Keifer's POV
I want Jay-jay to stay. I want to hold her tight and make sure not to let go. I badly want to.
"What happened, Kuya?" Keigan asked me.
I looked at him with my usual blank expression and shook my head.
"Nothing."
"Your face is covered in bruises and wounds. How is that nothing?"
I tried to get up from lying on the bed. A sharp pain shot through my head, quickly followed by dizziness.
"Get some rest first," Keigan said while forcing me to lie down.
I pushed his hand away. "I've already had enough rest."
I forced myself to stand up and walk toward the bathroom. Facing the mirror, I shook my head at my reflection. Jay-jay can literally damage a face with her punches.
Even now, it's still a mystery to me how she got so strong. I don't think it's just because she used to get into fights. She's a woman, and it's quite impossible for her to make her punches this powerful.
Or maybe it's because of how much anger she had toward me.
I tried to touch my face and immediately felt the pain. I ignored it. This kind of thing isn't new to me, but somehow, the punches I received today felt much more painful.
Maybe because they came from the person I love.
The events from earlier replayed in my mind. I'm on the verge of giving up my inheritance. I can't keep pushing Jay-jay away from me anymore.
I think I'm going crazy thinking about her and what will happen to us.
But there is one thing I am sure of.
I have to make sure that I won't lose her.
I turned on the faucet and washed my hands. Then, I wiped them on the towel hanging beside the mirror. I went straight to my walk-in closet to change.
"Where are you going?" Keigan asked.
I glanced at him briefly before taking off my shirt and replacing it with a polo shirt.
"Are you going to see her?"
There was no point in answering him. He already knew.
"Please, Kuya… Tell me that what Honey heard earlier was wrong," he pleaded.
"No. She heard me right," I answered without any hint of regret.
I grabbed another hoodie from my closet and put it on. My foot was about to move when Keigan grabbed my arm.
"Let go, Keigan," I said with authority.
"No," he said, forcing himself to face me. "…I will stop you no matter what."
I looked at him intently. I could sense his fear, though he was obviously trying to hide it.
I don't want to yell at him. I don't want to make him feel like I always have the final say in this house. He's still my brother, and I don't want him to be scared of me—the same way he is with our Monster Dad.
I took a deep breath to calm myself. I held Keigan's hands and slowly removed them from my arm.
"Keigan…"
"Why is it always her that you worry about?! What about us?! What about me and Keiren?" He burst out and started crying.
I couldn't help but wonder why he was acting this way. I wanted to explain to him why I needed to see Jay-jay, but I knew he wouldn't understand.
"I'm not—"
"NO!" he shouted.
I won't deny that I was a bit shocked. He looked like a completely different person for a moment, but I knew he was just letting out his frustrations. I chose to ignore it.
"Keigan, I know—"
"No! You don't know anything. You're too busy praising your girl that you forget and ignore us!"
"Listen to me!"
"I don't want to listen to you! You don't care about us anyway!"
"No! Keigan!"
Suddenly, he covered his ears and started screaming.
"Aaaaarrrggghhhh! Aaaarrrrggghhhh!" He knelt down, shouting like he was scared of something.
I grabbed both of his arms and forced him to face me.
"Keigan! Listen to me!"
He shook his head while continuing to scream. I even tried to hold his face, but he kept dodging.
"You don't want us! You only want her! You don't love us! You only love her! You don't care about us! You only care about her!" He kept shouting and crying at the same time.
"Keigan! Stop!"
I was starting to get irritated by what he was doing. I didn't know what he was going through to act like this.
"Keigan!"
"No! You're a coward! You're giving up everything! You're wasting Mom's death!"
His words made me freeze.
I-I'm not a coward!
I let go of him and stared at him for a moment. I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration and took a deep breath.
Hearing about Mom's death was like flipping a switch. It automatically breaks my heart.
"I'm not…" I couldn't stop the tears from falling from my eyes. "…Keigan, I'm not."
"You don't love us!"
I dropped to my knees, feeling weak. I was struggling. I didn't want to let go of Jay-jay, but I also didn't want to waste what Mom died for.
I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what kind of fight I should take on. My head is empty, and I don't have any plans.
I heard someone knocking on my door.
"Keifer! What's happening in there?" It was Honey.
I approached Keigan and forced him into a hug despite his attempts to push me away.
"Keigan…" I called his name, but it sounded like I was begging. "…please."
I didn't know why, but he suddenly stopped resisting, his arms falling to his sides.
I continued speaking.
"I'm not giving up anything. I will continue fighting for Mom, for Keiren, and for you. But please, don't stop me from seeing Jay-jay…"
I heard him gasp.
"…She's my strength and weakness. Without her, it's like breathing without air, bleeding without blood, and dying without being killed."
He moved his hands and patted my arms.
"You really love her, don't you?"
His voice sounded different this time. Maybe he had already calmed down.
"She gives me purpose."
Slowly, he pulled away from our hug.
"Go ahead. Go to her, but promise me one thing," he said, looking at me seriously. "…Promise me that you won't give up."
My forehead creased in confusion. Why did his expression change so quickly? From desperate, he now looked like the normal Keigan I talked to every day.
"Keigan—."
"Fulfill your promise, and I swear I will help you," he said with a slight smile. "…I will help you become stronger. I will help you face our relatives, especially Clyde. I will help you create a plan."
I was tempted to say yes. Keigan had never offered this kind of help before. But it felt a bit suspicious.
"Tell me, Keigan… What is happening—?"
He cut me off by standing up. He walked straight to the bathroom, and I heard the sound of running water.
I followed him and saw him washing his face.
"Just say 'no' if you don't want my help." He sounded disappointed.
I took a deep breath. I appreciated Keigan's help, but I was also worried. I know something is not right. He has a problem, and I have to know what it is.
"Okay… I accept your help."
I saw him smile.
"Thank you for trusting me."
"On one condition," I said, and his smile faded. "…You will tell me exactly what is happening to you."
Instead of answering, he suddenly walked out of the bathroom and headed toward my bedroom door.
Before he could touch the doorknob, I called his name with authority. I saw him flinch.
"I will… But not now," he said, almost whispering.
He opened the door. Honey, along with some of the maids and the butler, stood frozen. They had obviously been trying to listen to our conversation.
"W-what happened? Someone was shouting, so we thought—."
Keigan cut Honey off by walking away, passing right in front of her.
"It was nothing. Please leave."
They didn't say anything and immediately left. I went back to my bathroom. I'm really confused about what's happening to Keigan.
Ever since he came back, I knew something was off about him. I kept talking to him, asking what had happened, but he always gave the same answer.
They kept traveling, and Dad was just ignoring him.
Which I found impossible. Dad was the one who took Keigan to wherever they went, so why would he suddenly ignore him?
The situation was getting even harder for me. I had no one to ask about what happened to Keigan while he was under that monster's care.
Although there is one person… but my brother is the only one who has contact with him.
Dylan.
I heard my phone's message alert. Someone texted me. I immediately took my phone from my bedside table.
It was from Tiger.
From: Tiger.
Message: Blue eye, alive alive. D2 cla ni 2mboy Jay-jay.
(They are here with tomboy Jay-jay.)
I wanted to smash my phone against the wall. I couldn't understand his text, but one thing was clear—he saw Percy and Jay-jay. They were probably at KingsGround.
Dammit! Of all places.
I quickly fixed myself. I also applied medicine and put a band-aid on the wounds on my face. After doing that, I walked straight to my walk-in closet.
I opened the glass drawer where I kept my keys. I took one key—different from before. I also grabbed my wallet and phone.
I hurried out of my room and went straight to the garage.
"Keifer! Where are you going?" Honey asked when she saw me walking out of the house.
"None of your business."
"Uncle is coming over. He wants to talk to you."
She said and ran after me.
"Tell him to come back tomorrow."
"Keifer, what the hell?! Are you even serious about what you're fighting for in our family? You're acting like this is just a game."
I ignored her and walked straight to the car I had chosen. I unlocked it and immediately hopped in.
I was driving as if I was chasing an enemy. I couldn't help it. I really didn't like the idea of Jay-jay being at KingsGround. She had no idea what kind of place that was.
Aside from the disco and underground fights, there was also an illegal casino run by Tiger. There was even a strip club and an underground forum where big-time dealers sold drugs.
I don't know what kind of hocus pocus Tiger did to hide all this from the police.
I gripped the steering wheel tightly and pressed on the accelerator. I have to get her out of there. And I will definitely put Percy back in his grave if anything bad happens to Jay-jay.
I arrived at the streets of KingsGround. Bringing a car here was never a good idea. The place was full of thieves. But I was willing to take the risk. I parked my car just outside the building.
As I stepped out, I saw Dan—one of Tiger's men. He looked like an actor because of his thin build and the two front teeth he had left. I just couldn't remember who he reminded me of.
"Keifer… You're here." He greeted me before taking a puff of his cigarette.
"Can you do me a favor?"
"What is it?"
"Watch my car." I said and pulled some money from my wallet.
His eyes widened when I took out three thousand pesos. I handed it to him, and he smiled—revealing the only two teeth he had left.
"Keep it safe." I said and walked toward the entrance.
Upon entering, I was greeted by a dark hallway. I wasn't even inside yet, but I could already see the flashing lights and hear the loud music. I could also see people dancing.
I was getting close when I encountered one of Tiger's bouncers. He was dragging a few men along with him.
"Let me go! I need to get back at that woman!" One of them shouted while trying to return inside.
"Savannah and her friend are such a pain in the ass!" Another one said, just following along.
I glanced at them for a moment before finally making my way inside.
As usual, KingsGround disco was crowded. It was packed with people dancing.
Some women were smiling at me, but they weren't the reason I was here. I had no idea where to start looking. I thought about going to Tiger, but then someone grabbed my shoulder.
It was one of the bouncers.
"It's been a while since you've been here. What brings you back?" He asked, looking at me seriously.
"I'm looking for someone. Maybe you could help me find her."
"A woman, huh? Who is she? I'll check with security."
I looked around, hoping she'd pass by.
"My girlfriend. She's probably still wearing a high school uniform."
"Is she a friend of Boss Tiger?"
I nodded and continued scanning the place.
"She's at the bar counter. She almost got into a fight earlier." He said, pointing to the nearest counter.
I frowned. She almost got into a fight?
And of all places, here in KingsGround.
I thanked the bouncer and walked toward the bar counter. It was hard to move through the crowd of dancing people. Someone even wrapped their arms around my neck, but I quickly pushed them off.
I hadn't even fully gotten through the crowd when I saw her. She was drinking from a shot glass and suddenly closed her eyes.
What did she drink?
I looked at the person she was talking to—they seemed to be waiting for something to happen to her. When she opened her eyes, she smiled. She even laughed while talking to the woman beside her.
My curiosity was poking at my mind. I badly want to know what she drank.
I saw her companion drink as well, and then they walked to the dance floor. I took that chance to approach the counter.
The bartender was about to take Jay-jay's glass, but I quickly snatched it away.
"S-Sir Keifer." The bartender greeted me.
I ignored him and continued what I was doing. I stared at the shot glass for a while. I even smelled it and used my finger to taste the last drop of the drink.
I know something is weird, but I can't point out what it is.
I faced the bartender, who was still standing there.
"What did you put in this drink?" I asked in a serious tone, but it sounded more like a threat.
The bartender couldn't answer, but fear was evident on his face. He swallowed multiple times.
"S-Sir—."
I quickly grabbed his collar. He should be thankful for the counter between us—otherwise, I would've punched him already.
"Sir! That was Ma'am Savannah's order! I couldn't refuse!" He explained.
"If I find out what you put in it, I will rip you into pieces." I threatened and let him go.
I slammed the glass down on the counter. Then I immediately searched for Jay-jay among the crowd. It took me a few minutes, but I finally found her. She was dancing and laughing with a woman she probably didn't even know well.
I just stared at her because that was the only thing I could do now. I can't even walk closer to her. If I do, I might never let her go again.
I wanted to stop everything and go back to her, but Keigan's words hit me like a punch. Mom's death will be wasted if I do this. I can't let that happen.
I'm sorry, Jay…
I froze when I saw her looking at me. I almost stepped back until I noticed something. She was looking at me as if she didn't know who I was.
The woman she was with suddenly whispered to her. Jay-jay's expression changed, and she walked away.
I was about to follow her, but it felt pointless. I wouldn't be able to stop her anyway.
I have to stop her.
I looked around, hoping to find something I could use to make her stop and leave. I kept looking until I saw Tiger's office.
He's the only one I can turn to for resources right now.
I quickly walked toward it. I nodded at the bouncers standing guard and entered.
I open his office door, and the first thing I see is Percy's face. He was about to drink from the glass he was holding, but he stopped when he noticed me staring at him.
"And here you are, you shameless bastard!" I said, pointing my finger at him.
"Look who's talking." He replied, raising an eyebrow at me.
"You're just sitting here drinking while Jay-jay is in danger!"
"Relax, Keifer…" It was Tiger. "…There's no Forum or Underdog Fight tonight. So, the night isn't as intense."
I turned to him. "I'm not talking about the dirty Forum and Underdog Fight. Someone gave Jay-jay a weird drink." I said, pointing toward the dance floor.
"Tsk! Looks like Jay-jay is losing control." Percy said, putting down his drink.
He stood up and looked at me.
"I don't know what your problem is. But you're seriously messed up!" He said in annoyance.
"You made her cry, and now here you are, acting like you care."
"You don't know what exactly is going on."
He smirked. "I know, Keifer, I know exactly what's going on. Your revenge failed, and karma hit you back. You fell for Jay-jay."
I'm no longer surprised. David never forgets to spill even the smallest details of my plan. I thought he didn't care about my plans back then. He was the one who said it wasn't good to have a girl in our section because of what happened to Ella. Yet now, he starts to care for Jay-jay.
"I have no reason to deny it to you."
"But you deny it to Jay-jay."
Because I have to.
"It's none of your business to stick your nose into." I answered, looking at him expressionlessly.
He didn't reply. He stared at me for a while before turning to Tiger.
"Sorry, but I have to take Jay-jay home now. She might suddenly lose control."
Tiger simply nodded at him. He walked away but left me with a sharp glare.
I still don't know what he's really up to. I don't trust him, but it seems Jay-jay has found someone to lean on. For now, I will let him be with Jay. But if he ever does something to hurt her, I will kill him and make sure he never returns alive again.