Chapter Twenty-Five: The Accident
The morning after the office incident was peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Jay woke in Keifer's arms, warm and content. The sun streamed through the windows. Birds sang outside. Keiran's giggles echoed from downstairs.
Perfect.
Keifer stirred, pulling her closer. "Morning."
"Morning."
"Stay."
"Can't. Keiran's awake."
"Keiran can wait."
"He's making pancakes with the chef. He's fine."
"Good." He kissed her neck. "Then stay."
She laughed, but she stayed.
---
They eventually made it downstairs, hand in hand.
Keiran attacked them at the bottom step. "MAMMA! PAPPA! I made pancakes! With sprinkles!"
"The best kind," Jay agreed, scooping him up.
Breakfast was chaos. Keiran demanded they try his pancakes. Keigan complained about homework. Keifer made coffee exactly right.
Normal. Perfect. Home.
Then Keifer's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen, frowned. "I have to take this. Business thing."
Jay nodded, focused on Keiran.
He stepped into the study.
---
Ten minutes later, he emerged, expression strange.
"Jay? Can I talk to you?"
She handed Keiran to Keigan. "Sure. What's up?"
He led her back to the study, closed the door.
"That was the Singapore branch. There's an emergency. I have to fly out. Now."
"Now? Today?"
"Within the hour. Private jet's being prepped." He pulled her close. "I'm sorry. I know we had plans—"
"Work is work. I get it." She kissed him. "How long?"
"Overnight, probably. Maybe two days."
"Be careful."
"Always."
---
The next hour was chaos.
Keifer packed. Jay helped. Keiran cried when he heard Pappa was leaving. Keigan promised to help Mamma with everything.
At the door, Keifer kissed Jay like it might be the last time.
Dramatic. Unnecessary. Perfect.
"I'll call you tonight," he promised.
"You better."
"I love you."
"I love you too. Now go before you miss your plane."
He went.
Jay watched his car disappear down the driveway, a strange unease settling in her chest.
She shook it off.
He'd be back tomorrow. Everything was fine.
---
The day passed slowly.
Jay played with Keiran. Helped Keigan with homework. Talked to Tita Gemma on the phone. Avoided Percy's teasing texts.
By evening, she was tired but content.
Keifer called at seven.
"Made it safe," he said. "Hotel is nice. Meeting tomorrow at nine."
"Miss you."
"Miss you too. Kiss Keiran for me."
"I will. Be careful."
"Always. Love you."
"Love you."
She hung up, smiling.
Everything was fine.
---
At three in the morning, her phone rang.
Jay woke instantly, heart pounding. Unknown number. International.
"Hello?"
"Ms. Mariano?" A stranger's voice. Professional. Tense.
"Yes?"
"This is Singapore General Hospital. There's been an accident. Mark Keifer Watson was brought in an hour ago. He's asking for you."
The world stopped.
"Accident?" Her voice was barely a whisper. "What kind of accident? Is he okay?"
"His car was hit by a drunk driver on the way back from dinner. He's in surgery now. We need you to come."
Surgery.
The word echoed in her skull.
"I'm coming," she heard herself say. "I'm coming right now."
---
The next hour was a blur.
She woke Keigan, explained as calmly as she could. Called Aries. Called Percy. Called Kuya Angelo.
Within thirty minutes, Aries was at the door.
"I'll take you to the airport. Private jet's waiting."
"Keiran—"
"I'll stay with him," Keigan said, voice steady despite his pale face. "Go. Bring him back."
She hugged him tight. "I will. I promise."
---
The flight was agony.
Four hours of staring at the ceiling, praying, bargaining with any god who might listen.
Aries sat beside her, holding her hand. Percy paced the cabin. Yuri, who'd somehow joined them, was uncharacteristically silent.
"He's strong," Aries said. "He'll make it."
"He has to." Jay's voice cracked. "He has to."
---
They landed at six AM Singapore time.
A car waited. Rushed through morning traffic. Reached the hospital.
Jay ran.
Through the doors. Past the nurses. To the ICU reception.
"Mark Keifer Watson. I'm his—" She stopped. What was she? Girlfriend? Fiancée? Family?
The nurse smiled kindly. "He's been asking for you. Room 407. Fourth floor."
She ran again.
---
The room was white. Sterile. Full of machines.
And Keifer lay in the bed, pale as the sheets, bandages wrapped around his head, tubes connected to his arm.
But his eyes were open.
And when he saw her, he smiled.
"Jay."
She was at his side in seconds, careful not to hurt him, hands hovering, tears streaming.
"You're awake. You're okay. You're—"
"Alive." His voice was rough, weak. "Thanks to you."
"Me? I wasn't even here."
"You were." He lifted a hand—slow, shaky—to touch her face. "In my head. Telling me to hold on. To come back to you."
She sobbed, pressing her forehead to his.
"I thought I lost you."
"Never." His thumb wiped her tears. "I promised. Until the end of the universe."
"Don't you dare break that promise."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
---
The doctor arrived, explained the injuries.
Broken ribs. Concussion. Deep cuts that needed stitches. Internal bleeding that they'd stopped in time.
"He's lucky to be alive," the doctor said. "The drunk driver hit him head-on. His car was destroyed."
Jay held Keifer's hand tighter.
"I'm not lucky," Keifer said weakly. "I have her."
The doctor smiled. "Rest now. She'll be here when you wake up."
"Promise?" He looked at Jay.
"Promise."
He slept.
---
The next days were a blur of hospital routines.
Aries handled things from Singapore. Percy kept everyone updated. Yuri filmed nothing—just sat with Jay, silent support.
Keiran called every day. "Pappa coming home soon?"
"Soon, baby. He's getting better."
"Tell him Rex misses him."
"I will."
Keigan sent messages. Short, but frequent. How is he? Tell him to hurry up. Keiran's driving me crazy.
Jay laughed through tears.
---
On the third day, Keifer was strong enough to sit up.
On the fifth, he could walk to the bathroom alone.
On the seventh, the doctor said they could fly home—carefully, with medical supervision.
The private jet became an air ambulance. Jay never left his side.
---
Home.
The mansion had never looked so beautiful.
Keiran attacked them at the door, crying. Keigan hovered nearby, trying to look calm but failing. Staff hovered with concern.
Keifer, weak but smiling, let Jay guide him to the couch.
"I'm home," he breathed.
"You're home," she agreed.
"Never leaving again."
"That's what you said last time."
"This time I mean it."
She kissed him—soft, careful, full of love.
Keiran climbed onto the couch, squeezing between them. "Pappa sick?"
"Pappa was hurt. But he's getting better."
"Rex helped. Rex sent good thoughts."
"Thank Rex for us."
Keiran nodded solemnly. "Rex says you're welcome."
---
That night, after Keiran was finally asleep and Keigan had retreated, Jay sat beside Keifer on the couch.
"You scared me," she whispered.
"I know. I'm sorry."
"Don't do it again."
"Can't promise. But I'll try."
She leaned into him—careful of his injuries—and he wrapped an arm around her.
"I love you," she said.
"I love you too. More than everything."
"Until the end of the universe?"
"Until scientists find it and then keep going."
She smiled against his chest.
They were home.
They were together.
That was all that mattered.
---
End of Chapter Twenty-Five