Author’s POV
The car door closed.
For a few seconds, neither Jay nor Percy said anything.
The four guards had already gotten into the second car behind them.
The driver started the engine.
The tinted windows separated them from the outside world.
And the moment the car began moving—
Percy reached up.
He removed the black mask from his face.
Just like that.
The ruthless stranger who had stood in Jay’s house disappeared.
The cold eyes.
The dangerous expression.
The intimidating posture.
Gone.
Instead, Percy looked at Jay.
And his expression immediately softened.
But there was one thing he noticed before anything else.
Jay looked exhausted.
Her face was paler than usual.
Her eyes carried the slight heaviness of someone who hadn’t slept properly.
Percy frowned.
“You’re sick.”
Jay looked out the window.
“I’m fine.”
Percy’s eyebrow lifted.
“Jay.”
“I’m fine, Perse.”
“You look like you haven’t slept in three days.”
“I slept.”
“When?”
Jay paused.
“…Yesterday.”
“How long?”
Jay didn’t answer.
Percy stared at her.
“Jay.”
She sighed.
“Enough.”
“That’s not a number.”
She looked at him.
“You interrogate everyone like this?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“Just you.”
Jay rolled her eyes.
“Obviously.”
Percy leaned back against the seat.
Then Jay suddenly turned toward him.
Her expression became serious.
“You really enjoy making decisions for me, don’t you, Perse?”
Percy looked at her.
“I knew this was coming.”
“I told you to prepare the papers.”
“I did.”
“I didn’t tell you to come to my house.”
Percy stayed quiet.
Jay continued.
“I didn’t tell you to bring four guards.”
Silence.
“And a gun.”
Still silence.
“And a black mask.”
Percy looked at her innocently.
“What?”
Jay stared at him.
“Seriously?”
He shrugged.
“You recognized me.”
“Exactly.”
“So the mask failed.”
“It was never going to work on me.”
“I know.”
Jay narrowed her eyes.
“Then why did you wear it?”
Percy’s expression became slightly amused.
“Because everyone else wasn’t supposed to recognize me.”
Jay stared at him for a moment.
Then she shook her head.
“You’re impossible.”
“You knew that.”
“Unfortunately.”
A tiny smile appeared on Jay’s lips.
But it disappeared quickly.
Her expression became thoughtful.
“Why did you come yourself?”
Percy’s smile faded.
He looked ahead.
“Because you weren’t safe there.”
Jay immediately replied.
“That’s not an answer.”
“It is.”
“No. You could’ve sent someone.”
Percy turned toward her.
“I could have.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
His expression softened again.
“Because I wanted to make sure you came with me.”
Jay’s eyes narrowed.
“I could protect myself.”
“I know.”
“I’ve survived worse.”
“I know.”
“Then?”
Percy sighed.
“The point isn’t whether you can protect yourself.”
His voice became quieter.
“The point is that I shouldn’t have to wait until someone actually reaches you.”
Jay went silent.
Percy continued.
“I know you’re strong.”
“I know you’re capable.”
“I know you can handle yourself better than most people twice your age.”
He looked directly at her.
“But you’re still my responsibility.”
Jay raised an eyebrow.
“You realize you basically made yourself responsible for me.”
Percy gave her a small smile.
“I’ve been responsible for you long before the paperwork.”
That sentence hit differently.
Jay looked away.
For a moment, she didn’t say anything.
Then she quietly asked,
“You really didn’t trust anyone else?”
Percy’s answer came immediately.
“No.”
Jay looked back at him.
“Not even the people around you?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because this involves you.”
Simple.
Direct.
And completely Percy.
Jay’s expression softened.
Then she remembered something.
“The guardianship.”
Percy nodded.
“I used exactly what you told me.” Get faster updates on novelping.com.
“Mr. Mariano.”
“Yes.”
“Not your name.”
“Never.”
Jay nodded.
“Good.”
Percy looked at her.
“You told me to keep my identity hidden.”
“I did.”
“So I did.”
Jay smiled slightly.
“Very obedient.”
Percy scoffed.
“Don’t push your luck.”
She laughed softly.
For a few seconds, the car became peaceful.
Then Jay’s expression changed.
“Perse?”
“Hm?”
“Where are we going?”
Percy didn’t answer immediately.
Jay looked at him.
“Perse.”
He finally said,
“Mariano Mansion.”
Jay froze.
Her eyes widened slightly.
“The… Mariano Mansion?”
Percy nodded.
“Your home.”
The words hit her harder than she expected.
Jay’s expression slowly changed.
She looked out of the window.
For a few seconds, she couldn’t speak.
Her own home.
The place that belonged to the Mariano family.
The place connected to her childhood.
The place she had always known existed— but somehow felt distant.
“Papa knows?”
Percy shook his head.
“No.”
Jay looked at him in surprise.
“He doesn’t know?”
“No.”
“Then why are we going there?”
“Because it’s your home.”
Jay’s eyes became slightly glassy.
But she didn’t cry.
She didn’t allow herself to.
She simply stared outside the window.
Percy watched her quietly.
He knew what that place meant to her.
He didn’t interrupt.
After a few seconds, Jay whispered,
A small, emotional smile appeared.
“Home…”
Percy smiled softly.
“Your real home.”
Jay looked at him.
For once, she didn’t have a sarcastic answer.
She simply nodded.
But then Percy added,
“And before you ask—no, we’re not meeting Dad today.”
Jay’s smile faded slightly.
“Jaspher?”
“Yes.”
“He doesn’t know?”
“Not about this.”
Jay looked confused.
“Then when will I meet him?”
Percy’s expression became serious.
“When the time is right.”
Jay studied his face.
“Why?”
“Because there are things you need to know first.”
“What things?”
Percy looked toward the road.
“I don’t have all the answers.”
Jay stayed quiet.
Then Percy said,
“But whenever we do meet him…”
He turned toward her.
“Don’t trust every answer you hear.”
Jay’s expression became sharp again.
“You think he’ll lie?”
“I think you should listen carefully.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“No.”
Percy looked at her seriously.
“Because sometimes people don’t lie.”
“They just don’t tell the whole truth.”
Jay slowly nodded.
“Got it.”
Then she looked at him.
“You too?”
Percy frowned.
“What?”
“Are you hiding something from me?”
A tiny smirk appeared on his face.
“Always.”
Jay rolled her eyes.
“Perse.”
He laughed.
“I’m kidding.”
“You’re annoying.”
“And you’re dramatic.”
“I’m not dramatic.”
Jay stared at him.
“You brought the gun.”
Percy smiled.
“Fair.”
The moment passed.
Then Percy suddenly remembered something.
“Did you eat?”
Jay immediately looked away.
Percy knew that look.
“Jay.”
“A little.”
“What does ‘a little’ mean?”
She remained silent.
“Jay.”
“…Tea.”
Percy stared at her.
“Tea?”
“Yes.”
“That’s not food.”
“It has calories.”
Percy closed his eyes.
“You’re impossible.”
“You knew that before becoming my guardian.”
“Unfortunately.”
Jay smiled.
Then suddenly— her vision blurred.
Just for a second.
She blinked. New chapters come out on g.com first.
The world tilted slightly.
Her fingers immediately tightened around the edge of the seat.
She took a slow breath.
Once.
Twice.
And straightened herself.
She looked completely normal again.
At least— she thought she did.
Percy noticed.
His expression changed instantly.
“Jay?”
“I’m fine.”
“You got dizzy.”
“No.”
“Jay.”
She looked at him.
“It was nothing.”
Percy didn’t believe her.
Not even for a second.
“Driver.”
The driver’s eyes immediately moved toward the rear-view mirror.
“Yes, sir?”
“Change the route.”
Jay’s eyes widened.
“Where?”
“Hospital.”
“No.”
Percy looked at her.
“Hospital.”
“I said no.”
“Jay.”
“I’m fine.”
“You just nearly lost your balance sitting down.”
“It was two seconds.”
“Two seconds is enough.”
“I’m not going to the hospital.”
Percy’s jaw tightened.
“Driver, hospital.”
“Perse.”
“Hospital.”
Jay’s expression became annoyed.
“I’m not a child.”
“I know.”
“Then stop ordering people around me.”
“I will stop when you stop pretending you’re okay.”
Jay glared at him.
“I said I’m fine.”
Percy’s voice became sharper.
“No, you’re not.”
Silence filled the car.
Even the driver became tense.
Jay stared at Percy.
Percy stared back.
His anger wasn’t the cold anger he showed enemies.
This was different.
This was fear disguised as anger.
“You haven’t eaten.”
“You’ve been sick since morning.”
“You’ve been dizzy.”
“And you’re still sitting here telling me you’re fine.”
Jay looked away.
Percy took a breath.
His voice softened slightly.
“I don’t care if you hate hospitals.”
“I don’t care if you get angry at me.”
“I don’t care if you call me controlling.”
He looked directly at her.
“I am not taking chances with you.”
Jay remained silent.
The car continued toward the hospital.
After a moment, she quietly said,
“You really got angry.”
Percy looked away.
“I was scared.”
Jay looked at him.
Percy didn’t try to hide it.
“You’re allowed to be strong, Jay.”
“But you’re not allowed to pretend your body isn’t warning you.”
Jay’s expression softened.
She looked down at her hands.
“Sorry.”
Percy immediately shook his head.
“Don’t apologize.”
“Then?”
“Just tell me next time.”
Jay nodded.
“I will.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Percy finally relaxed slightly.
The hospital sign appeared ahead.
Jay looked outside.
Then she sighed.
“You owe me.”
Percy raised an eyebrow.
“For what?”
“For ruining our dramatic return home.”
Percy laughed.
“You’re blaming me for taking you to the hospital?”
“Yes.”
“Fine.”
He smiled.
“I’ll accept the blame.”
Jay smiled too.
But beneath that small smile—
Percy was still watching her carefully.
Because he knew Jay.
She could hide pain.
She could hide fear.
She could hide weakness.
She could stand in front of an entire room and make everyone believe she was untouchable.
But Percy knew the difference between Jay being fine— and Jay pretending to be fine.
And today?
She was definitely pretending.
The car finally entered the hospital driveway.
The guards’ car followed behind.
Percy looked at Jay.
“Come on.”
Jay opened the door.
She stepped out.
Then looked toward the hospital entrance.
For a moment, she glanced back at Percy.
He was already beside her.
No mask.
No ruthless stranger.
Just Percy.
Her brother.
Her protector.
The one person who had seen through her silence without needing her to explain.
Jay quietly said,
“Let’s get this over with.”
Percy smiled.
“That’s my girl.”
Together, they walked toward the hospital entrance.