Ang Mutya Ng Section E (Book - 3) English (On-going)

Keifer's POV

I'm starting to run out of reasons to continue with this sneaky plan. I feel like nothing is progressing. All our plans are still hanging in the balance.

And now, I'm losing Jay-Jay.

"Out of all our plans, how many have you actually executed?" Keigan asked me.

I cleared my throat. "I pushed Jay-Jay away. I looked for allies—"

"What allies? Those street fighters who always challenge you?"

"They are not random," I argued.

Keigan rolled his eyes. "When we said allies, we meant someone powerful. Someone you can rely on anytime. Someone with strong connections."

"Someone like Angelo," Mr. Ryder added.

I simply shook my head. "I can find someone else."

"And where exactly will you find them? At KingsGround? Among drug lords? Who are you planning to approach?" Keigan raised his voice. "Come on, Kuya! We're all here helping you, but you refuse to help yourself!"

Frustrated, I ran my hand through my hair. What else is missing?

"We're leaving sooner than planned," Mr. Ryder said. "Staying here is only making it harder for you to do your part."

I didn't want to hear it.

I immediately stood up and turned my back on them. They called my name, but I kept walking. I was heading toward the basement when I stopped. They would find me there.

I changed direction and walked quickly to the garage. I chose the simplest car I owned. As soon as I got in, my phone rang in my pocket.

I took it out and saw Keigan's name on the screen. I silenced my phone before grabbing the key from the glove compartment.

I drove fast to KingsGround. It's the only place where I can drink in peace without being disturbed by Keigan.

My mind was almost blank. The only thing occupying my thoughts was Jay-Jay. She was the only one circling in my mind. I didn't want to lose her, but I had to push her away. How else could I protect her?

Come on, Keifer! Think of something else.

I was running out of options. My grip on the steering wheel tightened, and I slammed the horn when someone suddenly pulled in front of my car.

I almost chased after them, but I reminded myself of my destination. I turned a corner toward KingsGround. Even from a distance, I could see the parking lot filled with luxury cars—some limited edition, others imported.

I parked beside an unfamiliar brand and headed straight for the entrance of the club.

The party was wilder than usual. Free beer was being handed out, and the dance floor was packed.

I glanced at Tiger's office and noticed a few men observing the crowd while sipping their drinks. I arched a brow.

Who are they?

It looked like Tiger had visitors. I decided to go straight to the bar. Just as I sat down on one of the stools, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned and saw the serious face of one of Tiger's bouncers.

"Boss wants to see you upstairs."

I gave a brief nod and followed him. My shoulders felt heavier with every step up the stairs to his office. When I opened the door, almost everyone turned to look at me. My forehead creased.

What the hell?

"Keifer!" Tiger greeted me with a smile, walking toward me.

"Come in! Come in! I'll introduce you to my guests."

He threw an arm around my shoulder as he led me toward them. There were eight of them, all engaged in conversation.

"Seriously, Leo? A kid?" one of them scoffed. He didn't look Filipino—more like European, with sharp jawlines and piercing eyes that seemed to scrutinize everything.

Tiger's brows furrowed. "TIGER! Stop calling me Leo! It's Tiger!"

The room erupted in laughter. I studied each of them, trying to recognize at least one face. Some looked familiar, but I still didn't know their names.

"Who is he? He looks familiar," another man asked. He had softer features, possibly Korean or Chinese, with mono-lidded eyes that nearly closed when he smiled. He didn't seem intimidating, unlike the first guy.

"Everyone, this is Keifer Watson!" Tiger announced with a dramatic gesture, as if I were royalty.

The room fell silent. Some men nearly choked on their drinks, while others exchanged meaningful glances.

"The Watson?" one of them asked in disbelief. "You mean the young heir of the Watson family?"

I couldn't help but feel irritated. His tone sounded too familiar.

"The one and only," Tiger said, tapping my shoulder.

I shot him an annoyed look. "What's going on?" I whispered.

Tiger grinned mischievously, then stepped away to pour a glass of wine before handing it to me. I took it with one hand.

"Isn't he a minor?" someone asked.

"Minor doesn't mean anything in my club," Tiger replied with a smirk.

"Are you recruiting him?" the first guy asked.

Recruiting? For what?

"Nope," Tiger said, shaking his head. "He has no idea about your frat."

Frat? What the hell are they talking about?

I faced Tiger, annoyed. "Would you care to explain what these people are talking about?" I demanded.

Before Tiger could respond, I heard murmurs among his guests.

"Is it just me, or does he remind you of Angelo?" one of them asked, stepping closer to me.

I stiffened slightly. He knows Angelo.

"They do look alike—not exactly, but in certain ways," another man with glasses said, typing something on his phone.

"Maybe Angelo knows him," the first guy suggested. He turned to Tiger. "Does Angelo know this guy?"

I was growing increasingly frustrated. I put down the glass Tiger had handed me earlier.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I don't see any reason to stay here," I said, turning to leave.

Before I could take another step, one of them stood in front of the door, blocking my way.

"Move," I said, my patience thinning. "Before I lose my temper."

He smirked and crossed his arms. "You definitely have the attitude of a Watson."

"Keifer, right?" the first guy asked, but I didn't respond.

"Ervin Schnee," he introduced himself, raising his glass.

I felt like a cat had caught my tongue. No words could describe how shocked I was. The owner of a multibillion-dollar bank was standing in front of me.

"I actually hate your family," he continued. "Instead of saving money in my bank, they decided to build their own."

"Someone sounds bitter," the man with soft features teased, making the others chuckle.

"I am not!" Ervin snapped, then pointed at Tiger. "Call Angelo. If he's not recruiting this kid, I will."

That word again—recruiting. What is this all about? I looked at Tiger as his phone rang. He put it on speaker. My forehead wrinkled in anticipation.

["What?! This better be important!"] Angelo's irritated voice came through the speaker.

"Aren't you coming with us?" Tiger teased.

["Fuck no! Didn't I tell you I'm busy?!"]

The group laughed faintly. Ervin motioned for the phone. Tiger handed it over.

"Angelo, my man!" Ervin greeted.

["What do you fucking want, d*ckhead?!"]

Ervin laughed. "I just want to ask if you're familiar with Keifer Watson."

Silence. Even the other men in the room seemed to pause.

["He's just a kid,"] Angelo finally said, his tone surprisingly calm. ["Don't mind him."]

"Look, are you planning to recruit him? Because I am."

Another silence.

["Don't,"] Angelo said firmly.

"I'm giving you two options," Ervin declared. "Recruit him, or I will."

Then he ended the call. He tossed the phone back to Tiger, who barely caught it. I stared at him, full of questions.

"What's going on?" I asked in a near whisper.

"I'll tell you later. Just have fun first," he answered, putting his arm around me.

He picked up the glass I had set down earlier and handed it back to me, forcing me to sit between Ervin and an unfamiliar man.

They asked a few questions. I chose to answer some but not all, especially when they got too personal or involved the Watson family's rumored wealth—particularly Ervin, who kept prying about the alleged solid gold my family owned.

I would never reveal anything.

They were obviously drunk. They must have been drinking for a while. Eventually, some of them decided to go downstairs to find women to dance with, while others chose to go home.

When they were out of sight, I turned to Tiger, who was pressing buttons on his phone despite having his eyes closed.

"Mind explaining everything to me?" I commanded.

He smiled like a child, adjusted his sitting position, and belched—causing me to recoil from the smell of alcohol on his breath.

"D-Don't tell Angelo, okay?" He made an "okay" sign with his hand.

I nodded.

"Because Angelo... joined the fraternity before we graduated from high school," he explained, pointing a wobbly finger at me.

"But... but... but it's not some cheap frat. It's international!" He raised his hands dramatically. "Every high-rank recruit gets ten million dollars. For a low rank like me, it's one million dollars."

I poked his face. "You! You're a high rank—this guy wants to snatch you… Ervin."

I could barely make sense of his slurred words. So it's a fraternity… and there's money involved?

From what I understood, if I were recruited into the so-called high rank, the person who brought me in would receive ten million dollars.

"Waaaaaait!... Don't tell Angelo I told you! He'll kill meeeeee!" he slurred. "He doesn't want to recruit you because he knows you'll use the frat to win kaaa laaaabbbbaaaannnn."

Is that so?

"Why did you and Angelo join that group?" I asked.

He let out an annoying laugh. "Because of Lon and Rafael."

I raised a brow. "I understand about Lon, but what about Rafael?"

"Siiiiiii Rafy-baby was the first to join. Then he recruited Angelo, and then me. Money, money, yaaaaaatttaaaaa, the fool."

One of his eyes started to close. He was about to pass out, so I needed to get all the information I could.

"What do I gain by joining that frat?"

He grinned widely. "Aaaayyyyiiieeee, I wanna eat!"

I lightly slapped his face.

"Connections, power, money, and alliances," he mumbled.

I stiffened at the last word.

Is this the alliance Keigan has been looking for? Are they after someone like Angelo? And I just happened to meet a group of men like him?

"Then recruit me," I commanded.

"Dddiiiiii pidi!" he blurted out.

What?!

"I thought you were a member too?"

He shook his head dramatically. "Didn't you liiiiisteeennnn?! I'm a Low Ranker."

I frowned. "What's the difference?"

His head suddenly drooped, and he started dozing off. I smacked him awake. He raised his head, looking at me in confusion while holding his ear.

"Did you just hit me?"

I shook my head. "Answer my question."

"Yeeeeengg, Low Rankers recruit only other low rankers. High Rankers can recruit both low and high ranks."

His head drooped again, so I smacked his ear harder this time.

He sat up, glaring at me. "Was that you?!"

"What if I become a Low Ranker? What do I get?"

"It's like... being a general for a king. You get protection but not as much power as the High Rankers. Your rank depends on your financial status, and you have to pay an annual fee of three million dollars. To be a High Ranker, you neeeeed to paaayyyyy!"

An annual fee?

If Angelo is a High Ranker, he must be paying every year. But how? How does he afford it when his family is struggling?

I patted Tiger's shoulder. "Thanks. Go to sleep now."

I pushed him onto the sofa, and he collapsed like a statue, unmoving.

Leaving his office, I scanned the dance floor for Ervin, but the crowd made it difficult. I finally spotted him near the stage, watching two women dance.

"Ervin!" I called out. "ERVIN!"

I shoved past the two girls beside him. He looked up at me, irritated.

"What the hell?!"

"RECRUIT ME! RECRUIT ME INTO YOUR DAMN GROUP!" I was practically screaming.

I grabbed his arm and tried to pull him aside, but he was too big for me. On top of that, the dance floor was packed.

We finally made it outside KingsGround.

I let go of his arm and turned to face him. The way he looked at me sent chills down my spine.

"You interrupted me, jerk!"

"Recruit me!"

He shook his head. "I can't. Not without Angelo's permission! You're his prospect!"

He pulled a card from his wallet and threw it at me.

"Talk to him first. Tell him to call me."

I turned away and stomped back inside, picking up the card in frustration. A calling card. I crumpled it in annoyance. I didn't expect anything from Angelo. He wouldn't let me join. But I had no other choice. I had to beg him.

For Jay-Jay.

I hurried to my car, nearly hitting a parked luxury vehicle in my frustration. My hands trembled on the steering wheel as I sped off, nearly getting into an accident. I just wanted this over with. I needed to be with Jay-Jay. Before I lost her completely.

It wasn't long before I reached their house. Some lights were still on. I checked the time—12:52 AM. I parked not far from their gate, which was open. Their maids were taking out the trash.

I didn't wait for someone to let me in—I entered on my own. Surprisingly, no one noticed me. I went straight to the second floor. The dim lighting was enough for me to find my way.

I knew where Aries and Angelo's rooms were—I had been here before. I was about to knock on Angelo's door when my eyes landed on the door opposite Aries' room.

Ci-N had told me about Jay's room.

I didn't know if she was still awake, but deep down, I knew I wanted to see her. My feet moved on their own as I stepped closer.

The light was off, except for a small glow from a lamp. She once told me she had nightmares and blamed them on the darkness.

I raised my hand to reach the doorknob. It wasn't locked. Stepping inside, I was right the light was coming from lamp.

I'm almost inside her room, I saw her tangled in her blanket, shivering. Slowly, I walked toward her, my heart tightening at the sight of her tear-streaked face. Her cheeks were turned wet because of tears. Even without asking, I knew I was the reason.

Again.

I wiped away her tears before tucking the blanket around her. Sitting beside her, I pressed gentle kisses onto her forehead several times.

"I hurt you again," I whispered. "I'm a jerk for hurting you so badly. I don't deserve you or your love." I kissed her forehead again. "But I still want it. I still want you."

I brushed stray strands of hair from his face. Her brows furrowed, and sweat formed on her forehead. She mumbled something I couldn't understand.

"Ssshhhh... It's okay. I'm here." I said it while brushing her hair. I fixed her bed and wiped her sweat. I don't care if she wakes up l.

"K-Keifer…" she murmured.

"Hey... I'm here."

"Mmmm... You... hurt..."

Are you dreaming about me?

I held her hand and kissed it. Because I was so afraid that you would be harmed, I chose to hurt you. But now, I'm afraid of losing you. And if I have to tell you the truth to prevent that from happening, I will.

"You Son of... Keifer..." she mumbled, making me chuckle.

"Profanity." I kissed her lips, but it was a soft one. ❤️

I wiped the sweat from her forehead again and combed her hair. After all this, I will prepare a fancy date for both of us. I don't know how, but I'll make sure it happens.

"I know it's wrong, but I'll do it just so I don't lose you. When I tell you the truth, I hope you understand me," I whispered, about to plant another kiss when someone interrupted.

"What truth? And why would she need to understand you?"

I slightly moved away from Jay-Jay and turned toward the voice. It was Aries, standing at the door, looking at me like he was ready to kill me.

"Move away from my sister. Now." He tried his best to sound calm.

I smiled before slowly standing up.

"Out."

I glanced at his clenched fists.

"Out. Now." He remained calm. "If I lose control, I might kill you."

I smirked. "How will you kill me when you can't even see? You're blind. Your vision is dim."

He almost attacked me—if not for the sight of Jay-Jay behind me.

Come on. Show me what you've got.

"Aries, why are you standing there?" I heard his mother—or rather, his aunt. "Is she still awake?" She stopped when she saw me. "K-Keifer... H-how did you get in?"

"Sorry for entering your house without permission," I said, looking down.

I could see the confusion on her face. She placed a hand over her chest.

"Just don't do it again." Her gaze shifted to Jay-Jay behind me. "Can you step away from her?"

I looked at Jay-Jay for a moment before nodding and walking out. They quickly closed the door. Then, Tita grabbed my arm. I pulled away slightly.

"Maybe you should talk to Jay-Jay tomorrow. It's late. She's already asleep."

"Angelo was the one who brought me here," I said.

She looked slightly startled but managed a smile.

"Then you should wait for him in the living room."

But I knew she had something else in mind. She was nervous. She had seen me in Jay-Jay's room. On top of that, no one even noticed when I entered. I walked alongside her.

"You don't have to worry. I didn't do anything to Jay-Jay."

She forced another smile as she let go of my arm.

"It's not that. Jay-Jay just doesn't like being woken up. She hasn't been sleeping well. She cries at night." She explained.

I gave a brief nod as if accepting her explanation. But I knew that wasn't the real reason. She was afraid I had done something to Jay-Jay.

When we reached the living room, she said, "Sit down first. I'll get you some juice."

I immediately stopped her.

"Aunt..." She looked at me in confusion. "I need to ask you something."

She smiled. "What is it?"

I took a deep breath. "Is it true… that you know where my dad's first child is?"

Her smile faded.

"W-what? I don't understand."

"My monster father had a child before me. Mom told me you knew where he—or she—is."

She turned pale and clutched her chest.

"I-I don't know! I swear, I don't know!" She took a step back. "I-I'm leaving!"

She knows!

I quickly blocked her path, startling her.

"Just tell me the truth, and I won't bother you anymore."

She shook her head frantically. "I really don't know anything!"

I grabbed her by the arms. She struggled to pull away, but I didn't let go.

"Please... Tell me where my half-sibling is."

"There's nothing to tell! Let me go!"

"You don't understand—"

Suddenly, someone yanked me away. Then, a fist landed on my face, knocking me to the floor.

Fuck! It's the damn demon.

"What the hell, Keifer?! What the fuck are you doing to my mother?!" Angelo shouted, pulling her into his arms protectively.

I wiped my lips with the back of my hand before standing up and straightening my clothes.

"T-that's enough, Angelo. Don't hurt the boy," his mother said, holding him back.

"What happened?" Aries asked. "What did you do, Keifer?"

"Leave now! Before I lose my patience!" Angelo hissed at me.

"I need to talk to you!" I snapped.

"I don't want to talk to you!"

"Just call Ervin Schnee and give him your permission!"

He suddenly froze, though he was still visibly furious. He took deep breaths, trying to calm himself.

"Wait for me outside," he finally said before turning to his mother.

I quickly walked out and stopped in front of my car, trying to collect my thoughts.

She knows something. Her reaction made it obvious. There was no way she'd react like that if she didn't know the truth.

She had to admit it. But how?

I waited outside their house for almost an hour before finally seeing Angelo walk toward me.

"You're not joining the fraternity." He said it bluntly.

"What?!"

"I won't let you."

"What's your problem with me?!"

"You have to leave," he said and turned away.

He was walking away. I couldn't let it end like this.

"Why are you pushing me away? Is it because of Jay-Jay? The accident with Aries and Percy? Or… is there something else?"

He stopped but didn't turn around.

"And what do you mean by that?"

"You're not pushing me away just for a superficial reason. You know something, don't you?"

He remained still.

"Where is my half-sibling?"