1 YEAR LATER
KEIFER POV
I stopped by the florist on the way home to pick up a massive bouquet of Jay's favorite lilies and peonies. As I drove toward the hills where our house stood, I couldn't help but look at the skyline. Watson Enterprise was no longer just a "thriving" business—it was at the top. I'd expected it to take a decade to build an empire that could rival the ones we left behind, but with Jay's support and my drive, we did it in record time. All that blood, sweat, and those late nights of studying were finally paying off.
I pulled into the driveway of the home Jay designed. It was perfect. I stepped inside, the modern, airy space smelling of home-cooked food. I found Jay in the kitchen, her back to me.
I dropped the keys and sneaked up behind her, wrapping my arms tightly around her waist. "Happy 4th anniversary, Mrs. Watson," I murmured, leaning down to press a lingering kiss to the side of her neck.
She let out a soft laugh and turned around in my arms. I presented the flowers, and her face lit up, that same spark in her eyes that had captured me the first day I saw her. She took a deep breath of the scent and then leaned in to give me a slow, sweet kiss.
"They're beautiful, Keifer. Thank you," she whispered. Then she pulled back, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Now, go upstairs and change. I have something for you."
I grinned, tightening my hold on her. "I don't need a gift, Jay. I need you. That's all I've ever needed." I leaned down, whispering into her ear, "But if you really want to give me a present... go wear that silk nightgown I bought you last week."
Smack.
She slapped my chest playfully, though her cheeks were flushed a beautiful shade of pink. "Still shameless! You're twenty-four now, Keifer. Grow up."
"I'm a grown man who loves his wife," I shot back, laughing as I headed toward the stairs. "I'll be down in five minutes!"
I changed quickly, tossing my suit jacket onto the bed and pulling on a comfortable sweater. I practically ran back downstairs, eager to get back to her.
But when I reached the living room, the scene had changed. The dining table wasn't set for a fancy dinner. Instead, Jay was standing by the fireplace. On the mantle sat a small box—it looked like a shoebox, but tiny—and next to her on the floor was a stuffed gift bag.
"Jay, babe, I think you got me too much," I said, walking toward her with a sheepish grin. "Now you're making me feel bad for only bringing flowers."
Jay looked at me, a soft, expectant glow on her face that I couldn't quite place yet. "I think you're going to like this gift," she said, picking up the tiny shoebox and handing it to me.
I frowned, taking it. It was incredibly light. "It's a little small, don't you think?"
I popped the lid open and stared. Inside were shoes, but they were the smallest things I had ever seen. White, soft, and barely the size of my thumb. I looked at her, completely confused.
"Jay... they can't even fit me," I said, bewildered. I picked one up with two fingers, looking at it like it was a puzzle. "They'll fit my finger, though." I laughed, actually sliding the tiny shoe onto my index finger to show her.
Jay chuckled, shaking her head. "Clueless."
She didn't explain. She just reached down and handed me the bag next to her. I reached inside, my hand brushing against something incredibly soft. I pulled it out—a tiny onesie, then a little knitted hat, then more baby clothes.
The world seemed to stop spinning. The silence in the room became heavy with realization. I looked from the tiny shoe on my finger to the pile of clothes in my hand, and then finally up at Jay.
"Really?" I breathed, the word barely a whisper.
Jay nodded, her bottom lip trembling as tears began to spill over.
"I'm... I'm gonna be a father?" I asked, my voice cracking in a way it hadn't since I was a teenager.
She nodded again, a sob of happiness escaping her.
I didn't waste another second. I dropped the clothes and the box on the sofa and lunged for her, picking her up and spinning her around in the center of the room. I let out a jagged, breathless laugh, burying my face in her neck as I held her tight.
"A dad," I repeated into her skin, the weight of the word finally settling in.
Everything we had done—the running, the hiding, the years of working until our bones ached—it had all led to this. I wasn't just building an empire anymore. I was building a home for someone new.
"I've got you," I whispered, setting her down but keeping my hands on her waist, looking at her as if she had just handed me the entire world. "I've got both of you. Always."
I kissed her deeply, the taste of her and the joy of the news making my head spin more than any victory in the boardroom ever could.
"Thank you, Jay, for the most wonderful anniversary present," I murmured against her lips, pulling back just enough to look at her, then leaning back in for another kiss. I couldn't seem to stop; it was like I had to memorize this exact moment of happiness.
She looked at me, her eyes shimmering with a mixture of love and relief. She reached up, wrapping her hands around my neck and pulling me down to kiss my forehead.
"I think our teamwork has finally paid off," she teased softly, a beautiful, genuine smile breaking across her face.
I chuckled, the sound deep and vibrating in my chest. I pulled her even tighter against me, my hands resting protectively over the small space where our future was growing.
"Yeah," I said, looking around the house she built, at the life we had carved out of nothing. "I'd say we make a pretty damn good team, Mrs. Watson."
I leaned in and kissed her one more time—a promise, a seal, and a new beginning all wrapped into one.
Later that evening, as we sat on the sofa surrounded by the scattered remains of our anniversary dinner, Jay's phone began to vibrate. It was a group video call from our makeshift family. We swiped to answer, and the screen exploded with familiar faces.
"Happy Anniversary, Jay and Keifer!" they all shouted in unison.
"Thanks, guys, really," Jay said, her voice still a little thick with emotion.
Aries leaned closer to his camera, his protective older brother instincts flaring up instantly. "Keifer, my sister looks like she's been crying. What did you do to her?"
I couldn't help the massive, smug grin that took over my face. "I did something, alright. But it's a good thing, I promise."
"You asshole, you made my sister cry and now you're just sitting there grinning?" Aries snapped, looking ready to climb through the screen.
"Aries, calm down and let him explain!" Ella, his wife, said, pulling him back by his shoulder.
"What is it, Jay Jay?" Aunt Hazel asked softly, her eyes searching her niece's face for a clue.
"Tito, why is Tita crying?" little Andi, Hazel and Henry's four-year-old son, asked as he peeked into the frame from his father's lap.
"Son, why is Jay crying?" Uncle Henry added, his tone curious but firm.
"Woah, wait! Let the man speak before you guys actually kill him," Ben joked from his end of the line, leaning back with a laugh.
I looked at Jay, and she gave me a meaningful nod, letting me take the lead. I reached out and picked up the tiny white shoebox, tilting it toward the camera so they could see the miniature shoes inside.
"I'm grinning," I said, my voice steady but full of pride, "because I just found out that in a few months, Watson Enterprise is going to have a new heir. Jay is pregnant."
The silence that followed was deafening for exactly three seconds before the entire call erupted into pure chaos.
"A baby?!" Mia shrieked, her face disappearing as she jumped for joy. "I'm going to be an auntie!"
Aries froze, his angry expression replaced by a look of sheer, stunned disbelief. "A baby? You mean… I'm going to be an uncle? I'm going to have a nephew or a niece?" He looked at Ella, then back at us, a slow, genuine smile finally breaking onto his face. "I guess I can't kill you now, Keifer. I need someone to help me teach the kid how to drive."
"Oh, my heavens!" Aunt Hazel was already dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. "A new little Watson. We're so happy for you both."
Uncle Henry raised his glass to the screen. "Congratulations, son. You've built quite the empire, but this… this is the best part."
"I told you our teamwork was good," Jay whispered to me, leaning her head on my shoulder as our friends and family continued to celebrate loudly through the speakers.
I kissed her temple, watching our family on the screen. We had run away to survive, but we had stayed to truly live. And as I looked at the woman I loved and thought about the life growing inside her, I knew that no matter what the future held, we had already won the greatest battle of all.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
💙✨ BIG ANNOUNCEMENT ✨💙
I WROTE A NEW BOOK 😭💙 Please check it out and tell me all your opinions in the comments — I love reading them so much 💬✨
The story is called:
💙 Unplanned, Unbroken (JAYFER) 💙
Go read it and let me know what you think 🌙🤍✨