KEIFER'S POV
This asshole. Damn it. Shit.
Out of all the times he could've arrived— he chose now.
If he even tries to take my Jay Jay away from me, I won't think twice before sending him back to his coffin.
Me and Edrix tried tracking Jay Jay using the OTJ101 app, but it showed her phone was still inside the Fernandez house. Damn it, Jay. Why didn't you bring your phone?
All of us were trying to find Percy and Jay Jay because none of us understood why Percy contacted her instead of us. Everyone was tense as hell. Then my phone buzzed.
A message from Yuri.
FROM : Yuri
MESSAGE : Angelo texted. He's calling us to his place.
I immediately replied.
TO : Yuri
MESSAGE : I'm coming.
When we reached Angelo's place, Aries looked at us like we committed a crime.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked irritably.
I shoved my hands into my pockets. "Boss called us."
Without waiting for another word, we stepped inside.
Angelo was in the living room, pacing around while talking on his phone. The moment he saw me, he immediately ended the call. His expression was dark. Tense. Worried.
"Kiefer, did you get any information about Jay Jay?"
I clenched my jaw.
"Not yet."
Suddenly, Aries grabbed my arm and shoved me toward the corner. His eyes were burning with rage.
"What the hell did you do to her?" he asked dangerously.
I looked at him coldly.
"Why are you suddenly acting like you care about her?"
For a second, I saw anger… and regret flash through his eyes. But honestly? I didn't have time for this bullshit. I shoved him away before walking back into the living room.
Aries' mother looked at me anxiously. "Kiefer… any information about her?"
I shook my head. "I'm sorry, Ma'am. Nothing yet."
Jay Jay's grandmother sighed nervously. "Should we call the police?"
Angelo immediately answered— "We need to wait twenty-four hours before filing a missing person report."
Then Jay Jay's mother suddenly spoke in an irritated voice— "Where the hell did this girl go? She's making us worried for no reason."
I slowly looked at her. What kind of mother says that when her daughter is missing? Did she even care about Jay Jay at all? But right now, I didn't have time to think about her terrible parenting. I just needed to find Jay.
For the next few hours, we stayed there trying to contact Percy and track Jay Jay. All the while, Aries kept glaring at us like he wanted to kill us. I ignored him. I was about to make another call when I suddenly heard footsteps approaching.
And somehow… even those footsteps were enough for me to recognize her.
My Jay Jay.
The moment she stepped inside the house, my chest tightened painfully. Her eyes were swollen and red from crying. Her face looked exhausted.Broken.Even looking at her hurt me.
The only thing I wanted to do was pull her into my arms. Hold her tightly. Apologize over and over again until she forgave me. I could do that forever if it meant I could keep holding her.
But instead—
All I could do was stand there and watch her fall apart. And the worst part? I was the reason behind all of her pain. The second she entered the living room, everyone started throwing questions at her. But she didn't answer any of them.
Instead, she suddenly yelled—
"SHUT UP!"
Even I flinched. Jay Jay never yelled. Never. But now her voice was filled with frustration.
Anger.
Pain.
Then she looked directly at us.
Cold.
Furious.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
You scared the hell out of me. I was worried sick. Searching for you like a madman.
But I said nothing. Because if I opened my mouth right now… everything would get worse.
Aries' mother tried calming her down.
"Jay, why are you yelling? They were worried about you—"
But Jay Jay cut her off immediately.
"They don't, Tita."
Her voice cracked.
"They don't."
I do. We all do.
But none of us could say it out loud. Then she looked at us with burning hatred in her eyes.
"I'm alive. Unfortunately, as you can see. So stop acting concerned."
God. The only thing I wanted to do was kiss her. Just so she would stop saying all this painful bullshit. But I couldn't. And honestly… I didn't blame her. Because I deserved every bit of her anger.
Her mother shouted something at her, but Jay Jay didn't even glance at her. Instead, she looked at us again and spoke coldly—
"You got what you wanted. No need to continue this act anymore. And right now… Leave me alone. I want to speak to the Fernandez family."
I froze. Fernandez family? She said it like they were strangers. Like she no longer belonged there. And hearing those words… I knew she was suffering far more than she showed.
And soon—
I was going to leave her alone at the worst possible moment. Angelo silently signaled for us to leave. So we did. But the moment I stepped outside the mansion—
I stopped. Because standing right in front of me… was a dead man smirking in my direction.
And believe me—
At that moment, I was fully ready to smash his so-called handsome face.
Percy approached me with that same irritating smirk on his face before speaking—
"Miss my handsome face?"
God. Someone save me before I commit a crime. I rolled my eyes dramatically.
"So you finally decided to show yourself."
I crossed my arms.
"Took you long enough."
Percy chuckled lightly.
"Well, I had to show up."
That idiot smirk widened.
"I know you missed me and my handsome face. How could I let my best friends suffer like this?"
Control yourself, Kiefer. No need to smash his face right now. He just got here. You can send him back to his coffin later.
Yuri stepped forward impatiently.
"Why didn't you contact us? Why did you take Jay Jay away?"
Percy's expression turned serious.
"Let's not talk here."
After that, the three of us drove toward an abandoned road nearby.
The atmosphere inside the cars was suffocatingly silent. Heavy. Tense. The moment we arrived, we stepped out and stood facing each other under the dim streetlights.
For a few seconds—
silence.
Then Yuri finally broke it.
"Why, Percy?"
His voice cracked slightly.
"For four years… we thought you were dead. And when you finally decide to come back… You don't even contact us first. Instead, you choose Jay Jay. Why?"
And for the first time since I met Percy… I saw him look calm. Not arrogant. Not playful. Just tired. Sad. He looked down briefly before answering.
"I got paralyzed after the accident."
Both me and Yuri froze. Percy laughed bitterly.
"The moment I woke up, I wanted to contact you guys. But my mother didn't let me. She made all of you believe I was dead."
I stared at him for a moment before finally asking—
"What's your connection with Jay Jay?"
Percy shoved his hands into his pockets. Then casually answered—
"In short. She's my stepsister. My mother married Jay Jay's father."
Yuri frowned. "Is there anything else?"
Percy tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
Yuri's expression darkened.
"Maybe you're trying to use her against us. Because it's obvious you're angry at us, so maybe you—"
But Percy immediately cut him off. His voice turned cold. Dangerously cold.
"No need to worry about that. I would never hurt my sister."
Then his eyes shifted toward us. Disappointed. Sharp.
"I'm not like you two."
My jaw clenched. "Like us?"
Percy laughed bitterly. "Do you really think I don't know what you did to her?"
I looked at him coldly. "Your dog is loyal to you, huh? Tell me then—did you order him to kiss her?"
Percy's expression didn't change at all. Not even slightly.
"Yes."
Yuri looked shocked. But Percy continued calmly—
"I did." His gaze darkened. "Because I wanted Jay Jay to see your true nature. And maybe I wasn't wrong."
My jaw tightened painfully. But I said nothing. Because deep down—I knew he was right. Percy sighed tiredly.
"You both changed. Before I left… you weren't like this. I'm really disappointed in both of you."
Yuri frowned. "What are you trying to say, Percy?"
Percy suddenly snapped.
"You used her, damn it! Are you even in your right minds? You forced her into an engagement!"
Then—
he looked directly at me. And honestly? That stare hit harder than a punch.
"And you… You used her for your goddamn revenge."
I froze.
"She's a human being, Kiefer. Not some pawn in your stupid game."
This was the first time I had ever seen Percy this angry. This frustrated. And I hated admitting it… but he was right. I changed. I became a monster. The exact person I swore I would never become. Just like my father. A monster.
Percy inhaled deeply before speaking again.
"That's why I came back. I won't let anyone hurt her anymore. So it's better if both of you keep that in your minds."
Silence fell again. Cold wind passed between us. Then Percy spoke one last time—
"I won't forgive any of you… Not until Jay Jay does."
A bitter laugh escaped him.
"Or maybe not even after that. Because you hurt the person I love most. My sister."
And after that… he left. Leaving behind suffocating silence. Yuri stared at the empty road before laughing bitterly.
"I hate admitting it…But he's right."
I stayed silent. Because there was nothing left to deny. Yuri continued quietly—
"We were so blinded by anger and revenge…We never even thought about what would happen to her once she learned the truth."
Then he laughed painfully.
"And because of our ego… We lost our best friend... And the girl we loved the most."
I closed my eyes slowly. My chest felt unbearably heavy.
"Yeah…We did."