KEIFER POV
I was still searching for her.
Nine hours.
My legs ached, my throat burned, but I couldn't stop.
"Keifer, please… stop. She's gone," Aries said, his voice heavy, watching me fall apart.
I shook my head, tears blurring my vision. "Aries, she can't just do this to me. She can't leave me." My voice cracked, the words spilling out like broken glass.
Without hesitation, Aries stepped forward and pulled me into a hug.
It wasn't awkward, it wasn't forced—it was the kind of embrace only someone who once knew me best could give.
"It's okay, man," he said quietly, his own voice trembling. "Maybe… maybe she's happy in heaven right now."
I froze, the weight of his arms around me stirring something I hadn't felt in years.
Comfort.
Familiarity.
The bond we thought was gone.
For a moment, the pain didn't feel so crushing.
"Aries, she is still alive—you don't get it!" I shouted, stumbling forward, desperate to keep searching.
But Aries's fist connected with my jaw, the shock snapping me back.
"Face it, Keifer," he cried, his own tears spilling. "Jay is gone. She's dead."
I froze, my breath ragged, my body trembling.
I didn't say anything—maybe because deep down, I feared he was right.
"Go home. Your brothers must be waiting for you—they need you, Keifer," Aries said, his voice steady but his eyes red.
I nodded, too drained to argue, and stumbled toward my car.
The drive felt endless, the road blurring through my tears.
When I finally reached the house, I didn't even stop to greet anyone.
I went straight to my bar, grabbed the first bottle I saw, twisted the cap off, and drank it
"Keifer, why are you drinking this much?" Honey asked, stepping into the bar, her voice trembling.
"Get out," I muttered, my grip tightening on the bottle.
"Keifer—" she started.
"I said get out!" I roared, the sound echoing off the walls.
She flinched, her eyes wide, fear flashing across her face.
"Kuya, why are you yelling at her?" Keigan's voice cut in as he entered the room. His gaze locked on me, then dropped to the tears streaking down my cheeks.
"Kuya… are you crying?" he asked, disbelief lacing his tone. "I swear, if you're crying over that Jay again—"
"Jay is dead," I spat, the words tearing out of me like glass.
The room fell silent.
Honey froze, her hand covering her mouth. Keigan's eyes widened, his bravado crumbling into shock.
For a moment, none of us moved. The weight of my words hung heavy in the air, pressing down on all of us.
And in that silence, I realized I wasn't just breaking—I was dragging them down with me.
TIME SKIPS TO 8 YEARS
It's been eight years since Jay disappeared from my life.
Eight years of silence. Eight years of pretending I was fine.
I became colder. Work consumed me, every hour of every day, until exhaustion felt easier than remembering.
Section E and I still talk. They're the only ones who remind me of who I used to be, before everything fell apart.
And Aries… somehow, we found our way back to each other. Ex‑best friends, torn apart by pride and anger, now stitched together again by grief. His presence steadied me, even when I didn't want to admit I needed it.
But no matter how much time passes, no matter how many walls I build, there's still a place in my heart that whispers she's missing.
And I hate it.
Because if Jay really is gone, why does it still feel like she's out there? Why does her absence burn like a wound that refuses to heal?
Eight years. And I'm still haunted.
I remember the last sentence I said to her.
"I used you. It's funny you actually thought I could love someone like you."
The memory slices through me like a blade every time it resurfaces.
I hate myself for saying that.
For letting those words leave my mouth.
Those words haunt me.
They weren't true, not even close, but I spat them out like venom.
And now, eight years later, they echo louder than any silence.
No matter how much I bury myself in work, no matter how cold I pretend to be, that moment clings to me.
Because if Jay really is gone… then those words were the last thing she carried from me.
And that's a weight I'll never escape.
______________________________________________
JAY-JAY POV
It's been eight years since I last saw Section E, the Fernandez family, or Keifer.
They probably think I'm gone—buried in memory, erased from their world.
But I'm not.
I'm alive.
More than alive.
I'm living my best life, far away from the shadows that once broke me.
No betrayals, no shouting, no chains of the past.
Just freedom.
The girl they knew, the one who carried pain like a second skin, doesn't exist anymore.
I rebuilt myself piece by piece, stronger, brighter, untouchable.
And somehow… girly. Like, really girly.
It still shocks me.
One day I was surviving in hoodies and scraped knees, the next I was strutting in dresses like I owned the world.
Lip gloss, heels, accessories—you name it, I own it.
Boys practically trip over themselves just to get my number, and honestly?
I don't blame them.
I went to college, nailed a degree in business, and now I run things.
Not just run—I'm the Co‑CEO of Reyes, standing right next to Shawn.
We're unstoppable.
But here's the twist: I keep myself out of the spotlight. No cameras, no interviews, no flashing lights. I'm the chaos behind the curtain, the storm no one sees coming.
Shawn always makes me feel like his real sister, and our bond only grew stronger.
Seven years ago, he got married to Mia, his long time girlfriend— my partner‑in‑crime, my best friend, my ride‑or‑die.
Together, we're a force.
And then came Aion.
Six years old, full of energy, already a little tornado like his dad.
He calls me "Tita Jay," and every time he does, I swear my heart melts.
"Jay, you have to go to the award show tomorrow. I can't make it," Shawn said over the phone.
I groaned, staring at the stack of files on my desk. "But you know I don't like showing my face in front of the camera."
"Jay, please na. Aion is sick and I'm stuck—I can't come to London," Shawn's voice cracked with frustration.
My heart dropped. "What? Aion is sick and you didn't tell me?" I asked, panic rushing through me.
"This is exactly why I didn't," he admitted. "You'd be worried nonstop. But Mia said the same thing—you should go. Represent us."
I pressed my lips together, torn between my fear of the spotlight and the thought of Aion lying in bed, unwell.
"Shawn…" I whispered, my chest tightening.
"Jay, you're Co‑CEO. You're family. You can do this. Just one night. For me. For Mia. For Aion."
I closed my eyes, already imagining the flashing cameras, the endless stares.
Chaos.
But then I pictured Aion's little voice calling me Tita Jay, and the decision was made.
"Fine," I said, exhaling sharply. "But if I faint on stage, it's your fault."
Shawn laughed, relief flooding his tone. "Deal. And don't worry—you'll look like the queen you are."
"When will you come back from London?" he asked.
"Soon… probably after this week," I replied, glancing at the stack of files I still had to finish.
"Okay, hurry up. Aion misses you a lot. I swear we gave him birth, but he likes you better than us," Shawn said, chuckling.
I couldn't help but laugh, though my chest tightened at the thought of Aion. "Don't be jealous. It's not my fault he thinks I'm cooler than his parents."
"Cooler? Jay, you spoil him rotten. That's why he clings to you," Shawn teased.
"Maybe," I admitted, smiling to myself. "But you know I'd drop everything for him. He's my little sunshine."
Shawn's voice softened. "That's why he loves you. Just… come home soon, okay? He keeps asking when Tita Jay will be back."
I leaned back in my chair, the city lights of London glowing outside my window.
Work could wait.
Family couldn't.
"Don't worry," I said quietly. "I'll be home before he even realizes I was gone."
Shawn hung up, and the silence in my office felt heavier than the call itself.
Tomorrow was the awards show.
Tomorrow, I'd be standing in front of cameras I'd spent eight years avoiding.
I stared at the mirror, pulling dresses from my closet like a storm.
Sequins, silk, velvet—chaos everywhere.
Lip gloss scattered across the desk, heels lined up like soldiers waiting for battle.
My heart raced.
I wasn't nervous about the crowd—I was nervous about being seen.
About the whispers.
About the possibility that someone from my past might recognize me.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
🎉🔥 Author's Note 🔥🎉
OKaayyy I couldn't help myself 😭💭…
you guys completed the target sooo fast!!! 🚀💙
So here's another chapter for you 💥✨.
Seriously, thank you for all the love and support—you're making me write like crazy 🐧📚💖.
Keep the comments and votes coming, because they motivate me more than anything 🌟🔥.
NEXT TARGET:
👉 30+ comments 🍩💬
The target is big this time 😅🎯, but I know you guys can smash it 🚀✨.
Your comments always make me laugh and write faster 🐧💖📚.
So let's hit this goal together and end the chapter streak with pure chaos 🌪️🔥.
Q & A Time 🔥💙
To motivate you guys… here's a question 👀✨
Q: Who's your favorite Section E boy right now, and why? 🐧💙
🚨 BUT don't pick Keifer this time 🚨 — something tells me he'll win anyway 😂.
So anyone but Keifer… let's see who else deserves the crown expect for our Kings of assholes 👑✨.