Jay didn’t sleep that night.
She kept thinking about the na.
Admin-47.
It didn’t make sense.
The next morning, she walked into her office with ssy hair and tired eyes. That never happened.
Aries noticed right away.
"You look like you fought a ghost," he said.
Jay dropped her bag on the desk. "Maybe I did."
Aries sat up. "What happened?"
Jay hesitated.
Then, "Soone broke into both companies’ systems."
Aries’ face changed. "What?"
"They changed files. Important ones. And we don’t know who it is."
Aries stood up. "That’s serious, Jay."
"I know."
Her phone buzzed.
Keifer.
She stared at his na for a second... then answered.
"What?" she said.
"Check your email," he replied.
Jay frowned. "Why?"
"Just check it."
The call ended.
Jay opened her laptop and clicked her inbox.
There was a new email.
No sender na.
Just a blank address.
Her heart started beating faster.
"Jay?" Aries said. "What is it?"
She opened the email.
There was only one sentence.
"Trust him and you lose everything."
Jay froze.
Aries stepped closer. "What does it say?"
Jay didn’t answer right away.
Her mind was racing.
Trust him.
Him.
Keifer.
Her chest tightened.
"No," she whispered.
Aries grabbed her shoulder. "Jay. What does it say?"
She turned the screen toward him.
He read it.
Then looked at her.
"You don’t believe this, right?"
Jay didn’t answer.
At that sa mont—
Across the city—
Keifer was staring at his own screen.
Sa email.
Different ssage.
"She’s already lying to you."
His jaw tightened.
Honey stood beside him.
"What is it?" she asked.
Keifer didn’t move.
"Soone is playing gas," he said coldly.
Honey crossed her arms. "Trying to turn you against each other."
Percy, who was sitting on the couch, frowned.
"That’s ssed up."
Keifer stood up.
"They want us to fight."
Honey nodded. "So don’t."
Keifer grabbed his jacket.
"I’m going to Jay."
Percy stood too. "Good. Talk it out."
But Keifer didn’t look convinced.
anwhile—
Jay was pacing her room.
"He sent it to both of us," she said.
Aries nodded. "Exactly. It’s a trap."
"But what if—"
"Jay."
She stopped.
Aries looked at her seriously.
"You trust him or not?"
Jay opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Images flashed in her mind—
Keifer kissing her.
Holding her hand.
Standing beside her.
"You’re impossible."
"You’re mine."
Her heart hurt.
"I... don’t know," she admitted.
Aries sighed.
"Then you need to figure it out. Fast."
A knock ca from downstairs.
Jay’s heart skipped.
She already knew who it was.
She walked down slowly.
Opened the door.
Keifer stood there.
Sa tired eyes.
Sa serious face.
For a second, neither spoke.
Then—
"You got the email," he said.
"Yeah."
Silence.
The air felt heavy.
Keifer stepped inside.
"They’re trying to turn us against each other."
"I know."
"Then don’t let them."
Jay crossed her arms.
"Easy for you to say."
Keifer frowned. "What does that an?"
Jay hesitated.
Then said it.
"My ssage said not to trust you."
Silence.
Keifer’s expression didn’t change.
"Mine said you’re lying to ."
Jay blinked.
"So... we both got warned about each other."
"Yes."
Another silence.
This one felt worse.
Jay looked at him.
Really looked.
"You’re not hiding anything from ... right?"
The question hung in the air.
Keifer didn’t answer imdiately.
And that was the problem.
Jay’s heart dropped.
"Keifer."
"I’m thinking," he said.
"About what?"
"About how to explain sothing without making it worse."
Jay stepped back.
"What?"
Keifer ran a hand through his hair.
"There is sothing."
Jay felt like the floor disappeared under her.
"What do you an ’sothing’?"
"It’s not what you think—"
"Then what is it?!"
Her voice was louder now.
Aries appeared in the hallway, watching.
Keifer looked at Jay.
"I was going to tell you."
"When?! After everything blows up?"
"No. After I was sure."
"Sure about what?"
Keifer’s voice dropped.
"That it was real."
Jay stared at him.
"What are you talking about?"
He looked straight into her eyes.
"Soone has been watching the rger since the beginning."
Jay’s breath caught.
"I found sothing a week ago. Hidden records. I wasn’t sure if it was fake."
"And you didn’t tell ?!"
"I didn’t want to scare you without proof."
Jay laughed bitterly.
"Wow."
"Jay—"
"No. You should have told ."
"I was going to."
"But you didn’t."
Silence.
Heavy. Painful.
Jay shook her head.
"So maybe the ssage was right."
Keifer’s eyes darkened.
"You believe that?"
"I don’t know what to believe right now."
That hurt more than anything.
Keifer stepped closer.
"Look at ."
She didn’t.
"Jay."
Slowly, she did.
His voice was quiet.
"Do you trust ?"
Jay’s heart was pounding.
She wanted to say yes.
So badly.
But the doubt was there now.
And it was loud.
"I..." she started.
But the word didn’t co out.
Keifer nodded slowly.
Like he understood.
Like he expected it.
"Okay," he said softly.
He turned.
Walked to the door.
Jay felt sothing break inside her.
"Keifer—"
He stopped.
But didn’t turn around.
"I need ti," she said.
He closed his eyes for a second.
"Yeah," he said.
Then he left.
The door shut quietly.
But it felt loud.
Too loud.
Jay stood there, frozen.
Aries walked up behind her.
"You ssed up," he said gently.
Jay swallowed.
"I know."
Across the city—
Keifer stood outside, staring at nothing.
Honey called him.
"Did you talk to her?"
"Yeah."
"And?"
He was quiet.
Then:
"She doesn’t trust ."
Honey sighed softly.
"I’m sorry."
Keifer looked up at the sky.
Whoever was doing this...
They were winning.
For now.
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