Author POV
The air in the Fernandez estate was thick with a tension that usually preceded a declaration of war, not a family announcement.
The entire inner circle was gathered—a lethal collection of egos, power, and protective instincts. Angelo sat at the head of the room, his face a mask of cold, unyielding authority, while Aries paced like a caged tiger, his boots clicking rhythmically against the hardwood. Percy, leaned against the doorframe, his eyes narrowed as he watched the entrance with a calculating, sharp gaze.
When the heavy oak doors finally groaned open, Keifer and Jay stepped in together. The change in their energy was palpable. They weren't just standing near each other; they were tethered by an invisible, unbreakable thread of shared secrets and newfound peace.
"Why did you call all of us here?" Angelo's voice rumbled, deep and heavy, cutting through the low murmur of Section E. "It's late, Jay. And I don't recall inviting a Watson into the house tonight."
Jay didn't flinch. She stepped forward, leaving the safety of Keifer's side to stand in the center of the room. Her heart hammered against her ribs, not with fear, but with the weight of her own happiness. With a slow, deliberate movement, she raised her left hand.
The diamond caught the light of the chandelier, fracturing it into a thousand tiny sparks that danced across the stunned faces of her brothers.
"I'm engaged, Kuya," she said, her voice ringing with a terrifying, beautiful clarity.
The silence that followed was absolute—a vacuum that sucked the breath out of the room. Then, like a sudden thunderclap, it broke.
"WHAT?!" Angelo, Aries, and Percy roared in unison, their voices merging into a single shockwave of disbelief.
The rest of the room was a blur of chaos. Section E looked between the two, their mouths hanging open in comical shock. Mam Cindy clutched her chest, her eyes glistening with maternal pride, while Leo and Alvin exchanged glances of pure bewilderment.
"To whom?" Rakki asked, her brow furrowed as if she were trying to solve a complex equation that didn't add up.
Cin rolled his eyes, his voice dripping with "I-told-you-so" energy. "Of course to Keifer, . Look at them. They're literally glowing."
"Wait," Edrix interjected, his eyes widening as he pointed toward Keifer's hand. "Look... he's wearing a ring too."
That was the final straw. Aries moved like a blur, lunging across the rug to grab Keifer by the collar of his rumpled white shirt. "You asshole!" Aries spat, his face inches from Keifer's, his eyes burning with the raw, protective fury of a brother who felt bypassed. "How dare you propose to my sister without informing us? You think you can just take her without asking for our blessing? Without showing us respect?"
Keifer didn't fight back. He didn't even raise his hands. Instead, a slow, devastatingly smug smirk spread across his face—a look of pure, unadulterated triumph.
"Actually," Keifer purred, his voice dropping into that low, dangerous rumble that made the Section E boys shiver, "it was your sister who proposed to me, brother-in-law."
Aries froze. His grip on Keifer's shirt slackened as his brain struggled to process the words. Behind him, the room went dead silent again, the air turning heavy with collective shock.
"WHAT?!" The second scream was even louder than the first.
Everyone turned their gaze toward Jay. She stood her ground, her arms crossed over her white bodycon dress, looking every bit the Queen who had just claimed her prize.
"What?" she challenged, her eyes flashing with a mix of defiance and amusement. "Can't I propose to him? I wanted him, so I took the lead. I'm not the type to wait around for things to happen."
Rory rubbed the back of his neck, looking genuinely dizzy. "I mean, you can... it's just... it's Jay. We expected a mission report or a declaration of war, not a marriage proposal."
Yuri, never one to let a serious moment pass without a jab, leaned forward with a mischievous glint. "But Jay, why the sudden rush? Don't tell me Grazel is about to get a playmate already?"
"Shut up, Roaster!" Jay snapped, though a rare, faint blush crept up her neck, softening her sharp features. "Nothing like that. I did it because I wanted to. He loves me, and I love him too. So isn't it appropriate? We've spent years fighting everyone else; I'm done fighting the person who makes me feel alive."
The raw honesty in her voice hit the room like a physical force. The girls—Cin, Mia, and the others—rushed forward, their squeals of excitement finally breaking the masculine tension. Section E, always the loudest and most loyal, began a rhythmic stomp on the hardwood floor that shook the very foundations of the house.
"JAYFER! JAYFER! JAYFER!" they chanted, their faces lit up with pure joy for their leader.
Amidst the chaos, Keiren pushed through the crowd. The young Watson looked up at Jay with wide, hopeful eyes, his small hand reaching out to clutch hers. "Finally, Ate... you'll be with us forever now? You're really going to be my sister for real?"
Jay's expression melted, the "Bloody Crimson" mask crumbling to reveal the woman underneath. She leaned down and pressed a tender, lingering kiss to Keiren's forehead. "Of course, baby. Forever. No more running."
Mia, however, wasn't letting Keifer off that easily. She stomped over to him, looking up at the towering man with an annoyed, teary-eyed pout. "Why did you do that, Ate? Now this grumpy, scary man is officially my brother-in-law. My life is ruined! He's going to be around all the time!"
Keifer chuckled, reaching out to ruffle Mia's hair. "My dear sister-in-law, do you still forget I'm standing right here? I can hear your complaints."
"I know!" Mia huffed, crossing her arms. "That's the point! I want you to know I'm watching you!"
The laughter died down as Angelo finally approached. The weight of his footsteps made the Section E boys step back, clearing a path. He stopped in front of Keifer, his gaze searching the other man's soul with a piercing intensity. Keifer stood tall, meeting the gaze of the Fernandez patriarch with a quiet, respectful strength.
"I won't object to this," Angelo said, his voice thick with a brother's reluctant, bittersweet acceptance. "It is clear you both love each other in a way that defies logic. But..." He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that felt like a cold blade against the skin. "If she sheds a single tear because of you, Keifer Watson... I don't care about peace treaties, families, or the Watson Empire. I will dismantle everything you've ever built."
Aries stepped up beside Angelo, his knuckles white and trembling with restrained energy. "Be ready for your trip to a coffin. I'll build it myself, and it won't be comfortable."
Keifer nodded, his face turning deadly serious, his eyes reflecting the gravity of the promise. "Duly noted. If I ever cause her pain, I'll hand you the shovel myself. You won't have to look for me."
Percy, , finally walked over. He looked at the two of them—the scarred warrior and the Queen—and let out a short, dramatic laugh. "Finally, Jayfer is true. The world is going to tremble at this union."
He then paused, smoothing back his hair and looking at Jay with a wink. "But honestly, Jay, you chose him over me? Look at this face. I'm clearly the more handsome option in the family. You really settled for a Watson?"
Jay rolled her eyes, a genuine smile tugging at her lips. "In your dreams, Percy. Your ego is the only thing bigger than Keifer's temper."
Percy waved a hand dismissively, finally cracking a grin. He turned to Keifer and jabbed a finger into his chest. "Listen, Watson. Since I'm the only one here with enough style to appreciate how hard it was for Jay to actually find someone who can handle her attitude... I'll give you my blessing. But don't think for a second you're the best-looking guy in her life now. You're a solid second place. I keep the trophy."
Keifer let out a dry, short laugh, actually looking amused by Percy's audacity. "I can live with second place, as long as she's the one holding the trophy."
Percy rolled his eyes, turning back to the group. "Ugh, look at them. They're already doing that gross 'lovey-dovey' eye contact. Disgusting. Someone get me a drink before I start seeing heart emojis in the air."
The room erupted into laughter, the sharp edge of the evening finally dulled by Percy's ego. Even Angelo cracked a smile.
As the night began to wind down, Keiren tugged on Jay's hand again, his eyes bright with excitement. "Ate, come with us to the Watson Mansion tonight? Please? Keigan Kuya needs to know. We have to celebrate properly."
Jay looked at Keiren, then shifted her gaze to Angelo. It was a silent request—not as a subordinate asking for leave, but as a sister asking for a blessing to start her new life.
Angelo looked at his sister, saw the light in her eyes that had been extinguished for far too long, and gave a single, slow, and proud nod.
"Go," Angelo said softly, his voice cracking just a fraction. "You're home wherever he is now."
Jay gripped Keifer's hand, her fingers interlocking with his so tightly it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. As they walked out of the Fernandez estate and toward the waiting SUV, the night air felt different—cleaner, lighter, full of a future that didn't involve blood.
And as the gates of the Watson Mansion swung open to welcome her, Jay knew that she wasn't just a Queen anymore. She was a woman who was finally, truly, loved.
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A/n
Guys check comment for picture of their rings