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

Keifer's POV

I won't last a day without seeing her. This is hard. It's very difficult, especially for me. I badly want to see her.

I miss my Jay-Jay.

I almost crumpled the paper in my hand while glancing at my phone—the one that had only one number saved.

Her number

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I messaged her now. Keigan isn't here yet. I was about to pick up the phone when I heard my main phone ring. I took it out of my pocket and looked. It was a text message from Mr. Ryder.

📩

From: Atty. Raider

Message: Hanamitchi's only heir is no longer engaged.

I straightened up, staring at the message. They're no longer engaged. A smirk formed on my lips. Finally, some good news. I thought I'd have to take over Hanamitchi just to break that engagement. Looks like Yuri's family took care of it.

In your face, Angelo! In your face!

Jay-Jay is mine. Only mine! No other man can have her except me. Let this be a lesson for Angelo.

I slipped my phone back into my pocket and returned to reading. At least now, I have another reason to keep going. One of my problems was resolved just like that.

But there's more.

I still have a lot to deal with. My head is starting to hurt, but this is a good start.

"Kuya, can I go home now?" Keiren asked while playing with his tablet.

"No. I told you, we're staying here for a month."

"What about my school?" He put down his tablet and looked at me.

"My girlfriends will miss me."

I put down the papers in my hand. Did he just say girlfriends—with an S?

"Excuse me? What girlfriends?" I asked, emphasizing the S.

"The girls who give me gifts every day. They're my girlfriends."

I rolled my eyes. He has a completely different understanding of dating. Just then, I heard the door to our suite open. I immediately grabbed my secret phone and slipped it into my other pocket.

"By lunchtime, you'll meet our relatives—mostly distant cousins," Keigan said, throwing himself onto the long sofa.

I turned back to the documents. These were brief reports on Watson Enterprise and the latest developments within the company.

This is more complicated than I expected—much bigger than I thought. What will happen once I'm inside the company?

This isn't what I imagined. Not even close. It feels like I'm going through the eye of a needle.

"You will never become the CEO of Watson Enterprise."

Clyde's words suddenly echoed in my mind.

"You don't have a degree. No experience or knowledge about the company. You're underage."

Hearing those words from him made me feel ashamed of myself. Even though it was just the two of us in his office yesterday, I felt like I had embarrassed our entire family.

"So, how will you handle this position?"

Frustration boiled inside me, and I threw the papers across the room. My brothers immediately looked at me. I stood up and walked toward the balcony, needing fresh air. Keigan quickly stopped me before I could open the glass door.

"Don't, Kuya!" he shouted.

I frowned. "What?"

"That's not a good place to die."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. I almost forgot. We're in London, and most people here would love to see me soaking in my own blood. I raised both hands in surrender and walked back to my room. I nearly slammed the door shut. Collapsing onto my bed, I let out a sigh.

Damn it.

I don't want to return home empty-handed after all this suffering. I'll probably visit Clyde again tomorrow. I need to find a way into the company. I don't care if I start in a small position—as long as I'm inside. I'll take it one step at a time until I reach the top. I grabbed my secret phone and messaged Jay, but there was no reply.

At some point, I drifted off to sleep. I only woke up when someone started shaking me roughly.

"Kuya! Wake up! Kuya, Keigan said you need to get up now!" Keiren's voice pulled me out of my sleep.

"Stop… I'm awake!" I groaned, forcing my eyes open.

He stopped shaking me and leaned in.

"What do you want for your birthday?" he asked, catching me off guard.

He knows when my birthday is, but we never celebrate it. So, it was surprising that he asked about a gift.

"Are you going to re-gift me something?" I teased.

He shook his head. "Nope. Just asking."

I groaned loudly, and he laughed mischievously before running out of the room. I sat up at the edge of my bed and searched for my phones. I found my secret phone under my pillow and my main phone on the bedside table. Checking the time, I frowned. I slept for that long? It was already 11 a.m. I checked my messages. No replies on my secret phone.

Did she run out of load?

Maybe I should add her number to my plan so she doesn't have to worry about reloading. Then, I checked my main phone. My forehead creased at the first message in my inbox.

📩

From: Chickenhead

Message: You left the country without saying goodbye to me.

I immediately sent my response.

To: Chickenhead

Message: Don't cry. I'll be back soon.

I didn't wait for his reply. I got up and went to the bathroom to take a bath. Water was still dripping from my hair when I came out. I glanced at my phone before picking it up to check his message.

📩

From: Chickenhead

Message: Don't come back. Stay where you are. Jay-Jay will be mine.

I almost chuckled bitterly.

To: Chickenhead

Message: Keep dreaming. It's free anyway.

I didn't receive a response from him after that. I just continued what I was doing. I changed into something appropriate. I was about to leave when Keigan almost ran toward me.

"I thought you had gone back to sleep."

"Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Our cousins are waiting for us."

I nodded and followed him. This was their plan—coming here to face our relatives. I met some of them yesterday when we arrived. As usual, they don't like having me around or being in my company. I have cousins who are obviously insufferable.

Most of them live in Scotland or Ireland, while others reside in the rural areas of England. Only those who work for or are interested in our family business live here in London. All I know is that some of my cousins live in other countries and are just visiting.

The Watson family is large, with so many children everywhere. I'm not surprised. Despite their wealth and influence, only a few are recognized by the main family.

Unfortunately, I'm not one of them, despite being my late grandfather's grandchild. I don't know if it's because of my monster father or the fact that I didn't grow up with them.

I was in the lobby when I heard conversations in different languages. My relatives were everywhere. Everywhere I turned, I saw cousins and other family members. At first glance, I could tell. The Watson resemblance was that obvious.

"Gordon Bennett! It's you!"

A man walked up to me with an amused expression. His accent was deep, clearly indicating he grew up here. I almost asked who Gordon was but quickly remembered it was just an expression. And he was talking about me.

He grabbed my hand and arm for a handshake. Though I was confused, I still went along with it. Others immediately noticed and approached us. Keiren and Keigan stood behind the crowd, watching. Everyone was excited to talk to me, while I just observed them.

"Jemelle Ruth, from Slovakia." A woman with a strange accent introduced herself. "We're third cousins."

"Hi, I'm Miracle!" Another woman chimed in. "My dad is your second cousin, but he's not here." I forced a smile.

Another woman approached me and even kissed my cheek. "Francheska Grace, half-Filipina. So if you ever need someone to talk to in Tagalog, just call me." She smiled sweetly.

"Excuse me!" Another woman interrupted. "Martina Carla, from Spain," she said with a distinct accent.

I noticed that most of them were women, and many were from different countries. Martina pulled another woman forward and introduced her to me.

"H-hi, I'm Irene Flores. I'm from Spain, like Martina," she said shyly. "We're second cousins."

I forced another smile before turning away. I was about to approach Keigan, who was talking to someone, when another person came up to introduce himself.

"Bonjour! I'm Zrapyire, a fashion designer from France." He kissed me on both cheeks and hugged me tightly.

I wasn't surprised by his gesture—French people are known for being sweet and somewhat intimidating.

"Nice to meet you," I said before walking away.

When I reached Keigan, I saw that he was talking to a woman. As soon as I approached, he introduced her.

"This is Franchezka Reigne. She's from Finland and a lawyer," Keigan said.

She extended her hand for a handshake. I accepted it and smiled.

"If you ever need help regarding your rights in this family, just call me," she said in a thick accent.

I simply nodded before turning to Keigan and pulling him away from the crowd of cousins.

"Where did all of these people come from?" I asked in Tagalog.

I knew the people standing near us were listening, so it was better to speak in a language they might not understand.

"They're our cousins. They wanted to meet you," he replied.

I shook my head. "Do you really believe that? They're no different from the rest of our relatives."

"Then take advantage of the opportunity. Use them to gain allies in this family."

What was the point of having allies if they were fake? I didn't say anything and just let Keigan do what he planned. He knew better than I did.

I introduced him to more cousins. This time, a group of men approached me. Most of them were from Northern Europe, including Germany and Poland. If there was one thing notable about my male cousins, it was their confident demeanor. It must have been the Watson blood in them.

Some of them no longer carried our last name. For others, it wasn't even an option because they were illegitimate children who weren't recognized by the main family. We all turned when one of our cousins suddenly clapped. Everyone immediately fell silent.

"I know we're all excited to meet Keifer, but let's continue our conversation... with a nosh!" he announced with a thick accent.

My cousins immediately clapped and began walking toward the hotel restaurant. I saw Keiren frowning as he approached me.

"What is 'nosh'?" he asked.

"It means food." I messed up her hair. "Do you want to eat?"

"Yes, I still haven't eaten lunch." I turned my back and followed our cousins.

I did the same. The restaurant has an old-fashioned concept, probably because of the preserved appearance of the hotel. They are having trouble choosing what to eat. I hear different languages.

"Jahzara! Alexandra! Sit here!"

"Hannah Lois! Call your brothers now!"

"Stop shouting, JAY BELLE!"

I stopped when I heard the name. Remembering her now suddenly makes me want to contact her. I wanted to know if she's eating properly. Maybe she's still asleep. I want to text her to ease my worries, but Keigan is in front of me. He might notice and start asking questions.

The waiter came with the menu. I ordered the same as Keiren. Keigan was having a lot of fun talking to them, while I was just listening. They often talk about our life in the Philippines.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" one of my male cousins asked me. "We heard a rumor that you're going crazy over a girl."

The tone of their voices changed. Most of them whispered to me in other languages, but I knew what they were getting at.

"You know exactly what happens to a Watson—"

"There's no such thing. It's not real," I said, looking at them sharply.

If it were just an ordinary person, I would probably avoid him, but since he is a Watson, I just laughed while shaking my head.

"It's real, Keifer. What do you think is the reason why most of us are single?" my female cousin said with her French accent.

Like I care.

"Because they leave us. Most of the people we love leave us," one of my male cousins said. "Our possessiveness is the reason."

I almost rolled my eyes. Excuse me, I'm not possessive. Yes, I get jealous easily, but that doesn't make me possessive.

"Even Clyde was left by his ex-fiancée," they added.

"He was left because he's an idiot," I said, and they laughed.

"But seriously, Keifer. It's like a curse, a real curse. And only those who are lucky can overcome it."

I looked at them confidently. "Then I'll be one of those lucky bastards."

Most of them smiled at what I said, shaking their heads. They cheered and returned to their respective conversations.

I looked at Keigan, who obviously did not agree with what I said. But he can't do anything about it. I will not hide the truth from them or even from the elders of the family.

Just don't make the mistake of worrying about me. I will consume them all.

"There will be a game on Saturday! Let's watch it!" someone suddenly shouted.

Everyone looked at me as if they were waiting for my decision. I simply nodded before they cheered. They talked and laughed endlessly about what they had done. Lunch was served.

Honestly, I feel different with these people compared to my other cousins. Maybe because, like me, they are not accepted by the main family either. It's amazing that they're fine with that. They have the right to many things, but they don't fight for them anymore because they're happier with what they have.

I want that too!

But it's not possible. I have too much to lose, too much happy suffering. Mom's death will be fun. Some time passed before they thought of leaving. Some of my male cousins even stayed behind to drink.

"See this? She's my girl!" one of my cousins said while showing us a picture.

"She's out of your league!" another answered.

Our other cousin immediately laughed at the annoyance on his face. The conversation continued with them showing pictures.

"Can we see a picture of your girlfriend?" one of them asked me.

I stopped myself from raising a brow. I had no intention of showing them Jay-Jay. I don't want them to be interested in her. As long as I know she's beautiful, I don't need other people's opinions!

"I don't want to," I said and took a sip of my drink.

They shook their heads, understanding what I meant. Fortunately, I didn't have to explain myself further.

We finished 23 bottles, but they still weren't drunk. It's true that the Watsons have a high alcohol tolerance. It was already afternoon by the time we decided to go home.

I took them to the hotel lobby, where Keigan was waiting for me. We said our last goodbyes before they finally left.

"They never asked," I said, and Keigan looked at me. "They never asked about the company."

They didn't even beg me to let them work in the company, unlike the cousins I had met before.

"What do you think about them?"

"I noticed their connection to each other. Even though they come from faraway places, they seem like neighbors. That's something I never saw in the main family."

Keigan nodded briefly. "I like them."

"Me too," I said before walking back to our suite.

There's still a day left, but I'm already feeling heavy. I want to lie down and close my eyes. Entering my room, the first thing I saw was Keiren holding the tablet again.

I ignored him and went to my room. I sat down on the bed and rubbed my neck. It feels like it's been a long day, and I'm exhausted.I took both of my phones and looked at the one with only one number saved.

I miss Jay-Jay. I miss her so much. I feel like I want to go home to the Philippines just to catch a glimpse of her. I just wanted to hear her voice. Out of nowhere, I noticed my phone. It was dialing Jay's number. I didn't even realize I had pressed the call button.

I immediately canceled the call, clutching my chest from nervousness. She can't hear my voice. She might recognize me. My phone screen lit up with a message—from her.

📩

From: My Future Mrs. Watson

Message: Baliw! (Crazy!)

I smiled. At least she texted me first. I immediately typed a reply.

📩

To: My Future Mrs. Watson

Message: Me or You? Yes, nMn!

I know she'll answer me with her usual curses and profanity.

📩

From: MyFutureMrs. Watson

Message: "When are you really? Your trip to the world is great! What kind of trip can I have? How long do you plan to keep this up? I have a problem, and I don't know what to do. I don't want to join it."

I was quite surprised. Her message was so long that I couldn't understand it at first. She really likes this type of texting.

I tried reading it word for word. A few minutes later, I finally understood—it seemed like she had a problem. And I had a feeling it was about the cancellation of her engagement. She needed someone to talk to.

Should I talk to her?

I can't. If she hears my voice, she'll recognize me. And if she does, she'll stop answering my messages.

What should I do then?

I stood up and paced around the room. She needs to talk, and I can listen, but I can't speak. That's not a conversation—it's just silence. Maybe she wouldn't want to talk to someone who doesn't respond.

Frustrated, I ran a hand through my hair. I guess it's up to her. As long as I don't say anything, it should be fine. I dialed her number and waited for her to pick up.

["H-Hello?"] I heard her voice.

I closed my eyes, savoring the sound. I missed her voice so much. I wanted to speak, to tell her how much I love her.

["Hello? Is there anyone there? A person? An animal? An alien? A fairy? An impact? A fool? A jerk?"] she said, and I almost laughed.

She was always like this—challenging.

["If you don't talk, I'll kill you,"] she threatened, clearly annoyed.

I expected that. Who would want to talk to someone who doesn't respond? But this was the only way.

["Hey! Come on! Stop it! That whole mysterious effect isn't fun—it's annoying! You're just adding to my already huge list of problems!"]

I ended the call. I couldn't tell her anything over the phone. Instead, I composed a message, mimicking her style of texting so she'd understand me easily.

To: My Future Mrs. Watson

Message: I can't talk, but I can listen. Tell me your problem. At least it'll lighten the weight of what you're feeling.

I gave her a few seconds before calling again. She picked up after just one ring. I stayed silent and waited for her to speak.

["Gagong Baliw...."] she muttered, and I frowned.[ "...because I don't know who you are. That's why I gave you that name."]

Seriously? She didn't even know me but had the audacity to call me an Gagong Baliw? I smirked and bit back a laugh.

["I really don't get your life choices. You could just introduce yourself instead of acting so weird. Maybe you're ashamed of your face?"]

Yes, I really owe you a lot. Too much, actually.

["I have so many problems—family, home, school, classmates, and that whole love-life mess. And then there are the jerks too. I think I'm really losing it."]

It sounded like she had been in another fight. I'd have to contact Rory about this.

["I don't know if you know my whole story. I come from a broken family. My mom is with someone else, and I can't be with my dad. I feel like I've suffered every kind of pain from both of them."]

I knew she'd been carrying that weight—probably her whole life.

["At home, I live there, but I'm not really considered family. Not always, at least. They tried to set me up with my classmate's business partner's son. They forced me to agree to the marriage—but then backed out in exchange for completely ruining the company."]

I knew about that. It was my fault, too, for letting Yuri go through with his plan. I guess we both had our own schemes back then. I was so sure I'd win.

["My problem at school? The same as every student's—I just want to graduate already!"]

I chuckled.

["My classmates..."] Her tone turned serious. [" thought they were my friends. But it turned out, I was just a game to them—a bet, a joke. I thought I belonged to them."]

You do belong. You always have. You were one of us from the moment you stepped into that classroom.

["And then, the person I loved? He's nothing but trouble! I should slap him left and right. Does my face look like a Barbie doll to him? Is that why he's playing with me? What's his deal? I think that jerk is gay!"]

Did she just call me gay? I nearly reacted.

["He's definitely gay! Do you know who that is? Mark Keifer Watson! That's right—he's gay! GAY!"]

And she actually said it. Just wait till I get home—I'll prove to you that I'm not.

"Tss..." I muttered under my breath, immediately regretting it.

Crap! In my panic, I ended the call. This is driving me insane! What if she realizes who I am? I silently prayed she didn't.

A message popped up.

📩

From: My Future Mrs. Watson

Message: "I wasn't done talking yet... Are you even listening?"

Damn it. Maybe it's better if I just stay away. I might not be able to hold back.

To: My Future Mrs. Watson

Message: "Sorry, I have to go."

I sent the message and shoved my phone under my pillow. Frustrated, I groaned and ran a hand through my hair. Next time, I need to focus and make sure I don't slip up again.

So stupid, Keifer!