Chapter: The Truth That Should've Stayed Hidden
(Keifer & Jay POV)
Jay's POV
The living room felt strangely calm.
Too calm.
Which was unusual considering the people inside this house were:
Cin — who never stopped talking.
Aries — who loved teasing everyone.
Ella — who kept laughing at everything.
Keigan and Keiran — who were constantly fighting.
Yet right now…
Everyone was quiet.
Maybe because I had just stopped ignoring Keif.
Maybe because the tension from earlier was still floating around.
Or maybe because I was sitting on the couch beside Keif again… curled slightly into his side while he absent-mindedly played with my hair.
I still pretended to be annoyed.
But honestly?
I had already forgiven him.
Just a little.
Okay maybe a lot.
Cin suddenly leaned across the table and looked at me suspiciously.
"Jay."
I raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
He pointed at me dramatically.
"You forgave him too easily."
I rolled my eyes.
"Mind your business."
Aries laughed.
"Yeah Cin, don't ruin the peace."
Ella nudged Aries.
"Let them be."
I stretched slightly and leaned more comfortably against Keif.
But my brain…
Was still thinking about something.
That photo.
The girl in the album.
Zoya.
Something about her face kept bothering me.
I frowned slightly.
"Aries?"
Aries looked up from his phone.
"Hmm?"
"Can I ask something?"
He shrugged.
"Sure."
I hesitated for a moment.
Then said slowly,
"Why does Zoya look like me?"
The room went silent.
Instantly.
Too silent.
My stomach tightened.
Because I felt it.
The shift in the air.
I slowly looked around.
Cin stopped eating.
Ella stopped smiling.
Aries froze.
And Keif—
Keif's hand in my hair stopped moving.
My heart started beating faster.
"…why is everyone quiet?"
No one answered.
I sat up straighter.
My eyes moved between Keif and Aries.
"You know something."
Keif looked away.
Aries rubbed the back of his neck.
That was enough.
I stood up from the couch.
"Okay."
My voice became sharper.
"What are you hiding?"
"Jay—"
"No."
I pointed at Aries.
"You answer me."
Aries glanced at Keif.
Keif shook his head slightly.
That made my anger rise instantly.
"WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT HIM?"
My voice echoed through the living room.
Keigan and Keiran stopped playing on the floor.
Even they could feel the tension now.
I looked back at Aries.
"Why does she look like me?"
Still no answer.
My chest tightened.
"Answer me!"
Aries sighed.
"Jay…"
"What?!"
"Calm down."
"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!"
My voice cracked slightly.
Because now…
Now my mind was racing.
Why would they hide something so simple?
Unless it wasn't simple.
Unless it was something bigger.
Something important.
Something about me.
My head started hurting slightly.
"Just tell me!"
Keif stood up.
"Jay—"
"NO."
I stepped back.
"Both of you stop treating me like I'm stupid!"
Aries looked at Keif again.
And this time…
Keif didn't stop him.
Aries sighed heavily.
Then said quietly,
"…because she's your sister."
Everything stopped.
My brain froze.
"…what?"
My voice came out as a whisper.
Aries continued slowly.
"Zoya… was your older sister."
My heart skipped.
My mind went blank.
"Sister…?"
Images suddenly flickered in my head.
A girl.
Long hair.
Laughing.
Holding my hand.
Running.
Then—
Darkness.
Shouting.
Blood.
A loud crash.
My breathing became uneven.
"No…"
The memories came faster now.
A house.
Crying.
Someone screaming.
A man shouting.
My mother's voice.
The smell of something metallic.
Blood.
So much blood.
My head started spinning.
"Jay?"
Keif's voice sounded distant.
I grabbed my head.
"No… no… no…"
The memories wouldn't stop.
A door slamming.
Someone falling.
Red.
Everywhere.
My chest tightened painfully.
"I remember…!"
My vision blurred.
The room started spinning.
I felt Keif's hands grab my shoulders.
"Jay look at me!"
But I couldn't.
The memories were too strong now.
The past I had buried…
Was breaking open.
"Blood…"
My legs felt weak.
"Jay—"
Then everything went black.
Keifer's POV
The moment Aries said the truth…
I knew things were about to go wrong.
I saw it in Jay's eyes.
That sudden empty look.
Like something inside her had cracked open.
"Jay…"
She grabbed her head.
"No…"
My chest tightened.
I stepped closer.
"Jay look at me."
But she looked terrified.
Like she was seeing something none of us could see.
"I remember…!"
My heart dropped.
Memories.
The ones she had forgotten.
The ones everyone avoided talking about.
They were coming back.
"Blood…"
Her voice trembled.
And then—
Her body suddenly collapsed.
"JAY!"
I caught her before she hit the floor.
Her weight fell into my arms.
Completely limp.
My heart started racing instantly.
"Jay!"
No response.
Her eyes were closed.
Her breathing shallow.
Ella gasped.
"Oh my god!"
Cin stood up quickly.
"Did she faint?!"
Aries looked pale.
"I didn't think she would remember like that…"
I held Jay tighter.
"Jay."
Nothing.
"Barracuda wake up."
Still nothing.
Fear started creeping into my chest.
The kind I hated.
The kind that made my stomach twist.
I brushed her hair away from her face.
"Jay… please."
Keiran whispered quietly behind me,
"Kuya… is Hipang okay?"
I swallowed.
"I don't know."
Aries stepped closer.
"She probably fainted from shock."
"That's not helping."
Ella grabbed a glass of water quickly.
"What do we do?"
I didn't answer.
Because right now…
I was only staring at Jay.
Her face pale.
Her body completely still in my arms.
And the only thing running through my mind was one terrifying thought.
The past she forgot…
Had finally found its way back to her.
And I had no idea what would happen when she woke up.