JAY JAY POV
If there is one thing about Keifer, it's that he keeps his word—well, most of the time, anyway. True to his promise, he called Section E, and within hours, the quiet mansion was transformed into a chaotic reunion.
He also called Jare, Aries, Mia, and Amy, Percy, Honey
The silence was officially over.
"JAY-JAY!" a familiar, high-pitched voice yelled.
I barely had time to brace myself before Ci-n came sprinting across the lawn, throwing his arms around me and hugging me so tight I thought I'd pop.
"Right... got it... now let me go!" I wheezed, patting his back frantically.
Ci-n pouted, sticking out his lower lip, but he finally released me. "I haven't seen you in two weeks! Keifer told us you were 'resting,' but I knew he was just hoarding you!"
"He was," I whispered loudly, glancing back at Keifer, who was standing by the grill with a watchful eye.
Then David walked up, looking a bit more polished than he did in high school, but still carrying that same calm aura.
"So, how are your shots with Sarah?" I asked immediately, skipping the pleasantries.
David's face fell, and he let out a heavy sigh. "She's playing hard to get."
"Asshole," I said bluntly, crossing my arms. "It's your fault from the beginning."
I wasn't going to let him off easy. After their "one night stand" right before my wedding, we all thought they were going to be the next big couple. Then David dropped a total bomb and disappeared to India for his studies, leaving Sarah behind without a clear word. Now that he's back, he's been trying everything to win her back, but Sarah isn't the same soft girl she used to be. She's still mad, and honestly? I'm on her side.
"I know, I know," David muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I messed up. I thought I was doing the right thing for my future, but I didn't realize I was leaving my heart here."
"Cheesy," Felix called out as he walked past, carrying a crate of drinks. "Maybe if you told her that instead of us, you'd actually get a date."
"Where is she, anyway?" I asked, looking toward the entrance.
"She's coming with Honey and Percy," David said nervously, checking his watch. "I even bought her favorite macarons from that shop in the city."
"Good luck with that," I teased. "You're going to need more than cookies to get back in Sarah's good graces."
Just as I said that, the big gates opened again. Percy's loud laughter echoed through the driveway as he pulled in, with Honey looking like she was lecturing him on his driving. In the backseat, I could see Amy and a very grumpy-looking Sarah.
I looked at Keifer, who was currently talking to Jare and Aries by the poolside. They all looked serious for a second—their eyes scanning the perimeter before they relaxed back into 'party mode.'
The BBQ was quickly turning the mansion grounds into a scene straight out of our high school days, just with much more expensive food and better clothes. It felt so good to see everyone, even if our group wasn't quite complete.
Kit and Mayo were currently in the middle of their honeymoon—I know, sweet, right? After all their bickering, they finally made it official. Meanwhile, Denzel and Grace were off on a family vacation with little Gracezel. Looking at the guys already here, I felt a pang of nostalgia. We had all grown up, but some things never changed—like Ci-n trying to steal David's macarons when he wasn't looking.
I scanned the crowd until I saw Sarah stepping out of Percy's car. She looked stunning, her arms crossed as she immediately ignored David's pathetic wave.
"Jay-Jay!" Honey squealed, running over to give me a much gentler hug than Ci-n's. Behind her, Amy followed with a warm smile.
"You guys finally made it!" I laughed, feeling the last bit of my "prisoner" gloom disappear. "I was starting to think Keifer really had put a jammer on my social life."
"He probably tried," Honey joked, glancing back at where Keifer, Aries, and Jare stood in a tight circle. "Look at them. They look like they're planning a coup instead of a barbecue."
I looked over at my husband. He was holding a beer but hadn't taken a sip, his eyes constantly scanning the gate every time it opened.
Mia walked over to us, holding a plate of appetizers, her eyes narrowing as she looked between Honey and Amy.
"Wait, Amy... why were you coming with Honey?" Mia asked, sensing the tea. "I thought Aries was supposed to pick you up."
"Oh, that's..." Amy started, blushing and looking away.
"That was because she fought with Aries and came to my house last night!" Honey said, laughing loudly as Percy wandered off to join the boys at the grill.
"Why?" Mia and I both asked at the same time, our inner PIs instantly activated.
"Because of that asshole!" Amy said, pointing a finger toward Aries, who was currently trying to look busy talking to Keifer. "I found out he had an undercover bodyguard following me everywhere I go! I went to the gym? Bodyguard. I went to get a manicure? Bodyguard. I even went to a bridal shower, and there was a 'waiter' who looked suspiciously like he could snap a neck with his pinky finger!"
Aries felt our glares and looked over, giving Amy a sheepish, awkward smile. He raised his drink in a silent apology, but Amy just huffed and turned her back on him.
"Welcome to the club," I muttered, leaning against the table. "Keifer has turned this house into Fort Knox. I'm pretty sure the gardener is actually an ex-special forces sniper."
"Jare is just as bad," Mia sighed, popping a grape into her mouth. "He told me I can't go to the pier anymore to check on the boats because the 'sea air' is too salty for the baby. We all know he just doesn't want me out in the open where anyone can see me through a telescope."
"Wait, Mia," Honey chimed in, leaning forward with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I heard a rumor about how you tried to escape. Didn't you climb down the window using bedsheets?"
Mia's cheeks turned a bright, deep red instantly. She looked away, suddenly very interested in the fruit bowl. "It wasn't bedsheets! It was a commercial-grade paracord I found in the garage," she muttered, though her embarrassment was obvious.
"Wait, you actually did it?" I asked, laughing. "The window?"
"I was craving street food!" Mia defended herself, waving a hand in the air. "And Jare had literally locked the bedroom door 'for my own good' while he was on a conference call.I don't stay locked in rooms."
"She made it halfway down before the motion sensors went off," Jare's voice boomed as he walked over to us, holding a plate of grilled corn. He wrapped an arm around Mia's waist and kissed her reddening cheek. "I almost had a heart attack when I looked at the security monitor and saw my pregnant wife dangling from the second story like she was in a Mission Impossible movie."
"You shouldn't have locked the door, Jare!" Mia snapped, though she leaned into his touch.
"And you shouldn't be playing Spider-Man in your condition," Jare countered, his tone light but his eyes still reflecting that lingering "overprotective husband" anxiety.
That was the last straw for me. Before he could take another bite of his grilled corn, I reached out and snagged both of his ears, pulling them upward with all the strength of a frustrated twin sister
"OWWW! JAY-JAY! LET GO OF ME! ARGH!" Jare yelled, his knees buckling as he followed the direction of my pull.
"Asshole! You locked Mia in a bedroom?!" I yelled at him, giving his ears another sharp tug for emphasis. "What is wrong with you? She's your wife, not a suspect in an interrogation room!"
"Pull harder, Jay!" Mia encouraged, crossing her arms and watching with a satisfied smirk. "He needs to learn that 'safety' doesn't mean 'solitary confinement'!"
"It was for her own good!" Jare wailed, trying to bat my hands away without actually hurting me. "She was going to go to the pier! There are slippery docks and—OW! JAY, STOP! YOU'RE GONNA STRETCH THEM!"
"Good! Maybe then you'll hear us when we say we need space!" I snapped, finally letting go.
Jare stumbled back, rubbing his bright red ears and looking piteously at Mia, who just raised an eyebrow at him.
"Keifer! Help me!" Jare shouted toward the grill.
Keifer looked over, saw me standing there with my hands on my hips looking like a terror, and immediately turned back to his burgers. "You're on your own, Jare. I'm not getting involved when Jay is in 'Lawyer-Sister' mode. I value my own ears."
"Traitor!" Jare muttered, huffing as he retreated to a safe distance from me.
"Don't think you're safe either, Keifer Watson!" I called out, narrowing my eyes at my husband's back.
Keifer stiffened, his shoulders tensing under his shirt. He slowly turned around, giving me a charming, innocent smile that didn't fool me for a second. "I haven't locked any doors, Jay-Jay. I'm the good guy here, remember? I even got the ice cream."
"You're just more subtle about it," I grumbled, though the sight of Jare pouting and Mia laughing made the tension finally start to break.
"Group hug!" Ci-n shouted, sensing the mood change, and he tried to tackle all of us at once. We all stumbled, laughing and complaining, but for a moment, the heavy atmosphere of the last two weeks was completely replaced by the familiar warmth of Section E.
"Let's play truth or dare!" Eren said, his eyes gleaming with mischief as he dragged a crate into the center of our circle.
Everyone gathered around, sitting on the outdoor lounge cushions or just squatting on the grass, forming a large, messy circle.
"Okay, so the game is simple: you have to drink this mystery potion if you don't want to answer or do the dare," Ci-n said, pulling out a large pitcher filled with a liquid that looked suspiciously purple and bubbly. "Of course, the pregnant ladies are excused from drinking this—we're not monsters! But that doesn't mean you guys have an excuse. You guys have to... take a shot of this extra-sour, extra-spicy calamansi ginger mix instead!"
"That sounds worse than the actual potion," I groaned, looking at the tiny glasses Ci-n was setting out for Mia and me
"It's for your own good, Jay! No secrets allowed!" Ci-n grinned.
The bottle spun in the middle of the circle, clicking against the stone tiles until it slowed down... and pointed directly at David.
A chorus of "Oohs" and catcalls went up.
"Truth or Dare, David?" Eren asked, leaning forward.
David glanced nervously at Sarah, who was pointedly looking at her fingernails. "Truth."
"Coward!" Percy yelled, laughing.
"Shut up, Percy," David muttered. "Okay, Truth."
Eren smirked. "Is it true that the real reason you went to India wasn't just for 'studies,' but because your mom threatened to arrange a marriage for you if you didn't get out of the country after the incident with Sarah?"
The circle went dead silent. David's face went from pale to bright red in three seconds. Sarah finally looked up, her eyes narrowing as she waited for the answer.
David looked at the 'mystery potion,' then at Sarah's cold expression, then back at the pitcher. He reached for a glass, but his hand trembled.
"I..." David started, then sighed, his shoulders sagging. "Truth. My mom was furious about the scandal. She said I was ruining the family name and that if I stayed, she'd pick a bride for me by the end of the month. I went to India to buy time and prove I could survive on my own... I thought if I came back as a success, she couldn't tell me who to love."
He looked directly at Sarah. "I didn't leave because I wanted to leave you, Sarah. I left so I could come back and actually be allowed to keep you."
"Oof," Jare whispered. "That's heavy for a BBQ."
Sarah didn't say anything, but she reached out and took a macaron from the box, taking a slow, thoughtful bite.
"Next!" she said, her voice a bit softer than before.
I spun the bottle next. It whirled around, faster and faster, until it slowed and came to a dead stop, pointing its neck right at Keifer.
The mood shifted instantly. The guys leaned in, and I felt a surge of excitement. This was my chance to get some answers.
"Truth or Dare, Mr. CEO?" I asked, a devious smile playing on my lips.
Keifer looked at me, his eyes dark and calculating. He knew I was looking for a way around his 'warden' rules.
"Dare," he said, his voice a cool challenge.
The group erupted. "DARE! THE KING CHOSE DARE!" Ci-n screamed.
I crossed my arms, thinking fast. "I dare you... to give me your phone, unlocked, and let me read the last message you received from Angelo. Out loud. To everyone."
The laughter died down. Keifer's expression didn't change, but I saw his grip tighten on his glass.
"Jay-Jay," Keifer said, his voice low. "Choose another dare."
"Nope," I said, leaning forward. "A dare is a dare. Either you read it, or you drink the mystery potion—and Ci-n said the potion for the guys has fermented shrimp paste in it."
Keifer looked at the purple sludge, then back at me. To my shock, he didn't even hesitate for a second. He reached out, grabbed the glass filled with the "mystery potion," and downed the whole thing in one go.
His throat worked as he swallowed the thick, foul-smelling liquid. For a heartbeat, he stayed perfectly still, then his entire face contorted. His skin turned a pale shade of green, and he slammed the glass down on the table, coughing violently.
"What the fuck was in there, Ci-n?!" Keifer gasped, his voice sounding like he'd just swallowed sandpaper. He grabbed a bottle of water and chugged half of it immediately.
"A little bit of everything!" Ci-n chirped, looking both terrified and impressed that Keifer actually drank it. "Vinegar, shrimp paste, bitter gourd juice, and just a dash of ghost pepper sauce. I call it 'The Truth-Hater's Regret'!"
"That's... that's a biohazard," Keifer rasped, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He looked at me, his eyes still watering from the spice, but there was a flicker of relief in them. He had protected the secret, even if it meant destroying his taste buds.
"You actually drank that just to avoid reading a text?" I asked, my frustration melting into genuine worry. I moved closer and rubbed his back. "Is it that bad, Keifer? Whatever Angelo sent you?"
He coughed one last time and pulled me into his side, his arm heavy and protective. "It's just business, Jay-Jay. High-level security stuff. Boring company secrets. I'd rather drink Ci-n's poison than bore everyone with stock market logistics."
I didn't believe him for a second. If it were just stocks, he wouldn't have touched that shrimp-paste nightmare
"My turn!" Keifer said, his voice returning to its commanding tone, though it was still a bit shaky. He grabbed the bottle and spun it with a vengeance.
The bottle whirled across the tiles, picking up speed, until it finally slowed down and pointed its neck straight at Aries.
Aries, who had been laughing at Keifer's misery, suddenly stopped.
"Oh, Payback time," Jare laughed, leaning back. "Keifer looks like he wants blood."
"Truth or Dare, Aries?" Keifer asked, his eyes narrowing. "And remember... the potion is still half-full."
Aries looked at Amy, who was still cross-armed and ignoring him, then back at Keifer. He knew Keifer was going to go for the throat to deflect from his own secret.
"Truth," Aries said firmly.
Keifer smirked, despite the lingering burn in his throat. "Is it true that the 'bodyguard' you hired for Amy is actually your cousin's best friend because you didn't trust a professional to not fall in love with her while watching her?"
Amy's head whipped around. "Wait, what? Leo?! Leo is the one following me?"
Aries winced, realizing he'd been backed into a corner. "He's... he's very observant, Amy. And he's married! It was the safest option!"
"You are unbelievable!" Amy cried out, but she was fighting a smile.
As the group erupted into another round of bickering and laughter, I felt Keifer lean down, his forehead resting against mine for a brief second.
"Don't be mad," he whispered so only I could hear. "I'm not trying to keep things from you to be a jerk. I'm doing it so you can keep smiling like you did today."
I looked into his eyes and saw the shadow of the war he was fighting for me. I realized then that if Keifer was willing to drink that literal poison to keep me from worrying, the threat must be even closer than I thought.
"Just don't do anything stupid without telling Jare or Percy," I whispered back, squeezing his hand. "Because if you get hurt, I'm making you drink that potion every day for a month."
Keifer chuckled, a real one this time. "Deal."
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