JAY'S POV
My stomach drops.
Slowly.
Horribly because the way dad Kade says it— so casually, so knowingly—
Means this conversation is no longer survivable.
"What?" I say too quickly.
Sam looks between us like she just discovered live entertainment. "WAIT. HOLD ON—"
"No," I interrupt instantly. "Actually let's not hold on. Let's move on."
But nobody listens.
Of course nobody listens.
Keifer sits beside me infuriatingly calm, one arm resting against the chair behind me like this entire situation isn't actively shaving years off my life.
Dad smirks knowingly. "You thought we didn't notice?"
"Notice WHAT?" I ask, already defensive.
"The way he looks at you," Mom says softly.
Silence.
My heartbeat stutters.
Beside me, Keifer goes still.
Sam points aggressively across the table. "YES. THANK YOU. FINALLY SOMEONE SAID IT."
"I literally don't know what any of you are talking about," I lie.
"Oh please," Kade scoffs. "That boy has been obsessed with you since childhood."
I choke on air.
"OBSESSED?!" I repeat.
"Dad," Keifer says warningly.
But Uncle Kade only laughs. "What? You think we never noticed you suddenly attending events you hated because she was there?"
Sam gasps dramatically. "HE DID THAT?"
"Unfortunately," Serina sighs into her coffee, "yes."
I slowly turn toward Keifer.
Very slowlyband for the first time since this lunch started—
He actually looks uncomfortable.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Keifer Watson," I say dangerously quiet.
"Jaybird—"
"No no," I cut him off instantly. "Don't Jaybird me. What exactly did dad mean by obsessed?"
"It's being exaggerated."
"YOU learned Spanish because she said bilingual men were attractive," Sam blurts out.
The table erupts.
I freeze.
My head snaps toward him so fast my neck almost cracks.
"…You speak Spanish?" I whisper.
Keifer closes his eyes briefly like he's reconsidering every life decision that brought him here.
"Sam," he says flatly, "I'm revoking your right to ever speak again."
But Sam is unstoppable now.
"Oh my God this is insane," she says, clutching her chest. "He had a whole pathetic yearning era."
"STOP TALKING."
"NO BECAUSE HE WAS DOWN BAD."
"STOP IT SAMANTHA WATSON!"
I looked at Keifer trying to make sense but then he gave an eye roll and intense one and whispered so low only for me too listen,
"Don't take it serious Jay,they are just teasing us but now atleast they won't be at our backs all the time..."
I stare at him.
Like actually stare.
Because there is absolutely no way the man sitting beside me—the same Keifer Watson who used to argue with me in boardrooms like it was an Olympic sport—is now being publicly exposed for apparently having a "pathetic yearning era."
And the worst part?
Nobody at this table looks like they're joking.
Sam is practically vibrating in her seat. Serina looks one second away from emotional tears. Kade looks way too proud of himself. Lola is smiling into her tea like this is the greatest day of her life.
Meanwhile I'm sitting here trying not to combust.
"You learned Spanish because of me?" I repeat slowly, turning toward him with narrowed eyes.
Keifer leans back into the chair with the exhausted expression of a man betrayed by his entire bloodline. "Can we please move past that statement."
Sam gasps dramatically. "OH MY GOD HE DIDN'T EVEN DENY IT."
"Sam," he says flatly, "go upstairs."
"I live here too and I'm hungry so I won't.."
The table bursts into laughter while I sit there in stunned silence, because this cannot be real. None of this feels real.
"You hated bilingual boys in school,I remember you punched a boy in high school because of his spanish accent and here you are actually knowing it!??," I say, still staring at him suspiciously.
Kade immediately points at me across the table like he's been waiting years for this moment. "EXACTLY."
"Oh my God," Sam wheezes. "This is so embarrassing for him."
Keifer drags a hand down his face. "I'm surrounded by traitors."
But then—
Lola speaks softly.
"He used to ask if Jay was coming before every family brunch."
Silence.
My stomach does something deeply concerning.
Keifer goes completely still beside me and suddenly the teasing shifts into something quieter, warmer, more dangerous.
Because this isn't random anymore.
These are details.
Real ones.
"He also started dressing properly after Jay insulted his sneakers once," Serina adds innocently.
"I said they looked fashionably offensive and it was years ago" I defend automatically.
"And he threw them away," Sam says.
I whip my head toward Keifer so fast it's violent.
"You WHAT?"
"They were ugly,I just realised it late not because your said..." he mutters.
The room loses it.
Actually loses it.
Kade is laughing so hard he leans back into the couch while Sam nearly falls sideways onto Lola.
And beside me?
Keifer looks like he's contemplating murder.
"You're all unbelievable," he says calmly, which somehow sounds more threatening than yelling.
But then—
His hand suddenly lands lightly against my knee beneath the table.
Subtle.
Grounding.
A warning.
And when I glance toward him, he's already leaning slightly closer, expression unreadable while everyone else keeps talking over each other.
"Don't overthink it, Jaybird," he murmurs quietly enough that only I hear it. "They're exaggerating because they finally got material."
I narrow my eyes. "Material?"
"It keeps them entertained."
"That did not sound fake."
His gaze flicks toward me briefly.
Steady. Calm. Impossible to read.
Then very softly—
"It's a lie to keep them off our backs," he says. "Just go with it."
A lie.
Right.
Of course it is.
Then why does my heartbeat still feel weird?
Why do I suddenly remember every single time he showed up somewhere unexpectedly?
Why does everything feel like it's rearranging itself in my head?
Before I can spiral further, Serina claps her hands softly.
"Alright," she says with suspicious elegance. "Now that we're done emotionally torturing Keifer, it's time for the actual ritual."
I blink. "The what now?"
"Oh God," Keifer mutters beside me.
That is NOT reassuring.
Sam immediately sits upright again like she's front row at a concert. "OH THIS PART SLAPS THE SHIT!!."
"Language Sam," Serina says automatically.
"Sorry. This part…is devours."
I stare at all of them. "Why do I feel unsafe?"
"Because you should," Keifer replies dryly.
Fantastic.
Absolutely fantastic.
Kade stands first, walking toward the large cabinet near the living room fireplace before unlocking it with a small key, and suddenly the entire room changes.
Quieter.
More serious.
Lola watches with soft eyes while Serina reaches for my hand gently, pulling me up from the couch.
"Jay," she says softly, "in the Watson family, the lady of the house holds the final authority and so...."
I blink. "What?"
Dad Kade turns around holding a stack of folders while Sam appears carrying velvet boxes like this is a royal coronation.
"No no," I say immediately. "Why are there documents involved?"
Keifer exhales beside me. "Here we go."
Serina smiles at me warmly. "From today onward, you're not just Keifer's wife. You're the daughter and the lady of this house."
Something in my chest tightens unexpectedly and before I can respond—
Dad Kade places the folders into my hands.
"These are some Watson properties transferred under your name this morning."
Silence.
I stare at him then at the papers then back at him.
"…Fifty?"
"Across London, New York, Dubai and Milan," he says casually.
CASUALLY.
Like he didn't just hand me enough real estate to start a small nation.
"I'm sorry—what?"
Then he again placed another folder into my hands.
"And these are the papers of the Watson Enterprises...25 percent of the shares are in your name now.."
I froze.like actually froze.
Because what the hell!!! 25 freaking shares this much of shares are worth billions no trillions in the market!!!!
"Dad,no these are way too much I can't accept these shares and these properties...I have my own i don't need these..."
He looked at me vaguely and spoke,"Jay Jay,I know you are the Mariano heirs too and why you aren't accepting these but listen to me these belonged to the daughter in law of the Watson's this is not a gift it's your right...these things now belongs to you and you can't say no to me okay!??You are my daughter just like Sam and you deserve these okayy!?"
Hearing the words daughter from him meant a lot.I have known this family from the day I was born and dad kade was already a second dad to me but hearing these words from him shifted something in me...
Sam grins proudly. "ALSO. You also have access to the family black card now."
My head snaps toward Keifer.
He doesn't even look surprised.
"You knew about this?"
"Unfortunately," he says.
Kade smirks. "You're also officially linked to Keifer's primary accounts."
I choke.
"I'M LINKED TO WHAT?!"
Serina pats my arm soothingly while I actively short-circuit.
"It's tradition to have your husband's bank cards and his money all to yourself where you get to give him pocket money...."
Lola starts laughing softly into her tea.
And then Sam walks forward dramatically holding another velvet box.
"Oh just wait," she says. "THIS is the real thing."
"Oh no."
"Oh yes."
She opens the box and I stop breathing.
Because inside, resting against dark silk, is the most breathtaking jade jewelry set I have ever seen—deep green stones wrapped in diamonds so old and elegant they look historical.
Royal.
My eyes widen instantly.
"Sam…" I whisper.
"These belonged to Keifer's great grandmother," Serina says softly. "The Watson women pass them to the daughter-in-law of the family."
I stare at the necklace carefully.
Almost afraid to touch it.
"Why would you trust me with this?" I ask quietly.
And Serina looks genuinely confused by the question.
"Because you're ours now and you are the daughter in law of the Watson's."
That almost destroys me.
Actually and before I can emotionally recover—
Sam claps again.
"ANYWAY," she says loudly. "Now that Jay owns half the planet—"
"I DO NOT—"
"—can we discuss the first night?"
I nearly launch myself off the couch.
"SAMANTHA."
Kade bursts out laughing while Lola literally covers her mouth trying not to smile.
"Oh my God," I whisper. "This family is insane."
Mama tries to look strict and fails immediately. "Sam, behave."
"I'm just asking questions!"
"You are sixteen!"
"And curious!"
"YOU DON'T NEED TO BE."
Meanwhile beside me—
Keifer is fully losing composure for the first time all day, eyes closed briefly like he regrets every decision he has ever made.
And honestly?
Watching him suffer is healing something inside me.
Sam leans toward us dramatically. "Soooo who got shy first?"
"Sam," Keifer says flatly.
"Who slept first?"
"Sam."
"Did you cuddle?"
"Sam."
"Was there—"
"Go to your room."
"I LIVE HERE."
I'm crying.
Actually crying from laughing too hard while Keifer looks one inconvenience away from disowning everyone.
And somewhere between the laughter, the teasing, the warmth, the ridiculous affection wrapped around me from every direction—
Something terrifying settles quietly inside my chest.
Because this family doesn't feel like strangers.
It doesn't feel forced.
It feels… real.
Dangerously real.
And when I glance sideways at Keifer—
Already looking at me like he knows exactly what I'm thinking—
I realize with horrifying clarity—
This fake marriage is becoming something neither of us knows how to stop anymore.....