CHAPTER 60
THE QUESTIONS BEGIN
JAY'S POV
For a few seconds, nobody moved.
Yuri was still standing there, staring at his mother and little sister as if his mind hadn't caught up with what his eyes were seeing.
His little sister had her arms around him.
His mother stood a few steps away.
And Jay—
Jay was simply watching.
She didn't interrupt.
She didn't need to.
This moment belonged to Yuri.
Yuri finally looked at his mother again.
"When did you come?"
His mother smiled.
"Today."
"How?"
She glanced toward Jay.
Yuri followed her gaze.
His eyes widened slightly.
"Jay…"
Jay shrugged.
"I told you it was a surprise."
"You brought them here?"
"Yes."
"From Japan?"
"Yes."
Yuri stared at her.
"How?"
Jay gave him a look.
"Do you really want the boring explanation right now?"
Yuri almost laughed.
Almost.
Instead, he walked toward his mother and hugged her.
Jay quietly stepped back.
Tita Serena watched her.
"You're not going to tell him everything?"
Jay shook her head.
"Not yet."
Serena understood.
Some things were better revealed when the time was right.
---
LATER THAT EVENING
Yuri's little sister was already exploring the mansion.
She had questions about everything.
The rooms.
The garden.
The huge windows.
Even Serena's plants.
Serena happily answered every single one.
Yuri's mother sat with Jay.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then she finally said,
"You've changed."
Jay looked at her.
"So have you."
A faint smile appeared on the woman's face.
"I remember when you and Yuri were engaged."
Jay smiled.
"Those were different days."
"They were."
There was another pause.
Then Yuri's mother looked at her seriously.
"Thank you."
Jay shook her head.
"Please don't."
"You don't want thanks?"
"I don't need it."
Her mother looked at her for a moment.
Then she nodded.
"Still…"
Jay looked away.
She wasn't comfortable receiving gratitude.
Especially for something she considered necessary.
Across the room, Yuri was watching them.
He couldn't hear what they were saying.
But he noticed something.
His mother wasn't looking at Jay the way she used to.
There was respect there now.
Maybe even regret.
Yuri smiled faintly.
Whatever had happened between them in the past—
something had changed.
---
WATSON MANSION
Kiefer stood in front of the mirror, fixing his cufflinks.
Kegan sat on the sofa.
"You're going somewhere?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"Out."
Kegan rolled his eyes.
"That's not an answer."
Kiefer glanced at him.
"You ask too many questions."
"I'm your brother. I'm allowed."
Kiefer gave him a small look.
Then his phone buzzed.
A message.
He read it.
His expression became serious.
Kegan noticed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You've said 'nothing' about five times today."
Kiefer slipped his phone into his pocket.
"Maybe because there's nothing to tell."
Kegan stared at him.
"You're definitely hiding something."
Kiefer smirked faintly.
"Look who's talking."
Kegan frowned.
Kiefer walked toward the door.
"Don't wait up."
"Where are you going?"
Kiefer stopped.
Then looked back.
"To find an answer."
Kegan's expression changed.
"To what?"
Kiefer's eyes narrowed slightly.
"That's what I'm going to find out."
And he left.
---
KING'S GROUND
Kiefer arrived alone.
He sat at the same table from the previous night.
He placed his phone on the table.
Then the Shadow League letter.
He stared at it.
The words hadn't changed.
But the more he thought about the timing, the less he liked it.
Jay had rejected him.
The next day, his position was removed.
Maybe it was a coincidence.
Maybe it wasn't.
Kiefer wasn't going to decide without proof.
He opened his phone.
There were several messages.
None answered the question he wanted answered.
He leaned back.
Then someone sat across from him.
Angelo.
"You knew I'd come here."
Kiefer looked at him.
"I guessed."
Angelo placed his phone on the table.
"I've been thinking."
"So have I."
Angelo lowered his voice.
"My sister is hiding something."
Kiefer didn't answer.
"And whatever it is…"
Angelo continued.
"She thinks she has to deal with it alone."
Kiefer looked at him.
"That's exactly what I think."
Tiger arrived a moment later.
"Are you two having another secret meeting without me?"
Angelo looked at him.
"We're not having a secret meeting."
Tiger sat down.
"Then why are you whispering?"
Kiefer almost smiled.
"Because Angelo thinks he's a detective."
Angelo scoffed.
"I am a detective."
Tiger chuckled.
"Since when?"
"Since now."
Kiefer shook his head.
For a moment, the atmosphere became lighter.
Then Kiefer's expression turned serious again.
"There's something else."
Angelo looked at him.
"What?"
Kiefer tapped the letter.
"This."
Tiger sighed.
"We already know about that."
"No."
Kiefer looked at them.
"We know what happened."
He paused.
"We don't know why."
Neither Angelo nor Tiger answered.
Kiefer's eyes hardened.
"And I'm going to find out."
---
SHADOW LEAGUE BASE
Jay stood in the command room.
Several screens displayed different locations.
Damien entered.
"Queen."
Jay didn't turn.
"Report."
"The Japan operation is secure."
"Good."
"Yuri's mother and sister are safe."
Jay nodded.
"And Lucien?"
Damien's expression became serious.
"He's moving people."
Jay finally turned.
"Where?"
"Three locations so far."
"Which means there are more."
"Yes."
Jay walked toward the main screen.
Lucien Blackwood wasn't attacking yet.
He was positioning.
Testing boundaries.
Watching.
Waiting.
Jay knew that kind of strategy.
It meant he wasn't interested in one target.
He wanted something bigger.
"Find out what he's after."
Damien nodded.
"And the old contacts?"
Jay's eyes shifted.
"They're coming."
"All six?"
Jay nodded.
"Eventually."
Damien studied her.
"Do you trust them?"
Jay looked at the screen.
"I trusted them once."
"That wasn't my question."
Jay remained silent.
Then—
"Yes."
---
FERNANDEZ MANSION
Yuri returned late.
His little sister was asleep.
His mother was resting.
He found Jay sitting quietly in the living room.
He walked toward her.
"You really did all of this."
Jay looked up.
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because then it wouldn't have been a surprise."
Yuri smiled.
"Thank you."
Jay nodded.
"You're welcome."
He sat across from her.
For a moment, everything was peaceful.
Then Yuri's expression became thoughtful.
"Jay?"
"Hmm?"
"How did you even know where they were?"
Jay's eyes lifted.
Silence.
Yuri waited.
Jay leaned back.
"I have my ways."
Yuri narrowed his eyes.
"That's not an answer."
"It is the answer you're getting."
He laughed softly.
"Of course."
Jay smiled.
But Yuri didn't completely let it go.
Something about her answer bothered him.
Not because he didn't trust her.
Because he knew Jay.
And whenever she said I have my ways—
there was usually an entire story behind it.
---
SOMEWHERE UNKNOWN
A phone rang in a dark room.
A man picked it up.
"Speak."
"Everything is moving."
He listened.
Then slowly smiled.
"And Jay?"
A pause.
"She hasn't realized what we're doing yet."
The man leaned back.
"Good."
His fingers tapped against the table.
"Let her gather her old friends."
Another pause.
Then—
"Lucien Blackwood doesn't need to stop her."
The room fell silent.
"He only needs to wait."
◇◇◇
AUTHOR'S NOTE
WOW.
One more chapter. 🖤
Yuri finally has his family back, but now he has a question:
How did Jay find them?
Kiefer is also done sitting quietly.
He knows Jay is hiding something.
He doesn't know what it is yet.
But he's starting to look for answers.
And meanwhile…
Jay is bringing people from her past back into her life.
Kaia. Zara. Milan. Elara. Riven. Sienna.
And Lucien Blackwood?
He's not rushing.
He's waiting.
Which is somehow even more worrying.
See you in the next chapter. 👀🖤