AUTHOR’S POV
The room was still quiet.
Jay was sitting on the bed, leaning against Percy while tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.
Nobody had gone back downstairs.
Nobody cared about the movie anymore.
Percy kept one arm around her.
Kade and Raphel stood nearby.
The rest of ASTRA stayed silent.
Jay finally whispered,
“I don’t want to stay here.”
Percy looked at her.
“What?”
“Not this room…”
She wiped her cheeks.
“I mean here.”
Everyone exchanged confused looks.
Jay took a shaky breath.
“I don’t want to stay in this place anymore.”
Percy frowned.
“Where do you want to go?”
“Somewhere else.”
Kade immediately asked,
“Why?”
“Because…”
Jay looked down.
“I don’t want Keifer to find me here.”
The room became silent again.
Jay continued,
“Even if he doesn’t know now, one day he will.”
Percy gently held her shoulder.
“Jay, you don’t have to run because of him.”
“I’m not running.”
Her voice became firmer.
“I’m choosing where I want to live.”
That was the Jay everyone knew.
Even through tears…
she was still making her own decision.
She looked at Percy.
“I want to leave.”
Percy stared at her for a moment.
“Okay.”
Everyone looked at him.
Kade blinked.
“Okay?”
Percy nodded.
“If leaving makes you feel safer, we’ll leave.”
Jay looked surprised.
“You agree?”
“Yes.”
Raphel immediately joined.
“Wherever you go, we’re coming.”
Kevin raised his hand.
“Obviously.”
MJ nodded.
“Nobody is leaving you alone.”
Jay looked around.
“Then…”
She took a breath.
“Let’s leave in less than two weeks.”
Percy’s eyebrows lifted.
“Less than two weeks?”
Jay nodded.
“I don’t want to wait.”
Percy thought for a moment.
“Fine.”
Kade immediately asked,
“Where?”
Jay looked toward the window.
“I don’t know yet.”
Percy gave a small smile.
“Then we’ll figure it out.”
Jay nodded.
“But nobody tells anyone.”
Everyone understood exactly who she meant.
Keifer.
Section E
Nobody was going to tell Keifer.
ELSEWHERE…
Across the city…
another mansion was equally quiet.
But unlike Mariano Mansion…
there was no warmth here.
No large family gathering.
No laughter.
No movie playing downstairs.
Only three people remained inside.
Keifer.
And Keigan.
There was no family dinner.
No peaceful home.
Just three brothers preparing for something that would change their lives.
Kieren was packing documents into a suitcase.
Keigan was checking their travel arrangements.
Keifer stood near the window.
His eyes were fixed on the city lights.
London.
That was where they were going.
Not for vacation.
Not for school.
Not for fun.
For his inheritance.
Keifer had to go to London and complete what was required before he could claim what belonged to him.
His brothers were going with him.
Kieren closed the suitcase.
“Everything is ready.”
Keigan nodded.
“Two weeks.”
Keifer didn’t answer.
Kieren looked at him.
“You still haven’t changed your mind?”
“No.”
Keigan sighed.
“Keifer…”
Keifer finally turned around.
“I have to do this.”
Kieren understood.
“You think after you get the inheritance, you’ll finally be free?”
Keifer gave a bitter smile.
“Free from him?”
He looked toward the empty hallway.
“Maybe.”
Keigan’s expression hardened.
“Our father threw you out.”
Keifer laughed without humor.
“Don’t call him father.”
Both brothers looked at him.
Keifer’s jaw tightened.
“He’s a monster.”
Silence.
“He doesn’t care about us.”
Keifer looked down at the documents in his hand.
“He only cares about power, money and his stupid legacy.”
Kieren walked closer.
“And you’re still going back?”
“Because I need the inheritance.”
Keifer’s voice was firm.
“Once I have it, he can’t control me anymore.”
Keigan nodded slowly.
“And then?”
Keifer didn’t answer immediately.
Then…
he whispered one name.
“Jay.”
Both brothers looked at him.
Kieren already knew.
“You still love her.”
Keifer looked away.
“More than anything.”
His voice was quiet.
“I know what I did.”
Keigan remained silent.
“I pushed her away.”
Keifer’s eyes became distant.
“I made her hate me.”
Kieren asked,
“Because of him?”
Keifer nodded.
“If monster knew how much she meant to me…”
He clenched his fist.
“He would’ve used her against me.”
Keigan understood.
“So you made her believe you didn’t care.”
“Yes.”
Keifer swallowed.
“And now she hates me.”
Kieren sighed.
“You don’t know that.”
Keifer looked at him.
“After everything I said?”
He shook his head.
“She should hate me.”
There was pain in his voice.
“But after London…”
Keigan asked,
“What are you going to do?”
Keifer looked at the packed suitcase. Visit novelping.com for the full chapter.
“I’m going to tell her everything.”
Kieren raised an eyebrow.
“Everything?”
“Everything.”
Keifer nodded.
“I’m going to tell her why I pushed her away.”
He paused.
“I’m going to tell her about my father.”
Another pause.
“And I’m going to ask her to forgive me.”
Keigan looked at him carefully.
“And if she doesn’t?”
Keifer’s expression changed.
For the first time that night…
there was certainty in his eyes.
“Then I’ll accept it.”
Kieren looked surprised.
Keifer continued,
“But I’ll still tell her the truth.”
He looked down at his phone.
Jay’s contact was still there.
He hadn’t deleted it.
Couldn’t.
Wouldn’t.
His thumb hovered over her name.
He didn’t call.
Not yet.
“After London,” he whispered.
“After I get what I need.”
Then his expression hardened.
“After that…”
He closed his eyes for a moment.
“I’ll go back to her.”
Keigan smiled faintly.
“You really haven’t moved on.”
Keifer shook his head.
“No.”
He looked toward the window again.
“She’s still mine.”
Kieren immediately frowned.
“Kuya.”
Keifer corrected himself.
“I know she gets to choose.”
His voice softened.
“But I won’t let anyone hurt her again.”
He stared into the darkness.
“No one gets to take her away from me.”
TWO WEEKS
Neither side knew what the other was planning.
Jay had decided to leave.
Keifer had decided to leave.
Both believed distance was necessary.
Both were carrying secrets.
Both were preparing for London.
And neither knew…
that their paths were slowly moving toward the same future.
BACK AT MARIANO MANSION
Jay had finally stopped crying.
Percy carefully pulled the blanket around her.
“You should sleep.”
Jay nodded.
“But Perse?”
“Hmm?”
“Don’t let anyone tell him.”
Percy knew exactly who she meant.
“I won’t.”
Jay closed her eyes.
“And when we leave…”
“Yes?”
“Take everyone.”
Percy smiled.
“Obviously.”
Jay gave a tiny sleepy smile.
“Good.”
Within minutes…
she was asleep again.
Percy remained beside her.
He looked at her peacefully sleeping face.
Then toward the door.
His expression became serious.
Two weeks.
They had less than two weeks to prepare.
And somewhere across the city…
Keifer was preparing for the exact same countdown.
Neither knew it yet.
But the next two weeks…
were going to change everything.