Chapter 23: Jayfer in the Spotlight
Mariano Tower – Main Auditorium
New York City
(Jay-jay's POV)
The room was packed. Glass walls reflected the afternoon sun and the flashes of reporters' cameras.
Executives from Mariano Enterprises and Watson Enterprises sat side by side, tense but expectant.
I could feel my heart pounding, not because of the crowd—but because of him.
Keifer.
He stood beside me, calm, poised, and impossibly frustrating. His hand brushed mine lightly, and I felt a jolt.
My father, Jaspfher Mariano, stepped up to the podium. The room quieted immediately.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, voice steady and commanding. "Today, we are here to announce a historic partnership—not just between our companies—but between our families.
"And I am proud to announce the official engagement of Jay-jay Mariano and Keifer Watson."
A collective murmur rippled through the audience. Cameras flashed like lightning.
I swallowed. My mind raced. This is it. Everything is public now.
And then my eyes found Keifer's.
He looked at me expectantly. Calm. But there was tension there too—jealousy, protectiveness, longing, and something else I wasn't ready to name.
I smiled.
Not a fake smile. Not the polite, forced kind I used to give reporters.
A real smile. Bright. Wide. Full of energy.
I laughed softly as my father continued speaking.
"Yes, our Jayfer," he said, grinning knowingly, "will be living together in the upcoming months. This engagement solidifies our alliance and our future together—professionally and personally."
I turned toward Keifer as the audience applauded.
And he reached for my hand.
His fingers brushed mine, gentle but firm.
Then, almost instinctively, he pulled me closer, one hand resting lightly on my waist. Not forcefully—just enough to guide me beside him.
I leaned slightly into him, letting him feel the warmth between us.
The cameras continued flashing.
And I didn't fake my expressions.
I smiled, laughed, and whispered a joke into his ear. His eyes softened, and a small smirk appeared on his lips.
This is real.
Not Section E. Not plans. Not manipulations.
Just us.
Keifer's POV
Watching her smile like that… like it belonged to her, not me, not Section E, not anyone else… it nearly broke me.
She was dazzling. Brilliant. Alive.
And the audacity of it—the way she leaned toward me, letting me touch her waist, laugh freely, talk openly—it stirred something deep inside me.
The protective instinct, the possessive jealousy, the love I'd been trying to suppress—all collided.
I tightened my hand around hers, just slightly, and pulled her a little closer.
Her laugh hit a note I didn't expect. Pure. Real. Unlike any smile I'd seen her give when I'd controlled the situation before.
She wasn't faking. She wasn't performing.
And yet, the entire room thought this was a staged event. Business. Public engagement.
But in that moment… it wasn't.
Her real smile, the way she looked at me, the way she leaned into me while still teasing me—it was… enough.
I caught myself staring at her fingers brushing mine again.
"Jay-jay," I whispered softly, just enough for her to hear.
She looked up, eyes sparkling.
"Yes?"
"You're… dangerous."
I let the words hang between us. Not a reprimand. Not a joke. Just truth.
She smirked, leaning her forehead lightly against mine.
"And you like it."
I smiled faintly. "Yes."
Jay-jay's POV
I could feel his gaze on me constantly, even as the cameras continued clicking.
I whispered a joke about the Watson lawyers into his ear.
He chuckled softly.
And then, his hand brushed against my waist again, pulling me slightly closer.
I leaned in, matching the gesture—not forced, not defensive, but mutual.
The room applauded again. Cameras clicked faster.
And I realized: this… this was the first time I hadn't felt like a pawn.
Even if this engagement started as business… right now, it felt like us.
Yuri's POV
I had been standing at the back of the press area, unseen, observing.
The moment I saw her smile at him… real, not forced… my chest tightened painfully.
She wasn't faking it. She wasn't pretending to like him for business or strategy. She was happy.
Laughing. Talking. Leaning into him.
And he… he was touching her hand. Guiding her gently by the waist. Keeping her close. Protective. Possessive.
The old pain struck me like lightning.
The Jay-jay I loved—the Jay-jay I thought I'd lost to my own mistakes—was alive and smiling for him.
Not me.
Not fake. Not for the cameras.
For him.
I clenched my fists.
No.
I shook my head slightly.
I couldn't let this happen.
Not like this.
Not after everything.
But the sight of them, so natural together, so intimate even in public, was unbearable.
And I realized… I might have lost her.
Auditorium — After the Announcement
The room erupted into applause again.
Jay-jay and Keifer stood side by side, hand in hand. Her other hand rested lightly on his arm. She laughed at something he whispered.
I watched him subtly tighten his grip on her fingers. Not possessive. Protective. Loving.
The flashes from the cameras caught every detail—the subtle smiles, the touches, the unspoken conversation between them.
It was real.
It was dangerous.
It was… theirs.
And in the back, Yuri's eyes burned with both jealousy and regret.
But Jay-jay… she was smiling. Truly smiling.
And for Keifer… that was all that mattered.
(Jay-jay's POV)
The next morning felt strange. Bright. Exciting.
I was reviewing expansion plans for Mariano Enterprises when my phone buzzed repeatedly.
A message from Edrix popped up:
"Guys know. Everyone knows. You can't hide from Section E."
I blinked.
"What does he mean?" I whispered to myself.
Then another buzz. A video call request. From Edrix.
And not just him—multiple incoming calls from familiar names.
Ci N, Felix, Calix, Mayo, Kit, Blaster, Rory, Drew, David, Denzel, Eman, Eran, Josh.
They were all here. All of them. And they were all grinning like maniacs.
I pinched my nose. "Oh no. It's happening."
Section E — Video Call
The screen lit up with all fifteen members of Section E.
"Jay-jay!" Felix shouted.
"Finally! About time!" Calix added.
Mayo waved frantically. "We saw the news! Congrats!"
I laughed softly, despite myself.
"This isn't the time for screaming," I said, trying to stay composed.
Ci N leaned closer to his camera. "Are you serious? You're actually engaged to him?"
Keifer, standing behind me, gave a small grin.
"Yes," I said simply, still keeping my composure.
Felix gasped. "No way! That Watson guy?! You're actually…?"
"Yes," I repeated, rolling my eyes. "I forgive all of you for thinking you could hide secrets. But Keifer here…" I looked over my shoulder. "…still has to wait a little."
Section E froze for a second.
"Wait… what?" Felix and Kit shouted in unison.
I smirked teasingly. "Keifer still has to wait."
Keifer's jaw tightened slightly, but a playful smirk tugged at his lips.
Keifer's POV
I stepped closer behind her, one hand sliding gently to her waist.
"Jay-jay," I murmured softly, letting my lips brush her ear.
"I'll wait forever for you," I said quietly, but my voice carried both promise and longing.
She leaned back slightly into my touch, smiling.
"I know," she whispered, teasingly.
And just like that, I felt… complete.
Watching her grin at me like that, while all of Section E was erupting behind the screen, I realized—she was finally letting go of all the past pain.
Jay-jay's POV
The laughter from the screen was deafening.
Ci N started a chant: "Jay-jay! Jay-jay! Jay-jay!"
Mayo tried to high-five the camera.
Felix yelled, "I told you he's trouble! But… okay, fine, you're happy. Good."
Rory jumped into the frame: "We forgive you, Jay! And we're glad you're alive and smiling!"
I chuckled softly.
"I forgive you all," I said genuinely. "All of Section E. But Keifer…" I looked over my shoulder at him, leaning into his hand on my waist. "…still has to wait a little."
He smirked, whispering softly:
"I'll wait forever, Jay."
And I laughed.
Yuri's POV
From afar, I watched the live updates of Section E's video call.
I saw her smile. Not fake. Not controlled. Genuine.
She was laughing with him. Touching him. Leaning into him.
A pang hit me. Sharp.
I realized then—I had lost her.
Not because I wanted to hurt her. Not because I tried to manipulate her.
Because she had chosen her life, her happiness.
And no matter what I did, I could never be that person again.
I exhaled slowly, finally letting go.
She wasn't mine. She belonged with him… with Keifer.
Section E — Celebration
"Jay-jay! We're coming to NYC!" Denzel yelled.
"No, you're not!" I teased. "Not yet. Let me breathe first."
Kit laughed. "We just wanted to see our queen happy!"
"You all sound ridiculous," I said, smiling.
"Ridiculously happy?" Felix quipped.
"Yes," I answered. "Exactly that."
Keifer squeezed my waist gently again, whispering, "You really do look beautiful when you laugh."
I leaned into him, still laughing at Section E's chaos.
"Yes," I said softly, "and I forgive all of Section E. But Keifer…" I smirked. "…you still have to wait."
He laughed softly, his lips brushing my hair.
"I'll wait forever, Jay-jay."
And for the first time in years, surrounded by the people I loved, I truly felt like everything was finally falling into place. ✨