Jay's POV
For a moment after stepping out of the limousine—
I couldn't move.
The estate stretched endlessly in front of me.
White marble pillars.Tall glass windows reflecting the morning sun.
Gardens so wide they looked like a park.
Fountains quietly pouring water into crystal-clear pools.This wasn't just a house.It was a world.
And somewhere inside that world—My family was waiting.
My heart began to pound harder with every step I took toward the entrance.
Percy walked beside me casually, like this place wasn't the size of a small kingdom.
"You're breathing too fast," he muttered beside me.
I shot him a look.
"I'm about to meet the father I've never lived with and the family I didn't even know existed until yesterday."
He shrugged.
"Fair point."
The massive doors slowly opened, revealing three figures standing inside the entrance hall. The moment my eyes landed on them, the world seemed to quiet. The man in the center looked straight at me, and the emotion in his eyes made my breath catch.
My father.
Jashfer Mariano stood there frozen, like he had been waiting for this moment for years and still couldn't believe it was real.
Beside him stood a beautiful woman with gentle eyes—Receeye Mariano—and next to them an older man leaning slightly on a cane, his gaze sharp yet filled with warmth, my grandfather Leonardo Mariano.
For a few seconds none of us moved. We simply stared at each other across the hall, the distance between us suddenly feeling enormous.
Then my father took a step forward, and the tears in his eyes spilled over.
"Jay…" he said softly.
That single word shattered the last piece of control I had. My legs moved before I even thought about it, and suddenly I was running across the marble floor toward him.
The moment I reached him, his arms wrapped around me tightly. He held me like he was afraid I might disappear again, one hand cradling the back of my head as I buried my face against his chest.
"Dad…" My voice cracked, and the tears I had held back since last night came pouring out.
"I'm so sorry," he murmured, his voice shaking as he held me. "I'm so sorry you had to grow up without me."
I shook my head against him, gripping his jacket tightly. "I thought… I thought you didn't want me."
He pulled back immediately, his hands gently cupping my face. His eyes were red, filled with something that looked like years of regret.
"Never think that again," he said firmly. "Not for a single second."
His thumb brushed away the tears on my cheek before he leaned down and kissed my forehead. "I missed you every day of my life."
Behind him, my grandfather cleared his throat loudly, though his voice wavered slightly.
"Well, are you two planning to cry all afternoon or can the rest of us meet the girl?"
A small laugh escaped me through my tears.
My father stepped aside, gesturing toward the older man. "Jay, this is your grandfather."
I walked toward him slowly. He studied my face carefully, like he was memorizing every detail he had missed for eighteen years.
Then suddenly he pulled me into a hug, surprisingly tight. "My granddaughter," he muttered gruffly, patting my back. "You took long enough to come home and I'm sorry for being such an asshole before I have realised my mistake...I'm sorry Jay Jay...."
My chest tightened again. "It's okay grandpa I'm not angry so don't be sorry, Grandpa."
He quickly wiped his eyes before anyone could notice. "thank you my child...but I want you to promise me don't spread rumors that I cried."
Percy's voice immediately came from behind us. "Too late, Grandpa. I already saw it and recorded all of it..."
"Shut up, Percy."
Everyone laughed, the tension easing instantly.
Then Receeye stepped forward, her expression warm but slightly nervous. She reached out and gently took my hands in hers.
"I've been waiting to meet you for so long," she said softly. "You have no idea how happy I am that you're finally here."
Her voice trembled slightly before she pulled me into a gentle hug. "Welcome home, sweetheart."
Something about the sincerity in her voice made my throat tighten again.
Percy clapped loudly behind us. "Okay, emotional reunion over. Can someone show my sister the house before she faints from all the crying?"
Grandpa rolled his eyes but gestured toward the stairs. "Come on, kid. Let's give you the grand tour."
The house felt endless. Every hallway was lined with massive paintings, every room larger than the last. At some point my brain stopped trying to process how huge the estate actually was.
Finally we stopped in front of a large door on the second floor. My father opened it slowly and stepped aside.
"This is your room."
I walked inside and immediately froze.
The room was breathtaking. Tall windows overlooked the gardens, soft cream walls glowed under warm lighting, and a massive bed sat in the center like something from a luxury hotel.
"This is… insane," I whispered.
Grandpa snorted. "That's the last thing it is. We wanted to do more...but some people are really slow..."
I spoke "Not at all grandpa ita already a lot there's no more need to do more than this.. "
Receeye smiled and pointed toward the walk-in closet, which looked bigger than my entire old bedroom. "Oops then sorry in advance Jay.....we might have gone a little overboard."
Then I noticed something on the dresser.
I walked closer slowly, my heart tightening when I saw the photos inside them. They were pictures of me as a baby—tiny me wrapped in blankets, laughing while sitting in my father's arms.
Another picture showed Percy holding toddler-me while looking absolutely miserable.
I turned toward him slowly. "Why do you look like you're about to cry here?"
Percy groaned dramatically. "Because you bit my arm in that photo."
Everyone burst out laughing.
Dinner that night turned into complete chaos. Grandpa kept asking endless questions about my favorite food, hobbies, music, and movies like he was trying to learn everything about me in one sitting.
Meanwhile Dad kept sharing embarrassing baby stories.
"Did you know Jay once tried to eat soap when she was two months only?"
"Dad really!" I groaned while Percy nearly fell out of his chair laughing.
Receeye wiped tears from her eyes from laughing so hard. The entire dinner felt loud and warm and messy in the best possible way.
For the first time in years, I felt like I was sitting at a table where I actually belonged.
Later that night, Dad asked if I wanted to walk outside.
The garden was quiet, glowing softly under small lantern lights. The night sky stretched endlessly above us, filled with stars.
We stopped near the fountain, the sound of water filling the silence between us.
"I know today must feel overwhelming," he said gently.
"A little," I admitted with a small smile.
He studied my face for a moment before placing a hand on my shoulder.
"You've been strong for a very long time, Jay."
The warmth in his voice made my chest tighten again.
"But you don't have to do everything alone anymore."
I looked up at the sky for a moment, breathing in the cool night air.
Then back at him.
For the first time in my life, standing beside my father under the stars, the word home finally made sense.
"Welcome home,my Jay Jay....You are at your own home...I promise that from now on you'll never suffer again..." he said softly.
And this time…
It truly felt like it...