Chapter: The Dinner I Didn't Want
(Jay's POV)
One week.
That's how long I got to breathe.
One week of pretending everything was normal again.
School.
Section E chaos.
Keif acting like my personal bodyguard.
Aries threatening to break anyone's knees who looked at me wrong.
One week of peace.
And then—
"Jay, get ready," Kuya Angelo said from outside my door.
I froze.
"Why?"
"We have dinner."
My stomach dropped.
"With who?"
Silence.
And that silence was my answer.
"No," I said immediately.
Kuya opened the door slowly.
"Jay."
"No."
"It's important."
"For who?" I snapped.
"For the families."
There it is.
Families.
Business.
Engagement.
The words I hate.
"I don't want to go," I said, my voice already shaking.
Kuya's expression softened slightly.
"I know."
"Then don't make me."
He walked into my room and sat on the edge of my bed.
"This isn't something we can ignore forever."
"I can."
"Jay."
His tone changed slightly.
Not angry.
Serious.
"They're expecting us."
Expecting us.
Like I'm a gift being delivered.
My chest tightened.
"Is Yuri going to be there?" I asked quietly.
"Yes."
My hands curled into fists.
The last time I saw Yuri, he watched Keifer kiss me in front of everyone.
He walked out angry.
He never visited the hospital.
He never called.
And now I have to sit across from him and eat politely?
I laughed bitterly.
"This is insane."
Kuya stood up slowly.
"Get ready."
And just like that—
Decision made.
Not by me.
Getting Ready
I stared at my closet like it personally betrayed me.
What do you wear to a dinner where your possible forced fiancé will be sitting across from you?
Red? Too romantic.
Black? Too dramatic.
White? Too innocent.
I wanted to show up in pajamas.
Instead, I chose something simple.
Elegant.
Neutral.
No statement.
No submission.
Just me.
When I came downstairs, Tita Gemma gave me a soft look.
"You look beautiful," she said gently.
I smiled faintly.
"I feel like I'm going to court."
Tito Rachel cleared his throat awkwardly.
"It's just dinner."
No.
It's not.
The Restaurant
Of course it was fancy.
Dim lights.
Private room.
Too quiet.
Yuri's family was already there.
His father stood first.
Polite smile.
Sharp eyes.
Businessman aura.
His mother looked composed, observing everything carefully.
And then—
Yuri.
Standing near the table.
Black suit.
Calm.
Unreadable.
Our eyes met for exactly two seconds.
And my stomach twisted.
Kuya Angelo greeted his father first.
Handshake.
Formal words.
Business tone.
I hated it already.
I sat down across from Yuri.
Of course.
Directly across.
Like fate has a sense of humor.
"Jay," his mother said softly, "we're glad you recovered."
"Thank you," I replied politely.
Recovered.
Like I caught a cold.
The waiter poured water.
The clinking of glasses felt too loud.
Small talk started.
Stocks.
Projects.
Expansion.
Mergers.
I sat there like background decoration.
Until—
Yuri spoke.
"You look better."
His voice was calm.
Controlled.
"I am," I said shortly.
He studied me for a moment.
"You shouldn't move around too much yet."
My eyebrow twitched.
"Thank you for the medical advice."
Kuya shot me a warning look.
I forced a smile.
Yuri didn't react.
He never reacts the way normal people do.
Dinner was served.
I barely touched my food.
Then his father cleared his throat.
"We should discuss the timeline."
Timeline.
My fingers tightened around my fork.
Kuya Angelo straightened slightly.
"Yes."
"Considering recent events," Yuri's father continued, "it may be wise to formalize the engagement sooner rather than later."
My heart slammed against my ribs.
Formalize.
Sooner.
The room felt smaller.
Tita Gemma shifted uncomfortably.
I looked at Kuya.
He didn't look at me.
He was thinking.
Calculating.
Business mode.
"Jay's health comes first," he said carefully.
"Of course," Yuri's father replied smoothly. "This is about protection."
Protection.
I almost laughed.
From who?
From yourselves?
Yuri finally looked at me directly.
His eyes weren't angry tonight.
They were serious.
Measured.
Like he was evaluating something.
"Do you object?" he asked quietly.
The table went silent.
Everyone looked at me.
I swallowed.
This is the moment.
Say something.
Be brave.
But my mind flashed—
Hospital bed.
Blood.
Ram.
Keifer on the ground.
And then—
Keifer's voice.
"You won't lose me."
I put my fork down slowly.
"Yes," I said.
Soft.
But clear.
"I object."
The silence thickened.
Yuri's father looked surprised.
Kuya's jaw tightened slightly.
"Jay," he warned gently.
"With respect," I continued, my hands shaking under the table, "I'm not a contract."
No one spoke.
"I understand the business," I said, forcing steadiness. "But I'm still a person."
Yuri's mother watched me closely now.
Yuri didn't interrupt.
"I won't agree to something just because it's convenient," I finished.
My heart was racing so hard I thought I might faint again.
His father leaned back slowly.
"This isn't about convenience."
"It feels like it," I replied.
Kuya Angelo finally looked at me fully.
There was conflict in his eyes.
He's torn.
Between me.
And everything else.
Yuri spoke again.
"Jay."
I looked at him.
"If this engagement proceeds," he said calmly, "it won't be forced."
My breath caught slightly.
His father glanced at him sharply.
Yuri didn't look away from me.
"I won't marry someone who doesn't choose it."
The room shifted.
That wasn't expected.
His father frowned slightly. "Yuri."
"I mean it," he said evenly.
Now I was confused.
Is this strategy?
Or honesty?
I couldn't read him.
Kuya exhaled slowly.
"Perhaps," he said carefully, "we postpone any formal announcements."
Postpone.
Not cancel.
But still—
Not immediate.
Dinner continued after that, but the tension never left.
When it finally ended and we stood to leave, Yuri stepped closer to me quietly.
Not touching.
Just near enough to speak privately.
"You think I didn't visit the hospital because I don't care?" he asked softly.
I stiffened.
"I didn't say that."
"You thought it."
Maybe I did.
"Why didn't you come?" I asked.
He paused.
"Because if I saw you like that, I wouldn't have stayed calm."
That wasn't the answer I expected.
I studied him carefully.
"For what it's worth," he added quietly, "I don't want you scared of me."
My chest tightened slightly.
"You pointed a gun at me."
His jaw tensed.
"I was wrong."
The admission hung between us.
Rare.
Unexpected.
Before I could respond, his father called his name.
Yuri stepped back.
"Goodnight, Jay."
I watched him walk away.
And I hated that I felt conflicted.
Because nothing is simple anymore.
Not him.
Not Keif.
Not this engagement.
When we got into the car, Kuya didn't start the engine immediately.
"You embarrassed them," he said quietly.
"I know."
"You embarrassed me."
That hurt more.
I looked down.
"I'm sorry."
Silence filled the car.
Then he sighed.
"But you were brave."
I looked at him quickly.
He stared ahead at the windshield.
"I forget sometimes that you're not a child."
My throat tightened.
"I don't want to lose you to politics," he added softly.
"You won't."
I hope.
As we drove home, my phone buzzed.
One message.
Keif:
"How did it go?"
I stared at it for a long second.
Then replied:
"Complicated."
Three dots appeared instantly.
"I'm outside."
My heart skipped.
"What?"
"I didn't trust it."
I looked out the window as we turned into our street.
And there he was.
Leaning against his bike.
Waiting.
Relief washed over me so strongly I almost cried again.
Complicated.
That's my life now.
But at least—
I'm not facing it alone.