Jay POV
The hand on my face lingered too long.
I opened my eyes.
And there she was.
Jeana.
Standing at my bedside like she hadn't been the reason I learned how to survive without her.
My chest tightened, but my face stayed blank.
"You're awake," she said, smiling carefully. "I was worried."
I didn't answer.
She glanced behind her. "Oh. This is Andy Estrado. My boyfriend."
The man leaned forward slightly. "Hi, Jay."
I stared straight ahead.
Nothing.
Jeana's smile fell.
"Jay," she said sharply. "Say something."
"What do you want?" I asked.
Her brows knit together. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
Her voice rose immediately. "I come all this way after hearing you were injured and that's how you talk to me?"
I let out a short, humorless laugh.
"You didn't come for me. You came because someone told you."
"That's not true," she snapped. "I'm your mother."
"That word doesn't mean what you think it does."
Her eyes flashed. "You don't get to talk to me like that."
"I do," I shot back. "You left. You chose yourself. Don't come here pretending you care now."
Andy shifted uncomfortably. "Jeana, maybe—"
"Stay out of it please," she said looking at him.
She turned back to me, stepping closer. Too close.
"I came back to care for you," she said. "And you're acting like this?"
I clenched my fists.
"You don't get to 'come back.' You don't get to scold me. You don't get anything."
Her hand lifted.
Not fully raised.
But enough.
The room felt like it was shrinking.
"After everything I've done for you," she hissed, "this is how you repay me?"
"That's a lie," I snapped. "You didn't stay. You didn't protect me. Don't rewrite it now."
Her face twisted in anger.
"You were always difficult."
Something cracked inside me.
"Then why are you here?" I shouted. "To remind me why I stopped needing you?"
Her hand moved again.
That's when the voice cut through the air.
"Stop."
Weak.
But solid.
I turned my head.
Keifer.
Sitting up slightly, pale, eyes burning despite the way his body trembled.
Jeana scoffed. "Kid, stay out of this."
She turned back to me.
"And you," she said coldly. "I came back for you, and you treat me like this?"
I didn't answer.
I pressed the call bell.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Four.
Hard.
The sound echoed like a warning.
The door burst open.
And everything changed.
The door didn't just open.
It flooded.
The doctor rushed in first, followed by Angelo, Uncle Victor, Aunty Serina. Keagan and Keiren right behind them. Then Aries, Ci-N, Felix, Calix, Edrix, Drew, David, Yuri, Eman.
Section E. All of them.
Hex came last.
And the moment he saw her, his entire body went rigid.
He didn't ask questions.
He didn't hesitate.
He stepped in front of my bed.
Between me and Jeana.
Like a shield.
Jeana's lips curled slowly. "Oh. Charles. You're here too?"
Hex didn't move.
"Does your father know you're here?" she continued lightly. "Should I tell him?"
For a split second, fear flickered in Hex's eyes. A crack.
But he stayed right where he was.
Angelo's voice cut in, sharp. "Jeana. What are you doing here?"
She turned, offended. "I heard Jay was injured. I came to see my daughter."
My chest burned.
"But I don't want to see you," I said. My voice shook despite me trying to steady it. "Not now. Not ever. So get out."
The room went still.
Jeana scoffed and took a step forward.
Hex shifted instantly, blocking her path fully now.
She stopped short. "Move."
"No," Hex said quietly.
Her eyes narrowed. "You think you can stop me?"
I sucked in a breath. "Don't come any closer!"
She ignored me.
That's when my breathing started to go wrong.
Too fast. Too shallow. Like my lungs forgot what they were supposed to do.
The doctor noticed immediately. "Jay, slow breaths. Focus on me."
Aries stepped forward, anger blazing. "Just leave already. You've caused enough trouble."
Jeana opened her mouth to argue—
"Enough," the doctor snapped. "Both of you. She needs calm, not stress."
I could feel it now.
The tightness.
The buzzing in my ears.
The room tilting.
"Please," Aunty Serina whispered. "Jeana, leave."
Andy finally spoke, low. "Jeana, let's go."
But Jeana looked at me one last time, eyes cold.
"This isn't over."
My vision blurred.
The doctor stepped in front of her fully. "You need to leave. Now. Or we will call security."
For a moment, I thought she'd fight it.
Then she turned sharply and walked out. Andy followed, silent.
The door shut.
But the damage stayed.
Everyone hovered, whispering, watching.
I couldn't breathe right.
"Jay," Angelo said softly. "It's okay. She's gone."
The doctor injected something into my arm. "This will help you rest."
My body finally gave in.
The last thing I saw before the world faded was Hex still standing there, fists clenched, eyes red.
And Keifer, watching me from the other bed, fear written all over his face.
Then sleep pulled me under.