Cassian (POV)
After the news reported that Mrs. Watson had died…
I didn't believe it.
Not even for a second.
So I searched for her.
Desperately.
Everywhere I looked, every path I followed to find her led to nothing. Records disappeared. Even whispers vanished before I could reach them… like people didn't even remember her anymore.
How could that be?
She was alive just months ago.
It had only been three months since Jay disappeared… or maybe died, as everyone kept saying. Even her family had accepted that she was gone.
But I couldn't.
Still, I kept looking.
I turned London upside down searching for her. Even her brothers started doubting themselves, too, as they had finally come to the realization that there was still a chance she was alive somewhere out there in the world.
Meanwhile, Kiefer was busy destroying the Watsons and the Elders exactly the way I wanted them to fall. People started calling him a madman.
But I knew the truth.
He was drowning in rage because he couldn't protect the person who meant the world to him.
He went crazy like a man who had nothing left to protect… like the only person keeping him grounded had disappeared.
He challenged the Watson Elders to their faces.
And I believed him when he warned me to stay away from Jay… that he would kill me if I ever got near her again.
Back then, I didn't understand what made him so terrifying.
But as time passed, I learned a lot about Mark Kiefer Watson.
About how he kills like a madman.
But eventually…
I realized that wasn't true anymore.
He became something else entirely.
People called him a beast that had lost its tamer.
But when I watched him closely…
It didn't feel like he had lost his tamer at all.
It felt like a beast protecting something precious.
He had changed somehow. Even while facing a war, he still protected himself carefully, like he had something waiting for him… something worth surviving for.
And then I realized it.
Kiefer believed Jay was alive.
Kiefer stopped appearing publicly unless it was necessary. He barely left London anymore. He avoided unnecessary attention like he was guarding a secret with his entire life.
And Kiefer Watson was not the type of man to hide without a reason.
Then, a few days ago, I finally saw him during a meeting with the Watsons.
He looked… happy.
Like he had never lost anything at all.
And I couldn't understand how.
How could he stay so calm after losing his wife… and even his child?
That's when the thought finally crept into my mind.
What if Kiefer knew something the rest of us didn't?
I wanted to follow him myself, but that would've been reckless.
Kiefer notices everything.
So instead, I placed a tracer.
Even then, he almost caught it.
That alone confirmed my suspicion.
Because a careful man only becomes paranoid when he has something important to lose.
And eventually…
I found them.
Jay.
Alive.
Standing in his arms inside their house, as she belonged there.
Like she had never left him at all.
For a moment, I just stood there staring at them.
Because after all this time…
She was alive.
And instead of relief, anger started burning inside me.
Because she was hidden away in that place while the entire world believed she was dead.
While Kiefer lied to everyone.
While she stayed trapped beside him.
So I created a situation that would force Kiefer to leave her alone for once.
Not to hurt her.
Just to talk.
Just to tell her the truth.
That the man she trusted was hiding her from the world.
That she was living inside a golden cage built by her own husband.
And I was going to get her out of it.
Because no matter how gentle the cage looked…
A cage was still a cage.
I walked inside after Kiefer left.
Before entering, I activated a jammer, cutting off every signal in the house.
Then I stepped further in.
And there she was.
Jay.
Her tummy had grown noticeably bigger. She had to be in her final months now.
She looked healthier.
Happier.
Alive in a way I hadn't expected.
But the moment her eyes landed on me, her expression turned cold.
Suspicious.
Guarded.
"Why are you here?" she asked flatly.
Jay-Jay(pov)
Cassian came to the house. I walked down the stairs slowly, already irritated the moment I saw him standing there like he owned the place.
"Why are you here?" I asked coldly.
He looked way too comfortable for someone who wasn't welcome.
"Get out while I'm still being nice, Mr. Cassian. I thought we already finished our conversation at the hospital… and I hope we never see each other again." I folded my arms tightly across my chest. "If Kiefer finds out you're here… we might meet again at your funeral."
"Cool, Jay…" he said casually, glancing around the house like he was inspecting it. "I'm just here to check on you… and see how you're doing."
"Now that you've seen me, get out," I said, pointing toward the door.
"Jay," he repeated softly.
I rolled my eyes.
"Cassian, I'm telling you right now — we are not close enough to sit here and have a conversation."
"Jay… do you even know what Kiefer is doing?" he asked carefully.
"That's none of your concern," I snapped immediately. "Whatever happens between me and Kiefer is between us. If I need answers, I'll get them from my man — not from someone who has nothing to do with my life."
"Jay, I'm here to tell you something your precious husband forgot to mention." His voice lowered as he pulled out a folded newspaper and tossed it onto the table.
My eyes instantly dropped to the headline.
Mrs. Watson Is Dead.
For a second, my chest tightened.
"He told the world you're dead," Cassian said while watching my reaction carefully. "Did you even know that?"
I grabbed the newspaper harder, trying not to let my expression change.
Cassian slowly stepped closer.
"Think about it, Jay. Even if I took you out of here right now, nobody would believe you even exist anymore." A dangerous smile spread across his face. "And honestly? I could lock you away in my palace just like him."
"Try it," I said coldly, lifting my eyes to him. "Lay one finger on me, and I'll smash your face myself."
My voice sharpened.
"And my husband?" I let out a small laugh. "Kiefer would burn this entire world down to get me back."
Cassian stayed silent, still watching me carefully.
But inside, my thoughts were already spiraling.
Was he telling the truth… or trying to trap me?
No.
I needed to hear it from Kiefer before I believed a single word coming from this man.
"Jay, you know Kiefer is a great actor," Cassian said as he slowly walked closer. "He made the entire world believe his wife is dead… while acting like a madman insisting she's still alive."
"As I mentioned earlier," I said coldly, "whatever is happening between Kiefer and me is none of your business. You don't need to interfere in our relationship."
"Jay…" He stopped right in front of me. "Do you really want to stay with a man like him?"
I stared at him without backing away.
"I know my Kiefer," I said firmly. "And I don't regret living here because it was my choice."
My voice softened slightly, but my eyes never left his.
"And like you said, if my husband were truly trapping me here… I could walk out that door right now. Nobody could stop me." I folded my arms tightly. "But I'm still here."
A faint smile crossed my face.
"I hope I've made myself clear already — I belong to Kiefer." My chest tightened just saying his name. "I'm happy beside him… and I need him every second."
"Jay, I'm not asking you to trust me," Cassian said quietly. "Just… don't believe everything Kiefer says blindly."
His eyes darkened.
"You already did once." He stepped closer. "Don't you remember what happened five years ago? Making you fall in love with him was part of his plan."
My expression stiffened instantly.
"How do you even know about that?" I asked sharply.
"There must be something he's hiding from you now, too," Cassian continued. "Something important."
No.
I clenched my fists tightly.
That was the past.
I wasn't going to let him drag me back into those memories again.
"Nice try," I said coldly. "But don't stand there acting like you care about me while trying to manipulate me."
Cassian opened his mouth, but I cut him off immediately.
"And even if Kiefer hurts me again…" My voice lowered, but it stayed firm. "That's still my decision."
I looked him straight in the eyes.
"If I choose to risk everything for him again… then that's my choice to make."
Then his phone suddenly rang.
Cassian glanced at the screen before answering. He listened silently for a few seconds, then hung up.
Something about his expression changed.
"Jay…" he said slowly. "I just heard your man is dead."
"What?" My voice cracked instantly.
For a second, everything around me blurred.
"What the hell do you mean by that?" I snapped, trying to steady my breathing. "And as I said before — get out of my house."
Without another word, he pulled out his phone and showed me several pictures.
My stomach dropped.
Kiefer was lying on gound coverd in blood.
Blood stained his shirt… the floor… everywhere.
And his face—
No.
That wasn't real.
It couldn't be.
He promised me he would come home.
I forced myself to look away before panic could fully consume me.
"Did you Photoshop this?" I asked coldly, even though my hands were shaking slightly. "My man doesn't die that easily."
I lifted my chin stubbornly.
"Nice try."
"Jay…" Cassian's voice softened as he stepped closer. "Kiefer is gone now. What makes you think he can still protect you?"
The moment he tried to touch me, I shoved him away hard.
"Don't fucking touch me," I shouted.
My chest rose violently with anger.
"Only my man is allowed to touch me." My eyes burned as I glared at him. "And I don't fucking believe those photos."
I looked around frantically until my eyes landed on the knife lying on the table.
Without thinking, I grabbed it and pointed it straight at him.
"Don't touch me," I warned shakily. "I will kill you."
"Jay—"
"Get away from me!"
Then Cassian slowly held up his phone again.
"This isn't edited," he said quietly.
A video started playing.
My breath stopped.
Kiefer—
He was covered in blood.
Then the gunshot echoed through the screen.
My knees instantly weakened.
No…
No, no, no—
My mind went completely blank.
If that was really Kiefer…
Would I never see him again?
His smile.
The way he teased me endlessly was just to hear me complain.
The warmth of his arms around me every night.
The way he carried me like I weighed nothing.
The quiet little routines we created together.
Every happy moment with him flashed through my mind so fast it hurt.
I wouldn't be able to hold him again.
Wouldn't hear his voice again.
Wouldn't feel his forehead against mine while he whispered my name.
Before I could stop it, tears spilled down my face uncontrollably.
I tried to breathe, but my chest felt like it was collapsing.
How could I lose everything again…?
A painful sob tore out of my throat so loudly it barely sounded human anymore.
My whole body shook violently as I cried, tears pouring endlessly down my face while I struggled to breathe through the unbearable pain crushing my chest.
It felt like my entire soul had been ripped out of me.
The knife slipped from my trembling hand and hit the floor with a loud clang.
And I fell with it.
"Jay, be careful — you're pregnant," Cassian said quickly as he moved toward me.
"No… no… no…" I shook my head frantically, backing away across the floor like reality itself was hunting me. "That can't be my Kiefer…"
Another broken sob escaped me.
"He can't die… he promised me…" My voice cracked so badly I could barely speak. "He promised he'd come to me…"
Cassian tried to reach for me again.
The moment he got close, I grabbed the nearest thing beside me and threw it at him.
"Don't touch me!" I screamed.
Another object crashed against the wall beside him.
"Don't fucking touch me!"
I couldn't stop crying.
My body curled into itself as panic completely consumed me. My hands clawed at my own chest desperately, like I was trying to stop my heart from breaking apart inside me.
"He can't leave me…" I cried helplessly. "He can't… not him…"
My vision blurred completely from tears.
Every breath hurt.
Every heartbeat felt wrong without him.
And the more I imagined a world where Kiefer no longer existed…
…the more it felt like I was dying with him.
"My Kiefer… can't die that easily," I whispered brokenly, shaking my head over and over like denying it would somehow make it untrue.
But the pain in my chest only grew worse.
It felt tight.
Heavy.
Like someone was crushing my heart inside my ribs.
I hit my chest weakly with my fist, trying desperately to ease the unbearable ache spreading through me, but nothing worked.
Nothing stopped the pain.
A sob escaped through my covered mouth as I pressed my trembling hand against my lips, trying to silence myself, trying to breathe, trying to wake up from whatever nightmare this was.
"No…" I cried softly. "He can't leave me alone…"
Fresh tears streamed down my face endlessly.
"How could he die so easily…?" My voice shattered completely. "How could he promise me forever and then leave me like this…?"
My heart refused to believe it.
But my mind kept replaying the blood.
The gunshot.
The image of him lying there.
"I don't want to believe what I saw…" I whispered weakly. "My heart is telling me he's alive…"
I pressed my hand harder against my chest as my breathing turned uneven.
"But my mind…" I cried helplessly. "My mind keeps telling me to believe it…"
"How could you leave without me…?" I cried out weakly, my voice breaking apart between sobs. "Why…? After everything we went through together… how could you do this to me…?"
My chest heaved painfully as tears kept pouring down my face.
"You liar…" I whispered brokenly. "You promised you'd stay with me…"
Another painful sob escaped my throat as I shook uncontrollably.
"You promised you wouldn't leave me alone…" I cried. "You promised you'd come home to me…"
My fingers curled tightly against my chest like I was trying to hold my breaking heart together with my own hands.
"So how could you just disappear like this…?" My voice cracked harder with every word. "How could you leave me behind when you know I can't survive without you…?"
I curled into myself completely, crying so hard my entire body hurt.
"Kiefer…" I whispered helplessly, like saying his name enough times would somehow bring him back to me.
Suddenly, the air around me felt too heavy.
I tried to breathe in properly, but my lungs wouldn't cooperate.
A sharp pain spread through my chest.
My breaths became shorter.
Faster.
Panicked.
"Kiefer…I can't breathe…" I gasped, clawing desperately at my shirt as if it would somehow loosen the crushing weight on my chest. "I can't— Kiefer… where are you…?"
Tears poured endlessly down my face while my body trembled harder with every broken sob.
The pain in my chest was unbearable.
But even that pain felt smaller than the terror of losing him.
Because if Kiefer was truly gone…
…then the part of me that existed only for him was dying too.
Then—
Footsteps.
Slow.
Heavy.
Coming closer.
My vision was blurred so badly from tears that I could barely see anything clearly anymore.
Fear instantly shot through me.
"Didn't I make myself clear?" I shouted brokenly, gripping the knife tighter with shaking hands. "Don't come near me… don't touch me…"
I swung the knife blindly through the air to keep whoever it was away.
But the footsteps didn't stop.
"Don't come near me!" My voice shattered into another sob. "I said don't—"
My hand trembled violently around the knife.
Then suddenly—
Warm blood slid across my fingers.
I froze for a second, realizing I had accidentally cut someone's hand.
But before panic could fully register—
Strong arms wrapped around me from behind.
Firm.
Warm.
Familiar.
The moment that warmth surrounded me, my entire body stiffened.
Because no matter how broken I was…
…I knew those arms.
"Relax… I'm here," he whispered shakily against my hair. "Jay, look at me… easy, babe Breathe slowly… I'm here."
My body refused to respond.
I was trembling too hard.
My mind still couldn't understand what was happening.
"Hey…" His voice softened even more, almost breaking itself. "Open your eyes, babe… look at me. I'm here…"
But I couldn't stop crying.
The tears wouldn't stop.
The fear wouldn't leave.
Kiefer gently cupped my face, wiping my tears away with shaking hands until my blurry vision slowly cleared enough for me to finally see him.
Alive.
Breathing.
Looking at me with terrified eyes.
"Now look at me," he whispered, pressing his forehead against mine. "I'm here… so stop crying now, okay?"
"Kie… Kiefer…" His name barely escaped my lips.
The second I said it, he kissed the top of my head and pulled me tighter against his chest like he never wanted to let me go again.
"I was scared…" I cried, clutching his shirt weakly with trembling fingers. "Kiefer, I thought I lost you…"
The tears came even harder now.
I couldn't stop them anymore.
The fear I had been holding inside me shattered completely the moment I realized he was alive.
His arms around me were the only thing keeping me grounded.
Then—
Blood.
My eyes widened instantly as I noticed the dark stains spreading across his shirt.
"Kiefer…" My voice shook violently. "Blood…"
Panic rushed through me again.
"Kiefer, are you hurt?" I asked desperately, trying to check him with shaky hands.
But the more I looked, the more blood I saw.
My breathing instantly became uneven again.
"No… no, no…"
Kiefer immediately cupped my face gently before I could spiral again.
"Jay," he whispered softly, forcing me to look at him. "I'm okay… I'll be okay."
"Kiefer, no, you're not," I cried, trying to stand despite how weak my body felt. "We need to go to the hospital right now. I can't lose you again…"
The fear in my voice made his expression soften painfully.
"Jay…" He carefully pulled me back into his arms before I could collapse again. "Don't panic, babe. I'm not leaving you, okay?"
He pressed his forehead gently against mine.
"It's just a small wound," he murmured softly. "And you know me…" A faint smile appeared on his pale face despite the blood staining his clothes. "I don't die that easily, remember?"
"Please, Kiefer…" My voice trembled badly as I held onto him tighter. "Don't do this to me… you're bleeding… please, let's go to the hospital…"
The moment he saw how terrified I was, his expression softened completely.
He gently wiped my tears away before pressing another soft kiss against my hair.
"Okay, wife," he whispered soothingly. "I'm here now… and I'm not going anywhere. So stop scaring yourself, alright?"
He kissed my forehead softly before murmuring,
"Let's go to the hospital."
I nodded quickly and tried to stand, but my legs were still weak from panic and shock.
The moment I stood up, my balance disappeared.
I fell straight against Kiefer's chest—
But instead of catching me properly, his body suddenly swayed hard with mine.
My eyes widened instantly.
Kiefer couldn't even hold himself steady.
His face had gone completely pale.
"Kiefer—!"
For one terrifying second, it felt like we were both about to crash onto the floor together.
Then suddenly—
Strong hands caught us both before we fell.
Cassian.
He grabbed Kiefer by the shoulder while supporting me with his other arm, stopping both of us from collapsing.
"Kiefer, you're losing too much blood," Cassian said sharply.
But I wasn't even listening to him.
All I could see was Kiefer's pale face.
And all I could think was—
No.
He was not allowed to leave me again.
"I'll drive," Cassian said immediately.
"No…" Kiefer's voice came out weak but stubborn as he tightened one arm around me. "I can still drive."
I instantly shook my head, clutching his bloody shirt harder.
Cassian looked at him in disbelief.
"And crash halfway there?" he snapped. "I don't want to watch Jay break down again because she lost you."
For a second, silence filled the room.
Then Kiefer's expression darkened instantly when he noticed Cassian's hand still supporting me.
He immediately pushed Cassian's hand away from my waist despite how weak he looked.
"Don't touch her," Kiefer said coldly through gritted teeth as he pulled me closer to him possessively. "I can handle my wife myself."
Even injured and barely standing…
…he still held onto me like I belonged nowhere else but beside him.
Cassian exhaled sharply but didn't argue further.
A few minutes later, we got into the car and rushed to the hospital.
The entire drive, I held tightly onto Kiefer's hand while trying to stop crying.
Every few seconds, I checked if he was still conscious.
Every time he closed his eyes for too long, panic shot through me again.
"I'm fine, wife," he whispered weakly each time, squeezing my fingers gently. "I'm still here."
At the hospital, doctors immediately took Kiefer inside for treatment.
The blood covering him had terrified me, but thankfully—
The wounds weren't deep.
"It was mostly severe blood loss."
The moment the doctor said Kiefer would be okay, my knees nearly gave out from relief.
Because only then did I realize how close I had come to losing the person who carried my entire world inside him.
Slowly, I turned my head toward Cassian.
The second our eyes met, all the fear and panic inside me twisted into anger.
Pure anger.
"Jay—" he started.
Before he could finish, my fist slammed straight into his face.
The sound echoed through the hallway.
Cassian stumbled backward in shock, and before he could recover, I kicked hard against his knees, forcing him down slightly.
"You knew what happened, didn't you?" I shouted, grabbing his collar tightly. "If you had that video… then you knew he could get hurt!"
My hands shook violently as I held him.
"You knew!"
"Jay, it's not like that—" Cassian said quickly, trying to steady me. "I only had people tracking him so I could find you—"
"Enough!" My voice cracked sharply through the hallway.
Tears burned my eyes again from exhaustion and anger.
"Cassian…" I loosened my grip slowly, my voice dropping into something tired and broken. "Please… stop entering my life."
I looked away for a second, exhausted.
"My life is already a mess," I whispered painfully. "I can't handle more chaos anymore."
For the first time since meeting him, Cassian actually looked guilty.
"…Okay," he said quietly after a long silence. "I won't come between you and Kiefer anymore."
Relief hit me instantly.
But it lasted only one second.
"So…" Cassian suddenly held out his hand casually. "Let's be friends instead."
I stared at him as he had completely lost his mind.
"What?" I asked flatly.
"You spent all this time trying to break Kiefer and me apart," I said in disbelief. "And now you expect me to believe you suddenly want to be my friend?"
Cassian tilted his head slightly.
"You trust Clyden, don't you?"
My expression hardened immediately.
"Don't compare my kuya to yourself," I said coldly. "He's nothing like you."
My voice softened slightly when I spoke about Clyden.
"And my trust in him…" I looked directly at Cassian. "It's so deep that nobody else could ever reach that place."
"Why?" Cassian asked quietly. "He's also a Watson. He tried to kill Kiefer before. He kidnapped you too." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Meanwhile, I haven't done anything to you."
I stayed silent for a moment before answering.
"I don't know," I admitted honestly. "Maybe because even if he's a Watson… he never treated me the way you do."
My grip on Cassian's collar loosened slightly.
"He looked at me like family," I said softly. "Like someone worth risking his life for."
Then my eyes hardened again.
"And I never tolerate people looking down on clyden." I stepped back slowly. "Not anyone."
A faint bitter smile crossed my face.
"Not even Kiefer."
Cassian looked at me quietly for a few seconds before letting out a small sigh.
"Okay," he said finally. "Then I'll earn my place like him."
His voice was calm now.
"I'll prove myself." He looked straight at me. "And I'll earn your forgiveness."
Before I could respond, the hospital room door suddenly opened.
"Mrs. Watson?" the nurse called gently.
I immediately let go of Cassian's collar and turned toward her.
I walked quickly to her side.
"Is my husband okay?" I asked anxiously.
The nurse smiled softly.
"He's asleep right now," she said. "But you can go see him."
The moment I heard that, my chest loosened slightly with relief.
Without another word, I walked straight into the room.