Jay's POV ( after one week)
The air outside the hospital didn't smell like bleach or antiseptic for the first time in a week. It smelled like freedom—and a little bit of exhaust from the busy city streets. I stood at the entrance, leaning slightly on a cane I insisted I didn't need, but Keifer had threatened to tie me to the bed if I didn't use it.
Speaking of my fiance —or husband-, our status was always a beautiful, chaotic blur—he wasn't here.
"Don't look so pouty, Baby sistah. Your knight in shining armor is just... slaying dragons. Or filing paperwork. Same thing, really," Percy said, leaning against his sleek silver sports car with a grin that was far too wide to be innocent.
I rolled my eyes, easing myself into the passenger seat. "He's been 'busy' for the last forty-eight hours, Percy. If he's actually filing paperwork, I'm the Queen of England."
Percy ignited the engine, the roar vibrating through the chassis. "Well, you'll just have to settle for the company of the most handsome brother. Honestly, Jay, how do you handle sitting next to a face this symmetrical? It's a burden, really. Sometimes I look in the mirror and just apologize to the rest of humanity for the unfair advantage."
I snorted, looking out the window as we pulled away from the Riverside Hospital.
"Percy, the only thing symmetrical about you is the way you trip over your own feet when a honey walks by. Focus on the road before your 'handsome face' meets an airbag."
"Ouch. Your tongue is still as sharp as a razor, I see. The concussion clearly didn't dampen your sarcasm," he joked, though his hand briefly reached over to squeeze my shoulder, his eyes softening. "It's good to have you back, Jay-Jay. Really."
"It's good to be back, Kuya."
The drive to the Watson Mansion was filled with Percy's nonstop chatter about his latest "conquests" and his extremely biased ranking of the best hair gels on the market. I knew what was happening. I wasn't stupid.
The way the Section E boys had been whispering in the halls, the way my mom had a permanent "I have a secret" smile for three days—they were planning something.
When we pulled into the long, winding driveway of the Watson estate, the house looked strangely dark. Usually, the exterior floodlights made it look like a fortress.
Tonight, it was a silhouette against the twilight sky.
"Stay here, I'll get your bag," Percy said, unusually chivalrous. But when I turned around after stepping onto the porch, he was already backing the car down the drive.
"Percy? Where are you going?"
"Got a date with destiny! Or a burger! Bye, Jay!" he yelled, the tires screeching as he vanished.
I stood alone on the porch, a cool breeze rustling the trees. "Unbelievable," I muttered, pushing the heavy oak doors open.
The foyer was pitch black. The silence was heavy, but not "dead" like the night of the accident. It felt... expectant. I felt my way to the console table and went to flick the light switch, but my hand hit a piece of paper instead.
A single spotlight flickered on, directed at a mannequin standing in the center of the hall. On it was a gown that stole the breath right out of my lungs. It was a deep,pink tulle ball gown dress featuring a sweetheart neckline.
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Pinned to the bodice was a card in Keifer's elegant, bold handwriting:
You've spent your whole life being a warrior. Tonight, just be my Queen. Put on the dress and come to the terrace.
- Your King of Uplong.
I smiled, a real, bone-deep smile. "Dramatic idiot," I whispered, but I took the dress upstairs.
Twenty minutes later, I emerged. The silk felt like water against my skin, and though my ribs still ached slightly, I felt powerful. I made my way to the grand staircase and headed for the roof terrace.
When I pushed open the glass doors, I stopped.
The terrace had been transformed into a garden of light. Thousands of fairy lights hung from the pergolas like a canopy of fireflies.
White roses—thousands of them—covered every inch of the railing, their scent intoxicating in the night air. In the center, a table was set for two, but there was no food. Only a path of candles leading to the edge of the balcony.
Keifer was standing there.
He was wearing a black three-piece suit that fit him like armor. His hair was pushed back, and for the first time in a week, the "beast mode" shadows under his eyes were replaced by a soft, glowing warmth. He looked at me, and I felt that familiar, electric jolt—the one that reminded me why I'd follow this man into a literal fire.
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"You look..." He trailed off, shaking his head as I walked toward him. "I don't have a word for it, Jay. 'Beautiful' feels like an insult to what you actually are."
"You cleaned up okay too," I teased, stepping into his space.
He took my hands, his palms warm and slightly rough. He didn't say anything for a long moment, just looked at me as if he were memorizing my face.
"Jay," he started, his voice dropping into that low, velvet register that always made my knees weak. "That night... seeing your car... I felt my soul leave my body. I realized that I've spent so much time being your partner, your protector, and your fiance in every way that matters, but I never gave you the moment you deserved. I don't want to spend another second in a world where you aren't officially, legally, and eternally mine."
He dropped to one knee. The King of Uplong, the man the world feared, was kneeling on the cold stone before me. He pulled out a box, and inside was a diamond so bright it rivaled the stars above us.
"Jay-Jay Mariano Fernandes, you are my life force. You are the Goddess of my empire. Will you marry me? For real this time. In front of everyone. Forever?"
I felt tears prickling my eyes. I wanted to say yes immediately, but the "Old Jay" couldn't help herself.
"I don't know, Keifer," I said, tapping my chin thoughtfully. "I'd have to change my monogrammed towels. It's a lot of work."
Keifer's face fell for a split second, his eyes widening in pure panic. "I'll buy new towels! I'll buy a towel factory!"
Suddenly, a loud thud came from the large planters behind us.
"OH FOR THE LOVE OF—JUST SAY YES, JAY!"
Pa Keizer and Ma Serina stepped out from behind the trellises, followed by Keiren and Keigan. Behind them, the entire Section E unit scrambled out of the shadows, looking sheepish but desperate.
"Jay, honey, please accept!" Serina cried, clutching her hands to her chest. "I've already booked the florist for three different dates just in case!"
"She's right, Jay," Keizer added, looking at his son with a mix of pity and amusement. "If you don't marry him, he's going to move back into his childhood bedroom and mope, and I really don't want to deal with that."
"Please, Ate Jay!" Aion and Leo popped up from behind the table. "If you marry him, we get to be the ring bearers! We practiced the walk and everything!"
The Section E boys stood in a row, suddenly dropping to one knee in perfect unison, mimicking Keifer.
"PLEASE, BOSS JAY! ACCEPT THE PROPOSAL!" they roared in a terrifyingly loud, military-style shout.
Yuri looked up, grinning. "If you don't say yes, Keifer is going to make us run twenty miles as 'stress relief.' Save our legs, Boss!"
I burst out laughing, the sound echoing across the terrace. I looked down at Keifer, who was looking up at me with such hope and love that I felt like I was floating.
"Yes," I said, loud enough for all of them to hear. "Yes, you idiot. Of course I'll marry you."
Keifer didn't even wait. He slid the ring onto my finger and lunged upward, lifting me off my feet and spinning me around as the family erupted into cheers.
"I love you , Jay. I love you until the scientist find the end of the universe ", he shouted.
"I'll love too Keifer. I love you until the last galaxy fades", I replied back.
Fireworks—actual, honest-to-god blue and gold fireworks—began to explode over the city skyline, Alex's handiwork no doubt.
As the noise died down slightly, Kyle stepped forward, his arm wrapped firmly around Jane's waist. Jane looked radiant, her eyes sparkling with a secret of her own.
"Since we're doing the whole 'happily ever after' thing tonight," Kyle announced, his voice booming with pride. "Jane and I decided we aren't waiting. We're holding our wedding next week. It's going to be a double celebration!"
The terrace turned into a blur of hugs, laughter, and champagne. My mom and Serina were already huddled together, likely planning a wedding that would be visible from space. The Section E boys were trying to teach Aion and Leo how to do a "tactical" wedding march.
I leaned back into Keifer's chest, his arms wrapped securely around my waist. The pain of the accident, the fire, and the betrayal of the Marianos felt a million miles away.
"You okay, Queen?" Keifer whispered into my hair.
I looked out at our family—the brothers, the girls, the boys who had become our army, and the parents who had become our anchors.
"I'm more than okay, Keifer," I whispered back, turning in his arms to kiss him. "I'm home."
The lights of the city twinkled below us, a new empire rising from the ashes of the old. The Goddess had her King, her family, and a future that no fire could ever touch.
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A/n
We finally made it till here! 🥹 I want to thank every single one of you for riding this emotional rollercoaster with me. From the fire to the retribution and now to this beautiful ending—your comments and support kept me going. Keifer and Jay-Jay's story wouldn't be the same without you all. Thank you for being part of the family! 💕✨
This is the final end of this book 📚