Jay-Jay 's POV
The morning sunlight spilled into SE Corp's lobby, painting the marble floors with a deceptive calm. I walked briskly, heels clicking, documents clutched against my chest, trying to ignore the tension still lingering from the day before.
"You're late," Coel teased lightly as he appeared from behind the glass partition, his grin mischievous. "And before you ask, no, it's not the client meeting that's late. It's someone far more interesting."
I froze, rolling my eyes even though my cheeks betrayed me with a faint blush. "Who are you talking about?"
Samy's laugh chimed in, warm and teasing. "Oh, you know… the investor guy. The one who showed up yesterday and completely ruined your perfectly composed aura."
"Mr. Watson," I muttered under my breath, adjusting my blazer. My hands trembled just a fraction as I recited the name that had haunted me for years.
Coel raised an eyebrow knowingly. "That one. Don't pretend you're not thinking about him."
I sighed, letting my composure slip for just a second. "He's… complicated. And distracting."
Samy smirked, crossing her arms. "Complicated, distracting… sounds familiar."
I gave them both a pointed look, hoping they'd drop the subject, but my heart was already betraying me. Every memory of Keifer, every laugh, every teasing glance — it had all come rushing back the moment I had seen him yesterday.
The boardroom was unusually quiet when I entered, the early morning sun reflecting off the glass walls. I barely noticed the client waiting at the table; all my focus was on the lingering memory of his presence.
Keifer.
Not in a crisp suit or the cold, professional distance I had expected. No, he had shown up yesterday with that same easy confidence, that half-smile that had once driven me mad and yet made my heart race.
"Good morning, Mr. Watson," I said carefully, forcing a businesslike tone.
His gaze lifted, catching mine, and I felt it immediately — that magnetic pull that had never truly left me. He smirked faintly, as if he already knew the storm he could create in my perfectly ordered world.
"You seem tense," he said casually, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. "Is this how you greet all your investors, or am I special?"
I clenched my jaw, my fingers tightening around the edge of the table. "Professionalism is standard here. Nothing personal."
He chuckled softly, the sound sending an involuntary shiver down my spine. "Right… nothing personal. And yet, I feel like I see a different side of you now. More… distracted."
I wanted to snap, to assert my dominance and keep the conversation strictly business, but my mind betrayed me. Memories of college — our teasing, our rivalry, the stolen moments of laughter — slipped through, unbidden and uninvited.
"You know," he began, stepping closer, "I was thinking about that stage project you loved so much in college. The one where you insisted on being the lead even though you barely knew the lines."
I stiffened, my mind recoiling. "That's… irrelevant, Mr. Watson."
"Oh? I don't think so." His smile was infuriatingly calm, teasing. "You remember how you stomped off because I wouldn't stop whispering jokes into your ear?"
I froze. My heart rate accelerated. The memory was so vivid — the lights, the laughter of classmates, the way he had leaned over just enough to make me lose focus. He was testing me, teasing me, and it was working.
"Keifer…" I started, my voice shaking slightly, "we're not in college anymore."
"Exactly," he said softly, taking a deliberate step closer. "But some things… some truths… never change. You were always fiery, always too proud to admit how much you cared. And I… I never stopped noticing."
My composure cracked, the tight control I had maintained for hours, days even, slipping like sand through my fingers. "Why do you have to… bring all that up?" I snapped, my voice louder than intended. "Why can't we just—focus on the business like normal people?"
He tilted his head, his expression softening, almost regretful. "Because, Jay-Jay… because I see you. All of you. And you've been carrying so much alone for so long. I can't ignore it anymore."
I spun around, letting my frustration escape. The memories, the teasing, the heat of his presence — it was too much. I was seventeen again, balancing on the edge of emotion and defiance, trying to keep myself composed while my heart betrayed me.
"I… I can't keep doing this," I whispered, stepping back. "You make me remember things I've buried for years. You make it impossible to think straight!"
He exhaled slowly, eyes locked on mine. "I don't mean to hurt you. I just… can't stand by and watch you pretend you're fine. Not when I know how much you've endured."
For a long moment, silence filled the room. The air was thick with unspoken words, longing, and regret. Outside the private bubble, colleagues typed and shuffled papers, unaware of the emotional storm in the boardroom.
Coel, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, quietly approached, placing a supportive hand on my shoulder. "You okay?" he murmured, giving me a look that didn't need words. I nodded, though my composure was barely intact.
Samy lingered nearby, her curiosity piqued but respectful. They both understood the silent war I was fighting — between past and present, between control and vulnerability.
Keifer's POV
I watched her from across the lounge, every movement precise, controlled, the same as it had always been. And yet, something had changed. The façade she maintained, the armor she wore — I could see the cracks.
When I teased her with those college memories, I saw it — the fire, the frustration, the vulnerable edge. I hadn't meant to make her snap, but I needed her to feel that she didn't have to carry it alone.
Regret washed over me. I had lost years, and now every moment I spent near her was precious. I would tread carefully, respect her space, but I would never stop trying to be there — to remind her, gently, that she was not alone.
Even as she walked away to regain her composure, I knew one thing: I would never stop noticing her. Never stop caring