Jayjay’s POV I walked upstairs without looking back.
I could still feel everyone’s eyes on me.
Especially Percy’s.
I knew what they were thinking.
They thought I had simply noticed something was wrong.
They had no idea how much I had actually noticed.
The moment Percy’s phone buzzed…
I knew.
The moment his expression changed…
I knew.
The moment he tried to stand up…
I knew.
And when I saw the way he was looking at his phone…
I knew someone had threatened him.
Again.
I entered my room.
Closed the door.
Locked it.
Then stood there silently for a few seconds.
My expression changed.
The smile disappeared.
The softness disappeared.
The seventeen-year-old girl everyone downstairs knew…
disappeared.
I walked toward my cupboard.
Moved a few things aside.
Then pressed a hidden button.
A small compartment opened.
Inside was another phone.
Black.
No case.
No identification.
No ordinary contacts.
My secret phone.
The phone that didn’t belong to Jayjay from Section E.
It belonged to someone else.
The Queen.
I picked it up.
The screen lit up.
One notification.
I unlocked it.
There was one private group chat.
Its name was simple.
QUEEN’S PROTECTOR 👑 Six members.
Only six.
Thyme.
Ren.
Kevin.
MJ.
Percy.
And me.
Nobody else knew this group existed.
Nobody else even knew these people were connected.
And every single one of them…
would destroy the world if something happened to me.
I opened the chat.
My fingers moved across the screen.
I typed one message.
Jay: “Check who is texting threats to Percy.” I pressed send.
Almost immediately— the typing indicators appeared.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Everyone was online.
Of course they were.
They always were when I needed them.
The first reply appeared.
Thyme: “On it, Baby Doll.” Another.
Ren: “Already checking, Baby Doll.” Then— Kevin: “Send me the number, Baby Doll.” MJ replied next.
MJ: “I’ll trace everything connected to it, Baby Doll.” I stared at the screen.
Then Percy’s message appeared.
Percy: “Baby, you should be resting.” I rolled my eyes.
Even here…
he was still being Percy.
I typed back.
Jay: “I’m fine, Perse.” His reply came almost immediately.
Percy: “That’s not what I asked.” I smiled faintly.
Of course.
He wasn’t going to let it go.
I ignored his message.
My eyes returned to the others.
The threat wasn’t random.
I knew that.
Someone had been watching.
Someone knew about Percy.
Someone knew about me.
And someone had become confident enough to threaten him while we were sitting at the same table.
That meant one thing.
They were getting closer.
I typed again.
Jay: “Also check unusual activity around the mansion.” The chat went silent for a few seconds.
Then— Thyme: “Define unusual.” I immediately replied.
Jay: “Vehicles that don’t belong there.
Unknown people.
Cameras.
Signals.
Anything that appears more than once.” Another message came.
Ren: “I’ll check the outer perimeter.” Kevin: “I’ll check digital activity.” MJ: “I’ll check nearby surveillance.” Then Percy.
Percy: “I’ll check the house.” I frowned.
My fingers moved immediately.
Jay: “No.” Three dots appeared.
Percy: “Why?” Jay: “Because you’re the one being threatened.” His reply came instantly.
Percy: “Exactly.
Which is why I’m checking.” I sighed.
Typical Percy.
I typed.
Jay: “Perse.” He replied.
Percy: “Baby.” I stared at his reply.
I knew that tone.
He knew I was about to argue.
I typed slowly.
Jay: “Stay inside.” His response came.
Percy: “I’m not letting you handle this alone.” My expression softened for a second.
That was Percy.
Always.
Even when someone threatened his life…
his first thought was still me.
I typed one final message.
Jay: “Nobody handles this alone.” Then I looked at the other four names.
Jay: “I want everything.
Number, location, activity, connection, pattern.
Don’t assume anything is random.” The replies came one after another.
Thyme: “Understood, Baby Doll.” Ren: “Got it, Baby Doll.” Kevin: “Already moving.” MJ: “You’ll have answers soon, Baby Doll.” I locked the phone.
For a moment, I simply stood there.
Silent.
Thinking.
Do you think she will save you everytime.
The message repeated in my head.
Then— We will find her soon.
I slowly tightened my grip around the phone.
So…
they wanted to find me.
Fine.
Let them.
I wasn’t afraid of being found.
I was afraid of what would happen to the people around me when they found me.
Especially Percy.
Especially the people who had no idea what kind of world they had accidentally stepped into.
I walked toward my window.
The mansion grounds looked peaceful.
Too peaceful.
I narrowed my eyes.
Something felt wrong.
Maybe it was the threat.
Maybe it was instinct.
Or maybe…
someone really was watching.
I looked across the darkness.
Nothing.
No movement.
No obvious vehicle.
Nothing.
I smiled faintly.
“You’re hiding.” My voice was barely a whisper.
“Good.” I turned away from the window.
“Because I want to see how long you can hide.” My secret phone buzzed again.
I looked down.
A message from Kevin.
Kevin: “Baby Doll…
we found something.” My smile disappeared.
I opened the message.
Another message followed.
Kevin: “There was an unknown vehicle near the mansion earlier.” My eyes narrowed.
Then another.
Kevin: “It wasn’t there long enough to look suspicious.” I stared at the screen.
Too convenient.
Then— Kevin: “But it appeared again.” My expression became cold.
Twice.
That wasn’t random.
Someone was watching the mansion.
Someone was watching us.
And now…
they had made one mistake.
They had threatened Percy.
That meant they had stepped into my territory.
I typed one message.
Jay: “Keep watching.” Then another.
Jay: “Don’t approach.” And finally— Jay: “I want to know who they report to.” I locked the phone.
But before I could put it away— another notification appeared.
This time from Thyme.
Thyme: “Baby Doll…” I opened it.
Thyme: “We have another issue.” I frowned.
Jay: “What?” Three dots.
Then— Thyme: “Percy.” My eyebrow rose.
Jay: “What about him?” Ren immediately joined.
Ren: “He went to meet you.” I blinked.
Kevin followed.
Kevin: “ALONE.” MJ: “WITHOUT TELLING US.” Then another message.
Thyme: “That idiot knew we haven’t seen you in months and still went alone.” I stared at the screen.
Oh.
So that’s what this was about.
I couldn’t help smiling.
Percy was going to hear about this.
The messages continued.
Kevin: “I’m angry.” Ren: “Very angry.” MJ: “Extremely angry.” Thyme: “Baby Doll, tell me you are angry too.” I laughed quietly.
I typed: Jay: “Why would I be angry?” The response came instantly.
Kevin: “Because he stole our meeting.” MJ: “Exactly.” Ren: “We haven’t seen our Baby Doll in months.” Thyme: “And this man gets to meet you alone?” I shook my head.
They were ridiculous.
I typed: Jay: “You four are jealous of Percy?” The reply came from all four almost simultaneously.
Thyme: “YES.” Ren: “Absolutely.” Kevin: “Without shame.” MJ: “Very much.” I laughed again.
Then Thyme sent another message.
Thyme: “Also, Baby Doll…” Jay: “Hmm?” Thyme: “You still owe me a hug.” Ren immediately replied.
Ren: “She owes me one too.” Kevin: “I want two.” MJ: “I want three.” I stared at the screen.
“You’re all impossible.” Then Percy appeared.
Percy: “Stop flirting with my baby.” The chat exploded.
Thyme: “YOUR BABY?!” Ren: “Excuse me?” Kevin: “She’s OUR Baby Doll.” MJ: “Exactly.” Percy replied: Percy: “She’s my baby.” I covered my mouth, trying not to laugh.
Thyme: “You got to meet her first because you cheated.” Percy: “I live with her.” Silence.
Then— Kevin: “THAT IS EXACTLY WHY WE’RE MAD.” I laughed.
Actually laughed.
The kind of laugh I hadn’t expected tonight.
Ren: “Baby Doll, tell us you’ll meet us soon.” MJ: “Please.” Kevin: “We miss you.” Thyme: “A lot.” I stared at those messages.
My smile softened.
They really did miss me.
It had been months.
Months since I had sat with them.
Months since they had annoyed me.
Months since Thyme had flirted shamelessly.
Months since Ren had stolen my snacks.
Months since Kevin had argued with everyone.
Months since MJ had acted like the calm one while causing half the chaos.
And now…
they just wanted to see me.
I typed slowly.
Jay: “We’ll meet soon.” The typing indicators immediately appeared.
Thyme: “WHEN?” Ren: “Tomorrow?” Kevin: “Tonight?” MJ: “Right now?” I laughed.
Jay: “Soon means soon.” Thyme: “Baby Doll, you’re cruel.” Ren: “Beautiful but cruel.” Kevin: “Very beautiful.” MJ: “Extremely.” I shook my head.
There they were.
Still flirting.
Still ridiculous.
Still my people.
Jay: “Stop flirting.” Thyme: “Can’t.” Ren: “Impossible.” Kevin: “It’s your fault for being cute.” MJ: “Agreed.” Percy: “I’m leaving this chat.” I immediately replied.
Jay: “No you’re not.” Percy: “Fine, baby.” I smiled.
Then my expression slowly became serious again.
The laughter disappeared.
Because underneath all their teasing…
there was a threat.
Someone was watching Percy.
Someone was watching the mansion.
And someone was looking for me.
But now I had my people watching too.
My Queen’s Protector.
Six people.
One secret.
And none of them would let anyone touch the people they loved.
I looked at the group name again.
QUEEN’S PROTECTOR 👑 My fingers hovered over the keyboard.
Then I typed one final message.
Jay: “Until we meet, stay alert.
Something is moving around us.” No flirting this time.
No jokes.
The four immediately understood.
Thyme: “Understood, Baby Doll.” Ren: “We’re watching.” Kevin: “Nobody gets near you.” MJ: “Not while we’re here.” Percy’s message appeared last.
Percy: “Nobody touches my baby.” I stared at his message.
My heart softened.
Then I smiled.
Because that was my Queen’s Protector.
Chaotic.
Overprotective.
Jealous.
Annoying.
Flirty.
But loyal.
Completely loyal.
And somewhere downstairs…
Percy was probably still pretending he hadn’t done anything wrong.
I picked up my normal phone.
My secret phone disappeared back into its hidden compartment.
The Queen disappeared.
Jayjay returned.
For now.
I opened my bedroom door.
And immediately heard voices downstairs.
“Where is Jay?” “Did she sleep?” “Why is Percy taking so long?” “Someone go check on her.” I sighed.
Apparently…
people downstairs had become protective too.
I smiled.
This was going to be a long night.