JAY-JAY POV
I picked up my fork and started to eat, but of course Keifer slid into the seat right beside me.
I shot him a glare, sharp enough to cut steel, but he only smiled back like he was enjoying it.
"Tita!" Aion's little voice piped up from my other side.
"What?" I asked, turning to him.
"Tita, can we go somewhere tomorrow?" he asked, his big puppy‑dog eyes practically sparkling.
"Of cours—" I began, but Mia cut me off before I could finish.
"Jay, he has school tomorrow. And homework," she reminded me, her tone firm but gentle.
I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "So what?" I shot back, shrugging.
The table went quiet for a beat, Shawn chuckling under his breath while Aion grinned like he'd already won.
"So he can't come tomorrow," Shawn said firmly.
"But come on, he can't be studying all the time," I argued, leaning back in my chair.
"Jay, he didn't even finish his homework yesterday because he was busy playing," Mia reminded me, her tone sharp but motherly.
I turned to Aion, who only smiled up at me with those innocent eyes. My heart melted instantly.
"So what? I barely finished my homework when I was his age," I said, tossing my hair with mock pride. "And look how I turned out—the most beautiful woman, successful, and—"
"Fully chaos machine," Shawn cut in smoothly, finishing my sentence with a grin.
The table erupted in laughter, Mia shaking her head while Aion giggled like he'd just won the argument.
I turned to him, narrowing my eyes like he'd just insulted me.
"You're not getting any gifts from me," I said, crossing my arms. "And I got you something you've been dreaming about."
"Did you get that for me?" Shawn asked, leaning forward, curiosity sparking in his eyes.
I nodded, smirking.
"Get what?" Mia asked, her eyebrow arched, suspicion written all over her face.
"Nothing, babe," Shawn cut in quickly, waving his hand like it was no big deal.
I narrowed my eyes at him, smirking.
He was trying way too hard to play it cool.
Mia leaned back, still unconvinced
I laughed and started eating when a voice called out. "Ate Jay," Keiran said softly.
I looked up, surprised. "Hi, Keiran. Long time no see."
He nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Shawn glanced between us, pointing. "You two know each other?"
Mama's voice broke in, thick with emotion. "We all know her," she said, her eyes glistening, almost in tears.
"How?" Shawn pressed, confusion etched across his face.
Mama opened her mouth to explain, but I cut her off quickly, forcing a smile.
"Probably the awards," I said, brushing it off before the silence could grow heavier.
Shawn nodded, the conversation settling for a moment.
I picked up my fork again, trying to focus on my food.
But I could feel it—every pair of eyes in the room glued to me.
The weight of their stares pressed down, heavy and unspoken.
I finished my dinner, pushing the plate away. "I'm done," I said, standing up from my seat.
"Jay, you barely even ate," Shawn pointed out, his eyes narrowing at the untouched food. "Look—your plate isn't even complete."
"I'm not hungry," I replied flatly, already heading toward the sliding doors that led outside.
The cool night air brushed against me as I stepped toward the pool, needing space, needing quiet.
"Jay—" Shawn started, his voice following me, heavy with concern.
I turned back, cutting him off before he could say more. "Please, Kuya."
I wandered through the garden, its paths stretching endlessly, maybe two miles or more.
The quiet should have been comforting, but my thoughts were loud.
"Jay," a voice called out behind me.
I froze, then turned slowly. "What do you want, Keifer?" My tone was sharp, defensive.
"Jay, please… listen to my explanation," he said, his voice steady but urgent.
I shook my head, the ache in my chest rising. "No. I don't want to. Because what if it's just another lie?" My words trembled, tears already stinging my eyes before I realized they were there.
"Jay, please," Keifer whispered, stepping closer.
His hand lifted gently, brushing away the tears I hadn't even realized were falling.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"Sorry doesn't change what you did," I snapped, stepping back, putting space between us.
"I know," Keifer said, his voice tight, almost breaking. "But please… listen to why I had to do what I did."
"I don't want to, Keifer." My voice trembled, but I forced the words out. "Do you know how it feels to be lying in a hospital bed, almost close to death, and you can't even call your family because they all betrayed you?"
The silence that followed was heavy, pressing down on both of us.
His eyes widened, guilt flashing across his face, but I refused to let him see me break any further.
I turned away, hugging myself against the cold night air, because the truth was—no explanation could erase the memory of that loneliness.
"Jay, please listen to his explanation," Aries said as he stepped closer.
I turned to him, my voice breaking. "Do you know how it feels, Aries, when your own brother doesn't want to accept you?"
The words spilled out, heavy and trembling. "When you all betrayed me… and I ran… that car hit me." My chest tightened, tears burning down my cheeks. "Do you even know what kind of position I was in? If it wasn't for Shawn, I wouldn't even be here right now."
My voice cracked, the pain too sharp to hide.
Both Aries and Keifer moved forward, reaching out, trying to hold me, to comfort me. But I stepped back, shaking my head, stopping them before they could touch me.
"Shawn took me in and cared for me like his own sister," I said, my voice trembling. "When I was recovering, he was always there. I almost went paralyzed, but he didn't give up on me—he helped me through it."
I wiped at my tears, forcing myself to continue. "And his wife, Mia… she never once looked at me like an outsider. She treated me like her own child, even though we were only two years apart. She was there for me every step of the way while I was healing."
My lips curved into a fragile smile. "And then came Aion."
The memory of his laughter, his tiny hands clutching mine, filled the silence. My chest ached, but it was a softer ache—one born of love, of the family that had saved me when I thought I had none.
I looked at Keifer and Aries, my eyes burning. "So don't tell me to listen to explanations. I already know who stood by me when I was broken. And it wasn't you."
"They're my family now," I said firmly, my voice cutting through the night air.
"Jay, please…" Aries whispered, his tone desperate.
I shook my head, my chest tight. "Please, Aries. And tell your mother Jenna not to say anything—because I'm not a Fernandez anymore. I'm a Reyes."
With that, I turned and walked back inside, the warmth of the house pulling me away from the cold garden.
Behind me, silence.
They didn't follow.
They just stood there, frozen, watching me leave—like the weight of my words had pinned them to the ground.
I stumbled into my room, tears spilling faster than I could wipe them away. They came uncontrollably, burning, heavy, refusing to stop.
A knock echoed against the door. I hurriedly wiped my face, forcing myself to look composed before opening it.
"Jay, let's go outside," Shawn said gently.
I nodded, even though every part of me wanted to stay hidden.
I couldn't speak—if I opened my mouth, I knew the sobs would come again.
We walked together, side by side, back into the garden.
The night air was cool, the silence wrapping around us.
This time, Keifer and Aries weren't there.
Just the stillness, the stars above, and Shawn's quiet presence beside me.
For the first time that night, I felt safe.
I sat on the benches again, the cool night air brushing against my skin
Shawn sat beside me, his presence calm, grounding. "Jay, what happened?" he asked softly.
I tried to hold it in, but the tears came fast, uncontrollable. Shawn didn't stop me, didn't press me for answers. He just pulled me into his arms and held me, letting me cry until the storm inside me finally began to fade.
After what felt like forever, I pulled back, my breathing uneven. "Now… are you feeling okay?" Shawn asked gently.
I nodded, though my chest still ached.
"Care to share why you cried?" he asked, his tone patient, never demanding.
I swallowed hard, my voice trembling. "Keifer, Aries, Yuri… I know them."
His brows furrowed, but he stayed quiet, letting me continue.
"Because everything—the Fernandez—they were my family," I whispered.
And then, piece by piece, I told him everything.
The betrayal, the accident, the hospital bed, the loneliness, the pain.
Every memory I had buried came spilling out, raw and unfiltered.
Shawn didn't interrupt.
He just listened, his silence a comfort, his presence a reminder that I wasn't alone anymore.
By the end, Shawn's face was red with anger.
"Those motherfuckers," he spat. "I'll go right now and—"
"Kuya, don't do anything," I cut in quickly, my voice trembling.
"Why?" Shawn demanded, his tone fierce, protective.
I opened my mouth, but no words came.
The silence stretched, heavy, betraying me more than any answer could.
Shawn's eyes softened, though his jaw remained tight.
"Because you still love them," he said quietly.
His gaze locked on mine, unflinching. "Especially Keifer."
The words hit me like a blade.
My chest tightened
I turned away, unable to deny it, unable to face the truth he had spoken aloud.
"Jay… maybe listen to what they have to say," Shawn said carefully, his voice calm but firm. "I think you're leaving their perspective out. I don't want to force you or anything."
I stared at the ground, my chest heavy.
Part of me wanted to scream, to shut the door on all of it forever.
But another part—the part Shawn always managed to reach—knew he was right.
"I will," I whispered, my voice breaking. "But I need some time."
Shawn nodded, his hand resting lightly on my shoulder. "Take all the time you need. Just don't close yourself off completely."
The garden fell silent again, but this time it wasn't suffocating.
It was a silence that gave me space to breathe, to think, to heal.
"Okay, let's go inside before you catch a cold," Shawn said, his voice gentle but firm.
I nodded, wiping the last traces of tears from my face. The night air clung to me, cool and heavy, but his words carried warmth.
We walked back toward the house together, the silence between us no longer suffocating—just steady, like a quiet promise that I wasn't alone.
As the door closed behind us, I felt the weight of the garden fade, replaced by the comfort of knowing Shawn would always be there, no matter how broken I felt.
"Where did you two go?" Mia asked, her tone curious but casual.
"Nothing, just went outside for a walk," Shawn replied.
"At this time? Come on, let's go and sleep," Mia said, already heading upstairs.
I smirked, unable to resist. "Yeah, Aion really wants a sibling," I teased.
Mia froze mid-step, turning to glare at me, her cheeks flushed crimson. Shawn's ears turned red instantly, and I nearly burst out laughing at the sight.
"Aion, come—you're sleeping in my room today," I announced, grabbing his hand.
As we passed Mia, I leaned in and whispered, "Have fun na… and create me another nephew or niece soon."
Mia's hand shot up like she was about to smack me, but I darted away, laughing, pulling Aion along with me.
Her glare followed me up the stairs, but I could see the smile she was trying so hard to hide.
When we went to my room, Aion climbed onto my bed and curled up beside me. I lay down next to him, exhaustion already pulling me toward sleep.
"Tita," Aion whispered, hugging me tightly.
"Hmm?" I murmured, half-asleep.
"Do you like Tito Keifer?" he asked, his voice small but curious.
My eyes snapped open. "Why would you ask that question?" I asked, staring at him.
"I don't know… he looks nice next to you," Aion said innocently, his little smile tugging at my heart.
I sighed, brushing his hair back. "You know what? Just sleep."
He nodded, closing his eyes, and within moments his breathing evened out.
I lay there, staring at the ceiling, my mind restless even as his warmth anchored me.
And just like that, we slept.
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💙🔥 Author's Note 🔥💙
Sooo how was the chapter, guys?? 😭💭
Comment below—I wanna hear all your thoughts 🐧💬..
Comment on what you want to see because I'm running out of ideas
I was thinking… maybe Aion should be the one to bring Keifer and Jay together 👀💔.
How do you like that idea?? Would it be sweet, chaotic, or totally unexpected? 🌪️😂✨
Target.
🎯45+ comments
Just letting you know—I have school that starts at 7:45 am and ends at 2:45 pm ⏰📚.
So sometimes I might be late posting, but please understand 💭💔.
Right when I get home, I focus on writing for you all because you're the reason this story keeps going 🌪️✨.
Question to motivate you guys:
👉 If Aion had to play matchmaker, how would he do it?