JAY JAY POV
3 MONTHS LATER
I'm 8 months now.
Oh god… this is so tiring.
I don't get morning sickness much, but everything else?
My back hurts, my ribs hurt, my soul hurts.
The triplets pregnancy was so much easier than this.
And I KNOW it's only one baby this time, but I swear it feels like I'm carrying twenty.
Which is impossible.
And Keifer?
Lord help me.
He keeps saying the baby "talks to him."
And he keeps repeating, every single day, "We're having a girl, Jay. I know it. The baby told me."
I asked him if we should just find out the gender.
He said no.
When I asked why?
"Because I already know I'm right."
I wanted to throw a pillow at him.
What if the baby is a boy?
And to make it worse —
HE COLORED THE NURSERY IN A FULL GIRL THEME.
Pink.
Butterflies.
Flowers.
A sign that literally said "Daddy's Little Princess."
I had to yell at him to change it.
He and the kids changed some stuff…
but I swear the room still looks like a fairy princess exploded in it.
Then I went outside, and there they were —
Keifer and the kids, playing like they didn't just leave me alone with a baby doing karate in my stomach.
As much of an asshole as he is…
he's still helping me with the kids.
He's still trying. He's still here.
I've snapped at him so many times these past few weeks —
for breathing too loud,
for asking if I'm okay,
for existing near me while I'm in pain —
and instead of getting mad, he just smiles.
SMILES.
And then he asks, "What should I do instead, baby?"
And I melt instantly.
Like an idiot.
Then I feel bad.
Then I cry about it later.
Then he comes in, wipes my tears, kisses my forehead, and says:
"I like when you snap at me. Means you still have energy."
Keifer came over and kissed my forehead, gentle like he thought I might break.
"How is my baby doing?" he asked.
"Tired and hungry," I said.
He nodded… then immediately bent down to my bump.
"Umm, what about you, princess?" he asked the baby.
I groaned. "Mark Keifer Watson, for the last time, try to be neutral."
He looked up at me with the fakest innocent face I've ever seen.
"Sorry, baby, but I just know it."
"Why?" I asked, already regretting it.
"Because I have a feeling my mom will come to meet me," Keifer said. "Keira already has my mom's eyebrows, and I know this one right here will have my mom's features. So I want to take care of Mom."
He kissed my bump again.
And I swear… I almost cried.
He stood up, and before I could stop myself, I grabbed his shirt and kissed his forehead.
"Still, Keifer," I said, trying to sound firm even though my voice was shaking, "be neutral."
Keifer rolled his eyes dramatically.
"You son of—" I started.
He held up a finger. "Jay, we've been over this. Different words. Instead of the B‑word, use something else. We don't want the kids to curse."
I stared at him.
"You son of a nutcracker!" I yelled, pointing at him like he was on trial. "Roll your eyes at me one more time and I will leave you again."
The second the words left my mouth, Keifer's whole face changed.
He was scared.
He just… froze.
"Don't say that, Jay," he said quietly.
And instantly — instantly — my anger melted like ice in the sun.
"I was just kidding," I said, softer now.
Keifer stepped closer, eyes still on me like he was checking if I was okay or about to explode again.
"You know I don't like when you say that," he murmured.
And suddenly I felt guilty.
Like full‑body, hormonal, pregnant guilt.
I sighed and leaned into him, resting my forehead on his chest.
"I know," I whispered. "I didn't mean it."
He wrapped his arms around me instantly — no hesitation, no grudge, no attitude.
Just Keifer being Keifer.
"Keifer, can you please go buy me something to eat?" I asked, already knowing the answer I wanted.
"We already have everything we need," he said.
"Still, Keifer… I want sushi."
He blinked. "Jay, you can't eat sushi. It's bad for you."
He was already pulling out his phone to check.
"I can eat cooked sushi, just not raw sushi," I said, crossing my arms.
He checked.
He sighed.
"Fine."
"I'll order it," he said.
"No," I said, grabbing his wrist. "I want you to pick it up. Fresh is better."
Keifer stared at me like I had asked him to climb Mount Everest.
"No, Jay. I don't want to leave. And I don't think you can travel right now."
"Please, Keifer. Please. I really want it. Even the baby wants it."
I pointed at my bump, grabbed his hand, and placed it on my stomach.
Right on cue —
the baby kicked.
I smirked. "See?"
Keifer groaned. "Fine."
He walked toward the keys.
But before he could grab them—
"Papa, I want to come too!" Keira said.
"Me too!" Kevin added.
"Me three!" Kade yelled.
I shrugged. "Take them. They haven't gone anywhere this week, and you know how they get."
Keifer looked at me like I had betrayed him.
"Jay, I really don't want to leave you right now. What if something happens? Nobody is here. Even the maids are gone because you decided to give them a vacation for your entire pregnancy."
"Please, Keifer. I'll be fine."
He still didn't look convinced.
So I did the only thing guaranteed to break him.
I grabbed his shirt, pulled him close, kissed his jaw, and whispered:
"Please, hubby… go get me some cooked sushi."
Keifer froze.
His soul left his body.
His knees almost buckled.
He whispered, "I hate how weak I am for you."
Then he grabbed the keys.
I laughed at his misery and turned on the TV, settling back into the couch.
Keifer was saying something to the bodyguard, but I didn't pay attention — I was too busy trying to distract myself from the hunger and the back pain.
A few minutes later, the front door opened.
"Already back? Baby, give me my sushi," I said, smiling without looking up.
But the second I turned my head,
my smile vanished.
"What the hell are you doing here, Yuri?" I asked, my voice dropping.
He stepped inside like he owned the place.
"Nothing," he said, eyes cold. "Just came for my revenge."
My stomach tightened — not from the baby this time.
"What revenge?" I asked, keeping my voice steady.
"You know damn well," Yuri snapped. "Keifer made sure I couldn't enter the Philippines. I had to stay in Japan. And YOU—" he pointed at me, shaking with anger, "you ruined my name. My company got blacklisted. My family kicked me out. They said it was all my fault."
He took a step closer.
I didn't move.
"Yuri," I said calmly, "everything that happened to you… you did to yourself. If you hadn't agreed with Keigan, none of this would've happened. You weren't professional. You crossed lines. And your family kicking you out? That's on you too."
Yuri's laugh was sharp and unpleasant, a jarring sound.
"So you're saying everything that's happened to me is because I brought it on myself?" His eyes were wild, unhinged.
For the first time in a long while, I felt a shiver run down my spine. But I refused to show any fear.
"Yuri, get out of here before Keifer comes and kills you," I warned him.
Yuri chuckled darkly. "Jay, I've got plans with you."
"I swear, Keifer will kill you," I said firmly.
"Then I'll kill you first," Yuri shot back, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
"But you'll need to be alive for that to happen," I told him, gently placing my hand on my bump.
Yuri's eyes flickered with a dangerous gleam, a mixture of insanity and obsession. His voice dropped to a menacing whisper.
"You think Keifer's coming to save you? You really believe that?"
I clenched my fists, trying to steady my trembling hand on my bump. My mind raced through all the moments I'd trusted him, all the times he'd appeared just when I needed him most.
"Keifer always comes," I repeated softly. "He's unpredictable, but he's reliable. He's the one person who never let me down."
Yuri took a step closer, his breath hot and ragged. "Reliable? You're fooling yourself, Jay. Keifer's just playing his game. He's not coming for you. Not this time."
A sharp gust of wind swept through the house, rattling the windows and causing the curtains to flutter wildly. The atmosphere grew tense, every shadow seeming to stretch and twist in the flickering light. Yuri's eyes darted toward the doorway, his expression darkening with suspicion and rage.
"You really believe he's coming?" he sneered, voice cutting through the silence. "After all this time, you think he still cares enough to show?"
I steadied my breathing, forcing calm into my voice.
"Keifer isn't like anyone you've ever known," I replied softly. "His loyalty runs deeper than you can comprehend. He's coming, I feel it."
Yuri's jaw tightened, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.
"Feelings don't mean anything," he spat. "He's probably off somewhere, pretending he cares while plotting his next move. People like him only look out for themselves."
A distant engine rumbled in the driveway, growing louder, relentless. My stomach clenched with anticipation.
"Then you're more blind than I thought," I said, voice firm. "Keifer has proven time and again he puts us first. You're the one who's mistaken if you think he'll abandon us now."
Yuri's eyes flashed with a dangerous glint—madness and frustration mingling.
"You're living in a fantasy," he hissed. "When he doesn't come through, you'll realize what's really real."
"Jay, even though you destroyed my life, I still loved you," Yuri whispered, his voice trembling with obsession. "Come with me, Jay. We can start fresh—build a new life. Even with the baby you're carrying now."
I scoffed, my voice trembling with anger and disgust.
"The hell I don't love you," I shot back sharply.
Yuri's eyes flashed with fury as he glared at me. Just then, I heard footsteps pounding toward us.
"Keifer!" I yelled, trying to move toward the door. But Yuri's grip on my arm tightened, holding me back.
"KEIFER!" I shouted again, before he pressed his lips against mine in a violent, possessive kiss.
I pushed him away with all my strength, struggling to break free.
Keifer's eyes widened as he saw the scene unfold.
"YOU SON OF A—" Keifer roared, voice filled with rage.
Before I could even react, Yuri's hand shot out, a gleaming knife pressed against my neck, cold and deadly.
"Oh, Keifer," Yuri taunted, voice low and dangerous, "if I were you, I'd keep your distance." He pressed the blade just a little harder, leaving a thin, fiery cut on my skin.
"LET GO OF MY WIFE, YOU BASTARD!" Keifer yelled, fists clenched, voice trembling with fury.
Yuri's lips curled into a sinister smile. "Mama," Kevin cried out, trying to run toward me.
Keifer's arm shot out, stopping him with a firm, commanding voice.
"Kevin, take your siblings upstairs. Call Tito Angelo, Aries, Percy—anyone you can. Just go now," Keifer ordered, his eyes never leaving Yuri.
Kevin hesitated for a moment, then nodded and took his younger siblings, rushing them upstairs.
"Wow, Keifer," Yuri sneered, voice dripping with mockery. "You really think Angelo can help you now?"
Keifer's jaw clenched, muscles tense as he faced down Yuri's threat, ready to do whatever it took to protect us all.