[Jay's POV]
The dining hall of the Watson Mansion was a sea of gold-rimmed plates and expensive crystal, but the atmosphere was anything but formal. We had been back from Italy for exactly three hours, and the "Welcome Home" dinner was already descending into a tactical teasing session.
Keifer—my Hubby—sat at the head of the table, his hand resting possessively on the back of my chair. He looked back to his CEO self, but every time his eyes met mine, I saw the lingering heat of Ravello.
The Parental Interrogation
Mamma Serina leaned forward, a graceful but mischievous smile on her lips. "So, Jay, dear... Ravello is known for its steep hills and many, many stairs. I hope my son didn't make you exert yourself too much."
Pappa Keizer didn't even look up from his steak, but his voice was dry as bone. "Based on the security footage of them arriving at the hangar, I'd say the exhaustion levels are at a five-year high. Keifer, you look like you've been through a marathon."
"The terrain was... challenging, Pappa," Keifer replied, his voice a smooth, cool shield. Under the table, he squeezed my thigh, his thumb tracing a slow circle that made my face go 100% scarlet.
The Keiran Glitch
Keiran stopped mid-chew, his fork hovering in the air. He looked at Keifer, then at me, then back to Pappa.
"Wait," Keiran said, his brow furrowing in that way that meant a 'weird' question was incoming. "If the hills were so hard, why did Kuya Keifer carry Ate Jay across the threshold when they got back? Is she broken? Does she have a leg glitch?"
The Squad collectively inhaled. This was the moment they lived for.
The Squad's Weird Answers
"Oh, Keiran," Calix started, leaning back with a wicked grin. "It's not a glitch. It's called 'Structural Integrity Testing.' You see, when a CEO and an Empress spend that much time in Italy, their gravity levels change. If Keifer doesn't hold her down, she might float away back to the Mediterranean."
"Actually," Lia piped up, tossing a grape into the air. "It's because Jay's shoes are now made of 100% Italian 'Glow.' If her feet touch the floor of this mansion too soon, the floor might melt. Keifer is just being a fire marshal."
"Is that true?" Keiran asked, looking at Mica.
"Not exactly," Mica whispered, leaning in as if sharing a government secret. "The truth is, Keifer has developed a very rare condition called 'Wife-Grip Syndrome.' If he lets go of her for more than sixty seconds, his internal server crashes and the whole company goes bankrupt. He's basically her human charging station."
The Confusion Deepens
Keiran's eyes went wide. He looked at me with genuine pity. "Are you a battery now, Ate Jay? Is that why you were making those 'recharging' noises in Italy? I heard you on the phone once when you forgot to hang up... you sounded like you were running out of power. You kept saying 'Oh god, Keifer' like you were praying for a charger."
The table went silent. Kuya Angelo choked on his wine. Freya and Ella buried their faces in their napkins, shaking with silent laughter. David looked like he wanted to vanish.
Keifer's grip on my thigh tightened until it was almost a bruise. His jaw was set, his "CEO stone face" fighting a losing battle against a massive blush.
"Keiran," Keifer said, his voice dropping an octave. "Eat your vegetables. The 'charging' process is a private Watson protocol. It does not require further analysis."
The Final Blow
Pappa Keizer finally looked up, catching Keifer's eye. "A private protocol that seems to be very effective. Your mother and I used to run the same... 'diagnostic' tests when we were younger."
"Pappa!" Keifer groaned, sounding more like a frustrated son than a billionaire.
Mamma Serina just winked at me. "Welcome to the family, Wiefy. Get used to the noise. In this house, the only thing we love more than a merger is a good scandal."
I leaned into Keifer's side, my face burning but my heart 100% full. The honeymoon was over, but the chaos of being a Watson? That was just getting started.