The morning sun hit the bedroom of the newly renovated Manila estate, but for Jay-jay, the light felt like a physical weight. The moment she opened her eyes, the world tilted. A sharp, familiar wave of nausea hit her so hard she had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep from gagging
Beside her, Keifer stirred, his arm instinctively reaching out to pull her closer
"Morning, Jay," he mumbled, his voice thick with sleep. He leaned in to kiss her shoulder, but Jay-jay stiffened, her stomach doing a somersault at the faint scent of the expensive espresso he'd had late last night.
"Morning," she croaked, quickly sliding out of bed before he could notice the cold sweat on her forehead
"You okay? You're pale," Keifer said, sitting up instantly, his "Protective King" instincts flaring.
"Just... didn't sleep well. The jet lag, probably," Jay-jay lied, forcing a weak smile. She knew if she showed even a hint of real pain, Keifer would call ten specialists and lock the house down. After everything they had been through in London, she didn't want him to spend another second in a state of panic. "Go check on the boys. I think I heard Ci-N trying to fry something downstairs."
Downstairs was a disaster zone. The boys were in high spirits, celebrating their first full day back.
"Jay-jay! Look! I made special longganisa and extra oily garlic rice!" Ci-N cheered, sliding a plate toward her.
The smell hit her like a freight train. The heavy scent of garlic and rendered fat, which she usually loved, made her throat constrict.
"I'm... I'm actually not that hungry, Ci-N," she whispered, pushing the plate away.
"Not hungry?" Felix narrowed his eyes, looking up from his coffee. "You haven't touched your food since we landed, Jay. Are you sure you're not getting sick again? Should I call the Boss?"
"No! Don't tell Keifer," JJay-Jay said, a bit too quickly. "I'm fine. Just a bit of a headache. I'm going to go for a walk to get some fresh air."
She spent the afternoon dodging Keifer's concerned glances and the boys' constant offers of snacks. Every time Keifer tried to take her out for a "Victory Lunch," she made an excuse about a meeting with the Foundation lawyers.
By 5:00 PM, the nausea hadn't faded; it had intensified. While Keifer was occupied in a video conference with Seraphina, Jay-jay slipped out of the house and drove herself to a small, private clinic on the outskirts of the city—somewhere no one would recognize the "Watson Consultant."
The waiting room felt like an eternity. She sat with her hands clasped, her heart racing. It's just stress, she told herself. The London trauma is just catching up to me.
"Ms. Mariano? The doctor will see you now."
The check-up was a blur of cold stethoscopes and quick blood tests. The doctor, an older woman with kind eyes, looked over the results with a small, knowing smile.
Well, Ms. Mariano," the doctor began, setting the clipboard down. "It's no wonder you can't look at garlic rice right now."
Jay-jay's breath hitched. "Is it... is it bad?"
"Quite the opposite," the doctor smiled. "Congratulations. You're six weeks pregnant."
Jay-jay walked out of the clinic in a daze. The evening air was cool, but her face felt flushed.
Pregnant. A little Watson. A little member of Section E.
She got into her car, her hand instinctively resting on her still-flat stomach. Tears pricked her eyes—not tears of sadness, but a terrifying, beautiful overwhelming joy. She wanted to scream it from the rooftops. She wanted to run to Keifer and throw her arms around him.
But as she pulled into the driveway and saw Keifer standing on the porch, looking at his watch with a worried frown, she stopped.
Where have you been?" Keifer asked as she stepped out of the car. He rushed to her, taking her bag, his hand lingering on her waist. "You've been gone for hours. You're still pale, Jay. We're going to the hospital, I don't care what you say—"
I'm fine, Keifer," she said, her voice trembling slightly. She looked at his face—the man who had fought an empire for her—and she realized she wanted this moment to be perfect. Not in a rush, not in a panic.
"I just needed some quiet time," she whispered, leaning into his chest. "I'm okay. I promise."
"You're sure?" he asked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, his eyes searching hers
I'm sure," she lied one last time
Tonight, she would hold the secret close. She would listen to the boys shouting in the background and feel the warmth of the man she loved. Tomorrow, the King would find out he was going to be a father. But for tonight... it was just her and the little life starting to grow.