(Jay's POV)
The sun hadn't even thought about rising over London yet when the first explosion went off. Okay, it wasn't an actual explosion, but Keifer's alarm clock sounded like a heavy metal concert mixed with a fire drill.
I groaned, burying my face under the silk pillowcase, but then came the second alarm. And the third.
By the fourth one, which sounded like an angry duck on a megaphone, I sat bolt upright."Keifer! My ears are bleeding!" I yelled, reaching over to shove his shoulder.Beside me, Keifer—the man who usually looks like a Greek god even in his sleep—was frantically fumbling with his phone. He finally silenced the fifth alarm and let out a long, dramatic breath of relief.
"I did it," he whispered, looking at me with wide eyes. "We aren't late. The tactical mission of 'Operation: Wake Up' is a success."
He looked at the clock, then back at me, his eyes narrowing in shock. "Wait. Jay? You're... awake? On the first—well, fifth—try? Call the Vatican, it's a miracle! My wifey has finally evolved past her hibernation stage."
I couldn't help it; I burst out laughing and threw a pillow at his smug, handsome face.
"Shut up! Maybe I just wanted to see if you'd actually set five alarms like a paranoid person."
"Hey, after the 'Great Soap Sprint' of yesterday , I wasn't taking chances," he teased, pulling me into a hug.
Since we actually had time to breathe, we ended up sharing a long, warm bath. There was no racing against the clock this time, just us splashing around and Keifer trying (and failing) to style my hair with bubbles.
We got dressed so early that for the first time in history, we were actually sitting on the sofa with our bags packed and nothing to do.
Suddenly, Keifer's phone started buzzing. The caller ID showed a video call from the Philippines.
"It's the devils ," Keifer sighed, but he was smiling as he answered. The screen filled with the chaotic faces of Keigan and Keiren.
"Kuya!" Keiren yelled, his voice echoing. "Why are you awake? Did you fall out of bed?"
"And Ate Jay!" Keigan chimed in, waving wildly. "Please tell us you've finally replaced him with someone cooler. We're available for adoption!"
"Hey!" Keifer barked, though his eyes were twinkling. "Watch your mouths, or I'm cutting off your gaming allowance."
The boys ignored him completely, focusing on me. "Don't listen to him, Ate. You're a saint for putting up with our grumpy Kuya. You guys are literally the perfect couple. We're praying no one ever tries to separate you two, because honestly? No one else would want him!"
"Ouch," Keifer muttered, leaning his head on my shoulder.
"Don't worry, boys," I laughed. "I'm keeping him for now. He's useful for reaching things on high shelves."
After a round of more roasting—mostly at Keifer's expense—and a lot of "we miss you," the call ended.
The room felt a little quieter. Keifer pulled me into a tight, lingering hug, his chin resting on the top of my head."Wifey?" he whispered.
"Hmm?"
"I'm surprised your stomach isn't declaring a world war right now," he teased, pulling back to poke my belly. "It's been ten minutes since we woke up and I haven't heard a single growl. Is the '42/50 brain' finally full of knowledge instead of hunger?"
I snapped back instantly. "Oh, please. My stomach is silent because it's in shock that you actually managed to get out of bed without me dragging you by your ankles. You're lucky I don't roast you as hard as your brothers do!"
Keifer just laughed, that deep, rich sound that always makes my heart skip, and led me to the kitchen. We cooked breakfast together—real food this time, no mango puree on the ceiling—and the house was filled with the smell of coffee and the sound of us bickering over how to flip a pancake.
But as I watched him laugh while trying to catch a blueberry in his mouth, a sudden, cold shiver ran down my spine. I stopped stirring the eggs."Keifer?" I said softly.He sensed the change in my mood instantly, setting down his spatula. "What is it, Jay?"
"I don't know... I just have this weird feeling," I whispered, looking out the window at the gray London sky. "Like something wrong is going to happen. In the future. Like this peace is too good to last."
Keifer walked over, taking the spoon from my hand and pulling me into his arms. He looked me straight in the eyes, his "CEO mode" replaced by something much deeper and more certain.
"Listen to me, Jay," he said firmly. "The world can throw whatever it wants at us. Tests, distance, chaos—it doesn't matter. We are determined to stay together. I'm not going anywhere, and I'm not letting you go either. Clear?"
I looked at him, feeling the weight of his promise, and finally nodded. "Clear."
"Good," he smirked, lightening the mood. "Now finish those eggs before your stomach starts that war we talked about."
We finished our breakfast, grabbed our coats, and headed to the car. As we drove toward the university, the London traffic was as messy as ever, but inside the car, it felt like our own little fortress. Whatever was coming, we'd face it together.
The drive to LSE was surprisingly peaceful, which should have been my first warning sign. Keifer was humming along to the radio, looking way too handsome for a Tuesday morning in his charcoal overcoat, while I was busy double-checking my notes.
When we pulled into the parking lot and hopped out, I noticed a girl standing near the main entrance. She had "expensive" written all over her—from her perfectly blown-out hair to her designer boots. She was scanning the crowd like she was looking for a lost puppy, but we just ignored her.
We had a lecture to catch, and after my 42/50 win, I had a reputation to uphold! Fast forward to recess. My brain was buzzing with economic theories, and all I wanted was a snack. We were standing in the hallway when I felt a presence. You know that feeling when someone is staring a hole through your head?
Suddenly, a voice like honey dripping over a sharp knife cut through the air."Recognize me, Mr. Handsome?"
I froze. I turned my head slowly and saw the girl from this morning. She was leaning against the lockers, actually winking at Keifer.
My hand moved instinctively—I was about two seconds away from smacking the smirk right off her face. Who did this girl think she was?
But before I could launch my "Operation: Protect My Man," Keifer lifted his head. He didn't look flustered or impressed; he just looked... bored.
"Vanessa Christopher, right?" he asked, his voice flat.
Vanessa let out a loud, bubbly laugh that made my teeth ache. "Oh, so you do remember our families' dinner parties! I thought London might have made you forget your roots."
I felt a sharp pang of jealousy hit me right in the chest. Families? Dinner parties? I didn't like this. At all. I stepped closer to Keifer and draped my arm firmly through his, anchoring myself to him. Mine. Back off.
Vanessa's eyes flicked down to my arm, and her smile vanished. She looked at me with an annoyed face, like she'd just stepped in something gross.
"And who is this?" she asked Keifer, pointing a manicured finger at me as if I were a stray cat he'd picked up.
Keifer didn't even hesitate. He pulled me closer, his hand resting protectively on mine. "This is Jay. She's my fiancée. She's my whole life, Vanessa."
I felt a surge of pride, but I wasn't done. I looked Vanessa straight in the eye and snapped quickly, "More importantly, Keifer belongs to me. You might want to get your eyes checked, because you're looking a little too hard at someone who's very much taken."
Vanessa pulled a face like she'd just swallowed a lemon. She muttered something about "unrefined taste" and stomped off down the hallway.The second she was out of earshot, I felt Keifer's chest vibrating. He was laughing.
"Oh, I see," he teased, nudging me with his shoulder as we started walking. "Jealous wifey has entered the building? That was quite a 'snappy' performance, Jay."
My face went nuclear-option red. I started looking everywhere but at him—the ceiling, the floor, a random poster about a chess club.
"I wasn't jealous! I was just... correcting her. It's a public service. People need to know the facts."
"Sure, sure," Keifer grinned, leaning down to catch my eye. "You practically marked your territory. You were like a little tiger."
"Shut up!" I blurted out, blushing so hard I thought I might faint. I stopped walking and grabbed his lapels, pulling him down so we were eye-to-eye.
"Laugh all you want, Mark Keifer Watson, but let's get one thing straight: You are only my man. Only mine. No one dares to touch you, shoot—nobody even gets to look at you with a 'lust look' without dealing with me. Understand?"
Keifer's teasing smirk softened into that look—the one that makes me feel like the only girl in the world. He kissed my forehead right there in the middle of the hallway.
"Understood, Tiger. I'm all yours."
The walk toward the cafeteria was quiet for about thirty seconds before my brain finally caught up with everything that had just happened.
I stopped walking so abruptly that Keifer almost tripped over his own expensive shoes."Wait just a minute, Mr. Watson,"
I said, crossing my arms and giving him my best 'interrogation' look. "How exactly do you know Vanessa? And don't give me that 'she's just a student' vibe, because she looked at you like you were a five-course meal and she hadn't eaten in a week."
Keifer sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked like he'd rather be wrestling an alligator than answering me. He pulled me into a quiet hallway corner, away from the prying eyes of other students.
"I was wondering when the 'wifey brain' would start asking the hard questions," he said, his voice dropping to a serious tone.
"Look, Jay, I met her during my last business trip to London. Her father is a close 'friend' of the Monster."
Whenever Keifer calls his dad "the Monster," I know the tea is about to be scorching hot.
"The Monster and Vanessa's father had this brilliant idea," Keifer continued, his jaw tightening so hard I thought a tooth might crack. "They sat around over their expensive brandy and decided that once we got older, they'd marry Vanessa and me off to merge their companies. They treated it like a grocery transaction—buy one billionaire, get one socialite free."
I felt a tiny pang in my heart, but before I could even get sad, Keifer's eyes flashed with that terrifying "CEO" fire.
"But they both forgot one very important detail," he snapped, leaning in close to me. "They forgot that I am the ruler of my own life. I am not a pawn in their game. And most importantly, they forgot that you are my life, Jay. There is no version of my future that doesn't have you in it."
He looked at me almost desperately, searching my face. "Please don't be angry. I didn't want to keep anything from you. Secrets are what the Monster used to control people, and I won't do that to us."
I looked at him, and honestly? My heart just melted into a puddle of lavender-scented goo. Seeing the "Billionaire Keifer Watson" looking worried that I might be mad at him was actually kind of adorable.
I reached up and patted his cheek, a mischievous grin spreading across my face. "Keifer, honey, breathe. I'm not angry. And I'm definitely not annoyed. Why would I be mad about a past where you basically told two old men to mind their own business?"
I stepped closer, wrapping my arms around his waist and looking up at him. "Besides, I know you. You're too stubborn to let anyone tell you who to love. If the Monster told you to wear a blue tie, you'd probably wear a red one just to spite him."
Keifer let out a long, shaky breath of relief, the tension leaving his shoulders instantly. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a hug so tight I could hear his heartbeat. It was steady and strong, like a drum."You really aren't mad?" he whispered into my hair.
"Nope," I popped the 'p'. "Though, I might use this as leverage to make you do the dishes for the next week."Keifer laughed—that real, heart-melting laugh—and pulled back just enough to press a long, sweet kiss onto my forehead.
"Deal. I'll do the dishes, the laundry, and whatever else you want, as long as you keep being my fierce little protector.", he snapped teasing me.
"I've got my eye on her, Keifer," I joked, sticking two fingers toward my eyes and then toward the hallway where Vanessa had vanished.
"If she winks again, I'm calling your brothers to come and roast her."
"Please don't," Keifer chuckled, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "The world isn't ready for Keigan and Keiren's level of roasting."
We stood there for a moment, just enjoying the quiet, before the bell for the next lecture rang. Keifer grabbed my hand, interlacing our fingers, and we started walking toward the lecture hall. For the first time today, that "something wrong is going to happen" feeling was gone, replaced by the warmth of his hand in mine.
We walked into the lecture hall, and for a second, I actually forgot about the drama. If you've never seen a high-end London university lecture theater, imagine a massive, modern arena but with more laptops and the smell of expensive coffee.
The seats were tiered, so even from the back, you could see the professor perfectly—though I usually spend more time looking at the back of Keifer's head than the whiteboard.
We settled into our usual spots. Keifer pulled out his tablet with the grace of a man who makes billion-dollar decisions before breakfast, while I was still wrestling with my notebook and a pen that refused to click. The lecture started, and I tried my best to focus on supply and demand, but my mind kept drifting back to Vanessa.
Halfway through the class, I noticed Keifer's phone, which was sitting face-up on the desk between us, light up. I didn't mean to look, I swear! It's just that a bright screen in a dim room is like a homing beacon for a curious fiancée. I am just an innocent soul!!!
The notification showed a text from an unsaved number, but the profile picture was unmistakable: a perfectly polished selfie of Vanessa.
"Keifer, we really should talk about that 'merger' our fathers wanted. Meet me after class? Just for old times' sake. 😉"
I felt my blood boil. "Just for old times' sake"? Was she for real? I leaned over, whispering as quietly as I could while the professor droned on about market equilibrium.
"Keifer," I hissed, pointing a finger at the screen. "Your 'business associate' is sliding into your DMs during a lecture. How did she even get your number?"
Keifer didn't even pick up the phone. He just glanced at the screen, let out a tiny huff of annoyance, and flipped the phone face-down without replying.
"She probably got it from her father," he whispered back, his hand finding mine under the desk and squeezing it. "Don't worry about it, Jay. I'm blocking the number the second this class is over."
"You better," I muttered, though I was secretly smiling. "Because if she shows up at our 'castle' with a lavender dress, she's going to find out exactly how I feel about uninvited guests."
Keifer chuckled, a low vibration that I felt more than heard. "I have no doubt about that, wifey. Now, pay attention. If you get another 42/50, I might have to buy you that 'victory dessert' you mentioned."
"I'm aiming for a 50/50 this time," I whispered back, finally opening my book. "Just to show that winking girl that I've got the brains and the man."
As the lecture continued, I felt a strange mix of annoyance and total security. Vanessa could send all the winks and texts she wanted, but she didn't realize she was playing a game she'd already lost. Keifer wasn't just my fiancé; he was my partner in every sense of the word.
But then, as we were packing up our bags after the final slide, I saw Vanessa standing right by the exit door, leaning against the frame and looking directly at us with a smug smile.
"Okay," I whispered to Keifer as the professor finally stopped talking, "Tactical exit. We go out the side door, merge with the crowd, and disappear like ninjas."
Keifer looked at the door where Vanessa was currently posing like she was on the cover of a magazine.
"Agreed. I don't have enough patience left today to deal with her 'old times' sake' nonsense." Keifer sighed softening just for me. Only for me!!
We gathered our things in record time. I felt like a secret agent as we slunk down the side aisle, using a group of tall basketball players as a human shield.
We were this close to freedom. My hand was practically on the handle of the side exit when a high-pitched, designer-scented voice rang out.
"Oh, Keifer! You're not trying to avoid me, are you? That's so childish." We froze.
Vanessa had somehow teleported from the main entrance to the side door. She was standing there, arms crossed, blocking the only way out that didn't involve climbing through a window.
"Vanessa," Keifer said, his voice dropping into that deep, scary-calm tone he uses when he's about to fire someone. "We have a life to get to. Move."
She didn't budge. Instead, she looked at me with that "annoyed face" again, but this time it was mixed with a fake pout. "Honestly, Keifer, your little... friend... is very cute, but we have actual matters to discuss. Private ones. My father says that he is expecting a progress report on our little arrangement."
I felt my eye twitch. Little friend? Progress report?
I stepped out from behind Keifer, matching her smug look with a sweet, sugary-fake smile of my own. "Oh, Vanessa! I didn't realize you were the your own father's secretary. How's the pay? Does it cover the cost of all that makeup you're using to hide your desperation?"
Vanessa's jaw practically hit the floor. Some students nearby actually went "Ooooh!" and stopped to watch.
"Listen closely," I continued, stepping right into her personal space. "There is no 'arrangement.' The only progress report you can send back is that Keifer is very busy being my fiancé, and I'm very busy being the person you don't want to mess with. Now, step aside. Me and my fiancé are hungry, and you're standing between me and my lunch."
Keifer was standing behind me, and I could tell he was trying so hard not to burst out laughing. He stepped forward, placed a hand on my waist, and looked at Vanessa like she was a bug on his windshield.
"You heard the lady," Keifer said coldly. "Move, or I'll call security and have you removed for harassing a student."
Vanessa turned redder than a London bus. She huffed, snatched her designer bag, and stomped away, her heels clicking angrily against the floor. Once she was gone, Keifer grabbed my hand and practically dragged me out the door. We got to the car, and the second the doors shut, he lost it.
He started laughing so hard he had to lean his head on the steering wheel."Desperation makeup?" he choked out, looking at me with pure adoration.
"Jay, you are terrifying. I love it."
"I told you!" I said, finally breathing again, though my heart was still racing. "No one looks at my man with a 'lust look' and gets away with it. Now, drive! Before she figures out a way to haunt the parking lot."
Keifer smiled, kissed my knuckles, and started the engine. "Anything for my fierce wifey. Where to? Victory lunch?"
"Forget the fancy university cafeteria," Keifer said, steering the car away from the campus crowds. "I think we've had enough 'public appearances' for one morning."
He drove to a tiny, hidden cobblestone alleyway in South Kensington. It was the kind of place that looked like it belonged in a movie—quiet, lined with flower boxes, and completely tucked away from the London bustle.
He parked in front of a small, ivy-covered bistro that didn't even have a sign out front.
"Keifer, is this even a restaurant?" I asked, peering through the window. "It looks like someone's very expensive living room."
"It's private," he explained, walking around to open my door. "The owner is an old friend of my mother's. No Monster's friends allowed. And definitely no Vanessas."
Inside, it smelled like fresh basil and expensive candles. We were the only ones there. The waiter—a kind older man who gave Keifer a knowing nod—led us to a small table in the back, bathed in the soft glow of a stained-glass lamp.
As we waited for our food, the frantic energy of the morning finally started to settle. I slumped back into the velvet chair, letting out a long sigh. "Is your life always this much of a soap opera? I feel like I need a sword just to get through a Tuesday."
Keifer reached across the table, taking both of my hands in his. His expression shifted from the "scary CEO" to the gentle, soft-eyed boy I fell in love with.
"I'm sorry, Jay," he said softly. "I know my world is... loud. People like Vanessa and my father think they can script everything. But being here with you, in the quiet? This is the only part of my life that feels real."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet-lined box. My heart did a little somersault. "Another gift? Keifer, you already gave me the anklet under the bridge!"
"This isn't just a gift," he said, opening the box to reveal a delicate, vintage-style key made of rose gold, hanging on a thin chain.
"It's a spare key to the house in the Philippines. I know we're in London now, but I wanted you to have it. To remind you that no matter where we go or who tries to get in our way, you're the only one who has the key to my home. And my heart."
I felt that familiar lump in my throat. My "tiger" persona from earlier completely melted away. I looked at the key, then at him, feeling incredibly lucky. "You're so cheesy," I whispered, blinking back tears.
"Is this the 'fiancé effect' again?"
"Maybe," he grinned, leaning over the table to kiss the tip of my nose. "But you're the one who makes me want to be this way."
We spent the rest of the lunch laughing, actually enjoying our food without looking over our shoulders. For a moment, the drama of fathers, business mergers, and jealous socialites felt a million miles away. It was just us, a rose gold key, and the best pasta I've ever tasted.
As we walked back to the car, Keifer stopped and pulled me into one last, lingering hug.
"You know, Jay," he whispered into my ear, "I think I like the 'Jealous' version of you. It's very attractive."
I playfully shoved him away, blushing for the hundredth time that day. "Don't get used to it! It's exhausting being this fierce."
"Don't worry," he laughed, unlocking the car. "I'll handle the next monster. You just focus on that 50/50."
We were just finishing our pasta when my phone practically vibrated off the table. The caller ID showed a video call from the Philippines—my brother, Angelo.
"Oh boy," I muttered, showing the screen to Keifer. "The head of the Philippine chapter of the 'Roast Keifer Society' is calling."
"Answer it," Keifer laughed, leaning back. "I'm ready for the chaos."
"Oh, wait! I almost forgot the biggest update," Angelo said, his face practically glowing through the screen.
He panned the camera to the side to show Ion, his wife, who was sitting comfortably on their porch, glowing and looking absolutely radiant with her growing baby bump.
"Hi, Jay! Hi, Keifer!" Ion waved gracefully, a stark contrast to Angelo's chaotic energy. "Don't listen to this crazy man. He's been fussing over me and the baby 24/7. I think he's more nervous about the pregnancy than I am!"
"I am not fussing! I am monitoring," Angelo corrected, puffing out his chest. Then he turned his attention back to the camera, his expression shifting into that classic "Big Brother Protective Mode" that usually made me roll my eyes.
"Listen, Keifer," Angelo said, his voice dropping an octave. "I know you're a big-shot billionaire over there in London, and I know Ion is busy growing our first-born here, but don't think for a second I've stopped watching you. If my little sister sounds even one percent sad during our next call, I'm hopping on a plane—pregnant wife and all—to come over there and have a 'chat' with you. Understood?"
Keifer didn't flinch. In fact, he looked at Angelo with total respect. "Understood, Angelo. But you won't need the plane ticket. She's the boss of this relationship; I'm just the guy who carries her bags."
"Good answer," Angelo grumbled, though a smirk played on his lips. "And Jay, you better be taking care of yourself. Don't let those London snobs get to you. If that Vanessa girl shows her face again, tell her my daughter—your niece!—is already practicing her 'death stare' from inside the womb just for her."
I laughed, feeling a wave of homesickness and love all at once. And suddenly i realized Angelo's words and quickly snapped," Wait! So you mean you are having a girl?? A mini Jay version!!! , we are so excited to be cool aunt and uncle and spoil our neice" and i questioned him,"How did you know about that vaneesa girl , Kuya" and he rolled his eyes and said," Oh so you think that only your fiancé can have his ways? There are many people in this world who are also as powerful as your beloved fiancé "
I just laughed at his reply and said, "We love you guys! Give Ion a huge hug for me, and tell the baby that Auntie Jay is buying her the cutest London outfits soon."
After we hung up, I leaned into Keifer as we walked back to the car. "See? Between the Chaos in London and my protective brother in the Philippines, you're stuck between a rock and a hard place."
Keifer laughed, pulling me close. "I'll take Angelo's 'threats' over the Vaneesa's deals' any day. At least your brother threatens me because he loves you."
As the sun began to set over the city, turning the sky a dusty pink, I felt completely at peace. We had a baby niece or nephew on the way, a key to a future home, and a bond that even the most expensive designer-clad "monsters" couldn't break.
When we finally pulled up to our "castle" in London, the streetlights were just starting to flicker on, casting long shadows across the driveway.
I was ready to kick off my shoes and dive straight into our silk sheet tent from last night, but Keifer stopped at the front door, his "CEO senses" tingling.
"Wait, Jay," he said, pointing at the porch.Sitting right there, looking very out of place against our sleek London doorstep, was a large, wooden crate wrapped in about ten layers of duct tape. It looked like it had survived a literal war. There was a messy note taped to the top in Angelo's unmistakable chicken-scratch handwriting:
"FOR THE FUTURE PROTECTION OFFICER (JAY) AND THE LUCKIEST GUY IN LONDON. HANDLE WITH CARE OR IT MIGHT EXPLODE. LOVE, ANGELO, ION, AND THE LITTLE ONE."
"He actually sent it," I gasped, my eyes widening. "He said he was sending the 'biggest mango in history,' but I thought he was joking!"
Yes even after last 80 pounds of mangoes didn't satisfy him that he did it again. I bet he is opening mango corporation and shutting Mariano Corporation.
Keifer chuckled, hauling the heavy crate inside. We got a pair of scissors and started a surgical operation on the tape. When we finally pried the wood open, the smell hit us—sweet, sun-drenched, and smelling exactly like home.Nestled in straw weren't just mangoes. There was a tiny, handmade baby onesie that said "Future Heartbreaker - Like my Tito Keifer," and a smaller box tucked underneath.
I opened the small box and found a framed ultrasound picture of Ion's baby. On the back, Ion had written: "Stay strong, you two. We're growing a new member for your team!"
But the "explosion" Angelo warned us about was at the very bottom. It was a giant, terrifyingly realistic rubber snake.
"AHH!"
I screamed, jumping back and nearly knocking over a vase.Keifer, being the brave billionaire he is, actually jumped a little too, before realizing it wasn't moving. He picked it up, a note attached to the snake's tail:
"For Jay—to put in Vanessa's bag if she ever gets too close to my brother-in-law again. Love, Angelo."
We both collapsed onto the sofa, howling with laughter. Between the sweet mangoes, the precious ultrasound, and my brother's chaotic "gift" for Vanessa, the house felt warmer than any heater could make it.
"Your brother is a menace," Keifer gasped, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes as he looked at the rubber snake."He's our menace," I corrected, leaning my head on his shoulder.
As we sat there in our quiet sanctuary, eating the sweetest mangoes in London and looking at the photo of our future niece or nephew, the "something wrong" feeling from this morning was completely gone.
They could try to plan, and Vanessa could try to wink, but they didn't have a rubber-snake-sending, mango-shipping, fiercely loving family like ours.
We were home. And we were ready for whatever tomorrow had in store.