JAY JAY POV
WEDDING DAY
I stared at my reflection, and for a second, I didn't recognize the girl in the mirror
In this dress—Keifer's mother's dress—I looked like someone important. Someone who actually belonged in a fairy tale.
The lace was delicate, hugging me in all the right places, and the fabric felt like a soft whisper against my skin. It was heavy with history, but somehow, it didn't feel like a burden.
Tita Gemma was behind me, her hands trembling slightly as she helped me zip up the back. The room was quiet, save for the distant sound of the wedding march being practiced and my own heart, which was currently trying to beat its way out of my ribs.
"Jay-anka," Tita started, her voice small and tight.
I looked at her through the mirror. She stopped her work and rested her hands on my shoulders. In the reflection, I could see her eyes were already brimming with tears—the kind that made my own throat tighten up instantly.
"Do you really love him, Jay? Or are you just doing this for us?" she asked, her gaze searching mine with total maternal desperation. "Because if you're doing this just to save the company... if you're doing this to be a sacrifice, stop right now. Angelo can deal with Keifer. We'll find another way. We can live in a smaller house, Jay. We can eat sardinas every day. Just don't throw your life away for a contract."
I felt a lump the size of a whole siopao form in my throat. I turned around to face her, taking her hands in mine. This woman had been my sanctuary when the world felt too big and too cold.
"No, Tita," I said, and to my surprise, my voice didn't shake. "At first, maybe it was for the business. But now? I like him. A lot. He's arrogant and he's a total headache, but... he held me when I was falling apart. He looked at me and saw the parts of me I try to hide."
I took a deep breath "As for love? I'm not there yet. But I'm sure of one thing, Tita—I'll get to love him in the future. He's the kind of guy who makes it hard not to."
Tita Gemma didn't say anything for a long moment. She just looked at me like I was the most precious thing she'd ever seen. Then, she let out a shaky breath and cupped my face with both of her hands. She leaned in and kissed my forehead—a soft, warm blessing that made me feel like, just maybe, everything was going to be okay.
I smiled at her, a real, genuine smile.
Jusko. Today is the day.
"Jay, they're ready for you at the altar," Aries said, stepping into the room.
He looked… different. Usually, Aries is in his 'I'm-too-cool-for-this' mode, but today, wearing a barong, he looked like a real adult. He stopped dead in his tracks the moment he saw me. For a second, his tough-guy mask cracked, and I saw his eyes glisten.
He walked over and pulled me into a hug—a tight, bone-crushing Aries hug that almost ruined the expensive lace of my dress. He didn't say anything at first; he just held me like he was afraid that if he let go, I'd disappear into the Watson world forever.
"Are you really doing this?" he whispered against my hair.
I could hear the hesitation in his voice. He still didn't trust Keifer. Honestly, if it were up to Aries, he'd probably grab my hand right now, jump out the window, and we'd go hide in a fast-food drive-thru until the coast was clear.
I pulled back just enough to look him in the eye. I didn't hesitate. I didn't even blink.
I simply nodded.
"I'm doing this, Aries. For all of us. And maybe… maybe a little bit for me, too," I said, giving his hand a squeeze.
Aries stared at me for a long time, looking for any sign of cold feet. When he realized I was serious, he let out a long, shaky breath and straightened his shoulders.
"Fine," he grumbled, though he finally gave me a small, supportive smile. "But if that Watson even breathes in your direction the wrong way, tell me."
I laughed, the sound bubbling up and finally clearing some of the nerves in my chest. "I know you will, Kuya. I know."
He offered me his arm, his expression turning solemn. "Then let's go. Don't make the man wait—he's already looking like he's about to buy the whole church just to speed things up."
I took his arm, my fingers trembling as I gripped the fabric of his sleeve. This was it. No more contracts, no more folders, no more excuses.
As we walked toward the heavy wooden doors of the church, my stomach did a somersault. Jusko. Please don't let me trip on my dress. Please don't let me say 'I do' with a piece of chocolate stuck in my teeth. And please, please let Keifer be looking at me the way he did when he gave me that hug in the kitchen.
The doors swung open.
The music started—that slow, dramatic violin that makes your heart feel like it's being squeezed like a lemon. The light from outside flooded in, and suddenly, everyone was standing up.
But I didn't see the guests. I didn't see the flowers. I only saw him.
Keifer was standing at the end of the aisle. He looked lethal in his suit—sharp, powerful, and so handsome it should have been illegal. But then, he saw me.
His eyes widened, and for the first time since I met him,
He looked at me like I was the only person in the entire world. Like I was his beginning and his end.
The church was silent, smelling of expensive lilies and my own nervous sweat. I was standing at the altar, my hands trembling so much I thought I might drop my bouquet. Keifer took my hands in his, and his touch was like a grounding wire.
It was time for the vows.
"Jay-jay," Keifer started. His voice wasn't the cold, business-like tone from the cafe. It was deep, steady, and vibrating with an emotion that made my knees feel like overcooked noodles. "I didn't choose you because of a contract. I didn't choose you to save a company. I chose you because, in a world full of people who want something from me, you're the only one who looked at me and dared to call me an ass."
A round of muffled giggles broke out
felt my face turn tomato-red.
He stepped closer, his thumb grazing my knuckles. "You are the chaos I didn't know I needed. You're the teacher who cares too much and the girl who eats cake to survive the day. I promise to be the one who stays. I promise that from today on, you'll never have to make yourself 'useful' just to keep someone by your side. You're enough. Just as you are."
I felt a tear escape and trail down my cheek. Jusko. He really knew how to play with my heartstrings.
"My turn," I whispered, sniffing. "Keifer... I hate that you're arrogant. I hate that you're always right. And I especially hate that you make better bacon than me. But... thank you. Thank you for holding me when you didn't have to. Thank you for seeing the girl behind the lesson plans. I don't know if I can be a 'perfect' Watson, but I promise to try. I promise to be the person who yells at you when you're being a jerk, and the person who loves you when the world gets too quiet."
"I do," we both whispered.
"You may now kiss the bride," the priest announced.
I frozen. My breath hitched in my throat, and I felt my fingers twitch against the fabric of my bouquet. Jusko. Panic started rising in me like a flood. I barely know this man! We haven't even shared a bag of chips together, and now I'm supposed to kiss him in front of my brothers and half of the city's high society?
I looked up at Keifer, my eyes wide and pleading. I didn't want this—not like this. Not when we were still strangers playing a role in a high-stakes drama.
Keifer saw it. He noticed the slight tremble in my lower lip and the way I instinctively tried to pull back. His expression didn't change, but his eyes softened for a split second.
Before I could even process a plan to run away, he leaned in.
He moved with that Watson authority, his presence completely swallowing me up. He wrapped one strong arm around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest, while his other hand came up to cup my jaw. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for the impact.
But the kiss didn't happen. Instead of his lips meeting mine, I felt the cool press of his index finger placed firmly in between our mouths. He leaned down and kissed his own finger, his eyes hooded and intense. To anyone sitting in the pews—to Aries, to Kuya Angelo, to Tita Gemma—it looked like a deep, passionate, he-can't-wait-to-marry-her kind of kiss.
But for us? It was a shield. A boundary.
My heart did a different kind of skip—one that wasn't about panic, but about relief.
"Thank you," I whispered against his hand, the words barely a breath.
He didn't say anything. He just lingered there for a second longer, his thumb grazing my cheekbone in a way that felt dangerously real, before pulling back and flashing that signature, arrogant smirk to the crowd.
END OF THE DAY
The reception was a blur of flashy lights, people I didn't know congratulating me, and Keifer's brothers being a complete trio of chaos.
"Welcome to the madhouse, Sister-in-law!" Keigan said, giving me a cheeky grin. He was the middle brother, more polished than Keiran but I could see the same mischievous glint. "If Keifer gets too boring, just call me. I have better stories and I actually know how to share my snacks."
Keiran, my favorite headache, just hugged me and whispered, "Don't let him win all the arguments, Teach. Section E's reputation is on the line. If you cry, I'll tell the boys to egg his car."
Percy was there too, dramatic as ever, wiping a fake tear from his eye. "A billionaire, Jay-jay? You really traded me in for a guy with a private jet? I hope his jet serves extra gravy and premium siomai."
But then, the clock struck midnight. The party was winding down, and the reality finally hit me.
I stood by the sleek black car, the luggage already in the trunk. I wasn't going back to my little apartment with the panda-themed PJs. I wasn't going to hear Tita Gemma's frantic cooking or find Aries sleeping on my sofa.
I looked at Tita, Kuya Angelo, and Aries, and suddenly, my vision blurred.
"Jay, why are you crying? You're a Watson now! You're supposed to be celebrating!" Tita Gemma said, but her own voice was breaking.
"I... I don't want to leave," I sobbed, the tears finally flowing freely. I didn't care about the waterproof mascara or the expensive dress anymore. I was just a girl who was scared of the big, cold world. "Who's going to make sure Aries eats his vegetables? Who's going to help Tita with the heavy groceries?"
Aries walked up to me, his expression soft but guarded. He didn't say a word; he just pulled me into one last
the kind that makes you feel like nothing can hurt you. "Go, Jay. We'll be fine. If you keep crying, your new husband might think we're holding you hostage."
I looked at Kuya Angelo, who just gave me a firm, supportive nod, though I could see his jaw was tight.
I felt a warm hand on the small of my back. Keifer was there. He didn't rush me or act like my crying was an inconvenience. He just stood by my side, a silent wall of support.
"Ready?" he asked softly.
I looked at my family one last time, then at Percy and the others
My heart felt like it was being pulled in two different directions. I was terrified, excited, and honestly? Still a little bit hungry.
"Ready," I whispered.
As the car pulled away, I watched my family get smaller and smaller through the rear window. I buried my face in my hands and cried for a good ten minutes, my shoulders shaking. It felt like the end of the world.
Suddenly, a hand reached over and squeezed mine.
"Hey," Keifer said, his voice a gentle rumble. "I told you, Jay-jay. I'm not taking you away from them. I'm just giving you another place to call home."
I looked at him, my vision blurry. He reached into the glove compartment and pulled out... a small, foil-wrapped chocolate bar.
"Eat," he commanded with a small, knowing smirk. "I know you didn't get to finish your cake at the reception"
I let out a shaky, wet laugh and took the chocolate.
Jusko. This man is dangerous. He knew exactly where my heart—and my stomach—was.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
📣 AUTHOR ANNOUNCEMENT 📣
Okay guys, I'm actually so confused right now 😭💀 I saw a post saying VIVA is pushing this new Dating Alys Prez show in June, and like… y'all KNOW Rabin — who plays Yuri in Section E — is literally one of the main characters in AMSE.
So how is he supposed to handle both AMSE and this new show at the same time 😭✨ It's giving "overworked actor" energy and I'm stressed for him.
I just REALLY hope VIVA ONE doesn't delay the AMSE release date again because I'm already losing it 😭🫠 And honestly… I'm still kinda annoyed at VIVA for how they're handling everything.
A reader asked me to share this, and honestly I agree with her 👇
So basically, what we think is that VIVA is trying to push all these new series on us so we'll slowly forget about AMSE and Ashdres. Like… be serious 😐 VIVA has been excluding Ashdres from almost everything and acting like AMSE never existed.
But what they're forgetting is: ✨ AMSE is literally the reason they even HAVE these characters ✨ If you look at almost every new series, you'll see AMSE actors everywhere — including Rabin/Yuri. So why act like AMSE didn't carry half their lineup 😭
It just feels unfair at this point. If you're still following VIVA ONE, some of us already unfollowed, so feel free to do the same if you want 😬
VIVA ONE needs to realize the attention they're getting isn't magically from them — it's from Section E, from Ashtine, from Andres, from Rabin/Yuri, and from the whole cast's hard work. Section E is getting excluded and it honestly sucks.
So please guys, let's stick together during this messy era 😭🤝 Let's not hate anyone for no reason — just keep supporting our Ashdres. We gotta stay patient and hope they come back soon 🙏💗
As long as we Keepers defend Ashdres, they'll be fine ✨🛡️
And did you guys see Ashtine's post the other day? It honestly made me sad… she's getting hate for literally NO reason 😞💔
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