Jay pov
The aftermath of the announcement had left the Black Box in a state of hyper-vigilance. If yesterday was the storm of the news, today was the flood of the consequences. By 07:00 AM, the mansion was already vibrating with a level of energy that would have exhausted a normal army. But the Watsons, the Marianos, and Section E were anything but normal.
I woke up not to the sound of an alarm, but to the feeling of a heavy, protective gaze. I didn't even have to open my eyes to know Keifer—my hubby—was awake. He was propped up on one elbow, his eyes tracing my face with a ferocity that made me feel like the most fragile diamond in his collection.
"Hubby," I murmured, my voice thick with sleep. "You've been staring for at least an hour."
"Fifty-two minutes," he corrected, his voice a low, dark velvet. He leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to my temple. "How is your stomach? Do you feel dizzy? I've already adjusted the room temperature by two degrees to optimize your oxygen levels."
"I feel like I need to brush my teeth and have a very large glass of water," I laughed, trying to sit up.
Before my muscles could even twitch, Keifer's hands were on me, guiding me upward as if I were made of spun sugar. "Slowly, wifey. No sudden movements."
"Keifer, I am pregnant, not paralyzed," I teased, but the way he looked at me—with a mixture of raw adoration and terrifying protectiveness—stilled my tongue. He helped me into my robe, his hands lingering on my waist, before he literally escorted me to the bathroom door.
"I'll be right here," he said.
"I'm going to be three feet away, Keif!"
"I'll be right here," he repeated, his tone final.
The Morning Gauntlet: The "Aries" Breakfast
When we descended the stairs, the sight that met us was pure, unadulterated mayhem. The dining hall had been transformed.
Aries (Horoscope) was in the kitchen wearing an apron that said World's Best Uncle (Again). He was surrounded by a mountain of kale, ginger, and organic eggs.
" Jay! Don't step on that rug! It's a tripping hazard!" Aries screamed, pointing a spatula at a perfectly flat Persian rug. "Percy, move the rug! Now!"
Percy (Blue Eyes) rolled his eyes but dragged the rug away. "Aries, you're vibrating at a frequency that's going to shatter the windows. Calm down."
"I can't be calm! The baby needs nutrients!" Aries turned back to the stove. "! I mean, Keifer! I've prepared a three-course alkaline breakfast for Jay. No coffee! Coffee is forbidden!"
I looked at the green smoothie sitting at my place setting. It looked like liquid lawn. "Aries... I love you, but I'm a surgeon. I need caffeine to function."
"No," Keifer and Aries said in unison.
"I've replaced your caffeine with a high-electrolyte herbal infusion," Ci n announced, walking in with Rakki. He was already wearing his stethoscope. "And don't look at me like that, Jay. I've already cleared it with Freya and Mica."
My female friends were already there, sitting at the table like a council of guardians. Freya and Mica, both doctors, were looking over a chart Ci n had printed. Grace was on her laptop, likely coding a nursery security grid, while Rakki was reviewing "Maternity Rights" even though I owned the hospital.
In the middle of this, Alexander was undergoing what could only be described as a boot camp.
Keiran and Keigan (the Watson brothers) were on the floor with him. Keiran was showing him how to hold a "tactical" baby doll.
"Now, Alex, remember," Keiran whispered. "A baby is a VIP. You are the primary escort. If anyone suspicious approaches the stroller, what do you do?"
"I use my ninja move!" Alexander shouted, doing a clumsy karate chop in the air.
"Exactly," Keigan nodded seriously. "And we've upgraded your play-car with a baby seat and a GPS tracker. You're in charge of the nursery perimeter."
Angelo (Kuya Angelo) walked in with Ion and the twins. Aryan and Arina were already busy showing Alexander how to "stealth-walk" so he wouldn't wake a sleeping baby.
"Kuya Angelo, tell them they're being crazy," I pleaded as I sat down.
Angelo looked at me, then at the green smoothie. "They're being thorough, Jay. Lia has already bought out the stock of three organic baby food companies. We aren't taking chances with the 5th generation."
By 10:00 AM, the rest of Section E had arrived, and the "Black Box" felt like it was under siege.
Erdix and Rory were in the library with Grandpa David. "I've installed biometric scanners on the nursery door," Erdix reported to Keifer. "Only family and Section E can enter. If a stranger touches the handle, it sends a silent alarm to my phone and Rory's sniper nest."
"Is a sniper nest really necessary, Rory?" I asked, walking past them.
"It's a deterrent, Jay," Rory said with a wink.
Calix and Denzel were in the garden with Mayo and Kit. They were discussing the "Mechanical Integrity" of the custom-built crib. "It needs to be blast-proof," Denzel argued. "In case of a structural failure in the house." "It's a crib, Denzel, not a bunker!" Grace yelled from the terrace.
Mayo and Kit were handing out ice cream to everyone, including the security guards. "Sugar-free for the pregnant lady!" Mayo shouted, handing me a bowl of what tasted like frozen air.
Felix and Emman were arguing over the baby shower. "It needs to be in a secure location," Felix said, typing on his IT rig. "My hotel is the most secure in the country!" Emman snapped. "I'll clear the entire guest list with David personally."
Throughout the entire day, Keifer was never more than two feet away from me. If I stood up, he was there to support my elbow. If I looked slightly pale, he was holding a glass of water to my lips.
"Hubby, I'm going to the garden to sit with Lia and Ion," I said.
"I'll carry you," he said.
"You will not carry me across a flat lawn in broad daylight, Mark Keifer Watson!"
We compromised on him walking slowly beside me, his hand resting firmly on the small of my back. When we reached the garden, Lia looked up from her tea.
"He's hovering, isn't he?" Lia asked with a smirk.
"He's obsessed," I sighed, sinking into the chair Keifer had personally inspected for "structural stability" before letting me sit.
"I'm being attentive," Keifer corrected, sitting on the edge of my chair. He reached out, his hand covering my still-flat stomach, his eyes softening in a way that always made my heart melt. "I missed so much with Alexander's first few months because of the war. I'm not missing a second of this one."
The chaos continued around us. Percy was currently chasing Alexander around the fountain, both of them yelling about "Baby Ninjas." Aries was trying to convince Pa Pa (Jasper) and Ma (Jeena) that the baby's name should be "Aries Junior" regardless of the gender. Tita Gemma was showing Grandma Lora knitting patterns for tactical baby booties.
It was loud. It was insane. It was a billion-dollar family and a group of elite misfits all converging on one tiny, unborn life.
But as the sun began to set over the Tagaytay ridge, and the Section E boys started a bonfire while Mica, Freya, and Rakki laughed about our university days, I realized something.
The "Black Box" wasn't a fortress today. It was a home.
Keifer leaned in, whispering against my ear so only I could hear. "Are you tired, wifey? Do you want to go upstairs?"
"Soon," I whispered back, leaning into him. "Let's just watch the chaos for a little longer. They're our chaos, Keif."
He squeezed my hand, his gaze moving from our screaming, happy son to our messy, devoted family. "Ours," he agreed