The morning after our rooftop anniversary felt like a dream, but reality hit hard the second I stepped into my first-year Surgery lecture. I was so exhausted from our late-night escape that I didn't realize my "Anniversary Key"—the one to the clinic Keifer bought for me—had slipped out of my pocket when I reached for my highlighter.
The lecture hall was buzzing. Everyone was talking about the "Ghostly Date" spotted on the museum roof last night. I kept my head down, focusing on the diagram of the human heart, trying to ignore the way my heart skipped a beat every time someone mentioned a "tall, handsome man in a white shirt."
"Hey, Jay, you okay?" Mica whispered, leaning over. "You look like you haven't slept in a week."
I'm fine," I lied, forcing a smile. "Just a long night of... studying."
The Discovery
Class ended, and as I gathered my books, I didn't notice the small, vintage brass key lying on the floor under my desk. But Sophia did.
She lingered behind, pretending to check her phone, until I left the room with Mica. I saw her eyes dart to the floor. She lunged for it like a predator.
Ten minutes later, I was at my locker when I realized the key was gone. My heart dropped. That key wasn't just metal; it was my dream. It was the proof of Keifer's love.
"Looking for this?"
I turned around. Sophia was standing there, twirling the brass key on her finger. She had a look of pure triumph on her face.
"Give it back, Sophia," I said, my voice shaking with a mix of anger and fear
"It's a very interesting key, Jay," she mused, ignoring me. "It has a tag on the back. A small address in a rural village. And a name: The Starlight Clinic. I did a quick search on my phone. The deed for this property was signed yesterday. The buyer? A private holding company owned by the Watson Group."
My blood ran cold.
"So," Sophia stepped closer, her voice a poisonous whisper. "Not only is he your 'sponsor,' but he's buying you entire buildings now? What did you do to deserve a clinic, Jay? Or is this just your retirement plan for when he gets bored of you?"
The Law Squad Arrives
"I'd be very careful with how you phrase that," a cold voice interrupted.
Emman and Calix were walking down the hall, looking like they were ready to file a lawsuit on the spot. They had seen Sophia cornering me from the cafeteria and moved in immediately.
Section E again," Sophia rolled her eyes. "Are you guys his lawyers too? Or do you just like protecting his toys?"
Calix stepped forward, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. "Actually, Sophia, as a top law student, I should tell you that holding onto property that isn't yours is called 'theft by finding.' And since that key belongs to a Watson-affiliated property, you are currently interfering with a multi-million dollar corporate asset."
"I don't care about your legal talk!" Sophia snapped. "I'm going to the Dean. I'm going to show everyone that Jay is using Watson money to buy her way into a medical career."
The Hubby's Shadow
The hallway suddenly went silent. The air grew heavy. I didn't even have to look to know who was behind me.
Keifer walked up, his presence so massive that Sophia actually took a step back. He didn't look at her. He only looked at me.
"Jay," he said, his voice a low, warning rumble. To the world, he sounded like a cold businessman. To me, he sounded like a hubby who was about to lose his patience. "I believe you dropped something."
He held out his hand to Sophia. He didn't say "please." He didn't even look angry. He looked like a god waiting for a mortal to stop being annoying.
"Mr. Watson..." Sophia stammered, her confidence vanishing. "I was just... I found this..."
I know what you were doing," Keifer said. He took the key from her hand so fast she didn't even see him move. He turned to me and handed it back, his fingers lingering against mine for a fraction of a second—a secret touch that sent sparks through my body. "Be more careful with your things, Jay. Some people don't understand the value of a gift."
He looked at Sophia then, his eyes turning into that "Green Forest" steel. "And Sophia? My company doesn't just buy buildings. We buy the banks that hold the mortgages for people like your father. Keep that in mind before you speak about my... friends... again."
The Escape
Keifer walked away without another word, followed by the grinning Law boys. Sophia stood there, trembling, realizing she had just threatened the man who could erase her family's wealth with a single phone call.
I tucked the key deep into my bag, my heart racing.
"You okay, Mumma?" a small voice whispered.
I looked down. Keigan and Keiran were standing there, having just arrived for their afternoon sports club. They had seen the whole thing.
"I'm okay, boys," I said, ruffling their hair.
"Kuya looks really mad," Keiran whispered. "Do you think he's going to buy her dad's hospital and turn it into a parking lot?"
"Maybe," I laughed, leaning against my locker. "But for now, let's just go get some lunch."
As we walked toward the cafeteria, I felt the weight of the key in my bag. The secret was getting harder to keep, but with my hubby and the boys by my side, I felt like I could handle anything.