Jay-Jay(POV)
After I cried—
Everything felt… lighter.
Not because the pain was gone.
But because I had made a decision.
I wiped my face, forcing myself to breathe normally.
Kiefer couldn't know.
He couldn't see that I remembered everything.
Not yet.
I fixed my hair.
Composed myself.
And sat back down.
Then I called him.
Clyden.
Kuya.
"Kuya…" I said softly. "You love me, right?"
A pause.
Then a small laugh.
"Of course I do. What kind of question is that, Jay?"
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"Kuya… I need your help."
His tone changed instantly.
"Jay… did you cry?" he asked quietly. "Why does your voice sound like that?"
I closed my eyes for a second.
He always knew.
Too well.
Sometimes… I hated how easily he could read me.
"Where are you?" he asked.
I looked out the window.
Clouds stretched endlessly beneath me.
"I'm on my way to Manila," I said. "I'm going to meet Kiefer."
Silence.
Then—
"He's not in Manila."
My breath stilled.
"What…?"
"He left yesterday," Clyden said. "He's in London now."
Everything inside me froze.
London.
Before I could think—
I stood up.
I walked straight to the cockpit.
"Ma'am?" The pilot looked startled.
"Change the route," I said, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. "Take me to London."
He hesitated.
"I'm sorry, ma'am… that's not possible. We're already preparing to land in Manila."
"No," I said immediately.
My hands clenched.
My heart pounded.
"I need to get to London."
"Ma'am, we can arrange another flight after landing—"
"Then what do you expect me to do?" I said. "Jump out of the plane?"
Silence filled the cockpit.
The pilot stared at me.
Shocked.
And for a second—
I realized how it sounded.
But I didn't take it back.
"Wait, ma'am… I'll turn the plane," the pilot said.
I nodded once and walked back to my seat.
My phone was still pressed against my ear.
"Jay?" Kuya's voice came through, sharper now. "Jay!"
"Kuya," I said quietly.
"Jay, what the hell is wrong with you?" Clyden snapped. "What are you doing?"
I closed my eyes for a second.
Then said it.
"I need a marriage certificate."
Silence.
"And I want you to be my witness."
For a moment—
nothing.
No voice.
No breath.
Then—
"What the fuck, Jay?!" he shouted. "Have you lost your mind?"
I didn't respond.
"You said you wanted to marry Kiefer," he continued, his voice tight with anger. "I agreed to that. I trusted you."
A pause.
"But why now?" he demanded. "Why like this?"
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"Kuya… please."
"No," he said immediately. "I won't agree to this."
My chest tightened.
"I can't live without him, Kuya…" My voice broke despite me. "And I don't want to keep living in fear that I'll lose him again."
Silence.
Heavy.
"I already lost him once," I whispered. "Even when he was right beside me… I still lost him."
My vision blurred.
"I don't want that again."
My hand trembled slightly.
"I don't want to live another day where he's not mine."
"Jay… don't tell me you—" he started.
I cut him off.
I took a slow breath.
No more hiding.
"I remember," I said.
Silence.
"I fucking remember everything."
My voice dropped.
"Every piece of shit."
"…Oh shit," he muttered.
A pause.
"When?" he asked.
"On the way to the airport," I said quietly. "I almost got into an accident."
The memory flickered—
lights.
impact.
pain.
"And it all came back."
Another silence.
He exhaled sharply.
"An accident?" His voice changed instantly. "Jay, are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I said.
A lie.
But not the important part.
"So…" I swallowed slightly.
"Will you help me?"
Silence stretched between us—
heavy.
Because now—
He knew.
And whatever came next—
There was no going back.
"I need time… to process this," Clyden said quietly. "And I need to see you."
Before I could respond—
The call ended.
I frowned slightly, confused.
Then—
My phone lit up again.
Video call.
I took a slow breath.
Then answered.
"Show me yourself," he said immediately.
I didn't argue.
I placed the phone down and stepped back, turning slightly so he could see me clearly.
"See?" I said softly. "I'm okay."
His eyes scanned me carefully.
Too carefully.
Like he was checking for something I couldn't hide.
"You don't look okay," he said after a moment.
I forced a small smile.
"I'm fine."
A pause.
He didn't believe me.
"I'm landing in London in seven hours," I said, changing the subject. "And… I don't want anyone to know."
His expression hardened.
"Why?" he asked.
I looked away from the screen for a second.
Then back.
"Kuya… everyone is happy right now," I said quietly. "Do you really want me to ruin that?"
Silence.
"Jay—" he started.
"Kuya," I cut him off gently but firmly. "I'll tell them."
My voice softened.
"Just… not now."
My fingers tightened slightly at my side.
"I need time," I added. "Please."
He stared at me through the screen.
Long.
Searching.
"You're asking me to lie for you," he said.
"I'm asking you to trust me," I corrected softly. "Not to lie."
Another pause.
Heavy.
Then—
He exhaled slowly.
"…You always do this," he muttered. "Make decisions first… and explain later."
A faint, tired smile touched my lips.
"Just this once," I whispered.
He didn't smile back.
"Seven hours," he said finally. "After that, we will talk again."
"Jay… I know it's selfish to ask this right now," Clyden said, his voice quieter than before. "But I need to know something."
I could see the hesitation in his eyes.
"Ask me," I said, nodding.
A pause.
"Are you still going to be my sister," he asked slowly, "now that you know everything?"
My breath stilled.
"That I kidnapped you…" He continued, his voice tightening, "and that I was Kiefer's enemy once?"
For a moment—
I just looked at him.
Then I smiled.
Soft.
Tired.
But real.
"Kuya," I said gently, "I already know."
His eyes flickered.
"Everything," I added. "Even that."
Silence.
"And if I didn't want you in my life…" I tilted my head slightly, "Why would I ask you to be my witness?"
Something in his expression shifted.
Relief.
"So…" he hesitated again, almost unsure, "I'm still your number one?"
I laughed softly.
"Yes," I said, my voice warm now.
"You're still my number one, Kuya."
This time—
He smiled.
Not fully.
But enough.
And for the first time—
since everything came back—
Something inside me felt steady.
"Then… can I ask you something too?"
Clyden looked at me, cautious now.
"How was Kiefer… after the accident?" I asked quietly. "What happened to him?"
Silence.
"You were talking about Kiefer," he said. "The man who could walk into a fight and still come out standing."
My fingers tightened.
"But that day…" his voice lowered slightly, "he was already injured."
My heart stilled.
"He still carried you out of the hospital," Clyden continued. "Even like that."
A pause.
"And then he collapsed."
My breath caught.
Everything inside me went quiet.
"After that," he went on, "you remembered everything."
I didn't move.
Didn't speak.
"I took you away," he said. "To the island."
Images flickered in my mind—
blurred.
distant.
"And later… You left for New York."
Another silence.
But that wasn't what I needed.
"I'm not asking about me," I said, my voice almost breaking now. "I'm asking about him."
I looked straight at him.
"How did he live… these past four years?"
Clyden didn't answer immediately.
He just looked at me.
Hesitating.
"Kuya…" I whispered. "Please. I need to know."
He exhaled slowly.
"Jay…"
His voice carried something I didn't like.
Something heavy.
"He was never happy after that."
My chest tightened.
"And it's not my place to tell you everything," he added quietly. "That's something you need to hear from him."
I didn't look away.
"But I can tell you this…"
Another pause.
"He didn't live," Clyden said.
The words hit harder than anything else.
"He survived."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unforgiving.
"Like a ghost," he added. "Moving… breathing… but not really there."
My fingers curled tightly.
"Everything around him changed," he continued. "But he didn't."
My throat tightened.
"He stayed in that moment," Clyden said quietly. "The moment he lost you."
A tear slipped down before I could stop it.
"And no matter what he did…" he added, softer now, "he never walked out of it."
I closed my eyes.
Because now—
I understood.
Why did his eyes look the way they did?
Why did his silence feel so heavy?
Why even without memories—
I still chose him.
Because somewhere in those four years—
He never stopped choosing me.
I ended the call.
But Kuya's words—
They didn't leave.
They stayed.
Echoing.
Repeating.
He didn't live.
He survived.
My chest tightened.
And before I even realized it—
Tears were already falling.
"How could you love me like that…?" I whispered.
My fingers curled into my palm.
"I thought you were just teasing me…" A soft, broken laugh escaped me. "Calling me your life… your everything…"
I shook my head slowly.
"But you meant every word."
Silence surrounded me.
But my heart—
It wasn't quiet anymore.
"Now that I know…" I whispered, my voice steadying, "Now that I'm here..."
I wiped my tears.
Slowly.
"I'll take care of you."
A small pause.
"Not just as me…"
My fingers brushed over his name.
"But as your Jay."
My breath softened.
"Your wife… Mrs. Watson."
The word didn't scare me anymore.
"I'm not leaving your side," I continued quietly. "Not even for a second."
My gaze lifted slightly, unfocused—
but certain.
"I'll give you everything we lost."
Everything we didn't get to have.
All those years.
All those moments.
"I'll make it right."
A faint smile formed on my lips.
Soft.
Fragile.
But real.
"Be ready, Mr. Watson…"
My eyes closed for a second.
"Because this time…"
"They're all yours."
A breath.
"And you're all mine."
I leaned back into my seat, my heart still racing—
but no longer lost.
Because this time—
I knew exactly where I was going.
Kiefer.
And for the first time—
after everything—
I was finally going back to him.
I stepped off the plane—
and froze.
Kuya was already there.
Waiting.
And beside him—
a wheelchair.
"Kuya…" I frowned, my voice weak. "Why do I need that?"
He didn't answer right away.
Just walked up to me and gently—but firmly—took my arm.
"Because you're coming with me," he said.
"To where?"
"The hospital."
My chest tightened instantly.
"No," I said. "I want to go to Kiefer."
"Jay—"
"I'm fine," I cut in quickly. "I don't need a hospital. I need to see him."
His grip tightened slightly.
Not enough to hurt—
But enough to stop me from walking away.
"No," he said.
One word.
Final.
"You're coming to the hospital first," he continued, his voice controlled but unmovable. "I need to know you're actually okay."
I shook my head.
"Kuya—"
"And after that," he added, cutting me off this time, "we'll go wherever you want."
A pause.
"But until then—"
His eyes locked onto mine.
"I'm not signing anything."
Silence.
My breath hitched.
"You said you wanted me as your witness," he went on. "Then listen to me."
I clenched my hands at my sides.
"I don't have time for this," I whispered.
"You don't have a choice," he replied.
The words stung.
Because I knew—
He meant them.
My body swayed slightly.
Weak.
Unsteady.
And he noticed.
Of course he did.
Without another word, he guided me into the wheelchair.
I didn't fight this time.
Because no matter how much I wanted to run to Kiefer—
My body…
was already giving up on me.
"Just one check," Kuya said quietly, softer now. "Then I'll take you to him myself."
I closed my eyes for a second.
"…Fine."
But even then—
My fingers tightened slightly.
Kiefer…
Wait for me.
We went to the hospital.
By the time we arrived—
My body was already burning.
Fever.
Heavy.
Draining.
The doctor's voice felt distant as they examined me.
"High fever," he said. "She needs full bed rest and IV fluids."
But Kuya didn't settle for that.
He made sure they ran everything—
scans, tests, and a full check-up.
Only after everything came back—
The doctor looked at him again.
"She's physically fine," he said. "This is stress-induced. But her body is exhausted."
I barely reacted.
Because by then—
They had already hooked me up to an IV.
The room fell silent.
Too quiet.
I stared at the drip.
Watched each drop fall slowly through the tube—
one…
by one…
by one.
Time felt like it was stretching.
Dragging.
Until finally—
The last drop fell.
"Kuya…" I called softly.
"What?" he asked immediately, leaning closer. "What is it? Is your head hurting? Should I call the doctor?"
I shook my head.
"I want Kiefer…" I whispered.
His expression changed.
"Let's go to him."
"Jay…" his voice softened, but the firmness didn't leave. "Can't you see him tomorrow? It's already late."
I looked at him.
My vision slightly blurred—
But my voice didn't waver this time.
"Kuya…"
It cracked anyway.
"I need to see him."
A pause.
"After the accident…" I swallowed, my throat tightening, "I don't even know what he went through."
My fingers curled into the bedsheet.
"I just…"
I looked down.
"I want to see him."
My voice dropped to a whisper.
"Please."
Silence filled the room.
Heavy.
Because this time—
It wasn't impulsive.
It wasn't panic.
It was something deeper.
Something certain.
And Kuya could see it.
I looked at him—
almost begging.
With the same eyes, he could never refuse.
"…Okay," Clyden said finally.
Relief hit me instantly—
But it didn't last long.
"But," he added, his voice firm again, "after your marriage, you're coming back to the hospital."
I nodded without hesitation.
He didn't argue again.
Instead—
He lifted me carefully into his arms and carried me to the car.
I didn't even protest.
I didn't have the strength to.
Everything after that felt like a blur.
The drive.
The silence.
The way my heart wouldn't stop racing.
By the time we reached the hotel—
The papers were ready.
My hands trembled slightly as I signed them.
And then—
So did he.
It was done.
"Go," Clyden said quietly.
I looked up.
I'll wait in this room," Kuya said quietly, stopping at the door of the suite.
"Go. I don't want to ruin your moment."
Before I could respond, he walked into his room and closed the door behind him.
Leaving me alone.
With everything I had been running toward—
and everything I had been running from.
I stood there for a second.
Trying to breathe.
Trying to steady myself.
Then—
I walked forward.
I rang the doorbell.
My fingers trembled as I waited.
And then the door opened—
Kiefer.
I hugged him.
Tightly.
Desperately.
Like I was afraid he would disappear if I didn't hold on hard enough.
I had seen him just two days ago.
But this…
This felt like I was seeing him after four years.
Like every second without him had stretched into something unbearable.
My chest tightened, and Kuya's words echoed in my mind—
He didn't live… he only survived.
My vision blurred.
Tears burned in my eyes, and whatever control I had left slipped through my fingers.
His arms tightened around me as if he could feel it.
You're safe… you're okay…Thank you for being okay…
Now I will never lose you again.
Like something carved into my soul—
Whatever the reason you left me… You still found your way back to me.
This time… I won't let you run again.
I pulled back just enough to look at him.
My Kiefer.
My heart was racing uncontrollably, but this time… I didn't try to stop it.
I found you again… to be with you.
I came back for you.
The words echoed inside me, loud, overwhelming—but they never crossed my lips.
For 24 hours…
I had carried them.
Held them in.
Waited for this exact moment.
My fingers tightened around the paper in my hand as I slowly placed it in his.
The marriage certificate.
His eyes dropped to it… confusion flickering across his face before lifting back to mine.
Searching.
Questioning.
Almost afraid.
Be mine, Kiefer…
I'll stay with you forever…
I'll love you… always…
My throat tightened.
None of it came out.
Not a single word.
Only one did.
"Marry me."
It was barely above a whisper—
But it carried everything I couldn't say.
Everything I felt.
Everything I was risking.
The silence that followed felt endless.
And all I could do…
was standing there,
and hope—
He wouldn't let me go again.
I waited for that yes from him—every second stretching, every breath unsteady.
And when he said it…when he told me he had been waiting for the same—
My heart soared.
Pure, overwhelming happiness.
When he signed the papers, everything inside me stilled for a moment.
And then—
He was finally mine.
This single piece of paper…proved it to the world.
Mark Kiefer Watsonbelonged to me—
his wife,
Jasher Jean Mariano Watson. and I belonged to him