(Keifer's POV)
The front door slammed shut behind me.
Hard.
The sound echoed through the house.
My bag slipped from my shoulder and dropped on the floor.
I didn't pick it up.
My chest still felt tight.
That scene kept replaying in my head.
Zane.
Standing close to her.
Too close.
My jaw clenched.
"…Damn it."
I ran a hand through my hair and walked upstairs.
Fast.
Too fast.
My thoughts were louder than my footsteps.
I pushed my room door open.
Then shut it behind me.
Not softly.
My hand grabbed the first thing on my desk.
A book.
I threw it across the room.
THUD.
It hit the wall and dropped to the floor.
I stood there breathing hard.
My hand dragged across my face.
"…Why did that bother me so much?"
I muttered to myself.
Another object rolled under my fingers.
A pen holder.
I shoved it aside.
It clattered onto the floor.
Silence filled the room again.
Heavy.
My chest rose and fell slowly.
"…She didn't even do anything wrong."
My voice sounded tired.
Frustrated.
"Then why does it feel like someone punched my chest?"
I walked to my desk drawer.
Opened it.
For a second I just stared inside.
Then I took the picture out.
Jay.
Smiling.
Teasing.
Like always.
My fingers tightened around the frame.
I slid down against the wall.
Breathing shaking.
"…Did you really enjoy it?"
My voice dropped to a whisper.
"Or was I just… stupid enough to think you were mine?"
The tears came before I could stop them.
Hot.
Angry.
Pathetic.
I covered my face.
"…Damn it, Jay."
My shoulders started shaking.
Silence filled the room.
The book still lay on the floor across from me.
My chest hurt like someone punched straight through it.
I looked down at the photo again.
My fingers trembled as I held it.
Her smile stared back at me.
Bright.
Teasing.
The same smile she always gave me when I was being stupid.
My throat tightened.
"…Why are you like this?"
My thumb ran over her face in the photo.
"You make me lose my mind."
A tear fell on the picture.
"I tried to stay away."
Another tear.
"I tried not to care."
My voice broke.
"But the moment I saw someone else touching you…"
I shut my eyes.
"I lost it."
My grip tightened slightly on the frame.
"…I'm such a mess."
The room was quiet except for my breathing.
Then my forehead rested lightly against the picture.
My voice came out rough.
Soft.
Barely a whisper.
"I love you."
My chest shook again.
"I love you so damn much, Jay."
More tears fell.
"And that's the worst part."
I laughed weakly through the tears.
"Because even when you hurt me…"
My voice cracked again.
"I still want to run back to you."
Silence.
Heavy.
Painful.
I stared at the photo again.
"You're cruel, you know that?"
Another shaky breath.
"You smile at me like that…"
"…and suddenly nothing else matters."
My hand tightened around the frame.
"…If you really choose someone else one day…"
My throat closed.
"…I think it would destroy me."
Another tear slid down my face.
"But still…"
My voice dropped to a whisper again.
"I can't stop loving you."
I leaned my head back against the wall.
Eyes red.
Chest aching.
"…So what am I supposed to do with you now, Jay?"
The room stayed quiet.
Only my breathing filled the space.
And somehow—
That small picture in my hand felt heavier than anything else in the room.
───────✦──────𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗹𝘆.───────✦──────
I woke up to sunlight hitting my face.
Annoying.
I turned over and buried my face in the pillow.
For five seconds.
Ten.
Then my brain remembered yesterday.
Rooftop.
Zane.
Jay.
My eyes opened instantly.
"…Damn it."
I sat up and ran a hand through my hair.
The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
My gaze slid toward the desk.
The picture frame was still there.
Jay's stupid smile staring at me like nothing ever happened.
My jaw tightened.
I looked away.
Not dealing with that right now.
My phone buzzed.
I grabbed it.
Honey.
Of course.
I answered.
"What."
Her voice came through the speaker, casual as always.
"You sound like you got run over by a truck."
"Say what you called for."
I heard faint tapping.
She was probably on her phone again.
"Board meeting this morning."
I leaned back against the headboard.
"…And?"
"You know what that means."
Yeah.
I knew exactly what it meant.
The inheritance process.
The company.
The power struggle.
All of it.
I sighed.
"They're rushing it again?"
"Yep."
"Why."
Honey was quiet for a second.
Then she said the name.
"Clyde."
My jaw clenched instantly.
Of course it was him.
That snake had been circling the company for years.
Waiting.
Watching.
Looking for the moment to take control.
Honey continued.
"He's been pushing the board again."
"About what."
"Claiming you're 'too young' to handle things."
I scoffed.
"He just wants control."
"Obviously."
She paused again.
"Which is why the board wants you in London."
My head tilted slightly.
"…Now?"
"Within the week."
That fast.
I got out of bed and walked toward the window.
All of it felt far away right now.
"What exactly do they want."
Honey answered immediately.
"They want you there for the inheritance confirmation."
I rubbed my temple
"Clyde's challenging it."
Of course he was.
That bastard never knew when to stop.
Honey kept talking.
"If you don't show up in person, he can delay the transfer again."
My jaw tightened.
"How long."
"About a month."
I looked outside again.
A whole month.
Honey spoke again.
"You'll face the board and justify why the company should remain under your control."
She paused.
"Basically prove you're capable of handling the Watson fortune."
"Alright.
Then she added casually—
"Also, Clyde will definitely be there."
My eyes narrowed.
"Okay.."
"I'm serious, Keifer. If you punch him, the lawyers will lose their minds."
Honey sighed dramatically.
I ignored that.
"So when do I leave."
"Three days."
That soon.
I stayed quiet.
Honey noticed.
"What."
"…Nothing."
"You sound like you're thinking about something."
I stared at the floor.
Jay's face flashed through my mind again.
Her tears.
Her voice.
My chest tightened.
Honey spoke again.
"…Problem with a girl?"
I rubbed my temples.
"Why do you always have to ask that?"
She laughed.
"Ah, so that's a yes."
"Just drop it."
"Defensive much?"
"Honey."
"Okay okay."
But before she ended the call she added one last thing.
"Handle whatever drama you've got before London."
I frowned.
"Why."
"Because a month is a long time."
She paused.
"And people move on."
The line went quiet.
Then—
Call ended.
I lowered the phone slowly.
A month.
London.
Board meetings.
Clyde.
And Jay.
My gaze drifted toward the desk again.
The picture frame was still there.
Still smiling.
Still driving me insane.
I exhaled slowly.
𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐎 𝐆𝐔𝐘𝐒! 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐄 𝐈'𝐋𝐋 𝐔𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐀𝐃 𝐃𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐁𝐄𝐂𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐌𝐘 𝐄𝐗𝐀𝐌𝐒 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃.! 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐈𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐈 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐉𝐀𝐘𝐅𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐎𝐎𝐍!♥