Keifer's POV]
The fourth day felt like living inside a corrupted file.
Every time Kiara spoke, the sound hit my eardrums like jagged glass. She was currently sitting in the study, listing off names of "friends" we supposedly had, but her voice was nothing more than high-frequency interference. I found myself staring at the door, my internal clock waiting—counting the seconds until the "Assistant" appeared.
When Jay wasn't in the room, the oxygen felt thin. When she was there, the "Static" in my brain settled into a low hum. It wasn't just attraction; it was a gravitational pull. My body was a compass, and she was the only True North I had. I didn't remember her name on a marriage license, but my skin remembered the heat of her presence.
"Keifer, are you even listening?" Kiara's voice snapped, sharp and demanding. "I'm talking about the charity gala!"
"I need to walk," I said, standing up abruptly. The chair skidded against the floor. I couldn't be near her. The scent of her perfume felt like a chemical breach, while the faint, lingering scent of Jay's sandalwood was the only thing keeping me sane.
The Kitchen Conflict
I made my way toward the back of the house, guided by a strange, subconscious map. As I neared the kitchen, the sounds of a heated "System Error" reached my ears.
"You will not speak to her that way in this house!" My mother's voice—Mamma Serina—was vibrating with a maternal fury I hadn't heard since I woke up.
"I am his wife, Serina!" Kiara's voice shrieked back. "I am the mistress of this estate now, and I want that girl out! She looks at him like she owns him, and it's disgusting!"
"She looks at him with a devotion you couldn't calculate if you had a thousand years!" Mamma Serina roared.
I stepped into the doorway, my presence immediately dropping the temperature of the room to absolute zero. Kiara froze, her face twisting into a fake mask of victimization. Mamma Serina stood her ground, her eyes flashing.
The Anchor in the Storm
But my eyes didn't stay on them. They bypassed the screaming and the drama entirely.
Jay was standing by the marble island, her back to the window. She was wearing a simple, dark dress, her hands gripped tightly around the edge of the counter. She looked like she was trying to disappear into the shadows, but in my eyes, she was the only thing in high-definition.
The afternoon sun hit her from behind, creating a "Glow" around her silhouette that made my heart stutter. It was a physical impact—a 1,000% surge of pure, unadulterated attraction that made the air leave my lungs.
"Keifer, darling!" Kiara rushed toward me, reaching for my arm. "Your mother is being so difficult—"
I didn't even look at her. I stepped past Kiara as if she were a ghost. I walked straight toward the kitchen island, my focus locked on the girl with the red-rimmed eyes.
The Silent Sync
"Jay," I whispered.
She looked up, and for a second, the world stopped. I saw the pain in her eyes, the exhaustion, and that deep, hidden love that she was trying so hard to mask. My hand moved on its own, reaching out to touch the hair falling over her shoulder. I wanted to pull her into me. I wanted to tell her that even if my brain was a blank screen, my soul knew exactly who she was.
"Are you alright?" I asked, my voice ignoring everyone else in the room.
"I'm fine, Mr. Watson," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I was just... assisting your mother."
"Don't lie to me," I murmured, leaning in closer. I could smell her—that scent of home and safety. It was so much stronger than the confusion in my head. "The noise... it stops when I look at you. Why does it only stop when I look at you?"
I saw her swallow hard, her gaze dropping to my lips. The attraction between us was a live wire, sparking in the quiet of the kitchen. I didn't remember the wedding, I didn't remember the life we built, but in that moment, I realized something terrifying and beautiful:
I was falling in love with her all over again, with 0% of the data and 100% of the heart.
"Keifer!" Kiara's voice broke the moment, a jagged edge of jealousy.
I didn't turn around. I kept my eyes on Jay. "Go back to the suite, Kiara," I said, my voice cold and final. "I'm staying here. I think the 'Assistant' knows exactly what I need for my recovery."