Kiefer (POV)
I landed in London.
Angelo, Aries, jare and Percy were with me.
The air here always felt sharper—like it was waiting for something to break.
"Kiefer… don't you think it's a trap?" Jare asked through the call.
I nodded once.
"It is."
"Elders don't throw parties for nothing," I continued. "Especially not ones where every major shareholder is invited."
Silence followed.
Then Percy's voice came in, low. "Then why are we walking into it?"
I exhaled slowly.
"Because it's not just a party."
I glanced toward the waiting car.
"It's a cover."
I opened the door and got in.
"But we're not backing out now," I continued. "We need to attend it."
Angelo settled beside me. Aries and Percy followed.
"We got information," I added, eyes forward. "Shares are transferring tonight."
Jare's tone sharpened. "And the invitation?"
"Not as guests," Angelo answered before I could. "As future hires of Mariano."
Jare went quiet for a moment.
Then Percy spoke again. "So this isn't celebration. It's positioning."
"Exactly," I said.
Angelo leaned back slightly. "Aries holds influence over the future economy. Percy handles enforcement structures. Jare control franchise expansion. This isn't random seating—they're mapping control."
I didn't look away from the window.
"And as the CEO of Watson," I said flatly. "So I'm required to be there."
Silence settled again.
Then I added, lower, "Clyden says the elders aren't making moves."
My jaw tightened slightly.
"But something about that feels wrong."
"If they're not moving," Angelo muttered, more to himself than anyone else, "then they're waiting."
Jare glanced at me through the mirror. "For what?"
My gaze shifted to the city outside.
A cold smile touched my lips.
"For us to step exactly where they want."
Jare's voice dropped. "And Jay?"
That name shifted the air instantly.
I paused.
"…She was alone," Jare continued. "If all of us are here, who's protecting her?"
"Trust Section E," I said. "They're better than anyone we could leave behind."
The car moved forward.
Lights passed across the window.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown urgency.
I answered.
Rory's voice came through immediately.
"Kiefer."
My expression tightened. "What happened?"
A pause.
"Jay ran away from the hospital."
The car went silent.
Even Angelo stopped moving.
I sat straighter. "Why was she in the hospital?"
Another pause—hesitation.
"She lied to us, Kiefer."
Silence.
Cold.
Measured.
"…Okay," I said.
But my mind was already moving faster than my voice.
I ended the call and lowered the phone.
Angelo looked at me. "What is it?"
I didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"I think Jay will come to London."
Jare's voice sharpened instantly. "Why?"
My eyes stayed on the passing streets.
"Because she's angry," I said quietly. "At me."
A beat.
"She thinks I was avoiding her."
Percy frowned slightly. "And?"
My grip tightened on the phone.
"And she thinks I was hidding somthing."
Silence hit the car again.
Different this time.
Heavier.
More personal.
Angelo exhaled slowly. "So she's not just emotional—she's moving on impulse."
"No," I corrected softly.
"She's moving on intent."
The car slowed slightly as we approached the venue district.
Lights grew brighter ahead.
Security tighter.
And something in my chest shifted—not panic, not fear.
Focus.
Because now everything was connected.
The shares.
The party.
Jay.
And whatever was being set up in London tonight.
I leaned back slightly.
"If she's coming," I said quietly, "then this isn't just a shareholder meeting anymore."
My gaze darkened.
"It's a convergence."
A pause.
Then I added—
"And I need to get there before she walks into the wrong part of it."
Watson Mansion Party
The Watson Mansion was dressed like a celebration.
Crystal lights. Soft music. Expensive laughter.
But nothing about it felt like a party.
It felt like a cover.
I stood away from the crowd, leaning against a cold marble wall with a glass of champagne I barely touched. My eyes stayed moving—tracking faces, exits, clusters, security patterns.
Everything was too smooth.
Too rehearsed.
Too quiet underneath the noise.
Clyden said the elders weren't making moves.
But I didn't trust silence like this.
Silence always meant someone was preparing something sharp.
Across the hall, Angelo and Cole were engaged with a business partner. Clyden stood further in, speaking with a group that mattered more than they pretended to.
Everyone was acting normal.
That was the problem.
I exhaled slowly.
Boredom crept in anyway.
And in that gap… my mind drifted where it always did.
Jay.
I wish I could see her now… hold her in my arms.
For a second, the noise faded.
The room. The people. The tension.
None of it mattered.
Just her.
Then—
"Hey, Mr. Watson."
The voice cut through my thoughts instantly.
Sharp.
Unwanted.
I looked up.
A woman stood there—confident posture, expensive presence, familiar enough that I didn't need to try remembering.
"We met in Australia," she said, smiling like it mattered.
I gave a small nod.
No greeting. No interest.
My attention had already moved on—
Back to the room.Back to patterns.Back to threats.
But she didn't leave.
"So… what are you doing here alone?" she asked, stepping closer—too close—her hand almost brushing mine.
My jaw tightened.
I took a step back without thinking.
Too close.
Always too close.
A thought flickered—
If Jay ever saw this…
She wouldn't ask questions.
She'd end it.
That almost made me smile.
Almost.
My voice dropped. Flat. Cold.
"Don't."
She blinked. "What?"
"Don't stand that close."
A pause.
She straightened slightly.
But she didn't leave.
"Why, Kiefer?" she asked.
And that's when it shifted.
Subtle.
Wrong.
The air felt heavier.
Not physically—
But enough for instinct to react.
My grip on the glass loosened just a fraction.
Not weakness.
Interference.
My eyes narrowed slightly, scanning the room again.
Clyden was still there.
Still talking.
Still smiling like everything was perfectly under control.
Too clean.
Too composed.
Then—
She moved again.
Closer than before.
"I think you should sit," she said softly.
I didn't move.
Didn't listen.
My instincts were already tightening.
"No."
Flat.
Final.
But the floor tilted.
Just slightly.
Barely enough to notice—
Unless you knew what it meant.
My vision blurred at the edges.
Light stretched.
Sound dulled.
And that's when it clicked.
Not confusion.
Not panic.
Recognition.
My gaze dropped to the glass in my hand.
Champagne.
Untouched… almost.
Enough.
Spiked.
Of course.
A slow breath left me.
Controlled.
Measured.
Even after I knew, I didn't react.
Not to the wine.Not to the shift in my body.
I stayed exactly the same.
Because whoever did this—
Was watching.
And I wasn't about to give them the satisfaction of seeing me fall.
Calm. Controlled. Unbothered.
Like nothing was wrong.
Like I hadn't already seen through it.
I sent a message to Clyden.
Subtle. Enough.
Across the room, his eyes found mine.
I gave a small nod.
That was all it took.
Then I let my balance slip.
Not fully.
Just enough to sell it.
The kind of mistake people expect.
The girl beside me moved instantly—too fast for coincidence.
She caught me.
Her arm slid around my waist, holding me up.
Practiced.
Prepared.
I let my weight lean into her slightly.
Let her believe it was working.
She guided me through the edge of the crowd—
Away from the noise.Away from the eyes.
Toward the far end of the mansion.
A quieter section.
Isolated.
Perfect for what they planned.
The door shut behind us with a soft click.
Locked.
Of course.
Her grip tightened slightly before she spoke.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Not confident.
Not controlled.
Just… human for a second.
Then her hands moved.
Not to help.
Not to check.
To take control of the situation they had scripted.
That was the moment everything confirmed.
This wasn't improvisation.
It was planned.
And they expected me to be too far gone to stop it.
She leaned closer—
And I moved.
Fast.
My hand shot up—fingers locking around her throat—
Momentum shifting in a single, clean motion—
And suddenly she was the one on the bed.
Pinned.
Breath gone.
Control flipped.
Her eyes widened.
Not fear first—
Confusion.
"Why do you still have strength?" she asked, voice shaking.
I didn't answer right away.
Because I was measuring.
My pulse.My reaction time.The way the drug was threading through my system.
Still usable.
Not for long.
I leaned in slightly, grip steady.
"The wine," I said, voice low. "You didn't mask it well enough."
Her throat moved under my hand.
Panic creeping in now.
"They said it was enough—"
"They were wrong."
My vision flickered again.
Stronger this time.
The delay was catching up.
I adjusted my grip—
Not tighter.
Just controlled.
No wasted movement.
"Who sent you?" I asked.
Silence.
Then—
"I don't know—"
Lie.
"Who asked you to do this?" I asked.
No restraint this time.
No patience.
My grip tightened around her throat—just enough to cut the lies before they formed.
"Nobody—" she choked.
I pressed harder.
Her words broke apart.
Tears slipped fast now—fear replacing whatever confidence she walked in with.
"Talk."
Her hands trembled against my wrist.
"The elders—" she gasped. "They asked me… they said… if I had your child… they would help my family…"
For a second—
I didn't move.
Didn't blink.
The words didn't feel real.
Then they settled.
And something in me went cold.
Not anger first.
Something worse.
Calculation sharpened by disgust.
So this was their play.
Not business.
Not shares.
Not alliances.
Inheritance.
Control.
They didn't just want power—
They wanted to manufacture it.
Through me.
Through blood.
Through a child that could be placed like a piece on a board after Kime.
My jaw tightened slowly.
"What the fuck are they thinking…" I muttered, more to myself than to her.
She was shaking now.
Completely.
"I didn't want to—" she whispered. "I had no choice—"
"Everyone has a choice," I cut in.
My voice wasn't loud.
It didn't need to be.
It was enough to make her freeze.
Then—
Click.
Soft.
Small.
But wrong.
My head turned slightly toward the sound.
Not the door.
Not the window.
Closer.
Inside.
"Is something in this room?" I asked, eyes still scanning, senses forcing themselves through the drug's haze.
"I—I don't know anything," she said quickly.
Too quickly.
I let go of her.
Not because I trusted her.
Because she was no longer the priority.
My gaze moved across the room—
Corners.
Ceiling edges.
Decor.
Too clean.
Too arranged.
This wasn't just a setup.
It was a recording.
Or worse—
A live feed.
My expression hardened.
Of course it was.
They wouldn't risk something like this without proof.
Without leverage.
Without a way to use it later.
I stepped back slowly, ignoring the way the room tilted again.
Think.
Angles.
Blind spots.
Timing.
If they had cameras—
Then they had already seen enough.
Or were waiting for more.
My eyes flicked once toward the girl.
Terrified.
Useless now.
A pawn that didn't even understand the board she was placed on.
I ran a hand through my hair, steadying myself.
This wasn't about me.
It was about jay.
To break us.
"Listen carefully," I said, voice low, controlled.
"If you value whatever help they promised you—walk out that door right now and forget this room exists."
She didn't hesitate.
Didn't even look back.
The door opened—
And everything stopped.
Jay.
Standing right there.
For a second, nothing else existed.
Not the room.Not the trap.Not even the drug burning through my veins.
Just her.
I looked at her—
And something in my chest tightened.
Because I knew what this looked like.
And worse—
I knew what she must be thinking.
Pain flickered through my eyes before I could stop it.
"Jay… why are you here?" I asked, stepping toward her.
Wrong move.
"Don't come near me"
She stepped back.
Like I was something she needed distance from.
That—
That hit harder than anything in this room.
My hand froze mid-air.
I didn't pull it back immediately.
Didn't know how to.
Because she had never looked at me like that before.
Not once.
Her eyes moved past me—
Locked onto the girl.
Cold.
Sharp.
Deadly quiet.
"Who are you?" Jay asked.
The girl stammered, shaking, barely able to speak—
"I—I didn't—"
Slap.
The sound cracked through the room.
Jay's hand moved before anyone could react.
The girl stumbled.
Another step back—
Another slap—
"Say it properly," Jay said, her voice low, controlled in a way that made it worse. "Who. Are. You."
I moved forward instinctively. "Jay—stop—"
She shoved me.
"Don't touch me, Kiefer…" she said.
Her voice wasn't loud.
It didn't need to be.
"…before I lose my mind."
I froze.
Not because of the push.
Because of what was behind it.
Her eyes didn't look at me the way they used to.
There was no hesitation in her distance.
No doubt in her reaction.
Just anger—
And something deeper.
Something that said she had already decided what this was.
My hand stayed where it was for a second too long—
Then slowly dropped.
Like even I understood…
I wasn't allowed near her right now.
The girl ran.
No one stopped her.
No one cared.
Because everything that mattered was already broken in this room.
Then I saw them.
Cole.Clyden.Jare.Percy.
Standing outside.
Watching.
Of course they were.
This was never meant to stay contained.
My jaw tightened.
So this is how far they planned it.
Not just the setup.
Not just the recording.
Witnesses.
Timing.
Her.
Everything aligned to one moment.
My vision flickered again—harder this time.
The delay was over.
The drug finally settled into my system like it owned it.
My legs—
Didn't respond.
Not fully.
I tried to take a step forward.
Toward her.
Toward Jay.
But the floor didn't hold the way it should.
My balance collapsed under me.
And for the first time—
My body didn't listen.
Damn it.
I felt the drop coming—
And then—
A grip.
Strong.
Steady.
Clyden.
He caught me before I hit the ground.
"Careful," he murmured, too calm, too controlled.
I didn't look at him.
Didn't thank him.
Didn't acknowledge it.
Because I knew—
Even if he wasn't the one who planned this—
He knew enough.
My eyes searched past him.
For her.
Jay.
She was still there.
Still standing.
Still watching.
But not the way she used to.
Not like I was someone she would run to.
Not like I was hers.
There was distance now.
Sharp.
Deliberate.
And I couldn't even close it.
Not like this.
Not while my body was giving out beneath me.
My fingers curled slightly, trying to force control back into my limbs.
Useless.
Too late.
I exhaled slowly, forcing my voice to stay steady despite everything slipping.
"Jay…"
Her name came out quieter this time.
Not commanding.
Not controlled.
Something else.
Something closer to real.
"This is a setup," I said.
Each word measured.
Each breath heavier than it should be.
"I didn't touch her."
I held her gaze.
Even as the edges of my vision darkened.
Even as my weight leaned more into Clyden's grip than I'd ever allow under normal circumstances.
"They're trying to break us."
A pause.
My jaw tightened.
"Don't let them."
The room tilted again.
Harder.
Voices blurred at the edges.
But I didn't look away from her.
Not even for a second.
Because if this was the moment everything shifted—
Then I needed her to see one thing clearly.
Not the trap.
Not the room.
Not the girl.
Me.
And the truth I wasn't going to let anyone rewrite.
Even if I collapsed right in front of her.