Jay-jay's POV
Maybe if the nurses inside the nursery could see me, they'd probably think I was weird. I kept looking at Freya, then back at the babies she was watching. Then I'd glance at her again, back to the babies, back to her, then to the babies once more.
"Are you going to stop?" Freya asked without even looking at me. "You look crazy."
I scratched my head. I didn't know how to talk to her. I wanted to apologize for what I said before she slapped me. But I was having second thoughts because her slap hurt so much — she definitely got her revenge for what I said.
In fact, she overdid it.
She let out a deep sigh before finally facing me, her eyebrows raised so high at me. I knew she was about to lash out again, so I needed a counterattack.
"Your eyebrows are so sharp — they could stab someone," I said, and she looked even more annoyed.
"Seriously?" she asked sarcastically.
I pressed my lips together. I really should think before I speak. My mouth always gets me into trouble.
"I-I just..." I scratched my head again.
"Are you jealous of my eyebrows?" she asked sharply.
No, thank you. They're dangerous.
I shook my head. "I-I just wanted to say sorry. About what I said before you slapped me."
I saw her face turn serious. I knew I had heard this before from Yuri and read it in her conversation with Aries, but it was still different hearing it confirmed by one of them.
"Is it true? He really gives you money?" i asked.
A part of me didn't really want to know the truth. Because I couldn't understand why Keifer would do that. I felt like there was a deeper reason.
But I also knew it wouldn't be surprising for the King of Snakes to hand out money easily. For all I knew, that's just how he's always helped people.
"Yeah, he does give me money," she said with an eye roll before turning back to face me. "But thanks to you, he suddenly stopped."
I pointed at myself. "Why me?!"
I felt like I was being accused of a crime I had nothing to do with.
"I don't know! But ever since he became infatuated with you, his support became inconsistent until he just stopped," she said irritably.
"I don't know anything about that either! How would I know what's going on between you two—!"
I stopped when a nurse suddenly appeared in front of us.
"Could you please lower your voices? This isn't the street," she said calmly but with clear irritation.
"S-sorry," I said, and she nodded before walking away.
I hadn't noticed how loud we had gotten. Now I had no choice but to bite my lip and stay quiet.
It's her fault.
We went back to watching the babies inside the nursery. They were all so cute, sleeping peacefully. But I couldn't seem to spot Grace's baby.
"Where's Grace's baby?" I asked Freya.
"Not here. Because the baby was born outside the hospital, she couldn't be placed with the other babies. They consider her contaminated or exposed to bacteria," she explained.
I couldn't help but be amazed by her knowledge. She seemed to know so much about childbirth and babies.
Wait a second... her?
"Grace had a baby girl?" I asked in surprise.
She raised an eyebrow at me. "You were holding the baby earlier — you didn't even notice?"
I shook my head. "She was so tiny — I was afraid to move her legs."
She rolled her eyes. "It's a girl. She looks healthy, even though she's premature. I just really hope nothing bad happens."
"It's your fault — you picked a fight with me," I muttered.
She immediately shot me a glare. "Wow, coming from you."
I was about to answer when a doctor approached us. I thought we were going to get scolded again for being noisy, but Freya faced the doctor with concern.
"You delivered Ms. Miller's baby?" the doctor asked, and Freya just nodded in response. "Where did you learn how to do that? You handled everything well. But it was still risky because the mother and baby were exposed. Aside from the baby being premature, we also can't be sure if the cord-cutting instrument was sterilized. Next time, it's better to call an ambulance."
"I know — I just panicked because the baby's head was already coming out," she explained. "How are Ms. Miller and the baby?"
The doctor, holding a chart, read through some notes before answering Freya's question.
"They're both safe. Ms. Miller is likely just exhausted, but her blood pressure is normal. The baby, however, has sepsis."
Sepsis? Is that an illness?
"W-what is sepsis?" I asked worriedly.
This is exactly what I was afraid of. Something bad had already happened to the baby. How was I supposed to face Denzel now? I made a promise, and here we were at the hospital with his child's health in danger.
"It's an infection — treatable with antibiotics. It's not that severe; a lot of babies get sepsis from their mothers," the doctor explained.
Oh, so it's Grace's fault then.
I sighed in relief. I had honestly feared the baby had developed something more serious from being born prematurely.
"The baby will be moved to Ms. Miller's room," the doctor added before facing Freya again. "You could be an obstetrician — you have the skills."
The doctor excused himself, and we both thanked him. I saw the worry on Freya's face finally ease. She had clearly been thinking about the baby and Grace's condition this whole time.
So she really does care.
It was only now that I realized she was genuinely concerned for her former friend. Now I wasn't sure if her teasing and harsh words toward Grace were just an act.
"I was so nervous — I thought something bad was going to happen to them," I said almost in a whisper.
"Thank goodness they're okay," she replied before raising her hand as if to slap me again. "If they hadn't been, oh! I wouldn't have held back."
I immediately glared at her. "Why me? You're the one who started the fight."
"You never back down, do you?"
"Neither do you."
"Could you two take your argument outside?" a nurse suddenly butted in. "You've been at it for a while now — you're disturbing people."
There it was — we finally got scolded.
I hung my head in embarrassment, while Freya stood tall and unfazed. Neither of us dared to speak as the nurse glared at us.
"One more outburst, and I'll call security to kick you out," she warned.
I felt like sticking myself to the wall to avoid her angry gaze. I was so embarrassed — we had been told off twice already. It would be even more humiliating if we actually got thrown out.
The nurse walked away still fuming. I moved back next to Freya, hoping to talk to her calmly, but I stopped when I saw her looking at her phone.
Someone was calling — but the name that appeared on the screen was "Blacklisted." She wasn't answering; she just stared at the screen like she was watching a video clip.
I suddenly had a bad feeling about who was calling her.
"Aren't you going to answer?" I asked.
"What for? He just keeps saying the same thing," she replied.
The call ended, but just seconds later, the same name called again, and she ignored it once more.
"I-is that Percy?" I asked hesitantly.
I felt awkward asking, but I wanted to confirm my suspicion. Thankfully, she didn't get irritated when I mentioned my stepbrother — the one who always brings his own air conditioning.
"I've changed my number so many times, and here he is again. Doesn't he know how to give up?" she said, calm but clearly annoyed.
I couldn't help but feel sorry for my stepbrother. I knew how hard he was trying to win Freya back because he still loved his ex so much.
Ex — wow, that's a heavy word.
Why can't Freya see that those blue eyes are serious about making things right between them? I know Percy was gone for a long time, but he's willing to make up for all the years they weren't together.
"Is there really no hope for Percy? Can't you give him just one chance? At least with him, you're sure he loves you," I pleaded.
She ended the call and put her phone back into her uniform pocket. She looked at me, clearly irritated. This time, I knew she was seriously angry — not like earlier when we were just bickering.
"If I didn't choose Yuri, who loves me so much, why would I choose your stepbrother, whom I feel nothing for?" she said with a fake smile. "Percy tricked me before. He said he'd help me get close to Yuri, but only if I pretended to be his girlfriend so there'd be a reason for us to be together. But he never let me talk to Yuri until I found out he was keeping me away from him." She raised an eyebrow at me. "Do you really think I'd let him deceive me again? Hell no."
Is that why she keeps rejecting Percy? Because from the very start, he lied to her?
I know my stepbrother can be reckless, but he wouldn't do something like that without a reason.
"Not even once did you think he did it because he loves you? He's serious about you—"
She laughed softly. "The only man who takes me seriously is your boyfriend. And no one else ever will. Everyone else always has a hidden agenda."
Was Keifer really that good to her back then? Wait — we're not even together.
"He's not my boyfriend," I interrupted, but she ignored me.
Suddenly, I remembered Edrix. I couldn't help but think about what he said and how much he likes Freya. I could really see the admiration in his eyes.
"What if there's someone else like Keifer? And what if that person likes you too?" I asked, shooting my shot.
She laughed sarcastically. "Percy?"
I slowly shook my head. "No..." I answered hesitantly.
She raised an eyebrow again. "Are you messing with me?"
I shook my head again. "No..."
She was clearly getting weirded out. "Your face looks suspicious."
"Wow! And I'm so flattered by yours!" I shot back.
"You again!" the nurse scolded me once more.
I quickly turned and walked away before she could call security. I felt Freya following me, and we stopped in a hallway far enough from the nursery so the nurses wouldn't hear us anymore.
"You're so loud!" she hissed.
"You're just too harsh," I sighed. "Anyway, back to what I was saying."
I saw her nod subtly. She kept avoiding my gaze while twirling the ends of her hair. She seemed curious, even if she tried not to show it.
Ayeih!
"It's true — it looks like he's liked you for a long time, but he's never approached you."
"Why?"
"Because he thinks he doesn't stand a chance."
She laughed sarcastically again. "Then why even tell me if he already knows he doesn't have a chance?"
"You're looking for someone serious and without a hidden agenda, right? That's him. That's exactly why he hasn't approached you — because he thinks you're just playing around, and he's not like that. He wants a serious relationship, and you probably aren't into that." I explained, and she fell silent.
It looked like she was really thinking about what I said. And finally, I realized she actually had a brain.
Congrats! If only everyone had one.
She suddenly snapped her fingers and pointed at me. I thought I was in trouble, so I clutched my chest.
"What exactly is this about? Let's say you're telling the truth. What's in it for me?" she squinted at me suspiciously. "Are you just doing this so I'll stay away from Yuri?"
Err... Partially.
"N-no, it's not like that... I-it's just so you can see that there are still guys who'd take you seriously. And if you end up liking him — happy ending."
"Happy endings are for kids. And we're not kids anymore."
I blinked at what she said. She was so bitter she couldn't even let kids believe in simple fairy tales.
"You'll miss your chance," I warned her.
She rolled her eyes but was clearly still thinking about it. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully, then bit her lower lip. It was taking her forever to decide. It looked like her brain was running on fumes.
"Fine!" she finally said, gathering her courage. "I'll give him a chance. But then what? Is he going to court me?"
I froze. I hadn't thought that far ahead. I didn't even know if Edrix would agree with all this stuff I was saying. He might chicken out again. I'd be so embarrassed.
"Maybe. But if you're uncomfortable with traditional courting, we can figure something out," I convinced her.
"Fine."
She turned her back on me and walked away. Once she was out of sight, I wanted to punch myself.
Why did I push for Edrix to get a chance? What about Percy now? I was the one who just pushed the girl he loves even farther away from him. Seriously!
Whether I admit it or not, Yuri was one of my reasons too. I knew he'd never love Freya because he was clearly showing his feelings for me — so why did they still keep meeting up?
Ugh. Whatever happens, happens.
I'd figure out something for Percy and Edrix later. For now, it was enough that Freya agreed to give someone else a chance.
I froze when I saw a guy standing at the end of the hallway. He was breathing heavily, his eyes fixed on me.
"K-Keifer..."
He shook his head before taking large strides toward me.
"Hey, sorry —" I couldn't even finish what I was saying because he suddenly hugged me.
"I'm worried as fvck," he whispered. "I thought someone kidnapped you again earlier."
My heart fluttered. I couldn't help but smile. And after everything that happened today, this was the first time I felt tired.
My arms instinctively wrapped around him. "Grace gave birth because of us. The baby was premature," I said like a child complaining. "I'm scared of Denzel."
"Sshh... No one wanted this to happen."
"Freya and I fought. Grace tried to stop us, and that's when her water broke. She gave birth in the car by the side of the road." I closed my eyes, remembering how tiny the baby was. "Their baby's so small."
"But I heard they're safe now. So you have nothing to worry about."
"Denzel... he might get mad at me."
"I'll punch him if he does," he teased, and I lightly hit his back.
He gently ran his fingers through my hair before kissing my forehead. "Don't think too much. We can talk to Denzel if he gets mad."
I nodded, but I still couldn't shake the fear of what might happen. Denzel had every right to be angry at my carelessness — but I didn't want our friendship to fall apart.
I buried my face in Keifer's shoulder. His scent was so fragrant. It felt like I was being dragged to sniff the scent. The feeling was so familiar that I couldn't help it.
"Jay? Why are you sniffing my shirt?"
His question startled me. My eyes widened, and I quickly pulled away, pushing him back.
"Y-you! You're so full of yourself! We're not even okay yet!"
He looked at me curiously before a playful smile spread across his face. "Really? Okay then."
It was obvious he was just teasing me. I just rolled my eyes before walking away. I planned to visit Grace, but I didn't know her room number, and aside from that, I hadn't returned Freya's got's car keys yet.
I faced the King of Snakes with a frown, but my irritation only grew when I noticed he was still smiling.
"Straighten up. I'll punch you."
"What?" he asked with a laugh.
"I'll punch your face, that's what." I said angrily, rolling my eyes.
"Do you know where Grace's room is?"
"VIP ward. 4th floor," he answered quickly.
I immediately looked for the elevator to get to the 4th floor, but I ended up using the stairs out of my frustration with this annoying snake. Every time I glanced back at him, that mischievous smile was still plastered on his face.
"Stop it!" I said, annoyed, but he just laughed.
Annoying! Even when we reached the 4th floor, he was still doing the same thing. I approached the nurse station and asked for directions.
They quickly pointed me to Grace's room, and just in time, Freya stepped out. She immediately looked at me, but her eyes shifted to the guy behind me.
I couldn't help but feel irritated. She raised an eyebrow and was about to approach when I held out my hand, holding her car keys.
"Keys. I forgot to give them back to you," I said with a forced smile. Freya stared at me before taking the keys from my hand.
"You're weird." She turned around and walked away.
Once she was out of sight, I immediately faced the King of Snakes again, but he was already focused on his phone. What's so interesting about that expensive phone of yours?
"Felix and the others are on their way. He's with—" He didn't finish his sentence when he saw me glaring at him.
"What?"
"What what?" I asked.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
That's when I realized my eyebrows were furrowed while I was giving him a dirty look. I shook my head.
"Nothing."
I quickly walked toward Grace's room before he could say anything else. I knocked first before opening the door. When I entered, I immediately saw Denzel fixing Grace's blanket.
I froze as I remembered everything that had happened. Scenarios of what he could say and blame me for started playing in my mind. I knew he'd be angry, and I just had to accept it.
I looked at Keifer and gestured for him to wait outside. He nodded and closed the door.
"D-denzel," I called his attention.
He turned to look at me and immediately walked toward me with quick, large strides. I thought he was going to punch me when his hand shot up. I shut my eyes tight but quickly opened them when I felt his arms wrap around me.
"Thank you, Jay!" he said, and I could hear his sobs. He pulled away and wiped his tears. I blinked in confusion. I couldn't understand what he was thanking me for.
"Denzel… Are you okay?" I asked, worried.
Maybe he'd gone crazy from being so angry with me. Maybe I should call Keifer.
"Yes, sorry." He took a deep breath. "I don't know how to thank you. You didn't leave Grace's side until she gave birth."
"B-but Grace only gave birth because of us."
"The doctor already told us about that. That's why Grace hurried to buy the baby's things, but I didn't expect it to happen today and outside the hospital."
"But still… If Freya and I hadn't fought, she wouldn't have gone into labor early."
Denzel smiled at me. "That doesn't matter to me anymore. As long as my wife and baby are safe, that's all that matters."
I clutched my chest and smiled back at him. I knew his smile was sincere. The fear and all the worries I had been carrying since earlier slowly faded away. It's a different feeling when a friend forgives you for a big mistake. Maybe that's how they felt when I forgave them for their betrayal back then.
"Don't get dramatic," a familiar voice said. Denzel and I both turned to look at Grace, who was watching us with a teasing expression. We immediately approached her.
"How are you feeling?" I asked.
"I'm okay. Thanks for screaming with me," she said with a small laugh.
Oh, right. My screams were probably even louder than hers while she was giving birth. She held my hand so tightly I thought my bones would break.
We turned toward the door when we heard a knock. It opened, and two nurses entered. One was pushing a hospital crib with a lamp attached, while the other held a chart.
"Here's the baby," one nurse said.
She adjusted the crib and connected the lamp. I squinted because of the bright light. "The baby needs to stay warm, and their temperature shouldn't drop, so they need to stay under the lamp," the nurse explained.
The other nurse just monitored Grace with some device before leaving. Denzel didn't miss the chance and gently picked up his baby from the crib, bringing them close to Grace.
"Hello, Grazel Jay."