Sophia's hand was practically touching the handle when her mother's voice finally snapped her back.
"Sophia, just come with me! Leave it. Do you really think you're going to find Keifer and Jay inside a wardrobe? Just come with me."
Sophia let out a loud, frustrated groan.
"Ugh, okay! Coming."
The sound of the guest room door clicking shut felt like the heavens opening.
Jay finally exhaled the breath she had been holding for what felt like an eternity, her shoulders sagging with relief.
The two of them stumbled out of the cramped almirah, the cool air of the room hitting them instantly.
Jay didn't waste a second; the panic was still humming through her veins.
"I think... I should go to my room before she comes back," Jay said breathlessly.
She turned to bolt for the door, but she didn't even make it one step.
Keifer moved like a shadow.
Before she could react, he had her caged in his arms, his palms slamming against the wooden almirah door on either side of her head. Jay was forced backward, her spine hitting the wood with a soft thud.
Her breath hitched in her throat as she found herself pinned between the wardrobe and his solid frame.
"You forgot one thing," Keifer said, his voice dropping into that low, dangerous register.
The "Golden Boy" smirk was back, sharp and devastatingly handsome in the dim light.
"Keifer... wh... what?" Jay stammered, her heart doing a frantic double-thump.
He leaned in slowly, closing the gap until his nose was almost brushing against hers.
The scent of him was everywhere, dizzying and warm.
"A kiss," he murmured.
Jay's breath hitched again, her pulse drumming a frantic rhythm in her ears.
A scorching heat rushed to her face, turning her cheeks a deep, unmistakable crimson.
She tried to look away, but his gaze held hers like a magnet.
Keifer's eyes darkened as he watched the color bloom across her skin.
He leaned even closer, his lips ghosting just a hair's breadth away from hers.
"You know," he whispered, his smirk widening with possessive satisfaction, "you look even more beautiful when you blush."
Jay looked away sharply, her neck craning as she tried to escape his intense gaze.
"I... I'm not... blushing," she stammered, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to sound like she had it all under control.
She tried to pull her chin up, to look him in the eye with a cold, untouchable confidence, but the heat radiating from her skin told a different story.
"Oh, seriously?" Keifer chuckled, the sound low and resonant in the quiet room.
He leaned a fraction closer, his eyes dancing with a mix of triumph and affection.
She nodded firmly, her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Oh, then..." he murmured, his voice dropping into a velvet whisper that made her toes curl, "let me collect my kiss."
He began to lean in, his scent-that familiar mix of expensive cologne and something uniquely him-filling her senses.
The tension in the room was thick enough to touch. But just as the world began to blur, a sharp memory flashed in her mind like a bolt of lightning.
The nervousness in her eyes didn't just fade; it was incinerated by a sudden, sharp spike of irritation.
Before his lips could touch hers, she placed her palms against his chest and shoved him back with surprising force.
"Jay..." he said, his voice laced with a mixture of confusion and amusement as he stumbled back half a step.
"No."
He let out a short, disbelieving chuckle. "What do you mean, 'no'?"
She didn't just stand there; she took a predatory step toward him, her eyes narrowing until they were like cold shards of glass.
"No. Means. No."
Keifer instinctively raised his hands in a mock gesture of surrender, his feet moving back as she advanced.
"Okay, okay, I understood. But what happened? We were fine a second ago. What changed?"
"You..." she pointed a trembling finger at his chest, her voice vibrating with a sudden, suppressed rage.
"You... ugh, you!"
He managed a small, lopsided smile, though he was still backing away.
"What 'me'? Jay-jay, what 'me'?"
Jay pointed a finger towards him, but as she move her hand, her hand get stuck in her silk shirt's button.
When she pull more, the first button broke, making her collarbone and a bit chest visible.
She instantly clutch her shirt.
Keifer noticed, he was just going to help her when an idea pop up in his mind, he lean in and wisper.
"Jay, you don't need to hide it, I told you, I saw everything."
Her eyes widened, her cheeks flushed but then memory of her being in sophia's room came to her mind.
"Oh, you saw everything?"
Jay wisper as she step forward making his eyes went wide.
"Ye..yes"
"Then tell me, I have a mole on my stomach, where it is?"
"Umm...a mole?", he stammer as he step back.
"Yes, a mole."
"I...I didn't notice.", he tried to say with confidence, as just guessing a mole on body was a difficult task.
"You..you didn't notice?" She ask narrowing her eyes.
He shook his head in Denial.
"Why?", she ask as she slightly pushed his chest with a hand.
"Wh...why..is..", he stammer as he couldn't find any word seeing her shy wife becoming second time this bold.
"I'll answer that why, it is because you were not the one to change my clothes but was Sophia."
She yelled in a low voice but lound enough to make Mark keifer watson flinch.
"Am I right, Mr Watson?," She ask tilting her head.
"Ummm...it's li.."
"You are a liar Mr Watson.", she hissed as she cross her arms on her chest and turn her face towards the door.
Jay was still fuming, her chin tilted up in a silent vow to never speak to him again, when the air suddenly left her lungs.
With a swift, fluid motion, Keifer reached out and hooked his arm around her waist, yanking her forward until she was flushed against his solid chest.
The sudden impact made her gasp, her hands instinctively landing on his shoulders.
He looked down at her, a challenging glint in his eyes.
"So," he murmured, his voice dropping to a low drawl.
"You're angry because I wasn't the one who changed your clothes? Is that it, Jay-jay?"
"Ye— I mean, noooo!"
Jay stammered, her face turning a deep, burning crimson.
"That is not what I said!"
"Then what's the problem?"
Keifer asked, leaning in until their foreheads almost touched.
"You seem very focused on what I didn't see. Are you disappointed?"
"Umm...it...not..ugh." she hide her face in her hands groaning.
But then..
She pushed him again slightly, just enough to come out of his grip.
"It's not the only reason I'm mad at u." She said with a bit of pout which only make him chuckle.
"Then?"
"U...u..were.."
"Me what jay?"
"U were..."
"What me jay?", he ask with a chuckle.
"You were flirting with that girl!"
she finally exploded, the words tumbling out of her like a dam breaking.
Keifer stopped in his tracks, a single brow arching high. "That girl? Which girl?"
"Don't play dumb with me, Keifer! You know exactly who! That girl... in the parking lot!"
She looked away, her arms snapping across her chest as she hugged herself tightly, her posture rigid with fury.
"The way you were smiling, the way you let her touch your arm -it was...pathetic."
"Oh, okay," he said, his voice dropping an octave.
He took a slow, deliberate step forward, and Jay, caught off guard by his sudden shift in energy, took a step back.
"So, you're jealous now?"
"No... I'm not jealous!" she lied, her voice rising an octave.
"Oh, really? Then why the sudden cold shoulder?"
"Because-!" She bit her tongue, unable to find a logical excuse that didn't involve admitting she wanted to scratch that girl's eyes out.
Keifer didn't let up.
He took another step, cornering her once more.
"And what about that boy? The one who was practically proposing to you in front of everyone? The one you told, 'I'll tell you later' instead of just saying 'no'? What about him?"
He looked up at the ceiling, tapping his chin in mock concentration.
"What was his name again? That... that gala guy... that planner... oh yes, Rophy! Huh?
Tell me, Jay, are you jealous of those girls? Because you seem pretty hung up on them."
He stepped forward again, but this time, Jay stopped retreating.
She planted her feet and leaned into his space, her face inches from his.
"Oh, okay! So now you remember their names? You've been keeping track, have you?
And yes! I'm jealous! I'm hell jealous, Keifer! I feel like burning every single one of them to the ground! And you too!"
She took a forceful step forward, and this time, it was Keifer who had to retreat.
"You think you're so innocent?"
she hissed.
"What about Nicole? I saw the way you let her linger around you at gala,. You let her flirt, Keifer! And don't you dare forgot about that night in her room!"
"But Jay, that-"
"And Cheska!" she cut him off, her voice sharp as a blade.
"She used to flirt with you every single day at the University, and you just laughed it off like it was some big joke! And don't even get me started on those divorce papers, huh?"
Keifer's back hit the edge of the guest room table as she continued her assault.
She was a whirlwind of stored-up grievances.
"You think you can just do whatever you want, flirt with whoever you want, and I'm just supposed to sit there and be the 'good girl'? I can't do this, Keifer!"
"Jay, it's-it's not like tha-"
he tried to intervene, his hands reaching out to steady her.
"No!" she shouted, her voice a harsh whisper to avoid waking the house.
She gave his shoulder one final, stinging push.
"No means no! If you love the attention so much, go back to the parking lot! Go and flirt with all of them!"
She didn't give him a chance to recover.
Before he could utter another word of explanation, she spun on her heel and stormed out of the guest room, the door clicking shut behind her.
.
.
.
Keifer stood frozen in the middle of the dim room, the sting of her final push still lingering on his shoulder.
For a second, he just stared at the closed door, but then, a slow, predatory smile began to creep across his lips.
The irritation, the fire, the way she had practically growled his name-it was better than any polite "yes" he could have imagined.
"Oh," he whispered to the empty room, his eyes dark with a new kind of mischief.
"So my wife is jealous now?"
But then his expressions changed, he scratch the back of his head.
"Ugh but now I've to court her again."
He didn't wait.
He bolted out of the guest room, his mind already spinning.
.
.
.
The Master Bedroom
Across the hall, the heavy oak door of the master suite pushed open.
Mrs. Watson stepped inside, a knowing smirk playing on her face as she caught her breath.
"Did you find them both?" Mr. Watson asked, looking up from his book with a curious glint in his eyes.
"They are hiding in the almirah in the guest room," she said with a soft chuckle, shaking her head at the sheer predictability of it.
"How do you know?"
"Because I'm Mrs watson.", she said with a confident wink.
Alberto raised his brows. "Does Sophia know?"
"Of course not," Elena replied, moving toward the vanity to remove her earrings.
"If she did, she would have thrown them both out of the house by now. You know how she gets about her 'investigations.'"
"How do you get to know."
"Umm...," she kept her finger on her chin making expressions like she's thinking.
"I just saw them going inside when we were outside keifer's bedroom. And bathroom door is locked because of some construction work, so only place left is.....
"Almirah.", Mr and Mrs Watson completed the word together with a chuckle.
"Kids nowadays," Mr. Watson said, shaking his head while a nostalgic smile tugged at his lips.
"I wish we had an adventure like that back in the day. Hiding in wardrobes... the adrenaline must be something else."
"You can, Alberto. You still can,"
she said, turning toward him.
She took a seat on the edge of the bed and pointedly extended her hands toward him, gesturing with her fingers.
He raised a brow, looking confused. "What?"
"My hands are aching," she said, adjusting herself comfortably against the pillows.
"Please massage them."
"But... Elena, I was just getting to the good chapter," he protested weakly.
"Don't forget our deal, Alberto."
~Flashback~
( On First day of university)
"Ugh! I accepted the challenge to court my wife again, but... how?"
Alberto Watson was pacing the lobby like a caged tiger.
He had been rejected for the tenth time that day-by his own wife.
He had tried flowers, he had tried poetry, and he had tried the "distinguished gentleman" look.
Nothing was working.
"Idea," he muttered, a lightbulb finally going off.
He marched out to the garden, where Elena was lounging in a wicker chair, completely absorbed in scrolling through reels on her phone.
"Elena..."
Ignored.
"Elena-a..."
Still ignored.
"Elena, please listen to me, darling!"
She didn't even blink.
"Elena, please! My respect is on the line here!"
Total silence.
"Fine!" Alberto groaned, throwing his hands up.
"I'll do whatever you say, but please... I can't accept defeat by my own son. Keifer thinks he's the only one who can charm a woman in this house."
That finally did it.
Elena looked up from her phone, her eyes sparking with interest.
"Whatever I say?"
"Yes, whatever you say!" Alberto promised desperately.
"As long as it doesn't harm my charm in public. A man has to keep his dignity, after all."
Elena's lips curled into a devious, beautiful smile.
"Okay then. Prepare to be at my beck and call, Alberto...."
"Until?"
She thought for a bit.
"A year?"
"Nooooo", Mr Watson shouted.
She thought more.
"Ok, then until Keifer and Jay didn't get married again."
Me Watson thought for a bit.
"But you'll not be any hindrance to their marriage, I can't serve lifetime...you know.", Mr Watson said with a grin.
Elena roll her eyes
"Ok"
~flashback end~
Jay tiptoed into the room, her heart still performing a frantic drum solo against her ribs.
She scanned the shadows, and when she didn't see Sophia's silhouette anywhere in room, she let out a long, shaky exhale.
"Safe," she whispered to herself.
She moved toward the bed, her mind still replaying the heat of the guest room, but as she turned to pull back the covers-
"Ahhhh!" Jay's scream was cut short as she nearly jumped out of her skin.
Sophia was standing right there in the dim moonlight, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.
She looked like a judge about to hand down a life sentence, her eyes narrowed in a terrifying 'I'll kill you' glare.
"Soph! You scared me!"
Jay gasped, clutching her chest.
Sophia didn't blink.
She didn't offer a "sorry."
Instead, she took a slow, menacing step forward. Jay instinctively took a step back.
Soph stepped forward again, her shadow looming large.
Jay retreated, step by step, until the back of her legs hit the edge of the mattress.
She was cornered.
Again
"Where. Were. You?"
Sophia asked, her voice dropping into a dangerous, low growl.
"I... I... I..."
"What 'I... I... I...'?" Sophia mimicked, leaning into Jay's space.
"Speak!"
"I... was just here!"
"Here where?"
"Here means..."
Jay's eyes darted frantically around the room, searching for any spot that looked even remotely plausible.
Her gaze landed on the glass doors.
"There!" she squeaked, pointing toward the balcony.
"I was on the balcony! Looking at the... stars?"
She offered a weak, 'I'm doomed' grin.
Sophia tilted her head, her expression unmoving.
"Don't 'balcony' me, Jay. I know you were with Keifer. Weren't you?"
she roared, the volume making Jay wince.
"No! I... I wasn't!"
"Really?"
"Yes! Yes! Do you have any proof?
No! See? I wasn't with him!"
Jay didn't wait for Sophia to find her voice again.
Realizing that a vertical defense was failing, she made a tactical retreat.
She scrambled onto the bed, dived under the heavy duvet, and pulled it over her head until she was a shapeless lump of fabric.
"Good night, Soph!" she screamed from beneath the sheets.
"Jay-jay! Don't 'good night' me!" Sophia yelled, grabbing the edge of the bedsheet and trying to yank it back.
"I know you were with him! I can smell the mischief! Just let me find proof once-just once-and you both are dead!"
Underneath the heavy layers of the blanket, Jay squeezed her eyes shut and pulled the fabric tighter, making herself as small as possible.
Why do these two siblings always corner me?
she grumbled to herself, her heart still hammering.
One traps me against an almirah to steal a kiss, and the other traps me against a bed to start an interrogation.
As Sophia's muffled grumbling continued outside the "blanket fort,"
Jay's thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the guest room.
The smell of cedarwood, the heat of Keifer's skin, and that look in his eyes-the raw, dark intensity that was so different from his usual playful smirk.
She bit her lower lip, the skin still feeling a little sensitive from where he had almost claimed it.
The memory of how close his lips had been to hers sent a fresh wave of heat through her body.
Was I too much with him?
she wondered for a split second, feeling a tiny pang of guilt for storming out like that.
But then, the image of the parking lot girl popped into her head.
The way that girl had looked at Keifer, and the way Keifer hadn't immediately shut it down.
No,
she decided firmly, her jaw tightening in the dark.
He deserves that.
He definitely deserves to squirm for a bit.
Yes, he was letting that girl flirt with him.
.
.
.
The morning sun beat down on the university campus, but it did nothing to brighten the mood between the two girls.
Sophia was marching with her jaw set, her face practically screaming that she was still on the warpath.
Beside her, Jay was a walking ghost; her red, puffy eyes and drooping shoulders made it clear she hadn't slept a wink.
Jay was so deep in her half-sleep state that she was practically dreaming on her feet.
She didn't even notice the uneven pavement ahead.
Her foot caught the edge, and her balance vanished.
"Jay!" Sophia lunged forward to grab her, but someone else was faster.
Two firm hands gripped Jay's shoulders, steadying her just inches before her knees could hit the concrete.
"Thank you,"
Jay breathed, her voice thick with exhaustion.
She straightened up, blinking rapidly to clear her blurry vision, and finally looked up to see who had caught her.
Her heart nearly stopped.
The face staring back at her was the most unexpected person in the world.
"Cheska?" Jay's eyes widened with pure shock.
"What? Why so much shock? I study at this university too,"
Cheska said.
But something was off.
Her voice wasn't dripping with the usual sarcasm or the flirtatious edge she used around Keifer.
It was... friendly.
"No, it's not... like that..." Jay stammered, her brain struggling to catch up with the reality of Cheska standing there without an ulterior motive.
Sophia, meanwhile, looked like she had just swallowed a lemon.
She cleared her throat loudly, her annoyance radiating in waves.
"Okay, thanks for saving my friend, and now you can go,"
Sophia snapped, her voice sharp enough to cut glass.
"Soph..." Jay whispered, giving her a pointed look that said don't start a scene now.
Cheska didn't even give Sophia the satisfaction of a retort.
She simply rolled her eyes, completely ignoring the outburst, and turned her full attention back to Jay.
She extended her hand, her expression surprisingly sincere.
"Can I be your friend?"
"Huh?" Jay stood there, stunned.
"I know I didn't behave well with you in the past,"
Cheska admitted, her gaze steady. "But I want to make it right now. I'd like to start over."
"No, she can't!" Sophia half-screamed, stepping between them like a protective shield.
"Soph!" Jay hissed, pulling her friend back by the arm.
Jay looked at Cheska's outstretched hand.
After all the jealousy and the tension from the night before, this felt like a bizarre twist of fate.
But seeing the lack of malice in Cheska's eyes, Jay felt a flicker of relief.
She reached out and accepted the hand with a polite, tired smile.
"Yeah... sure. Let's do that."
.
.
.
The three girls walked into the lecture hall, but as they reached their usual row, they stopped dead in their tracks.
"Wow. What. Is. This?" Cheska exclaimed, her eyes rounding as she took in the scene.
Jay's desk was no longer just a piece of wood—it had been transformed into a shrine of apology.
It was buried under a mountain of vibrant flowers, premium chocolates, and a colorful assortment of her favorite candies.
The sheer volume of it was enough to make the entire class whisper.
Jay's jaw dropped, her exhaustion instantly replaced by a surge of adrenaline. Right then, her phone buzzed in her hand.
Keifer:
Hey wifey, do you like this one?
A wave of heat rushed to her face.
This was the second time he had pulled a stunt like this, but this one was far more public—and far more "Keifer."
~Flashback: Early Morning~
Back at the house, the sun hadn't even fully cleared the horizon.
Sophia was in the bathroom, the sound of the shower masking everything else.
Jay was stumbling around the room in a daze, trying to shove her textbooks into her bag while her eyes kept sliding shut.
Knock.
Knock.
The sound was soft, almost hesitant.
Jay pulled the door open, blinking against the hall light, but the corridor was empty.
She rubbed her eyes, thinking her sleep-deprived brain was playing tricks on her, and was just about to retreat back inside when she spotted something on the floor.
A massive, overflowing bouquet of wildflowers and lilies sat right at her feet.
She picked it up in confusion, her fingers brushing against a small, cream-colored note tucked between the petals.
She opened it, and her heart did a traitorous little skip as she read the handwriting:
Good morning, my sunshine.
From your hubby.
A deep blush burned across her cheeks, and despite everything, a small, involuntary smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
For a second, the anger from the night before felt like a distant memory.
But then, she caught her reflection in the mirror—red-eyed and tired—and she immediately straightened her posture, pulling her expression back into a frown.
No. I can't let myself melt this easily, Jay thought firmly.
A few flowers don't erase the parking lot girl.
Hearing the shower turn off, she panicked and shoved the bouquet deep into the back of her closet, hiding it behind her laundry basket before Sophia could emerge and start another round of "The Great Investigation."
...
~Flashback ends ~
Back in the Classroom
Jay stared at the chocolates on her desk, the "wifey" text still glowing on her screen.
She could feel Sophia's suspicious gaze burning into the side of her head and Cheska's curious smile.
He's impossible, Jay thought, her heart racing.
He was clearly trying to buy his way out of the doghouse, and while the flowers were beautiful, she wasn't ready to let him off the hook just yet.
"I know who this is," Sophia said, her eyes narrowing as she turned her head slowly toward Jay.
She reached out and picked up one of the gold-wrapped chocolates, inspecting it like a forensic scientist.
"Is this the boy who proposed to you that day? but...
I don't remember giving him enough money to buy premium chocolates like these."
Cheska, who had been listening intently to the mention of the proposal, shook her head with a knowing look.
"Do you really think any other boy could send her chocolates and Keifer—the 'Golden Boy'—would just let it happen? He'd have the guy's head on a platter before the delivery arrived."
As if summoned by her words, the atmosphere in the room shifted.
Jay's eyes flickered toward the doorway, and there he was.
Keifer was leaning casually against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest and that signature, devastating smirk playing on his lips.
He was watching Jay with an intensity that made it clear every single flower on that desk was his doing.
Jay didn't give him the satisfaction of a smile.
Instead, she let out a sharp "hmpf,"
grabbed her bag, and moved to a different seat three rows away.
Cheska and Sophia shared a look and immediately followed her, sliding into the seats on either side of her.
"Oh! So it is my dumb brother,"
Sophia said, her smirk widening into a full-blown grin as she realized the source of the drama.
She leaned closer to Jay, her voice dripping with amusement.
"Did you two have a fight? Is the Golden Boy finally in the doghouse?"
While Sophia was enjoying the chaos, Cheska remained silent, her expression shifting to one of total confusion.
She looked from the mountain of flowers on the first desk to the scowling Jay, and then back to the smirking Keifer at the door.
She was still trying to piece together why the "brother" was acting like a jealous, doting husband—and why Jay was treating the campus heartthrob like he was invisible.
The lunch rush at the university canteen was usually a chaotic scramble for soggy fries and lukewarm soda, but today, for Jay, it felt like a five-star dining experience choreographed by a madman.
As soon as the three girls sat down, a canteen server arrived—not with a plastic tray, but with a silver one.
He placed a steaming bowl of Jay's favorite pasta and a fresh fruit smoothie in front of her.
Tucked under the straw was a small, cream-colored note.
I heard you skipped breakfast. Don't make me come over there and feed you myself.
Jay crumbled the note into a ball, her face heating up.
"I'm not eating this," she muttered, pushing the plate away.
"Oh, yes you are," Sophia said, already reaching for a fork.
"If my brother is paying for the 'VIP canteen experience,' I'm not letting it go to waste."
Cheska watched the interaction, a slow, knowing smile spreading across her face.
She noticed how the canteen manager kept glancing over at their table to make sure Jay was comfortable, and how every few minutes, a different student worker would "accidentally" pass by and drop a small treat—a gourmet cookie, a bag of premium chips, even a chilled wet towel.
Buzz.
Jay's phone vibrated on the table.
Keifer:
The pasta has extra cheese, just how you like it. Eat up, Jay-jay.
"He's watching us, isn't he?"
Cheska whispered, leaning in.
She didn't know the full "husband and wife divorce" secret yet, but she was starting to see the patterns.
"He's not just being a 'golden boy,' Jay. This is... a lot."
"He's being a pest," Jay snapped, though the smell of the garlic pasta was starting to break her resolve.
She stood up to leave, her irritation peaking.
"I'm going to the library."
But Sophia and Cheska each grabbed one of her arms, pulling her back down into her seat.
"No way," Sophia grinned, stabbing a piece of pasta and holding it up to Jay's mouth.
"You're exhausted, you're grumpy, and you're clearly hungry. You aren't leaving until this plate is empty."
"Besides,"
Cheska added, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she looked toward the canteen entrance where a certain "Golden Boy" was visible in the distance, talking to his friends but keeping his gaze fixed on their table.
"It's fun watching him work this hard.
Let him sweat a little longer while you enjoy the perks."
Jay huffed, but as another note arrived—this one tucked inside a fortune cookie that simply read 'Forgive me?'—she finally took a bite of the pasta.
It was delicious, and despite her best efforts to stay mad, the warmth of the food and the ridiculousness of the gestures started to melt the ice around her heart just a tiny bit.
.
.
.
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!"
The high-pitched scream ripped through the university parking lot, echoing off the concrete walls and causing several students to jump in surprise.
Sophia and Cheska immediately winced, jamming their fingers into their ears to block out the sound.
"What the hellll?!"
Jay screamed again, her hands flying to her head as she stood frozen in front of her car.
Through the windows, her car didn't even look like a vehicle anymore; it looked like a candy store had exploded inside.
Every spare inch of the passenger side, the back seats, and the floorboards was buried under an avalanche of gourmet chocolates, colorful candy jars, beautifully wrapped gift boxes, designer shopping bags with new dresses peeking out, and neatly packed containers of her favorite snacks.
It was a mountain of "I'm sorry" so massive that the only thing still visible and unoccupied was the driver's seat.
Sophia and Cheska stood behind her, taking in the sheer absurdity of the sight.
The tension that had existed between them for months finally snapped under the weight of the ridiculousness.
Sophia clutched her stomach, letting out a loud snort, while Cheska doubled over, her sophisticated exterior completely crumbling.
They both burst into uncontrollable fits of laughter, leaning on each other for support.
"He... he actually..."
Sophia tried to speak between wheezes, pointing at the candy-filled interior.
"He really filled the car! I can't even see the dashboard!"
"Jay," Cheska managed to gasp out, wiping a tear of laughter from her eye,
"I think he's literally trying to bury you in sugar so you can't walk away from him."
The shared hysterics of the moment—the sheer, over-the-top 'Golden Boy' desperation—did more for their friendship than a thousand apologies could.
Standing there in the parking lot, laughing until their sides ached, the two of them looked less like old rivals and more like sisters-in-arms, united by the chaos that was Keifer.
Jay, meanwhile, stood in the center of the storm, clutching her car keys and looking between her laughing friends and her chocolate-stuffed car, her face a mixture of pure exasperated fury and a tiny, hidden spark of amusement she was desperately trying to hide.
Jay's phone buzzed, vibrating against her palm.
She answered quickly, her tone shifting into a sharp, focused register.
After a brief exchange of data and directives, she ended the call.
"Sophia," Jay said, her voice now grounded and steady.
"Yes?" Sophia asked, finally catching her breath from the laughter.
"I have to go to the office. Can you go home with the driver?"
Sophia looked at the car, which looked more like a giant gift basket on wheels than a vehicle.
"Oh... okay. But don't tell me you're going in this car?"
"I am," Jay replied.
"How? What are you going to do with all this mess?"
Jay offered a calm, composed smile. "Don't worry, Soph. I know exactly what to do."
.
.
.
The MARIANO Corps headquarters stood as a beacon of glass and steel in the heart of the city.
As Jay's car pulled up to the entrance, the security team moved with practiced precision.
Jay stepped out of the vehicle, her presence instantly commanding the space.
She wasn't just a student or a friend here; she was the pillar of a multi-million dollar empire.
As she walked toward the revolving glass doors, a commotion near the side entrance caught her eye.
Two security guards were firmly escorting a small, disheveled boy away from the lobby.
The child, no older than seven, was clutching a tattered bag, his eyes wide with fear as he was nudged toward the sidewalk.
"I told you, kid, no begging here. Move along," one of the guards said, his voice gruff.
"Wait."
The word wasn't loud, but it carried the weight of an absolute command.
The guards froze.
Jay walked toward them, her heels clicking rhythmically against the pavement. The staff watched in silence as their CEO approached.
"Ma'am, he was just—"
Jay raised a hand slightly, silencing the guard without a word.
She didn't look at the employees; her focus was entirely on the boy.
In a move that surprised everyone watching, Jay disregarded her expensive suit and dropped to her knees, bringing herself down to the boy's eye level.
"Hello there," she said, her voice dropping the executive edge for a tone of genuine, soft politeness.
"What is your name?"
The boy blinked, trembling slightly. "L-Leo."
"Leo," Jay repeated with a gentle smile. "That's a strong name.
"Where are your parents, Leo?"
"They went to the stars a long time ago," he whispered.
"My sister... she's very sick and she won't wake up.
I found this paper in the trash. It has a picture of this big building... I thought someone here would be important enough to help."
Jay looked at the crumpled flyer in his hand—an old advertisement for the Mariano Foundation.
The silence in the plaza was heavy.
Jay reached out, placing a steadying hand on his shoulder. She stood up, her eyes flashing with a quiet, fierce determination.
"Mykel," she called to her PA.
the PA opened the door, revealing the mountain of chocolates, candies, and designer boxes, Jay reached in.
She pulled out a soft, fleece-lined jacket and wrapped it around Leo's shivering shoulders.
Then, she grabbed a basket of fresh fruits and a box of soft chocolates.
"Take these for now," she told him.
She then turned to her PA with a series of rapid, clear instructions.
"Call the company's private medical mobile unit. Have them meet Leo immediately to pick up his sister. She is to be treated at our private clinic—all expenses under my personal account."
She turned back to Leo, her voice firm but kind.
"You don't have to worry about the alley anymore, Leo. Once your sister is feeling better, I'm going to make sure you both have a warm bed, good food, and a place where you'll never be separated. Do you like toys and sweets?"
The boy nodded slowly, his eyes wide.
"Good," Jay smiled, gesturing to the car overflowing with Keifer's gifts.
"Because all of this—every single chocolate, every dress for your sister, and every toy—is coming with you to the orphanage we support. It's all yours."
She looked up at the security guards, her gaze regaining its executive steel.
"A person in need is never a 'bother.' Remember that."
Jay watched as her PA helped Leo into a secure car to go find his sister.
Only when the car was out of sight did she turn toward the glass doors of her empire.
She smoothed her hair, her posture regaining the formidable strength of a woman who ran the city's most powerful corporation.
She had a board meeting to lead, but her heart was lighter, knowing that Keifer's overwhelming "apology" had finally found a truly meaningful purpose.
she entered the lobby, the atmosphere turned crisp.
Employees nodded respectfully, and the hum of conversation tuned into a professional silence.
Jay moved with a quiet, unshakable strength—she was a leader who didn't need to raise her voice to be heard.
___________________________________
Hey buddies how are you?