ANG MUTYA NG SECTION E BOOK 3(English version)

Next Day ... Afternoon
Jay's Pov

🌧️ Flashback 🌧️

We waited for Keifer to come home.
Even the next morning, he didn't.

Then, we contacted the pilot of his
private jet.
That's when the pressure grew
heavier.

"Sir hasn't gone anywhere for a
month. Not anywhere." he said.

But it didn't end there.
After that Astor called me.

________________________________

Astor's Pov

"Jay jay, actually... I think
there's a problem.
I didn't notice until you mentioned .

"Last week, we had a Christmas
party at uni.
Keifer wanted to go for a long
time...but he didn't come that
day.
And also—
There was a special lecture series one
week before exams. He didn't
attend any lectures either.

"I thought he was busy, That's why
I didn't interrupt much."

________________________________

Jay's Pov

"Thanks for telling me, Astor."
I put my phone down.

From last month...
Keifer hadn't been home all day.

He only came at night—midnight
and left again early, like 5 or 6 in the
morning.
No one questioned it because he had
lots of work to balance.

But... he didn't attend lectures. didn't
go to parties, meetings...
didn't even go abroad. Then where is he?

What's happening...?

🌧️ Flashback ends 🌧️

________________________________

At present-Jay's home.

I was laying on my bed, not doing
anything.
My phone was resting beside my
hand.

Well — not resting.
I dialed his number again.
For the 333rd time.
Still no answer.

Messages sent.
Not read.
Not even delivered.

My mind was a complete mess.
I looked at the blank ceiling once.

"wait...when C-in came, I texted
him..."
He didn't reply back.

I opened Keifer's chat.

————————————————————————
Message:
"C-in came todayyyy... come see us
when you're free!"
Status:Delivered.Read.
————————————————————————

He went missing three days after
that .

Did something bad happen to him?

I could hear my heart .
It started to pound—bit by bit,
faster.

I stared at my phone, scrolling up to
see our last messages.
And my eyes stopped at a message I
sent him:

————————————————————————
"I'm here. Thames looks so pretty
today."
————————————————————————
No reply.
I remembered how he'd called  me
that day...
telling me he was busy.

That day, he was so different.
Like he was not  okay.

....And the next thing was
the rooftop café.

————————————————————————
"Where are you? It's been so long ,
Keifer..."
————————————————————————

I was sitting quietly at the café,
but after he came,
he apologized with a rose.
I was so angry...but became normal
because of keifer.

And then my eyes ended up on
another message.
One I sent when he was at the
company.

"Did you eat?"

I sent that at night, but the reply came
the next day, night.

He was so busy last month.
Always work...

I went quiet,
thinking.

I checked my phone again.

There were some messages I hadn't
noticed before.

Half-replied.
Some, no replies at all.
No daily texts.

That meant...
he wasn't himself.

Did he have a problem?
What happened to him?
(A pause)

Why didn't I realize it before...?

A few tears slipped down my
cheeks as I gripped my phone screen ..tight.

Knock knock...

Someone knocked.

My papa came into the room,
carrying a warm cocoa.
I looked at him.

Papa...
Keifer..."

"Let's find him jay ,hm."
He said, handing me the cocoa cup

I took it , with my fingers
they were trembling a bit.

"Hihihhhhhh... hihhhhhhih..."
A sound outside.

I opened the curtains.

Snow everywhere.
A father and daughter ice skating
outside,
giggling happily.

"Catch me, papa! Huhhhhuhhhhhuu!"

I watched them silently,
not blinking.

Author's Pov

Jay looked at them silently
Not blinking
But her eyes...
they were filled with sadness.

🌧️ Flashback. 🌧️

"Keifer, promise me —we'll go ice
skating at Christmas."

"Mm, let's go."

🌧️ Flashback ends. 🌧️

Jay's pov

My forehead was on the cold
glass,I whispered to myself.
"We were supposed to skate together
too.."❄️

❄️❄️✌🏻"