JAY JAY POV
2 months later
Nine months. I've officially reached the stage of pregnancy where I don't walk anymore—I waddle. And honestly? Everything is annoying. The weather is too hot, the bed is too soft, and don't even get me started on my wardrobe. I stood in front of the full-length mirror this morning and almost had a breakdown because even Keifer's biggest hoodies were starting to look like crop tops on me.
None of my clothes fit. I feel like a giant, walking watermelon, and the culprit behind this beautiful misery was currently in the kitchen, sounding far too cheerful for someone who wasn't carrying an extra thirty pounds of human.
"Jay? Do you want chocolate or whipped cream on your waffles?" Keifer's voice drifted from the kitchen, sounding like velvet.
"Both!" I yelled back, my voice a mix of a hunger-pangs and a warning.
I began the long, treacherous journey from our bedroom to the kitchen. My back was aching, my ankles felt like they belonged to an elephant, and I was currently glaring at the back of the man who was responsible for all of it.
Keifer was standing by the stove, looking effortlessly handsome in a simple black t-shirt that stretched across his shoulders. He turned around as I entered, a soft, amused smile playing on his lips.
"There she is," he murmured, his eyes scanning me with that look—that look that said he still thought I was the most beautiful woman in the world, even when I felt like a disaster. "How was the walk, Jay Jay?"
I gave him a lethal glare. "It was long, Keifer. It was painful. And I'm only doing it because you insist that 'movement is good for the baby.'"
"It is," he said, stepping toward me and naturally reaching out to steady me. He placed his hands on my waist, his thumbs tracing the sides of my bump. "The doctor said it helps. Besides, you need to keep your strength up for the big day. It's almost time."
"Easy for you to say," I grumbled, though I leaned into his touch anyway. "You aren't the one who feels like they're carrying a bowling ball in their pelvis."
Keifer chuckled, a deep, rich sound that usually made my heart melt, but today it just made me want to poke him in the eye. He leaned down, his face inches from mine, his brown eyes glowing with that familiar, possessive warmth.
"I know, baby. I know it's hard," he whispered, kissing the tip of my nose. "But look at the bright side. In a few days—maybe even a few hours—you'll have your waffles, your chocolate, and a mini-me to boss around instead of just me."
I looked at the waffles waiting on the counter—heaps of whipped cream and drizzled chocolate exactly the way I wanted. My anger deflated instantly.
"You're lucky you're a good cook, Keifer Watson," I muttered, letting him lead me to the chair.
"I'm lucky for a lot of things, Jay," he replied, his voice turning serious as he rested a hand on my stomach, feeling the baby move. "But mostly, I'm lucky you haven't fired me as your husband yet."
I started eating, the sugar hitting my system and finally making me feel human again. As I watched him move around the kitchen, I realized that despite the back pain and the ruined clothes, I wouldn't change a single second. We were almost at the finish line.
"Keifer?" I asked, my voice slightly muffled by a mouthful of syrup-soaked goodness.
"Yeah?" He didn't even look up from the coffee he was pouring, but I could hear the smile in his voice.
"If my water breaks in the middle of these waffles, I am not leaving them behind. You are packing the rest in a container for the hospital. Understood?"
Keifer let out a rich, genuine laugh that echoed through the kitchen. He leaned over, pressing a lingering kiss to my temple, his thumb tracing the line of my jaw. "Consider it done, Mrs. Watson. My queen's cravings take priority over everything—even the delivery room. I'll make sure the nurses know the waffles are non-negotiable."
After we finished our breakfast, the morning felt unusually still. The Manila heat hadn't quite peaked yet, so Keifer led me out to the garden. He sat on the stone bench and pulled me to sit between his legs, my back resting against his solid chest while his arms wrapped securely around my bump. For a moment, it was peaceful. The scent of damp earth and jasmine filled the air, and I finally felt like I could breathe.
But then, the peace shattered.
It wasn't a slow build. It was a sharp, iron-grip tightening deep in my abdomen that made the world tilt. It felt like a giant hand had reached inside and squeezed my entire midsection with everything it had.
"KEIFER!" I yelled, my fingers instantly digging into his forearms, my knuckles turning white.
He stiffened immediately, his protective instincts snapping into high gear. I could feel his heart beginning to hammer against my back.
"What happened? Jay, talk to me," he said, his voice dropping into that low, urgent command he used during a crisis. He shifted, trying to get a look at my face while keeping me steady. "Is it a contraction? Is it the baby?"
I couldn't answer for a several seconds. I just gasped, my eyes squeezed shut as the wave of pain rolled through me. When it finally ebbed enough for me to draw a breath, I felt a strange, warm sensation.
"My water..." I panted, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Keifer, it broke. It's happening."
For the first time since I'd known him, Keifer Watson looked genuinely terrified. His mask of cool, corporate control shattered for exactly three seconds before he snapped back into the man who could handle any crisis.
"VICTOR!" he roared, his voice echoing across the garden and into the house. "VICTOR, GET THE SUV! NOW!"
(VICTOR = their bodyguard)
Within seconds, Victor was sprinting toward the garage. Keifer didn't wait. He scooped me up into his arms, ignoring my protests about how heavy I was, and started toward the driveway with long, frantic strides.
"The waffles..." I gasped as another contraction started to build. "Keifer, you promised the container..."
"Jay Jay, if you mention the waffles one more time, I'm going to have a heart attack before we even get to the hospital," he gritted out, his jaw set so tight it looked like it might snap.
Victor pulled the armored SUV around the curve of the driveway, the tires screeching as he came to a halt. He jumped out, throwing the back door open.
"Boss, everything is ready. Hospital is on standby," Victor said, his usual calm demeanor barely masking his own frantic energy.
"Drive like the world is ending, Victor!" Keifer commanded, carefully sliding me into the back seat before climbing in beside me and pulling my head onto his lap. "If we hit a single red light, I'm buying the city and turning it green!"
"On it, Boss," Victor replied, and we took off, the engine roaring as we raced toward the beginning of our new life.
I gripped Keifer's hand so hard I could hear his knuckles popping, but he didn't even flinch. Another wave of pain surged through me, sharper than the last, making my breath hitch in a jagged sob.
"Keifer, it hurts... it really hurts," I gasped, my forehead slick with sweat as I leaned into him. The leather seat of the SUV felt cold against my skin, a sharp contrast to the furnace-like heat radiating from Keifer.
"I know, baby, I know. Just breathe with me," Keifer urged, his voice a frantic mix of soothing husband and demanding commander. He pulled me closer, his arm wrapped around my shoulders like a shield. "We're almost there. Just a few more minutes."
He looked up at the rearview mirror, his silver eyes flashing with a lethal impatience. "Victor! Hurry up! I don't care about the speed limits or the sirens—get us to that entrance now!"
"Pushing it as fast as she'll go, Boss!" Victor shouted back, masterfully weaving the heavy armored vehicle through the thick Manila traffic. I could hear the roar of the engine as he jumped the curb to bypass a line of stalled cars, the sirens of our lead security detail wailing ahead of us.
"You're doing great, Jay Jay," Keifer whispered, his hand shaking slightly as he brushed a damp lock of hair away from my face. He looked more panicked than I'd ever seen him during a multi-billion dollar merger. "Look at me. Focus on me. Don't focus on the pain."
"I'm going to kill you," I groaned as another contraction peaked, my head tossing back against his chest. "I'm definitely… killing you… after this."
Keifer actually let out a dry, nervous laugh, kissing the top of my head. "You can trial me for murder later, sweetheart. Just get us to the hospital first."
"We're pulling in now!" Victor announced, the SUV screeching to a halt right in front of the emergency bay where a team of doctors and nurses—pre-warned by a dozen phone calls from Keifer's assistants—were already waiting with a gurney.
The door flew open, and Keifer was out in a heartbeat, reaching back in to gather me in his arms before the nurses could even help.
"Step back," Keifer growled at a startled orderly who tried to take me. "I've got her."
As he laid me onto the gurney, I caught the look on his face—it was a mixture of terrifying intensity and deep, soul-shattering love. He didn't let go of my hand for a single second as they started wheeling me toward the delivery wing.
"Don't leave," I whispered, the fear finally catching up to the pain.
"Never," he promised, his voice echoing through the hospital hallways. "I'm right here, Jay Jay. I'm not leaving your side until our son is in your arms."
The hospital room was a blur of sterile white lights and the frantic movement of nurses, but my entire world was narrowed down to Keifer's hand gripping mine. He looked utterly out of place in his expensive suit, his hair disheveled, but his eyes were locked on mine with a terrifying intensity.
"Mrs. Watson, your contractions are quick. The baby is coming now!" the doctor announced, moving into position.
I felt a surge of pure panic. "Now? Wait—no, it's too soon! I'm not ready!" I gasped, a fresh wave of agony ripping through me.
Keifer leaned over me, his face inches from mine. He was sweating as much as I was, his cool exterior completely gone. "Jay Jay, look at me. Yes, you are. You're the strongest woman I know. You've handled me, you've handled your parents, and you've handled everything. You can do this."
"Keifer, I can't—it hurts too much!" I sobbed, my head thrashing against the pillow.
"You can. I'm right here. I'm not letting go," he growled, his voice a low, steady anchor in the storm. He looked at the doctor, his brown eyes flashing. "Do whatever you have to do to make her safe. If she feels a single thing she shouldn't, I'll burn this wing down."
"Boss, maybe less threatening, more breathing?" Victor whispered from the doorway before a nurse ushered him out and closed the door.
"Deep breath, Jay," the doctor commanded. "On the next contraction, I need you to push."
The pain hit like a freight train. I squeezed Keifer's hand so hard I felt his wedding ring dig into his skin. I screamed, a raw, primal sound that echoed off the medical monitors.
"Push, Jay Jay! Push for our son!" Keifer urged, his voice cracking. He was right there in the trenches with me, his other hand supporting my head. "That's it, that's it! I see him, Jay! I see him!"
The world seemed to explode into a cacophony of pressure and noise. I gave one final, bone-shattering push, feeling like my heart was going to burst out of my chest.
And then, suddenly, the pressure vanished.
A high-pitched, indignant wail filled the room—a sharp, loud cry that was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard.
The silence that followed was broken only by my ragged breathing and Keifer's shaky exhale. I looked up, tears blurring my vision, to see Keifer staring at the small, wiggling bundle the doctor was holding.
"It's a boy," the doctor smiled. "A healthy, loud baby boy."
Keifer let out a sob—a real, genuine sob of relief. He leaned down and pressed his forehead against mine, his tears mixing with the sweat on my face.
"I told you," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I told you I was great at the signs. He's here, Jay Jay. Our son is finally here."
They wrapped the baby in a blanket and placed him on my chest. He was warm, heavy, and smelled like a miracle. His tiny hand reached out, instinctively grabbing onto Keifer's thumb.
Keifer froze, staring down at the tiny human with a look of such profound, quiet awe that it broke my heart. The powerful CEO was gone. In his place was just a father.
"He looks just like you," I whispered, exhausted but overwhelmed with a joy I couldn't describe.
Keifer didn't look away from the baby. He leaned down, kissing my forehead and then the baby's tiny crown. "He looks like us, Jay"