The late afternoon sun washed Holy Saints' courtyard in orange when CIN, Calix, Alex and Mason exited the convenience store—arms full of snacks, fries, drinks… basically everything unhealthy Jay loved.
Cin swung the bag dramatically. "Time to feed our gremlin queen."
The second his phone buzzed, he grinned.Keifer.
He answered with a smile—"Yow, Prince Watson! Missed me already?"
Keifer didn't even greet.His voice came out cold, sharp, pissed:
"Where is Jay?"
Cin blinked. "Huh? Relax, bro. She's with Yuri, Samuel, Adam and David. They're just—"
"YOU LEFT HER WITH THEM?"Keifer's voice jumped an octave.
Cin instantly held the phone away from his ear.Mason winced. "He sounds like he owns the country."
Calix snorted. "He sounds like he owns JAY."
Keifer's breath came harsh.The jealousy practically leaked through the phone.
"YOU KNOW all of them have been behind her in SOME way. Go. To. Her. NOW. And call me back."
Eman (who overheard through speaker), rolled his eyes, broom in hand because he was literally sweeping fries CIN dropped earlier.
"DUDE, chill." Eman said loudly, "Michael told us they all see her as just friends now. They moved on ages ago. What are you saying about David? He doesn't—"
Keifer cut him off with a growl:
"DAVID loves her too."
The worldwent dead silent.
CIN froze mid-step.Calix's drink fell.Alex stopped blinking.Mason choked on air.
"…WHAT?" All four said in unison.
Keifer's voice was grave:
"Percy knew. That's why he never liked David around Jay. You all better watch her. I'm coming as soon as I finish here—"
But the rest of his words vanished as the line crackled.
Cin pocketed his phone."…Okay new mission. WE ARE BECOMING JAY'S BODYGUARDS."
Alex nodded with fake seriousness."If anybody breathes near her—kill."
"Agreed," Calix said, already cracking his knuckles.
Mason whispered, "…scary."
They speed-walked back to the courtyard where Jay stood with Yuri, Samuel and Adam—laughing at something David said.
Cin whispered, "We are so dead."
But before they could reach—
A shadow stepped forward.
Cyrus.
The same boy whose smile could cut, whose eyes still held betrayal, whose voice always tasted like old wounds.
He walked straight toward Jay.
Samuel instinctively stepped in front of her.Adam clenched his fists.Yuri's gentle expression turned ice cold.
Cyrus smirked.
"Oh relax, I'm not here to fight…"His eyes slid to Jay."…yet."
Jay's glare sharpened."What do you want, Cyrus?"
He stepped closer—close enough Jay could punch him.
"I want you to meet me at the old ground."The same ground where their last brutal fight happened.The same ground Jay won, and Cyrus never forgot.
Cin stiffened. "Nope. Nope. Bad idea."
But Cyrus wasn't done.
"If you want to know about the betrayer…"His smirk widened."…and if you want to see Adam alive."
The world came crashing down.
Jay's heart stuttered.Everyone jerked their heads toward Adam.
He wasn't beside them.
Adam—who should've been walking with them—was missing.
Yuri grabbed Cyrus by the collar."Where is he?"
Cyrus laughed."Relax, red samurai. He's alive. For now."
Jay's voice cracked:"Cyrus… what did you do?"
He leaned in, whispering into her ear:
"Today ends everything, Alpha."
Jay's breath hitched.
"And I," he said, tapping her chest,"will finally take revenge for what YOU and ACES did. I will become head of all gangs."
He shoved Yuri off, gave Jay one last smirk, and walked away.
— MEANWHILE: IN GREENWOOD —
Keifer, Michael, Percy, Aries, Angelo, Ion and Tiger had just entered a hidden corridor inside Michael's data base building.
Michael's assistant sprinted toward him.
"Sir, we traced the masked man's face. He's near Holy Saints."
Keifer turned instantly—rage snapping in his spine.
"WHO IS HE?!"
The assistant gulped.Pressed a button.
A face flashed on screen.
Aries' jaw dropped.Angelo's entire body went rigid.
"That…" Angelo whispered, voice trembling with hatred.
"…is JAY'S STEP-FATHER."
Time froze.
Percy's glare sharpened to pure murder.
Aries' fists shook violently.
Michael cursed under his breath.
Tiger growled,"The one who—?"
Angelo finished, voice hollow:
"The one who broke her childhood."
Percy whispered,"The one who made her scared of touch… scared of pain…"
And then Keifer—
Keifer Watson finally snapped.
His eyes went blood-red furious.
Veins in his neck stood out.His breath came sharp and deadly.He looked like he would murder the man with his bare hands.
He whispered, emotion cracking through:
"That man…that bastard…"
Keifer felt something break inside his chest.
Guilt.Anger.Fear.Love.
All of it at once.
Michael whispered:
"He's coming back to finish what he started."
Percy spoke through clenched teeth.
"Over my dead body."
Aries growled, "Or mine."
Tiger cracked his knuckles, "Let's kill him."
Keifer only said one thing.
Voice shaking with rage, with love, with protectiveness:
"I will make him cry for his death but he will not get it , not so easily"
The temperature in the room dropped.
Everyone—Sec E, Percy, Aries—stood silent, shocked at Keifer's full killing aura.
Michael stepped closer, voice low.
"There's more."
They waited.
"He's working with Cyrus, yuri and.....kaizer"
A silence so heavy it strangled the air.
The air inside the abandoned factory felt heavier than normal air — like every breath had to push through dust, rust, and old screaming memories.
Adam's wrists were tied to a metal chair, blood dripping down his cheek, but his jaw stayed set in that signature Adam way — stubborn, fearless, dangerously calm.
He spat blood to the side."Wow. Two grown men beating a tied-up teenager. Truly peak masculinity."
Kaizer Watson's eye twitched.
And beside him…the masked man finally stepped fully into the light.
A face Adam had seen only once — in a single picture Samuel showed him years ago.A face he hoped never existed.
Jay's stepfather.
Alive.
Not a ghost.Not a rumour.Not a nightmare.
Real flesh. Real monster.
But from the photo Samuel once showed him, with the warning Jay never heard:
"If you ever see this man… run. He is the nightmare Jay won't talk about."
Jay's stepfather.
The monster who broke a child.
The reason Jay's screams used to echo in Greenwood's hospital walls.
The same man who disappeared years ago.
Standing beside Kaizer Watson.
Laughing.
Beating Adam like it was entertainment.
**"You…" Adam whispered, blood dripping from his mouth.
"You're still alive?"**
The man smirked, knuckles cracking.
Kaizer pressed his foot against Adam's ribs, grinding hard enough to make bone threaten to crack.
"Alive?" Kaizer chuckled."I'm better than alive, kid."
Jay's stepfather leaned forward, sadistic eyes glinting with recognition.
"No wonder she protects you Aces like puppies… I remember you."He tapped Adam's cheek mockingly."The one who used to follow her around. The quiet, stubborn brat."
Adam spat blood at his shoes.
Then he smiled.
That Aces smile—the one that said war has already begun.
"Perfect." Adam whispered."Now we finally get revenge."
Kaizer's eyebrow twitched.
"Revenge? Kid, the only thing you're getting—"He grabbed Adam's hair, yanking his head up."—is death."
Adam laughed.Actually laughed.
"Kaizer Watson," he said breathlessly."Do you REALLY think you'll survive what's coming?"
Kaizer froze.
Jay's stepfather frowned.
Adam leaned forward, whispering with a smirk dripping pure venom—
"Aces… and Jay…are coming for you."
Then, slowly…
"Start your countdown, monsters.You die before Tita Serina's death anniversary."
Kaizer lost his smile.
Jay's stepfather punched Adam so hard the chair rattled.
But Adam didn't break.
He tilted his head, blood pooling at the corner of his lip.
"Or," he added,"open my hands now…and I'll show you what hell looks like before sunset."
Silence.
Their mockery died in their throats.
Because Aces weren't loud.Aces weren't dramatic.
Aces were promises you didn't survive.
David's voice cracked through the earpiece:
"Jay, they moved Adam. We traced it. This is the exact warehouse."
Cin clenched his jaw.Calix was already preparing weapons.Felix was shaking but determined.Yuri's eyes held a storm.
Jay didn't speak.
Her breathing was too calm.Too controlled.
The way she always became…
…when she was about to destroy someone.
Samuel stood beside her, fingers brushing hers lightly—a silent grounding.
Alex cracked his knuckles, aura dark.
Mason whispered, "Let's end this."
Yuri stepped forward.
"Jay… backup is on the way. But you said only four of us can enter."
Jay nodded.
Her voice was soft—dangerously soft.
"OnlySamuel, Alex, Mason with me are going inside"
She continued,
"Adam is my Ace.My family.My responsibility."
Her eyes sharpened.
"Cin, David, Calix, Felix, Yuri—you stay outside. Call troops. Guard exits."
Cin opened his mouth to argue.
Jay raised one finger.
Instant silence.
Kaizer was pacing now.
"That kid—Adam—he's bluffing."
Jay's stepfather smirked lazily.
"You think those brats worry me?"
Kaizer glared.
"They aren't normal kids."He leaned forward."They run with Jay Mariano."
The stepfather chuckled.
"And wasn't it Jay and Jeana who destroyed you, Watson? What's wrong? Afraid she'll finish the job?"
Kaizer snapped,
"That girl is dangerous."
The stepfather smirked.
"You like dangerous men, don't you?" he teased mockingly.
Kaizer's jaw flexed.
He didn't deny it.
He walked to the window.
"Jay Mariano destroyed 70% of my empire overnight."she is the reason i cant get inheritance of keifer keigan and keiren
she is the reason behind my all hideouts being destroyed
if she is alive i can never go near keifer
She's the reason I ended up working with YOU."
The man shrugged.
"And Jeana is the reason my life fell apart."He cracked his fingers."Guess we're both here for revenge."
Kaizer whispered,
"And this time…we finish them."