JAY JAY POV
We finally decided to head back to Manila. Aunt Hazel wouldn't stop pestering us about it, and honestly, the rest of the family wasn't far behind. They all wanted us close for the pregnancy.
"Okay, suitcases and everything are ready, right?" Keifer asked for the tenth time, triple-checking our luggage as if he expected a bag to grow legs and walk away.
"Yup. Did you buy a house in Manila, or are we sleeping at the airport?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe.
Apparently, we're staying there until I give birth. My wonderful, overprotective husband somehow convinced my firm to let me take a one-year leave of absence. Is that even possible for a junior architect? Probably not. But when your husband is a top CEO whose company handles half the city's logistics, people tend to listen to him.
"Stop glaring at me like that, Jay," Keifer said, catching my expression in the mirror.
"Asshole, what am I supposed to do for a whole year? Sit around and do nothing?" I snapped. I loved him, but his 'protective mode' was already starting to drive me up the wall.
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I also took a two-year leave," Keifer said calmly, as if he hadn't just dropped a bombshell.
I stared at him, my jaw dropping. "I will kill you. You're still going to be doing work from home, aren't you?"
"Jay, I'm taking an extra year off because—" Keifer started, walking over to me.
"Because you want to be with your kid longer," I finished for him, my anger softening slightly.
"I want to be there for every second," he admitted, his voice low and sincere. "Every kick, every sleepless night, and everything after. Watson Enterprise can survive without me for a while. Our family can't."
I sighed, letting him pull me into his arms. I couldn't stay mad at a man who wanted to be a present father more than anything else in the world.
When we arrived in Manila, the heat was the first thing that greeted us, closely followed by the chaos of our family. Keifer hadn't just bought a house; he'd bought a sprawling villa in a quiet, high-security neighborhood that looked like something out of a magazine.
Aunt Hazel, Uncle Henry, Mia, and Aries were already there waiting on the porch.
"My baby!" Aunt Hazel shrieked, rushing down the steps to hug me, promptly ignoring Keifer entirely. "Look at you! Are you eating? Do you need soup? Henry, get the bags!"
"I have the bags, Hazel," Uncle Henry sighed, though he was smiling as he shook Keifer's hand.
Aries walked up to me, looking me up and down with narrowed eyes before pulling me into a rough side-hug. "If he gives you even an ounce of stress while you're here, Jay, tell me. I don't care if he's a CEO, I'll still put him in a headlock."
"Good to see you too, Aries," Keifer chuckled, setting our primary bags down.
We walked into the new house, and it already felt alive. The kitchen was stocked, the rooms were aired out, and for the first time in years, the tension of the "old life" felt miles away. But as I looked at the massive, empty rooms, I realized Keifer wasn't just planning a vacation. He was building a fortress of peace for us.
"So," Mia said, throwing an arm around my shoulder as we walked toward the lush back garden. "Since you're going to be here for a whole year... we have a serious amount of baby shopping to do. I've already scouted the best nurseries and boutiques in Manila."
I looked at her, seeing how much energy she was putting into my life, and decided it was time to flip the script.
"Mia, when are you getting married?" I asked pointedly.
I knew she and Ben had been circling each other for ages. They were both too stubborn for their own good, playing a game of romantic chicken where nobody wanted to blink first.
"Girl, I need to be taken first," Mia said, trying to sound nonchalant as she inspected a tropical flower.
"Just ask Ben out already. He's been waiting for you like a loyal dog—actually, no, a dog is too handled. He's pathetic," I said, nudging her.
"He actually did ask me," Mia admitted, dropping her voice. "But you know I can't agree too soon. I don't want him to think I'm desperate or that he's already won."
I stopped walking and stared at her, my jaw practically on the grass. "Bitch, he asked you out? And you said no?"
Mia nodded slowly. "I didn't say no, I just said... we'll see."
"You brat! Call him right now and say yes," I commanded, pointing my finger at her face. "You can't keep a man waiting forever. Don't let your ego ruin this. Call him and set up a date—better yet, get out of here right now and go find him!"
"Jay—" Mia started to protest, her eyes wide.
"Out! Now!" I said, physically turning her toward the villa. "The next time I see you, I need to hear one of three things: I had fun, I'm taken, or I'm pregnant, what should I do? Any of those are acceptable. Now go!"
Mia sputtered, looking back at me in shock, but she finally let out a frustrated laugh. "Fine! But if he's smug about it, I'm blaming you and your pregnancy hormones!"
She grabbed her purse and practically ran through the house toward the front door. I watched her go, a satisfied smirk on my face.
"Did you just kick your best friend out of our new house?" Keifer asked, stepping onto the patio with two glasses of fresh calamansi juice.
"I did her a favor," I said, taking a glass from him. "She's been playing hard to get for three years. It's exhausting to watch."
Keifer pulled me into his side, watching the gate as Mia's car sped away. "You're terrifying when you're in matchmaker mode, Mrs. Watson. Remind me never to get on your bad side."
"Too late for that," I teased, leaning my head on his shoulder. "You're already stuck with me for the next two years of your 'leave.' Hope you're ready, Keifer, because I have a feeling Manila is going to be a lot more eventful than you planned."
"As long as I'm with you," he murmured, kissing my temple, "it's exactly the kind of adventure I want."
"Jay, we would be getting going. Ella just came back from her flight from New York; she said she was tired and told me to give these to you," Aries said, handing me a massive bag filled with premium chocolates.
"Yes! Best sister-in-law ever!" I cheered, reaching for the bag. But my hand hit empty air.
Keifer had swiped them mid-flight. "Not too many. It's bad for the baby if you eat too much sugar at once," he said, his 'CEO-Protector' voice coming out.
I glared at him with enough heat to melt the entire bag. "ARIES! HE JUST STOLE MY CHOCOLATES AND IS EDUCATING ME!" I complained, looking for backup.
Aries just chuckled, heading toward the door. "For once, he is right. Listen to him, Jay. Don't want a sugar-high niece or nephew kicking you all night." He kissed my forehead and waved. "See you tomorrow."
Then Aunt Hazel and Uncle Henry walked over, checking their watches. "Jay, Andi just got home from school. We don't want him alone in the house for too long," Aunt Hazel explained.
I nodded, feeling a little sad to see them leave. "Bring Andi over next time! I need to see those chubby cheeks."
"No," Keifer interrupted immediately.
I turned to him, confused. "No? Why not?"
"That four-year-old is trouble," Keifer muttered, crossing his arms—still holding the chocolates. "The last time we saw him, he told me I was 'too old' for you and tried to hold your hand the entire dinner. He's trying to steal my wife from me, Jay. I recognize a rival when I see one."
I burst out laughing, leaning into his side. "Keifer, he's four! He's your nephew!"
"He's a flirt in training" " Keifer corrected, finally relenting and handing me one piece of milk chocolate "He's charming, he's persistent, and he has a crush on you. I'm keeping him at arm's length until our kid is born so he has some competition."
I popped the chocolate into my mouth, savoring the taste. "You're the most dramatic man in Manila. You know that, right?"
I watched Aunt Hazel and Uncle Henry head toward the driveway. Before closing the door, Uncle Henry looked back at Keifer with a meaningful expression.
"Anyways, as we were saying, see you soon. And Keifer, I'll call you later. I have something to tell you," Uncle Henry said.
Keifer nodded, his expression unreadable for a split second before a smirk played on his lips.
"What is it?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at the two of them. I've known these men long enough to know when they're conspiring.
Uncle Henry looked at me innocently. "Nothing much, Jay Jay. Just business."
"Don't stress, hon. It's not good for the little one," Aunt Hazel added with a wink, and just like that, they were gone.
I turned my full attention to my husband. He had that specific grin on his face—the one he gets when he's successfully closed a deal or orchestrated a move three steps ahead of everyone else.
"What are you about to do, Mark Keifer Watson?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Nothing," he said, his voice smooth as silk. He stepped toward me, closing the distance until he could tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "I'm about to make dinner for you. What would the Queen like tonight?"
I tried to stay suspicious, but my stomach made a loud, traitorous growl that completely ruined the mood.
"I want fruit salad for dessert," I said, listing my cravings. "And garlic knots… but they need to be sweet, you know? Like with honey. And some lasagna."
Keifer didn't even blink at the strange combination. He just gave me a mock salute. "Ma'am, yes ma'am. One sweet-and-savory feast coming right up."
He led me toward the kitchen, settling me into a comfortable stool at the aisle where I could watch him work. As he moved around the kitchen with practiced ease—chopping, sautéing, and boiling—I realized he hadn't actually answered me about what Uncle Henry wanted.
"Keifer," I said, watching him carefully as he layered the pasta sheets. "Is the 'business' with Henry about the Marianos? Or is it about the company?"
He stopped mid-motion, his back going rigid for a second. When he turned around, the playful grin had vanished, replaced by a look of fierce, quiet determination.
"Neither," he said softly, wiping his hands on a towel and walking toward me. He leaned over, caging me against the kitchen island with his arms on either side of my hips. "I'm just making sure the city is safe for us. Some journalists want to keep their eyes on the Watson's especially since we decided not to tell the media or social media about the baby until you're... well, you know, big and puffy."
He leaned in, his lips warm against my skin as he kissed my forehead, then my cheeks, and finally a lingering, sweet kiss on my lips.
As he pulled back just an inch, the physical changes I was already feeling—the slight swell of my middle, the way my clothes felt tighter—made a flash of insecurity hit me. I looked up into his deep, dark eyes.
"Keifer... after the pregnancy, will you still love me if my body changes? What if I don't stay slim and fit anymore? Suppose the pregnancy changes my body forever?"
The look in Keifer's eyes shifted from protective to something so incredibly tender it made my heart ache. He didn't answer right away; instead, he took my hands and placed them over my own stomach, his larger hands covering mine.
"Jay, look at me," he commanded softly. I met his gaze. "I didn't fall in love with you because you were 'slim' or 'fit.' I fell in love with the girl who had the guts to run away with a nobody I fell in love with the woman who built a business from the ground up."
He leaned down, his forehead resting against mine. "You are literally building a person right now. Our person. If your body changes, it's just a map of how we became a family. To me, you'll never be anything less than the most beautiful woman in the world. Whether you're 'big and puffy' or back to how you were today, I'm the one who's lucky to be holding you."
He gave me a slow, reassuring smirk. "Besides, I'm the one who's going to be middle-aged and gray one day, and you'll still be the queen of this house. Don't ever doubt that I'm obsessed with every version of you."
I felt the knots in my chest loosen, a small, genuine smile tugging at my lips. "You're very good at this, Watson."
"I'm not 'good' at it," he whispered, kissing my nose. "I'm just telling the truth. Now, sit back and relax. Your 'big and puffy' era is going to be the most pampered year of your life, I've already decided."
I laughed, feeling the weight lift. "Fine. But if I get a craving for those sweet garlic knots at 3:00 AM, I'm holding you to that promise."
"I'll have them ready by 3:05," he vowed, turning back to the oven. "Now, let's eat. I think the little Watson is getting hungry."
"Yeah," I breathed, finally relaxing against the stool as the smell of melting cheese filled the air.
"I think he's going to get his mother's appetite." Keifer paused, a smug little smirk playing on his lips as he slid the lasagna into the oven.
I frowned, caught by his specific choice of words. "Wait. He? How do you know it's going to be a he? We haven't even had the anatomy scan yet."
Keifer turned around, leaning back against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest. He looked devastatingly handsome in the kitchen light, a lock of dark hair falling over his forehead.
"Because, Jay," he said, his voice dropping an octave, "one, I'm the father. I just have a feeling."
"And two?" I prompted, raising an eyebrow.
He stepped closer, closing the gap between us again. He leaned down until his lips were brushing against my ear, his breath warm and sending shivers down my spine. "Because of the... position we were in when we made him. Statistically speaking, it favors a boy."
My cheeks went from pale to a deep, crimson red in a matter of seconds. I swatted his shoulder, my heart racing. "Keifer! That is probably illegal to say out loud while you're making dinner!"
He let out a low, dark chuckle, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he pulled back to look at my flustered face. "What? It's science, Mrs. Watson. Or at least, my version of it."
"You are shameless," I muttered, hiding my face in my hands to cool down my burning skin. "Absolutely shameless. Since when are you an expert on 'positions' and genetics?"
"Since I decided I wanted to have a family with you," he whispered, pulling my hands away from my face so he could look at me. "I did my research. I wanted to make sure everything was... perfect."
I rolled my eyes, though my heart was melting. "You're a nerd. A very attractive, very protective nerd."
"And you're the woman who's carrying my son," he said, kissing my forehead before turning back to the stove to start on my sweet garlic knots. "Or daughter. Either way, they're going to be a handful if they have even half of your stubbornness."
"And your ego," I added, sticking my tongue out at his back.
"Exactly," he laughed. "We're in trouble, Jay Jay. Serious trouble."