[Author's POV]
The hallway outside the ICU felt like a vacuum where all the air had been sucked out. Jay was slumped against the cold, sterile wall, her body shaking with a level of grief that even the "Glitch" of the accident couldn't match. To be looked at by Keifer—the man who lived and breathed for her—as if she were a dangerous stranger was a total system collapse.
Bridget didn't hesitate. She didn't stay by the door to watch the drama. She rushed to Jay's side, kneeling on the floor and wrapping her arms around her. There was no rivalry left, only the fierce protection of a woman who had seen the truth.
"Breath, Jay. Just breathe," Bridget whispered, her voice like iron. "She's a virus. We just need the right code to delete her. Don't let her see you break."
The Medical Verdict: The 7-Day Protocol
[Jay's POV]
Bridget practically hauled me into the Chief Surgeon's office. My eyes were swollen, my heart beating at a dangerous 140 BPM. Pappa Keizer and Keigan were already there, their faces masks of suppressed fury.
"Doctor, do something!" I choked out. "That woman is lying to him! She's overwriting his entire life!"
The surgeon sighed, looking at the monitors on his desk. "Mrs. Watson... Jay. Listen to me very carefully. Keifer's intracranial pressure is still in the 'Red Zone.' His brain is currently like wet cement. If you go in there now and force a confrontation—if you scream the truth and try to shatter the reality he just accepted—his brain could suffer a massive, permanent 'Short Circuit.' He could have a stroke."
"So I just let her... let her be his wife?" I felt like I was suffocating.
"For seven days," the doctor stated firmly. "We need his neurological pathways to stabilize. Let him believe her lie for one week. It keeps his stress levels at 0%. After seven days, we will perform a controlled 'Data Reset' where we present the evidence. But for now... for his survival... you must let Kiara play her part."
The Pact: The Empress and the Guardian
[Bridget's POV]
I led Jay out of the office. She looked like she was fading out of existence. I grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look at me.
"Jay, look at me. 1,000% focus," I commanded. "The doctor said seven days. That's 168 hours. We aren't going to let her win. You are going to go back into that room, not as his wife, but as his 'Personal Assistant' or his 'Head of Security.' You stay close. you take care of him. You let your scent and your voice work on his subconscious while that snake plays house."
Jay wiped her eyes, a spark of the Empress returning. "She's touching him, Bridget. She's holding his hand."
"Let her," I spat. "It's a hollow grip. I will be your eyes on the outside. I'll dig up every piece of dirt on Kiara. I'll make sure the family treats her like the glitch she is. You just stay in his perimeter. Remind his heart who you are, even if his brain is locked."
[Jay's POV: The Bitter Shadow]
I walked back into Keifer's room. Kiara was sitting there, looking smug, stroking Keifer's hair. Keifer looked tired, leaning into her touch because he thought it was his anchor.
"The doctors said I can stay to help with the recovery paperwork," I said, my voice cold and flat, my eyes burning a hole through Kiara. "Since 'Mrs. Watson' is so busy caring for him, I'll handle the medical logs."
Keifer looked at me. There was that flicker again—a momentary "Error" in his eyes as he looked at me. "Thank you," he murmured. "I... I appreciate the help."
Kiara glared at me, but she couldn't kick me out without looking suspicious.
I sat in the corner of the room, opening my laptop. I wasn't doing paperwork. I was watching him. Every time she touched him, I felt a knife in my chest, but I held the line. I was the silent guardian, the hidden Constant, waiting for the seven-day timer to hit zero.