The Watson mansion was usually a place of rigid schedules and quiet corridors, but Jay's presence was slowly softening the edges of the estate.
While Don Alberto was focused on the prestige Jay brought to the family name, Donya Elena was focused on the girl herself.
Throughout the morning, Elena watched from the balcony as Jay helped the gardener with the orchids.
Jay wasn't just pointing; she was digging into the soil, laughing as she taught the old man a trick for reviving wilting petals.
Later, Elena saw Jay in the laundry area, folding linens alongside the youngest maids while sharing tips on how to remove stubborn stains with calamansi.
By mid-afternoon, however, the stress of the previous week's social events caught up with Elena.
She retreated to her darkened sitting room, pressed a cold cloth to her eyes, and succumbed to a debilitating migraine.
A soft knock echoed through the room. Jay entered, not with a formal greeting, but with a steaming tray.
"Tita? I noticed you didn't come down for tea," Jay whispered.
"My mother used to get these often. She taught me a specific blend of ginger, lemongrass, and a few other herbs that helps with the pressure."
Jay set the tray down and, with gentle fingers, began to massage Elena's temples using a soothing peppermint oil she had found in the kitchen.
The tension in Elena's jaw began to melt.
"You shouldn't be doing this, Jaspher," Elena murmured, her eyes still closed. "You are the mistress of this house now, not a caregiver."
"I'm a daughter of this house, Tita," Jay corrected softly. "And taking care of family isn't a chore. It's an honor."
Elena reached up, catching Jay's hand and pulling it down so she could look at the girl.
"I feel such guilt sometimes. Forcing you into this contract... using your situation to fix my son's life. I worry we've trapped you."
Jay didn't look away. Her smile was small and incredibly sincere.
"You didn't trap me, Tita. You saved me. For the first time in years, I don't wake up wondering if I'll have a roof over my head or if my stepfather will find me. You've given me a life where I can actually breathe."
In that moment, the final barrier between them crumbled.
Elena didn't see a scholarship student or a contract partner; she saw the girl she had promised to protect years ago.
She pulled Jay into a motherly embrace, the herbal steam rising around them.
From that day on, Elena's support for Jay wasn't just about the promise to her late friend; it was a genuine, fierce love for the girl who had brought warmth back into a cold mansion.