Author’s POV
The moment the five men disappeared from the house, the entire room seemed to fall silent.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
Angelo was still staring at the documents on the table.
Aris looked toward the door through which the men had disappeared.
Jeena stood frozen beside Gemma.
And…
Jay simply stood at the top of the staircase.
Watching.
Thinking.
Calculating.
She wasn’t shocked by the documents.
She already knew about them.
The partnership agreement?
Her idea.
The guardianship arrangement?
Her idea too.
She had personally told Percy to prepare the necessary papers.
She had expected him to handle everything quietly.
What she hadn’t expected…
was for Percy to actually walk into her house.
With four armed men.
Wearing a black suit.
And most importantly— still hiding his face.
Jay narrowed her eyes slightly.
Jay — thoughts:
I told you to prepare the papers, Perse.
I didn’t tell you to come here yourself.
Her eyes moved toward the front door.
And why are you still hiding your face?
A tiny smirk appeared on her lips.
You know I recognized you the second you walked in.
Angelo finally picked up the partnership document again.
His expression was still tense.
Angelo: “I still don’t understand why Jaspher would do this.”
Jay slowly walked down the stairs.
Every head turned toward her.
Mom immediately noticed her pale face.
Jeena: “Jay? Why are you downstairs? You should be resting.”
Jay ignored the concern.
She reached the table and casually looked at the papers.
Jay: “What happened?”
Angelo looked at her.
Angelo: “You weren’t here.”
Jay raised an eyebrow.
Jay: “Clearly.”
Gemma gave her a worried look.
Gemma: “Those men came here demanding signatures.”
Jay looked at the documents.
Her expression remained completely neutral.
Jay: “And?”
Angelo stared at her.
Angelo: “And?”
Jay: “Did you sign them?”
Silence.
Angelo’s jaw tightened.
Angelo: “I had no choice.”
Jay glanced at him.
Then at the first document.
The partnership agreement.
She already knew every word.
Every condition.
Every clause.
Because she had designed the idea herself.
The purpose was simple.
End the Yuri engagement.
And now it was done.
Jay picked up the paper.
She read the final clause.
Her lips curved slightly.
Jay — thoughts:
Exactly as planned.
She placed the paper back down.
Then Jay’s eyes moved toward the second document.
The guardianship agreement.
She picked it up.
Aris immediately looked at her.
Aris: “That one is even stranger.”
Jay looked at the document.
The guardian’s name was written clearly.
MR.
MARIANO This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Not Percy Mariano.
Not his full name.
Just—
Mr.
Mariano.
Exactly as Jay had instructed.
Jay wasn’t surprised.
She had told Percy to keep his identity hidden.
The entire point was to make everyone believe the order came through the Mariano family.
Jay — thoughts:
Good.
You actually followed my instructions.
She almost smiled.
Almost.
But something still bothered her.
Not the papers.
Not the agreement.
Not even the threats.
Percy himself.
Why had he come?
Why today?
Why personally?
And why— after everything— was he still hiding his face?
Jay placed the paper down.
Then she looked toward the door.
Jay: “Who was the man in the middle?”
Everyone looked at each other.
Angelo answered first.
Angelo: “He said he was acting on behalf of Jaspher.”
Jay nodded slowly.
Jay: “I know that.”
Aris frowned.
Aris: “You know?”
Jay looked at him.
Jay: “I heard him.”
Aris studied her expression.
But Jay gave nothing away.
Because she couldn’t exactly say—
That was Percy.
Instead, she turned toward the table again.
Her fingers tapped once against the document.
Jay — thoughts:
You had one job.
Prepare the papers.
So why did you come yourself?
Her eyes narrowed.
And why still hiding your face from everyone when you know perfectly well that I know you?
Angelo suddenly spoke.
Angelo: “There’s one thing you should know.”
Jay looked at him.
Angelo: “Your engagement with Yuri is cancelled.”
Jay remained silent.
Then— a tiny smile.
Not happiness.
Not surprise.
Just satisfaction.
Because that was exactly what she wanted.
Jay — thoughts:
Finally.
She had never wanted the engagement.
She had simply needed the correct legal and business mechanism to remove it.
And now— done.
Jay: “Good.”
Everyone stared at her.
Angelo blinked.
Angelo: “Good?”
Jay looked at him calmly.
Jay: “I didn’t want it.”
Gemma’s eyebrows rose.
Gemma: “Jayjay…”
Jay shrugged.
Jay: “What?”
No explanation.
No emotional speech.
She simply turned away.
Problem solved.
Jay started walking toward the staircase.
She felt it.
Something.
A strange instinct.
She turned toward the entrance.
Nothing.
The house was quiet.
Too quiet.
Then—
BOOM.
The front door opened.
Everyone turned.
Jay’s eyes sharpened instantly.
Five figures entered.
All dressed in black.
Black suits.
Black gloves.
Black masks.
Four guards surrounding one man in the center.
The exact same formation.
The exact same presence.
The entire room froze.
Jeena: “Again?”
Gemma immediately stepped closer to Jay.
Aris moved forward.
Angelo’s expression hardened.
Even Jay’s eyes narrowed.
But unlike everyone else—
Jay wasn’t afraid.
She recognized that posture.
That walk.
That controlled movement.
That irritating confidence.
Jay — thoughts:
You have got to be kidding me.
The man stopped in the center of the room.
His eyes moved across everyone.
Then— they stopped on Jay.
For half a second.
Jay stared directly back.
Nobody else understood what was happening.
But between them?
A silent conversation had already begun.
Jay — thoughts:
Seriously, Perse?
Again?
The masked man’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Almost like he was amused.
Jay’s eyebrow lifted.
You came back?
He said nothing.
One of the guards stepped forward.
The room immediately became tense.
Aris: “Who are you?”
Silence.
Angelo: “You were just here.”
Still nothing.
Jay crossed her arms.
She wasn’t going to expose him.
Not yet.
Because now she wanted to know one thing.
Why was Percy here again?
She had never told him to personally come here.
And she certainly hadn’t told him to return with four guards.
Jay looked at the masked man.
Her expression remained cold.
Untouchable.
But inside, one thought was clear.
Jay — thoughts:
Fine, Perse.
Let’s see what game you’re playing now.
The masked man finally spoke.
His voice was calm.
Cold.
Controlled.
Masked Man: “We need to discuss something.”
Everyone stared at him.
Jay’s lips curved into the smallest smirk.
Because she already knew— whatever happened next…
wasn’t going to be normal.