Jay's Pov
The watson mansion loomed like a fortress of light against the night sky. I tugged at the hem of my pink gown—a color I usually despised—feeling like a soldier forced into a silk uniform.
Beside me, Jane looked equally out of place but stunning, her eyes darting around for any sign of a Section E ambush. Aries walked between us, looking every bit the proud older brother, though I could feel the tension in his shoulders.
We stepped through the grand mahogany doors, and the scent of expensive lilies and vanilla hit me like a physical blow. It was the scent of her house.
And then I saw her.
Serina Watson. Keifer's mother. She stood in the center of the foyer, draped in elegance, laughing at something a guest had said. My heart didn't just skip a beat; it stopped.
Memories I had buried under years of dirt and "warrior" training came rushing back.
"Come here, Jace! I made extra cookies just for you," her voice echoed in my mind.
Back then, before life turned into a battlefield, I was just Jace—the kid from the neighborhood who followed her around like a lost puppy. She had cared for me when my own world felt cold. She was the one who bandaged my scraped knees and told me I was brave.
But I couldn't tell her that. I wasn't that little boy anymore. Jace was dead, replaced by the girl who fought for every inch of respect she had.
Taking a steadying breath, Jane and I approached. "Good evening, Tita Serina," I said, my voice steadier than I felt.
Serina turned, and her face lit up with a warmth that could melt glaciers. Before I could blink, she had pulled both Jane and me into a hug so tight I could smell the faint floral perfume on her skin. It felt like home. It felt dangerous.
"Oh, you're here!" she beamed, pulling back to look at us. "Keiren didn't lie—you are both absolutely breathtaking."
Keifer appeared behind her then, looking sharp in a suit, though his expression was unreadable. Serina looked between us, her eyes twinkling. "Now, dear, Keiren calls you Jay-ate, and other calls you Jean... what should I call you?"
"Jay, Tita," I said, a small, genuine smile slipping through my mask.
"Well, Jay," Serina said, looping her arms through ours, "I hope my son hasn't been too much of a nightmare. I know Section E has a reputation, but Keifer... he's just stubborn. And Yuri? That boy needs a firm hand to keep him in line."
We chatted for a few minutes, Jane and I exchanging amused glances as Serina exposed the "tough guys" of Section E as the rowdy boys she knew them to be. For a moment, the war felt far away.
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Keifer's POV
I thought I was prepared. I told myself she was just a girl in a dress, a girl I was supposed to be breaking. But when Jay walked through those doors, the world turned into a blurred background, and she was the only thing in high definition.
The pink gown was a contradiction. It was soft, flowing, and delicate, but the way she carried herself—shoulders back, chin tilted, eyes scanning for threats—remained pure warrior. The silk clung to her in ways that made my throat go dry, and the way the light caught the shimmer of the fabric made her look less like a student and more like a goddess of war.(Check comment)
I couldn't look away. I was captivated, trapped in the orbit of a girl I was supposed to hate. My pulse was a frantic drum in my ears. Seeing her with my mother, seeing her smile—a real, soft smile—did something to my resolve that no physical fight ever could.
She wasn't just a "menace" tonight. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, and the realization that she might belong to someone else—someone she called "baby"—made the jealousy in my gut roar like a physical flame.
I wanted to walk over, pull her away from the crowd, and demand to know why she had this much power over me without even trying.
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Yuri's POV
I've spend past few hours trying to get under Jane's skin, but tonight, she's the one who's completely rewritten the laws of my universe. I saw her standing there with Jay, and for the first time, I forgot all about the top spots in class or the rivalry between our sections.( Check comment)
Jane in that gown was a revelation. She usually looks like she's ready to fight the world with a pen and a glare, but tonight, she looked… radiant. The dress suited her perfectly, highlighting the elegance she usually hides behind thick books and sharp words.
Her hair was done up, exposing the graceful line of her neck, and the way she looked around the room with that mixture of defiance and curiosity made my heart do something stupid.
I've called her my rival for so long that I didn't realize when she became the person I looked for the moment I entered a room.
Seeing her tonight, I realized that my "nice guy" act wasn't just a strategy anymore. I actually wanted her to look at me without the scowl. I wanted to be the reason she laughed.
She looked like a masterpiece, and all I wanted was to be the one standing close enough to appreciate every detail.
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Jane's POV
After the talk with Serina, I led Jay toward where Aries was standing with his group of friends. They were all there with their families, looking posh and perfect.
"Hey guys," I greeted. Jay offered a curt nod, her "warrior" walls sliding back into place.
Kiko, one of the guys from the inner circle, looked Jay up and down with a smirk that made my skin crawl. "Well, look at you, Jay. Who knew the school's resident fighter could actually look like a girl? Maybe if you acted a little sweeter, I'd take you for a spin on the dance floor."
Jay didn't even blink. "Kiko, if I wanted to spend time with someone who has the personality of a wet napkin and the IQ of a doorstop, I'd stay home and talk to my furniture. Don't flatter yourself."
The group went "Oooooh," and Kiko's face turned bright red.
"Jean, stop being so aggressive," Ella chimed in, tossing her hair. "He was just joking. Don't be such a buzzkill at a party."
Jay turned her cold, piercing gaze toward Ella. "I don't like jokes. And I advise you to mind your own business before you find yourself the punchline of my next one."
Without waiting for a response, Jay turned on her heel and headed for the garden. I watched her go, knowing she needed the air. But as I turned to follow, a hand caught my arm.
Yuri. He was smiling that "polite" smile again. "Jane? Would you care for a dance?"
I looked at him, then at the dance floor. A plan formed in my mind. A little revenge for the highlighter incident. "Sure, Yuri. Why not?"
We stepped onto the floor. He placed his hand on my waist, and for a second, the proximity made my heart flutter—which I hated. We moved with the music, his eyes fixed on mine. He looked so smug, so sure of himself.
Now.
I shifted my weight and slammed my heel down directly onto his foot.
Yuri winced, his face contorting in sudden, sharp pain. His grip loosened, and he let out a muffled hiss. I pulled back, a slow, triumphant smirk spreading across my lips.
"Oops. My bad, Yuri. I guess I'm just clumsy," I whispered, before turning and walking away, leaving him limping in the middle of the ballroom.
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Jay's POV
The garden was quiet, the air cool against my skin. I stood by a stone fountain, trying to settle the storm in my chest.
"You look lonely," a voice said.
I turned to see a guy I didn't recognize—probably some rich kid from another school. He stepped closer, wearing a confident grin. "How about a dance? A girl as pretty as you shouldn't be hiding in the dark."
Before I could even open my mouth to roast him into the next century, a shadow fell over us. A heavy arm draped over my shoulders, pulling me back against a hard, warm chest.
"She's with me," Keifer's voice growled, vibrating through my back.
The guy blinked, startled. "Oh. Who are you? Her boyfriend?"
Keifer tightened his grip on me, his eyes dark and dangerous. "She's my wife. Now leave."
My jaw nearly hit the gravel. The guy muttered an apology and scrambled away. I waited until he was out of sight before I shoved Keifer's arm off me and spun around.
"WTF, Keifer? Since when am I your wife?" I hissed, my face heating up.
He leaned down, his face inches from mine, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "Since I say so."
"You fucking arrogant, irritating, delusional, psychotic, overbearing, narcissistic, infuriating, pig-headed, brainless, wretched asshole!" I shouted, the curses flying out of my mouth like rapid-fire.
Keifer just chuckled, his eyes dropping to my lips. "You curse too much, Jay."
"So what?" I snapped. "You deserve every word!"
"It's just..." he leaned even closer, his voice dropping to a seductive whisper. "When you curse from now on, I'm going to kiss you to make you stop."
My heart did a somersault, but I wasn't about to let him win. I stepped into his space, my eyes flashing with a deadly light. "And I'll kill you if you try. Go on, try that and see what happens."
I didn't wait for his reply. I turned and stormed back toward the house, my pulse racing so fast I could barely breathe.
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Keifer's POV
I watched her walk away, her pink dress fluttering behind her like a battle flag. My jaw was still tight from the jealousy that had flared when that guy approached her, but her reaction… it was pure Jay.
"And I'll kill you."
I touched my lip, a smirk tugging at my mouth. Most girls would have blushed or swooned at a line like that. Not her. She threatened my life.
The jealousy was still there, a low-simmering heat in my blood, but it was being overtaken by something else. She was a fire I couldn't put out, a war I didn't want to end. She called me every name in the book, and all I could think about was how much I wanted to see if she'd actually follow through on her threat.
"Go on, try that," she'd said
Oh, I planned to. The party was just getting started, and the "wife" comment might have been a lie for that guy, but the way it felt saying it? That was far too real.