Chapter 6: Two Cities, One War
London
(Keifer's POV)
Rain.
Of course it was raining.
It always rained in London.
Gray sky.
Cold wind.
And the massive iron gates of the Watson estate standing in front of me like a prison.
The driver opened the car door.
"Welcome back, Mr. Watson."
I stepped out without answering.
This place still smelled like memories.
Most of them bad.
My mother died here.
Because of my father.
Keizer Watson.
The man who killed her.
The man whose empire I was about to take.
Inside the mansion, a long table waited.
Seven people sat around it.
My relatives.
Vultures.
One of them smiled when I entered.
"Look who finally arrived."
My uncle.
The one who had been threatening me for months.
I walked to the end of the table and sat down.
"Let's skip the fake politeness."
My uncle leaned forward.
"You're really claiming the inheritance?"
"Yes."
A woman across the table scoffed.
"You're too young to control the Watson empire."
I looked at her calmly.
"And you're too incompetent."
The room froze.
Then my uncle laughed.
"Still arrogant."
"Still honest."
His smile disappeared.
"You know we can make your life very difficult."
I leaned back in the chair.
"You already tried."
My voice became colder.
"You threatened a girl."
Silence fell immediately.
One cousin spoke carefully.
"You mean the one from your school?"
My jaw tightened.
"You already lost that leverage."
They exchanged looks.
My uncle raised an eyebrow.
"Did we?"
I didn't answer.
But inside my chest something twisted.
Because the truth was…
I didn't know where Jay-jay Mariano was anymore.
New York City
(Jay-jay's POV)
The office building of the Mariano headquarters was ridiculous.
Forty-five floors of glass and steel.
In the center of New York City.
"Try to look confident," whispered Percy Mariano beside me.
"I am confident."
"You look like you're about to fight someone."
"That's also confidence."
Percy nodded thoughtfully.
"Fair point."
Inside the elevator he fixed his hair in the mirror.
"You know," he said, "this is a historic moment."
"What?"
"The day you officially become richer than most countries."
"I don't care about money."
Percy gasped dramatically.
"You wound me."
The elevator doors opened.
Executives filled the conference room.
Everyone turned to look at us.
Or more specifically…
At me.
At the head of the table sat Jaspfher Mariano.
My father.
He gestured for me to sit beside him.
The meeting began immediately.
Shipping contracts.
Energy negotiations.
International investments.
The conversation moved so fast my head spun.
Finally one executive asked,
"Sir, who will oversee the new Asian expansion project?"
Jaspfher didn't hesitate.
"My daughter."
Every head turned toward me.
Percy whispered from the corner,
"Main character energy."
I ignored him.
"You want me to run a global project?" I asked quietly.
Jaspfher nodded.
"You need to learn the empire eventually."
I leaned forward slightly.
"And if I say no?"
He looked directly at me.
"You won't."
Confidence.
Arrogant confidence.
Strangely familiar.
Keifer had the same look sometimes.
The thought made my chest tighten again.
London
(Keifer's POV)
The meeting ended with threats.
Typical Watson family tradition.
As I left the room, my assistant approached me.
"Mr. Watson."
"Yes."
"There's been new information."
My eyes sharpened.
"What kind?"
"She's not in the Philippines anymore."
My heart stopped for a moment.
"What?"
The assistant hesitated.
"Our sources say she traveled to New York."
New York.
Halfway across the world.
A strange mix of relief and frustration hit me.
Relief she was far from the Watson mess.
Frustration because now I couldn't even see her if I wanted to.
Not that I deserved to.
I walked toward the window.
Rain hit the glass like quiet applause.
"Good," I muttered.
"She's safer there."
But a dangerous thought still lingered.
What if she found out the truth?
Would she forgive me?
Probably not.
New York City
(Jay-jay's POV)
The meeting finally ended two hours later.
My brain felt fried.
Percy dramatically collapsed onto a couch.
"Corporate meetings are exhausting."
"You didn't even talk."
"Listening is emotional labor."
I rolled my eyes.
But before we could leave, my father called my name.
"Jay-jay."
I turned back.
"Yes?"
He studied my face carefully.
"You handled that meeting well."
"Thanks… I think."
Then he said something unexpected.
"The Watson family is currently fighting for control of their inheritance."
My chest tightened immediately.
"You mean…"
"Yes."
Keifer Watson.
Percy slowly turned toward us.
"Oh this again."
Jaspfher continued calmly.
"If he survives this conflict…"
He paused slightly.
"…he will become one of the most powerful young businessmen in the world."
Silence filled the room.
I didn't know why my heart started beating faster.
Maybe because despite everything…
I still cared.
And somewhere far away in London…
Keifer Watson was fighting his own war.
New York City
(Jay-jay's POV)
I was starting to hate boardrooms.
They smelled like coffee, expensive suits, and decisions that could ruin entire countries.
And apparently now…
I was part of those decisions.
"Smile," whispered Percy Mariano beside me.
"I am smiling."
"You look like you're planning a murder."
"Depends on the meeting."
Percy nodded approvingly.
"Good. That's the Mariano spirit."
Across the long glass table sat Jaspfher Mariano, my father.
He was calm.
Always calm.
Like someone who had already planned ten moves ahead.
The executives were discussing shipping routes again when suddenly the conference room doors opened.
A security officer walked in quickly.
"Sir."
Everyone turned.
"This better be important," Percy muttered dramatically.
The guard handed my father a tablet.
Jaspfher read the screen.
For the first time since I met him…
His expression changed.
Not fear.
But something close to concern.
"What is it?" I asked.
He looked up slowly.
"There has been… an incident."
Percy leaned forward immediately.
"Oh I love incidents."
The room stayed silent.
Then my father turned the tablet toward me.
On the screen was a message.
Encrypted.
Anonymous.
But the content made my stomach drop.
"We know about the girl."
Under the text was a photo.
My photo.
Taken outside the building yesterday.
The room suddenly felt ten degrees colder.
Percy's joking expression disappeared.
"Well," he said quietly.
"That's not good."
I looked at my father.
"Who sent that?"
Jaspfher's voice became colder than ice.
"Someone who wants leverage."
My chest tightened.
"You said this wouldn't happen here."
"I said it was less likely."
"That's not the same thing!"
The executives began whispering nervously.
One of them asked,
"Should we increase security?"
"Yes," Jaspfher replied immediately.
Then he looked directly at me.
"Starting now."
Percy stood up dramatically.
"Well," he announced, "looks like you're officially important enough to be kidnapped."
I glared at him.
"Not helping."
"Sorry. Stress response."
My father closed the tablet.
"Jay-jay," he said calmly.
"Yes?"
"From today onward, you will not go anywhere without protection."
I opened my mouth to protest.
But before I could…
Another notification appeared on the tablet.
Jaspfher looked at it again.
Then his eyes narrowed slightly.
Percy leaned over his shoulder.
"What now?"
A second message had appeared.
Short.
Direct.
And somehow worse.
"Watson will fall. And the girl will follow."
My breath caught.
Watson.
My mind immediately went to one person.
Keifer Watson.
Percy noticed my reaction.
"Oh," he said slowly.
"Oh this is messy."
London
(Keifer's POV)
The Watson estate felt like a battlefield disguised as a mansion.
Every conversation was a trap.
Every smile was fake.
And every relative was waiting for me to fail.
I stood in my temporary office reviewing financial documents when my assistant rushed inside.
"Mr. Watson."
"Yes?"
"There's something you need to see."
He placed a folder on my desk.
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
My chest tightened immediately.
Jay-jay Mariano.
Standing outside a skyscraper.
In New York City.
I looked up slowly.
"How did you get this?"
"Our security team intercepted it."
"Intercepted from who?"
The assistant hesitated.
"Your uncle's network."
Cold anger spread through my chest.
"They're watching her."
"Yes."
I stood up immediately.
"Send a message."
"To who?"
"To everyone."
My voice dropped dangerously.
"If anyone touches that girl…"
I paused.
"…the Watson inheritance war will be the least of their problems."
The assistant nodded quickly.
Then he left the room.
I walked to the window.
Rain covered the glass again.
New York.
She was thousands of miles away.
And somehow still caught in my war.
I clenched my jaw.
"Stay out of this," I muttered quietly.
But deep down…
I knew it was already too late.
New York City
(Jay-jay's POV)
The car ride back to the penthouse was silent.
Even Percy wasn't joking anymore.
Which was terrifying.
Finally he sighed dramatically.
"You know," he said, staring out the window.
"I thought your biggest problem was a heartbreak."
I leaned back in the seat.
"Apparently not."
He looked at me.
"Still thinking about him?"
I didn't answer.
Percy smirked slightly.
"Yeah. That's what I thought."
Then his phone buzzed.
He glanced at the screen.
His eyebrows shot up.
"Well."
"What?"
He turned the phone toward me.
A new message had appeared.
Unknown number.
But the text was short.
And familiar.
"Protect Jay-jay."
Under the message was a name.
K. Watson
My heart stopped for a second.
Percy slowly whistled.
"Well well well."
He leaned back dramatically.
"Looks like your emotionally unavailable billionaire boy is still watching."
I stared at the screen.
Confused.
Angry.
And somehow relieved.
Because the one person I thought had completely walked away…
Was still protecting me.
Even from another continent.