"Lada."

"Yes, P'Apo?"

"What do you want? Should we continue or stop here?"

Apo asked about her beloved's feelings, after pulling away from the closeness of their lips, which they had both enjoyed so much.

It seems that the time they spent apart for almost a month, due to a misunderstanding, and the time spent immersed in sadness, made the longing and desire grow. Nothing they said could completely fill what their hearts longed and needed.

"And you, P'Apo, what are you hoping for as an answer?"

The beautiful woman asked, not letting herself be defeated. Despite being embarrassed, with her body almost exploding from Apo's gentle and careful touch, she was still able to question her without hesitation. Although she felt the same, the embarrassment prevented her from admitting it.

Lada loved Apo's kisses...

It didn't matter if it was their first kiss, on the night before her birthday, or even the current kiss, where she felt that Apo was overwhelmed by longing and desire. None of these kisses made her feel bad; on the contrary, she adored them because they made her weak, as if they were melting her, and they made her want more.

"I want to know the answer according to your feelings."

"And if I tell you to stop, just like last time?"

"Then I will stop immediately and won't cross the limits."

Chonlada smiled as she saw that Apo, without a doubt, was completely lost in the feelings of love, just like she was. It was a repetition of the moment of their first kiss, where Apo had to hold back, being prevented from going beyond what she should.

The situation now was similar. Lada knew that if she said she wasn't ready to take the next step in the relationship, Apo would respect that and wouldn't force her.

"Then the answer is... do whatever you want, P'Apo."

"..."

She looked closely at the older woman, who, now with both arms resting on her shoulders, hugged her around the neck in a provocative manner, as if surrendering to a mischievous game. This only made her want more, as if she were falling into a trap she knew she couldn't escape, but also didn't want to.

"Are you going to eat me?"

The question whispered in her ear, soft as a test to see if Apo could control her own desires. After that question, everything between them, including the meaning of "hunger," seemed to shift into something much more intimate and passionate.

And after sharing that moment, the kisses continued to deepen. Apo, now without hesitation, explored the flavors of love in each touch, as if it was finally allowed to move forward.

The growing heat between them led them to a place of no return, where what seemed like a battle of wills turned into a dance of mutual surrender. The bed where they had argued earlier no longer seemed important. There was no need to sleep on the sofa anymore. They were now together, close, lying on the bed that became smaller as they drew nearer.

She pulled at her t-shirt, but Apo didn't resist. The boss seemed more than willing to please her, as if she had been waiting for her all along. And now, the one who always felt so secure in her presence was completely lost in desire, admiring the body she never imagined she would see so intimately.

"You're looking at me as if you're going to devour me. Are you hungry for me, Lada?"

"Don't tease me."

"You don't need to be afraid."

"I'm not afraid... I'm just embarrassed."

"Trust me, Lada."

These words, spoken with a soft and caring voice, made Lada feel calm and secure. Even though the path ahead was unknown and full of new feelings and desires, she was ready to follow with Apo, surrendering to the trust and love that united them.

It was like a wave in the sea, being carried by the rain that fell heavily, a natural force guiding her through all paths. And when she was finally pushed onto the beach, where tears would turn into sweetness, the experience of love between them would be like the sea calming down.

And so, a new wave would form...

With each passing night, their connection grew deeper, guided by the unconditional love they shared.

⋆。𖦹 。⋆

The next morning at the countryside house began again, but at that moment, the soft waves and warm water had yet to awaken from their sweet and pleasant sleep. It was as if both were filling themselves with love, making up for the past hurts, the wounds of the misunderstanding.

The period of suffering and anguish had come to an end!

"..."

The beautiful young woman slowly opened her eyes, adjusting to the morning sunlight coming through the curtain. Chonlada shifted slightly, as if still sleepy and tired, but soon realized she couldn't stretch or turn in bed because there was still another person beside her, very close, holding her in their arms.

"Lada, are you awake?"

"P'Apo."

Apo looked at the younger woman, who was still gazing at her with sleepy eyes, but as she felt Chonlada's movement, she quickly woke up and greeted her beloved on the first morning after they reconciled.

And this was the first day their relationship went beyond what it was before...

"Good morning."

Chonlada closed her eyes again, receiving the soft touch of Apo's lips as she leaned down to kiss her forehead gently, before pulling away and smiling at her. Lada, still unsure of how to act, felt awkward with the situation unfolding that morning and with the new phase of their relationship.

"What's wrong?"

"P'Apo, don't look at me like that."

"I wasn't looking at you."

Apo replied with a tender smile, realizing that Chonlada had seen her grabbing her glasses from the nightstand. She put them on to see better after waking up. Seeing this, Chonlada almost hid under the blanket, showing only her eyes.

"Close your eyes."

"It's over, Lada. I can't be your phi anymore."

"P'Apo! Stop teasing me, or I'll get mad!"

"Yesterday, I was so focused I forgot to say something important."

"What is it?"

"You're very beautiful."

"..."

Now, at the moment when Apo praised her beauty, Chonlada felt even more embarrassed, almost wanting to hide under the blanket, but she knew she couldn't. If it weren't for the fact that she'd get even more disheveled under the covers, she probably would have curled up completely.

But, since she had never experienced love before, even though she had said yesterday that she had, she wasn't used to the situation.

"And there's one more thing I said yesterday, but I want to say it again now... I love you so much, Lada."

"I love you too, P'Apo."

Hearing those words of love in the morning, when she opened her eyes and found the face of her beloved, made her heart melt. She made the effort to control her shyness and leaned in to kiss Apo's cheek in response, saying "I love you" back.

"But, with all this... does P'Apo think I'm easy?"

"You're not easy, you were the one who was being impatient."

"If my mom finds out, she'll scold you."

Although it was something completely voluntary and a desire from both of them, Chonlada knew that if her mother found out how intense her relationship with Apo had become, she would surely get angry, even though she was already an adult and had graduated. Her mother would certainly be upset with the situation.

"I'll take full responsibility and do everything properly. No one will be able to speak ill of you."

"But your dad doesn't like me. If the boss finds out, I'm afraid you'll get into trouble."

"Don't worry about my dad. I've already solved this situation."

"How?"

"Trust me. From now on, he won't interfere with our relationship anymore."

Chonlada trusted Apo completely, enough to reconcile with her and follow her heart without thinking twice. However, the situation with Apo's father, Adisorn, still worried her. Even though Apo told her to trust her, Chonlada couldn't find a solution to this problem.

⋆。𖦹 。⋆

"Apo, did you return home? Come here, your father has something important to discuss."

"Yes, I came back because I also have something to discuss with him."

"Have you decided about Chonlada?"

Apo looked intently at her father, who had brought up the topic, having waited for a long time to speak about it. After Mr. Adisorn allowed her to think and make her decision, despite her cousin Kasama, or other cousins like Wayo and Achima, trying to talk to her uncle, or even her older sister-in-law Tippapha affirming that Chonlada was a good person, her father still closed his heart and refused to accept someone he had once treated with affection. This was because the girl was the daughter of magnate Phimdet, a person with whom Adisorn didn't get along.

"Yes, I still maintain the same answer."

"Are you going to choose Chonlada and easily disregard everything your father built for you?"

"If you give me only one choice, then I will choose Chonlada."

"But I told you there are many other good women, people who have nothing to do with Wacharadecha, and I wanted you to be with someone. But I can't accept Phimdet's daughter."

"But Chonlada is lovely, and I don't want anyone else."

"So, you think your girlfriend is more important than your father?"

"Chonlada isn't my girlfriend, but now she is my wife."

"..."

Fortunately, Mr. Adisorn, the head of Watin, was still in good health, with no serious illnesses that would have made him ill from the shock of his stubborn only daughter's answer. What did Apo mean when she said so easily that Chonlada was her wife?

"You told me that, if I were to date someone, I should be clear about my intentions because you wouldn't support me hurting anyone."

"Yes, I said that. So what? Don't tell me you..."

"Yes, I am the one hurting Chonlada. Chonlada and I love each other, and our relationship is so deep that you can't separate her from me."

"I never taught you to be like this."

"But I am like this now. Like my father, you need to keep the word you gave and make my relationship with Chonlada recognized. I believe you should honor her family."

"And what do you expect me to do then?"

"Father, just ask for Chonlada's hand in marriage from her family."

In the end, even the head of Watin, Mr. Adisorn, who had firmly decided not to accept Chonlada as his daughter-in-law, had to back down and fulfill the promise he made.

He had to give in to the cunning of his daughter, didn't he?

⋆。𖦹 。⋆

"Is Apo coming to have dinner at our house today, daughter?"

"I don't know, mom."

"Ah, aren't you going to try calling her? I made pálolo eggs today too. I saw that Apo likes them, just like you. How about calling her to invite her to dinner?"

"Forget it, mom. She must be very busy, she's disappeared for several days. When she has time, she'll come on her own."

Chonlada replied to her mother, trying to hide the frustration and some anger that was starting to grow inside her. Even though she had said she was more mature after the important lesson and the events that changed her life, her relationship with Apo didn't seem to have anything to do with maturity.

How was it possible that, after that night when they resolved things and got back together, with their relationship evolving into something deeper, Apo had disappeared for several days after walking her home and having dinner with her? In the first few days, she tried to convince herself that Apo was busy, with things to resolve, but she soon realized that didn't make sense, because she knew that Apo had been removed from her job at the Watin group. Just working at the resort wouldn't be enough to justify her inability to come see her.

Could it be that when she started to give in, Apo got bored so easily? Or maybe the intensity of their relationship ended up scaring Apo? The more she thought about it, the more irritated she became. She even wanted to find a way to vent, but she couldn't tell her mother about this, so she kept everything to herself, like a secret.

"Let me take care of the rest, go rest, daughter."

"Alright, mom, but if you need help, just call me."

The young woman with the beautiful face moved away from the kitchen, thinking that she was more of a hindrance than help to her mother. Besides, her mind was distant, reflecting on everything, and her mother had probably already noticed this, worried she might end up hurting herself with the knife.

"Could Apo be calling me right now?"

She saw a call from Prim, Apo's secretary, who had asked for her new number after she changed it at the party at the hotel. She couldn't use the old number or the chat, which she had blocked due to the issues with Apo. She regretted not having kept the memories of before, but Apo had promised to stay in touch, and she continued receiving messages, even with the distance.

"Hello, good afternoon, Prim."

[Chonlada, are you available now? I need to ask you something urgently.]

"What happened?"

[Today, at the resort, we have a big event, but we're short on staff. The boss asked me to request your help, since we don't have anyone for the event at the hotel. Can you come help me?]

"I can go, Prim, but there won't be any problems, right? I'm no longer an employee of Watin."

[It's fine, I just need you to come quickly, that's all.]

"Okay, I'll leave now and should arrive in less than half an hour. I'll call you when I get there."

[I'll be near the event site on the beach, where you helped me last time. If I'm busy and can't answer, come directly there.]

"Got it, see you soon, Prim."

Chonlada agreed to go to the Watin resort to help, especially since Prim personally asked for her help. But if she found Apo there, she wouldn't let it slide and would resolve everything at once.

She started wondering if Apo was truly sincere when talking about commitment and trust, or if she was just playing with her feelings.

Chonlada was starting to lose patience and was thinking about confronting Apo, after all, she couldn't stand the uncertainty anymore.

⋆。𖦹 。⋆

"Today, at the resort, there are no scheduled events."

"Did you check the information correctly? Because it was Miss Prim who called me and asked me to come help with an event here."

"That's correct, plus, Prim hasn't even been to the resort today."

"..."

If Prim hasn't been to the Watin resort and there's no event today, aside from the regular guests who are staying as usual, not many since it's not the weekend, then why would Prim make up a story to trick me? She seemed like a mature and trustworthy person, not someone who would lie.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No, thank you."

Chonlada thanked the receptionist at the resort and let her continue with her duties, before leaving the area and trying to call Prim again, but with no success. However, instead of giving up and going home feeling that it was all in vain, she decided to explore the empty event space once more before leaving.

"Is that Apo over there?"

She mentioned someone she couldn't clearly see from where she stood, but was more than ninety percent sure that the person with their back turned, arms crossed, looking relaxed on the beach, was Apo.

So that's it, she was there, relaxing as if she were on a break, while leaving her in a whirlwind of emotions, not knowing how to handle their relationship. Something that seemed clear... but still uncertain.

"Apo?"

"Chonlada."

"Finally, you found me."

"Wait a minute, are you already going to be rude to me when you see me?"

Apo smiled, pulling Chonlada's wrist, who had been moving toward her with a serious attitude. If anyone at the resort saw the boss being pulled like that by the neck, they would probably intervene thinking that she was being attacked by Chonlada.

But in that place, with the good memories they shared, it was just the two of them, and no one would interrupt what Apo had planned.

"It was you, Apo!"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't pretend! You don't care about me."

"Who said that?"

The older woman asked, curious to understand why Chonlada was acting the way she was, clearly upset and hurt.

Apo thought that if it were her, in such an intimate relationship, and someone disappeared like that, it could easily be interpreted in the wrong or negative way. That's why she tried to resolve everything quickly and directly, not wanting to make Chonlada wait longer than necessary.

"You don't need anyone to tell me, I already know what you did."

"Then, Chonlada, understand the truth."

"Understand what?"

"Since we met, there hasn't been a day when I haven't cared about you."

"..."

Apo's sweet words made Chonlada's heart beat faster, but that didn't make her give in easily. Every woman likes to hear sweet words of love, and she was one of those women.

But now, what she wanted most from Apo was clarity about what they were and the responsibility the executive had toward the relationship, not just beautiful words.

"Chonlada."

"Hi!"

"Don't be mad at me."

"Who's mad?"

"My wife."

"Apo! How can you say that? What if someone hears? What will they think of me?"

Chonlada quickly moved closer to try and cover Apo's mouth, not wanting her to say anything that would make her look bad, even if it was true. But the more she tried to stop her, the more Apo seemed to want to tease. The CEO held her hands and continued the conversation seriously.

"But I'm telling the truth."

"No! Don't say that. Even if it's true, don't say it."

Apo looked at Chonlada, who was trying to hide her embarrassment, pulling her hands to break free. Chonlada raised her hands and covered her ears, as if trying to ignore the words, but her face was completely red, and the tension in the air only grew.

"Listen, Chonlada, before you interrupt me. There's still something important I need to tell you."

"Say it quickly, Apo. I want to hear your apology."

"It's not an apology."

"Say it quickly, and I'll decide if it's an apology or an excuse."

Chonlada crossed her arms and raised her face, adopting a serious posture, unwilling to give in to Apo. They had developed a deep relationship, and Chonlada didn't want to be someone in Apo's hands like before.

"Marry me."

"..."

"This tulip ring was made especially for you, and I wanted to give it to you as a gift on your birthday, but because of our issues, I haven't had the chance yet."

"So, you wanted to propose to me on my birthday?"

"No, at that time, I just wanted it to be a heartfelt gift. I thought you were still young, so I wanted to propose the engagement first and for us to get to know each other gradually."

Apo explained that the ring was bought with the intention of a more serious commitment, but now her feelings had evolved. She no longer wanted just an engagement; she wanted to be with Chonlada for the rest of her life.

"But my birthday was recently, don't you think it's too soon?"

"Chonlada, you're not a child anymore, you've grown. And I know this better than anyone."

"That's why you don't want to get married, right? Or do you want me to kneel?"

"No, no need. Your outfit will get dirty."

Chonlada stopped Apo before she could kneel for a marriage proposal, something she never imagined Apo would do, since at the beginning, Apo wasn't romantic at all.

She, who seemed to live for Watin, was now offering Chonlada all her love, as if she were dedicating it to her for the rest of their lives.

"Are you afraid I won't want to marry you?"

"No, Chonlada. You won't let me marry anyone else, will you?"

"Of course not. I won't let you marry anyone other than me."

"Then, will you marry me?"

"Yes. I will stay by your side for the rest of my life, Apo."

⋆。𖦹 。⋆