Jay's Pov
Dinner went on quietly at first — clinking utensils, soft music, polite conversation drifting around the table. But the whole time, I could feel something building.
Mom kept glancing at Dad.
Tita Gema kept glancing at Mom.
Aries and Angelo looked confused as hell.
And Percy… well, he was just eating.
Finally, after the last plates were cleared, Mom gently tapped her spoon against her glass.
The entire table went silent.
I stiffened.
Uh-oh.
Mom smiled — the kind of smile she used when she was holding back tears.
"So… we gathered everyone tonight because we have something important to share," she began, voice soft but steady.
My heart paused.
Dad reached over and took my hand under the table.
Warm. Firm. Reassuring.
Mom continued, eyes drifting toward me.
"Jay… your father and I talked long and hard. And we decided…" She exhaled shakily. "You're allowed to see him again. Freely. Anytime."
Everything inside me stopped.
And then—
Burst.
Hot tears filled my eyes before I could even blink them away. My breath hitched, a tiny broken sound escaping as Dad gently squeezed my hand.
I didn't even think.
I just threw my arms around him.
Dad hugged me — tight, strong, a hand cradling the back of my head like I was still his little girl. Mom laughed through tears, and Percy grinned, pulling both of us into a half hug from the side.
"I missed you," I whispered against Dad's shoulder, voice shaking.
"I missed you too, anak," he murmured.
I pulled back, wiping my cheeks, still sniffling.
But Dad wasn't done.
He sat straighter, clearing his throat in that formal-business-man way he had.
"There's… one more thing," he said, looking around the table.
Aries and Angelo looked up instantly.
"I have missed alot of my life without my daughter and there's something I wanna give it to her. Jay… you're my only daughter." His eyes softened. "So I have decided you will have forty percent of my company shares."
Angelo choked on his drink.
Mom gasped.
I sat there frozen, eyes wide, tears instantly forgotten.
"D-Dad—what? No. That's too much—"
He raised a hand.
"I'm not finished."
Oh, great.
He turned to Aries, who stiffened like someone had pointed a gun at him.
"And Aries," Dad said warmly, "you've been like a son to me for years. You took care of Jay and helped in some certain ways in knowing about her " His voice grew softer. "So I want you to have twenty percent."
Aries almost fell out of his chair.
"What—NO. Tito, no, no, no—what?!"
Angelo stared at him like he had suddenly gained superpowers.
Aries shook his head frantically. "I can't accept that. That's—no. No way."
"Jay, explain to your father," he begged, panicking.
Dad only leaned back calmly, arms crossed.
"It's final. Unless you don't consider yourself part of this family..."
Aries shut up instantly.
Dad smirked.
But then he continued, glancing toward Percy.
"Percy will have thirty percent," Dad said simply. "He's earned his place in this company."
Percy blinked, stunned for once. "Tito… seriously?"
Dad nodded. "You've worked for it."
"And the remaining ten percent," he added, "will stay with our long-time inventors And with that," he said softly, turning to me, "Jay … you are now the chairwoman of Mariano Corporation."
My breath left my body.
Chairwoman.
Chairwoman.
I wasn't sure if I was breathing, blinking, or having a full internal meltdown.
Angelo whispered loudly, "HOLY—"
Tita Gema smacked his arm.
Everything blurred — the restaurant lights, the faces around the table, the weight of the words settling slowly, carefully, overwhelmingly into my chest.
And then the tears came again.
Because all I ever wanted… was this.
Family.
Wholeness.
I spoke up "Dad no I don't want company shares what I wanted was you in my life and I have that now I don't want anything else... "
Aries joined "Yes tito I don't want these shares either I respect you and helping you was just a way for me to feel less guilty I don't want these shares.. "
"I understand both of you but please don't deny this Aries I want you to have them because I trust you .. And jay you're my only daughter it's you right to have these and to be the chairwoman I have always dreamed of it so please... Don't deny them"
Dad's voice — calm, steady, pleading — settled over the table like a warm but immovable weight.
No one dared interrupt.
Not even Angelo.
My heart twisted.
Because I could hear it…
the quiet ache in his tone.
The years he lost.
The years we lost.
Dad looked at me, eyes gentle but firm.
"Please, anak," he said. "Let me give this to you."
I swallowed, my throat thick.
"Dad… I don't care about companies. Or money. Or titles. I only wanted you back. And now that I have that—"
"I know," he murmured.
"I know, Jay. But this… is my way of making up for everything I couldn't be there for. My way of giving you a future I should've given you long ago."
My chest tightened painfully.
It wasn't about wealth.
It wasn't about power.
It was him saying I see you. I choose you. I believe in you.
Aries shook his head again, jaw clenched.
"Tito… please. I don't deserve twenty percent. I helped because I wanted to. Because Jay deserved the truth."
Dad smiled — small, proud, unshakeable.
"You do deserve it. You've been protecting my daughter more than I ever could."
Aries froze.
His eyes softened, guilt melting into something else — acceptance.
Gratitude.
Dad reached across the table, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"Let me trust you. Let me take care of you too."
Aries dropped his gaze, swallowing hard.
"…Okay. But only because you're saying it like that."
Dad chuckled. "Good."
Then his attention returned to me.
Everyone watched — Mom with teary eyes, Percy smiling softly, Angelo leaning forward like he was watching the finale of a K-drama.
Dad spoke gently, "Jay… being chairwoman isn't a burden I'm giving you. It's a legacy. It's your name. Your right. You don't have to run the company alone — we're all here. But I want the world to know who my daughter is. What she deserves."
My lips trembled.
My vision blurred again, stupid tears never listening to me.
He stood up slowly and opened his arms.
"Come here."
I didn't walk — I moved, fast, like gravity was pulling me into him.
Dad wrapped me up in his arms again, his chin resting on my head.
"You are my pride, anak," he whispered.
"My only daughter. My future. Let me give you this."
And finally—
finally—
I nodded against his chest.
"…Okay, Dad."
A tiny smile broke through my tears.
"I'll accept it."
He exhaled in relief, hugging me tighter.
Around us, the table burst into soft claps, laughter, sighs.
Mom wiping her eyes.
Aries shaking his head with a grin.
Angelo raising his glass like some proud older brother.
Percy loudly whispering, "CHAIRWOMAN JAY?? BRO, WHAT?!"
Everything felt warm.
Full.
Right.
Dad pulled back just enough to kiss my forehead.
"I'm proud of you already, even before you begin."
And for the first time in a long, long time….
I felt warmth of my father....
The dinner ended with warm smiles, long hugs, and Percy still dramatically whispering "Chairwoman Jay" every five seconds until aries threatened to smack him...
By the time we reached home, my eyes were burning from crying too much. I showered, slipped into my pajamas, and finally collapsed into bed.
My phone buzzed.
Keifer: Goodnight, princess. Sleep well.
I smiled into my pillow, cheeks warming.
Me: Goodnight, Keifer. Sweet dreams.
I hugged my pillow a little too tightly and drifted off almost instantly.
—
The next morning sunlight punched me in the face.
I groaned, dragging myself out of bed like a zombie. I had barely tied my hair up when my phone rang.
Kuya Angelo. Great.
I answered, yawning.
"Kuya? What?"
"Study room. Now."
His voice was serious. Too serious.
I blinked.
"…Did I do something?"
"No. Just come."
Then he hung up.
Wow. Dramatic.
I hurried down the hall, still tying the ribbon on my ponytail, heart pounding for no reason at all. Kuya Angelo didn't call people to the study unless something serious was happening.
When I pushed the door open—
Aries was already inside.
He looked up at me, just as confused.
"Uh… do you know what's happening?"
"Nope."
I flopped onto the seat beside him. "Kuya called you too?"
"Yeah. He sounded like someone died."
I snorted. "Same."
Before either of us could start guessing, the door opened again.
Kuya Angelo walked in.
Serious face.
Hands behind his back.
Oldest-brother-who's-about-to-drop-a-bomb energy.
He stood in front of us… then placed two thick folders on the table.
One in front of me.
One in front of Aries.
Aries frowned. "Kuya… what is this?"
Angelo exhaled, then sat across from us.
"You two are of legal age now," he began. "And your graduation is in two days. Meaning—whether you like it or not—you're stepping into the adult world."
I blinked.
Aries straightened.
Kuya continued.
"So, as the eldest, I've decided it's time."
He nudged the folders toward us.
"These are your shares. From our family company. Fernandez Corporation."
My mouth dropped.
"What? Kuya—no. No way—"
Aries's eyes nearly fell out of his skull.
"You're giving us shares?! Why?!"
"Because you earned it," Angelo said simply. "Both of you. And I want you to start building your future early."
He turned to me.
"You get twenty percent."
He turned to Aries.
"You also get twenty."
I stared at him like he had said I was being shipped to Mars.
"Kuya… that's too much," I whispered.
Aries muttered under his breath, "I'm gonna faint."
But before I could stop myself, I slammed my folder shut, stood up, and shoved it back toward him.
"I want to give ten percent of mine to Aries."
Both guys froze.
Aries: "WHAT?! No—NO. Jay, sit down. Put that folder back—"
But I crossed my arms stubbornly.
"He deserves it more than me. He worked with Dad. He helped with everything—"
"No, I didn't—stop saying that," Aries muttered, face red and panicked.
Angelo watched us for a moment… then sighed.
"Aries, stop arguing. When Jay becomes stubborn, the world could end and she won't move."
"EXACTLY," I said.
Aries dropped his face into his hands.
"This is illegal. This feels illegal."
But after several minutes of bickering, glaring, stubborn speeches, and me threatening to throw the contract at his head…
He finally groaned, defeated.
"FINE. Fine. Ten percent. But only because you're impossible."
I smiled sweetly.
"Told you."
Kuya Angelo leaned back in his chair, satisfied.
"Good. Now that that's settled…"
He paused, looking at both of us carefully.
"You have today, tomorrow, and graduation day. Three days."
I raised an eyebrow.
"For what?"
Angelo smirked.
"To enjoy. To rest. To be teenagers."
Aries and I exchanged confused looks.
"Because," Kuya continued, closing his own folder,
"the day after graduation… you're both leaving for the province."
My stomach dropped.
"What?"
"For training," he said. "Real training. You're inheriting companies, positions, responsibilities. You need to be ready."
Aries slumped back.
"Oh my god."
I swallowed hard.
"Training… as in…?"
"As in everything," Angelo said. "Finance. Field work. Operations. Management. Leadership. You won't be home for a while."
I stared at him, brain slowly rebooting.
Jasper Jean Fernandez Mariano.
Chairwoman of Mariano Corp.
Co-owner of Fernandez Corp.
And the secret company's sole owner.
Province training in three days, which I don't require ....
What. The. Actual. Hell.
Aries whispered,
"We're doomed."
And honestly?
I wasn't sure if he was wrong....