JAY JAY POV
I tried to make a break for it—partly because Tita Serina actually was calling, and mostly because if I stayed in Keifer's personal bubble for one more second, I was going to spontaneously combust.
But of course, Keifer has the reflexes of a jungle cat and the stubbornness of a mule. Before I could even take two steps toward the house, his hand shot out and snagged my wrist, pulling me back until I bumped right into his chest again.
"Not so fast, Queen," he murmured, his eyes locking onto mine with that you're-not-going-anywhere look. "I didn't hear my mom calling you."
I huffed, planting my hands on my hips and giving him my best you-are-so-annoying glare. "Well, maybe you need to get a hearing aid, Keifer! Or maybe your ears are just clogged with all that ego!"
He didn't even flinch. Instead, he just leaned down, his face inches from mine, a dangerous smirk playing on his lips.
"Or maybe," he whispered, his voice dropping into that deep, vibrating tone that makes my brain turn into mashed potatoes, "you're just making excuses to run away because that kiss actually affected you."
"Affected me? Ha! Please!" I squeaked—and okay, the squeak definitely betrayed me. "I've had more romantic encounters with a bag of chips! Now let go! I'm a busy woman with things to do and more food to eat!"
"The food isn't going anywhere," he countered, his grip loosening just enough to let his fingers trail down to interlace with mine. "And neither are you. Not until I'm done with you."
Not until I'm done with you?! My heart did a literal Olympic-level backflip. Who gave this guy the right to sound like a Wattpad billionaire in the middle of a backyard BBQ?
"You're impossible!" I groaned, though I didn't actually pull my hand away. My face was probably redder than the cocktail sauce on the shrimp platter. "Seriously, you need to start a fund for my future therapy bills. You are a health hazard."
"I'll pay for the therapy," Keifer laughed, finally letting go but staying close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off him. "As long as I'm the only one allowed to drive you crazy."
"Trust me," I shot back, finally managing to turn around and head toward the house, "you're already winning that race by a mile!"
I didn't look back, but I could practically feel his smug gaze on my back. I needed to find Tita Serina, and I needed to do it before Keifer decided that one stolen ham roll wasn't enough of a treat for the night.
God, why is my life like this? One minute I'm fighting for my life against a plate of pancit, and the next, I'm being harassed by a literal heartthrob thief.
Hustle, Jay Jay. Hustle before he catches up.
"Jay!" Tita Serina's voice finally caught me just as I reached the patio. She was smoothing out her dress, looking every bit the poised matriarch, though there was a glint in her eyes that made my internal danger sensor go off like a fire alarm.
"Tita! There you are! I was actually looking for you," I said, trying to sound a lot more composed than I felt. My heart was still doing the cha-cha from Keifer's earlier robbery-via-kiss, and I was pretty sure my hair was a mess.
Tita Serina gave me one of those knowing, maternal smiles—the kind that says 'I saw exactly what you two were doing by the buffet and I'm judging you in the most loving way possible.'
"Right, right," she stepped closer, her tone suddenly turning serious. "Go call Keifer. We're about to make the announcement. And remember what I said earlier, Jay... don't get angry, okay?"
I froze. My hand, which was halfway to fixing my hair, stopped mid-air.
"Wait, don't get angry?" I repeated, my voice hitting a pitch that only dogs and Keifer could hear. "Tita, that's a very specific warning. Why would I get angry? Is someone getting deported? Am I being sold to a boy band? Did you run out of spring rolls?!"
Tita just patted my cheek, her smile turning a bit more mysterious—and a lot more terrifying. "Just go get him, darling. Everything will be explained in a minute. Just... deep breaths."
She turned and bustled away toward my parents, leaving me standing there like a confused penguin in a tuxedo.
"Don't get angry," I muttered to myself, mimicking Tita Serina's voice with a sarcastic twist of my lips. "Sure. Easy for her to say."
I had to go back to that king of assholes. Ugh. My feet felt like lead as I trudged back toward the buffet area. My heart was still pounding from that 'robbery' earlier, but my brain was already preparing a list of insults for when I saw his smug face again.
But when I finally spotted him, the list of insults instantly turned into a scorching ball of internal rage.
There he was. Keifer. The guy who was just stealing my food and my breath with a kiss that probably broke several city ordinances, now leaning casually against a pillar, talking to some girl.
My jaw practically hit the grass. The audacity! The nerve! The absolute Wattpad-level betrayal!
He looked perfectly at ease, flashing that same heart-stopper smile that he'd used on me just minutes ago. And the girl? She was giggling and flipping her hair like she'd just won the lottery. I felt a sudden, violent urge to throw a spring roll at the back of his head. Or maybe a whole tray of them.
Asshole. He was just kissing me, and now there he is, acting like he's the main lead in a different romance novel!
I felt my blood start to simmer. Was I jealous? No. Was I annoyed? Extremely. Was I about to make a scene that would make the fireworks look like wet matches? Absolutely.
I rolled my eyes so hard I saw sparks and marched straight over there. My footsteps were probably leaving scorched marks on the lawn.
"Keifer," I said, my voice dripping with enough ice to chill all the drinks at the bar.
He looked up, and for a split second, he looked surprised, but then that insufferable, knowing smirk returned to his face. He didn't even look guilty. He just looked... amused.
"Oh, look who decided to come back," he teased, his eyes scanning my face as if searching for the 'don't get angry' warning Tita had given me.
"Tita Serina wants you. Now," I snapped, ignoring the girl entirely—though I could feel her staring at me like I was an unwanted commercial interruption. "They're making the announcement. So stop being a social butterfly and move your feet, King of Assholes."
I didn't wait for an answer. I turned on my heel, my ponytail whipping behind me like a lash. I was ready to storm off and leave him to his little fan club, but Keifer—being the possessive, overbearing king of all idiots—wasn't having it.
One second I was marching away, and the next, a strong hand gripped my arm. Before I could even protest, he spun me around and shoved me back against the nearest pillar. It was a shaded spot, hidden from the prying eyes of the guests, and he pinned me there with his body, his arms acting like a cage on either side of my head.
My breath hitched. My heart, which had already been running a marathon, decided to try out for the Olympics.
"Jealous?" he murmured, leaning in so close that his breath fanned against my skin.
He didn't wait for me to answer. He leaned down and pressed a slow, lingering kiss against the corner of my mouth. It wasn't a full kiss, but it was enough to make my brain short-circuit and my knees feel like they were made of jelly.
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my eyes from fluttering shut. I had to maintain my dignity! I had to stay JP! (Just Pissed!)
"Why would I be jealous?" I asked, my voice coming out way breathier than I intended. I tried to look him in the eye, but his gaze was dropping to my lips in a way that was definitely illegal in fifty states. "I don't care who you talk to, Keifer. You could talk to a lamp post for all I care."
"Is that so?" He chuckled, a deep, rumbly sound that I felt in my chest. He moved even closer, his nose brushing against mine. "Then why were you looking at me like you wanted to set me on fire?"
"I always look at you like that! It's my default setting for your face!" I hissed, trying to push against his chest, but it was like trying to move a brick wall—a very warm, very well-sculpted brick wall.
"Liar," he whispered, his smirk widening as he caught my hands and pinned them against the pillar above my head. "Your face is red, your heart is beating like a drum, and you're currently pouting. You're definitely jealous, Queen."
"I am NOT pouting! I'm... I'm fermenting with rage!" I countered, though my protest lost a lot of its sting when he leaned down and nipped at my earlobe.
"Keep telling yourself that," he teased, his voice dropping into that dangerously husky tone. "But for the record? She was just asking for directions to the restroom. You're the only one I want to 'rob,' Jay."
I felt my face heat up to a temperature that could probably boil water.
"Asshole," I muttered, but I didn't pull away.
"Your asshole," he corrected, his voice a low rumble that vibrated against my skin. Before my brain could even process the possessive weight of that sentence, he leaned in for another 'robbery.'
He kissed me—hard. This wasn't a quick peck or a food-stealing distraction. It was deep, hungry, and left my head spinning so fast I forgot how to breathe. My back was pressed against the cold stone of the pillar, but everywhere Keifer touched was like liquid fire.
When he finally pulled back just an inch, his eyes were dark, tracking the way my chest was heaving.
"It's time to upgrade the profanity again," Keifer teased, his thumb tracing my lower lip which was probably swollen by now. "You've been using 'asshole' way too much tonight. Get creative, Queen."
"Maybe if you stopped acting like one, I'd find a new dictionary!" I bit back, though my voice was embarrassingly shaky.
He let out a dry, dangerous chuckle. He leaned down, his lips brushing against my ear, sending a specialized electric shock straight down my spine. "Tonight... I'm going to fuck you."
My heart didn't just skip a beat; it suffered a total cardiac arrest. My eyes widened, and I felt the heat rush from my neck to the literal roots of my hair.
"Asshole!" I hissed, my hands flying up to shove at his shoulders, though he didn't budge an inch. "No, you won't! Not in your dreams, not in this lifetime, and definitely not while Tita is waiting for us ten feet away!"
Keifer just trapped my hands again, pinning them back against the pillar. He looked down at me with that predatory, confident smirk—the one that screamed he already knew the ending to this story.
"Oh, Queen... I will. and the best part?" He leaned in until our foreheads were touching, his gaze intense enough to melt steel. "You're going to let me. In fact, you're going to beg for it."
"In your dreams, Keifer! I'd rather eat dirt!" I stammered, my bravado failing me as he nipped at my jawline.
"We'll see about that after the fireworks," he whispered, finally releasing my wrists but keeping his body pressed flush against mine for a second longer than necessary.
He stepped back, looking completely unfazed and perfectly composed, while I was standing there looking like I'd just survived a category five hurricane.
"Come on," he said, reaching out to smooth a stray hair away from my face as if he hadn't just dropped a metaphorical nuclear bomb on my sanity. "My mom's waiting. Let's go hear this life-changing announcement before I decide to skip the party and take you upstairs right now."
I grabbed a nearby napkin and practically scrubbed my face, trying to hide the blush. "You are a menace to society"
"And you're the society I'm terrorizing," he winked.
I hate him. I really, really hate him. Except for the part where I don't. He really is the death of me.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
JAY JAY POV
Keifer and I walked toward Tita Serina, our shoulders nearly brushing with every step. I could feel the weight of the air between us—thick and heavy, like a storm was about to break. Even without looking at him, I knew Keifer's expression was unreadable, his jaw set in that familiar, stubborn line.
"Tita, what was it you wanted to tell us?" I asked, my voice coming out smaller than I intended.
She looked at us for a long moment, her eyes tracing the way we stood together. A small, bittersweet smile touched her lips. "You two... you really do match so well," she whispered, almost to herself.
Before I could process that, she reached out and took my hand. Her grip was warm, but I could feel a slight tremor in her fingers that made my heart hammer against my ribs.
"Jay... what I'm about to ask of you is too much. I know that," she started, her voice dropping into a tone that was both desperate and fragile. "But please, honey, just listen to me. This is the one favor I've ever truly wanted to ask of you."
She searched my eyes, her gaze so intense it felt like she was looking straight into my soul.
"But if you don't want to say yes... if it's more than you can give, then I'll respect your decision. I truly will," she said, her voice wavering.
"Mom, what are you talking about?" Keifer asked, his voice low and roughened by that scratchy tone that always made my knees feel like they were made of marshmallows. He looked at Tita Serina, then shot a look at me that was so intense I felt like I was being electrocuted.
Tita Serina ignored him and kept her eyes on me. "Jay... I arranged an engagement between you two."
Engagement. Engaged. As in, I'm basically wearing an invisible Property of Keifer Watson sign on my forehead for the rest of my life.
My brain was currently screaming, but my heart? My heart was busy throwing a party and inviting everyone. Gosh, Jay-Jay, pull yourself together! Where's your poise?!
I blinked. Once. Twice. Okay, so I'm not dreaming. This isn't a plot of a Wattpad story... wait, actually, it is.
"What did my parents say?" I managed to ask, looking at my family.
Papa stepped forward and did that thing that always made me feel like a little girl again—he kissed my forehead. "If this is okay with you, Jay... then I'm perfectly fine with it," he said softly.
"No pressure, hon," Mama Reycee added, though she was smiling so hard her cheeks probably hurt. "Whatever you two decide, that's where we stand."
I looked at Jare, and the brat just nodded. Wow, twin. Thanks for the massive help. Then there was Percy, the brother who literally rose from the dead just to annoy me.
"Come on, sis," Percy teased, leaning against the wall like he was watching a rom-com. "If I were you, I'd say yes. I mean, he's exactly your type—tall, dark, grumpy, and obsessed with you. Why even think about it?"
I looked at Keifer. He was standing there, silent, his gaze never leaving mine. It wasn't the look of someone being forced into a deal. It was the look of a man who had just been offered the only thing he ever wanted.
And honestly? Looking at him standing there... I realized I wasn't scared. I wasn't burdened. If I had to be tied to anyone in this world, I wanted it to be this idiot.
"I'm okay with it," I blurted out.
There was a collective gasp, like the whole room had been holding its breath for a decade.
"I'm okay with it," I said again, a little louder, my heart thumping a frantic Keifer-Keifer-Keifer rhythm against my ribs.
The room exploded into smiles. Tita Serina's face practically lit up the entire house. She rushed toward me, pulling me into a hug that smelled like comfort and expensive flowers.
"Thank you! Thank you so much, Jay!" she cried, kissing my forehead and squeezing me like she was never going to let go. "This is the best gift I've ever wanted. My Mutya... my daughter."
I hugged her back, feeling that warm, fuzzy feeling spread through my chest. But over her shoulder, I saw him.
Keifer.
He had that signature, cocky smirk on his face—the one that said, 'I told you so.' He looked relaxed for the first time in forever, his eyes soft but burning with that possessive fire I'd grown to love.
Fine. You win, Watson, I thought, a small smile tugging at my own lips. But don't think this means I'll stop calling you an asshole.
So, it was official. Tita Serina and Uncle Victor practically shouted it from the rooftops—or, well, to the entire living room full of people. The announcement of our engagement echoed through the house, and for a second, I felt like I was in the middle of a movie. Except instead of a prince, I got a grumpy King of Section E.
Future Mrs. Watson.
The name felt heavy on my tongue, but in a way that didn't make me want to gag. It made my heart do this weird, frantic salsa dance against my ribs.
Later that night, I escaped to my room, trying to process the fact that I was now technically no single. I was just about to throw myself onto the bed when the door connected to the next room clicked open.
Of course. That asshole.
I didn't even have to turn around to know it was him. The air in the room just suddenly felt... expensive. And dangerous.
"I think I need to keep my promise now," Keifer said, his voice dropping into that low, vibrato-rich tone that always made my brain go System Error: Please Reboot.
I turned around, crossing my arms to hide how much my hands were shaking. "What are you talking about?" I asked, trying to sound like the sophisticated London girl I pretended to be, even though I probably looked like a startled kitten.
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he started walking toward me, his eyes locked on mine with a look that made me want to run and stay at the same time.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about... Mrs. Watson," he said, the corner of his lips curling into that signature, devastating smirk.
My face went nuclear. "We're not married yet, asshole!" I reminded him, pointing a finger at his chest to keep him at a distance. "It's just an engagement! Don't get ahead of yourself."
But Keifer just laughed—that low, husky sound that vibrated right through me. He didn't stop until he was inches away, his shadow completely swallowing mine. He reached out and took my hand, lifting it so the light caught the ring on my finger.
"Not yet... but soon," he whispered, his breath warm against my skin. "See? You're already wearing my ring, Jay. There's no escaping me now."
Before I could come up with a witty comeback about how I could still move back to London, he leaned down. He didn't kiss my lips—not yet. He pressed a slow, lingering kiss against the curve of my jaw, his stubble grazing my skin and sending a thousand electric shocks straight to my toes.
"You're mine, Mutya," he murmured against my skin. "Infinitely."
God help me. At this rate, I wouldn't even make it to the wedding without my heart exploding.
"Keifer... you're a jerk," I breathed out, though I didn't push him away. Not even a little bit.
"Yeah," he chuckled, pulling back just enough to look me in the eye, his gaze dark and full of a promise that made my breath hitch. "But I'm your jerk."
He didn't wait for an answer. He pulled me flush against him, his arms wrapping around me like iron bands, and started to kiss me. Not a gentle, 'congratulations-on-our-engagement' kiss, but something hungry and desperate.
And like the total idiot I am, I responded. Gosh, Jay-Jay, where is your dignity? Probably somewhere on the floor along with my common sense.
When he slanted his mouth over mine and deepened the kiss, a broken moan escaped my throat—a sound that I knew, even in my clouded state, was like pouring gasoline on a fire. It made him growl, his grip tightening until I could feel every hard line of his body against mine.
"Every single time, Jay-Jay..." Keifer muttered against my lips, his voice thick and rough.
His hands were already moving, finding the zipper of my dress with a practiced urgency that made my heart do a triple backflip. My own hands weren't exactly staying still, either. I reached for the buttons of his shirt, my fingers fumbling because I was shaking so much, but I didn't stop. I couldn't.
"Every single fucking time," he growled, trailing his kisses down to my jaw, his breath hot against my sensitized skin. "Every time I plan to sit you down and tell you the goddamn truth... you manage to make me lose it. You make me so insane for you that I forget everything else."
He went lower, his lips ghosting over my collarbone, making my toes curl into the carpet.
"I forget the past, I forget the secrets... I just see you," he whispered, his voice vibrating against my skin.
He sounded frustrated, almost angry at how much power I had over him, but the way he was holding me told a different story. He didn't want to be anywhere else. And as his shirt finally gave way under my fingers, I realized I didn't want him to be anywhere else, either.
"Then don't think, Keifer," I breathed out, my head falling back as he found a particularly sensitive spot on my neck. "Just... don't think."
He letting out a low, dark chuckle that sent a fresh wave of heat through me. "Trust me, Mrs. Watson... thinking is the last thing on my mind right now." .
My dress was somewhere on the floor—a pile of expensive fabric that I currently couldn't care less about. I stood there in just my bra and underwear, my skin prickling under the heat of his gaze. It was like he was memorizing every single inch of me, his eyes dark with a hunger that made my heart do a frantic tap-dance against my ribs.
His hands started to trace the lines of my body, his touch light but searing, like a brand.
"F-uck," Keifer growled, his voice dropping into that deep, gravelly register that always made my brain short-circuit. "I never get tired of seeing you like this, Jay-Jay. Never."
He leaned in, capturing my lips again in a kiss that tasted like desperation and pure, unadulterated Watson. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer, my fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of his neck.
I was so lost in the feeling of him that I didn't even notice the shift in the air until I pulled back for a second to breathe.
Wait. Hold on a minute.
I looked down, blinking my blurred vision back into focus. Keifer was standing there in nothing but his boxers.
Since when did I remove those?!
My brain scrambled to remember—did I unbutton his shirt that fast? Did I literally strip the King of Section E without even realizing it? Gosh, Jay-Jay, you're either a magician or you're way more far gone for this guy than you thought.
Keifer saw the realization hit my face and let out a low, dark chuckle that vibrated right through me. He stepped closer, his chest brushing against mine, his heat radiating off him in waves.
"Surprised, Mrs. Watson?" he teased, his hands moving to my waist, pulling me so flush against him that there wasn't even room for a whisper between us.
"I... I didn't even notice," I stuttered, my face going a shade of red that probably rivaled a fire engine.
"That's because you were too busy driving me insane," he whispered, his lips ghosting over my ear, making my toes curl into the carpet. "Don't stop now. We're just getting to the best part."
I swallowed hard, my hands resting on his bare shoulders. Lord, help me. If this guy kept looking at me like I was the only thing in his universe, I was never going to make it out of this room.
"Keifer..." I breathed out, my voice trembling.
"Shh," he murmured, his gaze dropping to my lips as he leaned down to claim them again. "Just shut up and be mine, Jay-Jay. Just for tonight... let the rest of the world disappear."
And as his lips met mine, I realized he was right. The secrets, the drama, the fact that I was officially an engaged woman—none of it mattered. Not as long as I was in his arms.
Safe. That was the word for it. Even though he was dangerous, even though he was a jerk... with him, I felt safer than I ever had
"Okay," I whispered against his mouth, letting my eyes flutter shut. "Only tonight."
But we both knew that was a lie. It wasn't just tonight. It was infinitely.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hey lovies 🤍✨
This chapter is actually two chapters combined, which is why it's so long 😭💗 I've been reading all your comments on both Webnovel and Wattpad, and so many of you were asking me to get to the surprise — so here it is. I hope you loved it ✨🌙
And omg… I got April‑fooled so hard 😭💀
My math teacher told us last week that we had a test today, and I was TERRIFIED because this test basically decides if I pass with an A. 😭📚
Turns out… it was an April Fools joke he started LAST FRIDAY. I was stressed for NOTHING 😭💔💀
Crazy Story- My whole class (me and my friends included) walked out of our ELA teacher's room, and she was SO scared 😭😭 Luckily she's a fun teacher, so she understood it and laughed with us in the end 💗✨
Tell me your April Fools stories too, lovies — I want to hear them 🌿
And to my Wattpad readers, please follow me and help me reach 150 followers — it would mean the world to me 💗📚✨
To my Webnovel readers, please go to my profile and click the love button. I'd be so happy if I reached 150 hearts there too 🤍✨