Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Sky wongravee

This meeting was testing the limits of my patience.

The men around the table were shifting in their seats, stealing nervous glances at me like schoolboys afraid to admit they’d forgotten their homework. Pathetic. They were supposed to be leaders, strategists, the sharp edge of my organization, but all they were doing was feeding me excuses.

“We don’t have definitive proof yet, boss,” one of them stammered. “But if Hansel and Emery are—”

I slammed my fist on the table, the sound reverberating like a gunshot. The room instantly fell silent. My gaze swept across the faces of the men, daring any of them to say another useless word. “If?” I said, my voice low and cutting. “I don’t pay you for ifs. I pay you for results.”

The man shrank back in his chair, swallowing hard. “Yes, boss.”

Win, standing at the edge of the room, crossed his arms and spoke up. “We’ve confirmed the Hansel Group’s moves toward Emery, but that’s not the real issue. This is bigger than territorial disputes. My sources say someone’s pulling strings behind the scenes. Someone who’s not interested in business—this is personal.”

The word rang out like a warning bell, sharp and cold. Personal. It wasn’t just a threat to my operations; it was a direct attack on me. My enemies were bolder than I thought. First Dew, then Nani. Whoever was behind this wasn’t just testing my defenses—they were trying to dismantle my world from the inside out.

Win continued, his voice steady but grim. “The same people who orchestrated the ambush on Dew and Nani are connected to this. They aren’t after territory—they’re after leverage. They know Nani isn’t part of your world, and that makes him an easy target.”

My grip tightened on the edge of the table, the wood groaning under the pressure. My anger simmered just beneath the surface, controlled but lethal. “And yet, they’re still breathing,” I said quietly, dangerously. “Why?”

Win met my gaze without flinching. “Because they’ve covered their tracks well. But they made a mistake by going after Nani. I’ve started tracing their moves back to a source. It’ll take time, but—”

“I don’t want time,” I snapped, my voice cutting through the room like a blade. “I want results. I want their names. Their families. Their allies. I want them dragged out of whatever holes they’re hiding in, begging for mercy before I make an example of them.”

The room tensed, the weight of my fury pressing down on every man seated at the table. None of them dared to speak.

“And Nani?” I asked, my tone sharp but quieter now. “How close were they to him?”

Win hesitated, a flicker of unease crossing his face. “Close. Too close. We’ve been watching him, but he’s… restless. If he hadn’t been under surveillance—”

I didn’t let him finish. My fist struck the table again, harder this time, and one of the men flinched. I shot him a withering glare before turning back to Win. “I gave you one job: protect him. I don’t care how restless he is, how many men it takes, or how much it costs. Nothing happens to him. Do you understand?”

Win nodded. “Understood, boss.”

As the meeting adjourned and the men began filing out of the room, I stayed seated, my thoughts racing. The rage simmered in my chest, but beneath it was something quieter. Guilt. Nani hadn’t asked for any of this. He didn’t belong in my world, yet he was caught in the crossfire of my enemies. And I… I’d dragged him into it.

Win paused at the door, waiting for my next command. “Tell Nani I’m taking him to dinner tonight,” I said without looking up. “Make the arrangements. Ensure security is airtight.”

Win raised an eyebrow but nodded. “Yes, boss.”

As the door closed behind him, I leaned back in my chair, exhaling slowly. This wasn’t just about keeping Nani safe. I owed him more than that. I needed to prove to him—and to myself—that I could protect what mattered.

-----

Nani hirunkit

Dew and Mark were doing their best to cheer me up, though I wasn’t sure why they bothered. Maybe they felt guilty for keeping me here, or maybe they just hated awkward silences. Either way, I appreciated the effort, even if my mood refused to improve.

Dew was sprawled on the couch, his long legs stretched out as he fiddled with a controller, engrossed in some video game that seemed to involve explosions and a lot of yelling. Mark sat in the armchair, his usual calm, observant self, quietly chuckling at Dew’s dramatic reactions.

For a while, it almost felt normal. Almost.

“Seriously, Mark, you gotta try this one,” Dew said, holding up the controller as another loud crash came from the TV. “It’s like therapy, but with more destruction.”

“I’m good,” Mark replied dryly, his lips quirking into the faintest smile.

I sat nearby, pretending to read a book but finding my gaze wandering toward them more often than not. They were an odd pair, but it worked somehow. Dew was vibrant, almost boyish in his energy, while Mark was stoic and grounded, always the steady presence in the room. They balanced each other in a way that was hard to ignore.

I often wondered how they’d ended up here, in Sky’s orbit. Dew had mentioned that he and Sky had known each other since they were young, and their bond was obvious. They trusted each other implicitly. But Mark? He seemed too young, too fresh-faced, to be involved in something so dangerous.

The sound of footsteps drew my attention to the doorway. Win entered the room, his usual air of authority preceding him. He didn’t need to say a word to make everyone sit up straighter.

Dew immediately paused the game, a sly grin spreading across his face. “Look who’s here,” he said, tossing the controller onto the couch. “What’s the matter, Win? Missed me already?”

Win gave him a long, unimpressed look. “I’m here on business, Dew. Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Oh, come on,” Dew teased, standing up and taking a step closer to Win. “You’re always so serious. Lighten up for once. Or is that terrifying scowl of yours permanently glued on?”

Win’s jaw tightened, but I caught the flicker of something in his eyes—annoyed, maybe, or something deeper, something softer.

“You’re impossible,” Win muttered, though his voice lacked its usual edge.

“And you love it,” Dew shot back, his grin widening.

The tension between them was palpable, the air between them charged with something unspoken. I didn’t know what it was, but it was enough to make Mark glance away, pretending to adjust his watch.

For a moment, I felt like I was intruding on something private, something I wasn’t meant to see.

Win finally broke the silence, stepping past Ivan and looking straight at me. “Doctor,” he said, his tone shifting back to professional. “Boss has asked me to inform you that he’s taking you to dinner tonight. Please be ready.”

“Dinner?” I asked, blinking. “I thought it wasn’t safe to go out.”

Win’s expression didn’t change. “He’s made the arrangements. Everything will be secure.”

Before I could respond, Dew clapped his hands together, his grin returning. “Well, look at that! Sky is pulling out the big guns. A fancy dinner? You must be special, doc.”

Mark chuckled softly, and I shot Dew a glare, though I couldn’t stop the faint flush creeping up my neck. “It’s just dinner,” I muttered, standing up and brushing imaginary dust off my pants.

“Yeah, sure,” Dew said with a wink. “Just dinner.”

Win sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose like he was seconds away from losing his patience. “Dew,” he said sharply, “don’t you have something better to do?”

“Not really,” Dew replied, his tone light, but there was a glint of mischief in his eyes.

The exchange made my chest tighten in an unfamiliar way. Watching them, I realized something I hadn’t before—there was history here, something deeper than friendship or loyalty. The way Dew pushed, always toeing the line, and the way Win allowed it, even when he pretended not to—it wasn’t just banter. It was trust.

And maybe something more.

But I didn’t have time to dwell on it. Dew turned back to me, his smile softening. “Don’t overthink it, doc. Just enjoy the night. Sky knows what he’s doing.”

I wasn’t sure if that was true, but I nodded anyway. “Fine,” I said, grabbing my book and heading for the door. “Let’s see what he’s planned.”