Gun
Jay-jay's POV
Everything stopped. Literally stopped. The man in the black suit in front of me—who was also holding the gun—looked at me with a hostile glare.
"Pull the trigger!" I repeated.
The man glanced at Keifer's father, then back at me.
"Jay! Shut up!" Aries yelled at me. I ignored him, my eyes locked on the bastard in front of me.
"Pull it..." I ordered him.
"What the hell are you doing, Jay?!" Yuri asked angrily.
I didn't answer him either. Neither of us blinked—me and the man with the gun. If he tries anything, I'll flick his damn eyelid off.
"Go on! Do it!" I shouted. "You can't, can you?" I smiled when he didn't respond. "What will people say if they find out a student died because of the Watsons? That's a scandal for your name."
They all went quiet. Looks like they finally got my point.
"Can you really stomach killing a defenseless student?" I guilt-tripped. Even the other guys in black suits with guns looked like they were reconsidering.
"What will your business partners say? What will people say? What will my father say to you?"
Dead silence.
They exchanged glances. Some looked toward Keifer's dad. But the man in front of me? He kept up the staring contest.
Then suddenly, Keifer's dad slow-clapped and walked toward me.
"Put the gun down," he ordered, facing me.
"You're a brave woman, you know?"
If only he knew. I'd used up the one drop of courage I'd saved for confronting my brother.
I didn't respond. He walked over to Keifer and grabbed the paper.
"I thought I'd outplayed you this time... but looks like I was wrong," he said, then looked at me. "You and your friends can go now. I'll talk to you again next time."
He walked away with the men in black suits. The guy I'd stared down gave me one last look—one that pierced straight through me—before following.
Just that one look.
My knees gave out and I collapsed on the floor once they were out of sight. Ci-N and David rushed over to help me.
The fear I'd been pushing down earlier? It broke free now. My body couldn't take it anymore. My heart was beating like crazy—felt like it was about to tear out of my chest.
"You okay, Jay?" David asked.
I grabbed his arm. "Jesus! I thought I was going to die!"
I looked over at Yuri who was helping the 'king'—though the stubborn idiot kept brushing him off.
"You were so brave back there... I'm proud of you," Ci-N said.
Aww.
I smiled despite myself. While the others checked on me, I didn't notice Keifer walking up to us.
"Are you out of your mind?!" he snapped at me.
Everyone turned to look at us.
"Do you even know who you just challenged?!"
I shook my head. I had no clue who that guy was—just some henchman of Keifer's dad.
"That was Dylan! He's a professional hitman!"
H-hitman?!
I challenged... a professional hitman?!
I challenged him?! I CHALLENGED HIM?!
My knees gave out again and I sat right back on the floor.
"JAY!" they all called, rushing to help me again. But this time, I had no strength to get back up.
I stared death in the face!
And I had the nerve to act all cocky like that?! Damn! If he hadn't shown mercy, I'd be going home in a body bag.
"I-I almost died," I said, still trembling.
"It's okay... You didn't, right?" Ci said.
As much as I wanted to smack the kid, I couldn't. I couldn't stop thinking about what I'd done.
"Where's Keiren?" Keigan asked.
My hand was still shaking as I pointed to the table I'd told him to hide under.
Keigan immediately went over and looked underneath. Keiren crawled out and hugged him tightly.
Keifer came over too and gave his siblings a tight hug.
Maybe it looked sappy to others, but to me? Damn, it made him look even more handsome.
"Let's get out of here," Drew suggested.
Everyone agreed. David helped me walk. I glanced at Aries and Ella. They were just staring at me, as if silently having a conversation.
Once outside, Keifer helped Keigan and Keiren into the car. Then he turned to us—and glared at me.
"Don't ever do that again!" he shouted.
"Keifer! She only did it to help you!" Felix defended me.
"What if Dylan had done what she said?!" he shot back.
We all fell silent. He was right.
What if he had pulled the trigger? But if I hadn't done it, the paper would've been signed, and all his mother's hard work gone to waste.
"You just gave them a new idea on what to do next!"
I don't know why, but his words hurt.
I felt like I'd just made things worse instead of helping.
"Next time, think before you act!" he added before getting in his car.
"Don't mind Keifer... He's just worried about you," David said. I just nodded. But it wasn't just that.
It hurt to feel like I tried to help... and only made it worse.
"Don't beat yourself up. Honestly, I probably would've been mad too," Yuri said. "...But thank you for doing that."
I smiled at him. At least someone appreciated what I did.
Too bad it wasn't the person I'd hoped would.
⸻
Third Person's POV
1... 2... 3...
Dylan counted in his head. He was counting the bullets in the gun he'd aimed at Jay-jay earlier.
His hand was itching. Not for money, like the rumors said—but for the trigger.
Killing was his livelihood. But even without pay, he could still do it.
It wasn't money he was after—it was the feeling he got from killing.
"How many times do you need to count those bullets?" his boss asked. Keifer's dad.
He was staring silently out the window, watching Keifer's classmates leave.
"Sorry, sir..." Dylan said, putting away his gun.
"May I ask why you didn't let us finish them all off?"
Kaizer Watson laughed a little.
Keifer's cold-blooded father.
Dylan could never understand why the man spared Keifer's classmates, even though they clearly could've killed them.
"Because of that girl... she had a point," he said.
"I'm amazed by her."
Dylan thought about it. The girl really was brave—but he'd also seen her fear.
And that fear? That was what he loved most about killing.
"You know Jeana, right?" Kaizer asked. "Somehow, I see her in that girl. They really are mother and daughter."
Dylan had only met Jeana once—briefly.
Still, he didn't fully understand what Kaizer was getting at.
"What are your plans for Keifer?" Dylan asked, changing the subject.
"I need to get Keiren. The financial holder that woman appointed is smart. I can't access the money unless they're under my care," Kaizer explained, grabbing a glass of liquor.
"I have to trick Keifer. Violence won't work."
"What about Keigan?" Dylan asked.
If there was one good thing left in Dylan, it was his concern for the child he'd once cared for.
"I have no use for that kid. I already got his money. What I need is Keifer and Keiren's."
Dylan bowed his head. The amount of money at stake was huge. Since the kids were minors, all the wealth their mother left was under financial guardianship. The kids only received allowances.
Kaizer had already gotten Keigan's share when he had custody of him before. Once he got what he wanted, he threw the boy away like trash. No love for his children. Not even for his former wife.
"Call my lawyer. I need to speak with them," he ordered.
Dylan bowed and stepped out. He followed the order, took out his phone, and dialed.
But the person he called wasn't the lawyer.
"Hello..."
"Next time, tell us in advance what he's planning," the voice on the other end snapped.
"Sorry... I ran out of time to send a message."
"We were just standing there clueless!" the voice shouted.
"I really am sorry..."
"We'll let it go. But what you did to Jay-jay? We're not letting that slide. We'll talk when we meet."
The caller hung up before Dylan could say anything else.
This was right...
Dylan wanted to atone for his sins.
And helping those kids?
That was the only way he could see how.