Chapter-284 Tired

Keifer's POV

I won't last a day without seeing her. This is hard. So damn hard—especially for me. I badly want to see her.

I miss my Jay-jay.

I almost crumpled the paper in my hand as I kept glancing at the phone I was using—only one number was saved in it.

Her number.

It probably wouldn't be so bad if I messaged her now. Keigan isn't here yet. I was about to grab the phone when I heard my original phone ring.

I pulled it out of my pocket and looked. It was a text from Mr. Ryder.

From: Atty. Ryder

Message: Hanamitchi's only heir is no longer engaged.

I immediately sat up straight, staring at the message. They're no longer engaged. A smirk slowly formed on my face. I finally heard some good news.

I thought I'd have to wipe out the entire Hanamitchis just to break that engagement. Most likely, it was Yuri's family who made the move.

In your face, Angelo! In your face! Jay-jay is mine. Only mine! No man can have her except me. This should be a lesson for Angelo.

I hid my phone again before turning my attention back to what I was reading. At least now, I had another reason to keep doing what I was doing. One of my problems just solved itself.

But there's more! So much more I have to face. My head already hurts just thinking about it. But this is a good start.

"Kuya, can I go home now?" Keiren asked while playing with his tablet.

"No. I told you we're staying here for a month."

"What about my school?" He put down his tablet and looked at me. "My girlfriends will miss me."

I set down the papers I was holding. Did he just say girlfriends—with an S?

"Excuse me? What girlfriends?" I asked, emphasizing the S.

"The girls who give me gifts every day. They're my girlfriends."

I rolled my eyes. He had a completely different understanding of dating.

Then, I heard the door to our suite open. I immediately took my secret phone and slipped it into my other pocket.

"By lunch, you'll meet our relatives. Mostly cousins from far away," Keigan said before throwing himself onto the long sofa.

I returned my focus to the documents in front of me. They contained brief information about Watson Enterprise—and the latest events within the company.

This is more complicated than I expected. Way bigger than I imagined. What more once I'm inside the company?

This isn't what I thought it would be. Not even close. What's worse is, it looks like I'm going to have to pass through the eye of a needle.

"You will never become the CEO of Watson Enterprise." Those words from my cousin Clyde suddenly echoed in my head.

"You don't have a degree. No experience. No understanding of the company. You're underage."

I felt humiliated just recalling those words. Even though it was just the two of us in his office yesterday, it felt like I was shamed in front of our entire clan.

"So, how will you handle this position?"

I suddenly threw the papers I was holding out of frustration. My two brothers immediately turned to look at me.

I stood and quickly walked to the balcony. I just wanted to get some fresh air. Keigan immediately stopped me as I was about to open the glass door.

"Don't, Kuya!" he shouted.

I frowned and looked at him. "What?"

"That's not a good place to die."

I held the bridge of my nose. I almost forgot. We're in London—and there are a lot of people here who would love to see me bleeding on the floor.

I raised both hands in surrender. Instead, I walked back to my room. I slammed the door shut behind me.

My body collapsed onto the bed.

Fvck! I don't want all my efforts to go to waste. I'll probably visit Clyde again tomorrow. I need to find a loophole—some way to get into the company.

I don't care if I start in a small position, as long as I get inside. I'll work my way up slowly until I get what's mine.

I grabbed my secret phone and sent a message to Jay, but she didn't reply. I didn't realize I had fallen asleep. I only woke up because someone was shaking me roughly.

"Kuya! Wake up! Kuya Keigan said that you need to wake up now!" It was Keiren.

"Stop... I'm awake!" I said, forcing my eyes open.

He stopped and leaned closer to my face.

"What do you want for your birthday?" That question made me pause.

He knew when my birthday was, but we never celebrated. That's why it was strange for him to be asking about a gift.

"A-are you going to give me something?"

He shook his head. "Nope. I'm just asking."

I groaned loudly while he laughed mischievously. I heard his footsteps as he walked away.

I sat up on the edge of the bed and searched for my phones to check the time. I found the secret one under my pillow and the original one on the bedside table.

I checked both. I didn't realize I'd slept that long. It's already 11 AM. I also checked my messages—nothing on my secret phone.

Does she even have load? She's lazy when it comes to reloading. So I wouldn't be surprised if she couldn't reply because she didn't have any credits left.

Maybe I should put her number on my plan, so she won't have to worry about contacting anyone.

I checked my original phone. My brows furrowed when I saw Yuri's name at the top of my inbox.

From: Chickenhead

Message: You leave the country without saying goodbye to me.

I immediately sent my response.

To: Chickenhead

Message: Don't cry. I'll be back soon.

I didn't wait for his reply. I stood up and headed to the bathroom to take a bath.

Water was still dripping from my hair when I came out. I glanced at my phone before picking it up to check if he had replied.

From: Chickenhead

Message: Don't return. Stay where you are. Jay-jay will be mine.

I almost let out a bitter chuckle.

To: Chickenhead

Message: Keep dreaming. It's free anyway.

He didn't reply after that. I decided to continue what I was doing. I changed into more appropriate clothes.

I was just about to head out when I ran into Keigan, who was practically running toward me.

"I thought you went back to sleep."

"Why the rush?"

"Our cousins are waiting for us."

I nodded and followed after him. This was part of the plan—facing our relatives now that we're here.

I'd already met some of them yesterday when we arrived. As usual, they didn't like having me near them—or near the company.

Some of my cousins were clearly just trying to suck up. Most of them live in Scotland or Ireland, some live in the provinces of England. Only those who work in or are interested in our company live here in London. I know I still have cousins in other countries who only visit occasionally.

The Watson family is huge. There are a lot of illegitimate children. I'm not surprised. Despite their wealth and numbers, only a few are truly acknowledged by the main family.

Unfortunately, I'm not one of them. Despite being the grandchild of my late grandfather. I don't know if it's because of my monster of a father or because I didn't grow up with them.

I was already in the lobby when I started hearing conversations in different languages. They're everywhere. Wherever I look, I see my cousins and other relatives.

I know—at first glance, I can already tell. I guess the Watson look is that obvious.

"Gordon Bennett! It's you!" A man walked up to me, his face full of amusement.

His accent was deep—clearly, he grew up here. I almost asked who Gordon was, forgetting for a second that it was just an expression and he was talking to me.

He grabbed my hand and arm to shake it. Even though I was confused, I just went with it. We were immediately noticed by others who began to crowd around me.

Keiren and Keigan stood just behind the group, watching. Everyone was excited to talk to me, while I simply observed them.

"Jemelle Ruth, I'm from Slovakia." A woman with a strange accent approached me. "We're third cousins."

"Hi, I'm Miracle!" Another woman introduced herself. "My Dad is your second cousin but he's not here."

I forced a smile at them. Another woman stepped forward and even kissed me on the cheek.

"Francheska Grace, half Filipina. So if you ever want to talk in Tagalog, just call me." She smiled sweetly.

"Excuse me!" Another woman interrupted us. "Martina Carla from Spain," she said, with a completely different, unfamiliar accent.

I noticed that most of them were women, from various countries.

Martina pulled another girl forward and pushed her to face me. The girl gave a shy smile.

"H-hi, I'm Irene Flores. I'm from Spain like Martina," she said with a smile. "We're second cousins."

I forced another smile. I turned away from them, intending to approach Keigan who was speaking to someone else, but another person came up to introduce themselves.

"Bonjour, I'm Zrapyire. I'm a fashion designer from France."

She kissed me on the cheek and hugged me tightly.

I wasn't surprised by what she did. French people are known for being sweet and intimidating.

"Nice to meet you," I said before continuing to walk.

I saw that Keigan was talking to a woman. As I approached them, Keigan immediately introduced her.

"This is Franchezka Reigne. She's from Finland and she's a lawyer," Keigan said.

She offered her hand for a handshake. I accepted it and smiled.

"If you need help about your rights in this family, just call me," she said with her thick accent.

I simply nodded before turning to Keigan and pulling him away from these people— I mean, our cousins.

"Where did all these people come from?" I asked in Tagalog.

I knew the people standing nearby might listen in. Better if they couldn't understand us.

"They're our cousins. They want to get to know you."

I shook my head. "You believe that? They're no different from our other cousins."

"Then take advantage of it. Use them to gain more allies in this family."

What good are many allies if they're all fake?

I couldn't do anything but let Keigan go through with his plan. He knew better than I did what had to be done.

He introduced me again to our so-called cousins. This time, it was the men who approached me. Most of them were also from the upper parts of Europe. Some were from Germany and Poland.

If there's anything noticeable about my male cousins, it's their mannerisms—similar to mine—likely something they inherited through Watson blood.

Some of them no longer carry our last name. Others aren't even allowed to use it, being illegitimate children unrecognized by the Main Family.

We were looking at one of our cousins when he suddenly clapped his hands. We all turned to him, and the others quickly quieted down.

"I know, we're all excited to meet Keifer but let's continue our conversation... with a nosh!"

He said with a very heavy accent.

My cousins immediately clapped in agreement and began heading to the hotel restaurant.

I saw Keiren frowning as he walked toward me. "What is nosh?"

"It means food." I ruffled his hair. "Are you hungry already?"

"Yes, I still haven't eat lunch." He turned his back and followed our cousins.

I did the same. The restaurant had a vintage concept, probably to match the preserved look of the hotel. Everyone was buzzing about what to eat. I could hear all sorts of different languages.

"Jahzara! Alexandra! Sit here!"

"Hannah Lois! Call your brothers now!"

"Stop shouting, Jay Belle!"

I stopped when I heard that name. Remembering her now suddenly makes me want to contact her. I want to know if she's eating properly. Maybe she's still asleep.

I wanted to text her to ease my worries, but Keigan was right in front of me. He might notice and start asking questions.

The waiter came and began handing out menus. I ordered the same thing Keiren did. Keigan was enjoying chatting with them, clearly entertained. Meanwhile, I just listened.

They mostly talked about what their lives were like back in the Philippines.

"Do you have girlfriend?" One of my male cousins asked me. "We heard this news that you're going crazy because of a girl."

Their voices shifted in tone. Most of them began whispering in different languages, but I could tell what they were implying.

"You know what exactly happened to a Watson—"

"There's no such thing. It's not real." I said and stared them down.

If this were a normal person, he probably would've backed off. But since he was a Watson, he just laughed and shook his head.

"It's real, Keifer. What do you think is the reason why most of us are single?" One of my female cousins said in her French accent.

Like I care why.

"Because they leave us. Most of the people we love leave us," One of my male cousins added. "Our possessiveness is the reason."

I almost rolled my eyes. Excuse me, I'm not possessive. Yes, I get jealous easily—but that doesn't make me possessive.

"Even Clyde has been left by his ex-fiancée," they added.

"He was left because he's an idiot." I said, and they laughed.

"But seriously, Keifer. It's like a curse, a real curse. And only those who are lucky have the ability to overcome it."

I looked at them confidently. "Then I'll be one of those lucky bastards."

Most of them smiled at what I said while shaking their heads. They burst into cheers and went back to their endless conversations and laughter. Before we knew it, it was already lunchtime.

To be honest, I felt different around these people compared to the cousins I met before. It felt lighter—maybe because, like me, they also weren't accepted by the Main Family. It's amazing how okay they are with that. They have rights to so many things, yet they no longer fight for them.

Maybe they're happier with what they already have?

I want that too!

But I can't. I have too much to lose, too much effort that would go to waste. Mom's death would be in vain.

Several hours had passed before they finally thought of leaving. Some of my male cousins stayed behind to have drinks.

"See this? She's my girl!" one of my cousins said while showing us a picture.

"She's out of your league!" another replied.

The rest of our cousins burst out laughing when they saw the annoyed look on his face. The conversation turned into a show-and-tell of pictures.

"Can we see the picture of your girlfriend?" one of them asked me.

I stopped myself from arching a brow. I had no intention of showing them Jay-jay. I didn't want them to take interest in her. I know she's beautiful—I don't need anyone else's opinion!

"I don't want to," I said and took a sip of my drink.

They shook their heads as they realized what I meant. Good thing I didn't have to explain what was going through my mind.

We'd finished 23 bottles but these guys still weren't drunk. It really was true—Watsons take forever to get drunk. It was already late in the afternoon when they finally thought of going home.

I walked them to the hotel lobby, where Keigan was already waiting for me. We said our last goodbyes before they finally left.

"They never asked," I said, and Keigan looked at me. "They never asked about the company."

They didn't even beg me to get them jobs in the company. Not like the other cousins I met before.

"What do you think about them?"

"I noticed their connection to each other. Even though they're from faraway places, it's like they're neighbors. Things I never saw from the main family."

Keigan nodded shortly. "I like them."

"Me too," I said before walking back to our suite.

The sun was still out, but I already felt drained. I just wanted to lie down and close my eyes. As I walked in, the first thing I saw was Keiren, once again holding his tablet.

I let him be and went straight to my room. I sat on the bed and rubbed the back of my neck. It felt like this day was never-ending, and I was completely exhausted.

I grabbed both of my phones. I looked at the one that only had a single number saved.

I miss Jay-jay. I miss her so much. I felt like flying back to the Philippines just to catch a glimpse of her.

I just want to hear her voice.

Out of nowhere, I noticed my phone. It was dialing Jay's number. I hadn't even realized I pressed the call button.

I immediately canceled the call. I clutched my chest from the rush of panic. She can't hear my voice—what if she recognizes me?

Then my phone lit up with a message… from her.

From: MyFutureMrsWatson

Message: Crazy!

I smiled. At least she texted me first. I quickly typed out a reply.

To: MyFutureMrsWatson

Message: Me? Of course!

I knew she'd answer me with her usual curses and profanities.

From: MyFutureMrsWatson

Message: Who even are you? You're so weird! If you're just messing around, leave me out of it, okay? I already have so many problems, I don't even know which one to deal with first. Just stay out of it.

I was quite surprised. Her message was long—but I couldn't understand it again. She really loves texting like this.

I tried to read it, word for word. A few minutes later, I finally understood it. She has a problem, and I had a feeling it was about the cancellation of her engagement. She needed someone to talk to.

Should I talk to her?

I can't. If she hears my voice, she'll recognize me. If that happens, she'll stop replying to my messages.

What should I do then?

I stood up and started pacing. She needs someone to talk to. She can talk to me—but I can't talk to her. Then it's not a conversation at all. Maybe she doesn't want to talk to someone who can't even reply.

I ruffled my hair in frustration. Whatever. As long as I don't say a word.

I dialed her number and waited for her to answer.

["H-hello?"] I heard her voice.

I closed my eyes to feel it. How I miss hearing her voice. I badly wanted to speak and tell her how much I love her.

["Hello? Is anyone there? Any animals? Aliens? Fairies? Demons? Jerks? Idiots?"] she said, and I almost laughed.She always sounds like she's picking a fight.

["If you're not going to talk, I'm hanging up."] she added, sounding pissed.

I expected that. Who'd want to talk to someone who won't even speak?

But this was better.

["Hey! Can you stop already? Don't give me that mysterious act! It's not funny! It's annoying! You're just adding to everything I'm already dealing with!"]

I ended the call. I can't tell her over the phone. I composed a message and sent it immediately. I copied her texting style so it would be easier for her to understand.

To: MyFutureMrsWatson

Message: I can't talk but I can listen. Tell me ur problem. At least it might lessen the heaviness of what u feel if u say it to me.

I gave her a few seconds before calling again. One ring, and she answered.

I didn't say anything—I just waited.

["GagongBaliw..."] she said, and I frowned. ["...I don't even know you. That's why I named you that."]

Seriously? She really is a strange woman. She doesn't even know me, yet she has the audacity to call me Gago. I smirked and did my best not to make a sound.

["I seriously don't get what your deal is. You could just introduce yourself, but no—you have to be like this. Maybe you did something really bad to me—so bad your face can't even face me anymore."]

Yes. I did do something terrible to you. So, so terrible.

["I've got so many problems. Family, home, school, my classmates, and that damn love-life crap. And those thugs who seem to really have it out for me."]

Looks like she got into another fight. I'll contact Rory about this.

"Hhmm..."

["I don't know if you know everything about me. I'm from a broken family. My mom? She's been married to different men. My dad? I'm not allowed to be with him. . It's like I'm the one carrying all the burden they left behind."]

I know she's been carrying that—probably all her life. I wouldn't be surprised if she's been searching for someone to talk to about it.

["At home, I'm just staying with relatives, but they treat me like family—well, most of the time. But then they tried to arrange my marriage to my classmate, the son of their business partner. They tried to force me into it—though they eventually backed out, but it cost them their company's downfall."]

I know that. It's partly my fault too, because I let Yuri go through with his plan. I guess we both had our own plans back then. I was too confident I would win.

["My school problems are probably every student's problem. Graduation is taking forever!"]

I chuckled lightly.

["My classmates, though—"] I became serious. ["They made me believe I was one of them. I thought I belonged. Turns out I was just a toy to them—something they made a bet on, something they ganged up on, like everything we'd been through together meant nothing."]

Yes, you are. You belong, Jay. You've belonged with us ever since you stepped into that classroom.

["And the person I love? What a mess! I wanna slap him back and forth. He's playing with me—do I look like Barbie to him? He's out of his mind. He's probably gay!"]

Did she just call me gay? I almost reacted.

["He's gay! Do you know Mark Keifer Watson? He's gay! GAY!"]

And she really called me that. Just wait until I come home—I'll prove to you just how much of a man I am.

"Tss..." I muttered—and immediately regretted it.

What the hell! In my panic, I ended the call. I'm going insane! What if she recognized me because of that? I silently prayed she didn't.

Then a message came in from her.

From: MyFutureMrsWatson

Message: I wasn't done talking yet... I thought you were going to listen?

Shit! Maybe it's better if I stay away for now. I might not be able to hold back anymore.

To: MyFutureMrsWatson

Message: sory, i hve to go.

I said and shoved my phone under my pillow. I grabbed a handful of my own hair.

Next time, I need to concentrate to make sure that never happens again.

So stupid, Keifer!