The study was quiet except for the soft ticking of the clock. Keifer Watson stood rigid, posture perfect, eyes fixed on his grandfather. Jay Mariano sat beside him, composed but alert, her gaze steady.
His grandfather's voice was calm, expectant. "Keifer… have you made your decision?"
Keifer's jaw tightened, a storm of emotions swirling behind his usual controlled demeanor. For years, he had ruled his world with precision, never allowing anyone to break through. But Jay… she had always been different. Even now, even after everything, he felt it—undeniable and raw.
He glanced at her. Her eyes met his, unwavering, calm, and full of a quiet intensity that made his chest ache.
"I… agreed," he said finally, voice low but firm. The words carried the weight of every unspoken feeling, every year he had tried to ignore the past, every moment he had refused anyone else.
His grandfather blinked, surprised, then smiled. "Ah… so it is settled."
Keifer's gaze didn't leave Jay. "I agreed," he repeated, this time slightly sharper, "because she wants this. Because she… wants me."
Jay's lips curved into the faintest, almost imperceptible smile. Her heartbeat quickened, but she stayed calm, letting him hold the space between them.
His grandfather nodded, satisfied. "Good. Then we move forward, with respect and understanding."
Keifer exhaled slowly, a shadow of relief passing over his face. He still carried the weight of control, the edge of his usual detachment, but beneath it, a warmth lingered—a warmth reserved only for her.
Jay leaned back slightly, heart steady but alive. She had spoken the truth, and he had heard it. And in that moment, everything they had avoided, everything they had withheld, began to align.
Keifer's voice, softer this time, almost a murmur meant only for her, broke the quiet. "I still don't like rules, Jay… but for you, I will follow them."
And in that shared glance, unspoken but understood, they both knew: the past could no longer hold them back.
Because for the first time, Keifer Watson had allowed himself to surrender—to trust, to love, to be hers.