Author's POV
🌸 Hello My Lovely Readers! 💖
I hope you're all doing amazing! ✨ I just wanted to share a small update with you all. When I came back from my trip, I wasn't feeling too well — my health took a bit of a dip, and because of that, I couldn't upload any new chapters for a while. 😔 It really made me miss writing and sharing those moments with you.
The good news is — I'm slowly getting better now! 🌿 I've started uploading again, and I'll try my best to post at least one chapter a day while I recover. Once I'm completely fine and full of energy again, I'll do my very best to upload two or even more chapters daily, just like before (or maybe even better 😉).
Thank you all so, so much for being patient with me and for always showering my story with so much love and support. 💕 Every comment, vote, and kind message truly brightens my day and reminds me why I love writing so much. You all are my biggest motivation, and I can't express how grateful I am to have such wonderful readers by my side. 🌷
Please continue to take care of yourselves too — stay happy, healthy, and kind! 🌼
With love,Your Author 💌
Now, let's start with the chapter -
*Continuation of Flashback*
Jay-Jay's POV
By Tuesday morning, I already knew something was off.
It wasn't the weather, though the sky was gray and heavy. It wasn't the exam results pinned on the corkboard either — mine were fine.It was the way people looked at me.
Whispers.Half-hidden smiles.Eyes that used to greet me now lingered just a bit too long.
At first, I thought maybe I'd accidentally worn my shirt inside out. Or maybe the hem of my skirt was tucked wrong. You know, normal paranoia. But when I walked into the cafeteria with Dane and heard my name followed by a muffled laugh, I knew.
Something was up.
"Jay," Dane murmured, leaning closer, "ignore them."
"What?" I forced a smile, opening my lunch box like nothing was wrong. "I'm not ignoring anything."
He gave me a flat look. "You really think I don't notice? They've been talking since first period."
"I'm fine," I said. (Lies. All of them.)
It started small — the whispers, the looks. Then the words began to form patterns, sentences that crawled under my skin.
She's only here because of him.Of course she gets good grades. Look who her boyfriend is.She doesn't even pay for her own lunch, you know?
I didn't need to ask who "him" was.
I already knew.
Keifer.Mark Keifer Watson.My boyfriend. My first love. My biggest weakness.
He'd been driving me to school, picking me up, sending lunch when he couldn't come — sweet gestures that now turned into weapons in other people's mouths.
The irony? I hadn't even asked for those things. Keifer just… did them. Because that's who he was. Thoughtful. Overbearing. Impossible not to love.
And now? People made it sound dirty.
I pushed away my lunch, appetite gone. Dane watched me carefully, the way he always did when I tried to act tough.
"You know," he said quietly, "it's coming from someone who's supposed to know you."
My stomach twisted. "Who?"
He hesitated.
"Dane."
He exhaled. "Clara."
My throat went dry. "Your sister?"
He nodded, guilt flickering in his eyes. "I tried to talk to her, Jay. She won't listen. She said… she's just telling the 'truth' everyone's too blind to see."
"Truth?" I laughed — bitter, quiet. "Wow. That's creative."
"Jay, I'm sorry—"
"No," I cut in, smiling tightly. "You don't need to apologize for her. She's not you."
But inside, I could feel it. That familiar pressure — like a storm forming behind my ribs. I didn't want to cry. I didn't want to care. But I did. Because words have weight, and right now, they were heavy enough to make it hard to breathe.
That night, Keifer texted me like usual.
Keifer:Hey, sweetheart. How was your day?Me:Fine.Keifer:Fine? Just fine?Me:Mhmm. You?Keifer:Tiring. Missed you, though.Me:You saw me this morning.Keifer:And that was ten hours ago. Way too long.
I smiled, staring at the screen longer than I should've.
Then his next message came.Keifer:Jay, something happened, didn't it?
My chest tightened. How does he always know?
Me:No. Everything's okay.Keifer:Promise?Me:Promise.
I hit send, tossed my phone on the bed, and buried my face in my pillow.
It was easier to lie through a screen.
Keifer's POV
I knew she was lying.
Jay never said "fine" when she was fine. She always had something to say — some sarcastic comment, a playful complaint, a tiny detail about her day. But that night? Nothing. Just the word "fine."
I could feel it — the tension in her voice even through text.
So the next morning, I drove to her college earlier than usual. Parked far enough not to draw attention. And watched.
It didn't take long to see what was happening.
The way people whispered when she passed by. The way a few girls laughed behind her back, one of them flipping her hair and smirking like she owned the place.
Clara.
I knew that face. I'd seen her once — when Dane introduced me to his "little sister." She'd smiled sweetly back then. I should've known.
I gripped the steering wheel so tight my knuckles went white.
"Kung sino man ang gumawa nito…" I muttered under my breath. ("Whoever did this…")
They were going to regret it.
Jay-Jay's POV
Wednesday.Rumors evolve fast.
Now it wasn't just favoritism or money. Someone — maybe Clara, maybe not — added more spice:
That Keifer had "connections." That I'd been "admitted early" because of him. That my grades were "bought."
Each word, a dagger.
By lunch, even professors were giving me longer looks than usual.
I sat alone at a corner table, pretending to scroll through my phone. Dane was at the library, and I didn't want him dragged into this.
"Hey, Jay," a classmate said, her tone sugary sweet. "We were just wondering—how much do those cars cost again? The ones that pick you up?"
I looked up. Her smile was sharp. "I don't know. You can ask my boyfriend."
Her grin faltered. "Oh, so it's true?"
I exhaled. "What's true?"
"That you're just… lucky to have someone like him," she said, eyes glinting.
"Wow," I said, forcing a laugh. "And here I thought I worked for my grades."
They giggled, walking away.
I could feel everyone watching. My phone buzzed in my lap.
Keifer:I'm outside. Come down after class.
When I saw his car, relief and dread mixed together in my chest.
He leaned against the door, arms crossed, looking as perfect as always.
"Hey," he said softly when I approached.
"Hey," I echoed, forcing a smile.
He studied my face for a moment. "You didn't tell me you've been crying."
"I haven't," I said quickly.
"Jay." His voice was gentle but firm. "You forget I know you better than anyone?"
I swallowed hard. "It's nothing, Keif. Really."
He didn't press — not yet. Just opened the car door and said, "Get in."
The drive was quiet at first. Rain had started to fall, soft and steady against the windshield.
Then he spoke. "You know I found out, right?"
My heart stopped. "What?"
"The rumor."
I froze.
"I know what they're saying." His tone was calm — too calm. The kind of calm that hides a storm. "And I know who started it."
I stared out the window, throat tight. "I didn't want you to worry."
He let out a sharp laugh. "Too late for that."
I turned toward him. "Keif—"
He pulled over, jaw clenched. "Jay, they're disrespecting you. They're dragging your name, and mine, like it's some kind of game. You think I'm just going to sit and watch?"
His anger wasn't loud, but it burned.
"I'm fine," I whispered.
He looked at me — really looked at me — and said, "No, you're not."
The rain grew heavier.
"Do you believe them?" I asked suddenly.
He blinked. "What?"
"The rumors." My voice cracked. "Do you believe them?"
His expression softened immediately. "Of course not."
"Then that's enough for me."
"Jay…" He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're too forgiving sometimes."
"And you're too protective."
He smiled faintly. "That's my job."
We sat there for a moment, the sound of rain wrapping around us like a cocoon. Then he reached out and brushed a strand of hair from my cheek.
His hand lingered. My heart raced.
"I hate seeing you like this," he murmured.
I didn't move. Couldn't.
Then, slowly, he leaned forward.
Our foreheads touched — not a kiss, not yet — just warmth and quiet understanding.
"Let me handle it," he whispered. "Please."
I nodded, eyes closing.
When he finally kissed my forehead, it was so soft, it almost broke me.
Keifer's POV
I waited until she was safely inside before I drove away.
Then I turned the car around and headed back toward the college.
It didn't take long to find Clara and her little group — laughing under the covered walk, unaware that their time was up.
When she looked up and saw me walking toward her, her smile faltered.
"Mr. Watson," she said, voice trembling slightly.
"Keifer," I corrected. "Since we're being informal, right?"
She swallowed. "I—I don't know what you mean—"
"You know exactly what I mean," I said quietly. "The rumors. The whispers. Every single word that left your mouth."
She tried to look brave. Failed.
"You think you can hurt her and walk away?" I took a step closer, voice low and cold. "You think I won't find out?"
"I didn't—"
"Stop lying."
The air between us thickened. Even her friends looked away.
"I don't care if you're Dane's sister," I continued. "If I ever hear my girlfriend's name come out of your mouth again, I'll make sure you regret it."
His tone never rose, but the words hit like thunder.
He stepped back, eyes narrowing. "You don't get to talk about Jay. Not like that. Not ever."
Then he turned, walked away before she could respond.
Rain soaked his jacket, but he didn't care.
He'd protect her — even if she never knew how much.
Jay-Jay's POV
That night, I tried to act normal.
Dinner was quiet, the sound of rain still tapping outside.
"Tita Gemma" looked up from her bowl. "Anak, why were you late? Didn't Aries say he was already home?"
I froze mid-bite. "Uh… traffic po."
She raised an eyebrow. "Traffic?"
"Y-yeah. And um, I met Dane in the hallway, so we talked for a bit. You know. New friends and all."
Her face softened. "Ah, good. I'm glad you're making friends."
I smiled weakly. "Yeah. Friends."
After dinner, I went to my room, shut the door, and fell onto the bed.
The pillow still smelled faintly like Keifer's car — cologne, rain, something that felt like safety.
And no matter how hard I tried not to think about it, I could still feel the warmth of his lips on my forehead.
That tiny, wordless promise that said more than any text or conversation ever could.
Maybe tomorrow the rumors would still be there. Maybe people would still whisper.
But for now?
For tonight?
All I could think about was him.
Keifer's POV
Back in my room, the storm outside had quieted — but not inside me.
I sat on the edge of my bed, phone in hand, staring at Jay's contact photo.
She still had no idea what I'd done. And I wasn't going to tell her. Not yet.
Let her feel safe first, I told myself. Let her believe it's over.
Because as long as I was here, no one — not even Clara — would ever get close enough to hurt her again.
"Goodnight, Jay," I whispered, before turning off the light.
And in the darkness, one thought burned bright:
If the world tried to destroy her,I'd destroy the world first.