Across The Hallway

CHAPTER 20

— LION'S DEN —

The sprawling Reyes estate stood quietly beneath the evening sky, its towering glass windows glowing with a warmth that gave the illusion of welcome. From the outside, it was everything people imagined success should look like—elegant, immaculate, untouchable. Every line of its modern architecture spoke of prestige, every carefully lit window hinted at a family gathered comfortably inside.

Christine looked at it through the windshield without saying a word.

Hours earlier, she had promised Jeffrey she would walk through the fire with him.

Now that the fire stood only a few steps away, she finally understood what that promise meant.

Jeffrey switched off the engine.

The quiet hum of the sedan disappeared, replaced by the soft metallic ticking of the cooling engine. For a long moment, neither of them moved. The silence inside the car felt different from the one they had shared in the garden. There, silence had brought healing. Here, it carried anticipation.

Jeffrey turned toward her. He didn't ask whether she was alright. The answer was already written across her face.

Fear.

Not the kind that made people run. The kind that made every step forward feel heavier than the last.

He reached for her hand, his thumb brushing gently across her knuckles in the same quiet rhythm that had accompanied them throughout the drive.

Jeffrey held her gaze. "I'm right here."

Christine looked at him.

The memory of the first meeting of his mother returned almost instantly.

"I'm the wall." The promise settled over her once again, steadying the storm threatening to rise inside her.

He stepped out of the car before walking around to the passenger side. When he opened the door, he offered his hand without saying a word.

Christine accepted it. Not because she needed help stepping out of the car. Somewhere between the garden and the drive, holding Jeffrey's hand had stopped feeling like reassurance.

It had started feeling like home.

The evening air greeted them with the faint fragrance of lilies drifting through the landscaped gardens surrounding the estate. Nearby, a stone fountain trickled quietly, its gentle rhythm strangely out of place against the uneasiness gathering inside Christine's chest.

Jeffrey closed the passenger door before falling naturally into step beside her.

He didn't hurry toward the entrance. He matched his pace to hers.

Every step across the circular driveway felt deliberate, as though they weren't simply approaching a house but crossing the final distance between the lives they had known and the one they had chosen together.

Their fingers remained intertwined.

Not because either of them feared getting lost.

But because neither of them intended to let go.

Christine lifted her eyes toward the mansion once more.

Its warm lights softened the sharp edges of steel and glass, disguising the quiet weight waiting inside.

To everyone else...

It was home.

To Jeffrey...

It was the place where he would finally stop pretending.

To Christine...

It was the place where the world would once again try to decide who she was before taking the time to know her.

She drew a slow, steady breath.

Jeffrey felt the subtle movement of her hand within his. Without looking away from the front entrance, he gave her fingers a gentle squeeze.

No words were necessary.

Before Jeffrey could reach for the doorbell, the front door opened.

A young woman stepped outside with a bright smile.

"You finally made it," she greeted.

She walked straight toward Jeffrey before wrapping him in a quick hug.

Jeffrey returned the embrace with an amused laugh. "Hi, Jane."

Jane stepped back and folded her arms. "You kept us waiting."

Jeffrey shrugged. "Traffic."

Jane rolled her eyes dramatically. "That's becoming your favorite excuse."

Only then did she notice Christine standing quietly beside him.

She studied her for a brief moment before a genuine smile spread across her face.

"So you're Christine," Jane said.

Christine smiled back. "I am."

Jeffrey looked between them. "Christine, this is my little sister, Jane Audrey Reyes."

Jane immediately extended her hand. "It's really nice to finally meet you."

Christine accepted it warmly. "It's nice to meet you too."

Jane's smile widened. "I've heard so much about you."

Christine instinctively looked toward Jeffrey.

Jeffrey sighed. "Jane."

Jane laughed. "What? It's true."

A quiet laugh escaped Christine before she could stop herself.

The sound caught Jeffrey's attention.

For the first time since they had arrived, the tension in her shoulders eased, if only slightly.

Jane noticed it too.

"So," she teased with a grin, "he actually can make you smile."

Jeffrey shook his head with quiet resignation. "I knew inviting you to this dinner was going to backfire."

Jane's grin only grew wider. "Oh, it absolutely is."

The knot inside Christine's chest loosened just enough for her to breathe.

Not because her fears had disappeared.

They hadn't.

But because Jane had done something no one else inside the house had done.

She welcomed Christine...

before asking who she was.

Jane stepped aside and held the front door open. "Come on. Everyone's waiting."

Jeffrey turned toward Christine. He didn't ask if she was ready. He simply offered his hand once more.

Christine slipped her fingers into his.

Together...

They stepped inside.

The warmth of the foyer replaced the cool evening air the moment they stepped inside.

Polished marble stretched beneath their feet, reflecting the soft glow of crystal chandeliers suspended from the high ceiling. Fresh lilies perfumed the air, their delicate fragrance lingering beneath the scent of polished wood that filled the house. Along the walls, carefully framed family portraits quietly chronicled decades of milestones, achievements, and traditions. Everything inside the estate spoke of legacy, every detail preserved with quiet precision.

Christine took it in without lingering on any one detail. The house was undeniably beautiful, but beneath its elegance rested a stillness that felt unfamiliar. It was the kind of place people admired the moment they walked inside, yet she couldn't shake the feeling that every polished surface was asking its guests to be equally flawless.

Jeffrey noticed her quietly studying the foyer. A faint smile crossed his face. "It's changed a little since the last time I was here."

Christine turned to him. "You don't come home often?"

Jeffrey slipped his free hand into his pocket as they continued following Jane. "Not as often as my mother would like."

Jane glanced over her shoulder with a grin. "Mom says he's practically moved into Makati."

Jeffrey chuckled. "She's not entirely wrong."

Jane laughed softly. "And she blames your condo."

Jeffrey nodded with quiet amusement. "I know."

Jane continued walking toward the dining room. "And your engineering firm."

Jeffrey smiled. "I know."

Jane looked between the two of them, her grin widening. "Now she'll probably blame Christine too."

Jeffrey let out a defeated sigh. "I walked right into that one."

A quiet laugh escaped Christine before she could stop it.

Jeffrey looked at her.

The laugh barely lasted a second.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

It wasn't loud.

It wasn't carefree.

But after everything they had been through that afternoon, hearing it again felt like a small victory.

Jane slowed as they reached a pair of tall wooden doors. The easy humor that had followed them from the entrance gradually settled into silence as she rested her hand against the polished wood.

"They're inside," Jane said quietly.

Jeffrey nodded before turning to Christine.

He didn't ask whether she was ready.

He already knew she wasn't.

Instead, he gently squeezed the hand he had never let go of since leaving the car.

The promise he had made in the garden didn't need repeating.

She still remembered.

Jane pushed the doors open.

The conversations inside gradually faded until silence settled across the dining room.

A long dining table occupied the center of the room beneath warm pendant lights. Crystal glasses shimmered beneath the soft lighting, while polished silverware rested neatly beside carefully folded linen napkins. Every chair had already been occupied.

Jeffrey's father looked up first.

His mother followed a heartbeat later.

Amanda lowered the wine glass resting lightly between her fingers.

Every pair of eyes settled on the doorway.

Jeffrey offered a courteous smile. "Good evening."

His father rose from his chair, returning the greeting with a smile. "Good evening, son."

His mother's eyes drifted briefly toward Christine before returning to Jeffrey. "We didn't know you were bringing company."

Jeffrey met his mother's gaze without hesitation. "I wanted Dad to finally meet someone."

Stepping slightly aside, he looked toward his father. "Dad... this is Christine Javier."

His father walked around the table before extending his hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Christine."

Christine accepted the handshake with a polite smile. "The pleasure is mine, sir."

Before either of them could continue, Amanda rose gracefully from her chair. "It's nice to see you again, Christine."

Christine returned the smile. "You too."

For a brief moment, the two women simply held each other's gaze before Amanda gave a small nod and returned to her seat.

Jane pulled out her chair with exaggerated impatience. "Can we finally eat? I'm starving."

A quiet chuckle escaped Jeffrey's father.

Jeffrey shook his head with an amused smile. "Some things never change."

Jane shrugged as she sat down. "And they never will."

Even Jeffrey's mother allowed herself the faintest smile before taking her seat once more.

The brief exchange softened the room just enough for everyone to settle into their places around the table.

Jeffrey waited until Christine had taken her seat before sitting beside her. Beneath the table, his hand quietly found hers once again.

Christine slipped her fingers into his without looking.

His thumb gently brushed across the back of her hand.

She understood the gesture immediately.

He was still there.

He hadn't let go.

Dinner began more quietly than Christine had expected.

For the first few minutes, the conversation remained comfortably light. Jane filled the room with stories from university, earning the occasional laugh from her father and an amused shake of Jeffrey's head. Amanda joined in from time to time, while Jeffrey's mother listened with polite interest, adding a comment only when the conversation naturally turned her way.

Watching them from the outside, it would have been easy to believe they were simply another family sharing dinner together.

Christine almost believed it herself.

Almost.

Jeffrey's father set his wine glass beside his plate before turning his attention toward Christine. There was no judgment in his expression, only the quiet curiosity of a man trying to understand the woman sitting beside his son. "I understand you own a marketing company."

Christine met his gaze and nodded politely. "Yes, sir."

His father rested his forearms lightly on the table. "What made you choose that industry?"

Christine took a moment before answering. "I enjoy solving problems. Marketing gave me a way to do that every day."

He gave a thoughtful nod. "And you've been doing well?"

Christine smiled modestly. "I'm grateful that business has been kind to us."

Jane looked across the table with an amused smile. "She's being modest."

Jeffrey smiled. "She usually is."

Christine laughed softly. "I'm just telling the truth."

A quiet smile appeared on Jeffrey's father's face as he studied her for another moment. "Building a business isn't easy."

Christine met his eyes. "No, sir. It isn't. But I wouldn't trade the experience for anything."

His father gave a small nod before picking up his fork again. "I admire that."

The conversation naturally drifted to another subject, settling back into the easy rhythm that had carried dinner from the beginning. Jane shared another story from university that earned a quiet laugh from everyone around the table, while Amanda occasionally added a comment that kept the conversation moving without drawing attention to herself.

Jeffrey found himself watching Christine more than listening.

The nervousness she had carried into the house hadn't disappeared, but little by little, it had loosened its grip. Every smile came easier than the last, and for the first time that evening, he allowed himself to believe she might leave this house with better memories than the ones she had brought inside.

The thought lasted only a moment.

Jeffrey's mother looked toward Christine. "I heard you and Jeffrey work in the same building."

Christine nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

A quiet curiosity settled across Jeffrey's mother's face. "How did the two of you meet?"

Christine smiled before glancing briefly at Jeffrey. "Technically... we didn't."

A faint look of confusion crossed Jeffrey's father's face.

Christine looked back at Jeffrey's mother. "We worked across the hallway from each other for months without ever speaking."

Jane immediately turned toward her brother. "Seriously?"

Jeffrey smiled. "She ignored me."

Christine looked at him with an amused smile. "I was busy working."

Jeffrey chuckled. "That's not what happened."

Christine raised an eyebrow. "Do you want me to tell your family how persistent you were?"

Jane laughed. "I like her."

Jeffrey shook his head. "You're enjoying this a little too much."

Jane's grin widened. "A lot too much."

Even Jeffrey's mother couldn't hide the faint smile that appeared on her face.

The laughter settled naturally around the table before the conversation eased into another comfortable silence.

Jeffrey's mother looked at Christine once again. "You've built quite a successful company."

Christine smiled politely. "Thank you, ma'am."

Jeffrey's mother folded her hands neatly on the table. "Your father must be very proud."

Christine nodded. "He is."

Jeffrey's mother tilted her head slightly. "I imagine he helped you get started."

Christine gently shook her head. "No, ma'am."

A brief silence settled over the table before Jeffrey's mother looked at her again, her curiosity never leaving her expression. "Not even introductions? Connections?"

Christine met her gaze. "No, ma'am. He wanted me to build everything on my own."

Jeffrey's father looked up from his plate.

The answer seemed to catch his attention. Most people in his position had someone opening doors for them. Christine spoke as though she had deliberately walked past every one of them.

Jeffrey's mother folded her hands neatly on the table. "If you don't mind me asking..." She paused briefly before finishing her question. "What does your father do?"

Christine lowered her eyes, her fingers tightening almost imperceptibly around the fork resting in her hand.

The question itself was simple.

The answer had never been.

The conversation around the table gradually fell away, leaving behind a silence that seemed to draw every pair of eyes toward her. Jeffrey noticed it immediately. He turned to Christine, searching her face for the quiet confidence she had answered every previous question with, only to find hesitation replacing it.

He frowned slightly. "Christine?"

She looked at him.

For a fleeting moment, a small, apologetic smile touched her lips before disappearing just as quickly.

Then she looked back at his mother.

Christine drew a slow breath. "I..." The word caught in her throat before she could finish it.

She lowered her eyes once more, quietly gathering herself.

"I'm sorry..." Christine looked back up, meeting each of their eyes in turn. "I just..."

Another brief silence passed.

When she finally spoke again, her voice was calm.

"My father is Samuel Javier."

Silence settled over the dining room.

Jeffrey's father slowly lowered his fork, his eyes never leaving Christine as the name echoed in his mind. "...Samuel Javier?"

Christine gave a small nod. "Yes, sir."

His father continued looking at her, the color slowly draining from his face as recognition settled over him. He had known Samuel Javier for years. Long enough to recognize the weight that name carried in every boardroom and every business conversation he had ever been part of.

He looked from Christine to Jeffrey, his confusion growing with every passing second. "Jeffrey... why didn't you tell us?"

Jeffrey looked at his father before turning back to Christine.

Disbelief spread quietly across his face.

He searched her eyes, almost expecting her to smile and tell everyone it was a misunderstanding.

She didn't.

Everything suddenly made sense.

Her refusal to use connections.

The modesty with which she spoke about her company.

The way she had quietly avoided every conversation about her family.

Jeffrey looked back at his father. "Because..." He paused, still trying to process what he had just learned. "Because I didn't know."

The silence that followed felt different from every silence that had come before.

This one changed everything.

His father continued looking at her, but he no longer saw the young woman sitting across the table.

He saw a little girl.

The memory returned so suddenly that it caught him off guard.

More than 18 years ago, before Reyes Engineering had become the company it was today, he had spent countless afternoons sitting across from Samuel Javier inside the CJ Corporation headquarters. Every meeting had carried the same quiet pressure. Winning Samuel's trust meant securing opportunities that could shape the future of his company.

Samuel Javier had never carried himself like the wealthiest man in the room.

He greeted everyone by name.

He listened more than he spoke.

He commanded respect without ever asking for it.

Those meetings would occasionally pause whenever the office door quietly opened.

A little girl would peek inside before running straight toward her father, clutching a coloring book almost as big as herself.

Samuel would always smile.

No matter how important the discussion had been.

No matter how many executives were seated around the table.

Everything else could wait.

He remembered Samuel lifting her onto his lap with the same pride most men reserved for announcing their greatest achievements.

"This is my daughter, Christine," Samuel had said with a smile that softened the entire room. "One day, she'll build something of her own."

The little girl had smiled shyly at everyone around the table before hiding against her father's shoulder, embarrassed by the attention.

He hadn't thought about that afternoon in years.

Not until this moment.

His eyes returned to the woman sitting across from him.

The shy little girl from Samuel Javier's office was gone.

In her place sat a composed young woman who had built her own company, answered every question with quiet humility, and never once mentioned the name that could have opened every door for her.

Only then did he truly understand why her answers had sounded so different from everyone else's.

He looked at Christine again, his disbelief no longer coming from the name.

It came from the woman who had chosen never to use it.

Silence settled over the dining room once again.

Jane looked around the table, her eyes moving from her father to Jeffrey before finally settling on Christine. The weight that had suddenly filled the room hadn't escaped her, but unlike everyone else, she couldn't understand why a single name had changed everything.

She frowned slightly. "I'm... missing something, aren't I?"

No one answered.

Jeffrey's mother remained silent, her eyes fixed on Christine. Every assumption she had made that evening quietly unraveled before her. She had questioned Christine's background, her upbringing, even the foundation of everything she had built, never once imagining she had been speaking to Samuel Javier's daughter.

Across the table, Amanda lowered her eyes.

At last...

Everything made sense.

She understood why Christine had never defended herself.

Why she had quietly accepted every insult without once mentioning her family.

Why she had insisted on standing on her own instead of behind her father's name.

It had never been about proving where she came from. It had always been about proving who she was.

Amanda slowly lifted her eyes to Christine.

A faint smile softened her expression. "I understand now."

Christine met her gaze but remained silent.

Amanda gave a small nod before looking briefly at Jeffrey. There was sadness in her eyes. But there was no resentment. Only acceptance.

Amanda looked back at Christine. "Take care of him."

Christine smiled warmly. "I will."

Amanda returned the smile to Christine. " Promise?"

Christine Nods. "I Promise"

Amanda returned the smile before quietly pushing her chair back. "Please excuse me."

No one stopped her.

Amanda walked toward the dining room door, leaving behind a silence that felt very different from the one she had entered with.

This time, it wasn't filled with expectation.

It was filled with understanding.

No one spoke.

The silence lingered around the table, no longer tense but heavy with truths that could no longer be taken back.

Jeffrey looked at Christine.

He had fallen in love with the woman she had chosen to become, never knowing the family she had been born into. Learning the truth hadn't changed the way he saw her. If anything, it only deepened his admiration for the quiet strength that had led her to build a life entirely on her own.

Beneath the table, Jeffrey gently reached for her hand once more.

Christine looked at him as their fingers intertwined.

His thumb slowly brushed across the back of her hand, just as it had since they left the garden.

He didn't need to reassure her.

The gesture already had.

Jeffrey turned back to his parents. "Nothing changed tonight."

No one interrupted him.

He looked briefly at Christine before meeting his parents' eyes once again. "I fell in love with Christine long before I knew who her father was."

His fingers tightened gently around hers. "And if she had never told me..." He paused only long enough to let the words settle. "I still would've chosen her."

Silence settled over the dining room once again.

Jeffrey never looked away from his parents. "You always wanted me to find someone who would make me happy."

His eyes drifted toward Christine before returning to them. "I already did."

His father slowly lowered his eyes.

The realization weighed more heavily on him than any words Jeffrey could have spoken.

Across the table, Jeffrey's mother remained silent. Every expectation she had carried into the evening had quietly unraveled, leaving nothing behind but the truth sitting before her.

Jane looked from her brother to Christine, a small smile slowly appearing on her face.

She still didn't understand everything.

She didn't know Samuel Javier.

She didn't know CJ Corporation.

But she knew her brother.

And she had never seen him look at anyone the way he looked at Christine.

Jeffrey stood, never letting go of Christine's hand. "Thank you for having us."

Christine stood beside him before offering Jeffrey's parents a respectful smile. "Thank you for dinner."

Still hand in hand, they turned toward the dining room entrance.

No one called them back.

No one asked them to stay.

They simply watched as Jeffrey and Christine walked out together, leaving behind a room where assumptions had quietly given way to truth.