Chapter 20: Sweet Things & Silent Wars
Mariano Penthouse — Night
New York City
(Jay-jay's POV)
The city lights stretched endlessly outside the glass windows, glowing like stars that had fallen to the ground.
It should've been peaceful.
A long day. A successful meeting. Everything under control.
But for some reason…
I was hungry.
Not normal hungry.
Dangerously, emotionally, unnecessarily hungry.
I walked into the living room with a bag of chips in my hand.
Then another.
And then—
A third.
Behind me, I heard the door open.
"Jay?"
I didn't answer immediately.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Silence.
Then—
"…why do you have three bags of chips?"
I turned slowly.
Keifer Watson stood there, jacket off, sleeves slightly rolled, staring at me like I had committed a serious crime.
"What?" I said casually.
He looked at the chips.
Then at me.
Then at the chips again.
"Those weren't there this morning."
"They are now."
"That's not an explanation."
"It doesn't need to be."
I walked past him and dropped onto the couch.
He followed.
Of course he did.
"You already ate one."
"Correct."
"And opened another."
"Also correct."
"And that one?"
I looked at the third bag.
"…backup."
He stared at me.
"Backup?"
"In case I'm still hungry."
"You're still hungry?"
"Yes."
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"You had dinner."
"That was hours ago."
"It was two hours ago."
"Time is relative."
He looked like he regretted every life decision that led him here.
I opened the second bag.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
"Jay."
"Yes?"
"Stop."
"No."
"You're going to feel sick."
"I won't."
"You will."
"I won't."
"You always do."
"That was one time."
"That was last week."
"That doesn't count."
"It absolutely counts."
I leaned back into the couch, completely unbothered.
"You worry too much."
"You don't worry enough."
Balance.
As always.
Keifer's POV
She was impossible.
Completely, undeniably, frustratingly impossible.
And somehow—
I couldn't look away.
She sat there in an oversized hoodie, legs tucked under her, eating chips like it was her life mission.
No boardroom.
No CEO presence.
Just… her.
Real.
Unfiltered.
And slightly chaotic.
I sat down beside her.
"You've had enough."
"I disagree."
"That's not how this works."
"It is for me."
She reached for the chocolates next.
Three packs.
Three.
"Jay."
"Yes?"
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"You don't need all of that."
"I do."
"You don't."
"I do."
"You don't."
"I do."
She unwrapped one and took a bite.
Then another.
Then another.
And I just watched.
Because arguing with her like this…
Was somehow worse than any boardroom battle.
Jay-jay's POV
He was staring.
Again.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like I'm committing a crime."
"You are."
"I am not."
"You are eating everything in sight."
"That's dramatic."
"That's accurate."
I smiled slightly.
"You're jealous."
He blinked.
"…what?"
"You're jealous I didn't offer you any."
"I don't want any."
"Sure."
"I don't."
"Sure."
I held out a chocolate piece.
"Want some?"
He looked at it.
Then at me.
Then back at it.
"…no."
I shrugged and ate it myself.
"Your loss."
A Few Minutes Later
I leaned back, satisfied.
Two bags of chips.
Three packs of chocolates.
Peace.
Happiness.
Fulfillment.
Then—
"I want ice cream."
Silence.
I turned toward him.
"I want ice cream."
"No."
I blinked.
"…what?"
"No."
"That wasn't a question."
"It is now."
"No."
I sat up.
"You don't get to decide that."
"I do."
"You don't."
"I do."
"You don't."
"You just ate half the kitchen."
"That's an exaggeration."
"It's not."
"I still want ice cream."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
I crossed my arms.
"You're being unreasonable."
"You're being ridiculous."
"I'm hungry."
"You're not."
"I am."
"You're not."
"I am."
He leaned slightly closer.
"You're bored."
I paused.
"…that's not the point."
"That is exactly the point."
"It's not."
"It is."
I looked away.
Okay.
Maybe he was right.
But that didn't mean I was going to admit it.
"I still want ice cream."
"No."
The Argument
It wasn't loud.
It wasn't dramatic.
But it was stubborn.
Very stubborn.
"I'll go get it myself," I said, standing up.
"No, you won't."
"Watch me."
I took a step.
He stood up too.
"Jay."
"What?"
"Sit down."
"No."
"Sit."
"No."
"Jay-jay."
"Keifer."
Silence.
We stared at each other.
Same energy as every argument.
Neither of us backing down.
"You're not going out at night for ice cream after eating all that."
"You're not my guardian."
"I didn't say I was."
"You're acting like it."
"I'm being reasonable."
"You're being controlling."
His expression shifted slightly.
That word hit.
"I'm not controlling you."
"It sounds like it."
"I'm stopping you from making a bad decision."
"It's ice cream."
"It's unnecessary."
"So are most things in life."
"That's not a valid argument."
"It is for me."
Silence again.
Then—
I turned away.
"Fine."
"Fine."
And just like that—
The mood changed.
Later That Night
We didn't talk.
Not really.
He sat on one side of the couch.
I sat on the other.
The TV was on.
Neither of us were watching.
It wasn't a big fight.
But it felt like one.
Because it wasn't about snacks.
It never was.
It was about control.
About care.
About how much was too much.
And neither of us knew how to balance it yet.
The Next Morning
Mariano Tower — Executive Floor
(Jay-jay's POV)
The office felt colder.
Not literally.
Just… quieter.
I walked in like usual.
Confident.
Composed.
Untouchable.
"Good morning, Miss Mariano."
"Morning."
I didn't look at him.
Didn't need to.
I could feel him there.
Across the room.
Doing the same thing.
Working.
Focused.
Ignoring me.
Fine.
If he wanted to act like nothing happened—
I could do that too.
Keifer's POV
She didn't look at me.
Not once.
Not when she walked in.
Not during the meeting.
Not even when we crossed paths in the hallway.
Fine.
If that's how she wanted to play it—
I could do that too.
But it didn't feel right.
Not after everything.
Not after yesterday.
And definitely not after that argument.
Conference Room
We sat on opposite sides.
Professional.
Cold.
Controlled.
"Let's begin," she said calmly.
No emotion.
No teasing.
No softness.
Just the CEO.
And somehow—
That was worse than any argument.
Jay-jay's POV
I missed it.
The teasing.
The arguments.
Even the ridiculous snack debate.
But I wasn't going to say it.
Not first.
Not this time.
Keifer's POV
She was doing it again.
Building walls.
And this time—
I wasn't sure how to break them.
End of Chapter
Sometimes…
It's not the big fights that create distance.
It's the small ones.
The ones that seem harmless.
But leave silence behind.
And for the first time since everything started falling into place—
Jay-jay and Keifer stood on opposite sides again.
Not because they wanted to.
But because neither of them knew who should take the first step forward. ✨