We sat at the table, surrounded by the gentle sounds of Thai instrumental music playing in the background. We ate lunch in peace. Chak was relaxed, his gaze softer than usual, and that alone calmed me even more. I felt at ease.
While we were eating, his phone rang. Chak picked it up and, without even glancing at the screen, answered in an icy tone:
"Call me back in ten minutes."
He put the phone down and continued eating, but something in his expression had shifted. He grew tense and only glanced at me briefly. A few minutes later, the phone rang again. This time, he stared at it for a while before answering.
"What's so urgent?" he asked coldly.
I recognized Pimin's voice, even though she sounded far away. She spoke quickly, almost too anxiously. Chak observed me for a moment, then quietly said, "I'll come," and hung up.
He stood up and said with concern, "We have to go. Something happened."
"What is it?" I asked, curious.
Chak just shook his head. "Please, don't ask right now."
I stepped closer and hugged him. "I'll stand by your side, no matter what."
For a moment, he stood there silently. "Thank you, Niran," he said with a faint smile, though his eyes remained troubled.
------
The car ride was silent. We were heading toward the company, but Chak was deep in thought, eyes on the road, though clearly his mind was elsewhere.
When we arrived, I entered first. The hallway was filled with an unusual silence and tense faces. I approached Non and quietly asked, "What's going on?"
Non whispered even more quietly, "Some man showed up. Probably a competitor. He asked for Chak, and when we told him he wasn't here, he went to Pimin and ordered her to call him and tell him to come. He said... he wants Chak's shares. Claimed he's a bad boss."
Before I could react, I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"Niran. Bring me coffee to the meeting room. Now."
I turned around. Chak stood there—cold, like he'd flipped a switch and became someone else. Wordlessly, I nodded and rushed to the mini kitchen.
When I knocked and entered the meeting room with the coffee, Chak was already seated at the head of the long table. Kit was beside him, and across from them sat a young man in an elegant suit, with a strangely confident smirk.
There was something about him… like he was from the past. But I couldn't recognize him.
I placed the coffee in front of Chak. Our eyes met briefly. Without a word, he handed me some papers.
"Make three copies. Now."
"Yes, sir," I nodded and left to copy the documents.
When I returned, the atmosphere was even heavier. As if every word was dangerous.
The man loudly read a number from the paper. "Your revenue shows… decline. Three consecutive quarters. Doesn't sound like a company with vision anymore."
Chak replied, "My business is built on trust, not manipulation."
The man slowly crossed one leg over the other and said, "Trust is a thing of the past. Today, only power matters."
Kit rolled his eyes angrily. "If you're done playing boss, you can leave."
"Oh, far from it, Kit," the man said, then added, "Chak, you have one week.
Then… we'll see each other again."
Without looking at me, he stood and left the meeting room. Chak closed the folder hard and took a deep breath.
"Let's go," Kit said.
------
That evening, we sat in Chak's living room. It was quiet, but this time, in an uncomfortable way. Kit sat to the side, arms crossed. I sat across from Chak, holding a cup of tea that had long gone cold.
"Who was that man?" I asked softly.
Chak and Kit exchanged a glance. Kit gave a small nod.
Finally, Chak spoke: "Once… we were friends. Me, Kit, and him. We had dreams of building something great together. But he… couldn't wait. He stole the idea and sold it as his own."
"Why is he back now?"
Kit added, "Because he knows the company isn't as stable anymore. And because he knows… Chak trusts you."
I froze. "How would he know that?"
Chak looked at me and said, "I have no idea. Maybe we're being watched."
"But why won't you tell me more? Who even is this guy?"
Chak shook his head. "It's not time yet. But… you'll find out soon."
In that moment, I realized I wasn't just worried about Chak's company. I was scared for a him—as a person.
And worse still—for everything we were beginning to feel.