One Month Later – Manila Grand Hotel
The biggest ballroom in Manila. Chandeliers. Flowers. Important people everywhere.
Tonight was the International Business Excellence Awards. The most prestigious award for young entrepreneurs.
The Mariano family arrived first. Jasfer and Jeana. Jane and Kyle. Percy.
The Fernandez family came. Gemma. Angelo with Ion. Aries with Ella.
The Watson family next. Keizer and Serina. Keigan and Keiren.
Section E got invitations too. All dressed up. Ci-N kept fixing his tie. Drew counted how many rich people he could bet with. Mayo and Kit held hands. Everyone looked amazing.
Jay walked in with her family. Beautiful blue gown. Hair perfect. Smile bright.
Keifer walked in with his family. Sharp black suit. Handsome as always.
Their eyes found each other across the room.
Jay smiled. Keifer smiled back.
Jane whispered, "There they go. Lost in each other already."
Percy nodded. "Every single time."
Everyone sat at big round tables. Section E at one table. Families at another. Jay and Keifer sat together. Naturally.
The stage was beautiful. Big screen. Bright lights.
The host walked up. "Good evening, everyone! Welcome to the International Business Excellence Awards!"
Applause.
"Tonight we celebrate the best young business minds. The ones changing the world."
Jay clapped. Keifer clapped. Both calm.
Neither knew what was coming.
The host continued. "First category: Rising Star Company of the Year."
Screen showed nominees.
First nominee. "MKW Corporation! Founded by a secret young CEO. Revolutionizing technology worldwide!"
Keifer's hands tightened.
Serina gasped. "MKW? That's your initials, Keifer."
Keifer stayed quiet. Face calm.
Second nominee. "JJM Enterprises! A global powerhouse in multiple industries. Led by a mysterious young genius!"
Jeana grabbed Jasfer's arm. "JJM? That's Jay's initials."
Jay stayed quiet. Face calm.
Third nominee. "Other companies..." The host listed more.
But the families weren't listening.
Serina whispered to Keizer. "Two companies. Our son's initials. Our future daughter's initials."
Keizer nodded slowly. "Coincidence?"
Jane leaned forward. "Jay? You know anything about JJM?"
Jay smiled sweetly. "Why would I know?"
Percy squinted. "You're hiding something."
Jay shrugged. "I don't know what you mean."
The host opened the envelope. "And the winner is..."
Drumroll.
"This was the hardest decision our judges ever made. Two companies. Both equally brilliant. Both changing the world."
The crowd murmured.
"So tonight, we have not one, but TWO winners!"
Screen split in half.
"JJM ENTERPRISES!"
Jay's face stayed calm. But her heart raced.
"AND MKW CORPORATION!"
Keifer's face stayed calm. But his hands shook.
The host continued. "Will the founders please come to the stage?"
Silence.
No one moved.
The host smiled. "Founders of JJM and MKW? Please come up?"
Jay looked at Keifer. Keifer looked at Jay.
Jay whispered. "You?"
Keifer whispered back. "You?"
They stood up. Together.
Everyone stared as they walked to the stage.
Hand in hand. Rings sparkling. Gowns and suits perfect.
They reached the stage. Microphones waiting.
The host looked confused. "Um... which one of you is which?"
Jay took a microphone. "I am the founder of JJM Enterprises."
Gasps from the crowd.
Keifer took the other microphone. "I am the founder of MKW Corporation."
More gasps.
Jane screamed from her seat. "WHAT?!"
Percy fell off his chair. "NO WAY!"
Jeana's hand flew to her mouth. Jasfer's jaw dropped.
Serina grabbed Keizer's arm. "Our son?! A secret CEO?!"
Keizer stared. "He... he never said..."
Keigan whispered, "Keifer owns a company? A BIG company?"
Keiren nodded slowly. "Our brother is a genius."
The host looked between them. "You two... know each other?"
Jay laughed. "He's my fiancé."
Keifer nodded. "She's my fiancée."
The crowd erupted. Shocked whispers everywhere.
The host recovered. "Well! This is... unexpected! Two secret young CEOs... engaged to each other?!"
Jay smiled at Keifer. "I didn't know you had a company."
Keifer smiled back. "I didn't know you had one either."
Jay tilted her head. "MKW. Mark Keifer Watson. Should have guessed."
Keifer raised an eyebrow. "JJM. Jasper Jean Mariano. Same."
They both laughed.
The audience watched. Confused but entertained.
The host handed them the awards. Two beautiful trophies.
Jay spoke first. "Thank you to the judges. This means so much. JJM started as a dream. A way to build something for myself. I never expected to be here tonight. And I definitely never expected to share this stage with my fiancé."
She looked at Keifer. "I'm so proud of you."
Keifer's heart swelled.
He spoke next. "MKW was my secret. My way of proving myself. I never told anyone. Not even my family." He looked at his parents. "Sorry, Mom. Dad."
Serina wiped tears. Keizer nodded proudly.
Keifer continued. "But standing here with Jay... this is better than any award. She's my biggest achievement."
Jay's eyes filled with tears.
They held hands. Trophies in the other hands.
The crowd applauded. Standing ovation.
Jay and Keifer walked back. Awards in hand.
The table was silent. Everyone staring.
Jane broke first. "YOU TWO ARE SECRET GENIUSES?!"
Percy nodded. "AND YOU DIDN'T TELL US?!"
Jeana grabbed Jay. "Baby! You own JJM? The JJM?!"
Jay nodded sheepishly. "Yes, Ma."
Serina grabbed Keifer. "And you own MKW? The MKW?!"
Keifer nodded. "Yes, Ma."
Jasfer crossed his arms. "So my princess runs a global company. And I didn't know."
Keizer crossed his arms too. "And my son runs a tech empire. And I didn't know either."
The two dads looked at each other.
Then they laughed.
Jasfer shook his head. "Our children are something else."
Keizer nodded. "Geniuses. Both of them."
Jane grinned. "So you two were running secret companies... while falling in love?"
Jay's face turned red. "Jane..."
Percy jumped in. "While Keifer was being grumpy and Jay was being sweet?"
Keifer's ears turned red. "Percy..."
Mayo yelled from Section E table. "SECRET BOSS JAYFER!"
Kit joined. "RICH AND IN LOVE!"
Ci-N stood on his chair. "OUR FRIENDS ARE FAMOUS!"
Rakki pulled him down. "Sit down!"
Drew counted money. "I bet on them winning! I win again!"
David nodded. "My prediction said they'd surprise everyone."
Eman smiled. "More food to celebrate!"
Grace held Grazel. The baby clapped. Like she knew.
Jeana hugged Jay tight. "I'm so proud of you, baby. So proud."
Jay hugged back. "Thanks, Ma."
Serina hugged Keifer. "All those late nights. All that hard work. You did it alone."
Keifer shook his head. "Not alone anymore. I have Jay."
Serina cried happy tears.
Keigan and Keiren ran over. "KEIFER! YOU'RE A BOSS! CAN WE HAVE MONEY?!"
Keifer laughed. "No."
Keigan pouted. "Mean boss."
Keiren nodded. "Grumpy CEO."
Everyone laughed.
The two dads stood together. Watching their children.
Jasfer spoke. "We raised geniuses."
Keizer nodded. "Secret geniuses. But geniuses."
Jasfer smiled. "They're perfect for each other."
Keizer agreed. "Always were. Always will be."
They clinked glasses.
Jane became photographer again. "EVERYONE FOR PHOTOS! NOW!"
Everyone gathered. Mariano. Watson. Fernandez. Section E. Grazel in front.
Jane arranged them. "Jay and Keifer in middle! With awards!"
They posed. Trophies in hands. Smiles bright.
Click.
Jane checked the photo. "Perfect. Absolutely perfect."
Kyle hugged her. "You love this."
Jane nodded. "Documenting history!"
Jay and Keifer escaped the crowd. Found a quiet balcony.
Stars above. City lights below.
Jay held her trophy. "I can't believe you have a company."
Keifer held his. "I can't believe you have one too."
Jay laughed. "We're quite the pair."
Keifer pulled her close. "The perfect pair."
Jay looked at him. "I'm so proud of you."
Keifer kissed her forehead. "I'm so proud of you."
They stood there. Trophies forgotten. Just them.
Ci-N peeked through the curtains. "They're being cute again."
Rakki joined him. "Let them be."
Mayo sighed. "True love."
Kit nodded. "Jayfer forever."
Drew grinned. "I bet they get married in six months."
David smiled. "My prediction says... soon."
Everyone laughed.
The awards ended. Guests left. Families said goodnight.
Jay and Keifer walked to their car. Hand in hand.
Jay looked at her trophy. Then at him.
"Today was wild."
Keifer nodded. "But good wild."
Jay smiled. "The best wild."
He kissed her. Soft. Sweet.
Two secret CEOs. Two hearts. One love.
Nothing could beat that.