The laughter in the hall quieted when the heavy oak doors creaked open.
At first, no one spoke. A man stepped inside — tall, dressed in black, with silver hair brushed neatly back. His presence demanded silence before he even said a word.Keifer was the first to recognize him.
"Uncle Sin?" he asked, his voice uncertain.
The man nodded once, his eyes landing on Keifer, then on Jay."I'm sorry to arrive unannounced," Uncle Sin said, his voice calm but heavy. "But… I made a promise. One I could not break."
The chatter in the room faded completely. Everyone — Keifer, Angelo, Rafael, even Lia — looked at him with questions in their eyes.A quiet hum filled the space, and Uncle Sin's footsteps echoed as he approached the table at the center.
"I've come here for you, Jasper Jean Fernandes Mariano," he said, addressing Jay with quiet respect. "Your name was written on something that was meant to reach you only when the time was right — when you turned eighteen."
Jay's brows furrowed slightly. "Me?"
"Yes," Uncle Sin said. "This was entrusted to me by Serina Fernandes Watson."
The room froze.Keifer's breath hitched; his fingers flexed against his palm. The others glanced at one another in disbelief.
"Wait—Serina Watson?" Percy whispered. "As in—Keifer's—"
"Mother," Uncle Sin finished softly. "And also… Jay's mentor."
Jay's eyes widened. "Tita Seri…?" The words came out in a whisper that cracked halfway through.Lia instinctively reached out, resting a comforting hand on Jay's shoulder.
Uncle Sin gave a gentle nod. "She wanted you to see something, child. Something meant only for your eyes — but I think she wanted your people, your family, to witness it too."
He placed a sleek black case on the table and opened it with care. Inside was a silver pen drive — small, simple, but carrying the weight of history.No one spoke as he connected it to the projector. The lights dimmed. The screen flickered once, twice — then came to life.
At first, only static.Then — a soft light, a quiet room, and a woman's voice.
"Jay…"
The sound was warm, trembling, and familiar.When her face appeared, Jay's breath caught.
"Tita Seri…" Jay murmured, tears stinging her eyes.It was her — Serina, dressed in a pale cream blouse, hair loose over her shoulders, face calm yet tired. There was a quiet grace in the way she looked straight into the camera.
"If you're watching this," Serina said softly, "then I couldn't make it back to you, my little phoenix."
The room went completely still.
"I wanted to see you grow — to watch you lead, to watch you rise higher than the world expected. But life, Jay… it doesn't always give us the time we need."Her voice wavered slightly, but she smiled — the same gentle smile Jay had seen every time her mentor corrected her stance or wiped dust from her bruised hands.
"I left many things unsaid, and many truths buried. But you have always been smarter than you look. You already sense that something isn't right. That things didn't end the way people claimed they did."
Jay's fingers curled into her palm. She didn't move, barely even breathed.
"Kaizer…" Serina paused, eyes flickering with something that looked like fear and regret all at once. "He isn't the man the world believes he is. His hands… are stained with what he calls 'sacrifice.' He buries people to build empires. And he buries truth with gold."
Keifer's face turned pale, his throat tightening.
Serina continued softly, "Jay, my little phoenix — I know you'll find the path. It begins where everything once seemed normal. In the smallest things. Find the records. The hidden vaults. Follow the trail of lies he built."
She exhaled shakily, the weight of her words trembling in her chest. "Do not let anger consume you. I don't want you to destroy with hate… I want you to reveal the truth. That will break him more than any weapon."
A faint smile touched her lips again — bittersweet, filled with quiet pride. "You have Samuel, Michael, and Adam. I hope you're still together. You three were always unstoppable. Stay that way. And if they're beside you now… tell them I'm proud of them too."
Adam's jaw tightened; Michael's eyes glistened. Samuel silently looked down at the floor, his hands clenched in his pockets.
Serina's voice softened, almost breaking into a whisper."Jay… I see so much of me in you. You carry the same fire — but with more grace. That's what makes you stronger. Promise me, whatever happens next… don't lose that heart."
The screen flickered again, light shaking across her face.Then she looked off to the side suddenly, her calm expression flickering with alarm. Her lips parted as if to say something, but the sound that came next made everyone freeze.
A harsh voice. A door slamming.Someone entering the frame.
"Serina?" A man's voice — cold, commanding, frighteningly familiar.The camera shook slightly. Serina's eyes widened; fear flashed across her face for the first time.
"Kaizer," she whispered.
The footage distorted — static filled the screen — Serina's voice barely audible over the interference."Jay—if you see this—find it—from where—it began—"
The screen cut to black.
Silence.The air seemed to vanish from the room. For a few seconds, no one moved. Only the low hum of the projector remained.
Then—click. Uncle Sin switched off the device.
Jay was still staring at the black screen, her body frozen, her heart pounding painfully in her chest.Keifer's hand found hers — his grip trembling slightly — as if afraid to ask the question they were all thinking.
"She knew," Adam whispered. "She knew it would happen."
Michael nodded numbly. "And Kaizer… he's the reason—"
Lia took a slow step forward, eyes filled with both shock and pity. "Jay…" she said softly, "you were her phoenix."
Jay blinked, and a single tear rolled down her cheek.Her voice, when it came, was quiet — almost too soft to hear.
"I won't let her die for nothing."