Chapter: The Return No One Wanted
(Jay & Keifer POV mixed)
Jay's POV
The house felt quiet again.
Too quiet.
After everything that had happened — the memories, the crying, the truth about Zoya — my mind still felt heavy.
I was sitting on the couch, curled beside Keif, my head resting against his shoulder while his arm stayed wrapped around me.
He hadn't let go of me for almost an hour.
Not that I wanted him to.
Aries was standing near the window, scrolling through his phone.
Cin was sitting on the floor eating chips like nothing dramatic had happened earlier.
Ella was beside him.
Keigan and Keiran were whispering somewhere behind the couch.
For a moment…
Everything felt calm again.
Then suddenly—
Aries' phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
And his expression changed instantly.
His jaw tightened.
"…Kuya Angelo."
Everyone looked at him.
Aries answered the call.
"Hello?"
The room stayed quiet while he listened.
His face slowly became serious.
Then he looked at me.
"Yeah… she's here."
My stomach twisted.
Why did that sound bad?
Aries listened again.
Then sighed.
"…Okay."
He hung up.
Cin immediately asked,
"What happened?"
Aries rubbed the back of his neck.
"Kuya Angelo wants us to come back."
Ella frowned.
"Now?"
"Yeah."
My heart suddenly started beating faster.
"…Why?"
Aries didn't answer immediately.
Instead he looked straight at me.
And that look alone told me everything.
My stomach dropped.
"…She's there, isn't she?"
Aries nodded slowly.
"Yeah."
My chest tightened instantly.
"…Mom."
The word felt bitter in my mouth.
The room became quiet again.
Keif's arm around me tightened slightly.
"You don't have to go if you don't want to."
But I slowly stood up.
My legs felt weak.
"No… I'm going."
Aries sighed.
"Jay—"
"I'm going."
My voice was firm.
Because running away wouldn't change anything.
Not anymore.
Keifer's POV
I didn't like this.
Not one bit.
Jay was trying to look strong, but I could see the tension in her shoulders.
She hated her mother.
And honestly?
Aries hated her too.
Everyone in that house knew why.
Jay grabbed my hand suddenly.
Her fingers were cold.
"You're coming too."
It wasn't a question.
I nodded immediately.
"Of course."
Cin raised his hand dramatically.
"Road trip?"
Aries glared at him.
"This isn't a picnic."
Cin slowly lowered his hand.
"Okay… emotional road trip."
Thirty minutes later we were already in the car.
The drive felt longer than usual.
Jay sat beside me silently, staring out the window.
She hadn't said a word the entire ride.
But her hand never left mine.
Not once.
Finally—
We reached Kuya Angelo's house.
Aries parked the car.
Nobody moved.
The house looked normal.
Quiet.
Peaceful.
But the tension inside the car felt suffocating.
Jay finally spoke softly.
"…Let's go."
We stepped out of the car.
Aries walked beside her.
I stayed close on her other side.
The door was slightly open.
Which meant someone was already waiting.
We walked inside.
And the moment Jay stepped into the living room—
She froze.
I felt her hand tighten around mine instantly.
Standing in the middle of the room…
Was a woman.
Tall.
Well dressed.
Cold expression.
And the moment she saw Jay…
Her face changed.
"Jay…"
Jay's eyes filled with anger immediately.
Pure anger.
Aries' jaw clenched beside her.
The woman stepped forward slowly.
"I've been waiting for you."
Jay's voice turned sharp instantly.
"Don't."
The woman stopped.
Jay's eyes were burning now.
"You don't get to act like a mother."
The woman sighed.
"Jay—"
"Don't call my name."
The air in the room felt heavy.
Even I felt the tension.
Aries crossed his arms coldly.
"We came because Kuya Angelo asked us to."
His voice was cold.
"Not because we wanted to see you."
The woman looked at him.
"Aries… you too?"
Aries laughed dryly.
"You think I forgot what you did?"
Jay's hand was shaking slightly now.
But she didn't look scared.
Only angry.
Years of anger.
Years of pain.
And she finally said the words she had been holding for so long.
"I hate you."
The room went silent.
The woman's face fell slightly.
But Jay didn't stop.
"You left us."
Her voice cracked.
"You let him hurt us."
Her breathing became uneven.
"You watched."
The woman whispered softly,
"I tried to protect you—"
Jay laughed bitterly.
"Protect me?"
Her eyes filled with tears again.
"You did nothing."
Aries stepped slightly closer to Jay protectively.
"Don't lie now."
The woman looked like she wanted to say something.
But no words came out.
Jay wiped her tears angrily.
"You lost the right to call yourself my mother a long time ago."
Then she turned around.
Like she didn't even want to look at her anymore.
And she grabbed my hand again.
"…Keif."
Her voice was quieter now.
"Let's go."
I didn't argue.
Because I could see it.
Jay wasn't angry anymore.
She was hurt.
Deeply hurt.
And right now…
She just wanted to leave that place.
But before we could walk away—
The woman said something quietly.
Something that made all three of us stop.
"…Zoya wants to see you."
Jay froze.
Completely.
Aries' eyes widened.
And slowly…
Jay turned around again.
Her voice barely came out.
"…What?"
The woman looked at her.
"She's here."
The entire room went silent.
Because the person Jay had just remembered…
The sister she thought was far away…
Was suddenly closer than she ever expected.