Chapter Twenty-One: Jay Goes Home
The morning started perfectly.
Jay woke in Keifer's arms, warm and content. The sun streamed through the windows. Keiran's giggles echoed from downstairs. Keigan's music drifted faintly from his room.
Perfect.
Then Jay's phone buzzed.
Ella: Girl. You need to see this.
A link. A gossip site.
Jay opened it.
The headline screamed: Watson Enterprises CEO Spotted with Mystery Woman at Late-Night Dinner!
Photos loaded slowly. When they finally appeared, Jay's heart did something strange.
Not broke. Not shattered.
Just... paused.
Keifer. At an expensive restaurant. With Valentina. Late at night.
The same Valentina who'd touched his arm in the office. Who'd looked at him like he was a steak dinner. Who'd said "old friends" like it meant something more.
Jay stared at the photos.
Then she looked at Keifer, still sleeping peacefully beside her.
Then she looked back at the photos.
Something hot and irrational bubbled up in her chest.
"Oh no you don't," she muttered.
---
She was dressed and out the door before Keifer even stirred.
Didn't leave a note. Didn't send a text. Just... left.
Her car ate up the kilometers toward her family home. The house where Aries, Percy, Tita Gemma, Tito Rachel, and Kuya Angelo all lived together in beautiful, chaotic harmony.
The house where she grew up.
The house where she could absolutely lose her mind without judgment.
---
She burst through the front door at eight-thirty in the morning.
The scene was pure chaos.
Tita Gemma was in the kitchen, already cooking enough food for an army. Tito Rachel sat at the table, reading a newspaper like it was 1950. Aries was on his laptop, probably working. Percy was sprawled on the couch, definitely not working.
And Kuya Michel Angelo sat in his favorite armchair, drinking coffee, surveying his domain like a benevolent king.
They all looked up when Jay stormed in.
"BABY SISTA!" Percy launched off the couch. "You're here! Early! Without warning! This is—" He stopped. "Why do you look like you want to murder someone?"
Jay held up her phone. The gossip site. The photos.
Silence.
Then Percy grabbed the phone, scrolled through the photos, and let out a dramatic gasp. "KEIFER? With VALENTINA? At NIGHT?"
"Percy, give me that." Aries snatched the phone, scanned the photos, and raised an eyebrow. "This doesn't look good."
"It's not good!" Jay's voice rose. "It's 11 PM! At a fancy restaurant! She's TOUCHING him!"
Tita Gemma appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. "What's all the shouting? Apo, why are you here so early?"
Jay showed her the photos.
Tita Gemma studied them for approximately two seconds. Then she snorted.
"This?" She waved the phone. "This is nothing."
"NOTHING?"
"Nothing. Look at her face." Tita Gemma zoomed in. "Desperate. Look at his face. Uncomfortable. He's not leaning toward her. He's leaning AWAY. His hand is on the table, not hers. This is a business meeting she's trying to make into something else."
Jay stared at the photos. Really looked.
Tita Gemma was right. Keifer's body language was closed off. Professional. Uninterested.
"But—but—" Jay sputtered.
"But nothing." Tita Gemma handed back the phone. "You're jealous. It's normal. But don't let jealousy make you stupid."
Tito Rachel lowered his newspaper. "He's a good boy. I vetted him myself."
"You vetted him over wine!"
"Wine tells all." Tito Rachel nodded sagely. "He passed."
Kuya Michel Angelo spoke for the first time. "Sit down, little sister. Breathe. Tell us what really happened."
---
Jay sat.
And talked.
About Valentina's visit. About the way she'd touched Keifer. About the jealousy she'd felt. About the photos this morning. About walking out without explanation.
When she finished, Percy was grinning.
"So let me get this straight. You saw some photos, got jealous, and ran home to Mommy?"
"I did NOT run home to Mommy—"
"You absolutely ran home to Mommy." Aries was smiling too. "It's okay. We all do it."
Tita Gemma patted her cheek. "You're human, apo. It happens."
"But what if—what if something DID happen?"
"Did Keifer give you any reason to doubt him before this?"
Jay thought about it. The way he looked at her. The way he held her. The way he said "I love you until scientists find the end of the universe."
"No," she admitted quietly.
"And has Valentina given you any reason to trust her?"
"She's... Valentina."
"Exactly." Tita Gemma nodded. "Don't let a desperate woman ruin what you have with a good man."
---
Percy, of course, couldn't let it go.
"So. Keifer's in trouble. Big trouble. What's he doing right now? Is he panicking? Is he crying? Is he—" He pulled out his phone. "I'm texting him."
"Percy, DON'T—"
Too late.
Percy: Dude. Jay's here. She's mad. You're doomed.
The response was instantaneous.
Keifer: Is she okay? Is she hurt? Can I talk to her?
Percy: She's fine. She's just mad. And dramatic. Like someone else I know.
Keifer: Percy. Please. I love her. Nothing happened. I swear.
Percy: I know, man. But you gotta prove it to her.
Keifer: How?
Percy looked up, grinning. "He's desperate. This is gold."
Aries grabbed the phone. "Stop torturing him." He typed quickly.
Aries: Give her space. She'll come back when she's ready. In the meantime, figure out how to make it up to her.
Keifer: I'll do anything. Anything.
Aries: Good. Start planning.
---
Jay spent the morning being dramatically miserable.
She sat on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, staring at nothing. Every few minutes, she'd check her phone. No messages from Keifer.
"Looking for something?" Tita Gemma asked innocently.
"No."
"You've checked your phone seventeen times."
"Eighteen," Percy corrected. "I counted."
Jay threw a pillow at him. He caught it, laughing.
Tito Rachel lowered his newspaper again. "Why don't you call him?"
"Because I'm mad."
"Mad enough to never speak to him again?"
"No."
"Mad enough to stay here forever?"
"No."
"Then call him."
"It's not that simple!"
"It's exactly that simple." Tito Rachel went back to his newspaper. "But do it your way. Dramatically. It's more entertaining."
---
By afternoon, the teasing had reached epic proportions.
Percy kept making kissy faces every time he passed. Aries would randomly announce "KEIFER!" in a dramatic voice. Even Kuya Michel Angelo got in on it, hiding Jay's phone just to watch her panic.
"My phone. Where's my phone?"
"Somewhere." Kuya shrugged. "Why? Expecting a call?"
"I—no—I just—"
"You just want to see if he's texted." He handed it back, smiling. "He has. Seventeen times."
Jay looked.
Seventeen messages. All variations of "I love you," "I'm sorry," "Please talk to me," and "Nothing happened I swear."
Her heart softened slightly.
Percy peeked over her shoulder. "Aww, he's pathetic. It's adorable."
"Percy—"
"Read the last one out loud!"
She scrolled to the bottom.
Keifer: I'll wait forever if I have to. Until scientists find the end of the universe. You're my everything, Jay. Everything.
Percy fake-sobbed. "That's beautiful. I'm crying."
Aries nodded approvingly. "Good save."
Tita Gemma appeared with snacks. "So. When are you going back?"
Jay blinked. "Going back?"
"To him. To your home. To that sweet boy who's probably losing his mind right now."
"I'm still mad."
"Mad is fine. But don't let mad become permanent." Tita Gemma sat beside her. "He made a mistake—not cheating, but being stupid about dinner with another woman. That's fixable. Is it worth throwing away everything?"
Jay thought about it.
Keifer's smile. His laugh. The way he held Keiran. The way he looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the world.
"No," she whispered. "It's not."
"Then go. But make him work for it first." Tita Gemma winked. "A little suffering builds character."
---
By evening, Jay was ready.
She'd eaten Tita Gemma's food. Survived Percy's teasing. Endured Aries's knowing looks. Even gotten a hug from Kuya.
Now she stood at the door, keys in hand.
"Going back?" Tito Rachel asked.
"Going back."
"Good. Bring him next Sunday. I have more wine to test."
She laughed. "I will."
Percy hugged her dramatically. "Tell Keifer he owes me. I defended his honor."
"You called him pathetic."
"Affectionately!"
Aries kissed her forehead. "Call if you need anything."
Kuya Michel Angelo just smiled. "You know where home is. Always."
Tita Gemma shooed her out. "Go. Before he dies of heartbreak. Men are fragile."
---
Jay drove back to the mansion.
Her heart was lighter. Her anger had cooled to something manageable. And she had a plan.
He needed to suffer. Just a little.
But first, she needed to see him.
---
She walked through the door at seven-thirty.
The mansion was quiet. Too quiet. Then she heard it—a sound from the living room.
She peeked in.
Keifer sat on the couch, head in his hands. Keiran was beside him, patting his back.
"Don't cry, Pappa. Mamma come back."
"I know, buddy. I just miss her."
"She come back. Mamma loves Pappa."
Jay's heart melted into a puddle.
She stepped into the room. "I'm back."
Keifer's head snapped up. His eyes were red. His face was a mess.
"Jay—"
She held up a hand. "Don't. Not yet."
He stopped, hope and fear warring on his face.
"I'm still mad," she said. "But I'm here. And I'm listening."
He stood slowly, carefully, like approaching a wild animal. "Nothing happened. I swear. Valentina's family is in legal trouble. She asked for advice. I said yes because our families go back. It was stupid. I should have told you. I should have brought you. I should have—"
"You should have."
"I know. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
She studied him. His desperation was real. His love was real.
"I believe you," she said quietly.
His face crumpled with relief. "You do?"
"I do. But—" She held up a finger. "You're not off the hook."
"Anything. I'll do anything."
She smiled—just a little. "Good. You're sleeping on the couch tonight."
"I'll sleep on the couch."
"And you're making breakfast tomorrow."
"I'll make breakfast."
"And you're explaining to Keiran why Mamma was gone all day."
"I'll—wait, that's cruel."
"He's three. He'll forgive you."
Keifer laughed—a broken, relieved sound. "Okay. Anything else?"
She thought about it. "I'll let you know."
He stepped closer, slowly. "Can I... can I hug you?"
She opened her arms.
He collapsed into them, holding her like she might disappear. She held him back, breathing him in.
"I love you," he whispered into her hair. "I love you so much."
"I love you too. Even when you're stupid."
"I'm your stupid."
"Yeah." She smiled against his chest. "You are."
---
Keiran tugged on her pants. "Mamma? You stay now?"
She scooped him up. "I stay now, baby."
"Good. Pappa was sad. Made weird noises."
"I bet he did."
Keifer groaned. "Keiran—"
"Like a puppy. A sad puppy."
Jay laughed—really laughed—and the tension broke completely.
Dinner was simple. Keigan joined them, relieved to see Jay back. Keiran told long, rambling stories about his day. Keifer held Jay's hand under the table.
Later, after the boys were in bed, they stood on the patio.
"I'm sorry," Keifer said again. "For being stupid. For not thinking. For hurting you."
"I'm sorry too. For running instead of talking."
"We're both learning."
"Together?"
He pulled her close. "Together."
She kissed him—soft, warm, forgiving.
And somewhere in the house, Percy's phone buzzed with a photo Yuri had secretly sent of the moment.
Percy: THEY'RE BACK TOGETHER! THE BETTING POOL CONTINUES!
Yuri: Told you. Love always wins.
Percy: Shut up.
---
End of Chapter Twenty-One