AUTHOR’S POV The living room was unusually quiet.
Jay was sitting in the middle of the huge sofa.
Around her were the 17 people who had somehow managed to turn a perfectly normal evening into complete chaos.
Ci-N was arguing with Eman about something pointless.
Kit and Calix were watching them.
Blaster and Edrix were discussing a movie.
Eren and Mayo were fighting over the remote.
Josh was lying across another sofa like he owned the mansion.
Denzel, Felix, Rory and David were talking among themselves.
Drew was scrolling through his phone.
Yuri was sitting nearby, occasionally looking toward Jay.
Keifer was quiet.
Aris and Angelo were both present.
And Jay… Jay wasn’t talking.
Not to anyone.
She was sitting quietly, one leg folded under the other, scrolling through her phone.
Her face was calm.
Too calm.
Her mind, however, was nowhere near the living room.
It was still stuck on the plan.
The people who had tried to use her.
The things they had done.
The way they thought they could manipulate her.
The way they had underestimated her.
Jay’s thumb continued moving across her screen.
But she wasn’t really reading anything.
Her expression slowly became colder.
The softness she had shown earlier was disappearing.
The ruthless Jay was coming back.
She whispered so quietly that nobody heard, “They really thought they could use me…” Her eyes hardened.
“Big mistake.” She continued scrolling.
Then— A loud voice came from upstairs.
“BABYYYYY!” Jay’s thumb stopped.
She slowly closed her eyes.
Everyone looked toward the staircase.
Josh immediately sat up.
“Oh no.” Yuri looked confused.
“What happened?” Jay sighed.
“Something is coming.” Keifer looked toward the stairs.
“Definitely.” Then Percy appeared.
He was standing on the last stair, looking completely offended by the world.
His hair was messy.
His shirt was slightly untucked.
And his expression— Pure accusation.
“BABY!” Jay slowly turned her head toward him.
“What happened, Perse?” Percy immediately pointed toward himself.
“MY SHIRTS!” Jay blinked.
Everyone stared.
Percy marched toward her.
“Three white shirts.” He held up three fingers.
“Two royal blue shirts.” Another two fingers.
“And TWO BLACK SHIRTS.” He looked personally betrayed.
“They are missing.” Silence.
Jay stared at him.
Then slowly turned her face away.
She closed her eyes.
Her lips pressed together.
She was trying— VERY HARD —not to smile.
Unfortunately, several people noticed.
Josh’s eyes narrowed.
He looked at Jay.
Then at Percy.
Then back at Jay.
A smile slowly appeared on his face.
“Ohhh…” Jay immediately opened her eyes.
“Don’t.” Josh grinned.
“I didn’t say anything.” “Your face did.” Percy came closer.
“You know something.” Jay looked at him innocently.
“No.” Percy narrowed his eyes.
“Baby.” “Yes?” “Someone stole my shirts.” “I know.” Percy stopped.
“You know?” Jay nodded seriously.
“Yes.
I know.” “I can understand.” She nodded again.
“I can understand your pain.” Percy stared at her.
“My pain?” “Yes.” “My shirts are missing!” “I know.” “My favorite shirts!” “I know.” “My white ones!” “I know.” “My royal blue ones!” “I know.” “My black ones!” “I KNOW, PERSE.” She accidentally raised her voice.
Everyone immediately started laughing.
Jay turned her face away again.
Percy squinted.
“Why are you trying not to laugh?” “I’m not.” “You are.” “No.” “Baby.” “Perse.” “You’re smiling.” “No.” “You are!” Jay stood up.
“I am not.” Percy pointed at her.
“You know where they are!” Jay’s eyes widened.
“No, I don’t.” “Then why are you smiling?” “Maybe because you’re funny.” Percy gasped.
“I’m suffering!” Jay nodded.
“Yes.” “That’s not funny!” “Exactly.” Percy looked at everyone.
“Why is nobody helping me?” Everyone suddenly became extremely interested in their phones.
Percy looked betrayed.
“Seriously?” Josh coughed.
“I don’t know anything.” Percy pointed at him.
“You’re suspicious.” Josh immediately shook his head.
“Nope.” Percy looked at Keifer.
“You?” Keifer shrugged.
“I didn’t take them.” Percy looked at Yuri.
“Yuri?” “No.” David shook his head.
“No.” Percy turned toward Aris.
“Aris?” Aris looked completely serious.
“I have no idea.” Percy nodded.
“Finally, someone responsible.” Jay almost laughed again.
Aris noticed.
He looked at Jay.
Jay immediately looked away.
Percy turned back to her.
“Baby.” “Hmm?” “Look at me.” Jay didn’t.
“Why?” “Because I want to see your face.” “No.” “Why?” “Because.” “That’s not an answer.” “It is for me.” Percy stepped closer.
Jay stepped back.
Percy stepped forward.
Jay stepped back again.
“Baby.” “Perse.” “Tell me where my shirts are.” “No.” “Please.” “No.” “Baby.” “No.” “Jay.” “No.” Percy suddenly narrowed his eyes.
“You took them.” Jay’s eyes widened.
“I did NOT!” “You did.” “I didn’t!” “Then why are you running?” Jay looked down.
She realized— She had already started moving backward.
Josh burst out laughing.
“RUN, JAY!” Jay looked at him.
“You traitor!” Percy immediately started chasing her.
“BABY!” Jay ran.
“NO!” Percy ran after her.
“COME BACK!” “NEVER!” Everyone exploded into laughter.
Jay ran around the sofa.
Percy followed.
“Give me my shirts!” “I don’t have them!” “You clearly do!” “Prove it!” Percy tried to catch her.
Jay quickly moved behind Angelo.
“Angelo!” Angelo looked at her.
“What?” “Protect me.” Angelo looked at Percy.
Then at Jay.
Then calmly stepped aside.
“Deal with your own problem.” Jay gasped.
“KUYA ANGELO!” Percy laughed.
“Thank you!” Jay ran again.
“TRAITOR!” Josh was practically crying from laughter.
“THIS IS THE BEST THING I’VE SEEN ALL WEEK!” Jay ran toward the staircase.
Percy was right behind her.
“STOP RUNNING!” “STOP CHASING ME!” “THEN GIVE ME MY SHIRTS!” “NO!” “WHY?” “BECAUSE THEY LOOK BETTER ON ME!” Percy stopped for half a second.
“What?” Jay realized what she had said.
Everyone went silent.
Then Josh screamed, “SHE ADMITTED IT!” Jay’s eyes widened.
“Oh shit.” Percy smiled slowly.
“Got you.” Jay immediately turned.
“NOPE!” And ran again.
Percy chased her.
“BABY!” “PERSE!” “You stole my clothes!” “Borrowed!” “WITHOUT ASKING!” “Same thing!” “NOT THE SAME THING!” Their voices disappeared upstairs.
Everyone downstairs continued laughing.
Keifer watched the staircase.
His expression was amused for barely a second.
Then his face became serious again.
Because even though he had laughed… He couldn’t stop watching Jay.
He couldn’t stop thinking about his decision.
He had spent too long pushing her away.
He wasn’t going to do that anymore.
Not now.
Not after realizing how much she meant to him.
🍽️ LATER — DINNER Eventually, the entire mansion settled down.
Everyone was sitting around the enormous dining table.
Jay sat between Aris and Percy.
Percy was still complaining.
“I still haven’t received an apology.” Jay calmly ate her food.
“For what?” “My shirts.” Jay looked at him.
“You got them back.” “That doesn’t erase the crime.” Jay smiled.
“You’re dramatic.” Percy pointed at her.
“You’re a thief.” “I borrowed them.” “You stole them.” “Borrowed.” “Stole.” “Borrowed.” “Stole.” Aris sighed.
“Can both of you eat?” Jay nodded.
“Yes, Kuya Ari.” Percy immediately looked at Aris.
“Why are you taking her side?” Aris looked at him.
“I’m not.” “You sound like you’re taking her side.” “I just want dinner without another chase scene.” Josh laughed.
“Too late.” Angelo gave Josh one look.
Josh immediately became quiet.
“Yes, sir.” Everyone continued eating.
For a few minutes, everything was normal.
Then— BZZZT.
Jay’s phone vibrated.
She casually picked it up.
Her eyes moved to the screen.
A message.
From an unknown number.
She opened it.
“Queen, we have found her.” Jay froze.
Her smile disappeared.
Her entire expression changed.
The warmth vanished.
Her eyes became cold.
Sharp.
Ruthless.
Percy noticed first.
“Baby?” Jay didn’t answer.
Aris noticed too.
“Jay?” Still nothing.
Keifer looked at her carefully.
“What happened?” Jay locked her phone.
She stood up.
“I need some air.” Percy immediately started to stand.
“I’ll come—” “No.” Everyone looked at her.
Jay forced a small smile.
“I’m just going to the balcony.” Percy hesitated.
“Okay…” Jay walked away.
Aris watched her.
Something felt wrong.
Keifer noticed the same thing.
But nobody followed.
🌙 BALCONY Jay stepped outside.
She closed the balcony door behind her.
The moment she was alone— Her expression became completely emotionless.
She unlocked her phone.
Opened the unknown number.
Typed: “Keep her in the old warehouse.” She paused.
Then continued.
“Keep an eye on her.” Another pause.
Her fingers moved again.
“This time, no mistakes.” She pressed send.
SENT.
Jay stared at the screen.
Her eyes were cold.
She whispered, “Finally.” She leaned against the balcony railing.
“Now let’s see what you know.” She didn’t know how long the person had been waiting.
She didn’t know what information they had gathered.
But one thing was certain.
Someone had been found.
And Jay had been waiting for this moment.
Inside the dining room, everyone continued eating.
Nobody knew what Jay had just ordered.
Nobody knew what the old warehouse meant.
Nobody knew who “her” was.
And most importantly— Nobody knew that the quiet girl sitting with them at dinner… had just given an order that could change everything.
Jay looked toward the night sky.
Her voice was barely a whisper.
“Game over.” Then she put her phone back into her pocket… and walked inside with the same calm expression as before.
As if nothing had happened.