That night the gang gathered again.
Not for fun.
Not for laughter.
But because something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Ella had called everyone.
Freya.
Grace.
Rakki.
Even Percy came along.
They were sitting in Ella's room.
The atmosphere was tense.
Ella paced back and forth.
Freya watched her.
"You're scaring me."
Grace nodded.
"What did you find?"
Ella stopped walking.
Then she spoke slowly.
"Keifer is lying."
Rakki crossed her arms.
"We already knew that."
Percy leaned forward.
"Then what is the truth?"
Ella took a deep breath.
"You remember Ion?"
Freya nodded.
"The girl he's getting engaged to."
Ella's eyes darkened.
"She's Jay's cousin."
The room fell silent.
Grace blinked.
"What?"
Rakki frowned.
"I didn't know that."
Ella nodded.
"It's not public in college."
Freya asked carefully,
"Okay… but how is that related?"
Ella hesitated.
Because even saying it out loud felt disturbing.
Then she spoke.
"I found out something from someone in Ion's family."
Everyone stared at her.
Ella's voice became quieter.
"Ion threatened Keifer."
Grace's eyes widened.
"Threatened?"
Ella nodded slowly.
"She told him something."
Freya leaned forward nervously.
"What?"
Ella swallowed.
"If Keifer marries her…"
"Jay will be safe."
The group froze.
No one moved.
Ella continued.
"But if he refuses…"
Her voice dropped.
"Jay's life will be in danger."
Rakki's chair scraped the floor as she stood up suddenly.
"What?!"
Freya looked horrified.
"That's insane."
Grace whispered,
"She would kill her own cousin?"
Ella shook her head slowly.
"I don't know the full story."
"But Ion's family is extremely powerful."
Percy clenched his jaw.
"And Keifer believed that?"
Ella looked down.
"He didn't just believe it."
"He accepted it."
Freya's voice trembled.
"So he's… sacrificing himself?"
Ella nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Grace covered her mouth.
"Oh my god."
Rakki slammed her hand on the table.
"That idiot."
Freya whispered softly,
"He didn't even tell Jay…"
Ella sighed.
"Of course he didn't."
"Because if Jay knew… she would never allow it."
The room became quiet.
Heavy.
Grace spoke slowly,
"So Keifer is going to marry Ion…"
"Just to protect Jay?"
Ella nodded.
"Yes."
Freya looked toward the window.
Her voice sad.
"And Jay thinks he doesn't love her."
Rakki clenched her fists again.
"This is the stupidest love story I've ever seen."
Ella sighed deeply.
Looking at her friends.
Because now they all understood something clearly.
Keifer wasn't abandoning Jay.
He was protecting her.
Even if it meant breaking her heart forever. 💔