Jay POV
After few days...
Right now I'm at the Mariano Group of Industries and... it's been several days since I lied to everyone.
After what happened, I didn't have the courage to face them... Section E and him... Keifer.
So I didn't go to school since then.
I wanted to ask Ci N about how's he, but I was afraid that he wouldn't even talk to me. But surprisingly, he called me and said, "I know you're lying."
I tried many times to convince him, but Ci N is Ci N, so he didn't believe a word I said.
So at last, I lost it and told him that yes, I was lying, but I can't tell you the reason yet...
Till then, I have to hide the truth.
I even took a promise from him that he won't tell this to everyone... not even to Keifer.
But he told me to tell the truth as soon as possible coz Keifer is not alright.
So I asked Ci N to give me his updates.
He only told me that he had become so calm for a minute and then violent in a second.
He also didn't attend the school daily. He only came 1–2 days.
Victoria was still here in Philippines and the biggest problem of all the time... her daughter Hela was also here now.
She's just like a carbon copy of her mother.
Same arrogance.
Same ego.
And a heart of stone.
Then my phone rang.
It was Ci N.
I quickly answered it, thinking it will be something about Keifer.
"Jay... listen to me," he said in a panicked voice.
"Ci N? What happened?"
"Keifer isn't picking anyone's calls and he's missing from last night."
My heart sank.
"What?"
"Keiren even tried several times, but there's no use. Jay, please do something..." he said in a broken voice.
He was on the verge of crying.
For a moment, I couldn't say anything.
My mind went completely blank.
Keifer was missing.
The same Keifer whom I had been avoiding for days.
The same Keifer whom I had lied to.
The same Keifer who was already not alright because of me.
"Ci N... where was he last seen?" I finally managed to ask.
"We don't know. That's the problem. Nobody knows where he went."
I stood up from my chair immediately.
Did you'll checked everywhere? Any place that he could be? He wouldn't left his brothers alone like this
Yeah we checked every possible place already but there's no trace of him...do you think his father can be behind of this?
I don't know....but I'll definitely find him.. whatever it takes.. I'll do it.
I ended the call
My grip tightened around my phone.
Something wasn't right.
Keifer wouldn't just disappear without telling anyone.
"I'll find him."
I grabbed my keys
For days, I'd been hiding from everyone because I was scared of facing the consequences of my lie.
But now...
I didn't care anymore.
Not about Victoria.
Not about Hela.
Not even about what would happen if everyone found out the truth.
I just needed to find Keifer.
I rushed out of my office, my heart pounding harder with every step.
Because somewhere deep inside, one terrifying thought kept repeating in my head...
What if something had happened to him?
Jay POV
I quickly called Max... our employee and cyber genius.
And in seconds, Keifer's live location was on my mobile.
I didn't tell anyone.
Not Percy.
Not Jason.
For now, Keifer's safety was the only thing that mattered.
I ran outside, got into my car, and started driving to where the location directed me.
It was in a corner of the city.
The worst of all thoughts were covering my mind.
What if Victoria had done something?
What if she had hurt Keifer?
No.
No, I won't let that happen.
Finally, I was here, and my heart was beating so fast I could hear it.
The sky was starting to get gloomy and dark.
The location was of a bar.
Without thinking much, I walked in.
The whole bar was empty.
Just then, I heard a loud sound of glass breaking.
I looked in the direction from where the sound came and followed it.
And then I saw him.
In the corner, Keifer was sitting on a bar stool, his back against the wall.
Uncountable bottles of wine were near him.
Uncountable.
Then an employee came to him.
"Sir, you're here from last night. You've drunk so much. We can't give you more wine. Please tell us your family member's number so they can come to pick you up. You're not in the condition to stand."
"Shut the fuck up!" he roared, throwing a bottle straight onto the floor, a little far from him.
The employee flinched.
Keifer took out a bunch of money from his pocket and threw it toward him.
"I paid you... I booked the whole damn bar and that's what matters, okay? Now give me the drinks. These all are empty."
He stood up, and it looked like he would faint any second.
The employee looked terrified.
He took a bottle from the shelf and was about to give it to him when I snatched it from his hand.
"You go from here. I'll take care of him."
The employee immediately nodded and went inside.
Keifer looked at me.
For a few seconds, he just stared.
Then he tried standing.
But his legs gave up, and he sat back down on the floor.
I quickly knelt near him.
"Keifer, stop drinking. Your brothers are looking for you. They're worried. Come with me. I'll drop you to your house."
He looked at me like he couldn't believe that I was actually here.
His eyes were red.
His hair was a mess.
His face looked completely exhausted.
"No..."
His voice was barely audible.
"I'm imagining you again."
I froze.
"No... no, I'm not getting into this trap."
He shook his head and started moving his hands carelessly, trying to push me away.
"Stay away from me."
Because of his sudden movement, I stumbled back a little.
"Keifer..."
"Don't."
He looked at me again.
There was something in his eyes that I'd never seen before.
Hurt.
Anger.
And something that made my heart ache even more.
"You're not real," he whispered. "You're just another beautiful illusion."
I stared at him.
He slowly looked away.
"Because the real Jay..." His voice cracked. "The real Jay doesn't care about me anymore."
My heart stopped.