JAY JAY POV
The tropical sun was streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the villa, and for a second, everything felt peaceful. Then, I tried to move.
A sharp, dull ache radiated through my hips, and my legs felt like they'd been replaced by overcooked noodles. I let out a low groan, gripping the edge of the mahogany dresser for dear life as I tried to make my way toward the bathroom. Every step was a struggle, my gait shaky and definitely not "straight."
"Stop laughing! This is your fault!" I yelled, throwing a stray silk pillow in the general direction of the bed.
That asshole didn't even try to hide it. Keifer was propped up against the headboard, shirtless and looking infuriatingly well-rested, his chest covered in the faint red marks I'd left last night. He was clutching his stomach, a low, melodic chuckle vibrating through the room.
"I'm not laughing, Jay," he lied, though his eyes were crinkled at the corners and he was wearing the smugest grin I'd ever seen in my life. "I'm just… admiring your new walking style. It's very distinctive."
"Distinctive? I look like a broken penguin!" I snapped, taking another trembling step and nearly losing my balance.
Keifer finally took pity on me—or realized I was about to throw something heavier than a pillow. In one fluid motion, he was out of bed and across the room. He caught me around the waist before my knees could give out, pulling my back flush against his warm chest.
"Careful, Mrs. Watson," he murmured into my ear, his breath hot and sending a fresh wave of shivers down my spine. "If you fall, your brothers will actually have my head on a platter, and I'd like to enjoy at least one more day of being married to you."
"Then you should have thought about that before you decided to 'devour' me for four hours straight," I grumbled, though I leaned back into him, letting him take my weight.
"Worth it," he whispered, his hands sliding down to rest on my aching hips, his thumbs beginning to rub soothing circles into the muscle. He looked at our reflection in the mirror—me looking completely wrecked and him looking like he'd just won the lottery. "You kept telling me to go faster, remember? I'm just a husband who follows instructions."
I turned red, burying my face in my hands. "I hate you."
"No, you don't," he smirked, picking me up effortlessly in a bridal carry. "You love me until the end of the universe. Now, let's get you in the tub before you try to fight me again. I don't think your legs could handle a round two quite yet."
"There is definitely no round two today, Watson," I muttered, winding my arms around his neck anyway.
"We'll see about that," he whispered, kissing my nose. "The day is young, and we're on a private island. I've got plenty of time to make you forget you ever had trouble walking."
The bath had actually been... nice. For once, Keifer hadn't tried to turn it into another "round," though the way his hands had lingered during the massage told me he was definitely tempted. He'd been surprisingly gentle, washing the soap from my skin and working the tension out of my sore muscles until I felt like I could actually function again.
Now, we were sitting on the sun-drenched terrace of the villa, the smell of salt air and blooming tropical flowers mixing with the aroma of fresh coffee and exotic fruits. I looked out at the view—the infinity pool seemed to blend right into the turquoise ocean, and the lush greenery surrounding us made it feel like we were the only two people left on Earth.
"So, what do you want to do today?" Keifer asked, leaning back in his chair. He was wearing nothing but a pair of linen shorts, his hair still damp from the bath and messy in that way that always made my heart skip a beat.
"I don't know," I admitted, stabbing a piece of mango with my fork. "It feels weird not having a schedule. No school, no training, no Jare yelling about something, no Section E drama... I've spent so much time fighting or planning a wedding that I've forgotten how to just be."
Keifer reached across the table, his hand covering mine, his thumb tracing the gold band on my finger.
"Well, you've got two weeks to figure it out," he said, his eyes darkening with that soft, possessive look he only ever gave me. "We could go down to the private beach and see if we can find some sea turtles. Or we could take the boat out and hide in one of the coves. Or..."
He leaned in closer, a familiar, wicked smut glancing off his lips. "We could just stay right here. I'm pretty sure there's a stack of movies in the lounge, and the bed is still exactly where we left it."
I felt the heat rush to my face again. "Watson, my legs literally just started working again five minutes ago. The bed is off-limits for at least four more hours."
"Four hours? That's an eternity," he groaned, but he was grinning. He stood up and pulled me out of my chair, tucking me into his side as we walked toward the edge of the terrace to look out at the water.
"How about a walk on the beach?" he suggested, his voice softening. "Just us"
I leaned my head against his shoulder, watching the waves roll in. "I think I'd like that. It's still hard to believe, you know? That we're actually here. That we're... us."
"Believe it, Jay," he whispered, kissing the top of my head. "Because I'm never letting the world take this away from us."
I looked out at the horizon, feeling a sense of peace I hadn't felt in years.
The sand was white and powdery, collapsing under our feet as we walked along the shoreline. Keifer had his arm draped heavily over my shoulders, and for the first time in a long time, I didn't feel the need to push him off or make a joke. It just felt right.
"You know," I started, looking at the way the turquoise water licked at our ankles. "Looking at how peaceful this is... it reminds me of how my life used to be before everything got so loud. Papa used to spoil me a lot. Actually, everyone did."
Keifer looked down at me, a soft, curious glint in his eyes. He rarely got to hear about the 'little girl' version of me.
"I can totally see that," he teased, nudging me with his shoulder. "You still act like a brat sometimes."
I swatted his chest, but I was smiling. "Hey, shut up. I'm serious. In the Mariano family, I was the only girl and the youngest. Between my brothers and my cousins, I was basically a queen. If I wanted a specific toy or a certain snack at 3 AM, one of them would make it happen. I always got what I wanted because they couldn't say no to me."
My smile faded a little as I thought about how much that protection had shaped me—and how much it had hurt when the world finally did say 'no' to me later on.
"That's probably why I fought you so hard at the beginning," I added softly. "You were the first person who didn't just give in because I was 'the girl.' You challenged me. You made me earn my place."
Keifer stopped walking and turned me to face him, his hands sliding down to rest on my waist. The wind caught his hair, blowing it across his forehead.
"Maybe they spoiled you because they knew how rare you were, Jay," he said, his voice dropping to that serious, velvety tone that always made my heart do a flip. "But I didn't give in back then because I wanted to see what you were made of. And now that I know?"
He leaned down, his forehead resting against mine.
"Now I want to be the one to spoil you. Not because you're a Mariano, and not because you're 'the girl.' But because you're my wife. If you want the end of the universe at 3 AM, I'll figure out a way to get it for you."
I felt a lump form in my throat. I reached up, tracing the line of his jaw. "You've already given me more than I ever asked for, Keifer."
"Not even close," he whispered, kissing my temple. "Since your brothers aren't here to do it, I guess I'll have to take over. What does the Queen of Section E want right now? Name it."
I looked out at the ocean, then back at his ridiculous, handsome face.
"A piggyback ride back to the villa," I said with a mischievous grin. "My legs are still killing me, remember?"
Keifer barked out a laugh, shaking his head. "See? Total brat. Get on, Mrs. Watson."
He turned around and crouched down. I hopped onto his back, wrapping my arms tight around his neck. As he trudged through the sand, carrying me with ease, I realized that being 'spoiled' by him felt different. It didn't feel like being protected from the world; it felt like being loved by someone who was my whole world.
The flight back felt shorter than the one going out. Maybe it was because I spent half of it sleeping, trying to recover from a honeymoon that was... well, let's just say Keifer took the "devouring" part of his vows very seriously.
Between the bed, the balcony, and the pool—especially the pool—I was exhausted. I was just trying to have a peaceful swim, minding my own business, when that asshole swam up behind me. One kiss led to another, and as an "innocent" girl, what was I supposed to do? I fought back the only way I knew how: by kissing him until neither of us could breathe underwater.
Now, we were sitting in the plush seats of the private plane, the island just a tiny speck in the distance. The reality of the world was starting to catch up to us.
"Jay, our college results are back," Keifer said, his eyes glued to his laptop screen.
My heart skipped a beat. I froze, staring at the tray table in front of me. Becoming a lawyer had always been the dream—the goal I worked for even when Section E was falling apart around me. But now that the moment was here, I was terrified to look. What if I hadn't made it?
I squeezed my eyes shut. "Don't tell me. If it's bad news, I want to stay in honeymoon mode for at least another hour."
I felt Keifer's hand slide over mine, his fingers interlacing with my own. I opened one eye and saw him grinning—not his usual cocky smirk, but a proud, genuine smile.
"Guess we aren't getting rid of each other yet, Mrs. Watson," he said, turning the screen toward me. "We both got in. Same university. You're officially a pre-law student."
I stared at the acceptance letter on the screen, my name and his name right there in black and white. Relief washed over me so hard I felt dizzy. I leaned over and hugged him, burying my face in his neck.
"We did it," I whispered.
"We did," he agreed, kissing the side of my head. "But don't get too comfortable. Graduation is coming up fast. One last walk through those gates as students, and then... the real world."
I pulled back, looking at the wedding ring on my finger and then at the man who had fought through everything to put it there.
"The real world doesn't stand a chance against us," I said, finally feeling that old spark of defiance.
Keifer laughed, pulling me into his lap despite the flight attendant's amused glance. "That's my girl. Or should I say, that's my lawyer?"
"I'll sue you if you don't give me a lollipop right now," I teased.
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a cherry-flavored one, and popped it into my mouth with a wink. "Consider yourself retained, Counselor."
As the plane began its descent toward the city, I looked out the window. Graduation was a week away. Section E was waiting. My brothers were probably already at the hangar waiting to interrogate us. But for the first time in my life, I wasn't afraid of what came next.
The end of the universe was still a long way off, but the beginning of our life together was right here. And I wouldn't change a single second of it.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hey guys!! 💙✨
As you can clearly see from how questionable that chapter was 😭✨
I am running out of ideas at this point… like the brain cells are fighting for their lives 😭💙✨
BUT I still want to add a few more chapters before I drop the BIG. BOMBBBB.
(good or bad… who knows… even I don't know at this point 😭🌙✨💙)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++