, shoving the money toward her.

Nicole's temper flared even more at his arrogance.

"You're so rude! Just because you're more handsome than Piolo Pascual, taller and more muscular than John Cena, and smell better than Mama Mary doesn't mean you have the right to be a jerk!"

Her cheeks flushed with anger as she grabbed the bills and threw them back at him.

The man looked utterly confused, furrowing his brows as he stared at her. Then, his gaze dropped to the money scattered on the coffee shop floor.

"What I'm saying is, you have an ugly attitude! Just because you're rich doesn't mean other people's time is worthless. If you're in a hurry, so am I! And I need my coffee because I've been starving since last night. I have an interview at eight o'clock in that company over there, so give me my coffee and keep your money!"

Nicole pointed toward the building she was headed to, still fuming. But instead of looking guilty, the man just smirked.

"Don't worry, Miss Loudmouth-you won't get hired," he said seriously before turning on his heel and rushing out of the coffee shop.

"What a rude man! I hope you trip, you jerk!" Nicole stomped her foot in frustration.

She was about to leave when her eyes landed on the three thousand pesos still lying on the marble floor.

She hesitated for a moment before bending down to pick up the bills. It would be a waste if someone else took them.

Nicole quickly folded the money and stuffed it into her pocket.

But even as she walked out of the coffee shop, she couldn't shake off her irritation at that arrogant man who stole her coffee. And what did he say? That she wouldn't get hired? The audacity!

With a deep sigh, she decided to focus on her interview instead of her hunger. That was more important right now.