°♡˖꒰Author's꒱˖♡° POV
The hallways of Section E were never quiet, and today, the air was thick with mischief. Since Keifer had been buried in office work for the last four days, the "bodyguards" of the class were restless.
Jay Jay sat at her desk, looking healthy and glowing, but her eyes kept drifting to the empty seat beside her.
"Look at her," Ci.n teased, leaning over Jay Jay's shoulder with a grin. "Our little bird is well, but she looks like she lost her favorite toy. Or should I say... her favorite CEO?"
Mayo and Kit leaned against the lockers, snickering. "Four days without the boss," Kit chirped. "I bet Keifer is currently scaring his employees to death just because he can't be here to watch over you."
"I heard he's working on a project worth billions," Eren added, crossing his arms. "But he'd probably trade it all for one of Jay Jay's smiles right now."
Jay Jay's face turned pink. "Stop it! He's just busy. I'm fine!"
"Are you?" David asked, his voice a bit softer than the others. He lingered nearby, his crush on Jay Jay making him extra observant. Yuri was right next to him, nodding solemnly, his own gaze fixed on her. "You've sighed exactly fourteen times since first period," Yuri pointed out.
"The patient misses her doctor!" Blaster yelled from across the room, causing Drew and Adrix to burst out laughing.
From the back, Felix, Calix, and Rory started a rhythmic tapping on the desks. "Where's the King? Where's the King?" they chanted playfully.
Even Enam, walked by with a tray of snacks. He set a small plate on Jay Jay's desk. "Eat up, Jay Jay. You need your strength. When the big bear finally gets back from the office, he'll be grumpy, and you're the only one who can handle him."
"I'm not a lion tamer!" Jay Jay squeaked, hiding her face in her hands as Section E erupted in more laughter.
The sun was setting as Jay Jay and Aries walked toward the car, flanked by the boys of Section E. Even though they teased her, the boys—Ci.n, Kit, Mayo, Eren, Blaster, Drew, Adrix, Felix, Calix, and Rory—were acting like a human shield around her.
Suddenly, two black cars screeched to a halt, blocking the path. A dozen of Ram's goons piled out, carrying metal pipes and looking for a fight.
"Ram wants the girl," the lead goon sneered, pointing a finger at Jay Jay. "Step aside, kids, before you get hurt."
Aries stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "You've got a lot of nerve showing up here."
But he wasn't alone. Section E didn't back down.
"Kids?" Blaster laughed, cracking his knuckles. "We're her worrier, you ugly sack of trash. You want Jay Jay? You have to go through the whole Section E first."
"Protect the patient!" Eren shouted, and the chaos began.
"Iam not a patient!"jay jay scream and the war start.
It was a total brawl. Aries was a whirlwind of precision, taking down three goons at once with lightning-fast strikes. Mayo and Kit worked together, using their speed to trip up the larger men, while Drew and Adrix used their strength to shove the goons back against the cars.
Jay Jay didn't just hide. When a goon tried to grab her arm, she remembered what Keifer taught her. She grabbed the man's thumb, twisted it back with a sharp snap, and kicked him hard in the shin.
"Don't touch me!" she screamed.
Ci.n rushed over, shielding her from a swinging pipe. "Nice move, Jay Jay! Keep your head down!" He then delivered a flying kick to the goon's chest, sending him flying into a trash can.
Felix, Calix, and Rory formed a tight circle around Jay Jay, punching anyone who got too close. Enam, who had been following behind, even used his heavy catering bag to whack a goon upside the head. "That's for interrupting our mutya walk!" he yelled.
The fight was intense. Ram's goons were experienced, but they weren't prepared for the sheer loyalty of Section E. The boys took some hits—Blaster got a split lip and Rory was nursing a bruised shoulder—but they didn't let a single person get near Jay Jay.
Finally, seeing they were outnumbered by the angry "warrior's" and the lethal Aries, the remaining goons scrambled back into their cars.
"Tell Ram," Aries shouted as the SUVs sped off, "that if he sends garbage like you again, they won't be walking back next time!"
The street went quiet. The boys of Section E were panting, fixing their rumpled school uniforms.
"You okay, Jay Jay?" Adrix asked, wiping some dirt off his face.
Jay Jay looked at her 'brothers,' her eyes shining with tears and pride. "I'm okay. You guys were amazing. Thank you."
Ci.n put an arm around her shoulder, grinning despite a bruise forming on his cheek. "No one touches our jay. Not even the CEO gets to pick on you when we're around."
Aries checked his watch, looking worried. "We need to get her home. If Keifer finds out his 'brothers' had to bleed for her while he was stuck in a board meeting, he's going to lose his mind."
The air in the boardroom was thick with the scent of expensive ink and stale coffee. The digital clock flickered to 6:15 PM. On the mahogany table lay the final documents: the Watson Empire and the Mariano Company were now one.
Miles Mariano had just left the room, his footsteps echoing with the triumph of a man who had secured his legacy.
"Your father doesn't miss a beat, does he?" Keifer muttered, leaning back in his leather chair. He rubbed his temples, his eyes bloodshot from seventy-two hours of nonstop negotiations. "Miles played that last clause like a grandmaster."
Jay-Jay didn't answer immediately. She was watching Keifer. In the harsh fluorescent light, she saw the slight tremor in his hand as he reached for a pen. The "King of Watson" looked like he was running on nothing but sheer willpower.
"Miles got what he wanted—security," Jay-Jay said softly, stepping closer to him. "He knows the Mariano name is safe with you. But Keifer... you're white as a sheet."
"I'm fine, Jay," he lied, though his voice was a gravelly rasp. He tried to stand, but his knees buckled slightly, catching himself on the edge of the table. "We have the briefing with the regional directors in twenty minutes. I need to review the Miles-Watson logistics—"
"No," Jay-Jay interrupted, her voice shifting from a business partner to something much more personal. "Mr. Watson, you are done for the morning."
Keifer looked up, trying to summon his usual intimidating glare, but it failed him. "The merger is fragile. If I don't show up—"
"If you show up looking like a ghost, the stocks will drop," she countered, her eyes softening as she noticed the deep shadows under his eyes. She walked around the table, standing directly over him. "You've been carrying the weight of two empires and Miles's demands for days. You're exhausted."
"I can handle it," he whispered, but his head leaned forward, almost touching her waist.
"You can't. And you won't," Jay-Jay said firmly. She reached out, her cool hand pressing against his warm forehead. "You're burning up. The meeting can wait. Or rather, I'll make it wait."
The boardroom door creaked open, breaking the heavy silence. Tala, Keifer's lead secretary, stepped in carrying a tray of espresso. She wasn't wearing her usual corporate attire; her blouse was unbuttoned just a fraction too low, and she moved with a practiced, predatory sway.
She ignored Jay-Jay entirely, walking straight to Keifer's side. She leaned over him, her hair brushing against his shoulder as she set a cup down.
"You look absolutely wrecked, Mr. Watson," Tala purred, her voice dripping with artificial honey. She let her hand linger on his arm, her thumb tracing small, bold circles over his suit sleeve. "The merger is done. Why don't you let me take you back to your penthouse? I could give you a... private briefing. You need someone who knows how to handle a man under this much pressure."
Keifer groaned, his eyes closed, too exhausted to even push her away. "Not now, Tala. Just leave the coffee."
Tala didn't budge. Instead, she leaned in closer, whispering loud enough for Jay-Jay to hear. "The coffee won't wake you up like I can. Forget the meetings. Let's just disappear for a few hours. I promise to make you forget all about the Mariano paperwork."
Jay-Jay's eyes turned to ice. She watched the way Tala's hand moved higher toward Keifer's neck. The "Miss Mariano" mask shattered, replaced by the girl from Section E who didn't take an inch of disrespect.
"That's enough," Jay-Jay snapped, her voice like a whip.
Tala finally looked up, giving Jay-Jay a condescending smirk. "Oh, Miss Mariano. I didn't see you there. We're just discussing Mr. Watson's... recovery. I'm sure you have your own company to go manage."
Jay-Jay walked over, her heels clicking dangerously on the floor. She didn't stop until she was inches away from Tala. "Actually, I'm managing this company now too. And as your new superior, I'm giving you a direct order: Put the tray down, turn around, and get out of this boardroom before I make your resignation effective immediately."
Tala stiffened, her face flushing with anger. "You can't—"
"I can. And I will," Jay-Jay countered, stepping into Tala's personal space. "He's tired, not blind. He doesn't need a 'briefing' from you; he needs a doctor. Now, leave."
Tala cast one last longing, desperate look at Keifer, but seeing Jay-Jay's fierce stance, she gathered her things and scurried out of the room.
Jay-Jay turned back to Keifer, who was watching her through bleary, half-open eyes with a faint, tired smile.
"Bold secretaries?" Keifer rasped, echoing the words she'd later use in the cabin.
"She's lucky I didn't throw the espresso at her," Jay-Jay muttered, reaching for his hand. "Come on. Before someone else tries to 'brief' you, we're going to your office."
Keifer let out a defeated, weary chuckle. "You're bossy today, Miss Mariano."
"That's because I'm the only one who can tell a Watson what to do," she teased, though her heart ached seeing him this broken down. "Now, stand up. We're going to your cabin.
And I'm not asking."
She watched as he struggled to rise, his movements heavy and slow. It was in that moment, seeing the vulnerability of the man everyone else feared, that Jay-Jay decided the "CEO" persona was over for the day.
She led him out of the boardroom, her hand firmly in his, guiding him toward the privacy of his office where she would soon frost the glass and begin her "prescribed rest."
"Come here," Keifer rasped, reaching out to boop her nose. "If you hate the secrecy so much, we can tell the world right now. I'll call the press. 'Watson Empire merges with Mariano Company—and the CEOs are madly in love.' How's that?"
Jay Jay bit her lip, her mischievous side coming back. She leaned in, her lips inches from his. "No... I like the secret. It makes it more fun when I do this."
She reached out and gave his tie a sharp tug, pulling him down to her level.
The moment the final signatures were dry and the legal teams filed out, Jay Jay didn't waste a second. With a sharp flick of a remote, the smart-glass walls of the executive office frosted over instantly, turning the transparent fishbowl into a private sanctuary.
Keifer watched her, one eyebrow arched in curiosity, as she marched over to him with a look of fierce determination.
"Jay Jay?" he started to ask, but she didn't give him a choice.
She grabbed him by the lapels of his suit and steered the massive man toward the plush, oversized leather sofa in the corner. "Sit," she commanded, her voice a mix of CEO authority and "nursing" sweetness.
Keifer, amused and completely under her spell, sat. "Whatever the lady boss wants."
She worked quickly, her small fingers flying over the buttons of his dress shirt. She peeled the expensive fabric away, exposing his broad, muscled chest and the powerful lines of his shoulders. The cold office air hit his skin, but the heat coming from Jay Jay was enough to keep him warm.
She sat back against the arm of the sofa and pulled his heavy head down until it was cushioned against her chest. She began to run her fingers through his hair, her touch melting away the tension of the last four days.
"You're looking too tired and exhausted," she whispered, her voice softening as she held him close. "Rest for two hours. We have another meeting then, but your secretary will take care of the presentation. You... you just rest right here."
Keifer let out a long, shuddering breath, his face pressing into the softness of her sweater. The scent of her—like vanilla and home—was better than any caffeine.
"I thought you were going to punish me for Tala," he mumbled, his voice muffled against her. His large arms snaked around her waist, pulling her even tighter against him.
"I am punishing you," she teased, though her hands never stopped their soothing massage on his scalp. "I'm forcing you to stay still. No phones, no spreadsheets, no 'bold ' secretaries. Just me. This is Dr. Jay Jay's prescribed rest."
Keifer's grip tightened slightly, his eyes already drifting shut as the exhaustion of the "Watson Empire" finally caught up to him. "If this is a prison sentence... I never want to be paroled."
"Hush, big bear," she giggled softly, kissing the top of his head. "Sleep. I'll wake you up when it's time to be a CEO again."