Authors POV
The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room as Jay slowly blinked her eyes open. For a moment, the world was soft and indistinct until she felt a heavy, familiar weight draped over her waist.
She looked down to find Keifer's arms wrapped around her, pulling her flush against him. Memory flooded back—yesterday's chaos, the shared exhaustion, and the quiet moment they had found in each other's company.
She tried to wiggle out of his grasp, nudging his shoulder. "Keifer, wake up. It's morning," she whispered, her voice still raspy from sleep.
Instead of releasing her, Keifer tightened his hold, pulling her so close she could feel the steady thrum of his heartbeat against her spine. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his nose grazing her skin. "Five more minutes, wifey," he mumbled, his voice a low, gravelly rumble that sent an involuntary shiver down her spine.
Jay stiffened, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "Gago! Wifey in your dreams," she retorted, giving him a sharper shove.
Keifer didn't budge. In fact, he nuzzled deeper, a sleepy, satisfied hum vibrating against her skin. "In my dreams," he murmured, his breath warm against her ear, "you are the mother of Caretaker and Watcher."
Jay froze, her eyes widening in genuine confusion. "Who? Who are those?"
"Our kids," he replied simply, looking far too proud of himself.
"Who names their kids that?!" Jay asked in utter disbelief, her brain trying to process the sheer absurdity of the names."Caretaker? Watcher? Are they children or security guards?"
Keifer's lips curled into a slow, devastating smirk. "So... you are ready to make kids with me then?"
Jay felt her face heat up to a nuclear level. She grabbed the nearest pillow and shoved it into his chest. "Go make kids with your pillow and name them whatever you want, I don't care!" she huffed, scrambling out of bed before he could grab her again.
She scrambled out of the bed, her heart hammering against her ribs, and bolted toward the washroom. Behind her, she could hear Keifer's low, melodic laughter echoing through the room—a sound that was far too charming for someone who had just suggested naming children "Watcher."
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Jay's POV
After I showered and changed into something presentable, I took a few deep breaths to settle my racing heart. I headed downstairs, greeting the rest of the group. .
The atmosphere was a mix of morning grogginess and the underlying hum of anticipation. We were finally heading back.
The flight to the Philippines felt shorter than usual, perhaps because my mind was preoccupied. When we landed, the humidity hit me like a familiar embrace. We headed straight to the Fernandes house.
As we walked through the front doors, my heart sank. Ion was already there, standing in the foyer. The sight of her brought back everything Keifer had told me—the cold calculations of his family, and how Ion and him had been forced into an engagement just to satisfy a business arrangement, Ion helplessness.
Seeing Ate Ion now, knowing she was just another pawn in their game, made me feel a strange mix of pity and frustration.
I gave her a stiff, polite nod—enough to be respectful, but not enough to invite conversation—and hurried up to my room
Keifer's POV
I sat in the living room, the leather of the sofa cool against my skin. The tension in the room was palpable, though we tried to mask it with idle chatter. Tita Gemma moved gracefully through the space, serving us food with a kindness that felt alien compared to the household I grew up in.
I watched Ion out of the corner of my eye. She looked uncomfortable, out of place. I didn't feel pity for her, but I felt a weary sort of recognition. We were both products of a broken system, though we had chosen very different paths to survive it.
Suddenly, the peaceful atmosphere was shattered by a roar from upstairs.
"JASPER JEAN MARIANO! KEEP THAT DOWN!"
It was Angelo. His voice was laced with that specific brand of brotherly frustration that usually meant Jay had done something world-endingly annoying.
A second later, Jay came sprinting down the stairs. She was clutching a high-end suit in her arms, her eyes wide and panicked. Angelo was right behind her, his face thunderous.
"Angelo! Why did you send me with that idiot?!" Jay screamed as she rounded the kitchen island. "Are you still my Kuya? You were the one who told me to stay away from him!"
"Give it back, Jay!" Angelo yelled, his long strides eating up the distance.
Jay dived behind a chair, using it as a shield. "No! You betrayed me first!"
The chase intensified. Jay was fast, darting between the furniture with the agility of a cat. Angelo was relentless, his focus entirely locked on his sister. In his haste to catch her, he didn't see Ion standing near the hallway.
CRASH.
Angelo slammed straight into Ion. The impact was solid, sending Ion stumbling back several steps.
The room fell into a deafening silence. Every eye was on them.
Ion regained her balance, her expression a mix of shock and hurt. She opened his mouth, perhaps to apologize or to finally say something to the man who used to be her love. But Angelo didn't give her the chance.
Angelo didn't even acknowledge Ion's existence. He looked through her as if she were a pane of glass, his gaze immediately snapping back to Jay.
He stepped around Ion with a cold, calculated indifference that was more cutting than a physical blow.
He reached out, his fingers inches away from grabbing Jay's ear. "Now, you little—"
"JAY-JAY!"
The front door swung open, and Percy practically flew into the room. He didn't even look at the chaos; he just lunged forward and scooped Jay into a massive, suffocating hug.
Jay's POV
Finally. I hugged Percy back, burying my face in his shoulder. Usually, I'd find his over-the-top energy exhausting, but right now, he was my guardian angel.
My ugly brother is actually useful for once, I thought with a grin..
Percy let me go and immediately pivoted toward the rest of the room. "Aries! Aries baby! I missed you!" He lunged toward Aries, his arms wide.
Aries took a sharp step back, his face contorting in disgust. "Eww, Percy. Stay away from me. You're sweating."
Percy didn't miss a beat. He spun around and spotted Keifer sitting on the sofa. Before Keifer could even stand up, Percy leaned down and planted a loud, wet kiss right on Keifer's cheek.
Keifer froze. A look of pure, unadulterated horror crossed his face. He slowly stood up, sliding behind me and using my shoulders as a barricade. "Control your brother," he muttered, his voice trembling with a mix of shock and betrayal. "He's a menace."
Angelo crossed his arms, looking at Percy with a raised eyebrow. "Percy, why are you even here? Don't you have work?"
Percy beamed, looking incredibly proud of himself. He reached into his bag and pulled out a stack of old VHS tapes and a sleek external hard drive.
"I'm here to spend quality time with my favorite sister and her 'friends'," Percy said, his eyes glinting with a truly evil light. "And look what I found in the attic! I brought all of childhood recordings. The tantrums, the bath times, the time we were together—I've got it all. We can watch them together tonight!"
A/n
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