Jay POV
Everything around me sounded distant.
Voices blurred together like echoes underwater.
But I could still feel the floor beneath me.
Still hear the panic in the room.
Someone was shaking my shoulders.
"Jay! Wake up!"
Hex's voice.
Then Felix.
"Why isn't she moving?!"
More footsteps rushed closer.
The music from the party had already stopped. The entire ballroom had fallen silent except for the chaos around me.
Then I heard another voice.
Jeana.
"Oh my God! Jay!"
Her heels clicked quickly across the floor as she pushed through the crowd.
She dropped beside me dramatically.
"My daughter!" she cried, grabbing my arm. "Jay, wake up!"
Her voice sounded full of panic.
Too full.
Like an actor trying too hard.
I felt her lean closer.
Then someone else arrived.
A doctor who had been attending the event rushed over with a medical kit.
"Move aside," he said urgently.
People stepped back.
The doctor checked my pulse.
Checked my breathing.
The room held its breath.
Then the doctor looked up slowly.
"…She's not breathing."
Gasps filled the room.
Hex froze.
Felix's face turned pale.
"What do you mean she's not breathing?" Keifer demanded.
The doctor shook his head.
"We need to start emergency support immediately."
Hex grabbed my shoulders again.
"Jay! Don't do this!"
Felix cursed under his breath.
"No no no… she can't just—"
Meanwhile, Jeana slowly stood up.
For a moment she looked down at me.
Her expression changed.
The panic vanished.
Then she said something that froze the entire room.
"So… who is going to handle the property transfer?"
The room went silent.
Everyone stared at her.
Angelo turned slowly.
"…What?"
Jeana crossed her arms.
"Well I'm her mother," she said casually. "Obviously the properties come to me now."
Felix blinked.
"Did you seriously just say that?"
Carlos looked horrified.
"Jay is lying here and you're talking about money?!"
Angelo stepped forward angrily.
"Your daughter is on the floor and the first thing in your mind is property? What kind of mother are you?!"
Jeana rolled her eyes.
"Oh please."
Her voice became cold.
"Just accept it. She's dead."
Gasps spread through the crowd.
Hex's head snapped up.
Jeana looked down at my body again.
"She was nothing without all that money anyway."
The anger in the room exploded instantly.
"You're insane!" Rory shouted.
"How could you say that?!" Hannah yelled.
Angelo looked like he was about to explode.
"Are you even hearing yourself? Your daughter is dead and you're thinking about inheritance?!"
Jeana scoffed.
"Why are all of you acting shocked? That girl was only useful because of her properties."
Felix looked like he wanted to throw something.
"That's your daughter!"
Jeana shrugged.
Andy suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her wrist.
"That's enough," he muttered.
But Jeana kept talking.
"Everything she owned will belong to me now anyway."
Andy quickly pulled her back.
"Jeana," he warned quietly.
Then he dragged her away from the center of the room.
"Let's go."
Jeana didn't even look back as they walked away.
The crowd was left stunned.
Behind them, Hex was still kneeling beside me.
His hands were shaking.
"Jay… come on," he whispered.
Felix leaned closer.
"Wake up… please."
Keifer knelt beside them too.
The doctor checked again.
Still silent.
Still tense.
Still waiting.
And the entire room watched as they kept shaking me, hoping…
Praying…
That I would move.