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

Keifer's POV

"What are you up to?" I asked Keigan.

He looked at me and raised a brow. "What?"

"An arranged marriage? That's old school."

"I told you, I just acted before the elders could. That was their plan too."

I chuckled and crossed my arms. "How did you find out?"

"One of them talked to me and asked how to tame you. I didn't answer, but I decided to create a plan—"

"Without consulting me?! What the hell, Keigan?!"

I couldn't stop my voice from rising. I just wanted to talk to him and put an end to whatever he and Ion were planning.

He shook his head in disbelief. "Would you have even listened? Your mind is occupied with that girl! You're acting irrationally. Tell me, how was I supposed to consult you about this?"

"You're overdoing it!"

"I have to! How else will you do what you're supposed to? Tell me, when everything you plan revolves around her?" He smirked, full of sarcasm. "There's no 'us' anymore, just her."

Why can't you see it, Keigan?

"No, it's not. You're wrong. Everything I do—"

"I really don't like that woman. She changed you into someone I've never seen before." He sighed and shook his head again. "I'm starting to see the curse on you."

"There's no curse."

"There is. And you are the living proof." He said before walking away.

I ran my hands down my face in frustration. This was not how I expected things to turn out.

"That was intense," Honey commented.

I glared at her. She was holding a cigarette between her fingers.

Again.

"Throw that away, or I'll throw you!" I snapped before leaving.

I went straight to my room and picked up my secret phone. A message from Sir Alvin had just arrived.

📩

From: Alvin S.

Message: Your brother wants to talk to you. Call me when you're available.

I took a deep breath. I wasn't ready to talk to him yet. My mind was a mess. I had so much to think about, so much I wanted to do, but I couldn't start anything. It was almost my birthday in the Philippines. I knew Keiren wanted to wish me. I sighed and called Sir Alvin's number. After a few rings, he picked up.

["Hey..."] he greeted me.

His voice sounded lifeless, as if he had been forced to wake up and face a crowd. I couldn't blame him. Section E's building was in jeopardy, and for some reason, Angelo had no intention of stepping in.

The worst part? I couldn't do anything to stop it because Keigan was blocking me. I just hoped I could reach them in time—before that building was demolished.

"Can I talk to Keiren?" I asked.

Sir Alvin didn't answer immediately. I heard some rustling sounds, then a knock on the door, followed by a brief conversation before more rustling.

["Brother?"]

"Hey, how are you?"

Instead of answering, he giggled. ["Happy Birthday, Kuya! I have a gift for you."]

I smiled. "Really? What is it?"

["Secret. I'll give it to you soon."]

"Thank you, Keiren."

["When are you coming back?"]

"I'm not sure."

["I hope soon. I miss you and Kuya Keigan. Even though he goes by many names, I know he's still Kuya Keigan."]

I frowned. Many names?

"Keiren, what's Kuya Keigan's full name?"

["Mir Keigan Watson, but sometimes he says his name is different. Almost every day, he tells me to stop calling him Kuya Keigan."]

I rubbed my face. Keiren was the one who spent the most time with Keigan, so he saw his changes firsthand.

"Don't mind him. He's probably just messing with you."

["I hope so. I have to go now, Kuya. Ma'am Cindy is about to start tutoring me."]

Before I could say goodbye, he hung up. He used to scold and tease me all the time, but now he seemed gentler. Maybe his stay at the couple's house was doing him some good.

I knew Keiren was missing something in his life—something called parents. Even though he never said it, I could feel that's what he was longing for: loving parents to take care of him. Every time he asked me about them, it broke my heart. Not because of the truth, but because I didn't know how to answer in a way that wouldn't hurt him. I hid my secret phone when I heard a knock at the door.

"You have a visitor," Honey said, irritation lacing her tone.

"Come in," I replied.

The door opened, but instead of Honey, it was Ion who walked in. Her smile was smug as she approached me.

"Hi, I'm here to pick you up."

I glanced at Honey and noticed her repeated sighs. Her annoyance toward Ion was clearly growing.

"Where to?"

"The Watson mansion. Your cousins are requesting your presence."

I let out a deep sigh. I just wanted this over with. With another breath, I walked out of my room. Ion and Honey followed behind me.

Before leaving, I told Honey to look after Keigan for me. He's emotional, and I'm afraid this will affect him severely.

After ordering, we left. Ion can't look at me the same way she did before—she's avoiding my gaze. Even when we were alone in the elevator, silence filled the space between us.

"I'm giving you time," I said without looking at her.

"Time for what?" She continued "The decision is not just mine," she replied as the elevator doors opened.

"Time to stop this crap."

She left the hotel before me. I noticed the car she approached—it wasn't the usual one Keigan used to pick her up.

"I'll use my car. Let me find my driver."

"You can ask him to follow you. It's better if we go together," she said before getting inside.

She's starting to get on my nerves. I asked one of the bellboys to deliver a message to my driver. Then, I got inside the car. Ion and I sat next to each other, but it felt like there was a wall between us.The ride to the mansion was silent. I never thought I'd set foot in that place again.

What are the odds?

The route was familiar, so I stared out the window. Even from a distance, I could see the Watsons' grand house—the wide green grass field in front of the mansion, the pebbled road crunching under the car's tires. The car circled the Victorian-style fountain before stopping at the entrance.

I got out first and opened the car door for Ion. She allowed me to and gave me a short smile. We walked in together. The massive door swung open, and my idiot cousin Clyde was already waiting for us.

"Ion, my dear," he greeted her with open arms.

Ion gave him a peck on the cheek before embracing him.

"Nice to see you again."

Clyde shot me a mocking look before releasing her. She stepped back to my side.

"Keifer, good thing you came," he said, moving to hug me.

I immediately raised my middle finger in his face to stop him.

"I'm not in the mood."

He stepped back, raising both hands in surrender.

"Is that how you repay your cousin, who worked so hard for your party?"

Oh, great.

I shoved my hands into my pockets as the eldest of the Elders descended the ornate stairs. His cane struck the polished floor with a loud thump. As he approached, Clyde rushed to assist him, but the Elder raised a hand to stop him.

"Set aside your bad manners. You're in my house," he said.

"You mean my house?" I countered, raising an eyebrow.

He shot me a deadly glare. I couldn't help but feel a little nervous—despite his age, he still carried the superior aura of a Watson. But I made sure he didn't see that it affected me.

"The deed is not yours yet."

"But it will be…" I glanced at my wristwatch. "…in a few hours."

Ion grabbed my arm. We both looked at him.

"K-Keifer, he's your grandfather. Please show some respect," she said calmly.

The Elder chuckled. "You forgot to introduce your fiancée."

I simply stared at him. When he realized I had no intention of making introductions, he took the initiative. He let go of me and barely approached the older man.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Janine Ion, and I'm Keifer's fiancée," she said, extending her hand.

The Elder accepted it but, instead of shaking it, lifted it to his lips and kissed the back of her hand. Ion took a step back but quickly composed herself. The Elder smiled sweetly at her.

I rolled my eyes. Gross.

Ion smiled awkwardly before withdrawing her hand. I heard Clyde chuckle.

"She's indeed a darling," the Elder said before turning to me. "Your brother knows better than you."

I sighed, trying to calm myself. I wanted to punch Clyde in the face and stomp on the old man in front of me.

"Tell me something about yourself, young lady," the Elder said, motioning for us to walk.

We followed. Ion and the Elder walked together while Clyde and I trailed behind them.

"I'm a general surgeon, but I'm currently on hiatus. I was taking my residency when I decided to pause due to an important matter," Ion explained.

"So, you're a doctor. What a great profession," the Elder said, though I sensed a mocking tone. "A very hardworking person. Women like you are welcome in my family."

"Thank you. I'm flattered to hear that."

"You really suit my grandson Keifer. Unlike another woman I know…" The Elder trailed off, and I frowned. "...A bastard who can't find her father, adopted by her relatives, and still ungrateful to them. And her mother, who is on her sixth or seventh husband."

"Oops," Clyde whispered.

My fists clenched, ready to strike. I wasn't surprised that he knew about Jay-Jay, but I couldn't understand why he brought her up.

What are you trying to prove?

"Those kinds of women will never suit my grandson."

"You're crazy, you old man," I muttered calmly.

Ion immediately looked at me, eyes wide in shock. Clyde and the Elder also stopped, clearly confused by what I said. Ion tried to smile, attempting to keep the situation under control.

"What did he say?" the Elder asked her.

She shook her head. "Nothing important."

"I said you're crazy."

Clyde frowned, struggling to grasp my words.

"Keifer…" Ion forced an awkward smile. "…A little respect. That's your grandfather."

Her words were different from her expression. She was obviously doing her best to divert their attention from the true meaning of what I had just said.

"Extra headway. Headway. Headway. Headway," I repeated in a flat tone.

The two were obviously confused, especially when Ion came to me and gripped my arm tightly.

"Keifer." There was a threat in her tone.

"Is there something we should know?" Clyde stepped forward, crossing her arms.

I looked at him with a blank expression.

"You don't have a brain. It's a bag."

Ion smiled awkwardly at him. She gripped my arm so tightly that I could feel her nails digging into my skin. I made sure not to react, even though it hurt.

"N-nothing. He's just asking how to say thank you," she said, trying to save my ass.

I don't need to be saved.

"We should continue," the Elder said, and they resumed walking.

Clyde followed him after giving me a warning look. Ion was still holding my arm. I pulled away in a single motion.

"You don't have to help me," I said, walking away from her.

"That's her, right?" she asked, making me stop in my tracks. "That's what your grandfather says. She's the reason why you cling to hope."

She walked closer to me. I looked at her with a warning in my eyes. One wrong word, and I might not be able to control myself.

"Who is she? Keigan told me that he needs me to get rid of a woman in your life. She's that woman, right?"

My fists clenched. "She's none of your business."

"She is now. I can help you with her."

I laughed as if it were a joke. I'm a Watson—I don't ask for help when it comes to the girl I love.

"I don't need any help. What I need is for you to stop this bullshit."

I turned my back on her and kept walking, but she had no intention of stopping. She tried to walk alongside me. I saw Clyde enter a large door. That's probably the biggest hall where they're planning to hold the event.

"Listen to me, Keifer. Your brother can ruin her."

Fuck this.

I stopped and turned to face her again. I leaned in so she could understand every word I was about to say.

"And I can ruin my brother—or anyone who tries to touch her! I will do anything to protect her, even if it means hurting myself!" I caught my breath after saying those words.

She just looked at me with a trace of amazement.

"You're really like Angelo. You both turn selfless…" Her face hardened. "...and selfish at the same time."

She turned her back on me and walked into the hall. I shook my head. I really don't like being compared to that demon.

Not to him.

It's just an angel's name, but he's really a demon. Pretentious.

I followed them into the hall. As expected, most of the servants were there, setting up for the event. A few of my cousins were also present.

"Keifer," one of my cousins called out, walking toward me.

Hazel Watson.

She handed me a paper bag.

"Please change. We need your photos for the program tonight," she said before walking away.

I glanced at one of my cousins. He was holding a camera, talking to someone while scouting for the best spot for the pictorial. This is crap. Just like them. I didn't know this nonsense was even necessary. What a waste of time.

"Just do what she said. You won't like it when my control-freak sister gets mad," Clyde said, sipping champagne.

You won't like it when I get mad.

"Whatever."

I took the paper bag and headed straight to the washroom. I changed into the tuxedo Hazel had picked. It was an expensive brand.

I looked at myself in the mirror, surprised at how well it fit. While adjusting my pants, my gaze landed on the secret phone resting on my discarded clothes.

I hadn't talked to Jay-Jay in a while. I decided to send her a message.

To: My Future Mrs. Watson

Message: Hey. How are you?

I was about to wait for her reply when the door suddenly opened, and Clyde walked in. I quickly hid the secret phone in my clothes.

"Don't you know how to knock?" I asked, irritated.

He raised a brow. "Don't you know how to lock?"

I sighed. Arguing with him was pointless. I adjusted my clothes and was about to leave when the door opened again. Clyde and I both groaned at Hazel's sudden entrance.

"Damn it! Don't you know how to knock?" Clyde asked while hurriedly zipping his pants.

Hazel raised a brow. "Don't you know how to lock?"

They're definitely siblings.

Hazel turned to me and grabbed my hand. She dropped something on the table next to the door, then quickly pulled me out.

"Can you move a bit faster?" she said, dragging me like a child.

"What is this for?" I asked, but she didn't answer.

We reached the middle of the hall, and she finally let go of me. I heard the clicking of cameras pointed in my direction.

What's the purpose of this?

I heard Hazel yelling, ordering me to pose. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ion watching me behind Hazel. She seemed to be enjoying the show.

I rolled my eyes. I just followed my cousin's instructions to get it over with. I wanted to end this nonsense. This party was a waste of my time anyway. The photographer paused. Hazel spoke to him and Ion. A sense of unease crept over me. I had a bad feeling about this.

Not with her.

And I was right. Hazel pulled Ion closer to me, trying to position us side by side. She even grabbed my arm to guide me, but I stopped her.

"What are you doing?" I asked, irritation lacing my voice.

"Couple picture," Hazel said as if it were obvious.

I immediately walked away. "No. This is enough. We're done."

"What? No, we are—"

"I said we are done!" I shouted and glared at her.

She stepped back and gulped. "O-okay."

I turned my back on her and walked away. That's when I noticed Clyde smiling while looking at a cellphone—fuck! That's my phone.

Something snapped inside me, and adrenaline rushed through my body. I ran and immediately grabbed my phone from him.

That's how furious I was when I saw him replying to Jay-Jay's message. My hand automatically grabbed his shirt. He remained smiling, which only made me more livid.

"How dare you?!" I shouted at him.

He only responded with a loud laugh. I punched him twice, but it didn't stop him. He kept laughing at me.

"Keifer! Stop!" I heard Ion shout.

"What the hell?! Stop! Someone stop him!" Hazel yelled.

But I listened to no one. I kept punching him. Blood was pouring from his nose and mouth. Someone tried to stop me, but they just received a punch from me. I turned back to Clyde, but the roaring voice of the Elder made me freeze.

"KEIFER!"

My breathing was heavy. My fists were still clenched. I badly wanted to break Clyde's skull and watch his blood stain the shiny floor. Hazel and the others immediately rushed to Clyde to help him. Some people started cleaning up the mess I had made.

"K-Keifer." It was Ion, and I could sense she wanted to touch me.

I turned to the old man when I heard his cane hitting the floor. He looked at me, full of disappointment, before walking away.

"What happened, Keifer?" Ion asked calmly.

"None of your business."

I looked around and saw nothing but darkness. I might as well just leave everything behind. This place was nothing but fucked up.

I saw my car, and the driver was waiting outside the mansion. He immediately opened the door for me.

"Uncle Kier's place," I said as I got inside.

He looked at me with doubt. "S-Sir, there is an order—"

"I don't give a fuck!"

He didn't speak anymore and just drove the car away from that place. I looked at my phone and read Jay-Jay's messages. I gasped when I saw them.

That fucking asshole.

He even sent my picture. I was a little relieved when I confirmed that he hadn't replied with anything that would hurt Jay-Jay. I wouldn't be able to handle it if he found out about the engagement setup.