Jay's POV
Something felt wrong.
I didn't know when it started.
Maybe when the sky darkened faster than usual.
Maybe when the streetlights flickered on one by one.
Or maybe when Eces suddenly went quiet beside me.
She was sitting in the passenger seat, her elbow resting near the window, her fingers absentmindedly touching the pendant around her neck.
She hadn't spoken in a while.
And that itself was strange.
"You okay?" I asked softly.
She nodded.
"Yes, Ate."
But her voice was distant.
Like her mind was somewhere else.
I didn't push.
I turned my attention back to the road.
We had only stepped out for some air. Nothing serious. Nothing dangerous.
Or at least…
That's what I thought.
—
We stopped near a quiet street lined with small shops and dim lights.
It wasn't crowded.
Not empty either.
Just normal.
Safe.
Or at least it looked safe.
"I'll just get water," Eces said.
I nodded.
"I'll wait here."
She stepped out of the car.
Closed the door.
And walked toward the small store.
I watched her through the windshield.
Her figure.
Her long hair moving slightly with the wind.
Her calm walk.
Normal.
Everything was normal.
Until it wasn't.
—
A black van stopped near her.
Fast.
Too fast.
My brows frowned.
The door of the van slid open.
Two men stepped out.
Before I could even understand—
They grabbed her.
My heart stopped.
"ECES!"
I screamed, pushing the car door open.
But it happened so fast.
One of them covered her mouth.
The other held her arms.
She struggled.
I saw it.
Her body fought.
Her eyes wide.
Her hands turning slightly red.
But something was wrong.
She was weaker.
Slower.
Like she couldn't use her strength.
They forced her inside.
She looked at me.
Our eyes met.
Fear.
Warning.
And something else.
Don't come.
The door slammed shut.
The van drove away.
Fast.
Too fast.
Too sudden.
Too real.
—
"No… no… no…"
My hands started shaking.
My breathing became uneven.
My chest tightened painfully.
This wasn't happening.
This couldn't be happening.
"ECES!"
My voice broke.
I ran forward.
But the van was already gone.
Gone.
She was gone.
My hands trembled as I grabbed my phone.
There was only one person I could call.
Only one person who could fix this.
Keifer.
The call rang once.
Twice.
He picked up immediately.
"Jay?"
His voice was calm.
But I broke.
"Keif—"
My voice cracked completely.
"She— they— they took her—"
Silence.
Dangerous silence.
His voice dropped.
Cold.
Deadly.
"Who."
I couldn't breathe properly.
"They took Eces…"
My tears blurred my vision.
"A van… black van… they grabbed her… I couldn't stop them… Keif I couldn't—"
"Jay."
His voice stopped my panic.
Sharp.
Controlled.
"Listen to me."
I wasn't even in front of him.
But somehow, I obeyed.
"Are you hurt?"
"No…"
My voice trembled.
"I'm okay…"
His next words came slowly.
Dangerously calm.
"Stay. Right. There."
My heart pounded.
"I'm coming."
The call ended.
And for the first time since I met him…
I wasn't thinking of my safety.
I was thinking of his rage.
Because whoever took Eces…
Had just declared war against Keifer Watson.
Keifer's POV
I broke every traffic rule on the road.
I didn't remember red lights.
I didn't remember turns.
I didn't remember anything except her voice.
Broken.
Shaking.
Crying.
"They took her…"
My grip on the steering wheel tightened so hard my knuckles turned white.
Behind me, Angelo's car followed.
Aries.
Percy.
They were all coming.
Because they knew.
If Jay was in danger—
Nothing else mattered.
—
I saw her.
Sitting alone on a bench under a dim streetlight.
Small.
Fragile.
Shaking.
My heart stopped.
I parked the car carelessly and stepped out immediately.
"Jay."
Her name left my mouth before I could stop it.
She looked up.
Her eyes found me.
Red.
Wet.
Terrified.
And then she ran.
Straight into me.
Her arms wrapped around my torso tightly, desperately, like I was the only thing keeping her standing.
"Keif—"
Her voice broke as she buried her face in my chest.
"I'm sorry— I couldn't stop them—"
My arms wrapped around her instantly.
Protectively.
Possessively.
My hand pressed against the back of her head, holding her closer.
My heart was beating so violently I could hear it in my ears.
She was safe.
She was here.
She was in my arms.
That was all that mattered.
But seeing her like this—
Broken.
Shaking.
Crying.
It was destroying something inside me.
Angelo, Aries, and Percy reached us.
They froze when they saw her state.
Aries' jaw clenched.
Percy's fists tightened.
Angelo's eyes darkened.
I slowly pulled Jay back, my hands still on her arms.
"Sit," I said softly.
She nodded weakly.
I guided her back to the bench.
Aries immediately sat on her right side.
Percy sat on her left.
Angelo stood beside her.
Guarding her.
Protecting her.
And I…
I knelt in front of her.
My hands rested gently on her knees.
Grounding her.
Grounding myself.
"Tell me," I said quietly.
Her lips trembled.
"The van stopped… two men came out… they grabbed her… I tried to reach her but it was too fast…"
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"They took Eces… Keif…"
My jaw tightened.
My chest burned.
Not because Eces was taken.
But because she saw it.
Because she experienced it.
Because she was terrified.
Because they touched what belonged to me.
Angelo spoke.
His voice calm.
Too calm.
"Then it's clear."
We all looked at him.
He looked at Jay.
Then at me.
"The target wasn't Eces."
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Deadly.
His next words confirmed what my instincts already knew.
"The target was Jay."
My blood froze.
Then boiled.
My hands clenched slowly.
My eyes moved to Jay.
She looked small.
Fragile.
Vulnerable.
And something inside me snapped.
They didn't just try to hurt me.
They tried to take her.
My wife.
My world.
My everything.
A dangerous calm settled inside me.
The kind of calm that comes before destruction.
I reached forward and wiped her tears gently with my thumb.
My voice was soft.
Controlled.
But lethal underneath.
"I'm here."
Her fingers immediately grabbed my shirt tightly.
Like she was afraid I'd disappear.
"I won't let anything happen to you."
That wasn't a promise.
That was a vow.
And somewhere deep inside…
I already knew who was behind this.
Kaizer Watson.
My father had just made the biggest mistake of his life.
The entire drive back, Jay didn't leave my side.
Her hand stayed in mine.
Cold.
Shaking.
I didn't let go.
Not once.
Angelo drove behind us. Aries and Percy followed close too. None of us spoke much. Words were useless now.
Only action mattered.
—
When we reached the house, the moment Jay stepped inside, Keigan and Keiren rushed toward her.
"Ate!"
Keiren's voice cracked as he hugged her tightly.
Keigan stood beside him, his eyes scanning her face, her arms, her body—checking if she was hurt.
Jay shook her head softly. "I'm okay…"
But none of us were okay.
Section E was already there.
Ci-n.
David.
Yuri.
Felix.
Blaster.
Calix.
Denzel.
Drew.
Rory.
Kit.
Mayo.
Eman.
Eren.
Josh.
Edrix.
All of them stood as we entered.
The chaos was gone.
Only silence remained.
They knew something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Then—
My phone vibrated.
A message.
Unknown number.
My jaw tightened as I opened it.
And my blood froze.
Unknown Number: Wrong girl this time.
But next time… we won't make a mistake.
Below it was a photo.
Eces.
Tied to a chair.
Her hands bound behind her.
Her head slightly lowered.
Unconscious.
Alive.
But vulnerable.
And beneath it—
An address.
My grip on the phone tightened.
The room suddenly felt suffocating.
He wasn't hiding anymore.
He was challenging me.
Taunting me.
My father.
Kaizer Watson.
I lifted my head slowly.
My voice was calm.
Too calm.
"Keigan. Keiren. Jay."
They looked at me.
Jay immediately noticed my expression.
Fear crossed her face.
"What happened?"
I walked toward them.
"You three," I said quietly. "Go to my room."
Jay frowned. "Why—"
"It's safe there."
Keigan and Keiren immediately understood.
Their faces turned pale.
Jay didn't move.
"I'm not leaving you."
Her voice was firm.
My heart clenched.
I stepped closer to her.
My hand cupped her face gently.
"Keiren and Keigan need you here."
Her eyes filled with tears again.
She knew what that meant.
She whispered, "I want to come with you."
"No."
My voice was soft.
But absolute.
She shook her head.
"Keif—"
I leaned my forehead against hers.
"Please."
That one word broke her resistance.
Her fingers tightened on my shirt.
"…come back safely."
"I will."
I pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.
Then I looked at Keigan.
"Lock the door from inside."
He nodded immediately.
Jay looked at me one last time.
Fear.
Love.
Trust.
All in her eyes.
Then she walked toward the stairs with Keigan and Keiren.
Halfway up, she turned back.
I gave her a small reassuring nod.
She disappeared upstairs.
A second later—
Click.
The door locked.
Only then did I turn toward Section E.
They were all watching me.
Waiting.
Ready.
"You all stay here," I said.
"No one leaves the house."
They nodded.
Every single one of them.
But I looked at three specifically.
"Yuri."
He stepped forward instantly.
"Ci-n."
He straightened.
"David."
Both of them were already prepared.
They didn't ask questions.
They didn't need to.
They understood.
This wasn't just about rescue.
This was war.
Angelo stepped beside me.
Aries and Percy joined too.
My voice dropped into something darker.
"Let's go."
—
Outside, the night felt colder.
He thought he could threaten me.
He thought he could touch what was mine.
He thought he could win.
He was wrong.
Because tonight—
I wasn't going as his son.
I was going as his end.