(hey by the way any of you remember when serina died keifer was how many years old ???)
The gala had ended, but Section E apparently didn't believe in endings.The ballroom was half-empty now, but their corner still looked like a badly managed talk show — drinks, laughter, insults, and Percy trying to teach Felix how to look "mysteriously rich" for Instagram.
Everything was fine… until Jay casually dropped a bomb.
"He's my godbro," she said, nodding toward Raefael.
Silence.Then utter chaos.
"GODBRO?!" Percy nearly choked on air."Wait—like god-level bro or actual godbrother?" Aries asked, frowning.Cin facepalmed. "The second one, genius."Percy blinked. "Still sounds like an unholy alliance."
Raefael just leaned back, faint amusement curling his lips. "You make it sound like a scandal, not baptism."
Jay smirked. "With this group, it's the same thing."
Before anyone could continue, Angelo — who had been suspiciously quiet — suddenly spoke, voice sharp."Hold on." He pointed between the two. "You're her godbrother?"
Raefael raised a brow. "That's what she said."
Angelo blinked. "Out of seven billion people, you had to pick him?"
Jay tilted her head. "You're acting like I handpicked the universe."
"You might as well have!" Angelo said dramatically. "God, Jay, you could've found literally anyone else."
Raefael's smirk widened. "She found quality over quantity. Try it sometime."
Percy gasped. "OHHHHH—burn level divine!"
Ion muttered, "I'd pay for front-row seats if this goes physical."
Jay sighed. "It's already emotional, that's bad enough."
But before the room could calm, Raefael's eyes suddenly narrowed as realization struck him."Wait," he said slowly, pointing at Angelo. "You're Jay's cousin?"
Angelo smirked, crossing his arms. "Unfortunately for her, yes."
Raefael exhaled dramatically. "Out of seven billion people, you had to be her cousin?"
Angelo blinked, then groaned. "Oh, don't you start."
Jay facepalmed. "I see this reunion is going to give me migraines."
"Correction," Percy said, counting on his fingers, "it's going to give you a migraine, an aspirin bill, and possibly a lawsuit if they start throwing chairs again."
Raefael chuckled softly. "Relax. I'm too classy for chairs. I throw words."
"Yeah, and those hurt more," Ion muttered.
Cin grinned. "So you two know each other, huh?"
"Used to," Angelo said curtly.
"Were best friends," Raefael corrected, tone quiet but sharp, "until he decided to throw hands instead of logic."
"Oh, you mean when you tried to lecture me about Ion?" Angelo snapped.
Raefael shrugged. "I wasn't lecturing. I was right."
Ion groaned. "Please don't bring me into your soap opera again."
Yuri whispered to Cin, "They fought over her? That explains the emotional tension."Cin nodded. "Yup. Classic 'bro-code-gone-bad' energy."
Keifer muttered, "You guys have more drama than Netflix."
Percy sighed theatrically. "This is why I stopped dating intelligent people. Too many subplots."
"Wait," Aries said suddenly, eyes narrowing. "So let me get this straight. Jay's godbrother is Raefael, her cousin is Angelo, her stepbrother is Percy, and I'm her brother."
Everyone looked at him.
"Yeah," Percy said. "Basically we're running out of family roles."
Aries snorted. "Great. So now we have more competition."
Raefael blinked. "Competition?"
"For her attention," Aries said, shrugging. "You think I'm giving up big brother privileges to you emotional disasters?"
Percy raised his hand. "Seconded. No outsiders allowed in the sibling zone."
Angelo pointed. "You're the outsider, genius. You're step."
Percy clutched his chest. "Wow. Discrimination in my own family. Tragic."
Cin snorted. "This family tree is a forest."
Jay looked skyward. "Why did I agree to exist?"
Keifer grinned. "Because your chaos keeps us employed."
"Barely," Yuri muttered.
Raefael chuckled lowly, clearly entertained. "Same group, same nonsense. I almost missed this."
Angelo rolled his eyes. "You missed my peace, you mean."
Raefael smirked. "You're not peaceful, Angelo. You're just loud in lowercase."
"Wha—?!"
Before another verbal grenade could launch, Jay raised a hand. "Enough. I swear if you two keep this up, I'm making you spar blindfolded."
Percy gasped. "Wait—do that! Do that!"
"No," Ion said immediately. "I'm not cleaning up another broken chandelier."
Aries groaned. "So where are we going now? Or do we continue therapy here?"
Jay smirked. "Neither. We're leaving."
"Where?" Percy asked warily.Jay's smile widened. "Home."
Cin frowned. "Your penthouse?"
Jay shook her head. "The mansion."
Everyone blinked."The what," Percy said flatly.
✦ ✦ ✦
By the time the convoy reached the mountain road, the city lights had faded to a golden haze.The cars wound through forested hills until an enormous gate appeared — carved black iron with golden vines, flanked by silver statues of lions.
As it opened, everyone collectively forgot how to breathe.
The mansion shimmered in moonlight — all glass and stone, with waterfalls spilling down its edges like silver ribbons. Gardens glowed softly beneath hanging lanterns, and at the heart of the estate stood an emblem: J.M. Mariano.
Percy made a strangled sound. "This isn't a house. This is architectural intimidation."
Yuri whispered, "Does she live here or secretly run a government from it?"
Aries gave a low whistle. "I'm your brother and even I feel poor."
Keifer blinked. "You've been hiding this?"
Jay smirked. "Privacy isn't hiding."
"Privacy?" Percy said. "You built a literal city-state! I bet this place has its own Wi-Fi satellite."
Raefael chuckled quietly beside her. "She's always been good at keeping her worlds separate."
Angelo folded his arms, eyeing the mansion. "So this is where you disappear every time you say you're 'busy'?"
Jay grinned. "Busy staying sane, yes."
Raefael looked around, hands in his pockets. "Still exactly the same as before."
Yuri blinked. "Wait, you've been here before?"
"Of course," Raefael said simply. "I helped design it."
Angelo scoffed. "Of course you did."
Raefael smirked. "Jealousy doesn't suit you, cousin."
"Don't call me cousin," Angelo muttered. "It sounds like we're in a bad telenovela."
Cin whispered to Rory, "We are in one."
Jay's gang — were already waiting near the doors. "Welcome home, boss," adam said, grinning. "You brought the comedy club again."
"Unfortunately," Jay muttered.
Percy gasped. "We heard that!"
"Good," Jay said sweetly.
Raefael leaned closer, voice teasing. "You actually missed them."
Jay gave him a look. "Don't push it."
He smiled faintly. "Wouldn't dream of it… little lion."
Percy pointed dramatically. "THERE IT IS — the nickname! I KNEW IT HAD LORE!"
Jay groaned. "Someone take his phone."
Angelo snorted. "Good luck with that — he probably already started a group chat called Lion and the Ego Trip."
"Too late," Percy said proudly. "Added everyone."
Cin sighed. "This family's going to be the death of me."
Jay shook her head, walking toward the doors, her voice soft but carrying authority."Welcome to the place nobody knew existed."
Raefael's smirk faded into something softer. "You sure you're ready to let them in?"
Jay looked back, eyes calm but warm. "They were already part of it. I just made it official."
And as the gates shut behind them, laughter and light spilled into the hidden sanctuary — unaware that somewhere, out there, someone else had finally found the path to the mansion too