Third Person POV
Sunday morning arrived quietly.
After the laughter, lights, and chaos of the engagement night, the house felt unusually peaceful.
Soft sunlight slipped through curtains, warming hallways still wrapped in sleepy silence. Somewhere downstairs, the faint smell of coffee and breakfast drifted through the air, cozy enough to pull even the laziest person from bed.
One by one, doors opened.
Keiren stumbled out first, hair messy, still half asleep.
Keigan followed not long after, already more awake, rubbing his eyes while muttering something about needing coffee before speaking to anyone.
Eces came downstairs quietly.
Calm.
Composed.
As always.
Or at least, that was what it looked like.
Her fingers brushed the pendant resting against her neck absentmindedly.
Once.
Twice.
Then lingered there.
Just for a second too long.
No one noticed.
---
Keifer and Jay arrived last.
Jay looked sleepy, hair slightly messy, still wrapped in that soft morning warmth. Keifer walked beside her, naturally close, one hand resting lightly against her back like it belonged there.
Because it did.
The moment Jay sat down, Keifer wordlessly reached for the syrup bottle.
"You were going to steal mine anyway," he said.
Jay gasped dramatically.
"I would never."
Keiren looked up immediately.
"She definitely would."
Everyone laughed.
Breakfast spread across the table like comfort itself.
Pancakes.
Toast.
Fresh fruit.
Eggs.
Coffee.
Too much food for such a quiet morning.
But no one complained.
---
Keifer poured syrup onto Jay's pancakes with suspicious precision.
Jay tried sneaking a forkful before he finished.
He caught her wrist lightly.
"Patience."
"I'm hungry."
"You're impatient."
"Same thing."
Keigan snorted into his drink.
"Careful, Ate Jay," he teased. "You'll spill syrup all over Kuya Keifer."
Jay blinked once.
Then leaned slightly against Keifer with mock innocence.
"Maybe that's the plan."
A beat of silence.
Then laughter erupted around the table.
Even Keifer looked briefly betrayed.
"You're dangerous in the morning."
She smiled.
"Married privilege."
---
Across the table, Eces stayed quieter than usual.
Not silent.
Just… quieter.
She answered when spoken to. Smiled when someone joked.
But something sat strangely in her posture.
Tight.
Controlled.
Her fingers moved to the pendant again.
Thumb brushing over cold metal.
Her shoulders stiffened for the smallest second.
Her breath caught.
Gone before anyone could notice.
Almost.
---
Jay noticed.
Of course she noticed.
Her smile softened.
"You okay?"
The table quieted for half a second.
Eces looked up immediately.
That calm expression arrived too fast.
Too practiced.
"Yes," she said softly. "Everything's okay."
A small smile.
Polite.
Measured.
But her fingers never really let go of the pendant.
---
Keiren leaned forward suddenly.
Curiosity written all over his face.
"Ate Eces…"
He pointed.
"That pendant."
Everyone glanced over.
"You always wear it," he said. "Why?"
For the briefest moment—
Something unreadable crossed Eces' expression.
Gone almost instantly.
Her fingers curled around it instinctively.
Protective.
Careful.
"It's important to me," she replied quietly.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Her tone gentle.
Final.
Keiren opened his mouth again.
Keigan nudged him lightly.
Leave it.
He got the message.
---
The mood shifted back quickly.
Mostly because Keiren refused to let silence exist.
"India!" he suddenly blurted. "We leave this week!"
Instant excitement.
"Oh, right!"
"I still haven't packed!"
"Do they really have food that spicy?"
Jay laughed softly.
"I'm excited."
She turned toward Keifer automatically.
"After everything… it'll be nice."
He reached beneath the table, fingers finding hers instinctively.
A squeeze.
Warm.
Steady.
"We'll enjoy it," he said quietly.
"Together."
Jay smiled immediately.
Bright enough to soften the room.
---
Keiren started talking again.
Rapid fire excitement.
"Will there be temples?"
"Street food?"
"Markets?"
"Can I ride something cool?"
"You ask too many questions," Keigan muttered.
"You answer too few."
---
Laughter returned.
Easy.
Warm.
Comfortable.
But across the table—
Eces' hand still rested around the pendant.
Tight.
Too tight.
Something unsettled flickered quietly behind her calm expression.
Something no one else saw.
No one else understood.
A feeling she couldn't shake.
Heavy.
Watching.
Waiting.
Like a storm gathering just beyond sight.
Still—
She smiled when they laughed.
Answered questions.
Played along.
Because for now—
Let them have breakfast.
Let them laugh.
Let them feel safe.
Even if somewhere deep inside—
Something whispered that peace never arrived without asking for something in return..
Next day
Monday morning arrived like organized chaos.
The house, which had been unusually calm just yesterday, now looked like luggage had declared war on peace.
Suitcases lay open across rooms like hungry monsters waiting to be fed. Clothes covered beds, chairs, couches, and in one unfortunate case… the floor.
Someone had already lost a charger.
Someone else had packed snacks before essentials.
And somehow, Percy had managed to pack skincare before underwear.
"Priorities," he defended dramatically, clutching a face serum to his chest.
Aries looked genuinely exhausted.
"You realize we're travelling to India," he deadpanned. "Not filming a skincare commercial."
Percy gasped like he'd been personally attacked.
"My face doesn't take vacations."
Across the hall, laughter exploded.
---
Section E had turned packing into a competitive sport.
Ci-n and David argued over luggage weight.
Drew kept stealing snacks from Felix's travel bag.
Denzel insisted someone would forget something important.
"You people forget common sense daily," he muttered.
Josh and Kit sat cross-legged making dramatically useless lists.
Things To Survive India:
- Water
- Eces
- More water
- Don't die
Mayo nearly fell off the couch laughing.
Blaster declared himself "emotionally ready for Indian food."
Eren immediately asked, "Emotionally or physically?"
"Emotionally."
"Then you're doomed."
---
The girls weren't any calmer.
Rakki and Ella were excitedly discussing outfits.
Honey had somehow convinced Grace to overpack.
Mica kept asking if they'd finally wear matching pictures-worthy clothes.
Freya was helping with little Grazel, who sat comfortably in her carrier looking entirely unbothered by the madness around her.
---
Near the living room couch, Eces packed quietly.
Efficient.
Neat.
Folded clothes stacked perfectly.
Travel documents organized.
No chaos.
No panic.
Just calm.
Too calm.
Keiren plopped onto the floor beside her dramatically.
"Ate."
No response.
"Ate."
Still packing.
"Ateeeee."
Eces looked over finally.
"What?"
Keiren narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"You've been acting mysterious."
Keigan, walking past, snorted.
"She acts mysterious breathing."
Eces gave him a flat look.
Keiren pointed accusingly.
"Are you excited for India," he asked dramatically, "or are you planning to stare into the distance and say cryptic things the whole trip?"
A tiny smile escaped her.
"Maybe both."
The room burst into laughter.
---
Honey immediately leaned forward.
"Okay but seriously," she said excitedly, "are there markets?"
"Street food?"
"Pretty places?"
"Temples?" Rakki jumped in.
"Camels?" Mayo yelled from nowhere.
Everyone paused.
"…Camels?" Eren repeated.
"We're asking questions!"
Eces laughed softly despite herself.
"We'll see places," she said patiently. "Markets, temples, food. But everyone listens to me and stays together."
Her tone shifted slightly there.
Gentle.
But firm.
Keifer noticed.
So did Keigan.
Something protective lingered underneath those words.
---
Keiren pointed suddenly.
"That pendant again."
Everyone looked.
The silver pendant rested against Eces' neck.
Her fingers had already moved there without thinking.
Thumb brushing across it.
Protective.
Habitual.
"Ate," Keiren said carefully, curiosity glowing in his face. "Why is it so important?"
The room quieted for half a second.
Eces' hand tightened slightly.
Her smile stayed calm.
Measured.
"It matters to me," she said quietly.
"That's enough information."
Final.
But not cold.
Keigan nudged Keiren lightly.
Drop it.
Keiren sighed dramatically.
"One day I'll solve your mysterious backstory."
"You watch too many movies," Keigan muttered.
---
Across the room, Jay sat cross-legged beside an overstuffed suitcase.
Or rather…
fighting an overstuffed suitcase.
She pushed down.
The zipper refused.
She glared at it.
Keifer stood nearby, arms crossed, deeply entertained.
"You packed too much."
"I packed responsibly."
"You packed seven outfits for one day."
"What if I change vibes?"
Keifer laughed quietly.
"Change vibes?"
Jay pointed accusingly.
"You're supposed to support me."
Instead, he crouched beside her, one arm slipping lightly around her waist as he helped close the suitcase.
"There," he murmured.
"Crisis solved."
Jay leaned against him automatically.
"You always save me."
His expression softened instantly.
"Always."
For a second, everything around them faded into warm noise.
Laughter.
Movement.
Home.
Safe.
Or at least—
Safe enough to believe in.
---
But somewhere far away—
Warmth didn't exist.
A dim room glowed faintly under cold blue light.
No laughter.
No sunlight.
Only silence.
Kaizer sat back in a leather chair, fingers tapping slowly against polished wood.
Patient.
Calculated.
The glow of a laptop illuminated sharp shadows across his face.
Folders.
Movement logs.
Images.
Airports.
Vehicles.
Names.
Keifer.
Jay.
Eces.
Watched.
Tracked.
Observed.
Across an encrypted connection, a distorted voice finally broke the silence.
"They're preparing."
Kaizer's eyes narrowed.
"All of them?"
"Yes."
The voice sounded amused.
"Excited. Distracted. Loud."
Kaizer smirked.
"Good."
His fingers tapped once against the desk.
"The hotel?"
Silence.
Then—
A low laugh.
Measured.
Mocking.
"Are you stupid?"
Kaizer's jaw tightened immediately.
"Watch your tone."
"You still don't understand," the voice replied calmly. "If Eces suspects even a shadow of danger, she won't let them stay exposed."
A pause.
Then quieter—
"She'll take them somewhere controlled."
Kaizer leaned forward.
"Where?"
"Her house."
The room seemed colder somehow.
Familiar territory.
Predictable routes.
Private security.
People loyal to her.
The voice continued—
"She trusts that place."
Kaizer scoffed.
"She's a girl."
The laugh returned.
This time softer.
Worse.
Not amusement.
Disappointment.
"You misunderstand her."
Something unreadable flickered in the silence.
"She survived things that should have broken people."
Kaizer said nothing.
The voice lowered.
"Underestimate her once."
A pause.
"You won't get a second chance."
Outside, thunder rolled somewhere distant.
Or traffic.
Hard to tell.
Kaizer leaned back slowly.
Smile thin.
Dangerous.
"I don't care," he said quietly.
"Keifer pays."
His eyes flickered to Jay's image.
Then Eces'.
"If she stands in the way…"
His smile widened.
"…she becomes part of the game."
The distorted voice went silent.
Watching.
Waiting.
Listening.
Kaizer folded his hands.
Thousands of miles away, laughter still filled Keifer's house.
Suitcases zipped.
Friends teased.
Plans formed.
Dreams of travel and memories yet to happen.
Unaware.
Completely unaware.
Because somewhere between excitement and safety—
Something patient had already begun moving.
And monsters always preferred waiting until people felt happy.
+++++++++++++++
I know that now , you will comment about the mysterious Indian ghost ... 👻
You need to wait too long for knowing that person, till now enjoy this chapter..
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