JAY-JAY'S POV
"She's older than Mama." That's what Percy told me about his mother. But she looks like she's around Aunt Gema's age.
I stared at her in disbelief. Now I know what Percy would look like if he were a girl.
She's beautiful.
A maid placed a tray of juice glasses on the table between us. Percy's mom smiled and thanked her.
Percy grinned, but I couldn't tell if he was being playful or just pouting. The silence in the room was broken when he spoke.
"Did you cry?" he asked me.
"W-what... Something just happened," I mumbled, barely above a whisper.
Percy glanced at Aries, who was standing behind me. He didn't say anything, and I could tell he only gave a sharp look because of Percy's snort.
Percy's mother cleared her throat slightly, drawing my attention.
"By the way, I'm Reycee—Percy's mother and your father's wife," she introduced herself. "Since I'm your stepmother, you can call me Mom."
Wow. Fancy.
I heard Mama exhale sharply, followed by an irritated chuckle. I turned to look at her, sitting right beside me.
Percy's mom forced a smile. "Or you can call me Aunt, if that makes you more comfortable."
"S-sure," I replied hesitantly.
Silence settled over us again, so thick that even a cricket passing by would've been loud.
I knew Kuya Angelo was getting impatient, wanting to get straight to the point, but he didn't want to seem rude.
Aunt Gema, however, couldn't take it anymore and finally spoke up.
"Mrs. Mariano, may I know the reason for your visit? What exactly do you want from Jay-Jay?"
Reycee smiled, seemingly pleased that someone had finally asked.
I, too, had been dying to know.
"I'm here to invite you all," she said. "Just for a simple dinner at our home. Jasfher also wants to see his children."
I frowned. Children?
I glanced down at myself, wondering if I had a long-lost twin I didn't know about.
But that thought quickly faded because, more than anything, I wanted to see Papa. This was what I had been longing for, what I had prayed for countless times.
"Why? Should I agree?" Mama asked irritably.
"Jeana... it's been years. My father is getting old. You have no reason to keep avoiding him," Reycee reasoned.
Her words made me pause.
She was talking about my grandfather. He was still alive? I had never been sure if he was dead or still breathing. My thoughts were as tangled as my brother's rants when he was in a bad mood.
"Oh, but I do have a reason," Mama snapped. "My connection with your dear husband ended a long time ago. He finished fooling me. He promised me marriage—then I found out he already had a wife! The nerve of that man! He told me he'd fight for me, that we'd build a family together. What a joke! Where did all those promises go? Straight to hell, that's where!"
She scoffed bitterly before continuing, her voice laced with resentment.
"I was forced to marry someone else just so his father could save face."
She abruptly stopped, realizing that all eyes in the room were on her.
Why does she sound so bitter?
Something in her words struck me. What did she mean by the couple? And why did my father have to run away from my grandfather? I knew that old man never liked us, but what exactly had he done to make Mama this furious?
I held Mama by her arm. "Ma... I've wanted Mama for a long time. I want to see Dad. Maybe you can let me go."
"You don't know what that family did to me," she answered, annoyed.
"Don't torture the child. Let her be with her father," Percy's mom pleaded.
"Yes, agree... agree," Percy added, fueling the conversation.
It was obvious that Mama was stubborn and didn't want to listen to us. I wanted to cry because of the resentment she was holding on to. It was a waste of time. I shouldn't have had to be taken by Percy to New York just to see my Papa. I shouldn't have had to wait until I was the right age to do so. I could face her now, but it was still impossible because of Mama's strong resistance—bitterness over the love they had lost.
"Don't torture the child. Let her be with her father," Percy's mom repeated.
"Yes, agree... agree," Percy insisted again.
What a misfortune.
She just couldn't move on.
"Maybe it's better if we think about it first," Aunt Gema suggested, and Percy's mother nodded in agreement.
I bit my lower lip. I wanted to go with them. Even if I had to live with them, that would be fine. I just wanted to see Papa.
Percy's mom placed something on the table in front of us. It was a calling card. The last time I saw that card, Mama had taken it and crumpled it in her hand.
Percy winced at the sight but tried to smile at me before they stood up.
"Please, Jeana. Call me," Percy's mom pleaded before turning to me with a warm smile. "We're leaving now." Then she looked at Aries. "Your car will be sent here. I hope you can take care of it."
I quickly turned my head to look at my brother behind me.
What car?
"Shit," Aries whispered, but I still heard it.
I stood up as they walked out of the house. Aunt Gema and Kuya Angelo escorted them. When they disappeared from my sight, Mama and Aries both left.
I didn't know who to go to first. If I hadn't felt the pain in my knee again, I probably would have run around the whole house.
My thoughts were interrupted when I saw Aries entering his room. I decided to talk to him first.
"Aries!" I called out, as if calling an enemy.
I pushed the door open hesitantly, and he seemed to already know why I was there.
"Why did they give you a car? What does that mean?" I asked urgently.
Why wasn't I included?
He took a deep breath. "T-this is because..."
The door to his room opened again, and Kuya Angelo walked in.
"Explain, Aries! What car is she talking about?" he asked angrily.
Aries looked flustered, unsure who to answer first—me or Kuya Angelo.
"Explain!"
He looked between the two of us and finally spoke. "It's from Papa."
Who?
"Whose dad?" I asked, my mind flashing back to the man who had kidnapped us when we were children.
"Our father," he clarified, looking between me and Kuya.
"Why are you seeing Papa? Are you his child too?" I questioned.
He raised an eyebrow at me. "That's what he wants me to call him."
"Why should he?" I was about to ask more, but then I suddenly understood what he meant.
"Are you seeing each other?" Kuya asked, confirming my thoughts.
"A-Are you and Papa seeing each other?" I repeated, unable to believe what I was hearing.
Aries nodded slightly, confirming our suspicions. Kuya cursed under his breath, followed by a string of reprimands.
I stayed silent, feeling betrayed all over again. It felt like joining a game where the winner had already been decided. I should have been the first one Papa approached. But why did he talk to Aries first?
It should have been me.
"Since when have you been doing this behind my back?" Kuya asked angrily. "And you really hid it from me?"
"I started in high school," Aries admitted. "At first, he just sent me messages. Then he asked to meet up. We had a good relationship—good communication."
They had been talking for so long. That's how long he's been facing my dad. The memory of what happened when Papa and I met in the parking lot of a university came rushing back to me.
That's why he let Dad go. That's why he immediately followed Aries—because they were already in contact. Because they could talk.
I didn't realize that my tears were falling.
"W-Why you? Why did he go to you first? Why not me? I'm his daughter—he should have contacted me," I asked, one question after another, as I started crying. "I've wanted to see him for so long. I've been waiting for him for so long. I've hoped for so long that we'd finally meet. But you? Just a single text, and he reached out to you."
I could feel Kuya and Aries staring at me, as if I were a child losing my mind in front of them. But I didn't care how I looked. Even if I shed tears and got a runny nose in front of them, it didn't matter—as long as I could get this weight off my chest.
It should have been me.
"You should ask Big Brother. He's too strict with you, so Papa couldn't find the time—"
"DON'T CALL HIM DAD!" I cut him off. "THAT'S MY DAD, NOT YOURS! WE HAVE DIFFERENT DADS! You're an idiot, a fool!" I shouted, my voice almost hoarse.
"He considers me his son too! Out of respect, I have the right to call him Father!" he retorted, making me even angrier.
I hit him in the chest. My vision was so blurred that I couldn't even tell where my blows were landing.
"You're taking Dad away from me! You're taking Dad away from me!" I screamed with each strike.
"Ouch, Jay. Ouch." The voice in front of me made me pause.
I blinked my eyes wide, and to my shock, I saw Kuya Angelo standing there. I had been hitting the wrong person.
"What's going on here?" Mama's voice came from behind me. I immediately ran to her.
"Mom! Aries is stealing Dad!" I said in a rush, as if Aries was begging to be punished.
"Calm down! What's happening?"
"It's Aries!"
"I just admitted that I've been in contact with Papa," Aries said, as if it didn't mean anything.
I cried even harder. Why did he act like it was nothing? That meant everything to me.
"Who's Dad?"
"Mr. Mariano," Kuya answered.
Mama's eyes widened as she looked at Aries. "Why are you talking to that man?" Then she turned to Kuya. "And you just let this happen?"
"I was upset."
Mama and Kuya argued in front of me. They also scolded Aries, who rubbed the back of his head. I wiped my tears repeatedly, but every time I looked at Aries, I only cried harder.
That's why he begged me while I was on the island. He didn't want me to assume things because he was afraid to tell me the truth. Percy knew, and I got mad at him instead.
Wait—Percy knew too?
That's what Aries was afraid of. So Percy must have known all along. That's why the day we were with them and they came home, Papa seemed confused.
I gasped as the realization hit me. I sank to the floor, crying.
"Jay! Shut up!" Mama shouted at me before going back to arguing with Kuya and Aries.
I crawled out of Aries' room, still sobbing, feeling like the whole world had conspired against me.
Was it always going to be like this?
"Jay? What's wrong?" Aunt Gema asked as she approached me. "The floor is dirty. Come on, get up," she said, helping me stand.
She peeked into Aries' room. Realizing they were still fighting inside, she closed the door.
Then she turned to me, gently fixing my hair. "Hold on. Hold on. What happened?" she asked, wiping my tear-streaked face.
"They kept another secret from me. They made a fool out of me again. I'm smart… so why do they keep treating me like this?" I asked, sniffing as fresh tears spilled down my cheeks.
"That's enough, don't cry. Let's eat first, and maybe you'll just pass out from hunger." He pulled me down the stairs to the dining room.
Tita is so rude.
I was having my dramatic moment, and all I got in return was food. But of course, I wouldn't refuse—it would be wrong to turn down a blessing.
She made me sit down and called a maid to serve me. I just watched them while waiting for the food.
When everything was served, I quietly ate alone. Auntie left, probably to return to Mama in Aries' room.
I needed to confirm if my suspicions were correct. Percy knew something, and I had to be sure. But how could I do that when Kuya had my phone? I didn't even know where Percy lived, except for Felix's house.
He probably wasn't there since his mother was with him. There was only one person I knew who could tell me where he lived.
I finished my food quickly and hurried out. With no money on me, I took my bike from the corner of the garage. I knew it was dangerous, but I didn't care. I had to see my brother, who had a twin soul.
Without saying goodbye, I rushed off. The journey was long, but that was fine. I had been to his house before on a bike, so I knew I could do it again.
It took me only half an hour to reach my destination. I was out of breath from exhaustion and thirst.
I stopped my bike and repeatedly rang the doorbell at Kei-kwanan's—or Keifer the jerk's—house. He was the only one I knew who could tell me where Percy or Papa lived.
"Come out!" I shouted.
A few moments later, the gate opened, and out came the King of Serpents, looking annoyed.
"Jay?" He scanned me and our surroundings before quickly pulling me inside. He grabbed my bike and brought it inside the gate. "You're alone? What you did was dangerous."
"I need your help. I'll do anything you want in return."
A wide grin spread across his lips. "Anything I want?"
"As long as it's not against my heart."
His smile disappeared instantly. "Well, that's no fun."
"Whatever, you can think about your reward later. Just help me first," I insisted.
"For you, I'll do anything."
"Take me to Percy's house," I ordered, already moving toward his garage.
"You mean Felix's place?"
I stopped and turned to face him. "No. I mean his real house, where my Papa is."
He stared at me. "I don't think that's a good idea."
But he just said he'd help me.
My shoulders slumped. "Why not?"
He stepped closer, taking both of my hands. "Alright, I'll be honest with you. I've been in contact with your dad for a while now. I finally understand why he hasn't been around."
I waited for him to continue. That meant he had already talked to Papa.
"He's respecting your mom's decision, and, to be honest, he's afraid of her threats."
"Threats? Mama threatened him?"
He nodded. "In her anger, she made some serious threats."
"And Papa was scared?"
He nodded again. "I assume it involves her, Aries, and even your life."
I sank to the floor, feeling numb. Keifer sat beside me.
"I'm tired. I just want to be with my Papa."
He gently tucked a few strands of my hair behind my ear.
"Just be patient. I know your Papa is already working on a way to make your Mama agree."
"How much longer do I have to wait?"
"Who knows? Maybe tomorrow or the next day. It won't be long." He smiled before pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. "If you really want to see Percy, I'll send him here instead."
He stood up and pulled me to my feet. "Just say yes. It'll be better that way."
"Tss... Remember? I have my ways, and I will always find a way."
Why does it feel like time is going backward? He used to be like that with me. I miss him when he acts that way. I also miss his banking line.
He took out his cellphone and dialed Percy's number. He held it to his ear, and it rang only once before my brother, Typhoon, answered.
"Freya is here, and she's crying," the King of Serpents said before hanging up without waiting for Percy to respond.
I blinked. Was it really that easy?
"Are you doing?"
"Have a snack inside first," he said. I nodded.
When we entered the house, everything seemed to change. As if it suddenly became clearer—far from the dark house I remembered before. I also noticed a maid, who looked unlike any ordinary person.
We went straight to the dining area. I stared at the enormous table. It looked like a whole barangay could be fed here.
"Shit," he muttered, and I dragged him toward the bank.
When I sat properly, he excused himself and went to the kitchen. When he returned, he was followed by maids carrying trays of food, placing them one by one in front of me.
"Young Master, your cousin Hazel is on the line," said a man wearing a white long-sleeved shirt and a vest.
Is he the butler?
"I'm busy," he replied, and the man simply bowed before turning away.
He faced me and smiled. "Eat now."
"How much is your assistant's salary? Can I apply?" I asked directly.
I couldn't help but observe the maids. Their complexions were flawless, and they didn't seem to be struggling with their work. I even spotted one wearing pearl earrings—so the salary must be high.
He laughed loudly. "Why apply as a servant when you can apply to be my wife? It's all yours." 🩷
I stared at the food for a moment before looking back at him and nodding. He quickly pulled out his cellphone and called someone.
"Hello, Attorney? Can I get married now? Like, right now?" he asked, and I burst into laughter.
"Hey! That was just a joke! Stop it! I'm not even of legal age yet!"
He gave me a playful glare before hanging up. Sometimes, he really doesn't seem to use his brain. What a waste of intelligence—he should pass some of it to me.
I'd make better use of it.
"Eat now," he ordered, and I did.
I started eating while he watched me. Every now and then, he glanced at his phone, but his eyes always returned to me.
"Greedy," he commented.
"You love it," I shot back.
He grinned. "Yes, I do."
I playfully stuck my tongue out at him before returning to my food. When he stood up and pulled his chair closer to me, I looked up.
"Try me," he challenged, sitting down beside me.
I threatened him with my fork. "I'll stab you."
"Stab me with love," he replied and took the fork from my hand.
He stayed with me while I ate. I lost track of time, completely forgetting that I hadn't said goodbye. I nearly forgot about Percy—until we suddenly heard his voice yelling.
"Where's Freya? Keifer! Get Freya out here!"
We immediately stood up to meet him and found him at the door. He kept pacing, pressing buttons on his phone. The moment he saw us, he froze.
"Why are you here?" he asked me before turning to Keifer. "Where's Freya?"
"There is no Freya—only Jay-Jay, who wants to talk to you."
"You tricked me?" he asked, frowning.
Before their conversation could drag on, I interjected.
"I have something I need to ask you. And it's important, so prepare your explanation."
He stared at me for a moment, gripping his arms as if he were afraid. His reaction made me want to laugh, but I preferred to hear the truth before he started acting dramatic.
"W-what did I do wrong?"