Jay's POV
After all the hugging, chaos, and that rare family moment that made my chest feel too full, Keifer finally checked his watch and said he had to go somewhere. He told me—very seriously, like I was a kid crossing a highway—to go home safely.
I nodded like a good girl.
And then immediately turned in the opposite direction.
Because priorities.
And because I was hungry.
I am always hungry. Honestly, if hunger were a subject, I'd top the class.
I headed toward the mini mart, already planning my emotional support snacks, when I spotted a familiar figure near the shelves. Elara.
She was standing there with a basket, reading labels like her life depended on it. I tried to sneak up behind her, fully prepared to jump and yell her name dramatically—because why not—but the moment she noticed me, she just looked at me.
Flat face.
No reaction.
Zero percent surprise.
So much for my main-character entrance.
I leaned closer, pretending to inspect what she was buying, and that's when it hit me—she was scanning every item like radar.
I squinted at the basket.
"Why are you checking all items very carefully?"
She looked at me like I'd asked if the earth was flat.
"I'm vegetarian. So, I need to watch ingredients before buying anything."
Of course you are, I thought. Cold, calm, mysterious, and now morally superior too.
She paid and turned to leave, probably to disappear into her quiet, sigma universe again, so before my courage could escape, I blurted, "Are you free today?"
She stopped, made a face—not annoyed, not happy, just Elara—and said, "Yeah. Why?"
Okay Jay, don't mess this up. Be normal. Be polite. Be… adult.
"My tita told me to invite you someday," I said, rushing the words together, "for lunch. I know it's dinner time but I also know tita will be happy at same level as she would be If I would be inviting you at lunch.You helped a lot that day and she'll literally disown me if I don't do this. So. Today?"
In my head, I was already panicking.
What if she says no?
What if she thinks I'm weird?
What if I invite her and then accidentally cook something that's not vegetarian and she silently judges me forever?
She looked at me for a second. Two seconds. Three. I was mentally preparing a backup speech involving destiny and gratitude.
Then she said, "Okay."
Just… okay.
I blinked. "That's it?"
She shrugged. "You invited. I'm free."
I smiled, way too wide. Inside my head, I was screaming: YES. SUCCESS. SOCIAL INTERACTION UNLOCKED.
As we walked out together, I realized something strange—Elara didn't feel distant right now. Still quiet, still sharp-edged, but not unreachable.
And somehow, that made me more nervous than if she had said no.
We entered the house.
It should have felt normal. It looked normal. Same walls, same light, same quiet hum of the fan somewhere inside. I even remember thinking—finally, food—because my stomach was already protesting like it always does.
Aries and Percy were standing opposite the couch.
They weren't talking. They weren't fighting. They weren't even teasing each other, which itself should have been my first warning. They were just… standing. Straight. Alert. Like guards.
It felt like someone was sitting behind them, but my brain brushed the thought aside. I was tired. My head was full. My heart was already heavy from too many things.
So I did what I always do.
Alright! I know I don't always do but yeah____
I jumped into them.
One arm over Aries's shoulder. One arm over Percy's. My weight half-hanging on them as I grinned, loud and dramatic, pretending nothing in the world could ever be wrong.
"See whom I bought—"
My words died in my throat.
Because I saw them.
Three people.
Two men.
One woman.
Sitting on the couch.
The room didn't change—but I did.
My eyes caught one man's eyes.
Just for a second.
And that second was enough.
My breath stopped like someone had punched the air out of my lungs. My chest tightened so suddenly it hurt. My fingers went numb. The noise around me—voices, footsteps, even my own heartbeat—blurred into something distant and distorted.
No.
My vision started tunneling. The edges darkened. The walls seemed to stretch farther away, like the room was expanding while I was shrinking.
Not here. Not now. Please.
My heart slammed wildly, fast and erratic, like it was trying to escape my body. I could feel it in my ears. In my throat. In my fingertips.
Someone said my name.
I couldn't hear it properly.
The house tilted.
And then—
Everything went black.
—
I'm not in the house anymore.
I'm somewhere smaller.
Darker.
The air is heavy, thick, pressing into my chest until breathing feels like work. The walls are too close, stained, unfamiliar.
There's a single dim light overhead that flickers like it might die at any moment.
Two men are in the room.
I'm pressed against the wall, my back cold, my legs weak. I can feel the rough texture scraping my skin through my clothes.
"She's alone," one of them says, his voice casual, amused. "Her mother's not home."
The other laughs. "Good. Sell her. She'll fetch a good price."
The words slice straight through me.
Sell her.
I shake my head violently, tears spilling before I even realize I'm crying. My throat burns. My mouth opens but the scream gets stuck halfway, strangled by terror.
"No," I whisper, then louder, breaking, "No—please—don't—"
My vision blurs so badly I can barely see their faces anymore, just shadows moving closer.
"I won't let you hurt me," I sob, my voice cracking into something unrecognizable.
"Don't touch me. Don't come near me. I won't—please—"
One of them steps forward.
Something inside me snaps.
Fear twists into something raw and desperate, something ugly and powerful. My body moves before my mind does. My fist swings with everything I have—panic, rage, survival—
Impact.
The sound feels wrong. The shock shoots up my arm, rattling my bones. I hear him stumble back, curse.
Then—
Darkness again.
—
Hands are shaking me.
Harder now.
"Jay—Jay—open your eyes—"
I gasp like I've been underwater too long.
My eyes fly open.
I'm on the floor.
The ceiling above me is spinning. My body is trembling uncontrollably, teeth chattering, muscles locked like they don't belong to me anymore. My chest feels tight, sore, like it's been crushed and stitched back together wrong.
Percy is in front of me, crouched low, his usual grin completely gone. He looks scared—really scared—and that somehow makes everything worse. Aries is beside him, fists clenched, jaw tight, eyes burning like he wants to destroy something and doesn't know what.
And then I see Elara.
She's right there.
Her face is calm—but there's a faint bruise blooming on her cheek, barely visible, but enough.
The moment I see it, my control shatters.
I push myself up and crash into her, wrapping my arms around her as tightly as I can, like if I let go even a little I'll disappear again. My fingers dig into her clothes. My forehead presses into her shoulder.
"I'm sorry," I cry, the words spilling out uncontrollably. "I'm sorry—I didn't—I—"
I don't even know what I'm apologizing for.
For remembering.
For breaking.
For existing.
Elara doesn't flinch.
She doesn't push me away.
She holds me.
Firm. Steady. Real.
Her hand moves through my hair slowly, rhythmically, grounding me back into my body. Her palm is warm against my scalp. Her fingers don't tremble.
Her voice comes low and close to my ear, calm in a way that feels impossible.
"It's okay," she says. "You're here. You're not there. We're with you."
I cling harder.
My sobs shake my whole body now. Ugly, loud, unstoppable. I feel exposed, weak, embarrassed—but I can't stop. The fear drains out of me like poison, leaving exhaustion behind.
"You're safe," she continues, not rushing me. "No one is touching you. No one is taking you. I've got you."
Safe.
The word feels fragile, like glass.
But I hold onto it anyway.
Kuya Angelo steps in and pulls me into his arms, wrapping me up tightly, protectively. His grip is strong, almost fierce, like he's daring the world to try something again.
Keifer kneels in front of me.
His hands shake as he takes mine, thumbs brushing my knuckles like he's afraid I'll vanish. He lifts my hands carefully and presses a soft kiss to my forehead, lingering.
"No one can hurt you," he says, voice rough but sure. "Not while I'm here. Not while we're here."
I nod weakly.
I don't fully believe it yet.
But Elara's hand is still in my hair. Angelo's arms are still around me. Keifer is still in front of me, steady and real.
The past loosens its grip.
Not completely.
But enough for me to breathe again.
Keifer's POV
I was still sitting there with the demon.
Angelo.
Shock hadn't left my body yet. Anger sat heavier. Uncle Keir's words kept repeating in my head. Don't think too much. Like this was something small. Like people don't get destroyed by things they don't understand.
I stood up, ready to leave.
That was when Angelo's phone rang.
He picked it up casually at first. "Yes, Aries?"
Something changed on his face.
The playful demon disappeared. His jaw tightened. His eyes sharpened.
I asked immediately, "What happened?"
He ended the call and stood up. "We're going home. Now."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was dangerous.
He had come here by cab, so I drove.
The entire ride was silent. Not the peaceful kind. The kind where you know something is already wrong, you just don't know how bad.
When we reached, I stepped out of the car too.
I didn't want to interfere. I didn't want to intrude.
But then I saw her.
Jay.
She was clinging to Elara's arm, laughing about something stupid, her voice light, carefree. The way she only is when she forgets the world for a second. My chest eased just a little.
She pulled Elara toward the door, still laughing.
Then she suddenly let go of her and jumped toward Aries and Percy, throwing one arm over each of their shoulders.
"See whom I brought," she said proudly.
I smiled without meaning to.
And then—
she froze. Not slowly—instantly. Her body stiffened as if someone had pulled her out of the present.
Her eyes moved past them.
To the couch.
I followed her gaze and saw the man sitting there. He wasn't doing anything strange. Just sitting. Just existing. But the moment Jay saw him, her face lost all color.
Her smile vanished.
Her breathing changed.
Fast. Shallow. Like she couldn't get enough air.
I called her name, but she didn't hear me. Her eyes looked empty, like she was seeing something else. Somewhere else. Her fingers trembled, then slipped from Aries's and Percy's shoulders.
Her knees gave up.
She collapsed.
Panic hit me hard as I rushed forward. Before anyone could understand what was happening, Jay started shaking, her hands curling into fists.
"Don't touch me," she cried.
The words weren't loud, but they cut deep.
"Don't come near me," she shouted, fear breaking her voice. "I won't let you hurt me."
She lashed out suddenly, blind with panic. Elara stepped forward to help and took the hit. Jay didn't even realize it. She wasn't here anymore.
She was trapped in something old.
Something dark.
I knelt beside her, my heart pounding. I kept talking, trying to pull her back. Telling her she was safe. That we were here. That no one would hurt her.
Then her body went weak.
When she finally opened her eyes, the fear was still there—but this time, she saw Elara. Jay grabbed her and cried like everything she had been holding inside finally broke.
Then angelo move and hug her tightly.
Then I approach her and took her hands saying you are safe , I am here, we are here.
Then angelo leave her and I embrace her in my arms.
He move to those people who were also watching jay in shock and told them to go.
The move out of the house