***Keifer's POV***
I was running out of reasons to continue with this damn plan. Everything felt stagnant, our plans still incomplete.
And now I was losing Jay-jay.
"Of all our plans, how many have you actually completed?" Keigan asked, his tone sharp.
I cleared my throat. "I pushed Jay-jay away. I've been looking for allies—"
"What allies? Those street fighters who keep challenging you?" Keigan interrupted, rolling his eyes.
"They're not just anyone—" I started to explain.
He scoffed. "When we said 'allies,' we meant someone powerful. Someone you can rely on, someone with connections."
"Someone like Angelo," Mr. Ryder added.
I shook my head. "I can find someone else."
"Where? At KingsGround? Besides drug lords, who else are you going to approach there?" Keigan's voice rose. "Come on, Kuya! We're all trying to help you, but you refuse to help yourself!"
I rubbed my temples, frustrated. What more did they want?
"We're leaving sooner than planned," Mr. Ryder said. "Staying here is hindering your progress."
I didn't want to hear it.
I stood up and turned away. They called my name, but I ignored them and walked towards the garage. I chose the simplest car I owned. As I got in, my phone buzzed in my pocket.
I pulled it out and saw Keigan's name. I silenced it before taking the keys.
I drove quickly to KingsGround. It was the only place I could drink without Keigan and the others bothering me.
My mind was a blank slate. Jay-jay was the only thing occupying my thoughts. I didn't want to lose her, but I had to push her away. How could I protect her?
Come on, Keifer! Think of something else.
I was out of options. I gripped the steering wheel tighter, honking angrily when a car cut me off.
I almost chased them down to ram them. Good thing I remembered where I was going.
I turned into KingsGround. From a distance, I could see the numerous cars parked outside.
All high-end, expensive cars. Some were limited editions or only sold overseas. I parked next to an unfamiliar car and headed to the club's entrance.
The party was wilder than usual. Free beer was flowing. The club was packed.
I glanced at Tiger's office. I saw a few men observing the party, holding drinks. I raised an eyebrow.
Who were they?
It seemed Tiger had guests. I went to the bar. I had barely sat down when someone tapped me on the shoulder.
It was one of Tiger's bouncers.
"Boss wants to see you upstairs," he said.
I nodded and followed him. My shoulders slumped as I climbed the stairs to Tiger's office.
When I opened the door, all eyes were on me. My forehead creased.
What the hell?
"Keifer!" Tiger greeted me with a wide smile. "Come in! I want to introduce you to my guests."
He draped an arm around my shoulder, leading me towards a group of eight men, each in their own space.
"Seriously, Leo? A kid?" the man on the couch said.
He didn't look Filipino. More European, with sharp features and intense eyes. He smiled, but it felt unnerving. Tiger's brow furrowed.
"TIGER! Stop calling me Leo! It's Tiger!" he snapped, and they all laughed.
I looked at them, trying to recognize anyone. Some were familiar, but I couldn't place their names.
"Who is he? He looks familiar," the man by the glass wall asked.
He was different from the first guy. Softer features, possibly Korean or Chinese, with monolid eyes that almost closed when he smiled. He seemed approachable.
"Everyone! This is Keifer Watson!" Tiger announced, gesturing towards me as if I were royalty.
They all stopped. One nearly spilled his drink. Others exchanged meaningful glances.
"The Watson?" the man at Tiger's table confirmed. "You mean the young heir to the Watson fortune?"
His disbelief annoyed me. It felt like he was already judging me.
"The one and only," Tiger said, patting my shoulder.
I glared at him. "What's going on?" I asked, my voice low.
He grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He went to the coffee table, poured himself a drink, and handed it to me.
I took it.
"Isn't he a minor?" the man beside the first guy asked.
"Minors are irrelevant in my club," Tiger said, a manic grin on his face.
"Are you recruiting him?" the first guy asked.
Recruiting? For what?
"Nope," Tiger said, shaking his head. "He doesn't know anything about your fraternity."
My annoyance grew. I didn't understand what they were talking about. I knew it concerned me, but I didn't know what fraternity they meant.
I turned to Tiger, my gaze hard. "Explain what these people are talking about," I said, my voice firm.
I didn't get a direct answer from him, but I heard the reaction of his guests.
"Is it just me, or does he look like Angelo?" one of them said, walking towards me.
I stepped back slightly.
He knew Angelo.
"They look alike. Not exactly, but in some ways," the one with glasses said, typing on his phone.
"Maybe Angelo knows him," the first guy said, swirling his drink. He turned to Tiger. "Does Angelo know this kid?"
My patience was wearing thin. I placed the drink Tiger had given me on the table.
"Sorry to interrupt, but I think I have no reason to stay here," I said, turning to leave, but one of them blocked the door.
"Kindly move before I lose my temper," I said, my voice dangerously low. He smirked, crossing his arms. "You have the attitude of a Watson."
"Keifer, right?" the first guy asked, but I didn't respond. "Ervin Schnee," he said, raising his glass.
My tongue felt thick. I was shocked. The owner of multi-billion dollar banks was in front of me.
"I actually hate your family. Instead of using our bank, they decided to build their own," he said before drinking.
"Someone's bitter," the softer-featured man said, and they all chuckled.
"I am not!" Ervin pointed at Tiger. "Call Angelo. If he's not recruiting this kid, I will."
This "recruiting" was getting on my nerves. What was it all about? I was really starting to dislike this.
I looked at Tiger when his phone rang. He put it on speakerphone. I frowned, waiting.
"[What?! Make sure it's important!]" Angelo's voice boomed, his irritation evident.
I heard the men chuckle. Ervin gestured for the phone. Tiger handed it over.
"Angelo, my man!" Ervin greeted him.
"[What do you fvcking want, d*ckhead?!"]
Ervin laughed. "Come on! I just want to ask if you know Keifer Watson."
Angelo fell silent. So did the man watching Ervin.
"[He's just a kid.]" Angelo said calmly, which was strange. "[Don't bother with him.]"
"Look, are you planning to recruit him? Because I am."
Another dead air. He was giving me reason to believe he was planning to talk to me about this. I didn't understand anything.
All I knew was that these men from different countries knew Angelo. They'd mentioned "recruiting" and Tiger had mentioned a fraternity.
"[Don't.]" Angelo said finally.
"I'm giving you two options. Recruit him or I will," Ervin said, ending the call.
He tossed the phone back to Tiger, who almost dropped it. He looked at me with a smug expression.
"What's going on?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
"I'll tell you later. Just enjoy yourself for now," he said, putting his arm around me.
He picked up the drink I'd put down and handed it back to me. He forced me to sit between Ervin and a stranger.
They asked a few questions. I answered some, but not all, especially those concerning the Watson fortune. Especially Ervin, who kept asking about the rumored solid gold my family possessed.
I wouldn't reveal anything about it. It was clear they were getting drunk. They'd been drinking for hours. A few of them went downstairs to find women.
The others started to leave. When they were gone, I turned to Tiger, who was fiddling with his phone, his eyes half-closed.
"Mind explaining everything," I commanded. He smiled like a child.
He sat up straighter, belching loudly, making me wrinkle my nose at the smell of his breath.
"D-don't tell Angelo. Okay?" He made an okay sign with his hand.
I nodded.
"Angelo… joined a fraternity before… we graduated high school," he explained, pointing at me. "But… but… it's not just any frat. It's international!" He raised his hand for emphasis. "Each high-rank recruit brings in ten million dollars. If you're low rank, like me, it's one million." He poked my face. "You! High rank, which is why Ervin wants you."
I almost didn't understand what he was saying. So, it was a fraternity, and money was involved. From what I gathered, if I were recruited as high rank, the recruiter would receive ten million dollars.
"D-don't… tell Angelo I told you. He'll kill me! He doesn't want you to join because he's sure you'll use this frat to win your fights."
Is that so?
"Why did you and Angelo join this group?" I asked.
He laughed, a harsh, jarring sound. "Because of Ion and Rafael."
I raised an eyebrow. "I understand Ion, but what about Rafael?"
"R-Rafy-baby was the first to join… t-then he recruited Angelo, then me. That guy's loaded now," he mumbled, one eye fluttering closed.
He was close to passing out, so I needed to extract all the information I could.
"What do I get from joining this frat?" I pressed.
He grinned widely. "A-allll the things… Connections, power, money, and alliances."
My ears perked up at the last word. Was this the answer to Keigan's search for allies? They wanted someone like Angelo, and I had just met a group of men like him.
"Then recruit me," I said, my voice commanding.
"D-d-definitely!" he slurred.
What?!
"I thought you were a member too?"
He shook his head vehemently. "D-didn't you n-notice?! I'm low rank."
My forehead creased. "What's the difference?"
He closed his eyes and slumped forward. I smacked him on the head. He couldn't fall asleep yet. He lifted his head and opened his eyes.
"You hit me?" he mumbled.
I shook my head. "Answer my question."
"L-low rankers… only recruit low rankers. High rankers can recruit both low and high."
He slumped again, so I gave him a sharp pinch on his ear. He sat up, rubbing his ear.
"Is that you?"
"What if I become a low ranker? What do I get?" I asked, ignoring his question.
"Y-you're like… a g-general to a king. Protection, but not as powerful as high ranks. They base your rank on your lifestyle. If you can pay the three-million-dollar annual fee… you're in!"
There was an annual fee? So, if Angelo was high rank, he was paying yearly. But how could he afford it if they were struggling financially?
I patted Tiger on the shoulder. "Thanks. Go to sleep now." I gently pushed him onto the sofa.
He fell like a sack of potatoes and didn't move. I left his office and looked for Ervin on the dance floor, but it was too crowded. I finally spotted him near the stage, being danced with by two women.
"Ervin!" I shouted. "ERVIN!"
I pushed the women away. He glared at me.
"What the hell?!"
"RECRUIT ME! RECRUIT ME INTO YOUR FVCKING GROUP!" I shouted, my voice hoarse.
He put his arm around me and pulled me somewhere. He was much bigger than me, so I couldn't easily break free. We were pushed and shoved through the crowd.
We left the dance floor, but he still held onto me. I realized we were outside KingsGround. He roughly let go of me and looked at me intently.
His eyes sent shivers down my spine.
"You disturbed us, jerk!" he said, irritated.
"Recruit me!"
He shook his head. "I can't without Angelo's permission! You're his prospect!" He pulled a calling card from his wallet and threw it at me. "Talk to him first and ask him to call me."
He turned and went back inside. I picked up the card. I crumpled it in my hand, furious.
I couldn't rely on Angelo. He wouldn't let me join. But I had no choice. It looked like I had to beg him.
This is for my Jay-jay!
I quickly got into my car. I almost hit some parked cars in my anger. I drove recklessly, almost causing an accident.
I just wanted this to be over. I wanted to be with Jay-jay before she was completely gone. I reached their house not long after. Lights were still on in some parts of the house. I checked the time: 12:52 AM.
I parked a distance from the gate. It was open, and I could see maids taking out the trash.
I didn't wait to be let in. I went in myself, and surprisingly, no one noticed me. I went straight to the second floor. The lighting was dim, but enough to see.
I knew where Aries's and Angelo's rooms were. I'd been here before. I was about to knock on Angelo's room when I noticed a door across from Aries's.
Ci-N had told me everything about Jay-jay's room. I didn't know if she was awake, but I knew I wanted to see her. My feet seemed to have a mind of their own, leading me closer.
The lights were off, but there was a dim light from a lamp. She'd said she sometimes had nightmares and blamed it on the darkness.
My hand reached for the doorknob. She hadn't locked her door. The dim light was from the lamp, just as I suspected.
Her blanket was askew, and she was shivering. I walked slowly towards her and reached her face. Her cheeks were wet with tears. And even without asking, I knew I was the reason.
I wiped away her tears before taking her blanket and wrapping it around her. I sat beside her and kissed her forehead several times.
"I hurt you again," I whispered. "I'm a jerk for hurting you so badly. I don't deserve you or your love." I kissed her forehead again. "But I still want it. I still want you."
I gently pushed some of her hair away and looked at her. Her brows were furrowed, and she was starting to sweat. She was mumbling something I couldn't understand.
"Ssshhhh… It's okay. I'm here," I said, stroking her hair.
Tiger continued slurring his words, his speech increasingly difficult to understand. He pointed at my face. "You! High rank, which is why Ervin wants you."
I almost didn't understand what he was saying. So, it was a fraternity, and money was involved. From what I gathered, if I were recruited as high rank, the recruiter would receive ten million dollars.
"D-don't… tell Angelo I told you. He'll kill me! He doesn't want you to join because he's sure you'll use this frat to win your fights."
Is that so?
"Why did you and Angelo join this group?" I asked, trying to keep my tone even.
He laughed, a harsh, jarring sound. "Because of Ion and Rafael."
I raised an eyebrow. "I understand Ion, but what about Rafael?"
"R-Rafy-baby was the first to join… t-then he recruited Angelo, then me. That guy's loaded now," he mumbled, one eye fluttering closed.
He was close to passing out, so I needed to extract all the information I could.
"What do I get from joining this frat?" I pressed.
He grinned widely. "A-allll the things… Connections, power, money, and alliances."
My ears perked up at the last word. Was this the answer to Keigan's search for allies? They wanted someone like Angelo, and I had just met a group of men like him.
"Then recruit me," I said, my voice commanding.
"D-d-definitely!" he slurred.
What?!
"I thought you were a member too?"
He shook his head vehemently. "D-didn't you n-notice?! I'm low rank."
My forehead creased. "What's the difference?"
He closed his eyes and slumped forward. I smacked him on the head. He couldn't fall asleep yet. He lifted his head and opened his eyes.
"You hit me?" he mumbled.
I shook my head. "Answer my question."
"L-low rankers… only recruit low rankers. High rankers can recruit both low and high."
He slumped again, so I gave him a sharp pinch on his ear. He sat up, rubbing his ear.
"Is that you?"
"What if I become a low ranker? What do I get?" I asked, ignoring his question.
"Y-you're like… a g-general to a king. Protection, but not as powerful as high ranks. They base your rank on your lifestyle. If you can pay the three-million-dollar annual fee… you're in!"
There was an annual fee? So, if Angelo was high rank, he was paying yearly. But how could he afford it if they were struggling financially?
I patted Tiger on the shoulder. "Thanks. Go to sleep now." I gently pushed him onto the sofa.
He fell like a sack of potatoes and didn't move. I left his office and looked for Ervin on the dance floor, but it was too crowded. I finally spotted him near the stage, being danced with by two women.
"Ervin!" I shouted. "ERVIN!"
I pushed the women away. He glared at me.
"What the hell?!"
"RECRUIT ME! RECRUIT ME INTO YOUR FVCKING GROUP!" I shouted, my voice hoarse.
He put his arm around me and pulled me somewhere. He was much bigger than me, so I couldn't easily break free. We were pushed and shoved through the crowd.
We left the dance floor, but he still held onto me. I realized we were outside KingsGround. He roughly let go of me and looked at me intently.
His eyes sent shivers down my spine.
"You disturbed us, jerk!" he said, irritated.
"Recruit me!"
He shook his head. "I can't without Angelo's permission! You're his prospect!" He took a calling card from his wallet and threw it at me. "Talk to him first and ask him to call me."
He turned and went back inside. I picked up the card. I crumpled it in my hand, furious.
I couldn't rely on Angelo. He wouldn't let me join. But I had no choice. It looked like I had to beg him.
This is for my Jay-jay!
I quickly got into my car. I almost hit some parked cars in my anger. I drove recklessly, almost causing an accident.
I just wanted this to be over. I wanted to be with Jay-jay before she was completely gone. I reached their house not long after. Lights were still on in some parts of the house. I checked the time: 12:52 AM.
I parked a distance from the gate. It was open, and I could see maids taking out the trash.
I didn't wait to be let in. I went in myself, and surprisingly, no one noticed me. I went straight to the second floor. The lighting was dim, but enough to see.
I knew where Aries's and Angelo's rooms were. I'd been here before. I was about to knock on Angelo's room when I noticed a door across from Aries's.
Ci-N had told me everything about Jay-jay's room. I didn't know if she was awake, but I knew I wanted to see her. My feet seemed to have a mind of their own, leading me closer.
The lights were off, but there was a dim light from a lamp. She'd said she sometimes had nightmares and blamed it on the darkness.
My hand reached for the doorknob. She hadn't locked her door. The dim light was from the lamp, just as I suspected.
Her blanket was askew, and she was shivering. I walked slowly towards her and reached her face. Her cheeks were wet with tears. And even without asking, I knew I was the reason.
I wiped away her tears before taking her blanket and wrapping it around her. I sat beside her and kissed her forehead several times.
"I hurt you again," I whispered. "I'm a jerk for hurting you so badly. I don't deserve you or your love." I kissed her forehead again. "But I still want it. I still want you."
I gently pushed some of her hair away and looked at her. Her brows were furrowed, and she was starting to sweat. She was mumbling something I couldn't understand.
"Ssshhhh… It's okay. I'm here," I said, stroking her hair.
I adjusted her position and wiped her sweat away. I didn't care if she woke up.
"K-Keifer…" she murmured.
"Hey… I'm here."
"Mmmm… You… hurt…"
Are you dreaming about me?
I took her hand and kissed it. Because I was so afraid of you getting hurt, I chose to hurt you instead. But now I'm afraid of losing you, and if I have to tell you the truth to prevent that, I will.
"Damn you… Keifer…" she mumbled, making me chuckle softly.
"Profanity," I whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. I wiped her sweat and gently brushed her hair. After all this, I would prepare a grand date for the two of us. I didn't know how, but I would make sure it happened.
"I know it's wrong, but I'll do this to keep you from leaving me. When I tell you the truth, I hope you'll understand," I said, leaning in for another kiss when someone interrupted.
"What truth? And why would she understand?"
I moved slightly away from Jay-jay and saw Aries standing in the doorway. He looked at me like he wanted to kill me. "Move away from my sister, now," he said, his voice dangerously calm.
I smiled faintly before standing up.
"Get out."
He looked at his clenched fists.
"Get out. Now," he said, his voice still calm.
"Or I might lose my temper and kill you," he added, his eyes narrowed.
"How will you kill me when you can't see anything? You're blind; your vision is impaired," I retorted, a smirk playing on my lips.
He almost lunged at me if he hadn't seen Jay-jay behind me.
Come on. Show me what you've got.
"Aries. What are you doing here?" I heard his mother, or rather, his aunt. "Is Jay-jay—" She stopped when she saw me. "K-Keifer… H-how did you get in?"
"Sorry for entering your house without permission," I said, looking down.
I saw her panic. She put her hand to her chest. "Don't do it again." She looked at Jay-jay behind me. "Can you go out now?"
I looked at Jay-jay before nodding and walking out. They quickly closed the door before her aunt grabbed my arm and pulled me slightly.
"Maybe you should talk to Jay-jay tomorrow. It's late, and she's asleep," she said.
"I came to see Angelo," I replied.
She paused but still smiled.
"Maybe you should wait for him in the living room," she said, her nervousness still evident. She knew something was amiss because of what she'd found me doing in Jay-jay's room. And no one had noticed me entering.
I walked with her.
"You don't have to worry. I didn't do anything to Jay-jay," I said.
She forced a smile and let go of my arm.
"It's not that. I just don't want to wake Jay-jay. She hasn't been sleeping well. She's always up crying at night," she explained.
I nodded, accepting her explanation. But I knew that wasn't the real reason. She was afraid I'd done something to Jay-jay.
We reached the living room.
"Have a seat. I'll get you some juice," she offered, but I stopped her.
"Tita…" She looked at me questioningly. "I have something to ask you."
She smiled. "What is it?"
"Is it true that…" I sighed. "…you knew where my father's child was before me?"
Her smile vanished. "W-what… I don't understand."
"My monster of a father had another child before me. And Mom told me that you knew where he or she is?"
Her face turned pale. She clutched her chest. "I-I don't know! I-I know nothing!" She began to back away. "I-I'm leaving!"
She knew!
I quickly blocked her path, startling her.
"Just tell me the truth, and I won't bother you anymore," I said.
She shook her head vehemently. "I-I really don't know anything!"
I grabbed her arms. She tried to pull away, but I held firm.
"Please… Tell me where my half-sibling is."
"I r-really don't know! Let go of me!"
"You don't understand—"
Suddenly, someone pulled me away from her. Then, a fist connected with my face, sending me sprawling to the floor.
Fvck! It was the fvcking Demon.
"What the hell, Keifer?! What the fvck are you doing with my Mother?!" Angelo roared, pulling his mother into a protective hug. I wiped my lip with the back of my hand.
I stood up, straightening my clothes.
"S-stop it, Angelo. Don't hurt him," his mother said, pulling him closer.
"What happened?" Aries asked. "What did you do, Keifer?"
"Leave now! Or I might lose my temper!" Angelo hissed at me, his eyes blazing.
"I need to talk to you!" I insisted.
He pointed a finger at me. "I don't want to talk to you!"
"Just call Ervin Schnee and give him your permission!" I said, my voice urgent.
He stopped, despite his anger. He took several deep breaths.
"Wait for me outside," he finally said before turning to his mother.
I walked outside quickly, stopping in front of my car before running a hand through my hair.
She knew something. She wouldn't have reacted like that if she didn't. I needed to make her confess. But how?
I waited outside their house for almost an hour before Angelo came out and approached me.
"You're not joining that fraternity," he said bluntly.
"What?!" I exclaimed.
"I won't let you join that group," he stated firmly.
"What's your problem with me?!" I demanded.
"You have to leave," he said, turning to go.
He was about to leave me. This couldn't end like this.
"Why are you pushing me away like this? Is it because of Jay-jay? Because of the accident with Aries and Percy? Or something else?" I pressed.
He stopped and looked back at me. "And what do you mean?"
"You wouldn't be throwing me out for trivial reasons. Maybe you know something I don't." He still didn't move. "…Where is my half-sibling?"