KEIFER'S POV
The moment she says it—rules, boundaries, nothing between us—I understand exactly what she's doing.
She's building walls.
Carefully. Precisely. The same way she builds collections—layer by layer, clean, intentional, leaving no space for error. And I let her, because stopping her would mean asking for something she's not ready to give.
But when she says, "Inside, we're nothing," something in my chest tightens in a way I don't react to.
I just nod.
Agree.
Play my part.
Because if this is the only version of her I get—then I'll take it.
Even if it's borrowed. Even if it's temporary and when we walk out of that café, I already know one thing with absolute clarity—
She thinks this is a deal.
For me?
It never was.
— THE NEXT EVENING
Even the doctors couldn't convince her.
"Postpone it," they said. "Just a few days."
But Lola doesn't postpone.
The doctors. The family. Even I did—once, quietly, carefully—but Lola Watson doesn't bend when she's made up her mind. She simply looks at you like you've said something irrelevant… and moves forward anyway.
So the banquet happens.
The hall is nothing short of breathtaking.
Crystal chandeliers casting warm gold light, silk drapes flowing like quiet luxury, a live quartet playing something soft and expensive—and every name that matters in London is here. Industrialists, politicians, legacy families, people who shape markets with a sentence.
But I barely register any of it.
Because my attention is fixed on one thing.
The entrance.
Again.And again.And again.
You're going to wear a hole into that door," Sam mutters beside me under her breath.
I ignore her.
My fingers brush against the inside of my pocket.
The ring.
A diamond—perfectly cut, understated but powerful. Not flashy. Not loud. Just… right and perfect for her finger ...
My fingers brush the inside of my pocket for the hundredth time.
The ring is still there.
Unlike everything else about tonight.
And then—
She walks in.
Everything else fades.
Soft pink gown, fluid and deliberate, the slit catching just enough attention to make the room pause without her asking for it. Her heels click against marble like a rhythm that pulls focus, and for a second—just a second—every conversation dips.
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My breath stills.
And when her eyes meet mine—
That's it.No noise.No crowd.Just that look.
But there's something beneath it.
Something only I seem to notice.
—
"Jay Jay!" Lola's voice lights up the moment she reaches us, her entire presence shifting, brighter despite everything.
Jay bends slightly, hugging her carefully, her voice softening in a way I've only heard a few times. "You look beautiful, Lola… don't let anyone tell you otherwise tonight."
Lola laughs lightly. "I never do."
Jace follows with his usual ease, Sam slipping into the moment beside them, and for a few minutes—it almost feels like this is just another celebration.
Just another night.
—
Then Lola looks at me.
"It's time."
I nod, offering her my arm, guiding her slowly toward the stage as the lights dim just enough for the spotlight to take over.
The room quiets.
Conversations dissolve.
All eyes turn.
—
She stands at the center.
Small.
Fragile.
And still—somehow—the strongest person in the room.
"Good evening," she begins, her voice steady, carrying effortlessly across the hall.
"It brings me immense joy to see all of you here tonight… not just to celebrate my birthday, but to celebrate something far more meaningful."
A pause.
Her eyes sweep across the room—warm, knowing.
"I have spent seventy years watching this world change. Watching families grow, businesses rise, people fall and rise again… but the one thing that has remained constant… is the value of legacy."
The room listens.
No distractions.
No interruptions.
"Legacy is not built on wealth," she continues. "It is built on people. On the bonds we choose… and the ones we are blessed with."
Her gaze shifts slightly.
Toward us.
"And tonight… I want to honor both."
My jaw tightens slightly.
I know what's coming.
But hearing it—
Is different.
"My grandson," she says, her voice softening just a fraction, "Mark Keifer Watson… carries forward not just a name, but a responsibility."
A pause.
"And our very own Ms.Mariano aka Jay…"
There's a shift in the room.
People lean in.
"She is not just talented," Lola continues, pride clear in every word. "She is fierce. Brilliant. Unapologetically her own… and yet, she holds a heart that makes space for others in ways most people never learn."
My chest tightens.
Because she's right and because Jay is standing somewhere behind the crowd—hearing every word.
"I have watched them both," Lola says slowly. "Challenge each other. Push each other. Refuse to bend… and yet, somehow… stand stronger together."
A faint smile touches her lips.
"And that," she says, "is not something you find often."
Silence settles..
"And so," she breathes in, steadying herself, "it brings me immense happiness to announce…"
A pause.
Long enough to make the entire room hold its breath.
"…that my grandson, Mark Keifer Watson… and our beloved Jay… are getting married."
—
The reaction is immediate.
Gasps.
Applause.
Flashes exploding from every direction.
Voices rising, overlapping, excitement breaking through the polished surface of the room.
But I don't react.
Because I'm not looking at them.
—
I'm looking at her.
She walks toward the stage.Every step measured.Every movement controlled and when she reaches me—
She doesn't hesitate.She stands beside me like she belongs here.
Like she's always belonged here.
My hand moves before I think.Settling at her waist.
Claiming the moment in a way words can't.
She stills slightly under my touch.Just for a second.
But she doesn't pull away.
The ring feels heavier now as I take it out.
The world narrows.
Just her.
Just this.
Even if it's built on something fragile.
I slide it onto her finger slowly.Like I'm memorizing the moment.Like I'm anchoring it somewhere permanent.
She does the same.Her fingers are steady.
But I see it.
That barely-there tremor.That hesitation she won't let anyone else notice.
Applause crashes again.Cameras flash endlessly.Voices call out questions, names, congratulations.
But all I hear—Is the promise forming in my head.
If this is the only way I get to love her…
Then I won't do it halfway.
We step down.
Lola's hands rest over ours, her smile softer now, content in a way that makes everything else irrelevant.
"Take care of each other," she murmurs.
"I will," I say quietly.
And this time—
I mean it.
Then she speaks again, her voice lifting just enough to reclaim the room.
"And one more thing," she adds, eyes sparkling faintly.
"The wedding… will take place on the 31st of December."
A ripple of surprise moves through the crowd.
"In fifteen days."
Fifteen days.
That's all it takes for something to become real.
Or at least—Real enough for the world.
I glance at Jay my ring on her finger.
My name tied to hers in front of everyone who matters.
And for the first time tonight—I don't look away because whether she believes in this or not—
I already know.
I'm not walking out of it the same way she plans to.