Keifer POV)
I woke up to the faint sound of rain tapping the window, my shoulder throbbing with a dull ache. The faint smell of medicine filled the air. Jayjay was lying beside me on the next bed, her face pale but peaceful, her fingers loosely clutching the blanket. For a second, I forgot the chaos from last night — until the image of my father's grin flashed in my mind.
Adrian's voice broke the silence. "You're awake."
He stood by the door with a cup of coffee, his expression calm but heavy. "Grandpa wants to see us. You and Jayjay too."
Jayjay stirred at his words. "Now?" her voice soft but steady.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "He said… it's time you both knew everything."
(Scene moves to the study — a warm, dimly lit room lined with books and a faint smell of sandalwood. Adrian's grandfather sits by the fireplace, his eyes thoughtful but sad.)
"You've both been caught in something that started long before you were born," he began, his tone gentle but firm. "Your father, Keifer… and my son, Adrian's father — they were once partners."
He pauses, glancing at Adrian, then back at Keifer.
"They founded AetherTech, a company that designed advanced virtual-reality systems. The E-Game Project — the one your school sponsors — was their idea. But someone wanted control… and your father, Keifer, was forced into a choice he never wanted to make."
Jayjay frowned, her hand brushing Keifer's arm. "What kind of choice?"
The old man sighed. "To protect his family, he signed a deal with a group called the Helix Division — investors from overseas. They promised money, security, power… but when my son refused to sell his half of the company, they silenced him."
Adrian's eyes widened. "The crash…"
"Yes," the grandfather whispered. "It wasn't mechanical failure. It was planned. And your father, Keifer, may not have been the mastermind — but he knew."
Keifer's breath caught. The room seemed smaller. "No… he wouldn't…"
The old man didn't answer immediately. "People change when they're cornered. But that doesn't mean you will. You have a chance to fix what they destroyed — together."
Jayjay took Keifer's hand, her grip firm despite her trembling. "Then we'll find the truth."
Ciel nodded slowly. "And end what they started."
For a moment, no one spoke. The rain outside grew heavier, like the world itself was listening.
Adrian's grandfather finally stood. "Then it begins again — the next chapter of AetherTech."