(Jay's POV)
The next morning, I woke up feeling much better. My brain freeze was gone, and my nose was not running anymore. Keifer was still the best man in the world. He saved me from my ice cream mess and treated me like a queen. He even washed the eight empty ice cream boxes and put them in the recycling bin without saying a single mean word about my health choices.
But then, the weird things started to happen.
We were sitting on the living room couch. It was a beautiful, quiet Sunday morning. The sun was shining through the window. Keifer was holding a green vegetable juice that looked like liquid grass. I was eating a piece of leftover chocolate cake. Everything was normal.
Suddenly, Keifer's phone buzzed on the coffee table. I looked down because it was right next to my cake plate. I saw a text message pop up on the screen. The name of the contact said London Couture.
The text read: "Sir, the Italian silk is ready. Do you want the small white pearls or the big ones? Also, we need to talk about the French lace when your girl is not around."
My jaw dropped. My fork fell out of my hand and landed on my knee. My heart stopped. Who was London Couture? And why did they have French lace? It sounded like a fake name for a secret spy. Or worse. Was Keifer a secret agent? Was he buying illegal silk from Italy? Why did he need to talk about lace when I was not around? Was I in danger?
Before I could think, Keifer jumped across the couch. He grabbed his phone so fast that he almost spilled his green juice. His face turned very red. He looked at me with big, guilty eyes. He looked like a little boy who just got caught eating sugar from the jar.
"Who is London Couture?" I asked. I put my hands on my waist and narrowed my eyes.
"Oh! That?" Keifer said. His voice was a little bit high. He cleared his throat. "It is just a... guy from work. Yes. A man from my office."
"A man from your office sends you texts about Italian silk and French lace?" I asked. I did not believe him at all.
"He sells... office chairs!" Keifer said quickly. He stood up fast. "He is starting a new company. Italian office chairs. They are very fancy. The white pearls are for comfort. They push into your back and make you feel good. And the French lace is for... ventilation. To keep your back cool while you work."
He smiled, but his smile looked like it was frozen on his face."I have to take this call in the other room. It is a big chair emergency," Keifer said.
He walked out of the room to take the call. He thought he was being sneaky, but he forgot that I am very good at being quiet when I want to know a secret. I got off the couch on my tippy-toes. I moved like a cat. I hid behind the kitchen door and listened to him whisper in the hallway.
"No, do not use the big pearls!" Keifer whispered loudly into the phone. "Only use the tiny, sweet ones. She must not know! If she finds out before the big day, it will ruin everything. Keep it hidden in the back room!"
I gasped so loud I had to clap both of my hands over my mouth.
Oh my goodness! Keifer was not a spy. He was keeping a much darker secret. He was planning a secret prank on me! He was going to fill our wedding day with tiny pearls and weird lace to scare me! Or maybe he was building a secret chair that would launch me into the air like a rocket!
I ran back to the couch and sat down before he could see me. I picked up my fork and pretended to eat my cake. My mind was spinning. He thought he was a master of secrets, but I was going to watch him like a hawk. He was keeping a secret, but I was going to find out what it was before his big day!
An hour later, Keifer said he had to go to the grocery store to buy more vegetables which is abnormal because we say these type of works to our maids and workers. Hm....
The moment the front door closed, I sprang into action. If Keifer was ordering strange items from London Couture, he must have a catalog or some papers hidden somewhere in the house.
I started in the living room. I looked under the couch cushions. I found three shiny coins, a hair clip, and a small wrapper from my secret candy bar, but no papers about silk or lace.
Next, I went to his home office. Keifer was always very neat. His desk was perfect. His pens were lined up by color. His notebooks were straight. I opened the top drawer of his desk. There were just paperclips and sticky notes.Then, I saw his big black backpack on the floor. It was zipped tight.
"Sorry, Keifer," I whispered to the empty room. "But a wife-to-be has to do what a wife-to-be has to do."
I unzipped the bag. Inside, there was his laptop, a book about healthy habits, and a small white envelope. My heart beat fast. I opened the envelope. Inside, there was a small piece of fabric. It was white and very soft. It felt like a cloud. I held it up to the light. It looked like the lace on an old grandma's table cloth, but it had a tiny pattern on it. I looked closer. It looked like small flowers. Jasmine flowers!
Why was Keifer carrying a piece of jasmine flower lace in his backpack?
Suddenly, I heard a car door close outside. Keifer was back!
I shoved the lace back into the envelope, threw it into the backpack, zipped it up, and ran to the kitchen. By the time Keifer walked through the front door carrying two big bags of green apples and spinach, I was leaning against the kitchen counter, drinking a glass of water, trying to look completely innocent.
"Hey, wifey," Keifer said, smiling. He looked relaxed now. "Did you have a good break while I was gone?"
"Oh, yes," I said. My voice sounded a little squeaky. "Just drinking water. Healthy water. No secrets here."
Keifer looked at me with a strange expression. "Are you okay, Jay? Your face is a little pink."
"It is just the heat!" I said quickly. "The kitchen is very warm. I think I will go take a nap."
I hurried upstairs to our bedroom and locked myself in the bathroom. I needed to call for backup. I took out my phone and called, Freya.
We didn't have a proper frequent meeting but we always text each others whenever we have time and currently only Freya is in London so she can be the only one to help me!
"Freya, we have a code red," I whispered into the phone as soon as she answered.
"Did you eat all the ice cream again?" Freya asked.
"No! This is much worse," I said. "Keifer is acting like a crazy person. I think he is planning a prank for our wedding, or he is buying a weird luxury chair from a secret company called London Couture."
"A luxury chair?" Freya sounded confused.
"Yes! I saw a text on his phone about Italian silk and French lace. He told me it was an office chair with pearls for back comfort! And then I checked his backpack and found a piece of white lace with jasmine flowers on it!"
Freya stayed quiet for a few seconds. Then, she started to laugh. She laughed so hard I could hear her breath catch.
"Jay, you are a silly girl," Freya said through her laughter. "Maybe he is just buying you a nice gift. Like a fancy blanket or a robe for the wedding night."
"No, Freya, you do not understand his face," I insisted. "He looked guilty. He looked like he was hiding a crime. And he whispered into the phone to keep it hidden in the back room! What if he is buying something ugly? What if he wants me to sit on a lace chair during our wedding?"
"Well," Freya said, trying to stop laughing. "If you want to know the truth, you have to follow the clues. Did the text say anything else?"
"It said they need to talk when I am not around," I said. "I need to know what London Couture is. I am going to find out where this back room is."
"Just do not do anything crazy, Jay," Freya warned. "You know what happened last time you tried to solve a mystery."
"Last time was an accident," I muttered, thinking about the time our neighbor thought that we had stolen their cat and I had put a lot of efforts to find the cat , only to discover that she wa sleeping in their closet all the time.
"This time is real. I will call you back when I have more proof."
The next day was Monday. Keifer had to go to our office for a big meeting which I was too lazy to accompany. He kissed my forehead before he left.
"Have a wonderful day, my beautiful wifey," he said sweetly. "Do not eat too much sugar while I am gone."
"I won't!" I promised.
The moment his car pulled out of the driveway, I put on my detective outfit. It was just a big black hoodie and my dark sunglasses, but it made me feel like a professional. I knew Keifer's schedule. He was going to be in his meeting until noon. That gave me exactly three hours to find out the truth.
I sat at his computer. Keifer trusted me, so he always left his computer password on a sticky note under his keyboard. I typed it in and opened the internet browser. I searched for the words: London Couture.
Now I am not responsible for his trust issues!
A website popped up. My eyes went wide.The website did not sell office chairs at all. It was dark blue and gold, and it looked incredibly expensive. The home page had pictures of big buildings in London. It said: London Couture – Custom Luxury For The Best.
There were no pictures of chairs. There were no pictures of tables. There were no office supplies.
"Aha!" I shouted to the empty room. "He lied to me! It is not a chair company!"
But what did they sell? I clicked on the gallery page, but a box popped up on the screen. It asked for a private client password.
"Oh, come on!" I stomped my foot under the desk.I tried to guess the password. I typed Keifer123. It said Incorrect. I typed JayIsTheBest. It said Incorrect. I typed GreenJuiceIsGross. It still said Incorrect.
I could not get into the website. But I did see an address at the bottom of the page. The boutique was located on a very famous, expensive street in the middle of London. It was only a twenty-minute train ride from our house.
I looked at the clock. It was ten in the morning. I had plenty of time. I grabbed my purse, locked the front door, and ran to the train station. I was going to visit London Couture myself.
When I stepped off the train in London, the air was cool. I walked fast down the big streets until I found the address. The shop did not look like a normal store. It did not have a big sign or big glass windows with clothes on display. It just had a heavy black wooden door with a small brass plate that said London Couture.
I took a deep breath. I pushed the door open.
A little bell made a sweet sound above my head. The inside of the place looked like a palace. There were soft white carpets, gold lamps, and big velvet sofas. It smelled like expensive flowers and high society.
A tall man in a beautiful black suit walked out from behind a velvet curtain. He had very straight hair and a tiny mustache. He looked at my black hoodie and my sunglasses. He raised one eyebrow.
"Welcome to London Couture," the man said. His voice was very posh. "Do you have an appointment, miss?"
"No," I said. I took off my sunglasses and tried to look very important. "I am here on behalf of Keifer."
The man's eyes lit up instantly. His cold face turned into a big, warm smile.
"Oh! Sir Keifer!" the man said, clapping his hands together. "Of course! He is our favorite new client. He is a man of wonderful taste. Are you here to check on the progress of his special design?"
My heart gave a little bounce. Special design?
"Yes," I said, playing along. "He sent me to... check on the small pearls. And the French lace. He was worried about the... comfort."
"Ah, the Italian silk!" the man said, nodding his head. "Do not worry at all. Sir Keifer was very specific. He rejected all of our ready-made ideas. He wanted something completely unique. He even took my personal sketchbook and drew the design himself!"
I froze. Keifer drew a design himself?
My mind started to run in circles. Keifer was a business guy. He spent his days looking at numbers, spreadsheets, and drinking green juice. He did not draw. What kind of design did he create? Was he designing a custom superhero costume for any party? Was he designing a funny outfit to make our guests laugh?
"Can I see it?" I asked. I tried to keep my voice calm, but I was dying to know. "He wants me to make sure the flowers are right."
"The jasmine flowers?" the man asked. "Of course. Sir Keifer said they are your favorite. He paid a massive advance to make sure we got the best lace from France. Follow me to the back room. I will show you the item."
The back room! It was the exact place Keifer mentioned on the phone!
I followed the tall man down a long hallway. My heart was thumping against my ribs. We walked toward a large room with big double doors. The man reached out his hand to open the doors. I leaned forward, peeking over his shoulder. I could see a tall white dummy inside the room. There was a big white cloth covering a very long object. This was it. The big secret was right behind that cloth! I was one second away from finding out the truth.
Suddenly, my phone started to ring in my purse.The ringtone was incredibly loud in the quiet, fancy hallway. It was my special ringtone for Freya. It sounded like an alarm clock.
I jumped in surprise. The tall man stopped his hand on the door handle and turned around to look at me, blinking.
"Oh, excuse me," I said quickly. I reached into my purse and pulled out the phone. I pressed talk. "Freya? I am in the middle of a top-secret mission right now!"
"Jay! Thank goodness you answered!" Freya yelled into the phone. She sounded like she was screaming from the top of a mountain. "You need to get home right now! Code blue! Code blue!"
"What? Why?" I whispered, turning my back to the tall man.
"Keifer's office meeting ended early!" Freya gasped for air. "He texted me to ask if I wanted to join you guys for an early lunch with Edrix! He said he is already driving back to the house! If you are still in the shop, he is going to get home before you!"
My jaw dropped for the second time that day.
"He is driving home right now?" I squeaked.
"Yes! He said he will be there in fifteen minutes! Get on the train now!" Freya shouted.
I looked at the big double doors. The secret was right there. If I just asked the man to open the cloth, I would know what Keifer was hiding. But if I stayed for even one more minute, I would miss the train. Keifer would get home to an empty house. He would know I was gone. He would ask questions. My whole detective plan would be ruined!
"Miss?" the tall man asked, looking confused. "Is everything alright? Shall we look at the design now?"
"No!" I said, shoving my phone back into my purse. I looked at him with panicked eyes. "I am so sorry, but there is a chair emergency at home! The office chairs are... falling apart! I have to go right now!"
Before the poor man could even say a word, I turned around. I ran down the long hallway as fast as my legs could carry me. My sneakers made loud squeaking noises on his fancy floor. I pushed open the heavy black wooden door and burst out onto the London street.
I ran like the wind all the way to the train station. I jumped through the doors of the train just one second before they closed.
The train ride felt like it took a million years. My heart was beating like a drum. The moment the train stopped at my station, I sprinted down the street toward our house.
I unlocked the front door, threw my sunglasses and black hoodie into the closet, and sat down on the couch. I grabbed a random book from the table and held it upside down. I was breathing so hard I felt like I had just run a marathon.
Two minutes later, Keifer's car pulled into the driveway.
The front door opened, and Keifer walked in. He looked bright and happy. He was holding a small brown paper bag that smelled like delicious hot chocolate.
"Hey, wifey!" Keifer said, smiling warmly. He walked over and kissed the top of my head. He looked down at me. "Wow, your face is very red. And you are breathing very fast. Are you okay?"
"Oh, yes!" I said, trying to stop gasping for air. I quickly turned my book right-side up. "I was just... reading a very exciting chapter in this book. It was a race scene. It made me feel like I was running too."
Keifer chuckled and shook his head. "You have a very big imagination, Jay. Look, my meeting ended early, so I brought you a hot chocolate from that little café you love."
"Thank you, Kei- kwanan," I said, taking the warm cup.
He looked surprised by his sudden old nickname from me but he still smiled and sat down next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. He thought he was so sneaky with his secret phone calls about pearls and lace. And I still did not know what the secret was! Was it a funny wedding prank? Was it a giant, ugly chair made of lace?
I looked at his handsome, innocent face. He thought his lie about the Italian office chair was working perfectly. I decided right then and there that I would keep watching him like a hawk. He was keeping a secret from me, but I was going to find out what it was...
Hehe! Detective Jay on the mission!
___________________________________
Hoi readers! How are you all?
Did you like the chapter? Comment and let me know.
Big good news: We have crossed 500 K views on the book 🫂✨️😭🎊🤭🤏😁🤗🤧
I just can't believe my eyes ... It feels like a dream ✨️
And Author Lara has updated the original book! Now let me tell you a secret to read that book..
Go to Lara's insta story and there you will get the link to chapters. Open the chapters which will be written in tagalog. Take screenshots and upload of Google and demand English translation and done!
I have read 2 new chapters already and seriously after reading so many fan fictions , I have lost the flow of story 😭😭 but still it felt so happy to know that Jayfer is still on the hopes!!
This is for today.
Love you all so much dear readers 😁🤭💗
~~~ From ur clumsy author as always 🤭😁