Jay–Jay (POV)
Frandanze Mansion
The car slowed as we reached the gates of Frandanze Mansion.
My chest tightened.
Kiefer said everyone was waiting for us.
Everyone.
Did I really have to go inside?
I knew I needed to… but how was I supposed to face Aries?
I stabbed him.
I almost killed him.
And worse—I hated him for something he never even explained.
If I were him… I wouldn't even want to see my face. That's why I avoided him for the past three months.I kept telling myself I needed time… but the truth was—I just couldn't face him without breaking.
A bitter breath left me.
For four years before I lost my memory, I thought he didn't care…
But now I remember.
He never showed it the way I needed—but he protected me every time.
Silently.
Constantly.
And I never saw it.
Will it be okay… to stand in front of him like this?
"Jay… let's go inside."
Kiefer's voice pulled me out of the spiral.
His fingers slipped into mine, warm and steady—grounding me.
I stopped.
"Kiefer… can we come later?" My voice came out smaller than I expected.
He turned to me immediately.
His hands gently cupped my face, thumbs brushing away tears I didn't even realize had fallen.
"Everything will be okay, wife," he said softly.
"Remember… you have me. Your husband."
His forehead pressed against mine before he kissed me there—slow, reassuring.
And somehow… that was enough to make me move.
I stepped inside.
"Jay!"
Tita rushed toward me and pulled me into a tight hug.
"Are you okay?" she asked, scanning my face as if I might disappear.
"I'm okay, Tita…" I said with a small smile.
Then I looked past her.
Everyone was there.
Everyone…
Except Aries.
My stomach dropped.
Does that mean… he knows?
"Jay!" Amy and Mia ran toward me and hugged me tightly.
I hugged them back, holding on a little longer than usual.
From over their shoulders, I saw my brothers.
Ion walked in with juice, as nothing had changed.
Ella sat quietly on the couch, watching everything.
The room felt full.
Too full.
Too quiet.
"So… how about we talk instead of standing here in silence?" Percy said.
All eyes turned to me.
My heart pounded.
Kiefer's hand rested on my shoulder.
Steady.
Present.
With me.
"I…" My voice trembled. "I remember my past."
Silence fell instantly.
Heavy. Suffocating.
"I'm sorry… I hid it," I continued, my vision blurring. "I didn't know how to face it… or any of you…"
My voice broke.
And then—
Warm arms wrapped around me.
"Hey… It's okay."
Angelo Kuya.
Another hand rested on my back.
Cole Kuya.
"You're here," Angelo said softly. "That's what matters. Just don't cause trouble anymore."
"Next time, don't carry everything alone," Cole added. "You have us. Remember that."
That was it.
I broke completely.
Tears fell freely as everyone came closer, hands on my shoulders, arms, and back.
Forgiving me… without asking for anything.
But I wasn't done.
"There's… something else," I said, pulling back slightly.
My hand moved to my stomach.
I glanced at Kiefer… then at Percy… then at Jare.
"I'm pregnant."
For a second—
No one reacted.
Then—
"Aaahhhhhhh!" Mia, Amy, and Ion shouted at the same time.
The tension shattered.
"Congratulations!" they all said.
A small laugh escaped me through my tears.
"Great," Angelo Kuya sighed dramatically. "Another troublemaker in the house."
I smiled.
But it didn't fully reach.
"…Kuya," I said softly, my fingers tightening slightly over my stomach.
"I want to talk to him."
The room stilled again.
"Where is Aries?"
Everything changed.
The warmth… the laughter… gone.
Replaced with something heavier.
No one answered immediately.
They looked at each other.
That was enough.
"He's upstairs," Ella said quietly.
My heart skipped.
Upstairs.
Alone.
Of course he was.
"I'll go—"
"No."
Kiefer's voice was calm… but firm.
"I'll come with you."
I shook my head.
"No… I need to do this."
He studied me for a moment.
Then nodded.
"I'll be right outside."
I gave a small nod back and turned.
Each step toward the stairs felt heavier than the last.
My heartbeat echoed in my ears.
By the time I reached the top… my hands were trembling.
His door was half-open.
Light spilling through the gap.
I couldn't breathe.
What if he tells me to leave?
What if he hates me?
…What if he should?
I pushed the door open.
He was there.
Sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Aries…"
He didn't turn immediately.
That hurt more than anything.
Then slowly—
He looked at me.
No anger.
No hatred.
Just distance.
And that… broke me.
"I remember," I said quickly. "Everything."
I…" My voice shook. "I know what I did to you."
Silence.
"I know I stabbed you."
My breath hitched. "I know I hated you… for no reason… I know I—"
"Stop."
His voice cut through me.
Not loud.
Not harsh.
But finally.
My words died instantly.
"I know," he said.
That was it.
No emotion.
No weight.
Just… "I know."
Tears slipped down my face.
"I didn't know…" I whispered. "I didn't remember anything… I thought you didn't care… I thought you abandoned me—"
Nothing.
"I'm sorry…" My voice cracked completely now. "I'm so sorry, Aries… I didn't see you… I didn't understand… I hurt you… I almost—"
I couldn't even say it.
Killed you.
"I know," he said again.
But this time… softer.
And somehow… that hurt more.
I took a step closer.
Then another.
"I don't expect you to forgive me," I said, my hands shaking at my sides. "You don't have to… you shouldn't… I just—"
My voice collapsed.
"I just didn't want you to think… I hated you for real…"
Silence filled the room again.
Heavy.
Then—
"Did you?"
I blinked.
"What?"
"Did you hate me?"His question was simple.
But it hit deeper than anything else.
"I…" I shook my head immediately. "No… I was angry… confused… broken… but I never—"
My voice softened.
"I never stopped needing you."
For the first time—
Something in his expression shifted.
Barely.
But I saw it.
"I remembered everything," I continued, my tears falling freely now. "You're standing between me and everyone… You're taking the blame… You staying quiet so I wouldn't get hurt…"
My breath trembled.
"You loved me… in a way I never understood."
His jaw tightened.
Like he didn't want to hear it.
Or maybe… like he waited too long to.
"I'm late," I whispered. "I know that… but I'm here now… if you still—"
My voice died instantly.
He looked at me fully now.
"I know," he said.
Then, quieter—
"When you stopped calling me 'Ari Kuya'… I knew."
My breath caught.
"I knew you remembered," he continued. "And you were keeping your distance… for me."
Tears blurred my vision.
I broke.
"I didn't know how to face you… all I could see was—"
"Blood," he finished.
I nodded.
"I was waiting," he said.
"For what?"
"For you to come back to me… properly. Not like a stranger… but like my sister."
"I didn't think I deserved that…"
"You don't," he said.
I froze.
He exhaled.
"…but I still wanted it.Did you forget the last four years?
Even when you didn't remember me… I was still there.
We made memories—real ones.
And you didn't even stop to ask if I needed you…You just walked away…
Like I was nothing.Like I meant nothing.Like you didn't need me anymore."
Tears fell harder.
"I never stopped needing you," I whispered.
Something in his expression shifted.
Barely.
But enough.
"You loved me… even when I didn't remember you as my brother," I said.
"You still cared… as nothing changed."
His jaw tightened.
"I'm late… I know. But I'm here now… if you still—"
My hand lifted slightly.
"—have a place for me."
Silence.
Then—
He stood.
Walked toward me.
Stopped right in front of me.
And pulled me into him.
Tight.
"I hate you," he muttered.
My heart shattered.
"I hate you… for not remembering… for looking at me like I was nothing," he said, his voice breaking.
"I knew you didn't mean it… But it still hurts."
His grip tightened.
"But I couldn't hate you enough to leave."
I broke.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"
"You're stupid," he muttered. "You always were."
A small laugh escaped me.
"…I know."
He didn't let go.
"…You're okay?" he asked quietly.
I nodded.
"Ari kuya…" The word slipped out before I could stop it.
His expression changed instantly.
Something softened.
Something he had been holding back.
For so long.
"…Say it again," he said quietly.
My lips trembled.
"Ari kuya…"
He didn't answer right away.
Instead, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead.
"Don't avoid things anymore," he said quietly."If something happens… You have me. Always."
My throat tightened.
"I know…" I whispered.
There was a pause.
A small one.
But it felt heavy.
"There's… something else."
He pulled back slightly.
"What?"
My hand moved to my stomach.
His eyes followed.
"I'm pregnant."
Silence.
"…What?"
"…Yeah."
He stared at me.
Then ran a hand through his hair.
"…That explains why Kiefer is smiling like an idiot."
I blinked.
"What?"
"…Nothing."
And just like that—
The heaviness cracked.
Just a little.
Aries opened the door.
Kiefer was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, like he had been waiting the entire time.
The moment he saw me, his expression softened.
His eyes moved between Aries and me—quick, assessing.
Then he pushed himself off the wall and walked straight to me.
His hand came up, resting gently on my head.
"Is everything okay, wife?" he asked softly.
I nodded.
I didn't trust my voice yet.
But I smiled.
Really smiled.
Kiefer let out a quiet breath, like he had been holding it in this whole time.
Then he leaned down and kissed me.
Soft.
Natural.
Like it was the most normal thing in the world.
A mistake.
I felt it immediately.
The shift.
I glanced at Aries.
He was staring.
No—glare was the right word.
Sharp. Warning.
"Don't do that in front of me," Aries said flatly.
Kiefer didn't even flinch.
If anything, his lips curved slightly.
"Relax," he said calmly.
Aries' eyes narrowed.
Kiefer tilted his head, studying him.
"Brother-in-law…" he said casually, like he was testing the weight of it.
"You should start getting used to it. It's been 3 months."
A pause.
Then—
"You're going to be a tito."
He let that settle.
Then added, just a little smug—
"So maybe try not to threaten the father of your niece or nephew."
Silence.
Heavy.
Aries stared at him.
Unblinking.
Then slowly—
He stepped closer.
Not aggressive.
Not loud.
Just enough to make it clear—
He wasn't backing down.
Kiefer didn't move.
Didn't react.
They stood there like that for a second.
Then Aries spoke.
Quiet.
Sharp.
"Good," he said.
Kiefer's brow lifted slightly.
Aries' gaze didn't leave his.
"At least now I'll have someone small enough to teach properly."
A beat.
His eyes flicked briefly toward me—
Then back to Kiefer.
"So when you mess up…" he added calmly,
"I'll just raise your child better than you."
Silence.
Then—
Kiefer let out a short breath.
Not annoyed.
Not offended.
Almost… impressed.
"…We'll see," he said.
Aries didn't reply.
He just walked past him.
And that—
Was his answer.
Kiefer smirked slightly… then stepped back.
"Come on," he said, glancing at me. "They're waiting."
And just like that, the tension loosened—barely, but enough.
We walked downstairs together.
This time—
Not as strangers.
Not broken.
Something… had settled.
Dinner was quieter than usual.
But not heavy.
Just… calm.
Soft conversations. Occasional teasing. Small glances.
Normal.
For the first time in a long time.
And somehow… that felt more overwhelming than everything else.
One by one, everyone started leaving.
The house slowly emptied.
Until it was just us.
And then—
We went home.
The moment I stepped inside, I didn't even get the chance to say anything.
Kiefer pulled me into his arms.
Tight.
Careful.
Like I might still fall apart.
"Everything okay now?" he murmured against my hair.
I nodded into his chest.
This time—
I meant it.
And for the first time in a long time…
We told Kigen and Kiran, too.
For a second, they just stared at us—processing.
Then it hit them.
"You're serious?" Kiran asked.
Kiefer just nodded.
And that was it.
Both of them broke into wide smiles.
"We're going to be tito?" Kigen said, almost like he couldn't believe it.
Kiran laughed, shaking his head. "Finally… a new member in this family."
The excitement in their voices felt real.
Light.
Warm.
And for the first time—
It didn't feel overwhelming.
It felt right.
Everything felt like it was finally falling into place.