The car door slammed.
For a moment no one moved.
Six people. One car.
And all five of them clearly intended to sit next to Jay.
Jay slowly looked at the seats.
Then at the brothers.
Then at the car again.
Her survival instincts kicked in.
She stepped back immediately.
"You all sit together," she said quickly with that bright but very suspicious smile.
"I'll go with Cin and David… or the Aces… or Ava—"
She had already grabbed Cin's wrist and started dragging him away when a hand caught hers.
Keifer.
He pulled her back with effortless ease, the corner of his mouth lifting lazily.
"Running away already?"
Jay tried to free her hand.
"There's clearly no space."
Keifer glanced at the car.
Then back at her.
"Oh there's space."
He leaned slightly closer, voice dropping just enough to make her ears burn.
"If it gets crowded…"
A pause.
"You can sit on my lap."
The silence that followed was immediate and violent.
Percy exploded first.
"HEY!"
Aries turned slowly toward Keifer like he had just heard a death wish.
"We are single here."
Angelo closed his eyes briefly like someone praying for patience.
Raphael stared at Keifer.
Not angry.
Just… studying him.
Jay slapped Keifer's arm.
"Are you trying to get murdered?!"
Keifer didn't even look guilty.
He only shrugged.
"If I die at least I'll die happy."
Jay choked.
Meanwhile Percy leaned toward Aries and whispered loudly,
"Should we kill him now or later?"
aries nodded thoughtfully
"later"
The car ride started in silence.
Jay was trapped between Aries and Keifer in the back seat.
Percy sat in front.
Raphael beside the driver.
Angelo behind them like a judge silently observing the entire disaster.
Jay stared straight ahead like a prisoner being transported.
Keifer leaned back comfortably, stretching his arm along the back of the seat behind her.
Completely relaxed.
Jay glanced sideways.
"You look very comfortable for someone about to be interrogated."
Keifer tilted his head slightly.
"You're here."
"So?"
"So I'm comfortable."
Jay rolled her eyes.
"You flirt like this with everyone?"
"No."
He didn't even hesitate.
"Just the girl who keeps stealing my attention"
The sound filled the car.
Bright.
Uncontrolled.
Everyone else immediately looked at Keifer with the same exhausted expression.
Percy covered his face.
Aries sighed.
Angelo pinched the bridge of his nose.
Raphael watched everything through the rearview mirror.
Jay laughing.
Keifer laughing with her.
For a moment Raphael's lips curved slightly.
It was a small smile.
But there was something bittersweet in his eyes.
Because the last time he had seen that laugh, she had been nine years old.
Jay suddenly clapped her hands like she remembered something important.
"Oh right!"
Everyone looked at her.
"I met Raphael when I was nine."
Raphael groaned quietly.
"It was after Tita Serina died," Jay continued cheerfully. "In Greenwood. He was our senior."
She pointed behind them toward the other car.
"Michael liked Ava so I tried to set them up."
Percy slowly blinked.
"And that's when we met the second time," Jay finished proudly.
"Hehe."
Silence.
Everyone stared at her.
Completely done.
Percy sighed.
"Jay."
"Yes?"
"You should start a company."
Jay frowned.
"What company?"
"A dating app."
Aries nodded in agreement.
"You clearly have experience."
Jay gasped in offense.
"HEY!"
Percy leaned forward again.
"Wait. Second time?"
"So when was the first time?"
Jay looked suddenly awkward.
"Well…"
"Actually…"
"I fought him."
Raphael chuckled softly.
"This potato met me at a football match."
Jay pointed at him instantly.
"HEY!"
"I was the captain of the junior team!"
Raphael smirked.
"And she thought she could beat us."
"I DID beat you!"
Jay shot back.
She looked straight at him.
"Kuya remember?"
Raphael waved dismissively.
"Luck."
Jay scoffed loudly.
"Skill."
She crossed her arms.
"And no one knows we met again later in the league."
Aries frowned.
"What league?"
Jay grinned.
"Kuya Raphael runs another branch."
"The Americas and Western Europe one."
Silence filled the car again.
Percy turned slowly.
"…what."
Raphael shrugged like it wasn't important.
Before Percy could process that
The driver nearly swerved.
Keifer suddenly spoke.
"Driver. Next left."
Raphael frowned.
"Why?"
"Watson Empire."
Raphael and Angelo said at the same time—
"HELL NO."
raphael"for first time you said smething right "
, Angelo suddenly spoke.
"Raphael."
His voice carried authority.
Raphael turned his head.
Angelo's gaze was calm but firm.
"You should learn to respect me."
Raphael raised an eyebrow.
"I'm older than you."
Raphael leaned back.
"Respect my foot."
Jay immediately leaned forward between them.
"CAN YOU BOTH SHUT UP?!"
Keifer sighed.
"It's safe."
"No one knows about it."
He leaned back again.
"I bought it when I was fourteen."
The car went silent.
Raphael slowly turned his head.
"…you bought a mansion at fourteen?"
"Technically yes."
"None of the Watson family knows."
Raphael looked at Jay.
Jay raised both hands immediately.
"I swear I didn't know either!"
Raphael sighed and took out his phone.
"Tell the other cars to follow."
—
When the gates opened, even the Sec-E boys went quiet.
Ci-N.
David.
Felix.
Calix.
Eman.
Denzel.
Kit.
Mayo.
Rory.
Edrix.
Eren.
Josh.
Drew.
Blaster.
They all stared at the enormous mansion.
Denzel whispered,
"Holy…"
Blaster finished,
"…rich people."
Jay instantly grabbed Cin's arm.
"PROTECT ME."
Cin blinked.
"From what?"
Jay pointed behind her.
"My brothers."
Right on cue Percy appeared behind her like a demon.
Jay screamed and ran across the lawn.
Chaos erupted immediately.
Meanwhile the girls stepped forward calmly.
Freya smiled.
"I'm Freya."
She gestured to Edrix.
"My boyfriend."
Ella waved.
"I'm Ella."
Then she wrapped her arm around Aries.
"And unfortunately dating him."
Mica laughed.
"Mica."
She grabbed Calix's sleeve.
"And I'm dating him."
Rakki stood beside Cin proudly.
"I'm Rakki."
Cin raised both hands.
"And she chose me."
They all looked toward Jay being chased across the garden.
Freya smiled.
"Jay set up all our relationships."
Raphael watched her trip over a flower pot while Percy tried to grab her.
He chuckled quietly.
"Of course she did."
—
Away from the chaos, Gemma stood near the terrace.
Watching Raphael carefully.
Raphael noticed and walked over.
"You look worried."
Gemma hesitated.
"There's something you should know."
Raphael waited silently.
"Keifer doesn't know the truth."
Raphael frowned slightly.
"What truth?"
Gemma inhaled slowly.
"That you are Kaizer and Angelina's illegitimate child."
"Kaizer's first son."
For a moment Raphael didn't react.
Then his eyes hardened slightly.
Gemma continued quietly.
"He doesn't know."
Raphael looked across the lawn.
Keifer stood there watching Jay argue with Percy and Aries.
There was something protective in the way he looked at her.
Something gentle.
Raphael spoke calmly.
"I don't care."
Gemma blinked.
"As long as he doesn't hurt Jay."
A pause.
Then Raphael added quietly,
"But I noticed something."
Gemma waited.
Raphael looked at Keifer again.
"He's not like his father."
His voice softened.
"I saw it in his eyes."
"He's like Mrs. Serina."
"By nature."
Across the lawn Jay screamed again as Percy finally caught her.
Raphael sighed.
"…some things never change."