The moment his father stepped away, the heavy air of "business" evaporated, replaced instantly by his mother's flair for the dramatic.
She folded her arms, looking at Jay's untouched plate with a pout that could rival a silent film star's.
"I see how it is," his mother sighed, placing a hand over her heart.
"You aren't eating. It's because You don't love me enough, isn't it? My own daughter-in-law is starving herself because she feels the lack of maternal affection in this house!"
Jay's eyes went wide, her fork hovering in mid-air. "No! No, Ma'am-I mean, Mom-it's not that! I was just... I was thinking about the reports-"
"Reports? On a stomach this empty?" His mother shook her head solemnly.
"Keifer, look at her. She's wasting away. If she doesn't eat this omelet, I shall have to assume I've failed as a mother."
Keifer, who was busy trying to hide his own lingering blush behind a glass of orange juice, choked slightly.
"Mom, stop. You're going to give her a heart attack."
"Eat, Jay," Sophia chimed in, sliding a piece of toast onto Jay's plate with a wink.
"Or she'll start reciting poetry about 'The Great Starvation of the Watsons.' It gets very dark, very fast."
Blushing furiously, Jay took a small, obedient bite. The table fell into a brief, comfortable silence until his mother clapped her hands together.
"Now! About Sunday," she announced. "Jay, you are taking a leave of absence from the office today. No arguments."
"But-" Jay started, her work-ethic instincts kicking in. "I have the quarterly projections and-"
"The projections will still be boring tomorrow," his mother interrupted.
"Today, you, Sophia, and Keifer are going dress hunting. You need to look like a queen, and Keifer needs to look like he's worthy of standing next to you."
"I have a meeting at ten," Keifer pointed out, though the way he glanced at Jay suggested he wasn't exactly fighting the idea of a day off.
"Cancel it," his mother commanded.
"Tell them it's a 'cultural immersion' day. Now, go! Shoo! Before I start crying again about the omelet."
The atmosphere in the mansion was a whirlwind of activity as the family prepared to split up for the day.
While Keifer's parents finalized their plans to head to his aunt's house for an maybe overnight stay, Sophia was practically vibrating with impatience.
"I'm going with Mom and Dad!" Sophia declared, throwing her hands up.
"But I promised I'd help Jay with her dress first. I'll just join you guys at Auntie's later in evening."
Upstairs, the chaos continued.
Jay was in her room, trying to calm her nerves, while Sophia paced back and forth like a caged tiger, checking her watch every ten seconds.
In a moment of clumsy haste, Sophia's arm swept across the vanity table. With a sickening crunch, her elbow landed directly on Jay's phone.
Jay picked up the device; the screen was a spiderweb of shattered glass, the display bleeding ink until it went completely black.
"Oh, Jay! I'm so sorry!" Sophia gasped, her face pale. "I'll buy you a new one, the latest model, I promise-"
"It's okay, Soph," Jay said softly, though a small pang of unease shot through her. Being without a phone felt like losing a shield.
"It's just a phone. Let's just go get the dress so you can catch up with your parents."
The three of them-Keifer, Jay, and Sophia-headed out to the high-end boutique district.
The tension from the morning had settled into a quiet hum between Keifer and Jay, but just as they reached the entrance of the first shop, Keifer's phone let out a sharp, persistent buzz.
He pulled it from his pocket, his brow furrowing as he read the caller ID. His entire demeanor shifted from "Golden Boy" to "Serious Businessman" in a heartbeat.
"I have to take this," Keifer said, his voice clipped. He looked at Jay, his eyes lingering on her for a second longer than necessary.
"It's an important call regarding the investors for Sunday. You two go inside. Start looking at the emerald section. I'll be right behind you."
He stepped away, heading toward a quieter corner of the plaza, his phone already pressed to his ear.
Jay watched his back as he walked away, feeling a sudden, cold draft despite the afternoon sun.
Inside the boutique, the air smelled of expensive perfume and silk, but Jay couldn't focus. She kept glancing toward the glass doors, expecting to see Keifer's tall frame reappearing at any second.
"Where is he?" Jay finally whispered, her fingers nervously twisting the strap of her handbag. "He said he'd be right behind us."
Sophia, who was already elbow-deep in a rack of shimmering fabrics, let out a loud, dramatic sigh.
"Oh, stop pining, wifey! He sent me a text. Something about a 'emergency' at the office regarding the Sunday investors. He had to rush off."
She turned around, winking broadly at Jay. "I guess the Golden Boy has to save the world sometimes. We're on our own for the fashion show!"
"The office? But..." Jay stammered, her heart sinking slightly. She felt exposed without him, especially with her own phone sitting in her bag as a useless piece of shattered glass.
"He knew if he looked at your sad little face, he wouldn't be able to leave," Sophia teased, dragging Jay toward the dressing rooms. "Now, focus! We have a mission."
The next hour was a whirlwind of glitter and lace.
When they finally emerged to look at themselves in the grand mirrors, they looked like they had stepped out of a storybook.
Sophia had chosen a shiny, rose-pink dress that caught every drop of light in the room, making her look like a modern-day fairy princess.
Jay stood next to her in a deep, midnight-blue gown. It wasn't too revealing-the neckline was modest and the sleeves were elegant-but the way the fabric hugged her waist and flowed to the floor made her look ethereal and powerful all at once.
"Jay... you look breathtaking," Sophia whispered, her teasing tone vanishing for a moment of genuine awe.
"Keifer is going to lose his mind when he sees you in that."
Jay looked at her reflection, her cheeks dusting with a soft pink. "You look beautiful too, Soph. Truly."
They both giggled, blushing at the mutual praise, feeling like sisters for the first time.
They finalize dress, get them packed.
But as they headed back to the entrance, Sophia checked her watch and gasped.
"Oh no! Look at the time! My parents are going to kill me if I'm late to Auntie's." Sophia pointed toward the street where two sleek black cars were waiting.
"The driver in the first car is for you. He'll take you straight home. I'm taking the second one to the outskirts."
She gave Jay a quick, mischievous hug and whispered into her ear,
"The house is going to be empty tonight, Jay. No parents, no annoying little sister... just you and Keifer. Try not to break the bed, okay? Bye!"
Before Jay could even process the scandalous comment, Sophia had hopped into her car and sped away.
Jay's eyes widened when she finally understand what she mean. But sophia was already gone.
She stood on the sidewalk, clutching her shopping bag. She climbed into her own car, the silence of the backseat feeling heavy.
Her phone was dead, Keifer was at the office with his phone likely on silent for meetings, and she was heading to a massive, empty mansion all by herself.