(Jay's POV)
The front door of our London house clicked open, and the heavy, familiar footsteps of my dad, Jaspher Mariano, echoed through the hallway. The graduation ceremony at the London School of Economics was finally over. The caps had been thrown, the degrees were in our hands, and the crazy party where Keifer and I were crowned Mr. and Miss LSE was officially a memory. I was still holding the party sash where Keifer had aggressively crossed out "Miss" with a thick black marker and written "Mrs. LSE" instead.
There wasn't enough space otherwise he would have added 'Watson' too.
Dad walked into the living room, looking incredibly proud. He looked at me, then at Keifer, who was already fixing a pillow behind my back so I could sit comfortably on the couch. Keifer was always doing things like that—he was a gentleman to his core, even when he was busy teasing me.
"Well, look at you two," Dad said, his voice deep and warm. He sat down on the armchair across from us. He looked straight at me, his eyes softening. "Jay, the time has come. After two years of watching you work your head off at LSE, it is time now that you inherit the Mariano Company and become the CEO."
My jaw almost dropped to the floor. I knew this day would come, but hearing it right now made my heart skip a beat.
"Me? The CEO? Right now?" I stammered, my hands gripping the couch cushion. I wasn't shocked because of the position as I had already known that I would have to become CEO one day but the real shock was that it was way too early for me.
Dad smiled, a bit of moisture forming in the corners of his eyes. "Yes, you. My little daughter has become so big now." He shook his head, looking around the room as if remembering old times. "In the blink of an eye, it felt like yesterday you were just a little girl walking through the halls of your high school, HVIS. And today? Today you even got graduated from LSE with the second-highest rank in the entire university." He paused, looking at Keifer. "Right behind Keifer of course."
Keifer grinned proudly, rubbing the back of his neck. "She only let me have the first rank because I brought her late-night snacks, Dad. Otherwise, she would have crushed me."
I laughed, a tear spilling over my eyelash. I stood up quickly and walked over to my dad, throwing my arms around his neck. "Thank you, Dad. For everything."
Dad hugged me tight, patting my back. "You earned this, princess. But don't get too comfortable celebrating tonight." He pulled back and looked at his watch, smiling mischievously. "Tomorrow around 11:00 AM, come to my office wearing your best formal clothes. You will have to take hold of the company officially."
"Eleven sharp. We will be there, sir," Keifer said, standing up and giving a playful military salute.
I just don't understand that how Keifer's teasing habit came back. Save me god!
Dad laughed, stood up, and patted Keifer on the shoulder. "I know you will look after her. I am leaving her in good hands. See you tomorrow, kids." With another warm smile, my dad left the house, leaving the two of us alone in the quiet living room.
As soon as the front door clicked shut, the silence didn't last long. Keifer walked over to me with that slow, confident smirk he always wore when he was about to make my face turn bright red. He reached out, grabbed my waist gently, and pulled me against his chest. He leaned down and pressed a long, soft kiss right onto my forehead.
"Well, well, well," Keifer murmured, his breath warm against my skin. "Look at us now. Now we both are a CEO couple."
"A CEO couple?" I asked, looking up into his dark, beautiful eyes.
"Think about it," he said, his smirk growing wider. "What a couple. The CEO of Watson Enterprises and the CEO of Mariano Corporation. The business world is going to shake just looking at us." He leaned down further, his lips brushing against my ear, making goosebumps erupt all over my arms. "My beautiful soon-to-be wife... Mrs. Jaspher Jean Mariano Watson, the CEO."
My cheeks immediately flared up like two hot tomatoes. "Keifer! Stop it!" I yelled, hiding my face in his chest. "You always use my full name when you want to make me blush!"
"And it works every single time," he chuckled, his chest vibrating against my cheek. He wrapped his arms tightly around me, lifting me slightly off the ground just to tease me. "You are going to be the most beautiful boss in the world, Mrs. Watson."
"I am not Mrs. Watson yet. We are fiancés!" I mumbled into his shirt, though my heart was beating so fast it felt like a drum.
"The sash says otherwise," he joked, pointing to the marker-stained fabric on the couch. "Now come on, future CEO. You need your beauty sleep. Tomorrow is a big day."
He didn't even let me walk. In one smooth motion, Keifer scooped me up in his arms, carrying me up the stairs like he had carried the heavy train of my dark blue silk gown the night before. I wrapped my arms around his neck, laughing and telling him I had legs, but he just ignored me and carried me straight to our bedroom.
That night, we slept curled up together. Keifer held me tight against his chest, his strong arms wrapping around my waist, keeping all my nervous thoughts away. With him holding me, I felt like I could conquer any company in the world.
The next morning, the bright London sun filtered through the curtains. Before I could even fully open my eyes, I felt a familiar, gentle pressure on my skin. Keifer pressed a soft kiss right on my forehead, waking me up in the sweetest way possible.
I blinked open my eyes and saw him standing by the side of the bed.
He was already wearing a simple white t-shirt and grey sweatpants, looking way too handsome for someone who had just woken up. In his hand, he held a steaming mug of hot coffee. The rich, chocolatey aroma filled the entire bedroom.
"Good morning, boss," he whispered, holding out the mug.
I smiled, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. "Good morning. Did you make this?"
"No, it just dropped from the sky. Go wash your face and brush your teeth first, then you can have your coffe wifey ," he said, tapping the tip of my nose with his finger.
I hopped out of bed, running into the washroom. I brushed my teeth as fast as I could, washed my face with cold water to wake myself up, and ran back out. Keifer was sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for me. I took the mug from his hands and took a long, blissful sip. It was perfect—exactly how I liked it, with just the right amount of milk and sugar.
As I drank, Keifer leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands, staring at me with a goofy, loving smile. "So," he started, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Ready to be a CEO, my wifey?"
I instantly choked slightly on my coffee, my face burning up for the second time in less than twenty hours. "Keifer! I am still drinking!" I gasped, wiping my lip.
Seriously, he's way more excited than me!
He laughed loudly, clearly enjoying my reaction. "I love how easy it is to make you blush. You are about to run a massive corporation, Jay. You need to handle a little romantic teasing from your husband."
"Future husband," I corrected, setting the coffee mug down on the nightstand.
"Same thing," he said smoothly. He stood up and walked over to our large wardrobe. "Anyway, I already picked out your outfit for today. A powerful woman needs a powerful look."
He opened the wardrobe doors and pulled out a stunning, classic black formal suit. The fabric looked expensive, smooth, and perfectly tailored. The blazer had sharp lines, and the trousers looked incredibly elegant. But he didn't stop there. He reached into the bottom of the closet and pulled out a pair of gorgeous black high heels. When he turned them around, I saw the iconic, bright red soles.
"Christian Louboutins?" I asked, looking at the beautiful red-bottom heels. Not to be shocked , I own 5 same heels. Obviously gifted by my gentleman! Haha! Remain jealous.
"Only the best for my girl," Keifer said, holding them up like a proud fashion designer. "Black suit, red-bottom heels. You are going to walk into that building and everyone will know exactly who is in charge."
I smiled, deeply touched by how much thought he put into it. Even though he teased me constantly, he always made sure I had everything I needed to feel confident. "Thank you, Keifer. You really are a perfect gentleman."
"I know," he said, winking. "Now get dressed. I'll go put on my suit. We have a company to take over."
Thirty minutes later, we were both ready. I looked at myself in the full-length mirror, and I could hardly recognize the girl looking back. The black suit fitted my body perfectly, and the red-bottom heels added the perfect touch of fierce confidence. My hair was styled neatly, and my makeup was simple but sharp.
Keifer walked into the room, and my breath caught in my throat. He was wearing a matching black suit, tailored perfectly to his broad shoulders and tall frame. He looked like a model straight out of a magazine. He walked up behind me, looking at our reflection in the mirror. He adjusted the collar of my blazer, his hands lingering on my shoulders.
He breathed out as he adored me, his playful attitude completely disappearing for a second. "You look absolutely incredible. Ready to rock wifey?"
I blushed, but this time it wasn't just from teasing. It was from pure happiness. "You don't look too bad yourself, Mr. Watson."
"Let's go," he said, offering me his arm.
We walked down to the garage, where our huge, luxurious black SUV was waiting. Keifer quickly walked ahead of me, opening the passenger door and holding his hand over the top frame so I wouldn't hit my head as I climbed inside. He closed the door gently, ran to the driver's side, and jumped in.
The engine roared to life, and we began our drive through the busy streets of London toward the Mariano Corporation headquarters.
The building was located in the heart of the city's business district. It was an absolute monster of a skyscraper—huge, towering high into the sky, made entirely of sleek glass and dark steel. It looked incredibly luxurious and intimidating.
Keifer parked the SUV right in the executive spot at the front. He jumped out, took huge strides around to my side, and opened the door for me, offering his hand to help me step down in my high heels.
"Deep breaths, CEO Mariano," he whispered, squeezing my hand gently. "You've got this."
I nodded, took a deep breath, and walked through the massive glass sliding doors of the building, with Keifer walking right by my side.
The moment our feet touched the polished marble floor of the lobby, the entire atmosphere changed. The bustling noise of hundreds of employees suddenly dropped into a dead silence. Secretaries, managers, security guards, and interns all stopped what they were doing.
As we walked down the center of the lobby toward the private executive elevators, the employees lined up on both sides. In perfect unison, all the people bowed their heads deeply to both of us. It was a sign of absolute respect for the Mariano family, and for Keifer, obviously, Watsons on the top.
My heart was racing, but I kept my chin up, walking gracefully in my red-bottom heels. Keifer walked half a step behind me, giving me the spotlight, acting as my protector and my biggest supporter.
We took the private elevator straight to the top floor, where the grand boardroom was located. The doors opened, and we passed through all the necessary steps—signing the official contract documents, meeting with the board of directors, and receiving the official company badge from my dad, who was beaming with pride in the corner of the room.
And then, it was time for the final step.
The announcement was made across the entire company network and to the media waiting in the press room: Jaspher Jean Mariano was officially the new CEO of the Mariano Corporation.
The heavy double doors of the main auditorium opened. The room was packed with hundreds of top executives, managers, and reporters. The applause was deafening as I walked up the steps toward the grand stage. The microphone stood in the center, gleaming under the bright stage lights.
I felt a sudden wave of nervousness wash over me as I looked out at the sea of faces. My hands started to shake slightly against the podium.
But then, I looked toward the front row.
Keifer was sitting right there, right next to my dad. In that massive room full of powerful people, he was looking at me like absolutely no one else in the world mattered to him. His eyes were locked on mine, filled with so much love, admiration, and pride. Seeing me freeze for a split second, he gave me a soft, reassuring smile. He nodded his face slowly, as if saying, 'Go get them, wifey. You are doing great.'
That simple nod from him was all I needed. All my fear vanished.
I took a deep breath, smiled into the microphone, and began my speech. My voice came out strong, clear, and confident. I spoke about the future of the Mariano Corporation, the hard work we would do together, and how I planned to lead the company into a new era of success. Every word felt powerful, and every time I felt a tiny bit of doubt, I just looked back at Keifer, who never stopped adoring me from his seat.
The moment I finished my final sentence, the entire auditorium erupted into a massive wave of cheers. Everyone stood up, clapping loudly for me. Flashbulbs from cameras started going off like fireworks, blinding the stage.Through the flashing lights, I saw Keifer standing up, clapping louder than anyone else, a huge, beautiful smile on his face.
By the time we left the building later that afternoon, the internet had already completely exploded.
As we sat in the back of the SUV on our way home—with Keifer driving and occasionally reaching over to hold my hand—I opened my phone and looked at social media. Our photos from the ceremony and the speech were everywhere. They had gone completely viral within minutes.
The top trending topic was a picture of us walking out of the building together, looking sharp in our matching black suits, with my heels peeking out.
"Look at this," I laughed, showing the screen to Keifer.
The captions were crazy. One massive news page had a headline that read: "Billionaire Husband's Billionaire Wife: The Rise of the Ultimate Power Couple."
Another viral post had thousands of likes with the caption: "Move over everyone else, the real CEO Couple of London has just arrived!"
Comments were flooding in by the second. "They graduated from LSE yesterday as the top two students, and today they are running the business world. Are they even human?"
"Look at the way he looks at her! He is a total billionaire gentleman!"
"The power this couple holds is terrifying and beautiful."
Keifer pulled the car up to a red light, turned his head, and glanced at my phone screen. He read the captions out loud, a huge, proud grin spreading across his face.
"Billionaire husband's billionaire wife," he repeated, tasting the words. He leaned over the center console, coming so close that our noses almost touched. "I think that has a very nice ring to it, don't you think, Mrs. Watson?"
"We are still in public, Mr. Watson," I whispered, my face blushing fiercely for the hundredth time that day as the car behind us honked.
Keifer just laughed, stepped on the gas, and drove us home toward our bright, beautiful future together...