KEIFER'S POV
MANILA — WATSON MANSION — LATE NIGHT
The TV was off now.
Everyone had left the living room.
Ci-n upstairs.
Rory and Edrix arguing somewhere.
Aries in his room.
Angelo on the phone with Fernandez Corp.
The mansion was quiet.
Too quiet.
Keifer stood alone near the window, the invitation still in his hand.
GLOBAL STAR & BUSINESS HONORS NIGHT
He didn't open it again.
Didn't need to.
He already knew she would be there.
She was always there.
In every headline.
Every stage.
Every song.
Every year.
For eleven years.
He placed the card on the table and leaned both hands on the glass window.
The city lights of Manila stretched endlessly below.
Same city.
Same house.
Same life.
But nothing felt the same anymore.
He let out a slow breath.
"…Eleven years…"
The words sounded strange even to him.
It felt longer.
Way longer.
He closed his eyes.
And the memories came back again.
Classroom.
Rumors.
Her standing there.
Looking at him like he was the only one who might believe her.
And he didn't.
His jaw tightened.
That moment never left him.
Not once.
Not in eleven years.
After she disappeared, everything changed.
The company problems started.
Watson Enterprises almost collapsed.
And then—
inheritance.
Responsibility.
Meetings.
Deals.
Flights.
Contracts.
Numbers.
More numbers.
More work.
More nights without sleep.
He buried himself in it.
Not because he loved work.
Because it was the only way not to think.
Not to remember.
Not to ask himself where she went.
Ci-n once told him,
"You work like you're running from something."
He never answered.
Because he knew exactly what he was running from.
Jay.
Her name alone felt heavy.
He walked to the desk slowly and opened the drawer.
Inside —
old phone.
Very old.
He never threw it away.
He turned it on.
The screen took time to light up.
Old messages.
Old photos.
He scrolled.
Stopped.
One picture.
School festival.
Jay laughing.
Hair messy.
Holding a yogorino.
Not Looking at the camera.
His chest tightened instantly.
He sat down slowly.
"…You were so loud back then."
He smiled faintly.
Then the smile disappeared.
Because the next memory came too.
Her crying.
Her leaving.
Her gone.
He locked the phone and leaned back in the chair.
For eleven years he tried everything.
Finding records.
Calling people.
Checking schools.
Hospitals.
Companies.
Nothing.
Like she vanished from the world.
And then one day—
Kang Jae Rin appeared.
Singer.
Global star.
Different name.
Different life.
Same eyes.
He laughed quietly.
"…You really erased yourself."
He rubbed his face tiredly.
Dark circles under his eyes.
Even now.
Even after all these years.
He never slept properly.
Never rested.
Never stopped working.
Watson Enterprises became bigger.
Richer.
Stronger.
Everyone said he was successful.
Cold.
Perfect CEO.
No weakness.
No emotions.
They didn't know.
Every deal.
Every contract.
Every night in the office.
Was just another way
not to think about her.
He looked at the invitation again.
Award show.
Next week.
Same room.
Same air.
After eleven years.
His fingers tightened slightly.
"…If you hate me…"
Pause.
"…at least say it looking at me."
Silence.
Only the sound of the city outside.
He stood up again.
Walked back to the window.
Eyes dark.
Tired.
Determined.
"This time…"
His voice almost a whisper.
"…I won't stay silent again."
_____________________
HEY LOVELY READERS 💗
I KNOW THIS CHAPTER WAS A BIT SHORT 😭
I'M SORRY PLEASE DON'T BE MAD AT ME
THIS ONE WAS MORE LIKE A TRANSITION CHAPTER,
BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO MOVE FROM THE HOSPITAL ARC
TO THE TOUR / AWARD / JAYFER ARC PROPERLY.
IF I MADE IT TOO LONG IT WOULD JUST FEEL REPEATED,
AND I DIDN'T WANT TO KEEP WRITING THE SAME
SLEEP / PILL / SAD / HOSPITAL SCENES AGAIN.
FROM NEXT CHAPTERS THE STORY WILL GET BIGGER AGAIN.
WE HAVE COMING NEXT:
WORLD TOUR CONTINUES
AWARD SHOW NIGHT
MET GALA
SECTION E VS JAE RIN TENSION
PAST REVEAL PARTS
AND YES…
JAYFER ARC WILL START SLOWLY
DON'T WORRY
I DID NOT FORGET JAYFER
I DID NOT CHANGE THE STORY
WE ARE JUST BUILDING IT PROPERLY SO IT HITS HARDER.
ALSO THANK YOU FOR STILL READING EVEN WHEN SOME CHAPTERS ARE SMALL 😭
PLEASE KEEP COMMENTING
PLEASE GIVE SUGGESTIONS
AND TELL ME WHAT SCENES YOU WANT NEXT
NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE LONGER I PROMISE.
LOVE YOU ALL 💗
— AUTHOR💖