[Jay's POV]
The air in the Blue Suite felt different as I stood before the mirror. The steam from the bath had left my skin dewy, but the "glow" Mamma Serina had mentioned yesterday was now a permanent radiance. I looked... softened.
Keifer wouldn't let me wear my own clothes. He had rummaged through his walk-in closet with a possessive smirk and pulled out one of his crisp, white button-down shirts. On me, it was oversized, the hem reaching mid-thigh, smelling intensely of him. I paired it with a pair of my own soft denim shorts, but I felt like I was wearing his mark.
As we walked down the grand staircase, Keifer's hand was a steady weight on the small of my back. He walked with a new kind of pride—not the arrogant "Prince" walk, but the stride of a man who had claimed his world.
When we entered the dining hall, the silence was immediate. Pappa Keizer lowered his tablet, and Mamma Serina's teacup paused halfway to her lips. Their eyes—sharp, experienced, and deeply intuitive—scanned us.
Mamma didn't even wait for us to sit. She rose from her chair, her eyes widening as she took in my face and the way I was slightly leaning into Keifer for support. She moved toward me with a grace that was almost predatory in its maternal instinct.
"Jay, darling," she whispered, taking my hands in hers. She looked at my glowing complexion, then darted a sharp, knowing look at Keifer, who just leaned against the doorframe with a casual, unrepentant shrug.
She leaned in, her voice a soft, private murmur. "Did you... did you two finally...?"
I felt the heat rush from my toes to my hairline. I couldn't find the words, so I simply gave a small, shy nod, my eyes dropping to the floor.
Mamma Serina didn't scold us. Instead, she let out a breathy laugh and pulled me into a brief, warm hug that smelled of expensive perfume and comfort. "Welcome to the family in every sense, my dear," she whispered. Then, she pulled back, her expression turning strictly protective. "You are to take it easy today. No heavy engineering, no running around with the boys. Your body will be exhausted—the first time is a significant physiological shift. You will rest."
Mamma, I'm fine," I tried to protest, though my legs did feel a bit like jelly.
"You are not fine, you are recovering," she insisted, turning to Keifer. "And you! Make sure she stays on the sofa. If I see her lifting so much as a heavy book, I'm holding you responsible."
Pappa Keizer cleared his throat. I looked up, fearing a stern lecture, but he was actually smiling—a rare, genuine expression of approval. "Congratulations, Keifer," he said, his voice deep. "It seems the Watson-Jay Constant is officially solidified. I am... very happy for you both."
"Thanks, Pappa," Keifer replied, his voice full of a new, grounded maturity.
Then came the chaos.
"OH! I KNEW IT!" Keigan erupted from his seat, pointing a fork at us. "I knew it! Look at Kuya! He looks like he just won the lottery and a Nobel Prize at the same time! Ate, are you okay? Did he bore you to death with physics during the 'act'?"
"Keigan, shut up," Keifer snapped, though he was grinning.
"What?" Keiran asked, looking between all of us with a confused pout. He was still chewing on a piece of pancake. "What happened? Did they win a game? Why does Ate have to rest? Is she sick? Did Kuya give her the flu from all that kissing?"
Keigan let out a bark of laughter, ruffling Keiran's hair. "Yeah, kid. A very specific kind of flu. It's called 'Being an Adult.' You'll understand when you're older and less annoying."
I sat down in my usual chair, feeling the weight of the family's love surrounding me. Keifer sat beside me, immediately piling my plate with high-protein foods as per Mamma's silent command. Under the table, his hand found mine, squeezing it.
The "Mariano" world felt a million light-years away. Here, my "exhaustion" was treated with care, my "glow" was celebrated, and even the teasing felt like a warm blanket. I was tired, yes—my body felt heavy and sensitive—but my heart had never been lighter.