KEIFER POV
It was around 7 AM, and the morning light was just starting to peek through the heavy curtains of the guest suite. Jay-Jay was still out cold, her face mushed into the pillow and her hair a wild, golden bird's nest across the sheets.
She looked so peaceful, which was a stark contrast to the firecracker she usually is when she's awake.
I leaned over her, my heart doing that stupid, heavy thud it only does for her. I pressed a slow, lingering kiss to the side of her neck—right over one of the marks I'd left—and then moved to the corner of her mouth. She let out a tiny, sleepy hum but didn't open her eyes.
"Sleep tight, Jay," I whispered.
As much as I wanted to stay wrapped around her for the rest of the morning, I knew the risks. If she woke up and found me in her bed after last night, she'd probably go for my carotid artery with her bare hands. Or worse, Jare might decide to do his "morning twin check-in" and find the President of Section E occupying his sister's master suite.
I didn't want her to kill me—at least not before breakfast.
I carefully slid out of the bed, making sure the mattress didn't bounce too much. I grabbed the Snorlax from the foot of the bed and tucked it back into the crook of her arm. Her fingers instinctively clamped back onto the fuzzy blue plushie, satisfying her "comfort" requirement for the next hour.
I stood there for a second, just watching her breathe, before slipping through the connecting door and clicking it shut behind me.
I had a feeling today was going to be a long one. Between the family breakfast, the lingering tension, and the fact that I was more in love with a loud-mouthed Londoner than I ever thought possible, life was getting complicated.
But as I caught my reflection in my own mirror—a scratches on my shoulder and a smirk I couldn't shake—I wouldn't have it any other way.
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JAY JAY POV
I checked the time on my phone and nearly threw it across the room. It was 10:00 AM. Ten!
"Shit, shit, shit!" I hissed, scrambling out from under the duvet. My legs were still a bit shaky, and my neck felt like it was on fire, but I didn't have time to dwell on the "penalties" from last night.
Jare and I had promised Aries we'd visit him this morning. Aries—the guy who had basically become our honorary third sibling since we arrived—was expecting us, and if there's one thing a Mariano takes seriously (mostly), it's a promise to a friend. Plus, Jare would never let me hear the end of it if I made us late.
I bolted for the bathroom, nearly tripping over my Snorlax. Wait, how did he get back in my arms? I could've sworn I lost him during the night. I didn't have time to solve the mystery of the teleporting plushie.
I splashed cold water on my face, trying to wake up my brain. I looked in the mirror and groaned. My hair looked like it had been through a high-speed blender, and the marks on my neck were a vibrant, undeniable shade of "Keifer was here."
"Idiot," I muttered, though I couldn't stop the stupid grin from forming on my lips.
I grabbed a high-necked sweater—ignoring the fact that it was tropical outside—and some jeans. I had to look presentable, or at least like someone who hadn't just dismantled their entire life plan in a master guest suite.
I threw on some concealer, brushed my teeth in record time, and grabbed my bag. I was halfway to the door when I heard a familiar, annoying thud on the other side.
"Jay-Jay! Are you dead in there? We were supposed to leave twenty minutes ago!" Jare's voice boomed through the wood.
"I'm coming, Kuya! Calm down!" I shouted back, shoving my feet into my sneakers.
I took one last look at the connecting door. It was shut tight, but I could practically feel Keifer's presence on the other side, probably smugly eating breakfast while I scrambled.
We scrambled down the grand staircase, but before we could reach the front door, the entire household seemed to materialize in the foyer.
"Where are you two headed so early in the morning?" Tita Serina asked, coming out of the breakfast nook with a bright smile.
"Aries' house," Jare and I answered in perfect stereo.
The air in the room shifted instantly. I didn't even have to look at Keifer to know his mood had plummeted. I could practically feel the temperature drop.
"Why?" Keifer demanded.
I risked a glance at him. His face was darkening by the second, that familiar, dangerous shadow crossing his features. I honestly didn't understand why they still had so much conflict—I mean, I knew the history with Ella was deep and messy, but Aries had been nothing but a friend to us since we arrived.
"Keifer," Tita warned, her voice soft but firm, sensing the tension radiating off her eldest son.
I stepped forward, trying to keep my voice casual while making sure my high collar stayed pinned to my chin. "We just promised we would meet him over the break, Keifer. It's just a catch-up," I explained, looking him straight in the eye.
Keifer didn't look convinced. He took a step toward me, his presence suddenly looming. "Over the break? On your first full day here?"
"Yes! He's our friend!" Jare barked, crossing his arms. Jare never was one to back down from Keifer's intimidation tactics.
"Bye, Tita! We'll be back for dinner!" I called out, giving her a quick wave as I grabbed Jare's arm and practically dragged him toward the door.
I could feel Keifer's gaze burning into the back of my head—possessive, irritated, and clearly ready to start a fight that I didn't have the energy for. I wasn't just running from the conversation; I was running from the way my heart hammered every time he looked at me like I belonged to him.
"See you later, Jay-Jay," Keifer's voice rumbled behind us, low enough that only I could hear the underlying threat. "Don't make me come and collect you."
I didn't answer. I just shoved Jare into the car and slammed the door.
"Someone's grumpy," Jare muttered as he started the engine. "What is it with him and Aries?"
I settled into the passenger seat, my mind racing as we pulled away from the mansion. "From what I've gathered, it's about Ella. I heard Ci-N talking about it once. They used to be a group—Aries, Yuri, and Keifer. There was a fourth guy, too. Ci-N couldn't remember his name, just that he was two years older than the rest."
Jare nodded, his expression turning uncharacteristically sober. "I heard there was an accident. They didn't give me the fourth guy's name either—everyone seems to have wiped it from their memory—but apparently, whatever happened, Keifer and Yuri blamed Aries. That's how the friendship shattered."
"That's... heavy," I whispered, looking out the window. "A whole friendship gone because of one mistake."
"Actually, I found out who the fourth guy was," Jare said, his voice dropping into that protective-brother register. "He was Felix's stepbrother."
My head snapped toward him. "Felix? My classmate? I heard his stepbrother died, but I never knew why. I didn't want to dig into something that painful."
Jare gripped the steering wheel tighter as we merged into traffic. "Be careful with Keifer, Jay. I know there's something deep going on between you two, but I don't think you know him as well as you think you do."
"Why would you say that?" I asked, a knot forming in my stomach.
"Do you know Freya?" Jare asked.
"The self-proclaimed Queen Bee of Section A? Yeah, I've seen her around. Why?"
"After Felix's stepbrother died, things got messy," Jare explained. "She was the stepbrother's girlfriend. After he passed, she was... well, she was passed around the group. Yuri used her for his own gain, but Keifer? He actually took care of her at first. But then his possessive side came out. It got so suffocating that she started making out with other guys just to get Keifer to leave her alone. And Aries was one of the guys she used to get away from him."
I felt a cold shiver that had nothing to do with the turtleneck I was wearing. The guy who had held me so tenderly last night, the guy who whispered he loved me... how much of that was the "gentleman" and how much of that was the "possessive monster" Jare was describing?
I thought about Zane in London—how his protection turned into a prison. Was I walking straight into the same trap with a different person?
"So that's why they hate each other," I murmured. "It wasn't just Ella. It was everything. The guilt, the blame, and her."
"Exactly," Jare said, glancing at me with genuine concern. "Keifer doesn't just like you, Jay. He's claiming you. Just make sure you don't end up like Freya—suffocating under a world you never asked for."
I nodded slowly, absorbing the weight of everything Jare was saying. It felt like the ground was shifting beneath me again.
"How did you know all of this?" I asked, looking at my twin. Jare usually cared more about video games and snacks than school politics, so the depth of his intel was surprising.
"Some of the Section B guys mentioned it, and I talk to Mykle from time to time," Jare explained, a lopsided grin appearing on his face despite the seriousness of the topic. "He's the one who gave me the full rundown. Apparently, after Mykle was the one to tell Keifer about the whole Aries and Freya thing... well, let's just say Mykle was the one who got smacked into next week."
Jare let out a short, bark-like laugh. "Knowing Keifer, he probably didn't appreciate the messenger bringing bad news about his 'territory.'"
I didn't laugh. I just looked out the window, watching the palm trees blur past. So Keifer had a history of being possessive—dangerously so. And Mykle, poor Mykle, had been the one caught in the crossfire of Keifer's temper.
We finally pulled up to the curb and got out of the car. The midday sun was beating down, making my choice of a high-necked sweater feel like a literal death trap, but I couldn't risk the alternative.
Jare slammed his door shut and looked up at Aries' house with a deep scowl, the skepticism back in full force.
"I still don't understand why we have to come to Aries' house," Jare grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I don't like how that guy acts like he knows something we don't. He has that look in his eyes... like he's playing a game with pieces we haven't even seen yet."
I looked at the front door, my heart tight. "He's been a good friend to us, Jare. And after what you just told me about Keifer and Freya... maybe Aries isn't the one playing the most dangerous game."
"Maybe," Jare muttered, though he didn't look convinced. "But keep your guard up. Between the 'President' back at the mansion and 'The Shadow' in this house, I feel like we're caught in a pincer move."
"It's just a visit, Kuya. Relax," I said, though I was anything but relaxed.
The weight of Jare's warnings was sitting heavy in my chest. If Aries really was the one who helped Freya escape Keifer's possessiveness, then he knew a version of Keifer I had only caught glimpses of—the one who claimed things until they suffocated.
As we walked up the path, I subconsciously touched the concealer on my neck. Last night felt like a dream, but Jare's stories felt like a cold, hard wake-up call. Was I Keifer's love, or was I just his latest territory?
I reached out and rang the doorbell.
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Hi lovies 🤍✨
There's a little buzz going around about Ashdres new project, and OMG I really hope it's real because I'm so excited for it 😭💗 If it's true, this is going to be such a beautiful moment for Ashdres and all of us supporters — they truly deserves all the love and success 🌿✨
And honestly… this would be such a huge slap to those haters 😭💅💗