KEIFER'S POV
Finally.
I'm back.
A strange mix of relief and nervousness settled inside me.
Relieved because I had finally secured my inheritance. I was now the CEO of Watson Corporation, and the engagement had officially been called off.
But mostly? I was nervous. Because now it was time to face Jay Jay. Face-to-face. For her, it had been forty-five days since she last saw me.
For me?
Only four.
Because apparently, crossing oceans just to secretly see your girl counted as "normal behavior" now.
The entire flight from London to the Philippines was spent thinking about her.
How was I supposed to convince her to talk to me? How was I supposed to survive her punches, kicks, and verbal attacks? How many apology speeches should I prepare? What food should I bring? Would one meal be enough? NO. Or should I brought an entire restaurant?
God.
Me.
Mark Kiefer Watson.
A man who rarely apologized to anyone. Now planning different apology strategies like his life depended on it. This girl was seriously going to be the death of me.
The moment I arrived at the Watson Mansion, I went straight to my room and collapsed onto the bed. But resting was impossible. My mind refused to cooperate.
Because now that I was finally here...
I wanted to see her.
Talk to her.
Hold her.
Wrap my arms around her and never let go.
Maybe steal a kiss too.
Or ten.
Not that I was counting.
After nearly an hour of tossing and turning, I finally gave up. There was no way I was sleeping tonight. So I grabbed my car keys and headed downstairs.
As soon as I entered the living room, I found Keigan and Keiran sitting on the couch, completely absorbed in a video game.
Keiran noticed me first.
"Kuya?"
I stopped.
"Hmm?"
"Where are you going this late?"
I tried to sound casual.
"I have some work to do."
Keiran nodded.
"Will you be long?"
"No."
I smiled.
"I'll be back soon."
Before Keiran could ask another question, Keigan looked up from his game. A mischievous smirk instantly appeared on his face. Uh-oh. That expression never meant anything good.
"Yeah, Keiran."
He grinned.
"Let him go. Kuya has a very important job to handle."
I narrowed my eyes. This idiot. Keigan simply smirked wider. I shot him a warning glare.
"I'll be back soon."
He saluted dramatically.
"Good luck, lover boy."
I grabbed the nearest pillow and threw it at his face. His laughter followed me all the way out of the mansion.
-------------------REYES MANSION--------------------------------
The drive felt both too short and too long. Every second brought me closer to her. Closer to the person I had spent weeks missing. Closer to the girl who occupied every corner of my mind. When I finally arrived, I parked a short distance away.
And there she was. Sitting on the balcony. A book resting in her hands. Completely focused. Completely unaware of my presence.
I couldn't stop staring. God. She was beautiful. No. Beautiful wasn't enough. She had somehow become even more breathtaking. The moonlight reflected against her hair.
The soft breeze played with the loose strands around her face. And for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. A smile slowly appeared on my lips. She looked peaceful. Happy. Safe. And somehow, seeing her like that made everything worth it. Every sacrifice. Every sleepless night. Every painful decision.
Then suddenly—
She looked up.
My heart nearly stopped. I froze. She slowly closed her book and glanced around. Once. Twice. Then a third time. Like she was searching for something.
Or someone.
My pulse immediately sped up. Did she sense I was here? No. Impossible. Right? Then she stood up from her chair. And started walking toward the balcony railing.
Toward my direction.
Toward me.
Panic instantly took over. Before she could get a clear view of me—or my car—I quickly shifted into reverse. The car rolled backward just as she reached the railing. I stopped several meters away and watched.
She looked around again. Confused. Almost disappointed. Then she sighed softly and returned to her seat. And for some reason...That hurt. Because a small part of me wanted to believe she had been looking for me.
I stayed there for a little while longer. Just watching her. Memorizing her smile. The way she tucked her hair behind her ear. The way she got completely lost in her books. The little habits I missed more than I cared to admit.
Then eventually, I started the engine.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow I would finally face her. Tomorrow I would apologize. Tomorrow I would fight for her.
Again. And this time, I wasn't leaving. Not until I got my girl back.
JAY'S POV
It's been almost a week since the kidnapping incident. Or should I say the Sato incident? Because, honestly, kidnapping feels way too normal in my life at this point.
I'm still a little weak, though.
And because of that, everyone around me has decided to treat me like I'm some fragile porcelain doll that's one wrong move away from shattering.
CCTV isn't even letting me drive anymore. Instead, he drives me to school every single day. Percy picks me up and drops me home afterward.
Aries and Section E have somehow made it their personal mission to make sure I eat every meal. And at home? Ate Maya practically supervises my meals like she's guarding a national treasure. It's honestly exhausting. Not that I'm complaining.
Kuya Angelo and Tita have been calling me nonstop, asking me to come back to the Fernandez house. But I still don't want to go. My so-called mother is still there. And so is her fiancé. I don't have the energy to deal with either of them. Not right now.
Maybe not ever. Today is Sunday. Which means tomorrow is school again.
I'm currently sitting on the balcony of the Reyes Mansion, completely absorbed in a book.
Icebreaker.
Not exactly my usual choice.
I'm not really a fan of romance novels. At least that's what I keep telling myself. But every once in a while, I end up reading one anyway. And somehow, I always finish them. I was so focused on the story that I barely noticed the world around me.
Until...A strange feeling settled in my chest.
A stare.
That's what it felt like. Like someone was watching me. At first, I ignored it. But the feeling refused to disappear. Instead, it grew stronger. And stronger. My heart slowly became restless.
Because for some reason...
The first person that came to mind was Kiefer. Which was ridiculous. Completely impossible. He was in London. Thousands of miles away. So why did it feel like he was here? Watching me?
I quickly looked up from my book.
Scanning the balcony.
The garden.
The street below.
Nothing.
No one.
Just the evening breeze.I searched again. Still nothing.
And for some reason...Disappointment settled inside me.
A quiet.
Painful disappointment.
I immediately pushed it away.
No.
I shouldn't be thinking about him. I should be moving on. He's engaged. He already moved on. So why couldn't I? I lowered my gaze back to the book, but the words no longer made sense. Because my thoughts had already drifted back to him.
Again.
Always him.
Even that stupid GagongBaliw account.
At first, I honestly thought he made it because he wanted to talk to me. Because he missed me. Because he couldn't stay away. But then reality hit me. Maybe it never meant anything. Maybe it was just another game. Another joke. Another way to keep me attached.
I laughed bitterly. What an idiot. And an even bigger idiot for believing him. He's engaged now. He has someone else in his life. Someone who isn't me. So I should do the same.
Move on.
Forget him.
Erase him.
That's what I keep telling myself. But no matter how many times I repeat those words...A part of me still wants him. Still wants to talk to him. Still wants to hear his voice. Still wants to be with him.
And that's the problem.
Because no matter how hard I try to deny it...No matter how angry I am...No matter how much he hurt me...I still love him. And maybe that's the cruelest part of all. Because loving someone is easy. Walking away from them isn't.
I closed my book and stared at the sky.
A question lingering in my mind. A question I hated. A question I was too afraid to answer. What if he really moved on? What if this time...He wasn't coming back?
Then another thought followed. One that made my chest ache. What if...I never stopped waiting for him?
And if that's true...
Then how am I supposed to move on? When my heart is still looking for him. Even now. Even after everything. Even when I know it shouldn't.
Isn't it?