I carried the freshly made coffee carefully through the hallway, the warmth of the cup spreading into my hands while my heartbeat stayed annoyingly uneven for reasons I didn't want to think about too much.
Or maybe I already knew exactly why.
The moment I reached Chak's office door, I took a quiet breath before knocking lightly.
"Come in."
His voice was calm as always.
Controlled.
I stepped inside and closed the door behind me before walking toward his desk. Chak looked up from the documents in front of him, his dark eyes immediately settling on me in a way that always made my chest tighten a little.
"I made you coffee," I said softly, placing the cup near his hand.
For a second, he didn't answer.
He only looked at me.
That familiar heavy silence filled the space between us again, the kind that somehow felt more intimate than actual words.
Then suddenly, Chak reached for my wrist.
I barely had time to react before he pulled me closer and effortlessly guided me down onto his lap.
"Chak—"
I lowered my voice immediately, instinctively glancing toward the door even though it was locked.
His arm slid around my waist naturally, securely, like I belonged there.
"Relax," he murmured.
Easy for him to say.
I could already feel my ears getting warm.
"You're impossible," I muttered under my breath, but the protest lost all strength the moment I leaned back against him.
His chest was warm behind me.
Steady.
Comforting.
For a few quiet seconds, neither of us moved. Chak rested his chin lightly near my shoulder while one of his hands slowly brushed against my side, almost absentmindedly, yet every small touch made me more aware of him.
Far too aware.
"You smell like coffee," he said quietly.
I let out a soft laugh. "That tends to happen when someone spends ten minutes making it for you."
His grip tightened slightly.
Not enough to trap me.
Just enough to make it harder to leave.
I closed my eyes for a brief moment, allowing myself to enjoy this longer than I probably should have. If anyone saw us like this—
No.
I pushed the thought away immediately.
"I should go," I finally whispered.
Chak stayed silent.
"Taeng already suspects something," I added, turning my head slightly toward him. "He keeps looking at us weirdly after we came late together."
That finally earned a small smirk from him.
"He suspects because he notices everything."
"Exactly why this is dangerous."
His fingers traced lightly along my waist once before he sighed quietly.
"Fine."
The word sounded reluctant.
I smiled a little before carefully standing up from his lap. The warmth he left behind only made me more aware of how close we'd been.
Before leaving, I looked back at him once more.
He had already picked up his coffee, but his eyes were still on me.
Watching.
Always watching.
I quickly escaped before my face got even warmer.
The second I returned to my desk, Pim immediately leaned toward me with curiosity practically glowing in her eyes.
"So?" she asked. "How was the event?"
I froze for half a second before sitting down casually.
"It was fine."
"That's such a boring answer," she complained dramatically.
Before I could say anything else, Taeng suddenly appeared beside us holding a stack of files.
"It actually was pretty good," he said. "Except me and Niran accidentally ate chocolate with alcohol in it."
Pim's eyes widened instantly.
"You what?"
"It wasn't even our fault," I defended myself immediately. "Nobody told us."
Taeng looked way too amused.
"You should've seen your faces after realizing."
I narrowed my eyes at him. "You weren't exactly helping."
"That's because I was trying not to laugh."
Pim burst out laughing almost immediately while I sighed and opened the documents on my desk, pretending I suddenly became very interested in work.
A few seconds later, Taeng's phone rang.
He glanced at the screen before lifting an eyebrow slightly.
"Kit's calling."
That alone already explained enough.
Taeng answered quickly before nodding once. "Yeah, I'm coming."
He hung up and looked at us.
"Kit needs me upstairs."
Pim waved him away dramatically. "Go, go."
The moment Taeng left, the office slowly settled back into its usual rhythm. Keyboard sounds filled the space while people moved around carrying papers and coffee.
I finally started focusing on work again.
Or at least tried to.
My thoughts kept drifting back to Chak's office.
To his hands.
To the way he pulled me onto his lap so naturally like it was the easiest thing in the world.
I was still trying to force myself back into concentration when a security guard suddenly stopped beside our desks.
"Mr. Niran?"
I looked up immediately.
"Yes?"
"There's someone who would like to speak with you privately."
My brows furrowed slightly.
"With me?"
The guard nodded politely. "Please come with me."
Next to me, Pim looked confused too, but I simply gave a small nod and stood up.
"Okay."
The walk through the building felt strangely quiet.
Too quiet.
A strange feeling slowly settled in my stomach the moment we exited toward the underground garage.
The security guard led me toward a sleek white car parked near the far corner.
Then he opened the back door for me.
I hesitated for only a second before stepping inside.
And immediately froze.
A woman sat elegantly across from me.
Chak's mother.
The air inside the car felt heavy almost instantly.
Not hostile.
But tense.
Her calm eyes studied me carefully, and despite her composed appearance, I noticed the concern hidden underneath it almost immediately.
I straightened unconsciously. "Mrs. Phansprasit…"
"Niran," she said softly.
Her voice carried warmth, yet something about it made my chest tighten nervously.
For a brief moment, silence filled the car.
Then she spoke again.
"I wanted to meet you alone."
I swallowed quietly but nodded.
She looked at me carefully before her expression softened further.
"I need you to protect my children," she said in a worried voice. "Especially Chak."
The words caught me completely off guard.
Her eyes lowered slightly, as if the thought itself weighed heavily on her.
"He trusts you."
For a moment, I could only stare at her.
The concern in her eyes didn't look fake.
It looked real.
Heavy.
Personal.
And somehow that made this entire conversation feel even more serious.
"I promise," I said quietly.
Chak's mother held my gaze for a few long seconds before giving me a small nod, like she had expected that answer from the beginning.
"I know you will," she replied softly.
Her expression gentled further.
"But if anything happens… if something feels wrong…" Her voice lowered slightly. "Tell me immediately."
I nodded without hesitation.
"I will."
The tension inside the car eased just a little after that.
She looked relieved.
Not completely.
But enough.
A few moments later, I stepped out of the white car and watched it disappear from the underground garage before exhaling slowly.
My mind felt strangely heavy as I walked back toward the office.
Protect Chak.
The words stayed stuck inside my head the entire way back.
When I returned to my desk, Pim immediately looked up.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah," I answered quickly, sitting down before she could ask more questions. "It was nothing important."
I could tell she didn't fully believe me, but thankfully she let it go.
For the next hour, the office returned to normal again. People moved between departments, quiet conversations filled the background, keyboards clicked endlessly, and little by little I managed to focus on work again.
At least until the elevator doors opened.
I looked up automatically.
And immediately noticed Anamarija walking out together with Vikran.
As always, she carried herself with effortless confidence.
Her shoulder-length brown hair framed her face perfectly while her blue-gray eyes scanned the office calmly. Dressed in black jeans, a blue t-shirt, and a light blue cardigan with a bows, she somehow looked elegant without even trying.
Beside her, Vikran walked casually with one hand in his pocket, though his attention stayed subtly on her the entire time.
Anamarija's gaze quickly found me.
Then, without hesitation, she walked directly toward my desk.
"Well," she said lightly as she sat beside me, "you look exhausted."
I let out a quiet laugh. "Long day."
"Hm."
She leaned slightly on the desk while studying my face carefully like she was trying to read something from my expression.
"You look like you're thinking too much."
"That obvious?"
"To me? Yes."
Vikran snorted quietly beside her. "She notices everything."
Anamarija ignored him completely, still watching me with curious eyes.
Before I could answer, hurried footsteps suddenly echoed through the office.
One of the employees nearly rushed into the room breathlessly.
"Madam and Lady Malai Phanprasit have arrived."
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Everyone around us stood up almost automatically.
Conversations stopped.
Even Pim looked surprised.
I slowly stood too, already feeling the shift in tension around the room.
A few seconds later, Chak's mother entered together with Malai.
Malai looked elegant as always, composed and graceful beside her mother, but the moment Chak's mother noticed Anamarija, her entire expression changed.
Softened.
Completely.
Without hesitation, she walked directly toward her.
Then pulled her into a tight embrace.
"My daughter…" she whispered emotionally. "I'm going to miss you."
The entire office fell silent.
Shock spread across nearly every face around us.
Pim's eyes widened so much I thought they might actually fall out.
Vikran looked stunned.
Several employees exchanged confused looks immediately.
Even Malai looked emotional watching them together.
Only I stayed quiet.
Because unlike everyone else…
I already knew.
Anamarija hugged her back gently.
"I'll take care of everyone," she said softly. "Don't worry."
Chak's mother pulled back just enough to look at her properly before reaching up to touch her cheek carefully.
Then her expression turned impossibly tender.
"And I want you to call me Mom."
The room somehow became even quieter.
Anamarija froze slightly.
Chak's mother smiled sadly.
"You already lost your father," she said gently. "So I want you to have two mothers instead."
For the first time since I'd met her, Anamarija looked completely speechless.
Her eyes softened almost instantly.
And when she smiled after that, it looked smaller.
Realer.
More vulnerable than usual.
"…Okay," she whispered quietly. "Mom."