The Governor's Girl

Chapter 1

Manang!" I called out as soon as I entered the small house, hoping to catch the attention of the elderly woman busy sewing rags. She quickly turned towards me with a broad smile, pausing her work. I approached her and gave her a tight hug.

Mamang is not a relative, but ever since I was a child, she and Papang stood in as my parents. Since they were not blessed with children, they were overjoyed when I came into their lives. Mamang once told me that while they were on their way home from church, they found me crying and calling out for "Mommy." Out of pity, they approached me and asked for my name.

FLASHBACK

"Child, are you lost? What's your name? And why do you have so many bruises? Where did you come from?" the woman asked in rapid succession, concern evident in her eyes. Her husband quickly intervened, stopping her barrage of questions directed at the crying child.

"Ma, one question at a time. The child is just a kid." he gently reminded her.

"Mommy... mommy... mommy..." was all the child could say as she cried, looking around her surroundings.

"What's your name, child? Are you lost?" the woman asked again. The child innocently looked at her and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"E-Eullah," the girl responded, bringing a smile to the woman's face, even though she ignored the other questions.

"What a beautiful name you have, just as beautiful as you." The child responded with an innocent smile before crying again. The woman quickly searched her plastic bag for food and handed it to the child to calm her down, which worked.

"Are you lost, Eullah? Would you like to come with us? Tomorrow, we'll look for your mommy again, okay? Don't worry, we'll find her no matter what." The child quickly nodded, making the couple happy.

"By the way, what's your mommy's name?" The child shook her head, which puzzled the couple, but they refrained from asking further, assuming the child remembered little besides her own name.

They took Eullah to their small home, fed her, cleaned her up, and dressed her before putting her to bed.

As the innocent child slept beside them, they couldn't hide their smiles as they watched her. They made plans for the next day. As promised, they went to the local police station the next day to report the lost child, hoping someone would come forward. However, weeks passed, then months, and no one came for Eullah. So, the couple decided to adopt her.

Unable to have children themselves, they were deeply grateful to God for answering their prayers by giving them a child.

They treated Eullah as their own, nurturing, clothing, and educating her from elementary school until now, as she entered college.

"How's Manila, dear? You didn't even tell us you were coming; I would've sent Papang to pick you up, and I would've cooked earlier." A wide smile spread across my face at Mamang's words.

"Mamang, I can handle getting home on my own, and I don't want to bother Papang, especially since I know he's busy. So don't worry about me, okay? Your beautiful daughter is home, safe and sound." I said, showing her my face and laughing, causing her to shake her head.

"Alright, go change, and I'll prepare dinner." I quickly nodded, stood up, grabbed my bags from Manila, and went to my room to change. I only brought a few clothes since I would only stay for a week before returning after the semester break.

After changing, I left my room to help Mamang prepare dinner.

AMBROSS POV

"Gov, we found her." I sighed in relief, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off my chest at Lucas's news from the other line.

"Good. Where is she right now?" I asked.

"She's gone back to the province, staying with the people who adopted her." I nodded as if he were right in front of me.

"Stay there. Keep an eye on her. Don't come back until she does. Is that clear?"

"Copy, Gov." With that, I ended the call and poured myself another glass of wine.

"I told you, baby, you can't escape me. You'll be mine. Soon. By hook or by crook!" I downed the wine in my glass, staring at an innocent picture of Eullah that I had taken myself.

"Five years, Eullah... I've waited five years for you. I think this is the right time to make my move and make you mine." I finished the remaining wine in my glass and slammed it onto the glass table once it was empty.

"Just wait for me, baby." I muttered with a mischievous smile before standing up and heading to the bathroom for a shower, feeling the heat of the alcohol in my body.

After a week-long vacation in the province, I returned to my apartment in Manila because tomorrow I'd be back to my reality as a diligent student.

I shook my head in disbelief as I noticed how dusty my room had become. I was only gone for a week, but it seemed like I had abandoned it for a month.

It took me almost an hour to clean my entire apartment. Exhausted, I collapsed onto my small bed, only to hear a knock at my door. I let out a heavy sigh of annoyance.

"Just when I was about to rest, damn it," I grumbled as I walked towards the door to see who had disturbed my peace.

A bright smile greeted me when I opened the door. It was Nanay Linda, the owner of the apartment I was renting. I quickly changed my expression from a frown to a wide smile, as her smile was contagious.

"Oh, Nanay, what brings you here? Don't tell me you're here to collect the rent? I paid you a month in advance, remember?" I joked, and she playfully hit my shoulder before handing me a bouquet of sunflowers. I looked at her in confusion, pointing to myself.

Nanay Linda nodded, "I found it outside your door. It seems to be for you because your name is written on it. There's no other Eullah renting here besides you." Though puzzled, I accepted the bouquet meant "for me."

Nanay Linda quickly left with a teasing smile but not before she playfully teased me, making me shake my head before entering and closing the door.

I brought the bouquet to my room and read the note attached.

"My Eullah? Did they just claim me? Is that even possible?" I muttered to myself, confused because I didn't know who had sent the flowers.

I smelled the fragrance of the flowers, lifted them into the air, and took a picture. This wasn't the first time someone had sent me flowers, but it was the first time they sent my favorite kind.

"This one has good taste. They know what I like." I said to myself before taking another picture of the flowers with a smile.

The next day, I returned to my usual routine. Classes in the morning, work at 3 p.m. I'm now at the café where I work, and as usual, it's busy with customers coming in.

"Eullah, prioritize table 6, quickly." I nodded to my manager and hurried to the table she mentioned. I pulled out my notepad and pen before asking the male customer for his order.

"Good afternoon, Sir! Can I take your order, please?" I asked cheerfully.

He cleared his throat and adjusted his polo, which puzzled me. He was wearing a white plain polo shirt, paired with black denim shorts that reached his knees, and simple white crocs. I couldn't fully see his face as he was wearing shades, but I could tell he was handsome. His sharp nose and fair skin were enough evidence.

"Miss." I jumped in surprise as he snapped his fingers near my face, bringing me back to reality.

I saw him smile briefly, but his expression turned serious when he noticed me looking.

I bowed and apologized for my distraction. "I'm sorry, Sir, can I get your order again?" Yes, again. He had already given his order, but I hadn't written it down. I wanted to kick myself for stuttering, but I tried to stay calm and smiled at him, hoping he wouldn't notice.

What's wrong with you, Eullah? You know he's handsome, but don't be a fool in front of him. He might think you're star-struck by his good looks. But he is handsome.

"It seems like you're physically present, but mentally absent, Miss-" he glanced at my name tag on my chest to read it, "Eullah." he continued with a playful smile.

I don't know why, but something in his voice and smile made my heart skip a beat when he said my name, causing my knees to weaken. The hell?! What's happening to me?

"I'm really sorry for my distraction, Sir. But I promise it won't happen again, next time." He smiled playfully and said, "Hmm, so there's a next time, huh?" I looked at him in confusion, but quickly nodded, albeit hesitantly.

"Yes, sir. But of course, it will only happen if you visit us again." He just nodded and repeated his order, which I quickly wrote down.

"One Sprinkled Coffee Latte, and One Choco Strawberry Cake. Is there anything else you'd like to add, Sir?" He shook his head, and I nodded before turning to face him again.

"All your orders have been

To Be Continued...

Chapter 2

"Eullah, why are you just standing there? Serve this to the Governor. You know how much he hates being kept waiting!" I swiftly grabbed the order I had handed to Fiona earlier and walked over to Governor Vergara's table. I carefully placed his order on the table and gave him an awkward smile, embarrassed.

"Here's your o-order, Governor. I'm sorry I didn't recognize you right away," I apologized, and he simply nodded, gesturing to the chair across from him as if to say I should sit and join him. Or was I just assuming?

When he noticed I wasn't moving, he waved his hand in front of my face to get my attention. I looked at him, confused.

"Sit down," he gestured again to the chair in front of him.

I pointed to myself in confusion, and he nodded. "Oh, Governor, as much as I'd like to chat with you, I'm really busy. As you can see, more customers are coming in. Maybe next time. My manager might get mad at me," I explained, declining.

"So, you think I'll accept that excuse? I guess your manager didn't inform you that I don't take 'no' for an answer," he emphasized the word "no."

I gulped.

I glanced at my manager, who was coincidentally looking at me. She widened her eyes and signaled for me to agree to whatever the Governor wanted.

Since I didn't want to lose my job, I followed both my manager's and the Governor's wishes. I slowly sat down in the chair the Governor had offered earlier, giving him an awkward smile when our eyes met.

What kind of Governor is this? Is he even really a Governor? And why did he ask me to sit here? Just to watch him eat?

Feeling increasingly uncomfortable under the Governor's gaze, I began to look around the café. I noticed people staring at us, which only added to my embarrassment and discomfort.

I finally breathed a sigh of relief when the Governor finished his meal, which I had waited over an hour for. He eats like a woman, I swear.

"Here's my card. The PIN is 040504." I quickly nodded, about to step away when I realized he had just told me the PIN for his black card.

As far as I know, you're not supposed to share that, right?

"Excuse me, Governor, I thi-" I started, but he cut me off.

"I know, but I also know I can trust you, right?" Still confused, I just nodded and walked away, not wanting to prolong the conversation since I had work waiting for me in the kitchen.

After paying for his order, I returned to the Governor's table to return his black card, but he was already gone.

I quickly ran out of the café, hoping to catch up with the Governor and return his black card, but it was too late. His car was already out of sight.

"Wow! Who in their right mind leaves their black card with someone they don't know and even tells them the PIN? He's lucky I'm not tempted by large sums of money, or Governor Vergara would be in trouble," I muttered to myself, shaking my head as I looked at the black card in my hand.

I went back inside the café and headed straight to my manager's office, intending to leave the black card with her in case the Governor returned. However, I was surprised when she refused to accept it, saying that since he left it with me, I was responsible for returning it.

"So you gave me an extra responsibility with this card, Governor Vergara, huh?" I muttered irritably under my breath.

Frustrated, I went to my locker after leaving the manager's office. I placed the black card in my bag and double-locked my locker to ensure it couldn't be opened. While I trusted my colleagues, it's still better to be safe than sorry-losing this card could cost me more than just my dignity.

AMBROSS POV

I left the café with a sweet smile on my face, whistling as I walked to the parking lot, twirling the keychain with my car key in my hand. I intentionally left my credit card with Eullah so I'd have a reason to come back.

As I got into my car, the smile on my face only grew wider as I recalled Eullah's reaction when I told her the PIN for my credit card.

It's her birthday. April 5, 2004.

When I saw in the side mirror that Eullah was leaving the café, I quickly started the car engine and drove off. She tried to catch up to me, but I deliberately sped away.

"Not now, baby. Not now."

Meanwhile, I quickly searched for Mariz, the café manager's number, and called her.

"Hello, Governor?" Mariz greeted on the other end.

"Mariz, if Ms. Deviente tries to leave my credit card with you, I don't want you to accept it. Are we clear?" She was about to respond, but I cut her off.

"Just don't accept it. You got it?" After she confirmed my request, I ended the call and then called my secretary.

"Luna, how was it? Did you do what I asked?" I immediately asked when she answered.

"Yes, Governor. The bouquet was already delivered to Ms. Eullah Deviente's apartment." I nodded as if she were standing right in front of me.

"Good. By the way, I won't be able to make it there today; I want to rest, so you can go home early as well." My secretary quickly agreed, so I ended the call and focused on driving home to my condo.

When I got home from the café, I expected to find yet another bouquet of sunflowers outside my door. For almost a month now, this has been the routine, and it's always the same person leaving them, though I still haven't figured out who it is. I wanted to find out who was leaving them, but my schedule has been so hectic that I haven't had the time.

As I entered the apartment with the sunflower bouquet and my other belongings, I heard my phone ring. I quickly answered it, wedging it between my shoulder and ear without checking the caller ID.

"Hello? Who is this?" I asked while locking my apartment door.

" My mother's voice, strained from crying, came through the line. I immediately put down my things on the single sofa and checked the caller ID to confirm it was indeed my mother.

"Oh, Mamang, why are you calling? Don't tell me you're trying to-" I couldn't finish my sentence as she interrupted me.

"Eullah, we're at the hospital right now with your father. He suddenly collapsed after dinner. I don't know what happened, but the doctor said there's a tumor growing in your father's brain, and he needs surgery right away. I don't know where I'm going to get the money," my mother said, her voice trembling. I felt my knees go weak as tears started streaming down my face.

"A-are you still there,?" my mother asked, her voice pulling me out of my thoughts. I quickly wiped away my tears and forced a smile, even though she couldn't see it. I gathered my strength to hide the pain I was feeling before responding.

"Don't worry, Mamang. I'll find a way to get the money. Just take care of Papang, okay? Watch over him well. Tomorrow, I'll start looking for the money so we can have the surgery done as soon as possible. How much do we need for the operation?" My mother's voice was briefly absent from the other end.

"The doctor said we should prepare one million pesos for your father's surgery. They said the tumor in his brain is growing larger, so he needs to be operated on immediately, or it might get worse and be fatal," my mother explained, her voice filled with despair. I felt completely drained, my knees trembling, and I couldn't hold back the tears anymore.

Where will I get a million pesos? I haven't even saved up half of that amount in my piggy bank. Why does it have to be us? Why does it have to be my father? He's a good man.

"I'll handle it, Mamang," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady, but I couldn't stop it from trembling. I was too weak to hold it together.

After the call ended, I went to my room and tried to close my eyes to sleep, but I couldn't. I kept worrying about my father, who was in the hospital. I also kept thinking about where I would find the money for his surgery because I knew that even if I worked nonstop for a month, it still wouldn't be enough.

What am I going to do? I can't just let my father die-he and Mamang are all I have. They're the reason I have a family now, and I can't lose either of them. I wouldn't survive it.

To Be Continued...

Chapter 3

The next day, I woke up feeling heavy, but I forced myself to get up and headed straight to the bathroom to take a shower. After finishing, I quickly dressed in my uniform and fixed myself up. I found myself touching the bags under my eyes when I saw my reflection in the mirror-my eyes were still swollen from crying the night before. I skipped breakfast and left my apartment to go to work. I didn't even bother with the flowers I saw outside the door and just walked straight to catch a tricycle to the university.

As I got off the tricycle, I felt like I was floating in the air. I kept walking, even though I kept bumping into people. I wanted to apologize to them, but I couldn't because my mind was still occupied, worrying about the money we needed for my father's surgery.

When I entered the classroom, I heard greetings from my friends Cathia and Alona. I just gave them a small smile and went straight to my seat. I knew they were puzzled by my behavior, but I ignored it because I wasn't in the mood to explain. A few minutes after I sat down, Sir Alonzo arrived, holding test papers in one hand.

I had completely forgotten that we had a long quiz today.

Sir Alonzo handed out the test papers one by one, and we started answering. I was grateful to myself because most of the questions on the test were things I had studied before, so I quickly finished and handed in my paper at the table where Sir Alonzo was seated. I noticed my classmates watching me as I walked back to my seat.

"Wow, already done! Must be nice to have reviewed!" one of my classmates said loudly, making everyone, including Sir Alonzo, laugh as he started checking my paper.

"I didn't even review. How could I have reviewed when I completely forgot we had a quiz today?" I muttered to no one in particular, which made Cathia, who was seated in front of me, grin.

"Oh please, you always say that. You never review, but you're always the first to submit your paper after just fifteen minutes," Cathia teased, making everyone laugh again, except me.

"Exactly!" Alona chimed in, agreeing with Cathia. These two really are something else.

"Everyone, quiet! Focus on your own paper," Sir Alonzo admonished, and the room immediately fell silent, as if nothing had happened. I shook my head, which only made my headache worse.

Damn, I can't afford to be like this. I still need to work later to add to the funds for my father's surgery.

"Pens up! Please pass your test papers!" Sir Alonzo instructed, and my classmates quickly handed in their papers to his desk.

Sir Alonzo stood up while organizing our test papers. "You're all dismissed. And congratulations, Ms. Deviente. As expected, you aced the exam. Keep it up!" I gave him a shy smile and thanked him before he left the classroom. My classmates turned to me with mischievous grins, but I ignored them.

"Eullah, can you tell us your secret or spell that makes you answer all our exams and quizzes so quickly? Because... because..." Nadia began, pretending to have a headache before continuing, "because it seems like you're making it clear that we're not worthy of this course." Everyone nodded in agreement with her statement.

I chuckled. "You're all crazy! I just do advance studying, you know? That's the secret. So, you should all do the same."

"No thanks to advance studying! It's enough for us to hear your name always mentioned by the professors because it feels like you're carrying our names across the campus too," Nathan, one of my most mischievous classmates, interrupted. Everyone agreed with him.

"Cathia, what time is it? Is Sir Aguerre still coming in?" I asked Cathia, who checked her wristwatch and looked back at me.

"It's already 10:00 AM, Eul. Didn't you know? Prof. Aguerre won't be able to attend his class today. He's in the U.S." As soon as Cathia said that, I quickly packed my things and stood up, but I suddenly felt dizzy, so I held onto my head and grabbed the edge of my desk. Cathia and Alona quickly approached me with worried looks on their faces.

"Eullah, are you okay?" they both asked as they gently guided me back to my seat. I closed my eyes and nodded to them.

Cathia clicked her tongue. "Liar. You didn't eat breakfast before coming here, did you?" I didn't answer. "See? I knew it! I knew it!" she exclaimed, lightly hitting Alona's shoulder.

"Here, Eullah, eat this." I turned to see Nathan offering me a sandwich, looking concerned.

Though hesitant, I took the sandwich because Cathia kept pushing me from behind. I smiled at Nathan and thanked him, also taking the water he handed me.

I only drank the water because I had no appetite. When I started feeling a bit better, I stood up and left the classroom. I heard Cathia and Alona calling after me, but I didn't pay attention.

I left the university and immediately flagged down a tricycle to take me to Halluè Café, where I work.

"Good morning, Eullah!" David greeted me cheerfully when I entered the café. I gave him a small smile in response and headed straight to the restroom to change into the uniform like the other crew members.

"Oh, Eullah, are you done with your classes?" My manager asked as I nodded, forcing a smile in front of her. She looked me over from head to toe, and I was surprised when she suddenly grabbed my chin and made me face her as if she was searching for something on my face.

She smirked, "You look pale. Why did you still come to work? Answer me honestly, and don't you dare lie to my face; you know how much I hate liars," she said sternly, and I nodded in response.

"I need the money right now, ma'am. My father is in the hospital, and he needs surgery as soon as possible, so I have to work extra hard. And don't worry about me, I made sure I could handle myself before I came in," I explained, which she acknowledged with a nod.

"What's wrong with your father? And how much money do you need?" she asked.

I looked down and fidgeted with my nails. "He has a brain tumor, and the doctor is asking us to prepare a million pesos, but we don't have that much money, so I don't know where or how to gather such a large amount." I couldn't hold back my tears anymore, and I felt my manager hug me to comfort me.

"Alright, go ahead and start working. But don't do any overtime later; just rest because you need your strength, or you might collapse," my manager instructed. I was about to speak, but she silenced me by putting a finger to my lips.

"I already know what you're going to say. Don't worry, I'll tell the boss to double your pay for today since you're doing so well. You're so good, we even named this café after you. We just flipped it around," she said, but I didn't catch her last words. I wasn't sure if she whispered it on purpose, so I asked.

"What was that?" I asked. She quickly shook her head and waved her hands as if erasing something in the air.

"I said, I'll take care of explaining everything to our boss. And before you go home later, come to my office; I have something to give you to help with your father's surgery," she said. My face immediately brightened at her words. Whether it's a small or large amount, I won't refuse because it's a big help for my father.

After our conversation, I forced myself to attend to the customers who came in. I was in the kitchen, preparing an order when my manager called and approached me.

"Eullah, hand that over to David. Take care of the customer at table 6 first," Ma'am Mariz ordered while I was slicing strawberries for the cake toppings.

"Just a moment, ma'am. I'm almost done here," I replied without looking at her.

"Eullah, do I need to repeat myself?" she asked with emphasis, so I reluctantly stopped what I was doing and followed her out of the kitchen. I immediately headed towards table 6, but as I got closer, I started feeling extremely dizzy, and my vision began to blur.

"Good morning, s-sir! C-can I get you-" I couldn't finish my sentence as my vision went completely dark. Before I lost consciousness, I felt someone's arms catch me to prevent me from falling to the floor.

Good morning, S-sir! C-can I get you-" Eullah didn't finish her sentence as she nearly collapsed. Luckily, I caught her before her body could hit the floor. I felt a surge of anxiety and concern. I touched her face, trying to check if she had a fever, but she didn't.

"Fuck this! Mariz!" I cursed loudly, calling for the manager of the Café I had appointed.

When she approached, I saw the shock etched on her face. Gradually, other customers in the Café began to gather around us, curious about what was happening. I didn't know what to do; no matter how much I tried to wake Eullah, she remained unconscious.

Mariz quickly sat on the floor to check on Eullah. Just like I did earlier, she felt her face and neck.

To Be Continued...