Kiefer (POV)
The moment I stepped onto the island, something felt wrong.
Too quiet.
Too still.
Like I was already late.
I didn't wait. I didn't think. I moved straight toward the house, my steps fast and sharp, my chest tight with something I couldn't control anymore.
Seventeen days.
Seventeen days of not knowing where she was.
Of imagining the worst.
And now—
I was here.
I pushed the door open.
And froze.
Everyone was there.
Cole. Angelo. Percy. Aries.
All standing still.
Tense.
Silent.
Like something had already happened.
Then I saw her.
Jay.
Lying on the bed.
Unconscious.
Pale.
Too still.
My chest tightened.
"What happened?" My voice came out low. Dangerous.
No one answered.
That was enough.
I stepped forward—
But someone moved in front of me.
Him.
Clyden.
Standing there like he had the right.
Like he belonged between me and her.
My jaw tightened.
"What did you do?" I asked, my voice colder now.
His expression didn't change.
"Nothing."
That one word—
Snapped something inside me.
I grabbed his collar and slammed him against the wall.
Hard.
"You expect me to believe that?" I said, my voice dropping. "Seventeen days she's missing—and I find her here? Like this?"
The room tensed immediately.
"Kiefer—" Cole started.
"Stay out of this," I snapped.
My grip tightened.
"Say it again," I said, staring straight into his eyes. "Tell me you did nothing."
He didn't flinch.
Didn't look away.
"She's safe."
That made it worse.
Safe?
"She doesn't even remember you," Percy's voice cut through.
Everything stopped.
My grip loosened—
Just slightly.
"…What?" I asked.
No one spoke.
But I saw it.
In their faces.
In the silence.
Something wasn't right.
"She doesn't remember any of us," Aries said quietly.
No.
That didn't make sense.
"That's not possible," I said immediately.
"No… Kiefer," Cole said carefully, like he was choosing every word. "She's trying to forget. The doctor said it's temporary… but if we push her, it could get worse. Don't stress her."
I shook my head slowly.
"No."
My voice dropped.
"Don't lie to me."
My eyes moved to her.
"How could she forget me?"
No one answered.
That silence—
Said everything.
I walked to her slowly.
Each step heavier than the last.
Then I reached out…
And touched her face.
Warm.
Soft.
Real.
For a second—
She leaned into my hand.
Like she felt it.
Like she knew it.
Like somewhere, deep inside—
She remembered.
My breath caught.
"You can't reach her like that, Kiefer," Jare said quietly.
But I didn't move.
Didn't pull away.
Because in that moment—
I understood something.
She didn't lose her memories.
She ran from them.
From me.
From us.
From everything that hurt her.
A bitter smile touched my lips.
So this is how much I hurt you…
You had to erase me to survive.
My chest tightened, but I didn't look away from her.
We hurt each other.
Over and over.
And still—
We chose each other.
We cried together.
We laughed together.
We built something that wasn't supposed to exist… and still held onto it like it was everything.
Wasn't that love?
Even when I had a thousand reasons to walk away—
I still chose you.
Every time.
So if this is what you need…
If forgetting me is the only way you can breathe—
Then I'll accept it.
My thumb brushed lightly against her cheek.
"It's okay," I whispered, so quietly no one else could hear.
"Even if you forget me…"
My voice steadied.
"I won't forget you."
Because I carry everything.
Every moment.
Every memory.
Every piece of you.
"And I'll love you… even if you don't remember why."
I leaned closer, my forehead almost touching hers.
"So take your time."
My eyes closed for a second. "I'll find my way back to you again," I said softly, letting the words settle between us before I pulled away.
Then I turned.
Slowly.
My eyes locked onto Clyden.
Everything gentle in me—
Gone.
"You owe me an explanation," I said, my voice low, controlled, but carrying something far more dangerous beneath it. "Why did you take Jay-Jay from us?"
The room went still.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
All eyes shifted to him.
Waiting.
Watching.
Because this time—
There was no avoiding it.
Clyden (POV)
"Let's talk outside," I said quietly. "I don't want Jay to hear any of this."
No one argued.
They all understood.
We stepped out, but before the tension could settle, Section E started walking in, filling the space with their presence.
"Looks like everyone's here," I said, dropping onto the couch like none of this bothered me.
But it did.
"Tell us," Cole said, his voice steady but demanding. "Why did you do it?"
I exhaled slowly.
Then I told them everything.
Grandfather's plan.
The staged accident.
The hospital.
The kidnapping.
And how I brought her here.
No one interrupted.
Not once.
They just listened.
And somehow—
That made it worse.
When I finished, silence filled the room.
Heavy.
"So you're saying…" Kiefer's voice cut through, low and sharp, "You didn't have bad intentions?"
I let out a quiet breath.
"At first, I did," I admitted. "I planned to use her… for inheritance."
The room tensed instantly.
"But I never planned to kill her," I continued, my voice steady. "And somewhere along the way… I couldn't do it."
I paused.
My gaze drifted for a second.
"She's… different."
That was the only word I could find.
"She showed me what a family feels like," I said, a faint smile touching my lips before I could stop it. "I like her."
"WHAT?" Kiefer snapped, grabbing my collar instantly.
I didn't react.
"Relax," I said calmly. "As a sister… not as a woman."
His grip tightened for a second—
Then loosened.
Barely.
"So that's why you sent the location," Jare said, watching me closely.
I nodded.
"Grandfather already has doubts about me," I said. "If she stays with me… she'll become a target."
That wiped the room clean of anger.
Only tension remained.
"I'm stepping away from the company," I added. "Until everything settles… I can't see her. I can't stay near her."
"Why?" Kiefer asked, his voice lower now, but still sharp.
I looked at him.
Then smiled faintly.
"Because someone once told me… I can be selfish for my own happiness."
My eyes shifted briefly toward the room—
Toward her.
"But not this time."
Silence settled again.
Not heavy this time.
Just… quiet.
"When are you leaving?" Percy asked.
"After I talk to Jay," I said.
That was the only thing I owed myself.
Kiefer stepped forward slightly.
"I need to ask you something."
I nodded.
He held my gaze.
"…Is the Watson curse real?"
For a moment—
I almost laughed.
But I didn't.
"There's no curse, Kiefer," I said quietly.
I leaned back slightly, my voice calm but honest.
"We're just… people with too much power and not enough love."
No one spoke.
"So many come to us for money," I continued. "For status. For what we have—not for who we are."
My jaw tightened slightly.
"It becomes hard to believe anyone is real."
I looked at him again.
"And because of that… we grow into things people can't handle."
I didn't hide it.
"Pride. Anger. Possessiveness. Obsession."
The words didn't sound wrong.
They sounded true.
"We don't know how to control it," I said. "And people leave… because of it."
A pause.
Then—
"But if we ever find someone… who actually stays…"
My voice lowered slightly.
"We give them everything."
The room went completely still.
"Everything," I repeated.
"That's what they call madness."
A faint smile.
"That's what they call a curse."
I looked straight at Kiefer.
"But it's not a curse."
"It's just… loving too much without knowing how to stop."
Another pause.
Then I added quietly—
"If you found someone like that… don't lose her."
My gaze didn't move.
"Just learn to control yourself."
Because that was the real problem.
Not love.
Control.
"Not everyone can survive being loved by a Watson."
The words lingered in the room.
No one said it out loud—
But everyone knew.
Jay was the only one who ever could.
"KUYA!"
Her voice shattered everything.
Sharp.
Panicked.
It echoed through the house.
We didn't think.
We moved.
Fast.
Feet hitting the stairs all at once.
I stopped halfway and turned, my gaze locking onto Kiefer—and the rest of Section E.
"You stay here," I said, my tone leaving no room for argument.
Then I turned back—
And ran.
"What happened?" I asked, stepping closer, my voice still tight from the rush.
She looked at me like nothing had happened.
"I was just checking…" she said softly, "…if you left me or not."
For a second, I just stared at her.
Then I flicked her head lightly.
"This girl… you scared me," I muttered.
She blinked, then her eyes slowly moved past me—
To them.
All of them.
Watching her.
Waiting.
I gently held her hand.
"They're your brothers," I said, guiding her gaze toward them.
She looked at each of them one by one…
Then back at me.
"I wake up," she said slowly, almost amazed, "and suddenly I have five brothers… wow…"
A small smile spread across her face.
"Kuya…"
The word slipped out so naturally.
Everyone froze.
"Haa…" a few of them exhaled at the same time, like they didn't even realize they were holding their breath.
I let out a small laugh.
"Looks like I have six brothers now," she added playfully, glancing around, "and maybe seven sisters too."
For a moment—
It felt normal.
Light.
Alive.
Then someone muttered—
"He is not your brother."
A hand pointed toward Clyden.
The air shifted again.
But Jay didn't hesitate.
She frowned slightly, stepping closer to me.
"Who said that?" she asked, her voice calm—but firm.
Then she looked at Clyden.
"He is my brother."
No doubt.
No confusion.
Just certainty.
"Family doesn't need blood," she said quietly. "It just… stays. It accepts you. It loves you… the way you are."
Silence followed.
But this time—
It wasn't heavy.
It meant something.
"Jay…" I called softly, taking her hand in mine.
She looked up at me, trusting, calm—
Like nothing was about to change.
"I need to leave for London," I said.
She blinked once.
"Okay… so when are you coming back? " she asked, like it was something simple.
Something normal.
I held her hand a little tighter.
"I don't know."
The words felt heavier than they should.
"So until I return… you should go home. Stay with your brothers," I said gently. "They'll take care of you."
For a second—
She didn't react.
Then I saw it.
Tears.
Slow.
Silent.
Falling.
"…So you're really abandoning me now?" she whispered, her voice breaking. "Because you don't need me anymore?"
My chest tightened instantly.
"What—no—" I stepped closer, caught off guard.
"Why?" she asked, her voice trembling more now. "You don't like me anymore? Because I eat too much… or I irritate you?"
Each word—
Hit.
Harder than anything before.
I lifted my hand and held her face carefully, my thumb brushing away her tears as they kept falling.
"No," I said softly. "Why would I ever abandon my sister?"
She didn't look convinced.
That hurt more.
"It's not that," I continued, my voice gentler now. "It's just… not safe for you to stay here alone."
I let out a small breath, trying to lighten it just a little.
"You don't even clean properly," I added quietly, a faint smile touching my lips. "And you still don't know how to use bubble bath soap."
A small, broken laugh escaped her.
"Who's going to take care of you if I'm not here?" I murmured.
Her fingers tightened around mine.
"I'll call you," I said. "And if you miss me… just call me. I'll come to you."
I meant it.
Every word.
"This will always be your home."
I pulled her into my arms before she could say anything else.
And this time—
I held her tighter.
Because this didn't feel like leaving.
It felt like tearing something away—
That I didn't want to lose.
"Don't you want to meet Mom and Dad?" Cole asked gently.
"They're waiting for you," Jare added.
She didn't answer immediately.
Instead—
She looked at me.
Like she needed permission.
Like she was afraid to leave.
I gave her a small nod.
"It's okay."
She held my gaze for a second longer…
Then turned back to them.
"…Okay," she said quietly. "I'll come."
But her fingers—
They tightened around mine—
For just a moment—
Before letting go.