(Author's POV)
The heavy morning
The London morning started with a very bright sun. It shined directly through the big glass windows of the apartment. Jay opened her eyes slowly. She wanted to smile because the day before had been so funny.
They had beaten Vanessa at the university. They had got the highest marks from Professor Alcaraz. Her broken shirt buttons and Keifer's big jacket were still fresh in her mind. She turned her head on the soft pillow to look at Keifer.
He was already awake. He was looking at her with a very soft expression in his dark eyes.
"Good morning, my human koala," Keifer said. His voice was deep and smooth in the quiet room. He reached out his hand to touch her cheek.
But as soon as his fingers brushed her skin, his smile disappeared. His face became very serious. His hand stayed on her cheek, then moved up to her forehead.
"You are burning hot, Jay," Keifer said. His tone changed from playful to completely worried.
Jay tried to sit up. As soon as she lifted her head, the whole bedroom started to spin around. Her head felt very heavy, like a big rock was sitting inside it.
"I am fine," she croaked. Her voice sounded strange and rough. Her throat felt like it was full of dry sand. "It is just the cold London wind from yesterday."
"No, it is not just the wind," Keifer said. He stood up from the bed quickly. He was wearing his black silk pyjamas, looking like a true gentleman even in the morning. He walked over to the bathroom and came back with a digital thermometer.
He placed it under her tongue gently. "Do not speak. Just stay still." The thermometer made a small beep sound. Keifer took it out and looked at the numbers. His eyebrows came together in a tight line.
"Your temperature is very high," Keifer declared. He folded his arms across his chest. "We are not going anywhere today. You are staying in this bed. I will call the university and take a leave for both of us."
"No!" Jay said. She tried to speak loudly, but her throat hurt badly. She caught his hand. "We cannot miss today, Keifer. Today is the special guest lecture by the top corporate auditor from New York. We waited three months for this slot. It is very important for our final thesis paper."
"Your health is more important than any auditor, Jay," Keifer replied firmly. "I can buy the auditor's firm next week and make him give you a private lecture in this living room if you want. But today, you rest."
Jay laughed, but the laugh turned into a small cough. "You cannot just buy every company to fix my problems, Mr. Billionaire. I want to go to the actual class. I want to sit there and take notes. Please, Keifer. I am strong. I can do it."
Keifer looked at her stubborn face. He knew she would not change her mind easily. He let out a long sigh and shook his head. He leaned down and pressed his warm lips against her hot forehead."Fine," Keifer said, pointing a finger at her. "But from this moment, I am in total control. I will take care of you all day. You will not walk fast, you will not carry your bag, and you will absolutely not complain about anything I do. Do you understand?"
"Yes, captain," Jay whispered with a tiny smile. She felt happy inside because he was being so sweet and protective.
Keifer helped her get out of bed very slowly. He chose a very soft, thick sweater for her to wear so she would not feel cold. While she was getting dressed with slow movements, Keifer went to the kitchen. He was busy doing something for fifteen minutes.
Soon, they went down to the basement parking lot. Keifer's luxury black car was washed and shining under the garage lights. Keifer opened the front passenger door for Jay like a true gentleman. He held her hand and helped her sit inside the soft leather seat. As soon as she sat down, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. She felt so weak.
Keifer walked around the car and got into the driver's seat. He did not start the engine immediately. Instead, he reached over to Jay's side. He pressed a button on the side of her seat. The seat slowly reclined backward until Jay was lying down comfortably.
"Close your eyes and sleep," Keifer said softly. He pulled a warm tartan blanket from the back seat and spread it over her body, tucking it around her shoulders. "It takes forty minutes to reach the university in this morning traffic. Do not open your eyes until we are there."
Jay nodded her head slightly against the leather headrest. The car engine started with a very quiet, powerful hum. The movement of the luxury car was so smooth that it felt like floating on a cloud. With the warmth of the blanket and the soft music Keifer turned on, Jay fell into a deep sleep almost instantly. She slept all the way to the university, completely safe under Keifer's watchful eyes.
When the car finally stopped, the quiet click of the handbrake woke Jay up. She opened her eyes, but they felt full of burning heat. The bright light outside the car window made her wince. Her head felt terrible now. It felt like someone was digging inside her brain with a loud power drill. She tried to swallow her saliva, but her throat felt even worse than before. It was raw and painful. The fever was definitely getting stronger.
She turned her head to look at Keifer. He was already looking at her with deep concern in his eyes.
"How do you feel?" he asked, his hand instantly finding her cheek again. It felt so cool and nice against her hot skin.
"My head is a bit loud," Jay whispered, trying not to show how much pain she was in.Keifer reached into the middle compartment of the car. He pulled out a sleek silver thermal bottle. He unscrewed the cap, and a sweet, spicy aroma filled the car. It smelled like ginger, honey, and some special herbs.
"Drink this," Keifer said, handling the bottle to her carefully. "While you were getting ready this morning, I made this drink in the kitchen. When I was a young, mom used to make this for me whenever I fell sick with a bad fever. She also taught me how to make it. It is an old family recipe. It is very beneficial for the throat and drops the fever down."
Jay looked at the silver bottle, then looked up at Keifer. Her heart felt so warm and full. This cold, powerful businessman who normally commanded hundreds of people in high-rise buildings had stood in the kitchen making a traditional home remedy for her. She took the bottle with trembling hands. She lifted it to her lips and took a slow sip.
The drink was warm, sweet, and had a sharp kick of ginger. As soon as it went down her throat, the pain in her neck felt a little better. It felt very soothing."Thank you, Keifer," Jay nodded lightly, taking another long sip.
"Good wifey ," Keifer murmured. He took the bottle back from her, closed it tightly, and placed it in his bag. Then, he leaned across the space between the seats. He pressed another soft, lingering kiss on her hot forehead.
"If it becomes too much inside the classroom, you tell me immediately. No secrets."
"I promise," Jay said.They opened the car doors and stepped out into the cool London air. Jay shivered slightly, but Keifer was already by her side. He did not care about who was watching on the university campus. He wrapped his strong arm around her waist, pulling her side against his body to give her warmth and support.
As they walked toward the main entrance of the LSE building, a familiar, annoying voice broke the peace.
"Good morning, handsome!" Vanessa Christopher called out.
Vanessa was standing near the large stone pillars, holding an expensive designer handbag. She was wearing a bright dress and a lot of makeup, looking like she owned the place. She stepped directly into their walking path, smiling widely at Keifer while completely ignoring Jay.
She looked like she had already forgotten the brutal roast from the day before, or maybe she was just trying hard to act normal.Keifer did not even blink. His face did not change. His eyes stayed fixed straight ahead on the entrance doors. He didn't look at Vanessa for even a single second. He walked past her like she was made of clear glass, completely ignoring her presence.
Jay felt a sudden rush of satisfaction inside her chest. She loved his cold attitude toward people who tried to harm them. Even though she was feeling very sick, a small smile came to her lips. To show her appreciation, Jay tightened her grip on Keifer's strong arm, leaning closer into his side.
Keifer noticed the movement immediately. He felt her small hand tighten on his sleeve. Without stopping his walk, he moved his large hand on her waist, gripping her even tighter against him. It was his silent way of telling her that he only belonged to her, and no one else mattered.
They walked into the large lecture hall. Usually, Keifer liked to sit in the very front row because he was a top student who wanted to hear every word from the professor.
But today, Keifer did not guide her to the front. Instead, he led her all the way up the steps to the very last row of the hall, in a dark corner away from everyone else.
"Why are we sitting here?" Jay asked weakly as they sat down on the wooden chairs.
"Because for the first time, you are not here to be the perfect student," Keifer whispered in her ear as he pulled her close. "You are sick. If you want to close your eyes, you will close them. I sat us at the last seat because I do not want any teacher to scold you for sleeping because of your sickness. I will take all the notes for you."
Jay's heart melted completely. She leaned her head against his shoulder. Throughout the first lecture, and during every lecture that followed, Keifer's large, warm hand never left her waist. He rubbed her side gently with his thumb, giving her constant comfort while the professor talked about corporate balance sheets at the front of the room.
The Threat and The Sudden Silence
The second lecture had just finished, and the students were moving around the room to take a ten-minute break.
Jay's headache had become much worse. The power drill inside her brain was now pounding with a very heavy rhythm. Her eyes felt so hot that she had to keep them closed.
Because of the loud buzzing noise in her ears, her senses were dull. She could hear people talking around her, but the words sounded like they were underwater.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over their desk. Jay forced her heavy eyelids open. Vanessa was standing there again. This time, she wasn't smiling her fake socialite smile. Her face looked desperate and sharp.
Vanessa stepped closer to Keifer and started talking to him in a low, rapid voice. Jay tried to listen, but her headache made it impossible to connect the words. Vanessa's lips were moving fast, her hands were gesturing wildly, and she looked very intense.
Jay looked at Keifer. Keifer's face was dark and serious. He was actually replying to Vanessa. He didn't just ignore her this time. He was looking at Vanessa and speaking back in a deep, quiet tone.
Jay's sick mind started to mix with bad feelings. A sharp pain of jealousy hit her heart. Why is he talking to her now? Jay thought to herself. He ignored her this morning, but now he is paying attention to her. Am I not enough? Is it because I am sick and looking ugly today?
The fever made her thoughts very messy and emotional. She felt a sudden wave of anger and hurt. She pulled her body away from Keifer's touch slightly, removing her waist from his large hand. She closed her eyes tightly and turned her face away toward the wall.
"Fine," Jay thought bitterly in her mind," If he wants to talk to her so much, he can. I will not talk to Keifer anymore. I will ignore him completely." She did not know what they were actually saying. She was too lost in her own painful, hot world of fever and jealousy.
Keifer felt the exact moment Jay pulled away from him. Her sudden movement was like a cold knife slicing through his skin. He wanted to reach out and pull her back immediately, but Vanessa was standing in front of his desk, and the words coming out of her mouth were dangerous.
"Listen to me, Keifer," Vanessa whispered, her voice shaking with a mix of anger and fear. She leaned closer so the other students could not hear her. "My father knows what you did to our shipping lines yesterday. He knows you shorted our stock. He is furious. But he is willing to make a deal with you."
Keifer looked at Vanessa with eyes like black ice. "I do not make deals with failing companies, Vanessa."
"This is not a business negotiation, Keifer! This is a threat!" Vanessa hissed, her eyes darting toward Jay for a split second before returning to him. "My father still has deep ties with the old board members of your late father's estate in Manila. He has enough proxy votes to freeze your main asset funds. He can seize your shipping company, Keifer! He can take away everything you built in the Philippines unless you stop this financial attack right now. And there is one more condition."
Keifer's jaw tightened. "Speak."
"You must agree to marry me," Vanessa said. She tried to make her voice sound proud, but her hands were trembling against her designer bag. "A marriage alliance between the Christopher Group and your company will fix the stock prices. It will save my family, and it will give you total control of the Manila board without a fight. It is the only way you save your empire."
Keifer let out a short, cold laugh that had no joy in it. It was a terrifying sound. He stood up slightly, leaning over the desk so he was looking down at Vanessa. His presence became so heavy and dark that Vanessa actually took a step back in fear.
"My father is a ghost from a past that I have already buried, Vanessa," Keifer said. His voice was completely calm, but it was the cold calmness of a dangerous animal.
"Tell your father that he can try to touch my company. Let him try to use his old proxy votes. I have already bought three of his main bank creditors this morning while my girl was sleeping in the car. By tomorrow afternoon, your family will not even own the house you live in."
Vanessa's face turned completely white. "Keifer, you can't be this reckless! Think about your life decisions! Think about your future!"
"I am the sole owner of my own life," Keifer replied, his words sharp and heavy. "No one on this earth decides my life decisions for me. Not your father, not the old Manila board, and certainly not a desperate girl like you. The matter of my company is something I can handle in my sleep. Now, get out of my sight before I ensure your family is blacklisted from every bank in Europe too."
Vanessa gasped, her eyes full of real terror now. She realized she had completely lost. She turned around quickly and ran out of the lecture hall, her high heels clicking loudly against the floor.
Keifer immediately turned his full attention back to Jay. The anger in his chest disappeared, replaced by instant worry. He saw Jay wincing in pain.
Her small face was pale, her eyebrows were knitted together, and she was pressed against the wall, looking completely miserable.
"Jay?" Keifer asked softly, leaning down to her level. He reached out to touch her shoulder. "What happened? Where does it hurt? Is the headache getting worse?"
Jay did not look at him. She did not answer his questions. She kept her eyes fixed on the floor, her lips pressed into a tight, thin line."I want to go to the washroom," she said. Her voice was very flat, cold, and empty of any emotion.
Keifer felt a sudden panic in his heart. Why was she acting like this? Did the fever change her mood? He stood up quickly. "I will come with you."
Jay did not argue. She stood up with unstable steps. Keifer immediately placed his hand on her lower back to steady her. She didn't lean into him like before. She walked stiffly, keeping a small distance between their bodies. Keifer guided her through the busy corridor of the university. He walked with her all the way to the door of the women's washroom and stood there, leaning against the wall, waiting for her to come out.
Growing doubt
Inside the washroom, Jay walked straight to the sink. The room was empty and quiet, which was a relief for her loud headache. She felt so incredibly weak.
Her eyes kept closing on their own because of the deep tiredness in her bones. The fever felt like a heavy blanket pressing down on her entire body.
The power drill inside her head was hitting her temple with full force now. She turned on the tap and splashed cold water onto her hot face.
It felt nice for a second, but the pain did not go away.Suddenly, the outer door of the washroom opened. Jay didn't look up immediately, but then she heard a voice. It was Vanessa.
Vanessa had walked into the toilet stalls area, and she was talking loudly on her mobile phone. She didn't seem to notice Jay standing near the sinks in the corner.
"Father!" Vanessa was saying into the phone. Her voice sounded strange, like she was trying to play a game. "Yes, I am at the university. I just spoke to Keifer. It went perfectly! Keifer agreed to take me out on a date tonight to discuss the business alliance. Yes, he said he wants to fix things between our families."
Jay froze. Her hand stopped under the running water.
"He was just acting tough in front of that ordinary girl," Vanessa continued laughing over the phone. "But when I told him about the proxy votes, he changed his mind completely. He knows he needs my family. I will see you at the restaurant later, Father."
The sound of the phone click told Jay that the call was over.
Jay stood completely still. Her mind was in a big mess. What did she just say? Jay thought. Her heart felt very heavy and sad. She said Keifer agreed to take her on a date. She said Keifer changed his mind.
Jay remembered seeing them talk in the classroom. She remembered Keifer looking at Vanessa and replying to her. She hadn't been able to hear their actual conversation because of her terrible headache.
Did he really agree? a small, dark thought appeared in her mind. Is Keifer doing this to save his company from her father? But then, another thought came to her. Wait. Vanessa has tried to sabotage me many times before. She is a very dishonest person. She might be faking this whole phone call just because she saw me standing here, or maybe she is just lying to her father to buy more time.
Jay stood between two different feelings. A little doubt remained in her mind like a small piece of dark cloud, but her love for Keifer wanted to believe he would never do that. The fever made it too hard to think clearly. She couldn't analyze the situation with her usual smart brain.
She felt too exhausted to care about Vanessa right now. She ignored Vanessa completely. She washed her hands slowly, dried them with a paper towel, and walked out of the washroom doors with slow, heavy steps.
As soon as she stepped outside into the corridor, Keifer was there. He was leaning against the stone wall, his eyes searching the hallway. The moment he saw her, his body moved with lightning speed. He crossed the distance between them in one second. He wrapped his strong, warm arms around her frail body, helping her walk because her legs were visibly shaking.
"What took you so long, Jay?" Keifer asked. His voice was full of deep panic and love. He looked down at her pale face. "Are you alright? Tell me, please. You look even more pale than before."
Jay looked at his handsome face. She looked at his worried eyes. Vanessa's words were still echoing in her ears, mixing with the painful throbbing in her head. She felt too sad, too sick, and too confused to say anything. She just kept her mouth shut and did not answer him. She let him guide her forward, but her silence was like a big wall between them.
The Fear of Loss
Keifer held Jay's body close to his side as they walked toward the exit of the building. He could feel the high heat radiating from her skin through her sweater.
But what scared him more than the physical fever was her complete, icy silence.
Why isn't she responding to any of my questions? Keifer thought to himself. His heart was beating with a wild, chaotic rhythm that he had never felt before in his entire life. What did I do wrong? Did I hurt her when I pulled her away earlier? Did I say something wrong during the lecture?
He reviewed every single second of the morning in his brilliant mind. He had made her the special drink. He had driven her safely. He had protected her from Vanessa at the entrance. He had held her waist during the entire class to give her comfort.
Did she see me talking to Vanessa? a sudden realization hit his heart. Yes. She was sitting right next to me. She must have seen Vanessa talking to me. But she was in so much pain, she couldn't hear the words. Did she think I was being nice to Vanessa? Did she think I was hiding something from her?
Keifer felt a deep, heavy weight of guilt and sadness press down on his chest. It felt like he was losing the only thing that gave his life any real meaning.
I am so stupid, Keifer thought in his heart, his grip tightening on her waist with protective desperation. I should have pushed Vanessa away instantly without saying a single word. I should have focused only on my girl. I let that toxic girl stand near us, and now Jay is hurt because of me.
He looked down at the top of Jay's head. She was leaning against him, but her spirit felt so far away.
No matter what the reason is, Keifer vowed silently to himself, his eyes filling with an emotional warmth that no businessman had ever seen in him. I will find out exactly what is bothering her. If I made a mistake, I will beg for her forgiveness. I will destroy the whole world before I let her be sad. I cannot live in an empty world again. She is my lifetime contract, and I will fix this.
He guided her out of the university doors, holding her like she was the most precious, fragile glass sculpture in the universe, determined to take her home and heal both her body and her heart.
The Final Straw
The cool air of the university hallway did not help Jay's fever. Instead, it made the heat inside her body feel like a wild fire. Every step she took beside Keifer felt like walking on broken glass. Her head was still pounding with that terrible power drill noise. But the biggest pain was not in her head. It was in her heart.
Vanessa's voice from the washroom kept playing over and over again in her mind like a broken record.
He agreed to take me on a date. He changed his mind because of my father.
Jay kept her lips closed tightly. She did not look at Keifer, even though his strong arm was still wrapped firmly around her waist. He was holding her so gently, treating her like something that might break. But Jay was too lost in her own dark thoughts to feel his care. The little doubt in her mind had grown into a huge, dark cloud of jealousy and anger.
They walked past the main library doors and turned the corner toward the exit. The hallway here was wide and quiet. Most of the students were still inside the classrooms, so the long corridor was completely empty. The only sound was the soft thud of their shoes on the floor.
Suddenly, a loud click-clack of high heels echoed from the other end of the hallway.
Jay lifted her heavy eyes. Walking straight toward them was Vanessa. She had a triumphant, ugly smile on her face. She looked like she had just won a grand prize.
She was walking fast, holding her phone in one hand, completely ready to block their path for the third time today.
She looked directly at Keifer with hungry eyes, ignoring Jay completely as usual. She opened her mouth, ready to say another annoying line to provoke them.
But Vanessa did not get to say a single word. Something inside Jay snapped completely. The combination of the high fever, the terrible headache, and the burning jealousy broke her control. All the weakness in her legs vanished in one split second, replaced by pure, hot adrenaline.
Jay pulled herself out of Keifer's grip with shocking strength. Before Keifer or Vanessa could even realize what was happening, Jay took two large, fast steps forward. She confronted Vanessa face-to-face.
Smack!
The sound of the slap was incredibly loud. It echoed off the high stone walls of the empty university corridor like a gunshot.
Jay had put every single ounce of her remaining strength, her frustration, and her feverish anger into her right hand. The strike was so hard and precise that Vanessa's head snapped violently to the side. Her expensive designer handbag slipped from her shoulder and crashed onto the floor.
Vanessa stumbled back against a row of student lockers. Her eyes were wide with pure shock and terror. She placed her trembling hand over her left cheek. Within seconds, the pale skin of her face turned a bright, angry red.
The perfect, distinct shape of Jay's fingers was printed clearly on Vanessa's skin.
"You..." Vanessa gasped, her voice shaking violently.
She looked at Jay like she was looking at a ghost. Jay did not say a word. She just stood her ground, her chest rising and falling heavily as she breathed.
Her posture was completely straight, and her eyes were filled with a dangerous light.
Vanessa did not try to fight back. She did not even try to pick up her fallen bag. Realizing that Jay was in a completely wild, unpredictable state, Vanessa turned around and sprinted away down the hallway as fast as her high heels could carry her. She turned the corner and disappeared, leaving the long corridor completely silent again.
The Confrontation
The hallway was totally empty now, but the air felt heavy and thick. Jay turned around slowly to face Keifer. The high fever had made her eyes bloodshot, veined with a scary red color. Her small hands were trembling uncontrollably from the shock of what she had just done. Her skin was still radiating a massive amount of heat, glowing with the intensity of her sickness. But right now, the sickness was completely hidden under the total control of her burning jealousy.
She took three heavy steps toward Keifer. Before he could even open his mouth to speak, Jay grabbed the lapels of his expensive designer jacket. With a strength that came from pure emotion, she shoved him backward.
Thud.
Keifer's back hit the hard stone wall of the corridor. He did not try to stop her. He did not move his hands to defend himself. He just stood there, pinned against the wall by his small, feverish girl.
For the first time in his entire life, Keifer felt a genuine wave of fear. This was the man who faced dangerous Manila billionaires without blinking. This was the man who controlled massive corporate empires with a cold smile. But looking down at Jay right now, Keifer's heart practically stopped beating.
He was completely scared of her. The raw, wild fury in her eyes was more terrifying than any boardroom threat.
"Dammit, Keifer!" Jay yelled. Her voice was rough and cracked, but it filled the empty hallway with absolute power. She tightened her grip on his jacket, pulling him down until their faces were inches apart. "If you dare to even look at that girl again, I will personally dig your coffin!"
Keifer stayed perfectly still against the wall. His breath hitched in his throat. He looked at her bloodshot eyes, her trembling lips, and the deep pain hidden behind her anger. He realized instantly that she had heard something or misinterpreting something from his earlier conversation with Vanessa.
"Jay, listen to me—" Keifer started, his voice soft, desperate, and pleading. He reached his large hands out to cradle her face, wanting to calm the storm inside her.
But before he could finish his sentence, or even explain a single thing, the dangerous light in Jay's eyes suddenly flickered out.
The adrenaline that had been keeping her upright vanished as quickly as it had arrived. The high fever reclaimed her body with a vengeance.
Her fingers lost their grip on his jacket, slipping down his chest. Her knees buckled beneath her. Like a puppet whose strings were suddenly cut, Jay collapsed toward the ground. All her remaining energy had been completely used up in that single slap and that fierce warning.
"Jay!" Keifer screamed.
His reflexes were faster than thought. Before her body could even touch the cold floor of the hallway, Keifer dropped to his knees and caught her in his arms. He pulled her securely against his chest. Jay's head rolled back against his shoulder. Her eyes were tightly shut, her face was completely white, and she was totally unconscious. When Keifer touched her neck to check her pulse, her skin felt like burning hot iron.
The Race to the Hospital
Keifer did not waste a single second. He did not care about the university. He did not care that their most important corporate governance lecture was still left to attend. He did not care about his grades, his thesis, or the New York auditor.
Nothing in the entire universe mattered except the unconscious girl in his arms.He scooped her up effortlessly, lifting her into a bridal carry. He held her tightly against his chest, tucking her head under his chin to protect her from the cool breeze. He turned around and ran down the corridor, his long legs moving with desperate speed.
He burst through the main exit doors of the LSE building, ignoring the startled looks from the security guards and the remaining students outside.
He ran straight down into the basement parking lot, his heart hammering against his ribs like a wild drum.
He reached his luxury black car. Using one hand to support Jay, he quickly pressed the key fob to unlock the doors. He opened the passenger side, where the seat was still reclined from their morning drive.
He laid Jay down with extreme gentleness, ensuring her head was resting comfortably on the leather headrest. He pulled the tartan blanket all the way up to her chin, tucking her in tightly.
"Stay with me, Jay," Keifer whispered, his voice cracking with a raw emotion he had never shown to anyone. "Please, just stay with me."
He slammed the door shut, ran around to the driver's side, and jumped in. The powerful engine roared to life. Keifer did not drive with his usual smooth, calm style today. He peeled out of the university parking lot, the tires screeching against the concrete as he sped out onto the busy streets of London.
He drove like a man possessed. He navigated through the heavy London traffic with sharp, aggressive maneuvers, honking his horn and overtaking vehicles with absolute precision. His eyes were fixed on the road, but every two seconds, his gaze darted to the side to check on Jay. She remained completely still, her breathing shallow and fast, her face flushed with the dangerous heat of the fever.
Within fifteen minutes, the luxury black car screeched to a halt right in front of the emergency entrance of the top private hospital in London.
Keifer threw the car into park, left the keys in the ignition, and jumped out. He flung the passenger door open, scooped Jay back into his arms, and kicked the door shut with his foot. He stormed through the sliding glass doors of the emergency room, his face dark and demanding.
"I need a doctor immediately!" Keifer roared, his voice commanding the entire room. "Now!"
A group of nurses and an emergency doctor ran toward him with a wheeled stretcher. Keifer laid Jay down onto the white sheets very carefully, but he did not let go of her hand.
"What happened?" the doctor asked quickly, checking Jay's pupils with a small light."She has a severe fever," Keifer explained fast, his tone sharp and urgent. "Her temperature was high this morning, but she refused to miss her class. She just collapsed a few minutes ago after a sudden burst of stress. Her skin is burning."
The nurse placed a thermometer against Jay's forehead and gasped. "The temperature is 104 degrees. We need to start an IV drip to lower the fever and give her fluids immediately. Sir, you need to wait outside the treatment room."
"No," Keifer said. His voice was quiet, but it was filled with an absolute authority that made the nurse freeze. He gripped Jay's limp, hot hand even tighter. "I am not leaving her side for a single second. Do your job, and let me do mine."
The doctor looked at Keifer's intense, wealthy appearance and the desperate determination in his eyes. He realized that arguing with Keifer would only waste precious time. "Fine. Roll her into Room 4. Let him come."
The private hospital room was very quiet, except for the steady, rhythmic
beep... beep... beep...
of the heart monitor.
The doctors had placed a cold compress on Jay's forehead and started an intravenous drip in her left arm. The medicine and fluids were slowly trickling into her veins to fight the infection and bring down the dangerous heat.
The room was cool, clean, and private, away from the chaos of the outside world.Keifer sat on a hard plastic chair right next to the bed. He had pulled the chair as close as possible, so his knees were practically touching the mattress. He had stripped off his heavy designer jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves. His eyes were fixed entirely on Jay's face. He watched the slight rise and fall of her chest, checking every breath she took.
True to his word, Keifer stayed by her side every single minute. He did not move to get food. He did not look at his phone, even though it was buzzing continuously in his pocket with urgent business emails and notifications from his Manila legal team. He completely ignored the corporate world. His empire could burn to the ground today for all he cared. The only asset that mattered was the girl sleeping on the hospital bed.
Every ten minutes, Keifer would reach out and take the washcloth from Jay's forehead. He would rinse it in a bowl of ice-cold water sitting on the bedside table, wring it out with his strong hands, and place it back gently over her brows. He did this with a slow, rhythmic care, his movements incredibly tender for a man who was normally so cold and ruthless.
He held her right hand in both of his own. Her skin was still too warm, but it was gradually becoming cooler as the IV fluids did their work.As the hours passed and the afternoon sun began to dip below the London skyline, Keifer's mind started to wander back to her wild words in the hallway.
Dammit, Keifer! If you dare to even look at that girl again, I will personally dig your coffin!
A small, sad sigh escaped his lips. He leaned his forehead against the edge of her mattress, still holding her hand tight against his chest.
The Heavy Guilt
Keifer kept his eyes shut, listening to the steady beep of the machine. The sound was a constant reminder of how close he had come to losing her today. The fear he had felt in that empty university corridor was still echoing in his veins.
What did I do wrong? Keifer thought in his heart, a deep wave of emotional pain washing over him. Why did she look at me with so much hurt in her eyes before she passed out?
He thought about the words she had screamed at him. She was talking about Vanessa. She was completely furious about Vanessa.
She must have heard something, Keifer realized bitterly. Or maybe she saw Vanessa talking to me in the classroom and thought I was entertaining her. She didn't know that Vanessa was threatening our future. She didn't know that I was actively destroying the Christopher family to protect her.
He opened his eyes and looked at Jay's peaceful, sleeping face. The flush on her cheeks was fading, returning to her beautiful, natural skin color.
I am so stupid, Keifer thought, his heart filling with heavy regret. I pride myself on being a master strategist. I can read market trends and predict corporate moves three steps ahead.
But when it came to the person who matters most, I failed to see her pain. I let her sit there in that classroom, suffering from a terrible headache, while that toxic girl stood over us.
He remembered how Jay had pulled away from his touch during the break. She had felt lonely and rejected, thinking that he was choosing to talk to Vanessa over her. The thought of Jay sitting there, burning with fever, feeling jealous and unloved, made Keifer's chest ache with a physical pain.
I am so sorry, my love, Keifer murmured silently in his mind. He lifted her small hand to his lips and pressed a tender, lingering kiss onto her knuckles. I did not mean to make you doubt me. I do not care about Vanessa. I do not care about her father, or the Manila board, or any business alliance. I would throw away my entire wealth in a heartbeat if it means keeping you safe and happy.
He remembered the fierce look in her bloodshot eyes right before she collapsed. Even though she was completely exhausted and sick, she had stood up to defend her claim on him. She had threatened to dig his coffin if he looked at another girl.
A small, deeply emotional smile touched Keifer's lips. He didn't find her threat scary anymore; he found it beautiful. It proved how deeply she loved him. It proved that she considered him hers, just as he considered her his.
You don't ever have to dig a coffin for me, Jay, Keifer thought, his eyes misting over with a rare warmth. Because I am already dead to the rest of the world. I only breathe when you are looking at me. I only exist because you love me. I will find a way to clear this doubt from your mind the moment you wake up. I will beg for your forgiveness on my knees if I have to. I will make sure you never, ever feel a single second of jealousy again.
He reached out with his left hand, gently smoothing down the stray hairs around her face. He rinsed the washcloth once more, placing it softly on her forehead. Then, he settled back into his chair, wrapping both of his large hands around hers again, starting his long, unbroken watch into the London night, waiting for his world to open her eyes.