The evening sun had long set when Keifer pulled into the driveway, a lingering, satisfied smile on his face.
He stepped through the front door, the warmth of the house and the savory scent of dinner greeting him.
In the dining room, he saw his father and Sophia already seated, while his mom moved with maids, serving the final dishes.
"You're just in time, Keifer," his mom said, brightening as she saw him. "Come, sit down and have dinner."
Keifer smiled, but his eyes immediately began to wander toward the stairs and the hallway, his gaze searching for a familiar face.
Sophia cleared her throat loudly, a knowing smirk playing on her lips.
"If you're looking for your wife, Mr Watson, she's not home yet. She called earlier and said she had an urgent meeting. She'll be late."
Keifer's smile faded instantly. He gave a nod. "I see."
He headed to his room without another word. Dropping his briefcase, he let out a long, heavy exhale, the house feeling strangely empty despite the noise downstairs.
After freshening up, he changed into more comfortable clothes and returned to the dining table.
They were halfway through the meal when the front door finally clicked open.
Jay entered, her shoulders a bit slumped. Keifer was the first to notice her, his head snapping up the moment she stepped into the light of the dining room.
He saw the way her hair was slightly disheveled and the exhaustion etched into her features.
"Jay! You're home at the right time," his mom called out warmly. "Come, join us and have dinner."
Jay forced a smile. "Hi, Mom."
Keifer watched her closely. He noticed immediately that the smile didn't reach her eyes; they remained dull and tired.
"I already ate at the office after the meeting, Mom," Jay said softly, her voice sounding thin. "I'm really exhausted. I think I'll just go up and freshen up."
His mom looked at her with a worried, unconvinced expression, her brow furrowing as she took in Jay's pale face.
She opened her mouth to protest, but seeing Jay's eyes, she didn't push. "Alright, anak. Go rest."
Jay nodded and started toward the stairs, never once making eye contact with Keifer, even though she could feel his intense, searching gaze burning into her.
Keifer's chair scraped against the floor as he made a move to follow her, but Sophia's voice cut through the air like a whistle.
"Whoa there, Kuya! Don't be this into your wife. She just got home, let her breathe!" She burst into a laugh, nudging their father, who shared a quiet chuckle with their mom.
Keifer tightened his jaw, suppressing the urge to snap back.
He quickly finished his meal in record time, his mind already halfway up the stairs. He offered a curt "Goodnight" and retreated to his room.
When he pushed the door open, the room was bathed in a soft, dim glow.
The main lights were off, leaving only the moonlight and a single lamp to cast long shadows.
Jay was standing by the window, her silhouette framed against the dark glass. He couldn't see her expression, only the tension in her posture.
"Jay," he said softly, closing the door behind him.
He walked over to her, his heart sinking as he saw the exhaustion up close.
Her head was bowed, her hair falling forward to hide her face.
He stood next to her, close enough to feel the cold air coming off the windowpane.
He slowly raised his hand and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. But her eyes kept bowed down.
"Keifer..." her voice was small, barely a breath.
"Jay, what happened? You look more than just tired."
She slowly tilted her face up, her eyes meeting his. In the dim light, he saw the raw vulnerability there, and something tightened painfully inside his chest.
He had seen her shy, he had seen her angry, but this was a different kind of weariness.
"Jay..." he started, his hand reaching out instinctively.
"Keifer... ", she cut him and paused, she bit her lower lip, but this time not because of shyness, but because a weird tightness in her chest.
She continued "keifer...can you please... hold me?"
The words were so quiet he almost missed them. Keifer froze, his breath hitching.
He couldn't believe what he had just heard.
This was the girl who usually jumped at his shadow, the one who blushed if he stayed too close for too long. Now, she was asking for him.
"Huh?" he stammered, his usual CEO composure failing him completely.
Jay's gaze dropped immediately, her shoulders trembling. A single, silent tear escaped, rolling down her cheek and catching the faint light.
"Jay..."
The sight of that tear broke the spell. He didn't waste another second.
He stepped into her space and pulled her firmly against his chest, his arms wrapping around her like a shield.
He didn't say anything, he just held her, letting her bury her face into the fabric of his shirt.
_____________
__________________________
The room was swallowed in a heavy, velvet silence, broken only by the ragged sound of Jay's spirit finally fracturing.
The moment her face hit the solid warmth of his chest, a jagged sob tore from her throat—a sound so raw it seemed to vibrate through Keifer's own bones.
She didn't just hold him; she clung to him as if he were the only solid thing in a world that had suddenly turned to water.
She pressed her face deep into the fabric of his shirt, her features twisting in pain, trying desperately to stifle the sounds of her crying.
She didn't want him to know how much she was breaking.
Keifer felt a wave of icy worry crash over him, but he didn't demand answers.
He couldn't. Instead, he lowered his head, his lips pressing a long, lingering kiss against her forehead.
His eyes stayed shut, his brow furrowed in a mirror of her agony.
He wrapped his arms around her even tighter, his large hands splaying across her back to anchor her, trying to absorb the tremors shaking her small frame.
Jay shifted her head, burying her temple against his heartbeat, her eyes squeezed shut so tight that her lashes bruised her skin.
Another sob escaped, louder and more desperate this time.
The more she fought to regain her composure, the more the floodgates opened.
Her tears soaked through his shirt, hot and constant, as her fingers clutched the fabric over his heart, bunching it into tight, wrinkled knots.
"Keifer..." she sobbed, her voice muffled against his chest.
"Jay, I am here. I'm right here," he murmured, his voice a low, steady anchor in the middle of her storm.
He didn't move, didn't pull away; he simply stood there as her pillar, letting her hands knot into his shirt until his knuckles brushed her skin.
Slowly, the frantic strength in her fingers began to fade.
Her grip loosened, the tension bleeding out of her muscles as exhaustion took over, but she didn't let go.
She leaned into him, her forehead resting against his collarbone, her breath coming in long, shaky hitches.
Keifer ran his hand through her hair, his fingers gentle as he untangled the soft strands, his touch a silent promise of safety.
He waited until her breathing smoothed out, until the worst of the tremors had passed.
"Jay," he whispered, his voice soft as velvet.
He pulled back just enough to scoop her face into his palms.
His thumbs brushed over her damp skin, his eyes searching hers with a raw, concentrated worry. "Jay, what happened? Tell me."
She couldn't do it. She couldn't meet the intensity of his gaze, which were now melting with a terrifying amount of love and concern.
She dropped her gaze to his chest, her eyelashes still clumped with tears.
"Keifer..." she started, but the words died in her throat.
Seeing her struggle, Keifer felt a surge of protectiveness that overrode his need for answers.
He didn't want to pressure her. He didn't want to be another weight on her shoulders.
He pulled her back into the sanctuary of his arms, tucking her head under his chin once more.
"It's okay, Jay," he whispered into her hair, his arms a firm, warm circle around her. "If you don't want to tell me now, you don't have to. I'm just here."
That one sentence—the sheer, unselfish patience of it—hit Jay harder than any demand could have.
A fresh wave of guilt crashed over her. Here he was, offering her everything, while she kept her burdens locked away.
Another sob, sharp and sudden, escaped her throat, and she buried her face back into his chest, her tears starting all over again because of the very kindness he was showing her
_______------_______------________
The heavy, suffocating air of the room finally seemed to lift as Jay slowly pulled away.
Her hands were still trapped in Keifer's—his grip firm and grounding—but she stood taller now, taking a long, shaky breath that signaled the end of the storm.
"Keifer..." she said, her voice small but steadier than before.
"Yes, Jay. I'm here. I'm listening," he replied, his eyes never leaving her face, searching for any sign of what had caused the breakdown.
"Ice cream."
Keifer blinked, his brow furrowing in total confusion.
The transition from heart-wrenching sobs to a dessert request caught him completely off guard.
"Huh?"
"I..." She paused, her lower lip still trembling slightly as she looked up at him through tear-clumped lashes. "I want... ice cream."
He looked at her glassy eyes, noticing the way they caught the dim light of the room.
After a moment of silence, a tiny, fragile smile ghosted across her lips—the first real spark of light he'd seen in her all evening.
"Jay? Ice cream?" he repeated, his voice softening with a mix of relief and amusement.
"Yes," she nodded, her voice gaining a bit of its usual warmth.
"I want ice cream."
He didn't ask her why. He didn't demand to know if the ice cream was a coping mechanism or just a sudden craving.
If ice cream was what she needed to keep those tears away, he would buy her the whole shop.
"Okay. I'll bring it," he promised, giving her hands a reassuring squeeze and passing a gentle, knowing smile back to her.
He turned to grab his keys from the dresser, but before he could take a single step toward the door, he felt a small, cool hand wrap around his wrist. He stopped and looked back.
"I'll come with you too,"
Hey buddies, how are you.
I know this is a bit boring, but I really don't know why I included this chapter.