**Keifer's POV**
"He's a hindrance…" Keigan said.
I couldn't stop myself from clenching the glass I was holding. It shattered right in my hands, spilling alcohol all over the counter.
"Don't f*cking tell me what to do. You're just my brother."
I heard him chuckle. I didn't want to listen to him. I hate it when people tell me what to do,
especially when it's about Jay-jay. I stared at the blood dripping from my palm. It mixed with the spilled liquor on the counter.
"Honey! Don't just sit there! Talk to him!"
Keigan shouted at Honey.
"What's the point? He won't listen anyway,"
she answered.
Out of frustration, he walked toward me and forced me to face him. I gave him a blank stare. He grabbed my shirt tightly.
"You're blinded by your love. You can't even focus on our problem anymore."
I slapped his hand away and walked past him. I also passed by Honey, who tried to approach me.
"You're drunk," she said, but I chose to ignore her.
I didn't want to talk to anyone. Jay-jay was the only one I wanted to see right now. But how? How can I, when every time I think of her, I remember what she did with David? I want to rip his throat out.
He kissed Jay-jay. He kissed "my" Jay-jay. No one is allowed to kiss her except me. I want to hurt them. Every guy who dares to claim her lips.
A sharp pain suddenly surged through my chest. It hurts every time I remember how Yuri and David claimed her lips. It feels like she just let it happen. I know she's not that kind of girl… but I can't help it.
I went straight to see her as soon as I got back from London. I needed strength, after everything I went through in the hands of our relatives, who only cared about getting their hands on our money.
But I didn't expect that I'd be completely shattered that day. I'm trying my best to convince myself that she didn't do it on purpose. But it still hurt me as f*ck.
I didn't even realize I was already in front of my bedroom door. I was about to open it but then I stopped. I turned to the door behind me. The room across from mine, the one where I let Jay-jay sleep before.
My hands and feet moved on their own. I walked straight into that room.
The light was off, but my eyes adjusted to the darkness. I walked toward the bed and laid down.
I still remember the first night I let her sleep here. I stared at her like she was prey. She was sleeping with her mouth open, and I found it funny.
"Jay…" I whispered before my eyes closed and I drifted off to sleep.
What I didn't know was that I'd regret falling asleep so soon.
"You are no different from your father. You're a bastard. Useless and nothing but a stain on our name." one of the elders said, teeth clenched in disgust.
I just hope you don't get a heart attack from that. His anger towards me is intense.
I ignore him. I keep reading the papers in front of me while they all stare at me. My other relatives are standing at the end of the long table.
A very long one, to be exact.
I put the paper down on the table and looked at them all. The Watson Family. There are more of them than I expected. And as far as I know, some of my cousins who are abroad aren't here yet. The children from outside who carry the family surname are also missing.
"What exactly is the reason you're here?" I ask, confused.
I know the answer, I just like messing with them. Especially with the elders. They are my grandfather's siblings, but they don't call him Grand Father.
Especially with someone like me, who they don't even consider a grandchild.
"His Filipino brain doesn't understand us," one of my cousins said, and they all laughed.
"Keifer…" Honey whispered from behind me. "…let's go. You've got what you needed."
I ignored what Honey said. I just smiled at my cousin, who seemed bigger than a drum.
"And your penny-sized brain doesn't understand me," I answered him, and they stopped laughing. "You will never have my money. It's all mine, only mine."
They all reacted at once. They were furious because they couldn't get any of the huge sum of money just sitting in Watson's Bank. That doesn't even include Mom's inheritance. It's just my grandfather's money that he saved up and gambled on my father's eldest son.
Because of the large amount, my relatives got interested. They tried to take it before I turned 18. But the bank was too strict. Even though their surname was Watson, they couldn't get a single cent.
I stood up, ready to leave, but I heard the tap of a cane on the shiny floor of the room. It came from the oldest of the siblings.
Since I arrived at the Watson mansion, I hadn't seen or heard him react to me.
Now, I finally heard his cane.
Everyone fell silent, and even I waited for what he would say.
"That money is not yours," he said while standing. "It belongs to Kaizer's first-born child."
"I am his first—"
He cut me off. "You are not!"
I looked at Honey. The nervousness was evident on her face. I didn't know they would find out about this.
My heart raced, and I immediately started to sweat.
"What makes you think I'm not?" I asked, trying not to show my nervousness.
"Kaizer had many women before marrying your mother. It's not impossible for him to have a child before you." one of the elders said, clearly mocking me.
I chuckled proudly. "Think whatever possibilities you want, but the money is still mine."
I didn't wait for them to say anything more. I walked out of the room. Honey followed me, wiping her sweat.
"You're quite obvious, Honey. They don't know yet, and if they do, I'm sure they don't know him."
"You can't blame me. One mistake, and everything we've worked for will be gone."
I loosened the necktie I was wearing. It felt like I was choking from the pressure. I really thought they knew about it— but maybe they don't. Maybe they know something I didn't.
"Keifer…" Mr. Ryder said as he walked toward us. "Did you get it?"
I nodded and handed the papers and the key to Honey.
She read the piece of paper tied to the large key. We continued walking.
"Watson's Bank?" She said. "How rich is your family? You even own a bank."
"Honey, they are more than rich," Mr. Ryder answered. "They're elite."
We reached the grand staircase of the house. Just as we were going down, my cousin—whom I never asked to be related to—was coming up. He stopped right in front of me.
"So, I guess I'm too late." he said and looked at the key Honey was holding.
I smiled at him smugly. I won. The Watson money is mine, and I'm the new CEO of Watson Enterprise.
"Better luck next time—oh wait! You don't have a next time." I mocked him.
I tapped his arm and walked away. We were on the ground floor when he spoke, causing me to stop.
"You may have won, you have the money and the company. But what about your girl?" he said and laughed.
"We all know you're going crazy over a girl named Jasper Jean Mariano."
I clenched my fists. I wanted to break his bones right then and there. I didn't want Jay-jay's name being dragged into this.
"Make sure to keep her safe, Keifer." he added before finally leaving.
"It's a threat. You have to be careful." Mr. Ryder said as he walked out the door.
Honey and I followed him after. We got into one of the three parked Mercedes-Benz cars. The other two belonged to my bodyguards.
As the car moved, I couldn't settle down. My stupid-acting-CEO cousin was up to something. He's so predictable, and he's taking advantage of it. I have to make sure Jay-jay will be alright.
I immediately took my phone out of my pocket. I was about to dial her number, but I stopped. If I heard her voice, I knew I'd end up going home unplanned.
It's been a day since I last saw her, but I was already dying to see her. But I can't go back yet. There's still a lot I need to do here.
I was about to put my phone back in my pocket when I received a text message. It was from Keigan.
[From: Keigan]
Message: Your girlfriend came from here.
What?!
I dialed Keigan's number and waited for him to answer. After several rings, he finally picked up.
"What took you so long to answer your phone?!" I asked, irritated.
I didn't hear anything from him. I didn't know if there was a signal problem.
"Keigan?"
Out of nowhere, I heard a small laugh. I suddenly felt uneasy. I knew something was wrong with my own brother, but I wasn't sure what it was.
["Relax, bro…"] He said in a different tone.
His voice was obviously my brother's, but the way he spoke was like someone else entirely. This had been happening a lot lately.
But now wasn't the time to worry about his behavior. I tried to push his actions from my mind. There were things I needed to prioritize, and he himself told me to put him and Keiren out of my priorities.
"I want to know what Jay-jay did there."
["Nothing important. She was looking for you, but since you weren't there, she left right away on her bicycle."] He explained.
I knew she was worried. The last time we were together, I punched a tree. I was so pissed when I saw Yuri kissing her. She probably thought I was still mad at her.
"Don't say anything that will make her worry."
["Sure."] He replied, and then the call ended.
I'm sorry, Jay. You'll have to wait a little longer.
I texted Ci-N and the other classmates, including Yuri. I'm more than pissed with that guy, but I had no one else to rely on, except for our friends, and him. He can protect Jay-jay the same way I can.
Our car suddenly stopped. I looked out the car window.
"This is the Watson Bank?" Honey asked.
That's what I was about to ask too. This wasn't like the bank I expected. It was a brick castle, with its walls covered in plants.
The gate looked new, painted in black. Someone opened the car door, so I got out. Honey and Mr. Ryder followed me.
"Mr. Mark Keifer Watson," a man in a business suit called me as he walked towards me.
"We've been expecting you."
I looked him over from head to toe. "You are?"
"Oh, where are my manners?" He offered his hand. "I'm your mother's brother. Call me Sin."
I took his hand, and we shook hands. I smiled at him. Mom used to talk about him and his mischievous adventures before he graduated from college. I didn't know he worked at our bank.
He let go of my hand and adjusted his suit. He glanced at my companions for a moment before facing me again.
"Do you have the key?"
I extended my hand. Honey handed me the papers and the old key. I showed it to him.
"Follow me." he said.
Honey and Mr. Ryder were about to follow us, but they were stopped by guards standing at either side of the gate.
"They're with me." I said, but they still blocked their way.
"Sorry, but we can't allow them." my uncle said.
I looked at Mr. Ryder; he nodded as if giving me permission to continue. I walked with my uncle.
The place was so dark. At first, I thought we were in a hallway, but I soon realized we weren't. Thanks to the light at the end of our path, I saw that we were in a tunnel.
"How's your brothers?" he suddenly asked.
I glanced at him for a moment, but his gaze remained focused on the path ahead of us.
"They're fine, I guess…" I replied uncertainly.
"Sorry I didn't make it to your mom's funeral. I wasn't allowed to leave the bank before." he added.
I sighed. None of Mom's family attended the funeral. They were distant relatives, but I didn't even know them. But it was a long time ago. It didn't really matter to me now.
"I understand. You have a duty to fulfill." I said.
He stopped walking. I noticed that we were already at the end of the tunnel. A large door stood before us.
"Your mom is still my sister. It's my duty to protect her." he said, looking at me seriously. "And I failed to fulfill my duty."
He didn't wait for me to respond. He opened the door in front of us. The first thing I saw was a huge fountain. The ceiling was made of glass, and the floor was covered with pebbles. The surroundings resembled a garden, albeit with withered plants. Is this really a bank?
There were three doors behind the fountain. Uncle Sin walked toward the first door and opened it.
"We have to move faster. The clock is ticking." he said as he stepped inside.
He was right, so I quickened my pace.
As we entered the first room, a marble counter table greeted me. Uncle Sin was behind the table, typing on what I assumed was a keyboard.
While waiting for him, I noticed the safety deposit boxes behind him. They covered nearly an entire wall. After typing something, one of the safety deposit boxes opened. The one at the far corner, at the end of the wall.
I didn't understand what he was doing, but I knew I was here for the money left to me.
Uncle Sin walked toward the open box and picked something up.
"What exactly is this?" I asked as he walked toward me.
He gave me a short smile. "Everything your mom wanted you to see."
I raised an eyebrow. What did she want me to see? He handed me a wooden box. It was locked, and the keyhole looked old. I could literally peek into the keyhole.
I stared at it for a moment when I remembered the key I got from the old mansion. I pulled it out of my pocket.
I had assumed that the key was for the vault door itself. I tried inserting it into the box, and to my surprise, it fit. I slowly turned the key, and I heard a small snap sound. I glanced at my uncle, who was also looking at me.
He was obviously waiting for me to discover what was inside the box. Why did I suddenly feel so pressured? I slowly opened the box. When I saw what was inside, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief. Seriously? Who would put a small remote control and a card inside a box, then lock it away in a safety deposit box?
This must be a joke. There's no way Mom would do something like this. I almost laughed, but seeing the seriousness in my uncle's face kept me calm. I first picked up the small card and read it. There was a letter printed in gold, hard to see in the bright light. I tried to read it, but I couldn't make out the words, so I just picked up the remote and studied it.
There were only a few buttons on the remote: Play, Pause, Stop, and End, all in different colors.
"If you're done, please follow me." Uncle Sin said.
I took the remote and the card and left the box. We exited the room and moved to the door at the far end. He opened it, and I was greeted by complete darkness.
"From here, you have to do everything on your own" he said, forcing a smile.
I hesitated to enter. There wasn't a single light in sight. I pulled my phone from my pocket and used it as a light source.
I stepped forward, and as I took a few more steps, the door suddenly closed. When I turned around, all I saw was my uncle's sad face.
I tried to run back to stop the door from closing, but I was too late.
I tried to open it, but it was useless.
Damn it! Is this a setup?
Does he have bad intentions? Is that why he didn't let Honey come with me inside? Could he have taken an interest in the money as well?
Out of nowhere, a light from a box appeared.
I approached it to take a look. It was a projector box.
Is this what the remote control is for? I removed the cap blocking the projector's lens.
The light spread across the wall, which looked like a monitor. On the screen, there were three options: Play, Pause, and Stop—just like the buttons on the remote.
Even though I wasn't sure what would happen, I pressed Play on the remote. Something appeared on the screen. It was a video, and a woman appeared.
It was Mom…
I couldn't take my eyes off the monitor. It was Mom, the woman I hadn't seen in so long. I didn't understand why she was in this video.
"Keifer…" she began. "…If you're watching this, it means that I didn't make it to your 18th birthday." Her words hit me hard, and my tears began to fall. 🥹