Jay-Jay's POV
The car ride had been way too quiet for my liking. Not awkward-awkward, but the kind of quiet that made my skin itch because it felt like something big was hanging in the air and nobody was saying it out loud. Kiefer kept one hand on the wheel and the other tapping lightly against it, like he was counting down to something. I kept staring out the window, pretending I wasn't trying to guess where we were going.
Then he turned into a driveway so wide and fancy it looked like it belonged to a movie set.
I sat up straight. "Wait. This is not a normal house."
Kiefer gave me a side glance. "You say that like anything about me is normal."
"Fair," I muttered, looking at the huge gates, the manicured garden, and the security guy who nodded at Kiefer like he came here every day. "You really are rich-rich."
He smirked. "Now you're noticing?"
"I noticed ages ago. I'm just choosing violence today."
That almost made him laugh, but he stayed focused on the road. We pulled up near the front entrance, and before I could even ask what was going on, the front doors opened.
Angelo stepped out first.
My stomach dropped.
Behind him was a woman I'd only seen in photos before, but somehow looked even more intimidating in real life. Sharp posture, perfect hair, expensive clothes, and the kind of face that said she was used to everyone listening the moment she spoke.
Serina Watson.
Kiefer's mom.
Oh no.
"Oh no," I whispered out loud.
Kiefer parked and turned off the engine. "You're so dramatic."
"I have a reason to be dramatic," I hissed, staring at the two people waiting for us like we were the main event. "Why is your mom here? Why is Angelo here? Why are they looking at us like that?"
He didn't answer. That should've been my warning.
We got out of the car, and the second my shoes touched the pavement, Serina smiled.
Not a warm smile. Not exactly.
More like the smile of someone who already knew how the story was going to end.
"Jay," Angelo said, way too calmly, "come inside."
My eyes narrowed. "Why do you sound like that?"
"Just come inside," he repeated.
Kiefer moved beside me, not touching me, but close enough that I noticed. That only made me more suspicious.
We walked into the house together, and the inside was even worse than the outside. Fancy stairs. Huge chandelier. Family photos in clean frames. The whole place screamed wealth so loudly I felt underdressed just breathing in it.
Tita's voice echoed in my head: act proper, Jay.
Yeah, right.
Serina led us into a sitting room that looked more like a private lounge. Angelo stood by the window with his arms crossed, looking like he was about to announce a war. Kiefer's jaw was tense. That was new. Usually he acted like nothing got to him.
Not today.
Serina sat first, elegant and composed, then gestured for me and Kiefer to sit opposite her.
I didn't sit right away.
"I feel like I'm about to be grounded by the universe," I muttered.
Kiefer glanced at me. "You say the strangest things."
"You should be used to it by now."
"I'm not."
I was about to snap back when Angelo cleared his throat.
That alone made the room feel heavier.
"Jay," he said, voice controlled, "there's something you need to know."
I folded my arms. "That's usually how bad news starts."
Serina's lips curved a little, but not enough to be called kind. "I like her already."
I blinked. "Excuse me?"
Kiefer muttered, "Don't encourage her."
"Too late," I whispered back.
Angelo ignored the both of us. "This meeting is about an agreement."
I frowned. "Agreement?"
Serina leaned forward, clasping her hands neatly. "A family arrangement."
My eyes flicked between her and Angelo. "Why do I hate the sound of that already?"
Kiefer sighed through his nose like he already knew where this was going, which made my stomach twist even more.
Angelo looked at me directly. "You're engaged, Jay."
The room went dead silent.
I stared at him.
Then at Serina.
Then at Kiefer.
Then back at Angelo.
"No," I said.
Nobody answered.
I laughed once, short and disbelieving. "No, seriously. No. That's not funny."
"It's not a joke," Serina said, still calm.
I felt heat rush up my neck. "Engaged to who?"
The silence that followed was somehow even worse than the first one.
Kiefer looked away for half a second.
That was all I needed.
My eyes widened. "Oh my God."
Angelo's jaw tightened. "Jay—"
"No way."
Kiefer looked at me now, expression unreadable, but his ears were slightly red. "Jay, listen—"
"NO." I pointed at him like I'd just uncovered a conspiracy. "You are joking. You are absolutely joking. This is why you were acting weird? This is why Angelo kept rushing around? You're telling me I got dragged here for some kind of rich-person arranged marriage nonsense?"
"Jay," Angelo said warningly.
"Don't 'Jay' me! You can't just say I'm engaged like you're announcing lunch!"
Serina remained perfectly composed. "This has been arranged for a long time."
I almost choked. "A long time?!"
Kiefer stood up halfway, then stopped himself when Angelo gave him one look. "You think I wanted to spring this on you like this?"
I stared at him. "Then why didn't you say anything?"
He looked frustrated now, which only made me more furious because suddenly he didn't look smug or teasing or annoyingly handsome. He looked trapped.
"Because I didn't know how," he snapped, then immediately looked like he regretted raising his voice. "Because Angelo asked me not to tell you yet."
I turned on my kuya so fast I nearly got whiplash. "YOU KNEW?"
Angelo didn't even flinch. "Yes."
My mouth opened.
Then closed.
Then opened again.
"No. No, no, no." I paced a few steps backward, hands flying in the air. "That is insane. That is actually insane. You planned this behind my back?"
"It was for your safety," Angelo said.
"My what?"
"Your safety," Serina repeated, as if that explained everything.
I looked at Kiefer, and he actually looked uncomfortable now, which made the whole thing even more unbelievable.
"You knew about this," I said slowly.
Kiefer's jaw flexed. "Yes."
"And you didn't tell me."
"No."
"Wow." I laughed, but it came out sharp and broken. "That's amazing. That's incredible. You all really sat here and decided my life without asking me."
"Jay—" Kiefer took a step toward me.
I pointed at him. "Don't come near me right now."
He stopped.
Good.
Because if he came any closer, I was going to either cry, scream, or throw something expensive.
Serina's voice cut through the tension, smooth and careful. "This arrangement benefits both families."
I whipped around to face her. "I don't care."
"You should," Angelo said.
That hurt more than I expected.
I turned to him slowly. "You said this was for my safety."
"It is."
"Then why does it feel like you sold me?"
The room went absolutely still.
Angelo's expression changed, just for a second. Something sharp flickered in his eyes. Not anger. Not exactly. More like guilt.
But he still didn't deny it.
That was worse.
I felt my throat tighten, but I held it together. Barely.
Kiefer's voice was quieter when he spoke next. "Jay, I didn't know they were going to tell you like this."
I looked at him, really looked at him.
He wasn't smirking now.
He wasn't teasing.
He looked serious. Almost protective. Almost miserable.
That only made me angrier.
"So what," I said, my voice shaking now, "you were just going to go along with it?"
He didn't answer fast enough.
And that answer was enough.
I nodded slowly, like I'd just been slapped. "Wow. Okay. Great. Thanks."
"Jay—"
"No." I grabbed my bag and stood up so quickly the chair scraped loudly against the floor. "No, I'm done. I'm so done."
Angelo stood. "Sit down."
"Make me."
"Jay."
I glared at him. "You do not get to order me around after this."
"Jay—"
"Don't call me like everything is fine!"
My eyes burned now, and I hated that they did because I refused to cry in front of all of them. Especially not now. Not here. Not after hearing that my own brother and the boy I'd somehow started trusting thought this was acceptable.
Kiefer took another careful step forward. "Jay, please just listen."
"Why should I?"
"Because this isn't what you think."
"Then what is it?"
He hesitated.
That hesitation almost destroyed me.
Angelo finally spoke, low and firm. "It's a protection agreement."
I turned back to him, stunned. "A protection agreement?"
Serina nodded once. "There are people watching. People from before. People who know things. This engagement keeps you safe."
I felt cold all over.
"Safe from what?"
Nobody answered right away.
That was answer enough too.
My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears.
I looked at Kiefer again, and now his face made more sense somehow. The weird distance. The carefulness. The way he'd been acting like he knew something awful was coming.
Because he did know.
He all knew.
And I was the last person in the room to find out.
My voice came out quieter this time. "You all really did this without asking me."
Angelo said nothing.
Serina said nothing.
Kiefer said, very softly, "I'm sorry."
That nearly broke me more than the rest of it.
Because Kiefer's apology sounded real.
And that made everything worse.
I swallowed hard, gripping my bag so tightly my fingers hurt.
"I need air," I said.
"Jay—" Angelo started.
But I was already walking.
I strode toward the door, ignoring the way the room felt like it was spinning, ignoring Serina calling my name once, ignoring Angelo's heavy silence, ignoring the fact that Kiefer was right behind me until I whirled around at the doorway.
"Don't," I said sharply.
He stopped again.
Good.
"Stay there, Candyboy."
His jaw tightened, but he didn't move.
I stepped outside and slammed the door behind me, the sound echoing through the house like a gunshot.
The air outside was cooler than I expected, but it didn't help. My chest still felt tight. My eyes still burned. My whole body was buzzing with anger and confusion and something dangerously close to heartbreak.
Engaged.
Me.
To Kiefer.
Because of a deal.
Because of safety.
Because apparently my life was now some sort of dramatic family arrangement nobody had thought to mention earlier.
I let out a shaky breath and stared up at the sky, blinking fast so the tears wouldn't fall.
This had to be a joke.
A horrible, insane, life-ruining joke.
And the worst part?
Some tiny, traitorous part of me was still trying to understand why Kiefer looked more hurt than smug.
That was the part that scared me the most.