JAY JAY POV
"What did you do?" Jare asked as soon as I hopped into the front seat.
"I did nothing wrong, Kuya," I said, putting on my best innocent face as I buckled my seatbelt.
Jare squinted at me, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. "Jay, you just called me 'Kuya.' You definitely did something. You only get that polite when you've caused a natural disaster."
"Just drive, Jare," I huffed, crossing my arms over my red dress.
As we sped away from the Hanamitchi estate, leaving the house of red and the smell of impending bankruptcy in the dust, I told him everything. I started with the "breeding machine" comments, moved on to the aunt who thought I was the maid, and finished with the glorious moment I called Grandpa and watched the Headmaster's soul leave his body through his phone.
By the time I reached the part where I told Yuri he should find a career as a literal rooster, Jare started to chuckle. By the time I finished describing the Headmaster's purple face when he realized he was broke, Jare was full-on laughing.
"You… you actually called Grandpa?" Jare wheezed, hitting the steering wheel. "The 'Mariano Nuclear Option'? Over a dinner conversation?"
"It wasn't just a conversation, Jare! They were picking out my future kids' names before they even asked if I liked the steak!" I shouted, though a smirk was starting to tug at my own lips. "They called me a brat. I just showed them the premium version of one."
Jare shook his head, finally catching his breath as he took a sharp turn. "Jay-Jay, you are terrifying. You realize you didn't just break off an engagement, right? You literally deleted a whole corporation from the map in under five minutes."
"They deserved it," I said, leaning my head against the cool glass of the window. "They thought they were buying a Fernandez to save their skin. They didn't realize they were insulting a Mariano who holds the receipt."
Jare grinned, the streetlights reflecting in his eyes. "Well, look on the bright side. At least now you don't have to worry about wearing a white dress anytime soon."
I nodded happily, feeling a huge weight lift off my shoulders.
"Actually, Jare, I don't want to get married at all. I'll just stay single forever," I said, leaning back and feeling totally satisfied with my life choices. "Maybe I'll just travel and spend Grandpa's money."
Jare looked at me, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Sure, you can stay single... if he lets you."
"Who?" I asked, completely confused. I wasn't dating anyone. Keifer was gone, and I'd just nuked the Rooster.
Jare chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't know. His initials are MKW."
I ran the letters through my head. M... K... W... "I don't know anyone named MKW. Is that a K-Pop idol? A brand of shoes?"
Jare reached over and flicked my forehead.
"Ow! What was that for?" I hissed, rubbing the spot.
"Clueless," Jare muttered, under his breath.
I pouted and crossed my arms. "I am not clueless. You're just being weird."
We pulled into the neighborhood, but as we got closer to Kuya Angelo's house, Jare slowed the car down.
"We're here..." Jare said, his voice suddenly dropping into a tone of pure shock. "What the hell?"
I looked out the windshield and my heart skipped a beat. Parked right in front of the house were two massive, black, bulletproof SUVs. They were sleek, intimidating, and looked like they belonged to a government motorcade—or worse.
There was only one person I knew who traveled with that much heavy metal.
"Grandpa," Jare and I said at the exact same time.
"Let's go and see what he did this time," Jare said, his voice a mix of amusement and genuine caution. We stepped out of the car and walked toward the front door, which was already being guarded by two of Grandpa's stoic security men. They bowed slightly as we passed.
I saw Kuya Angelo talking to Grandpa, nodding along to whatever was being said. Tita was on the sofa, chatting with Grandma.
"Grandma!" I blurted out, ignoring everyone else. I ran over to her.
"My baby!" Grandma said, turning around with a huge, genuine smile. She stood up and pulled me into a tight squeeze. She smelled like her favorite perfume—the one that always reminded me of holidays and being spoiled.
She pulled back to look at me, her eyes twinkling. "You grew a lot in these two years, Jay-Jay! Look at you, all grown up."
"I missed you, Grandma," I said, finally feeling like I could breathe.
"I missed you too, sweetheart," she whispered, patting my cheek. "But I heard someone was being mean to you tonight? Calling my granddaughter names?"
I glanced over at Grandpa. He had stopped talking to Angelo and was looking at me now. He didn't look like a scary CEO right then; he just looked like my grumpy but protective Pa.
"They were just being roosters, Pa," I said, trying to act tough.
Grandpa huffed. "They're broke roosters now. No one talks to you like that."
He walked over and sat down on the sofa, looking at me. "So, are you done with that family? No more crying over those people?"
"I wasn't crying!" I defended myself, though my heart was still a little heavy from the whole night.
"Good," Grandpa said. "Because we didn't just come here to deal with those idiots"
I sat down next to Grandma, finally feeling like I was in a safe zone.
"Angelo, thanks for taking care of my granddaughter," Grandpa said, his voice serious but appreciative. "Everything seems clear now—no danger for the time being. That's why we've decided to take her back to NYC."
My heart practically stopped. "Wait, what?!" I asked, totally blindsided.
"NYC," Grandma said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "You wanted to come back, right? You missed the city."
I looked at Kuya Angelo and Tita, then back at my grandparents. Two years ago, I would have killed to leave. But now? Everything was different. "Can I stay here until I finish high school? Please, Grandpa?" I asked, hitting him with my best, most irresistible puppy-dog eyes.
Grandpa looked at Grandma, then let out a rare chuckle. "Fine with us. If that's what you really want."
I saw Kuya Angelo and Tita let out a sigh of relief, both of them smiling.
"However," Grandma added, her tone turning practical, "we decided to buy her an apartment here in Manila. She will stay there."
Tita's smile faltered. "But why? She can stay here with us! She's comfortable here."
"It's time she learns to be on her own," Grandpa said firmly, shaking his head. "She's a Mariano. She needs to learn how to manage a household and her own life. Besides, Jare will be living with her to keep an eye on things."
Tita looked like she was ready to argue—she's always been the overprotective type—but Kuya Angelo stepped in. He looked at me, then at his mom. "They're right, Ma. She needs more freedom. She's growing up."
I smiled at Kuya. He really was looking out for me.
Grandpa stood up, signaling the end of the serious talk. "Thanks again, Angelo, for taking care of her all this time."
Kuya Angelo stood up straight, meeting Grandpa's eyes with total respect. "She is not a burden to us, Sir. She is family. She is my little sister; it is my duty to protect her."
Hearing him say that made my heart twinge. I felt a sudden pang of guilt. Man, I really feel bad for calling him the devil all those times, I thought. He really did love me like a real brother.
"And as for our gratitude, the Marianos are starting a project with Fer Corp," Grandpa announced, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"It's not necessary, Sir—" Kuya Angelo started, looking a bit flustered. He's always been proud and didn't want it to look like he was taking a payoff for being a good brother.
"Please, Angelo, take this as gratitude for your help," Grandpa insisted, a genuine smile touching his face. "And that's not the only reason. I've checked your company charts and your performance; I have to say, I'm impressed with how you run things. You have a good head for business."
Kuya Angelo beamed. Getting a business compliment from Grandpa is like winning an Olympic gold medal. "It's my honor, Sir."
"Come to the Mariano office tomorrow. We'll talk details," Grandpa said, standing up and smoothing his suit. "As for us, we'll take our granddaughter with us now to show her the new apartment."
I stood up, feeling a mix of excitement and a little bit of sadness. I looked around the house that had been my sanctuary. "Tita, where is Aries?" I asked, noticing my other "kuya" wasn't around to witness the chaos.
"He said he had to go out to help a new student who just arrived. I think her name was Amy," Tita said, smiling. "I'll tell him everything when he gets back."
"Tell Aries to meet us soon. We want to see our grandson," Grandma added firmly, her eyes warm. "If he is Jay's and Jare's older brother, then he is our grandson too."
Tita looked like she was about to cry happy tears.
As we walked toward the door, Jare nudged me. "New apartment, Jay-Jay. High floor, big windows"
I gave Kuya Angelo one last hug. "See you tomorrow, Kuya. Thank you for everything. Really."
"Go on, you little troublemaker," he teased, though he hugged me back tight. "Don't wreck the new apartment in the first hour."
I smiled and walked out toward the sleek SUVs, but just as I was about to step inside, my phone buzzed in my clutch.
From GagonBaliw: Coming soon to Philippines, Queen.
I blinked. Huh?
To GagonBaliw: So you're not in the Philippines?
From GagonBaliw: Obviously not, wifey.
I froze. Wifey. My heart did a weird, violent thud against my ribs. There was only one person who used that annoying, possessive nickname. Kwanan.
No. It can't be him, I thought, shaking my head as if I could rattle the thought out. Why would it be that idiot? He's in London. He's the King of Assholes. He's...
"Jay, we're going to London tomorrow," Jare said, interrupting my mini-panic attack as he climbed in beside me.
I snapped my head toward him. "Huh? Why?!"
"Some big business thing. We're going there to represent the Marianos," Jare said, looking way too relaxed about it.
I made a face, my stomach twisting into knots. London. Of all the places in the world, the universe was really going to drag me to the one city where he was currently hiding?
"It will be fun, Jay-Jay," Grandma said with a wink, sliding into the seat opposite us. "A little change of scenery is good for the soul."
"You two will stay here?" I asked, looking between Grandpa and Grandma as the car door clicked shut.
They both nodded. "We have things to oversee with Angelo," Grandpa said.
As the car started moving, I needed to vent some of this nervous energy. I pointed a finger at Grandpa, trying to look stern. "You, old man! This is all your fault!"
Grandpa raised an eyebrow, looking genuinely amused. "What did I do now?"
"It's because of you my father decided to name me Jasper!" I complained, throwing my hands up. "Because your name is Jasper and he wanted his daughter's name to rhyme with his father's! Jasper Jean! It's all your fault I have a boy's name!"
Grandpa let out a loud, rare belly laugh that filled the SUV. "It's a strong name, Jasper Jean. It suits a girl who can take down a family"
"I have his full first name, Jasprit, so you can't be complaining," Jare chimed in from the seat next to me, looking even more annoyed than I was. "Grandpa's name is Jasprit, my first name is Jasprit… do you know how long my official name is? Jasprit Jare Trip Fernandez Mariano. It's a workout just to sign a check!"
I snickered, feeling a little better that he had it worse than me. "Okay, fine, Jasprit Jare. At least people don't think you're a guy when they read your name on a guest list."
"Stop complaining about your names!" Grandma said, giving us both a playful, warning look. "They are family names. They mean you belong to us."
"Whatever," I pouted, looking back down at my phone.
Coming soon to Philippines...
If GagonBaliw was really Kwanan—if Keifer was really coming back—then
I scoffed, tossing my phone into my clutch. I didn't care about "GagonBaliw" or Keifer or whatever he was calling himself these days.
When the car finally pulled up to the entrance, my jaw nearly hit the plush carpet of the SUV. We weren't at a normal apartment building; we were at one of those ultra-exclusive high-rises where the elevator opens directly into your foyer.
"This is not an apartment, Pa. This is a mansion in the sky," Jare said, staring up at the glass tower.
"Same thing," Grandpa replied with a shrug, as if he hadn't just bought a chunk of prime real estate. "You two will stay here for some time, and later, Percy will join you guys."
My eyes lit up. Percy!
"Percy! Oh my god, we have to tell him about the engagement being cancelled. He's going to be so happy he might actually throw a party," I said, nudging Jare.
Jare grinned, already pulling out his phone. "I'm telling him the story. I'll make it sound like a movie."
"Idiot! I was the one who survived the Red Dinner! It's my story, I'm telling it!" I yelled, reaching over and hitting him on the back of the head.
"Owww!" Jare yelped, rubbing his skull. "See? Percy is right! You're a man, not a woman! No girl hits that hard!"
"Asshole!" I shouted, kicking off my heels right there in the lobby and sprinting after him as he ran toward the private elevator.
"Aray, kids, already?" Grandma sighed, leaning against Grandpa as they watched us cause a scene. "They never change, Jasprit"
We burst into the "apartment," and it was even more ridiculous inside. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the entire city, marble floors, and a kitchen bigger than my entire old bedroom.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Keifer POV comming soon