Jay's POV
Stepping through the massive oak doors of the Watson Mansion felt like crossing a border I had spent years guarding. My hand was locked in Keifer's, the cold metal of our matching rings a heavy, grounding weight.
Keiren didn't wait for the formalities. The moment we crossed the threshold, he was a blur of motion, his sneakers squeaking against the polished marble as he sprinted toward the west wing.
"Kuya! Kuya Keigan!" he screamed, his voice bouncing off the high, vaulted ceilings.
Keifer and I followed at a more measured pace. I felt the familiar "Bloody Crimson" mask try to slide into place—the cold, unyielding defense I used whenever I entered enemy territory. But Keifer noticed.
He squeezed my hand, his thumb stroking my knuckles in a slow, rhythmic circle.
"Relax, Jay," he murmured, his voice a low rumble. "You're not here to negotiate a treaty. You're home."
We reached the study just as Keiren practically tackled Keigan. Keigan was sitting behind a desk littered with files, his expression as cold and sharp as a winter morning.
He had always been the most difficult Watson for me to read—he didn't have Keifer's fire or Keiren's warmth. He was a block of ice, and he had made it very clear that he viewed me as a parasite on his brother's life.
"Kuya! Kuya Keigan, look!" Keiren shouted, grabbing Keigan's hand and dragging him toward us. "Ate Jay and Kuya are engaged! They're really doing it!"
Keigan stood up slowly. His eyes, dark and unreadable, moved from his younger brother's excited face to Keifer. Finally, they landed on me. The silence was absolute. I braced myself for the biting remark, the cold rejection, or the reminder that I would never truly be a Watson.
He walked toward us, his gaze dropping to our joined hands. He stared at the diamond on my finger for what felt like an eternity.
Then, his eyes flicked to the ring on Keifer's hand.
A small, almost imperceptible nod followed.
"Congratulations, Kuya," Keigan said, his voice level and devoid of its usual frost. He then turned his gaze fully to me. "Congrats, Jay."
He didn't call me "Mariano" He didn't even use my full name. Just Jay. Before I could even process the shock, he turned on his heel and walked out of the room without another word.
I stood there, my mouth slightly agape, staring at the empty doorway.
"Did that just happen?" I whispered. "He... he didn't hate me?"
Keifer laughed, a short, relieved sound, and pulled me toward the stairs. "I told you. Even Keigan knows when a war is over. Now, come on. You've had enough drama for one night."
He led me to his suite—a place I had only ever visited under the cover of darkness or in the heat of a mission. Now, he closed the door behind us and handed me a bundle of soft fabric. "Change. You look like a queen, but you're shivering like a human."
I took the clothes—a pair of his oversized cotton shorts and a black t-shirt that smelled exactly like him—and went into the bathroom.
Slipping out of the white bodycon dress was like shedding a layer of armor. When I emerged, towel-drying my hair, the room was dimly lit. Keifer had changed into joggers, his chest bare, looking every bit the predator he was.
I hitched when he appeared suddenly behind me, his hands sliding around my waist to pull me flush against his back.
"You look dangerous in my clothes, Jay," he whispered against the shell of my ear. "Like you're planning to steal more than just my last name."
"Maybe I am," I teased, leaning my head back against his shoulder.
His lips found the line of my neck, tracing the skin with a slow, agonizing heat that made my breath hitch. He turned me in his arms, his eyes dark with a hunger that was purely for me.
The kiss started fierce—a desperate, possessive claim that spoke of the years we'd spent fighting for this exact moment. His hands slid beneath the hem of the t-shirt, his palms warm against the small of my back.
Just as his fingers found the clasp of my bra, a sharp, loud thud hit the door.
BANG BANG BANG.
"ATE! KUYA! OPEN UP!"
Keifer froze. His forehead dropped against mine, and a low, guttural growl escaped his throat. "Fuckkk," he hissed, the word dripping with pure, unadulterated frustration.
I couldn't help it. I let out a genuine, breathless laugh, pushing against his chest. "Go open the door, Watson. Your boss is calling."
"I am going to sell that child to the circus," Keifer muttered, adjusting his joggers and stomping toward the door.
He swung it open to find Keiren standing there, already holding two controllers and wearing a look of supreme confidence. The boy didn't even look at Keifer; he marched right past him into the center of the room.
"Ate, let's go down and play games together! I set up the new racing Sim!"
Keifer crossed his arms, his face like a thundercloud. "She is not going anywhere, Keiren. We have important work to do."
Keiren stopped and turned, looking at his brother as if he were the one being unreasonable. "What important work? Would you mind explaining, Kuya? And first of all, I'm asking Ate, not you. She's my Ate now, so I have seniority."
Keifer's face literally dropped. He stood there, completely roasted by a ten-year-old, looking at me with pleading, pathetic eyes.
I grinned, throwing the towel onto the bed.
"Fine, Keiren. Let's go. I've been meaning to show you how a Fernandez drives."
"Jay..." Keifer groaned, but he followed us down like a kicked puppy.
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Keifer's POV
I have never hated a video game more in my entire life.
I sat on the edge of the sofa, watching my little brother skip down the stairs with my fiancée. My blood was still humming from the kiss he'd interrupted, and my brain was stuck on the "important work" I'd been about to finish.
Keiren is lucky I love him. Any other person who interrupted that moment would be buried in the garden by now. I watched him explain the game mechanics to Jay, looking so proud of himself for "saving" her from me.
The moment was destroyed. Utterly, completely decimated. I looked at Jay, who was laughing as she tried to figure out the controller, and my frustration softened, just a little.
She looked so small in my shirt, so relaxed. But then I looked at Keiren and narrowed my eyes. He knew. I saw the mischievous glint in his eyes. He absolutely knew what he was doing.
I sighed, leaning back. Fine. If I can't have her in bed, I'll watch her crush my brother at Mario Kart. But tomorrow, Keiren is getting a very long lecture on "knocking."
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Keiren's POV
I am the happiest person in the mansion!
Ate Jay is finally mine. Well, Kuya's, too, but mostly mine. I could see how happy she made Kuya, even when he was being grumpy and scary. When she's around, the house doesn't feel so big and empty anymore. It feels like a real home.
As we sat on the floor, I kept looking at her. She's so pretty and strong. I want to be just like her when I grow up—someone who doesn't take nonsense from anyone, not even the Watsons.
"I'm winning, Ate!" I shouted as I drifted around a corner.
"Don't count your chickens, Keiren," she laughed, leaning into the turn as if her whole body was the car.
I loved this. I loved the way she didn't treat me like a kid, but like a teammate. This is what having a sister feels like, I think. No more running, no more secrets. Just us.
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Keigan's POV
I watched them from the balcony of the second floor, hidden in the shadows.
I don't know why I felt so satisfied. For years, this house felt cold , lonely and darkness hub.
Jay was the "Bloody Crimson," the one we were supposed to fear or destroy. I had been cold to her, not because I hated her, but because I didn't believe someone like her could ever be real.
But seeing her now... she's different from Freya and Ella. They were all about the name and the money. Jay is all about the people. I noticed it the moment she looked at Keiren—the warmth in her eyes was pure. It wasn't a mask.
I felt a sharp, sudden pang of jealousy as I watched her ruffle Keiren's hair. I've always been the one in the middle—too old to be the baby, too young to be the leader. I
wanted that warmth, too. I wanted to know what it felt like to be loved by someone who didn't want anything from me.
I slowly walked down the stairs, my heart pounding. I expected them to stop, to look at me with suspicion. But as I reached the living room, Jay just looked up and patted the spot next to her.
"Come on, Keigan. Keiren is cheating. I need a real opponent."
I sat down, my body stiff. But as we played, the stiffness faded. I found myself laughing—actually laughing—as we teamed up to knock Keiren off the track. Jay was different. She made the air feel lighter. For the first time, the Watson Mansion felt warm.
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Keifer's POV
I had gone to get water, and when I walked back into the living room, the sight made me stop in my tracks.
The TV was on a loop of the "Game Over" screen, the soft music the only sound in the room. Jay was leaned back against the sofa, her head tilted to the side.
Keiren was fast asleep on her left, his head on her lap. On her right, Keigan—the boy who never let his guard down—was leaned against her shoulder, his eyes closed in a deep, peaceful slumber.
Jay was sleeping too, her hand resting protectively on Keiren's back.
The three of them looked like they belonged together. The war was over. The hatred was gone. In its place was a family I never thought I'd see.
I felt a lump in my throat as I walked over. I grabbed a large blanket and draped it over the three of them, making sure they were warm.
Then, I carefully sat on the floor beside Jay, resting my head against her hip.
I closed my eyes, listening to the rhythmic breathing of the three most important people in my life. I didn't need the "important work" from earlier. I had everything I ever wanted right here.
We were home.
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A/n
I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has been commenting and following along! Your feedback and support are my biggest motivations to keep writing. I love reading your thoughts on the characters and the plot!
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