Chapter: New Year's Revelation – Jay's POV
The New Year's Eve party was alive with energy, the lights twinkling across the high-ceilinged hall, and music thumping softly in the background.
Section E had gathered together in full force. Everyone was dressed elegantly—Yuri in his sharp black suit, Keifer looking casual but impossibly handsome, and the others buzzing around, laughing and teasing each other like it was the last night of their lives.
I, on the other hand, sat at the edge of the hall, trying to avoid everyone's gaze.
Three days.
Three long days since I had last spoken to Keifer.
He had tried to reach out. He had knocked. He had waited.
And I had ignored him.
Every glance from him made my chest tighten, every word unspoken between us was a weight I carried silently.
I could feel him staring at me from across the room, his eyes scanning every corner, likely trying to catch my attention. But I looked away.
I wasn't ready.
I wasn't ready to face him, to face everything we had been through in the last few weeks.
And so I had sat with Yuri. Not talking much, but letting him be the buffer between me and the chaos that was Keifer's gaze.
I tried to focus on the party, on the lights, on the laughter, but nothing could distract me.
And then the host stepped forward, microphone in hand.
"Hello, everyone! Happy New Year!" The room erupted in cheers.
I forced a smile, clapping along, but my heart felt hollow.
The host continued, excitement in their voice. "On this special evening, I would like to say something important. Today, Michel Angelo Fernandez and Yuri Hanamitchi have entered into a partnership with their respective family companies—Angelo & Co. and Hanamitchi Enterprises."
The room clapped again. I nodded, polite. A business partnership wasn't unusual, but the way the host spoke… the way the words hung in the air… I had a bad feeling.
"And not only that," the host continued, voice rising, "we are proud to announce that the partnership is formalized with the engagement of Yuri Hanamitchi and Jasper Jean Mariano!"
I froze.
Engagement.
Yuri and me.
The words hit me like a tidal wave.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to curl up and disappear at the same time.
I looked at Yuri. He was beaming, standing tall as if this was the happiest moment of his life.
I looked at Keifer.
His eyes went wide.
And then… I looked at my own hands.
Hands that felt suddenly empty. Hands that weren't holding his, weren't touching him, weren't allowed to reach for him.
I had no choice.
No choice but to play along.
Yuri stepped forward, holding out his hand toward me with a confident smile.
I took a deep breath.
I placed my hand in his.
My chest felt like it was being squeezed.
My mind screamed at me.
"Why are you doing this, Jay? Why are you letting him?"
But my voice was silent. My expression polite. I smiled at Yuri, forcing warmth into my features.
"Thank you, Yuri," I said softly.
And then I caught Keifer's eyes.
He was staring at me.
Staring like I had just betrayed him.
But I hadn't.
Not really.
It wasn't me saying yes. It was me surviving this moment. It was me surviving the shock, the horror, the confusion.
I could feel the tension radiating from him, his jaw tight, fists clenched at his sides, the way his chest rose sharply with every breath.
The rest of the room erupted into applause.
Yuri's smile was blinding. He raised his hand in victory.
And I… I felt my heart cracking in a thousand places.
"Congratulations," I whispered, almost to myself.
Keifer's eyes softened ever so slightly. A mix of pain, understanding, and frustration.
I wanted to run to him. I wanted to tell him that I didn't want this. That this wasn't what I wanted.
But the room was watching. The cameras, the lights, the cheers… everyone was waiting for me to respond.
So I smiled at Yuri.
I nodded.
And then, my eyes found Keifer's again.
I saw the subtle flicker of emotion. The slight dip of his brows. The almost imperceptible sigh.
It broke me.
Because I knew he understood.
He knew I had no choice in this public moment.
Yuri guided me forward. My hand in his, I stepped up to exchange rings, the metal cold and heavy in my fingers.
The host cheered. The cameras flashed. The music played.
I smiled politely.
And then, just for a brief moment, I looked at Keifer.
Our eyes met.
And everything I was holding in—the fear, the pain, the guilt—spilled into that single glance.
I mouthed a silent apology.
He didn't say anything. He didn't need to.
He just held my gaze, steady, unwavering, and in that look… I knew he wasn't letting go.
Not now. Not ever.
After the brief ceremony, Yuri released my hand.
I stumbled slightly, my knees weak.
I wanted to run. I wanted to hide.
But I couldn't.
Keifer approached me. He didn't touch me. He didn't speak.
He just stood there, his presence enough to anchor me.
"You okay?" he whispered, just above a murmur.
I wanted to scream, to cry, to throw my arms around him.
I shook my head slightly.
"I'm fine," I said, my voice trembling, barely audible over the chatter.
He nodded once.
And then he gave me that look—the one that said he understood everything without needing words.
The engagement was a lie. A necessary formality.
But in his eyes, in that glance, I knew the truth.
We would find our way back.
Even through this impossible night.
Even through this cruel twist.
Even if everyone else thought we were apart.
Because I couldn't let him go.
Not him.
Not ever.
And for a fleeting moment, the room, the cheers, the lights—all of it faded.
It was just him.
And me.
And the knowledge that no matter what the world threw at us…
We were still holding on.
We were still fighting.
And that… that was all that mattered.
The engagement could be announced, the cameras could flash, the world could cheer.
But in my heart… in our hearts… Keifer and I would always know the truth.
We belonged together.
And nothing—not the world, not the announcements, not even our own fears—could change that.
Even as the applause surrounded me, even as Yuri smiled beside me, I took a deep breath and held onto the only thing that kept me steady…
The knowledge that he was still there.
Keifer Watson.
Watching. Waiting.
And never letting me go.