(Disclaimer: author is not that good as much u think, but not as bad as I think, so...in a nutshell, don't take the title too seriously 😳)
The room was still filled with the lingering warmth of the previous night as Keifer blinked his eyes open.
He instinctively reached out to the other side of the bed, but his hand met only the cool, smooth silk of the sheets.
The space beside him was empty.
He let out a long, slow exhale, but instead of the usual morning grogginess, a small, involuntary smile crept onto his lips.
The memory of Jay's laughter and the way she had finally fallen asleep in his arms made the morning feel brighter than usual.
He shook off the covers and headed for the shower.
Twenty minutes later, freshened up and feeling unusually lighthearted, he stood in front of his wardrobe.
He was just reaching for a sharp, charcoal-grey suit for a morning board meeting when-
Thud!
The heavy bedroom door swung open with enough force to rattle the hinges.
Sophia marched in, looking like a whirlwind in a designer clothes.
She was holding a steaming cup of coffee, her expression a mix of frantic energy and sisterly mischief.
"Hey bro, good morning!" she chirped, thrusting the cup toward him.
"Here's your coffee, sent by your beloved wife. Drink up, because you're not going to the office today."
Keifer paused, his hand still hovering over his ties. He raised a single, skeptical brow.
"And why exactly am I staying home?"
"Because!... Don't you remember?!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the high-ceilinged room.
Keifer flinched, pulling back slightly.
"What happened? Did a ghost attack you early this morning? Lower your volume, Soph."
She rolled her eyes so hard it looked painful.
"Oh, excuse me, my so-called best friend's husband! Let's test that CEO brain of yours. Today is Saturday, which means tomorrow is...?"
"Sunday," Keifer replied flatly.
"Yes! And what is happening tomorrow?"
"Sunday?" he repeated, a hint of a tease in his voice.
Sophia facepalmed, letting out a dramatic groan.
"Mr. Dumbo! Tomorrow is the party! The big welcome-back bash! Do you have any idea how much work is left?"
Keifer paused, the realization finally hitting him. "Oh. Right. I forgot."
Sophia's expression shifted instantly. A knowing, wicked smirk stretched across her face as she leaned against the dresser.
"Yeah... I think I know exactly why you forgot."
"Why?" Keifer asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Please," she scoffed, gesturing vaguely toward the door. "Can't I see the glow on your beloved wife's face this morning? She's humming in the kitchen, Keifer. Humming!"
A faint, deep red tint began to creep up the back of Keifer's ears. Without a word, he reached out and gave her ear a sharp, playful pinch.
"Ow!" Sophia cried out, smacking his hand away. "What the hell was that for?"
"Soph, shut up," he warned, his voice low but lacking its usual bite. "Otherwise..."
"Otherwise what?" she challenged, crossing her arms and tilting her chin up.
"You'll fire me from the family?"
Keifer thought for a second, his eyes scanning her perfectly contoured face. A devious glint entered his eyes. "Umm... otherwise, I'll spoil your makeup."
The room was suddenly filled with Sophia's high-pitched gasp as she clutched her face.
"Don't you dare, Keifer! Otherwise..."
Keifer leaned back against the mahogany dresser, his arms crossed, a rare, teasing glint in his eyes.
"Otherwise what, my pretty makeup-addicted sister?"
"Otherwise..." Sophia trailed off, her eyes darting around as she searched for the perfect leverage.
"Yeah? Otherwise?" Keifer prompted, taking a slow, calm sip of his coffee.
Suddenly, Sophia's face lit up like a lightbulb. A mischievous, wicked smirk stretched across her lips.
"Otherwise... I'll tell everyone about the noises coming from your room last night."
The coffee nearly went down the wrong way. Keifer's entire expression shifted instantly, his cool composure cracking for the first time all morning.
"Wh... what? What noises?"
"Oh, don't pretend to be so innocent, my best-friend-addicted handsome brother!"
Sophia teased, leaning in closer with a conspiratorial whisper.
"I heard some voices... like...?"
"Shut up!" Keifer interrupted, his voice hushed and panicked. His ears were now a deep shade of crimson.
"Shut up. Don't say anything else. I won't spoil your makeup, and you will not speak more than is absolutely needed. Deal?"
Sophia pulled back, tapped her chin with a perfectly manicured nail, and pretended to think it over.
"Umm... okay. But I have some wishes."
"Wishes?" Keifer repeated, sounding like he was agreeing to a ransom demand.
"Yeah! Like a Genie. Three wishes."
"And what are they?"
"I don't remember right now,"
she sang out, already spinning on her heel toward the door.
"I'll tell you later. Bye, Bro! Enjoy your coffee!"
The door swung shut behind her, leaving Keifer standing in the middle of the room in stunned silence.
He let out a long, heavy exhale, running a hand through his hair.
"Oh God," he muttered to himself.
Then, his own internal lightbulb clicked on. He paused, his brow furrowing as he replayed the previous night in his head.
Wait... what was so shameless about last night that I'm afraid of? he thought. We were just laughing and running around. That was it.
He groaned, realizing he'd been played. "Ugh. She manipulated me."
Despite the annoyance, the thought of that "shameless" laughter brought that small smile back to his face.
He finished his coffee in two gulps and decided it was time to find the person who had actually caused all that "noise."
Keifer descended the grand staircase with a rare, relaxed confidence.
He was wearing a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his black trousers perfectly tailored.
His hair was still slightly messy from the morning's antics, and he was actually whistling a low, rhythmic tune-a sound that was almost unheard of in the Watson household.
As he moved through the halls, his natural charm was on full display.
Several maids paused in their tasks, their faces flushing pink as they caught sight of the "CEO" looking so approachable and radiant.
But Keifer didn't spare them a second glance. His eyes were scanning every corner, searching for the only woman who held the keys to all that charm.
He spotted a young woman near a large floral arrangement-someone he didn't recognize, likely part of the extra staff hired for the party decorations.
He walked right up to her.
"Where is Jay?" he asked, his voice smooth and casual.
The girl turned, and the moment she saw him, she practically melted on the spot.
She stared at him, her face turning a deep crimson, completely starstruck by the man standing before her.
Keifer raised a single, impatient brow. The silence stretched a second too long. He knew what happened to her.
"Excuse me," he repeated, his tone sharpening just enough to snap her out of it. "Do you know where my wife, Jay, is?"
The word "wife" hit her like a bucket of cold water.
Her expression shifted instantly from infatuation to a sudden, slumped realization-like she had just lost a golden opportunity that was never hers to begin with.
"I... I don't know," she stammered, looking down at her flowers.
Keifer didn't waste another breath. He walked past her, his long strides carrying him toward the glass doors leading to the garden.
He started whistling again, his hands in his pockets, feeling the lightheartedness of the morning returning.
But the whistling stopped abruptly the moment he stepped onto the garden.
Across the lawn, near a cluster of white roses, stood Jay.
She was dressed simply, looking as soft and polite as ever. But she wasn't alone. Standing far too close to her was a man with a large leather planner in his hand.
The guy was laughing-a loud, easy sound-and looking down at Jay with an expression that was far too appreciative.
The air around Keifer instantly turned frigid. The "CEO" didn't just return; he brought a blizzard with him.
The sight of another man enjoying Jay's shy smiles and gentle presence made his blood simmer.
He felt jealous. Of course he felt jealous.
The guy with the planner was none other than Rophy, an old classmate of Jay's from her school days.
He had always been the type to talk over people, especially when he was trying to impress a girl-and standing in the middle of the massive Watson estate, he was clearly trying to make himself look just as "grand" as his surroundings.
"I had no idea, Jay! You actually live here?" he exclaimed, his voice booming across the quiet garden.
"Uh... yes," Jay replied softly, shifting her feet.
"I didn't even know you were a Watson !" He let out a loud laugh and leaned in, nudging her shoulder playfully with his elbow.
Jay instinctively took a step back, her eyes darting toward the house, but Rophy didn't seem to notice the hint.
"You must be really rich, huh, Jay? I mean, this fountain alone probably cost more than my entire apartment!"
"Uh... well-"
"Actually, don't even tell me! I know how it is," he interrupted, not letting her finish.
He started pacing in front of her, gesturing wildly with his leather planner.
"You know, after graduation, I really made a name for myself in the event industry.
I've handled galas for ministers, high-profile weddings... honestly, my vision for 'aesthetic flow' is what everyone is talking about these days.
I've been traveling non-stop. London, Paris, Dubai... just last week I was in Milan picking out fabric samples.
It's exhausting being this in demand, but when you have a gift for design, you have to share it with the world, right?"
Jay stood there, her hands clasped in front of her. She gave him a small, tight smile, trying to stay polite because, after all, he was hired for the party and she was responsible for overseeing the decorations.
But inside, she was screaming for an escape.
Every time she tried to open her mouth to excuse herself, he would launch into another story about his "artistic journey."
"And the floral arrangements I have planned for tomorrow? Revolutionary,"
Rophy continued, stepping closer again and looking her up and down with an appreciative smirk.
"I think they suit your... delicate vibe. We should definitely grab a coffee after this, Jay. For old times' sake. I can tell you all about my upcoming project in Singapore."
Jay cleared her throat, her voice small but firm. "Rophy, actually... I'm very busy with the party preparations, and.... My husband-"
"Oh, right, right! The Watson guy," Rophy waved a hand dismissively as if Keifer were just a minor detail in a contract.
"Businessmen are so boring, though. All they talk about is stocks and numbers. You need someone who understands art, Jay. Someone who remembers how quiet you used to be in the back of the classroom."
He laughed again, reaching out as if to pat her arm, completely oblivious to the cold shadow that had just fallen over the grass behind him.
Rophy's hand was mid-air, inches from Jay's shoulder, when the atmosphere in the garden suddenly dropped by twenty degrees.
Before his fingers could make contact, a strong, tan arm swept around Jay's waist, pulling her back and away in one smooth, possessive motion.
Jay let out a small gasp, her face flushing a deep crimson, but the moment she felt the familiar, firm grip and the scent of expensive sandalwood, her shoulders slumped in pure relief.
She looked up to see Keifer standing there like a protective wall of ice and muscle.
Rophy, startled, tried to recover his "cool designer" persona. He reached out to shake hands, his designer watch flashing in the sun. "Oh! You must be-hello, Mr.-"
Keifer didn't wait for the introduction. He caught Rophy's hand in a grip that looked like a standard handshake but felt like a hydraulic press.
The impact was clear; Rophy's eyes widened, and his knees seemed to buckle slightly as he tried to maintain a smile while his knuckles were being pulverized.
"Hello, Mr..." Rophy tried again, gasping for air. "I'm the lead event-"
"Whatever you are," Keifer cut him off, his voice a low, dangerous rumble.
"I'm the creative planner for the-"
"Leave it," Keifer snapped again, not letting him finish a single sentence. He finally released the man's hand, and Rophy immediately began cradling his numb fingers.
Keifer stepped closer, his height looming over the other man. "I need you to excuse my wife. We have some very... important... personal talk to do."
He emphasized the word "personal" with enough weight to make it clear that the "talk" didn't involve floral arrangements or seating charts.
Jay bit her lower lip, her eyes dancing with suppressed amusement. Seeing the "Ice CEO" so clearly rattled by a guy with a leather planner was the highlight of her morning.
"Oh! Of course, of course," Rophy stammered, stepping back.
"I was just telling Jay-I mean, Mrs. Watson-about my revolutionary vision for the lilies. We were classmates, you know? She was always so quiet, I used to help her with-"
"Is that so?" Keifer's eyes narrowed into slits. He didn't look at the lilies; he looked at Rophy's shoes.
"Interesting vision. Tell me, does your 'revolutionary vision' include a section in the contract about keeping a professional distance from the client's wife? Or should I have my legal team add a chapter on 'personal space' before lunch?"
Rohan went pale. "I... I just meant-"
"And about that coffee you mentioned," Keifer continued, his hand tightening slightly on Jay's waist, drawing her even closer until she was tucked firmly against his side.
"My wife would like to have with me."
Jay couldn't hide it anymore; a tiny, melodic giggle escaped her.
She tried to cover her mouth with her hand, looking away, but Keifer felt the vibration against his side. It only made him more determined to send the "classmate" packing.
"Now," Keifer said, dismissing him with a cold nod. "Go find a vase to talk to. My wife is busy."
Keifer didn't wait for him to say another word.
He caught Jay's hand in a firm, possessive grip and led her away from the center of the garden, his strides long and purposeful.
He didn't stop until they reached a secluded stone alcove, hidden from the view of the staff and the lingering "classmate" by a thick wall of climbing ivy.
In one swift motion, he pinned her against the cool stone wall.
One hand slammed against the surface beside her head, while the other remained locked firmly on her waist, pulling her flush against him.
Jay's hands instinctively flew to his chest, her fingers curling into the fabric of his white shirt.
Her breath hitched, her cheeks flushing a deep, brilliant rose as she looked up at him.
"Keifer..." she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he reached out and caught her chin with his thumb and forefinger, tilting her face up to meet his darkened gaze.
"What about the... coffee?" he asked, the word dripping with a cold, jealous edge.
"He's just-"
"He's nothing," Keifer interrupted, leaning down until his face was barely an inch away from her lips.
The "Ice CEO" was gone, replaced by a man who was clearly struggling to keep his possessiveness in check.
"Mrs. Watson... it doesn't matter who he was."
He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear. Jay's breath hitched again, her eyes fluttering shut as his warmth enveloped her.
"You are Mrs. Watson," he continued, his voice a low, gravelly vibration that sent a shiver down her spine.
"Wife of Mark Keifer Watson. Remember that."
Jay bit her lip, trying to suppress the smile that was tugging at the corners of her mouth. He pulled back to look into her eyes, expecting to see her usual flustered shyness.
But this time, Jay wasn't as nervous as he expected. She saw the flash of heat in his brown eyes and realized she was actually enjoying this.
"Are you jealous, Mr. Watson?" she asked softly, a playful spark dancing in her eyes.
"Yes," he admitted without a second of hesitation, his grip on her waist tightening. "I am."
Jay let out a tiny, melodic giggle.
He was shocked .
Then, she did something completely unexpected. She slid her hands up from his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself up on her tiptoes.
She leaned in, her lips grazing his ear as she whispered back.
"Don't be jealous, Mr. Watson," she murmured.
Before he could respond, she pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his cheek.
The contact was brief, but the effect was instantaneous.
Keifer froze, his breath catching in his throat as the "Ice CEO" completely melted under the touch of his shy wife's bold move.
Hey to all my cute buddies
N bye too