Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Nani hirunkit

I paced my room, my thoughts racing so fast it felt like I couldn’t breathe. Pond is in danger. The words kept repeating in my mind, hammering into me with relentless precision.

The guilt clawed at my chest. Pond had no idea about this world—the danger, the games, the threats lurking in the shadows. He wasn’t supposed to know. I wasn’t supposed to bring this to him. I’d done everything Sky asked. I stayed. I kept my distance. And still, Pond was dragged into the crossfire.

But deep down i know, something like this will happen sooner or later.

With Pond’s life hanging in the balance now, another thought stabbed through the haze of fear. Sky. The look on his face when I told him I didn’t trust him. When I demanded answers, only to storm away from him, leaving him standing there.

The memory of his silence haunted me. The way his lips pressed into a thin line, his shoulders stiffening as if bracing for a blow. He didn’t say he loved me back. But… did that mean he didn’t?

I stopped mid-step, running a hand through my hair. Why am I thinking about this now? Pond’s life was on the line, and here I was, spiraling over my love life. I shook my head, forcing myself to focus.

I couldn’t stay here. Waiting was a death sentence—for Pond and for me.

The knock at the door startled me, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts.

“Nani,” Sky’s voice called softly through the door. “Please open the door.” lucky that i locked the door. He was the last person I wanted to see right now.

The sound of his voice sent a wave of emotions crashing over me—anger, frustration, fear, love—all colliding into a mess I couldn’t untangle. I stood frozen for a moment, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Nani,” he said again, more firmly this time. “We need to talk.”

The sound of his voice made my chest tighten. I couldn’t face him—not after what I’d said. Not after the way I’d lost control.

The knock came again, firmer this time. “Nani, let me in. We need to talk.”

I froze, my breath catching in my throat.

“Nani,” he said again, his voice lower now, more commanding. “Open the door.”

I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my skin. If I opened the door, I knew what would happen. He’d wrap me in his arms, murmur reassurances in that deep, calming voice of his, and somehow—somehow—he’d make me stay.

But I couldn’t let that happen. Not this time.

“Please, Sky,” I said, my voice trembling despite my best efforts. “Leave me alone.”

There was a long pause on the other side of the door, and I could almost feel his frustration through the silence.

“Nani,” he said finally, his voice softer now. “I know you’re scared. I know you’re angry. But you need to trust me. Let me handle this.”

Trust me. The words made my stomach twist painfully. How could I trust him when he wouldn’t even tell me how he felt about me? When he kept me locked in this mansion like a prisoner, cutting me off from my own brother, refusing to let me take any control of my own life?

“I can’t do this right now,” I said, my voice breaking slightly. “Please, Sky. Just go.”

Another pause. Then I heard him sigh, the sound heavy with frustration and something else—something I couldn’t place.

“Fine,” he said finally, his voice colder than before. “But we’re not done talking about this.”

I heard his footsteps retreating, each one making my chest tighten further.

When the silence returned, I sank onto the edge of the bed, burying my face in my hands. My tears were hot and angry, burning against my skin as I tried to pull myself together.

You always tell me to trust you. But do you even trust me?

The words I’d thrown at him earlier echoed in my mind, cutting deeper now than they had when I’d said them.

I loved him. God, I loved him. But I couldn’t just stand by while my brother’s life was on the line.

I wiped my face roughly and stood, pacing the room again as the beginnings of a plan formed in my mind.

---

The Plan

For three days i manage to avoid Sky. I Lock up myself in my room planning how to escape.

I couldn’t leave without help. That much was obvious. Sky’s men were stationed at every possible exit. Dew and Win were too sharp to let me slip by unnoticed. And Sky? He’d know the second I stepped outside this room.

But Mark… Mark was different.

He wasn’t like Dew, who saw through every lie, or Win, who carried suspicion in his every glance. Mark was kind, almost too kind. He still carried the weight of what happened at the mall, his guilt plain in the way he watched over me.

I hated the thought of using that guilt against him. He didn’t deserve that. But what choice did I have? Pond needed me, and Mark was the only one who might listen.

I paced again, the guilt gnawing at my chest. “Just this once,” I whispered to myself. “I’ll make it right later.”

Stepping toward the door, I cracked it open slightly, peering out into the hallway. One of Sky’s men was stationed nearby, his back to me, his posture relaxed but alert. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stay calm as I slipped out of the room.

Mark wasn’t far. I found him near the lounge, sitting with Dew. They were speaking in hushed tones, their expressions serious.

I hesitated, my heart pounding. Dew was sharp—too sharp. If I approached them now, he’d see right through me.

But luck was on my side. Moments later, Dew’s phone buzzed, and he stood abruptly. “I need to check on something,” he muttered to Mark before walking off.

Mark leaned back in his chair, rubbing a hand over his face. He looked tired—exhausted, even—and the guilt I’d been trying to suppress bubbled to the surface.

But I couldn’t back down. Not now.

“Mark,” I said softly, stepping into the lounge. My voice wavered slightly, and I prayed he wouldn’t notice.

He looked up quickly, his expression shifting from surprise to concern. “Doctor? What are you doing out of your room?”

“I needed to talk to you,” I said, forcing myself to meet his eyes. “It’s about Pond, my brother.”

His shoulders stiffened, but his expression softened. “Doctor, you need to trust us. Boss has everything under control.”

“I can’t,” I said, shaking my head. My voice cracked, the desperation spilling out before I could stop it. “I can’t just sit in that room, waiting. I need to see him. I need to know he’s okay.”

His brow furrowed, his gaze searching for mine. “You know I can’t let you leave. Boss—”

“Please,” I interrupted, my voice breaking. “You’ve always been kind to me, Mark. You’ve always understood. I’m not asking you to let me go—I’m asking you to come with me. Just you. I need someone I can trust.”

He hesitated, his eyes flicking toward the hallway as though expecting Dew to appear. “You’re putting me in a difficult position,” he said finally, his voice quiet.

“I know,” I said quickly. “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important. Just help me get to him. That’s all I need.”

The conflict in his eyes was clear. His loyalty to Sky warred with his empathy for me, and for a moment, I thought he might refuse. But then he sighed, his shoulders slumping.

“Alright,” he said reluctantly. “But we have to be careful. If Boss finds out…”

“He won’t,” I said, relief flooding through me. “Thank you, Mark. Thank you.”

---

The escape wouldn’t be easy. Mark would need to create a distraction, something to pull the guards’ attention away long enough for us to slip out.

I didn’t know how far we’d get or what would happen once we reached Pond, but I didn’t care.

I had to protect him.

No matter the cost.