The moment Jay stepped into the living room, she dropped her bag on the sofa and went straight to Serina.
"Mama…"
Serina looked up from the flowers she was trimming.
Jay's voice was small.
And dramatic.
"He was very bad today."
From the other side of the room, Keifer froze mid-step.
Serina's brows lifted.
"Oh?"
Jay folded her arms.
"In the office."
Keifer closed his eyes once.
Slowly.
Keizer, who was comfortably seated with a newspaper, lowered it just enough to peek over the top.
"Interesting already."
Jay pulled Serina's hand and made her sit beside her on the couch.
"He keeps glaring at people."
Serina blinked.
Keifer quietly sat down on the single chair.
Like a child being summoned.
"And," Jay continued, cheeks heating, "he scared one of the employees."
Keizer coughed.
Very badly disguised.
Serina looked genuinely concerned now.
"Scared?"
Jay nodded.
"He was just asking me for help."
Keifer muttered under his breath,
"He was hovering."
Serina's head snapped toward him.
"Keifer."
He went silent.
Jay added softly,
"And then…"
She hesitated.
Serina leaned closer.
"Yes, dear?"
Jay hid her face slightly behind Serina's shoulder.
"…he kissed me."
The room went quiet.
Keizer's newspaper dropped.
Slowly.
Silently.
Then—
"…In the office?"
Jay nodded.
"In front of everyone."
Keizer stared at his son.
Long.
Deep.
Disbelieving.
Then he leaned back and laughed.
A full, warm laugh.
"Oh my God."
Serina turned slowly to Keifer.
Very slowly.
The dangerous kind of calm.
"Is that true?"
Keifer didn't try to escape.
"Yes, Mom."
Jay whispered,
"He said he was jealous."
Keizer clutched his chest.
"My son… jealous?"
Serina raised one finger.
"Keizer, stop enjoying this."
But she was smiling too.
Then she looked back at Keifer.
And gently—but very clearly—scolded him.
"You can't do that to people, Keifer."
He frowned slightly.
"To… people?"
She tapped his forehead with two fingers.
"To employees. They are not characters in your personal love story."
Jay tried not to laugh.
Tried.
Failed.
Serina sighed.
But it was fond.
"You could have waited until you came home."
Keifer said simply,
"I didn't want to."
That made Jay look at him.
Serina paused.
Her expression softened.
But she still wasn't done.
"You are a leader. Your behavior affects everyone."
Keifer nodded once.
"I understand."
Keizer leaned forward, grinning like a proud menace.
"But you also finally acted like a normal boyfriend."
Serina shot him a look.
"Keizer."
"What?" he defended. "He didn't throw money at the problem. He kissed it."
Jay giggled.
Serina hid her smile behind her hand.
Then she turned to Jay and gently cupped her cheek.
"Did he make you uncomfortable?"
Jay shook her head immediately.
"No."
Not even a little.
Serina studied her face.
The shy smile.
The softened eyes.
The quiet happiness.
She already knew the answer.
Then she looked at Keifer again.
Cuter this time.
But still firm.
"You don't scare people for loving her."
Keifer replied quietly,
"I don't scare her."
A small pause.
Serina smiled.
"That… is your only acceptable defense."
Keizer chuckled.
Jay leaned into Serina's shoulder.
"He's very troublesome."
Serina kissed Jay's hair.
"And you are very dangerous for him."
Keifer looked at Jay.
Only Jay.
Worth it.
Every glare.
Every whisper.
Every frozen office.
Completely worth it.