Chapter 6 –
Jay's POV
The morning light crept through the curtains, far too bright for how heavy my body felt. For a second, I almost forgot—forgot the vows, the flashes, the suffocating weight of a diamond band now gleaming on my finger. But then my phone buzzed against the nightstand, yanking me back to reality.
Rakki: Wake up, Mrs. Watson. The world isn't going to wait for you to mourn your sanity. We've got a schedule.
I groaned and rolled over, pressing the phone to my forehead. Mrs. Watson. God, it still sounded like a bad joke someone refused to drop. My thumb hovered before I typed back:
Me: I'll be there. Don't make me regret showing up.
Dragging myself out of bed, I dressed down in a casual outfit—jeans, oversized blazer, sunglasses big enough to hide half my face. The wedding still clung to me, like perfume I couldn't scrub off.
When I stepped into the hallway, I almost collided with him. Kiefer. Perfectly put together in a black suit, crisp shirt, cufflinks that gleamed even under the soft lights. He looked like the kind of man headlines adored. And unfortunately, the kind of man I had married.
We both paused.
His eyes flicked once over my outfit, unreadable, before he said simply, "You're going out."
"Yes, I'm a model," I shot back, pulling my bag higher on my shoulder. "Work doesn't stop because you gave me your last name."
For a second, I thought he might argue. But instead, he only nodded, like he had been expecting this. "Stay out of trouble."
I smirked, brushing past him. "Trouble finds me, not the other way around."
The second I stepped outside, the flashes proved me right. Cameras burst like fireworks, paparazzi shouting my name, Kiefer's name, "Mrs. Watson!" and "Newlyweds!" echoing into the morning air. I gritted my teeth, throwing on a practiced model-smile. One day married, and already my life wasn't mine anymore.
As Jay stepped outside, she nearly collided with him.
Keifer leaned casually against his car, hands in his pockets, as if waiting. "You actually showed up," he said with that infuriating smirk.
Jay's brows shot up. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just thought you'd be hiding inside after last night," he replied, voice smooth, teasing.
She scoffed, brushing past him. "Not everyone wastes their mornings doing nothing, Watson."
But before she could walk away, the sound of rapid clicking filled the air—paparazzi. Cameras flashed from across the street, reporters shouting their names.
Jay froze. Her manager would not be happy.
Keifer stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You need to move, Jay. They'll make a scene if you don't."
Her heart hammered, but she lifted her chin, slipping into her practiced calm. "Relax. I know how to handle cameras."
Still, when he opened the car door for her, she hesitated. Then, with the paparazzi snapping away, Jay slid inside.
The car ride felt too quiet, just the sound of the city outside and the occasional click of a camera still following us. I kept my eyes on my phone, pretending not to notice Keifer sitting so casually next to me.
"Don't you ever get tired of them?" I muttered, scrolling through Rakki's messages.
"Of who?" he asked.
"The cameras. The people. All of it."
He chuckled low, like it was the easiest question in the world. "No. Attention never bothered me."
I rolled my eyes. Of course it didn't. He lived for it. Meanwhile, I had to breathe slower just to keep my chest from tightening.
Rakki's texts were blowing up my phone:
'Don't be late. I'm backstage already.'
'Bring confidence. The designers love you.'
'Don't let them get under your skin, Jay.'
I typed back quickly before Keifer could peek over. I'm fine. Don't worry.
When the car finally pulled up near the venue, I didn't wait for him to say anything else. I pushed the door open, pulled my sunglasses down, and walked straight through the flashing lights like they didn't exist.
The runway was chaos, lights and music blending into a blur, but I moved like I owned every step. Cameras clicked, applause roared, and for a few moments, the world was mine.
Backstage, catching my breath, I almost collided with someone.
"Still stealing the spotlight, little sister."
Percy. My brother. The familiar smirk made my chest lighten despite the chaos.
"Percy!" I exclaimed, hugging him tight.
He laughed, eyes flicking toward the exit where I knew Keifer was waiting. "You're glowing. And hiding something."
I rolled my eyes, letting him guide me through the crowd. But when I caught Keifer's sharp gaze lingering on me, I froze.
Game's not over.