Chapter 21
Messages and Decisions
After the chaotic morning prank, the group finally made their way downstairs for breakfast.
The restaurant inside the hotel was bright and elegant, with large windows allowing the London sunlight to pour in. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries filled the air.
Jay Jay walked ahead while the others followed behind her, still laughing about the morning chaos.
Sebastian stretched lazily as they sat down.
"I still say the prank was completely justified," he said proudly.
Aurora rolled her eyes but smiled.
"Sebastian, you literally threw ice-cold water on everyone."
Mateo sighed dramatically.
"I trusted you," he said, pointing at Aurora. "I believed you were the responsible one."
Aurora burst into laughter.
"Responsible? Me?"
Chloe leaned back in her chair.
"You should have seen your face when the water hit you," she said to Mateo.
Percy immediately joined the teasing.
"Yes, Leo. It looked like your soul left your body."
Mateo groaned.
"Please stop calling me Leo."
Sebastian smirked.
"Never."
Jay Jay shook her head slightly while picking up the menu.
For a moment, everything felt peaceful.
No enemies.
No problems.
Just her friends.
But suddenly—
Her phone vibrated.
Once.
Twice.
Three times in a row.
Jay Jay frowned slightly and pulled out her phone.
"Who's texting this early?" Percy asked curiously.
Jay Jay didn't answer immediately. She simply unlocked her phone and opened the first message.
It was from Angelo.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she read it.
The message read:
"Jasper Jean Mariano, where the hell are you and what are you doing right now? It's been almost a week since you disappeared. And what is this rumor I'm hearing about you driving around in a Mercedes-Maybach S680? Since when do you own something like that? Call me right now."
Jay Jay exhaled slowly.
Angelo always had a way of finding information quickly.
She locked the phone again.
"I'll deal with him later," she muttered.
Chloe noticed her expression.
"Everything okay?" she asked.
Jay Jay nodded casually.
"Just Angelo being Angelo."
Sebastian chuckled.
"That guy never changes."
Jay Jay opened the second message.
This one was from Sir Alvin.
His message was much more formal.
"Miss Mariano, where are you currently? The board has been asking about your whereabouts. Please inform me when you will return."
Jay Jay thought for a moment before replying.
Her fingers typed quickly.
"I'm abroad right now sir. I need a two-month leave. Please Handle everything in my absence, and don't tell anyone where I am."
She sent the message and locked her phone again.
Mateo raised an eyebrow.
"Business problems?"
"Not exactly," Jay Jay replied.
Then she opened the third message notification.
It was from the Section E group chat.
Dozens of unread messages filled the screen.
Jay Jay didn't even bother opening them.
She simply muted the chat and slipped her phone back into her pocket.
Aurora noticed her quiet expression.
"You're thinking about something," she said.
Jay Jay leaned back in her chair.
For a moment, she stared out the window.
The streets of London were busy as usual.
Cars moved through the roads, people walked along the sidewalks, and the city buzzed with energy.
But inside Jay Jay's mind, only one thought kept repeating.
Keifer.
Keifer was also in London.
And right now, he was struggling.
Not because he lacked talent.
Not because he lacked intelligence.
But because he was being forced to prove himself.
To gain his inheritance, Keifer had been placed under a strict condition.
He had to work inside his own company as a normal employee during a trial period.
No privileges.
No authority.
Just work.
And if he failed to meet the expectations…
He could lose his rights to the company.
Jay Jay knew how much that company meant to him.
But what annoyed her even more was the way Keifer was behaving.
He acted as if he didn't care.
As if Jay Jay leaving meant nothing to him.
As if he didn't miss her at all.
Jay Jay scoffed quietly.
"Asshole Kwanan," she muttered.
Sebastian noticed.
"What asshole ?" he asked.
Jay Jay suddenly sat up straight and looked at all of them.
"Listen carefully," she said.
The playful atmosphere at the table instantly disappeared.
Everyone became serious.
Jay Jay rarely spoke in that tone.
Sebastian leaned forward slightly.
"What's the plan?"
Jay Jay rested her elbows on the table.
"You all know Keifer is currently working in his own company as an employee," she said.
Mateo nodded.
"Yes. His trial period."
Aurora added,
"He needs to prove he deserves the inheritance."
Jay Jay nodded slowly.
"Exactly."
She paused before continuing.
"So we're going to help him."
Chloe tilted her head slightly.
"How?"
Jay Jay's eyes became sharp.
"Invest in the company."
The table fell silent.
Jay Jay continued calmly.
"Buy shares. Support the company. Increase its market value. Do whatever is necessary to make sure the company grows."
Percy leaned back in his chair with a grin.
"So basically," he said, "we make his company impossible to ignore."
"Exactly," Jay Jay replied.
Mateo crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"That would definitely strengthen his position with the board."
Aurora nodded slowly.
"And it would prove his leadership potential."
Sebastian smirked.
"Which means the inheritance becomes almost guaranteed."
Jay Jay leaned back again.
"Correct."
She looked at all of them one by one.
"But remember something."
Her voice became quieter.
"We are helping him without letting him know."
Percy raised an eyebrow.
"Secret support?"
Jay Jay nodded.
"He won't accept help if he knows it's coming from me."
Chloe sighed softly.
"That sounds like him."
Sebastian stretched his arms behind his head.
"Well, boss," he said with a grin, "sounds like a fun project."
Mateo nodded.
"I'll handle the investments through Whitmore Nexus."
Aurora smiled confidently.
"Sinclair Luminara can partner with them for technology development."
Chloe added,
"Laurent Global can push their international expansion."
Percy raised his hand dramatically.
"And Mariano Holdings will make sure their funding problems disappear."
Jay Jay looked at them.
For a moment, she didn't say anything.
Then she smiled slightly.
"Good."
The waiter arrived with their breakfast.
Coffee.
Toast.
Eggs.
Pastries.
The group ate while discussing their plans quietly.
Every detail mattered.
Every move needed to look natural.
By the time breakfast ended, they had already formed a complete strategy.
Sebastian finished his coffee and stood up.
"Well then," he said. "Time to get to work."
Mateo checked his watch.
"I'll contact my investment team."
Aurora grabbed her phone.
"I'll inform my board."
Chloe nodded calmly.
"I'll prepare the partnership proposal."
Percy stretched.
"And I'll start moving money around."
Jay Jay stood up last.
The group looked at her.
Sebastian grinned.
"So, boss Jay?"
Jay Jay adjusted her coat slightly.
"Let's move."
They all nodded.
"Yes, boss Jay."
One by one, they left the restaurant and headed toward their cars.
Jay Jay stood there for a moment, watching them go.
Then she looked down at her phone again.
Her reflection appeared faintly on the black screen.
She sighed softly.
"Keifer…"
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"You better succeed."
She slipped the phone into her pocket and walked toward the hotel exit.
Outside, the sunlight was brighter now.
Jay Jay glanced at the sleek black car parked near the entrance.
The Mercedes - maybach S680 gleamed under the London sun.
She walked toward it calmly.
But before getting inside, she paused for a moment.
A small smile appeared on her lips.
"Alright," she murmured to herself.
"Let's do some work now.
Then she stepped into the car.
And the next move of the game had officially begun.
...