--: Author's POV: --
The convoy of blacked-out SUVs didn't stop at the airport gates. They sped directly onto the tarmac of the private hangar where Keifer's custom private jet was, its engines already humming a low, powerful tune. There were no lines, no customs officers, and no crowds. There was only the sound of tires on asphalt and the heavy, silent protection of Section E.
--: Keifer's POV: --
I didn't let Jay Jay's feet touch the ground.
I carried her from the car straight up the stairs of the jet. She was wrapped in my hoodie, her face hidden against my neck. She was still shivering, her heart racing against my chest like a trapped bird.
As I stepped into the cabin, the flight attendants—all personally vetted by Angelo—bowed deeply and retreated. They knew better than to speak. The air was thick with a tension that could have been cut with a knife.
I sat her down on the oversized sofa in the master suite of the plane. She wouldn't let go of my hand. Her eyes were darting around the cabin, checking the shadows, checking the vents.
"It's just us, Jay," I whispered, kneeling in front of her. "No one else is on this plane but our people. I promise."
--: Author's POV: --
Down in the main cabin, the F4 and the rest of Section E settled in. There was no "vacation" vibe. Thyme was on a secure satellite phone, his voice a low bark as he coordinated with his security team in Bangkok. MJ and Edrix had their laptops open, monitors flickering with data.
Freya sat by the window, staring out at the runway. Mica reached over and squeezed her hand.
"She's going to be okay," Mica whispered. "We're going to Thailand. We're going to the one place where we have more power than he does."
--: Jay Jay's POV: --
The plane began to taxi. The vibration of the floor felt like a warning. I looked at the window, seeing the lights of the city fade away, but all I could think about was him.
"I'll find you when you're alone."
The words were a permanent echo in my brain. I looked at Keifer, who was watching me with so much pain in his eyes. I wanted to tell him I was okay, but the lie wouldn't come out.
"Keifer..." my voice was a ghost of itself. "What if he's already there? What if he's waiting in Bangkok?"
--: Keifer's POV: --
I pulled her into my lap, ignoring the seatbelt signs as the plane began its steep climb. I felt the powerful surge of the engines pressing us deep into the seat, the world below falling away as we pierced through the clouds. I just held her tighter, anchoring her to me.
"Let him wait," I rasped into her hair, my eyes turning into cold flint. "In this city, he's a ghost. But in Thailand? He's a target. We aren't going there to hide, Jay. We're going there to end this."
--: Author's POV: --
As the jet reached cruising altitude, the "Queens of HVIS" were all asleep or resting, exhausted by the trauma of the night. But in the cockpit area, Keifer, Thyme, and Angelo were looking at a map of the Paramaanantra estate.
"We lure him to the north perimeter," Thyme said, pointing to a secluded area of the private beach. "It's a blind spot to the public, but we'll have thermal imaging and snipers on every ridge."
"I don't want him captured," Keifer said, his voice devoid of any emotion.
The F4 looked at him. They had seen Keifer angry before, but this was different. This was the cold, calculated silence of a man who had already decided someone was going to die.
"I want him gone," Keifer finished.
The plane soared through the night, a silver bullet cutting through the clouds, carrying a broken queen and a group of boys who were about to show the world why they were the most feared names in two countries.
——————
The first twenty-four hours at the Paramaanantra Estate were anything but a vacation. While the sun sparkled over the Gulf of Thailand, the interior of the villa felt like a high-security bunker. Jay Jay hadn't left the Master Suite. She spent the entire first day curled up, jumping at the sound of the air conditioning kicking in or the distant cry of a seagull.
Every time Keifer left the room, even for a minute, she would panic. The "Safe Room" wasn't safe enough because the monster was already inside her head.
--: Keifer's POV: --
It was the morning of the second day. I watched the sunrise from the bed, my arm draped protectively over Jay Jay's waist. I hadn't slept for more than an hour; every time she whimpered in her sleep, I was wide awake, pulling her closer until her back was pressed against my chest. I needed her to feel my heartbeat, to know that I was the shield between her and the world.
She was still flinching, her small hands clutching the pillow as if it were a life raft. Seeing her – the girl who used to own every room she walked into –reduced to this was killing me.
I looked up to see Thyme and Ren standing at the door.
"She can't stay in this room forever, Keifer," Ren whispered. "If she stays in the dark, she'll never come back to us."
"We're taking her out today," Thyme said firmly. "The mall is locked down. My private security has vetted every shop assistant. We'll take her there, then to the private beach for sunset. She needs to see that she's still the Queen, not a victim."
--: Author's POV: --
When Keifer broke the news, Jay Jay's reaction was exactly what they feared.
"No!" she gasped, her eyes widening as she pulled the silk sheets up to her chin. "I want to stay here. Please, Keifer. I don't want to go outside. If he's out there... if he sees me... please don't go Keifer. If you guys want to go, it's fine, but please Keifer stay here with me!"
"Jay," Keifer said, sitting up and pulling her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her like a cage of iron and velvet. "If we stay hidden, he wins. He wants you scared. We aren't going to let him have that. We'll be right there – Me, the F4, your brothers and Section E –nobody gets within twenty feet of you."
It took another hour of the girls (Freya, Raki, Ella,Grace and Mica) promising to stay by her side before she finally gave a tiny, trembling nod.
--: Author's POV: --
As the convoy of black SUVs prepared to leave the estate, Thyme stepped out of the lead car, checking his watch with a strange, nervous energy.
"Actually," Thyme said, clearing his throat and looking everywhere but at the group. "I really want to come with you guys, but I have to go meet someone first. Important... uh, estate stuff."
Kavin stepped up beside him, adjusting his sunglasses with a smooth grin. "Yeah, same here. I'm going with him. Very urgent business."
Ren and MJ exchanged a lightning-fast look before they both burst into grins.
"Oh? 'Meeting someone'?" MJ started, leaning against the car door. "Is this the same someone you were texting at 2 AM? Why don't you just call them over here, Thyme? Or are you afraid she'll kick you in front of your sister?"
"Shut up, MJ!" Thyme snapped, his face turning a deep, angry red.
"And Kavin," Ren added, his voice dripping with playful sarcasm. "Is your 'business' involving a certain person who works at a flower shop? You know, the one you've been buying out every single morning?"
--: Jay Jay's POV: --
I watched them in total confusion. The legendary Thyme and Kavin... were they being teased about girls?
"Wait," Freya asked, her eyes wide. "Are you saying Thyme and Kavin have a girlfriend? Like... a real one?"
"And she is the only person in Thailand who can make the Great Thyme blush like a schoolboy." MJ said.
"Get in the cars!" Thyme roared, though his ears were still bright red. He looked at me for a second, his expression softening. "You'll will be safe with us don't worry. And don't listen to them –they're idiots."
--: Author's POV: --
The mood in the car changed. The teasing had distracted Jay Jay just enough to stop her from shaking.
When they arrived at the luxury mall, it was empty of strangers, filled only with the quiet hum of Paramaanantra security.
Waiting by the fountain were two girls. One had a fierce, defiant look, and the other had a sweet, gentle aura.
Thyme walked straight to Gorya. "You're late," he muttered, trying to regain his "cool" persona.
"You're the one who owns the streets, Thyme! How are we late?" Gorya scolded, actually hitting his shoulder. The girls of HVIS gasped—nobody touched Thyme like that.
Thyme didn't get angry. He just sighed and turned to Jay Jay. "Jay Jay... this is Gorya. And Gorya she's... she's the one I told you about. My sister. The one who's a bigger headache than I am."
He then looked at Kavin, who was standing next to the other girl. "And that's Kaning."
--: Jay Jay's POV: --
I stared at them. Gorya didn't look like a socialite or a model. She looked... real. She walked right up to me and took my hands.
"So, you're the famous sister?" Gorya smiled, her eyes warm. "Thyme won't stop talking about you. He's been worried sick, but he's too much of a brat to say it properly. If he gives you any trouble, just tell me. I've already kicked him once; I don't mind doing it again."
I felt a small, genuine laugh bubble up in my chest. "You kicked him?"
"More than once, actually," Kaning added, joining us with a sweet smile. "It's so good to meet you, Jay Jay. We are going to have a girls day. No boys allowed for first hour, okay"
I gave her a small nod with a smile. Looking at Thyme—who was now being scolded by Gorya for his "stupid hair".
--: Author's POV: --
The luxury mall was a ghost town, echoing only with the light footsteps of the eight girls. While the boys stood guard like silent statues on the balconies above, the group moved through the high-end boutiques. Gorya and Kaning walked in the center, flanked by Freya, Raki, Mica, Ella, and Grace, with Jay Jay at the heart of the circle.
--: Jay Jay's POV: --
I was holding a silk scarf when Gorya snatched a bright neon-colored dress from the rack.
"Too bright?" she asked with a mischievous glint. "Thyme would hate it. Which means you should definitely try it on."
"Oh, he would absolutely lose his mind," Freya added, laughing. She looked at Gorya with genuine interest. "Does he always try to control what people wear? He's so bossy."
Gorya let out a loud, unabashed laugh. "He's a giant baby! Honestly, the more he barks, the more he's just hiding the fact that he has no idea what he's doing. You guys shouldn't let that 'tough guy' act fool you. Behind the expensive suits, those boys are just a bunch of idiots who need us to tell them which way is up."
--: Author's POV: --
The girls sat down in a plush velvet lounge area of a high-end cafe. Kaning leaned over, pouring tea for everyone.
"It's actually really nice to meet you all," Kaning said, looking at the girls. "We've heard so much about the group, but we didn't know you were all so... fierce."
"We have to be," Raki joked, though her eyes softened as she looked at Jay Jay.
Gorya's expression shifted, becoming more grounded. She looked directly at Jay Jay. "I know why you're looking at the door every five minutes, Jay. Thyme told me a little bit. He's scared, Jay Jay. Not of that man, but of the look in your eyes. He hates that he can't fight a ghost for you."
--: Jay Jay's POV: --
I looked down at my tea. "I feel like I'm breaking, Gorya. I feel like everywhere I go, the shadows are just waiting to swallow me again."
"Then let them try," Mica said firmly, reaching over to squeeze my left hand while Ella took my right.
"Exactly," Gorya added, leaning in. "Look at them." She pointed toward the glass balcony where Keifer, Thyme, and others were standing. "They aren't guarding a 'Queen' right now. They're guarding their heart. You're the gravity that keeps them on the ground."
Freya smiled warmly. "That man? He wants you to think you're alone. But look around this table. You've got us. You've got your girls, and you've got Gorya and Kaning—who clearly know how to handle these boys better than anyone."
--: Author's POV: --
For the first time since the hotel, Jay Jay felt a spark of her old self. Surrounded by seven girls who all looked at her with fierce loyalty, the mall didn't feel like a trap.
Gorya grinned, standing up. "Alright! We have Thyme's credit card and three more floors. Jay Jay, you're trying on that neon dress. No excuses!"
As the girls laughed and headed toward the fitting rooms, the boys watched from above.
"She's laughing," Keifer whispered, his heart finally feeling a moment of peace.
"I told you," Thyme said, though his hand was tight on the railing. "My girl knows how to fix things. But keep your eyes moving, Keifer. Section E just reported a black van in the loading dock that doesn't have a Paramaanantra permit."