A/N: Wew… For those who didn't notice, the previous chapter was sort of a flashback from Keifer's point of view. This chapter is back to reality, but the timeline is the moment when he saw David kiss Jay-jay.
Keifer's POV
Present…
"Keifer! Where the hell are you?"
My eyes automatically opened. It was Honey's voice echoing in my head. I forced myself to move my head—and pain immediately kicked in. I punched myself in the head because of the ache. This is the first time alcohol hit me this bad. Or maybe because I haven't had proper sleep.
I shook my head to clear the pain. I got up and walked toward the door— then stopped when I realized the door wasn't in front of me.
I forgot!I'm in a different room. The layout of this room is different from mine. I blinked my eyes open and searched for the door out.
"Keigan! I can't find Keifer!" Honey shouted.
That shrill and annoying voice of hers was the first thing that greeted me when I opened the door.
But I'd take this over seeing her crying again.
"Can you shut your mouth?" I said in an irritated tone.
She looked at me with an arched brow. "You were just there?! Damn it! Your brother wasted my time!"
She turned away and walked off. I went into my room. I removed my shirt and threw it away.
I didn't care where it landed.
I took off my pants and the rest of my clothes too. I went into the bathroom and almost banged my head on the door.
Open your eyes widely, Keifer!
I placed myself under the shower and turned it on. Cold water splashed down my body to help me sober up. I need to go in today… I have to.
Fvck! I don't like what I'm feeling right now. This weird feeling in my chest is dragging my whole body down with it. Why does it still feel like there's a hole inside me?
"Jay… What have you done to me?" I whispered, starting to sob.
Why am I like this? I'm a man. I shouldn't be crying like this just because of a girl and the pain she caused.This isn't how I'm supposed to feel.
She's ruining me. She's breaking me into pieces—and the worst part is, I'm letting her.Why did I let her? Why am I letting her?
She's the only one who's ever done this to me.I never reacted this way before.Even with Ella, all I ever felt was anger—despite knowing she never loved me.
Is this the price of loving Jay-jay too much?
They say Watsons aren't allowed to fall in love— They'll turn into beasts. But I'm not turning into a beast. I'm breaking… like shattered glass.
The pain—it's making me feel empty and numb.I don't want to feel this way.But even now, I still want to see her.I badly want to see her.
She's my strength.Without her, I'm completely weak.
"I love you, my Jasper Jean..."
I ended my moment of torment and turned off the shower. I grabbed a towel and dried myself off. I walked toward my walk-in closet. I stood in front of the mirror and looked at the bruises Clyde's men left on me. They were starting to fade now.
My stupid cousin is a big pain in my ass. To be honest, he's more like a real brother to me than Angelo ever was. We're alike in a lot of ways.
One of the only differences is his constant smiling and how lowly he looks at women. He's also better at dealing with people—whether they're business partners or not.
But I'll admit— Sometimes, I envy him for having so much confidence. He's not afraid of anything.
He even got the CEO position at Watson Enterprise effortlessly.
I got dressed in my usual uniform—a plain white polo shirt. Whenever I wear this shirt, I feel like a normal person. Just a regular student—studying, making friends, and loving.
To be honest, I could've transferred to another school a long time ago. Same goes for Yuri. But we both chose to stay. I don't know his reasons, but I figured maybe he's doing the same thing I am.
I wanted to annoy Aries. I wanted to show him that he could never beat me. I'm clearly smarter than him and better in sports. I had planned to defeat him. But the bastard's clever—he already enrolled us in Section E during registration. And worse, he dragged Felix into it too.
He also made sure that the board members would ignore us. They're fools for following Aries.
After completing my attire, I looked at my own reflection.
I look miserable. I never felt self-conscious about my appearance until now. Jay-jay can't see me like this. I don't want her to think that I was hurt this badly. She'd end up getting hurt, too, if that happens.
I always end up hurting her. I don't want that to happen again.
I tried fixing my hair, but I still looked the same.
I sighed. I looked for a hair comb but couldn't find one. I opened one of the drawers to check inside. While rummaging, I saw something.
It was a wallet-sized picture of Jay-jay. She was wearing the Sexy Santa Claus costume she got at our Christmas Party. I printed those pictures she sent me as a keepsake.
I couldn't stop smiling.
Those were the days I want to go back to. Because those were the days when we could be happy without risking anything.
"My Jay-jay."
I heard a loud knock on my room door. It sounded like someone was trying to break it down.
"Kuya! Are you still there?!" Keigan said while knocking hard.
I placed Jay's picture in my chest pocket. I walked toward the door and opened it.
Keigan looked so stressed. His hair was messy and his uniform wasn't on properly.
"Let's talk." he said.
I turned away from him and grabbed my bag from the top of my study table.
"Maybe later." I replied lifelessly and walked past him.
"Can you see yourself?!" he shouted, but I chose to ignore him.
I continued walking until I reached Keiren's room door. I knocked and waited for him to open it.
"What?" he said, rubbing his eyes.
He was still in his pajamas. Looks like I was the one who woke him up. I couldn't believe Keigan didn't wake him.
"Get ready. You're going to be late for school."
"I'm not going to school. I don't want to go anymore." he said in a serious tone.
I glared at him. "Why? Did I say you could skip? Get ready or I'll make you." I commanded with authority.
"Kuya Keigan said I don't have to go. You won't even notice anyway."
I immediately looked at Keigan who was walking toward us. He looked different now. Clean. His uniform was properly worn. His hair was neatly combed. He looked like a completely different person.
"Why did you say that?" I asked, trying to stay calm.
"Why not?" he answered sarcastically. "You're too busy with your girl—looks like you forgot you have a brother."
The way he spoke made me think he wasn't Keigan. He was answering me like someone else. If it weren't for his face, I'd think he was a different person.
He suddenly smirked. "You think your girlfriend's loyal to you?"
I felt irritated. "What did you just say?"
"See? You can't even pay attention—and all of this happened because your head is full of your stupid thoughts about her."
"Shut the fvck up, Keigan!" I shouted, clenching my fist.
"Why? Afraid to hear you're not the only man in her life?"
I couldn't hold myself back anymore. I grabbed his shirt and shoved him against the wall. For some reason, he didn't show any fear—unlike before. He could still smile even while I was furiously mad at him.
"Don't you dare!"
"There are more than ten guys in your class. Most of them are her friends. You think none of them felt attracted to her, especially since she's the only girl in your group?" he said with a smile. "...maybe they're doing something behind your back. Maybe they're fvcking her while you're busy."
"Shut up! Shut up!"
"Why don't you ask your friends? Maybe one of them already claimed her before you did." He laughed. "Maybe one of them already fvcked her."
"Don't test my patience!"
He laughs again like he's an evil person. "You can't accept it? What more if all of this is just nonsense? What if that Jay-jay had a plan all along for all of you?" He looks at me seriously.
"...maybe this is all Aries' doing. Maybe he sent that girl to ruin you all? To flirt with every one of you. And you, you IDIOT, fell for it!"
I'm trying to hold my anger. My breathing feels so heavy. "She never really loved you, she's just fooling you like your ex, Ella. She's just going to use you too."
"My Jay-jay will never do such thing!"
She would never do that. She's not that kind of person. She has no reason to do that to me. She would never do that.
"Let me guess, you're convincing yourself now that she will never do that."
I didn't say a thing.
"I knew it! But it's too late now. She already did—!"
"No!"
"—she already fooled you!—"
"No! Stop!"
"—she's probably already flirted with your friends!—"
"Shut up! Stop!"
"—and the next thing you know? She's flirting with someone else!"
"STOP!"
I don't want to hurt Keigan. As much as possible, I've been trying not to get angry at him. But I can't control it anymore. His words are making me furious. I am burning with anger.
I punch the wall beside his head. I kept punching it until it forms a hole. My knuckle is in pain but it's nothing compared to what I feel in my chest.
I stopped when I saw him close his eyes and cry. He's shaking from fear.
"I-I'm s-s-sorry. W-whatever I said... P-p-please don't believe it. I didn't m-mean to s-say it." He said between his sobs.
I let go of him. What is happening to Keigan? He was different when he faced me earlier. He was different when he said those awful things. And now, he feels like a completely different person again.
He's been like this several times. I still can't understand what's happening.
He sat down on the floor while crying. He looked terrified of me and couldn't even move. He hugged himself tightly.
What have I done?
I pulled my own hair in frustration. I looked at Keiren who peeked at us from behind his bedroom door. I saw the fear in his eyes.
What is happening to me?I didn't use to be like this. I was never like this to them.
"I-I didn't mean to, Keigan." I said and knelt down beside him.
He tried to push himself against the wall just to get farther away from me. I immediately hugged him. I could feel him trembling. He was trying to push me away too but I hugged him even tighter.
"I didn't mean to do that. Please believe me."
"P-please... I-I will n-never do t-that again. Don't s-send me b-b-back to Dad. P-p-please... I don't w-want to be with h-him. H-h-he will hurt me a-again." He said something that broke my heart.
He's still carrying that fear to this day. He thinks that if he does something wrong, I'll send him back to Dad. I've told him again and again that I won't do that— but there are times when it seems like he just can't understand that.
"Ssshhhh... I-I won't do that. I won't give you to him. He can't take you away from us anymore."
I said, trying to calm him down.
"H-he will point h-h-his gun in m-my head. H-h-he will kill m-me just l-like—."
"No. No. I will never allow him to do that. I won't let him hurt you."
"I w-want Mom. I-I want h-her."
Shit!
"Keigan... Mom is gone. She was killed."
I heard Keiren slam his door shut. I know it hurts him whenever he hears that. He never got to experience having a mother, and even his father was taken away from him.
"Keifer!" Someone called.
It was Honey, rushing toward us. With her were the housemaids who look after my siblings when I'm not around.
"S-sir... I-I'll take care of Sir Keigan." Said one of the maids who came over to us.
"Help me bring him to his room." I commanded.
Together, we helped Keigan up. I never let go of him as we walked toward his room.
He kept mumbling things to himself. When we got to his room, we immediately laid him down and covered him with a blanket.
His body looked so vulnerable. I felt like I had been neglecting them. I haven't been able to take care of them. I'm all they have now, but it feels like even I am slipping away from them too.
Keigan eventually fell asleep while being gently rocked by the maid who helped me.
"What is your name?"
She looked at me. "Kate Kristine Joy, sir. I'm the one who replaced the previous nanny of Sir Keigan."
I nodded slightly. "T-thank you for taking care of him."
She smiled at me. I was about to leave Keigan's room when I noticed something.
There were a few drops of blood on the floor. And now that I noticed it, I looked around and saw scratches on the wall and on the wooden door. His things were scattered all over the floor.
"K-Kate..." I called the maid.
"Sir?"
"What happened here?" I asked while looking around.
I didn't hear any response from her, so I looked at her.
I immediately noticed Keigan's hand tightly gripping hers. My brother still had his eyes closed, so it was strange to see him holding on to her like that.
"I-I don't know, Sir. M-maybe it would be best if we leave him so he can rest." she said. "P-please go ahead, Sir. I'll watch over him."
I didn't like the way she spoke to me, but there was something off. She looked like she was pleading—begging me with her eyes.
I forced myself to nod and leave. As I stepped out of the room, Honey was right outside with a few more maids.
"What the hell is happening? And why is there a hole in the wall? Did you do that?" she asked irritably.
"Honey, I want to talk to the maid inside and the ones who used to care for Keigan. Make sure he doesn't find out about it." I said and walked away.
She immediately followed me. "What for? Why don't you answer my question first?"
"There's something wrong with Keigan. I've been noticing it more and more, and it feels like it's getting worse."
"Are you saying he's sick?"
"I can't say that for now."
She suddenly blocked my path and forced me to stop walking.
"What are you even thinking? You haven't even talked to your brother in a while and now you're accusing him of being sick," she said with irritation. "Why don't you talk to him first to find out what's really going on."
I stared at her for a moment. She's right. It's been a while since Keigan and I last talked—maybe he does have a personal problem. Maybe he's just scared to open up to me.
But I'm not discarding the idea that he's sick. When Dad returned to us with Keigan, something already seemed wrong with him. I tried my best to show him that I'd never let anyone hurt our family again.
Bit by bit, he started becoming the Keigan I knew—but there were still fears in his eyes that never seemed to go away.
"Maybe, I'll talk to him later after school."
We both continued walking. I headed straight to the dining area. I needed caffeine to wake up my senses—even just a little. I needed energy before going to school.
When I got there, I saw Keiren having breakfast. He was already in his uniform and had his bag with him.
"I thought you weren't going to school." I said and grabbed a cup of coffee.
"I don't want to stay here. Kuya Keigan is out of his mind again."
"Keiren, don't say things like that about your Kuya," I scolded him, but he ignored me. "...Do you understand?"
"I do." he said without looking at me.
I finished my coffee and waited for Keiren to finish. I was going to drop him off at school. I didn't have to wait long. After drinking water, he walked straight out of the house.
I followed him. I gave instructions to the maids to look after Keigan. I knew Honey would be leaving soon too—she couldn't stay long in the house anyway.
I helped Keiren into the car and adjusted his seatbelt.
"I can do it." he said, but I didn't let him.
Only after I fixed his seatbelt did I get in the driver's seat. I started the car without saying a word.
"Kuya..." he called me. "...Is it true? That Dad is a bad person?"
I gripped the steering wheel tightly. It's been a long time since he asked about Dad.
"Well, he did bad things."He killed our mother.
"How about Mom? Who killed her?"
A monster.
I cleared my throat. "You're still too young to understand."
He didn't say another word until we reached his school. I let him get out on his own and just watched him walk toward the gate.
Before I left, I made sure all of Keiren's bodyguards were in their positions. I still wanted my brother to move freely even with guards watching over him. They were scattered around the school, dressed differently.
Some of them even worked inside the school. I increased their numbers after confirming that our monster of a father had returned.
The same process applied to Keigan. His guards were at a distance, letting him move freely.
But that wasn't the case for me. No one guarded me whenever I was in the Philippines. I knew no one would target me here.
It was only my brothers Dad was after—and besides, I could defend myself.
When I got to school, I parked the car right away. I was almost late for our first subject. Who knows what that woman would say again if Sir Alvin arrived before me.
I saw Aries and his classmates looking at me like predators eyeing their prey. I wasn't in the mood to give a damn about him.
But if he was already here, then maybe Jay-jay was too. I needed to make it up to her. I was completely wrong for letting my anger take over again.
I didn't even listen to her because of the pain I was feeling.
Whenever I let my anger get the best of me, my mind goes blank.
Maybe that's why they call us cursed. Because when we're hurt by someone we love, we shut down completely.
I was almost at the room when I saw Mayo and Kit. They were obviously fighting—just one step away from punching each other.
"Stop it! What if someone hears you?" Kit said.
"So what if they do? You scared?!" Mayo answered.
I didn't know what their problem was, but they were blocking my way. It didn't seem like they noticed me either.
Kit tried to walk away from Mayo, but the other kept stopping him. I rolled my eyes. They were acting like a couple—
"Do you like Jay-jay?!"
I froze. I couldn't move a muscle from what I just heard.
Mayo just asked Kit if he liked Jay-jay.
"I don't like her! Stop it already!"
"Then why did you kiss her?!"
It felt like I'd gone deaf from what I just heard. He kissed Jay-jay. He kissed my Jay-jay.
Keigan's words came rushing back to me. Were my friends stealing her from me? Were they worse than what Yuri did?
Were they just playing with me? Was she?
In just a snap, everything happened so fast. I found myself grabbing Kit and punching him in the face. And no one could stop me.