Cole (POV)
"Why didn't you say anything, kuya?" Jare asked.
Silence settled between us.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
I exhaled slowly, my eyes still on the door Kiefer had just walked through.
"Because we all knew she loved him."
My hand tightened into a fist.
"And we all knew she was happy with him," I continued, quieter now.
"We can't deny that."
No one argued.
Because we couldn't.
"We saw it," I added.
"In her eyes… the way she defended him."
That alone said everything.
For a moment—
No one spoke.
Then my expression hardened.
"But he doesn't understand," I said.
My voice dropped.
"If her past comes back… It's not just about him."
Jare frowned slightly.
Angelo stayed still.
Listening.
"There are things he doesn't know," I continued.
"Things she went through—things she survived."
I hesitated.
Just for a second.
Because even now—
Saying it out loud felt wrong.
"…her stepfather abused her."
The words fell flat.
Cold.
Ugly.
Jare's head snapped up.
Percy looked away.
"And she grew up believing she didn't even have the right to exist," I added, my voice tightening.
"That she was nothing more than a mistake."
Silence.
Deep.
"And the worst part?"
My jaw clenched.
"She almost ended up in the hands of monsters."
No one moved.
"That's why she ran," I said.
"That's why she kept running."
A pause.
"That's what she's carrying."
Not just pain.
Not just memories.
Survival.
"And he thinks this is just about love."
A quiet, bitter breath left me.
"Trauma like that doesn't disappear," I said.
"It waits."
Angelo's gaze shifted slightly.
He understood.
"And when it comes back…" I continued,
"She won't just break."
A beat.
"She'll relive it."
Jare looked shaken now.
Percy went completely silent.
"And blood…" I added "quieter."
"That alone is enough to send her back."
The room stilled again.
"So no," I finished.
"This isn't just about him."
A pause.
"It never was."
Silence followed.
Then—
Then Jare spoke.
"…So what do we do, kuya?"
I didn't answer immediately.
My eyes stayed on the door.
Thinking.
Measuring.
Watching something none of them could see yet.
Then I said it.
"We wait."
Jare frowned. "Wait?"
"Yes," I said, finally looking at them.
"Let him prove it."
A beat.
"Let's see how he handles her."
My voice didn't rise.
Didn't need to.
Because this wasn't a surrender.
It was something worse.
"If he fails…" I added quietly,
My gaze hardened.
"…we step in."
No one argued.
Because they all knew—
That wasn't a possibility.
It was a certainty waiting for its moment.
But then—
Angelo finally spoke.
Calm.
Measured.
Not defensive.
Just honest.
"But it's not even Kiefer's fault," he said.
The room shifted slightly.
"We can't blame him either."
A pause.
"He waited patiently… and listened to us for four years, never came near her."
Percy exhaled slowly beside him, his arms crossed but his expression softer now.
"And Jay was the one who found him again," Percy added quietly."She walked back into his life."
Silence deepened.
Angelo continued.
"Don't you know…" he said, eyes lowering slightly,"he lived like a corpse during those years?"
That word landed heavier than expected.
Aries nodded once.
"Empty," he said softly."Like he was just… existing, not living."
A beat.
"So I can't fully understand what he feels," Angelo admitted."But I do understand this…"
His gaze lifted.
"He was scared, too."
That made me still.
Jare didn't speak immediately.
Neither did I.
Angelo's voice softened.
"Scared of losing her again."
A quiet pause followed.
Then Aries added, almost reluctantly—
"Don't we do the same?"
We all looked at him.
"In our own way…" he continued,"When our wives forget… or when they slip away from us…"
A pause.
"…don't we try to find our way back to them?"
Silence.
It settled differently this time.
Heavier… but clearer.
And for the first time—
I understood what they were really saying.
This wasn't just about control.
Or protection.
Or distrust.
It was fear.
All of us were holding it differently.
Jare's expression shifted slightly.
Something in his gaze softened—just a fraction.
I didn't speak.
But I felt it too.
The realization is settling in slowly.
We weren't standing on opposite sides of Kiefer.
We were standing in the same fear he was.
Percy exhaled quietly.
"He didn't just find Jay again," he said.
A pause.
"He survived waiting for her."
His gaze lowered slightly before he finished,
"And now that she's back in his life again," Percy said, looking at everyone.
Silence.
And this time—
None of us interrupted.
Because we understood it now.
And now that she's here…
He's not letting go without a fight.
Three months later.
Jay-Jay (POV)
Three months passed.
And somehow…
Everything changed.
Life became quieter.
Softer.
Happier.
The kind of happiness I didn't question anymore.
The kind I just… held onto.
We all moved to Manila.
Together.
Jare refused to leave me alone with Kiefer—
So he bought a house nearby.
Percy followed soon after.
And somewhere along the way, I found out about Honey.
His girlfriend.
Now… probably his wife.
That still surprised me.
Kuya had settled too.
Finally.
Everyone was finding their place.
Everyone except—
"Clyden, you're already twenty-eight," I groaned one evening.
"Marry someone already."
He just laughed it off.
Like always.
Some things never change.
Kiefer, on the other hand—
Was busy.
Work had taken over most of his time.
Late nights.
Early mornings.
But he never forgot me.
Not once.
And I never felt alone.
Not really.
Because I had the others.
Section E.
Kiran.
Kiegen.
They filled the spaces in between.
And for the first time in a long time—
Life felt… normal.
Peaceful.
Safe.
Until today.
I felt tired.
Not just tired—
Drained.
Like something inside me had shifted.
So I went to the doctor.
Alone.
I didn't think much of it.
Just a check-up.
Something small.
Something simple.
But when the doctor looked at me—
Smiled—
And said the words…
My world stopped.
"You're pregnant."
Silence.
My fingers tightened slightly against the edge of the chair.
Pregnant.
The word echoed in my head like it didn't belong there.
Like it was meant for someone else.
Not me.
Not yet.
But it was real.
It was happening.
A small, shaky breath left my lips.
And then—
A smile.
Slow.
Uncertain.
But real.
Kiefer…
The thought came instantly.
I wanted to tell him.
No—
I wanted to see his face when I told him.
That surprise.
That softness he never showed anyone else.
So instead of going home—
I went to the mall.
I wanted to do something special.
Something small.
Something ours.
I walked past rows of tiny clothes.
Soft fabrics.
Little shoes.
My fingers brushed against one of them—
And I smiled.
Because suddenly—
Everything felt different.
Like the future had already started.
Then—
I remembered something.
The last time we were here.
Shopping together.
I paused.
Because I could still see it clearly.
The way Kiefer had stopped.
Just for a second.
His eyes lingering—
On a small section.
I hadn't understood it then.
But now…
Now I did.
A soft laugh escaped me.
"You were already thinking about this, weren't you…" I murmured.
I picked up a small outfit.
Tiny.
Fragile.
Perfect.
And held it close.
A surprise.
For him.
For us.
For the life we didn't even know we were waiting for.
I paid for the clothes and walked out of the mall, the small bag resting in my hand.
My fingers lingered on it for a second—
Then I adjusted my grip and stepped forward.
"Jay."
I stopped.
Turned.
He stood a few steps away, hesitant… almost unsure if he should've called me.
"Hi, Jay…" he said.
"I've been looking for you."
I looked at him.
A second longer than necessary.
Then I tilted my head slightly.
"…Do I know you?"
His expression shifted—something between relief and guilt.
"I wanted to ask for forgiveness," he said.
"But you left for New York… and then I heard…"
A pause.
"…you lost your memories."
I nodded once.
Nothing more.
"If Aries hadn't saved you…" He continued quietly,
"I would've regretted it for the rest of my life."
My fingers tightened around the bag.
Just slightly.
"I heard you're married to Kiefer."
"Yes."
Simple.
Calm.
No hesitation.
Silence stretched for a moment.
Then I stepped back.
"I should go now…"
A brief pause.
"…Kiko."
He froze.
Completely.
I didn't.
I turned before he could say anything else—
And walked away.
"Did I ever tell her my name?" Kiko whispered.
By the time I reached home, the sky had started to dim.
I stepped inside quietly.
Voices drifted from the living room.
I slowed.
"I hope Jay doesn't remember it," Rory said.
"We're happy now… because she's still the same."
"Don't say it like that," C-IN replied.
"She still holds a part of our best memories."
A pause.
Then—
"You think she'll find out?" Edrix's voice came next.
"That you got close to her because Kiefer asked for information?"
Silence.
Tight.
Uncomfortable.
"Or that we were tracking her?" he added.
My fingers tightened slightly at my side.
I didn't move.
Didn't breathe too loudly.
Didn't let a single sound slip.
Then—
I turned.
Quietly.
And walked out.
Not here.
I couldn't break here.
I went straight to Jare's house.
Upstairs.
To my room.
I locked the door behind me.
The click echoed louder than it should have.
I stood there for a second.
Still.
Then I walked to the bed and sat down slowly.
My hands rested on my lap.
Tight.
Controlled.
I took a deep breath.
Slow.
Careful.
Measured.
In.
Out.
Again.
I closed my eyes.
And forced everything down.
Every word.
Every voice.
Every truth I wasn't ready to face.
Because if I let it rise—
I would break.
And I wasn't going to break.
Not here.
Not like this.
Then the door opened.
I didn't turn immediately.
I already knew who it would be.
Footsteps.
Familiar.
Percy walked in first, a playful smile already on his face.
"Baby sister," he said, pulling me into a hug.
I hugged him back.
Automatic.
Easy.
Like nothing had changed.
Jare came in behind him.
Slower.
Watching.
Always watching.
"What happened, sis?" he asked.
I pulled back slightly.
Looked at him.
"I'm pregnant."
Silence.
A beat.
Then—
"What?!" Percy's voice shot up.
"I'm going to be an uncle—wait—I'm going to be an uncle!"
He laughed, half-spinning, like he didn't know what to do with himself.
He almost lifted me.
Jare didn't move.
"Does Kiefer know?" he asked.
"No."
Percy blinked. "You're going to surprise him?"
I nodded.
Jare's lips curved into a small smile—
Just for a second.
Then it faded.
His eyes stayed on me.
Studying.
Measuring.
And he saw it.
The crack.
Small.
Barely there.
But enough.
"If you want to cry…" he said quietly, stepping closer,
"You can."
A pause.
"Kuya's here."
Percy looked confused, still holding me as I cried.
I couldn't stop it.
The tears just kept coming.
Heavy.
Uncontrolled.
He pulled me closer, trying to steady me, but even he didn't understand—
Whether I was crying from happiness…
or something else entirely.
Jare didn't move.
He just watched.
Carefully.
Reading me too well.
"When did you find out?" he asked.
"This morning," I said.
My voice cracked at the end.
Jare frowned.
"I'm not asking about your pregnancy," he said firmly.
Percy blinked. "Then what—?"
Jare ignored him completely.
His eyes stayed locked on me.
"Jay…" His voice dropped, calm but heavy.
"I have known you for four years."
My fingers tightened slightly.
"I know how you look when you're happy."
A pause.
"And I know how you look when you're lying."
My breath hitched.
Jare stepped closer.
"I can read you," he said quietly.
"You think I can't?"
Silence.
Percy slowly stopped smiling.
Jare's gaze didn't soften.
Instead—
It sharpened.
"And right now…" he continued,
"I had doubts, but now it's confirmed."
My throat tightened.
"You should be happy," he said.
His voice lowered.
"Anyone would be happy with this news."
A beat.
"But you…"
His eyes searched my face.
"…you're hiding your tears."
Silence crashed into the room.
Percy's smile faded completely now.
I looked down quickly.
"I'm not hiding anything," I said.
Too fast.
Too defensive.
Jare noticed.
Of course he did.
"Jay," he said again, softer now but more dangerous.
"Don't lie to me."
My hands curled into my clothes.
I didn't answer.
Because if I did—
I might break.
Silence stayed in the room.
Heavy.
Pressing.
Percy wasn't smiling anymore.
He just looked between us, confused… uneasy.
Jare didn't move closer this time.
He just watched me.
Carefully.
Like he already knew the answer but wanted me to say it.
Then he spoke.
"…When did you start remembering?"
The words landed clean.
No softness left in them now.
My fingers tightened at my sides.
For a second—
I didn't answer.
I couldn't.
My breath felt stuck somewhere between my chest and my throat.
Percy shifted slightly.
"Jay…" he said quietly, unsure now.
Jare didn't look away from me.
He waited.
Not impatient.
Just certain.
Like he knew I couldn't lie forever.
I swallowed.
"…I don't know what you're talking about," I said finally.
Too calm.
Too careful.
A mistake.
Jare exhaled slowly through his nose.
Not angry.
Worse.
Certain.
"Jay," he said again, his voice lower now.
"Don't do that."
My gaze dropped for half a second.
Then I forced it back up.
"I told you," I said softly.
"I just… don't remember everything clearly."
A pause.
But my voice wasn't steady enough.
Not for him.
Jare nodded slightly.
Slow.
Like he was confirming something he already accepted.
"…So you're still doing it," he said.
My chest tightened.
"Doing what?" Percy asked quickly, looking between us.
Jare ignored him again.
His eyes stayed on me.
"You're choosing what to show," he said quietly.
"And what to hide."
Silence.
The room felt smaller.
Jare stepped closer now—just one step.
Not aggressive.
Just inevitable.
"So I'll ask again," he said, voice steady but sharp underneath.
"When did you start remembering?"
I nodded.
That was enough.
…not long ago," I admitted finally.
Barely above a whisper.
And that—
That was the crack.
"Jay, you remember your past?" Percy asked in confusion.
Jare exhaled slowly.
"I knew it," he said quietly.
"That's why you rushed into marrying him… right?"
Another nod.
No excuses.
No denial.
Just truth.
Jare stepped closer.
His voice dropped.
"When?" he asked, his voice lower now."And… how did you find out?"