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Chapter Nine

I blinked at Pete. "Who is your sister?"

"I'm sorry Team leader," he said lowering his head as if he wanted to bury it in his chest.

"No, that's not your fault, I mean how can that be?" Kongpob told me that Anya's father killed her brother for being gay. If that wasn't true— actually, of course wasn't not true— That Anya, always lying. I stood still and thought about it. I wanted to tell Kongpob immediately but I didn't want to move too fast and there was that thing that Anya told me.

At the restaurant, after leaving Pete, I went to speak with Anya.

"P'Arthit, I don't have anything to say to you," she said, her hand twisted on her chest as she pretended to be aloof.

"Well, I have a lot to say to you," I said. I was the one who called her out. This wasn't going to take long but I plan on getting answers.

"Kongpob told me the truth, about why he had to marry you. I know you forged that stupid letter so that it looked like it came from me and I thought that the despair must have made Kongpob angry enough to marry you, but it was a fake wedding all along. And even that shouldn't have been enough to push Kongpob into agreeing to marry you. Now that Kongpob has told me the truth, I just have one thing to say to you,"

She was slowly looking shocked, her mouth hanging open as she stared at me with wavering eyes. I knew I had her, she believed me and now she will confess the truth about what she told Kongpob, she would also confess the lie too, soon enough.

"You are a liar, always have been and always will be. I just have to prove it to Kongpob that it is all a lie and then you will be finished, over. All your scheming brought to an end," I said with clear confidence.

"Prove it," she trembled and closed her eyes, "how, how are you going to prove it?"

This was working a little too well, "you will know once I do, there is nothing that can remain a secret forever."

She suddenly laughed, her voice ridiculously loud," okay then, go ahead and prove it. You will find complete despair at the end of that road."

"What?"

"You say you already know, right? Then let me let you in on a little secret, this which you can never ever give is my ticket into Kongpob's heart. P'Arthit, you lost, I won and will always win."

I was rooted to my feet, not able to answer back. I kept thinking that the answer to what I was seeking lay in her words but I can't find it. Something that I could never give Kongpob. What is that? Actually, there was a good list of things I can never give Kongpob. And this was related to the secret. I ended up being confused.

"Just in case," she wasn't done, "my father's birthday is coming soon, you are invited. If you really don't believe it, then come and see with your own eyes." She chuckled and turned away. Somehow she won this round as well. I was even more lost than when I came to talk with her. Still I was sure that whatever it was, Anya was not being completely honest.

Meeting Kongpob again was not going to be easy and I have no way of contacting him that I was sure was secure. So once more, I have no move to make.

But now it was different. Anya lied about her brother being killed in other to instill fear in Kongpob and make us unable to do anything because he was worried that the same thing would happen to me and this time she has failed.

"My sister and I haven't seen each other in ten years," Pete was saying and I brought my focus back to him.

"What happened," I asked.

"Well, let's say I was too flashy for my father to handle, he treated me like a pariah and then when I couldn't change to fit his ideal of a man, he swore to kill me if I ever show my face again and pronounced me dead to the family."

Anya's father is a very cruel man and not fit to be a father to anyone. He kicked his own son out for his sexuality and his daughter has become obsessive and quite insane under his care.

"You were fifteen?" he nodded and looked miserable.

"My father's circle is very large and he made sure that I was not welcome anywhere. So as soon as I could, I left the country. I knew I could never go home again and I trust my father to keep his word if I ever showed up again. He must have told everyone that I was dead. Life outside was too hard for me, so I had to come back and hope that I never have to see him again."

He paused and looked at me, "team leader, when I saw my sister I had to get out of there so that she wouldn't get word back to my father if she sees me."

I knew that he was suffering; it has to be tough to have no one in your family who accepts you as you are. This was what I was afraid would happen to Kongpob, why I didn't want us to come out. But still, "your sister has been nothing but trouble to us, Pete," I said.

"I know, you told me about how she got in-between you and Kongpob. I wish there was something I could do."

"No, you don't have to expose yourself," I exhaled and raised myself to full height, "I will do something. I just hope that you won't be too sad that's all."

He looked at me slightly surprised. I don't know why. "Team le—I mean P'Arthit you don't hate me for what my sister did to you?"

I didn't have to tell Pete about who hurt me when he saw how I looked. Anya was the person I had left to meet when it happened.

"Why would I? You have nothing to do with it. Actually, there is something you can do."

Pete was beginning to smile, seemingly relieved at what I was saying but he turned serious. I have thought of something that might help me deal with Anya's father.

Later that day, I went to Kongpob's father's office. To my surprise Kongpob was there. Normally if Mr Sutiluck has a visitor I would wait at the waiting area for him but his secretary invited me in.

Kongpob was on his feet when I walked in and he turned at the sound of the door. His surprise to see me was the same as mine. We stared at each other, me barely keeping my emotions contained, him looking like he wanted to walk towards me.

I wasn't sure that he wasn't being watched in the office. When I came to speak with Kongpob's father and told him everything, I didn't think of this possibility but I was thinking it now and wondering if I cared either way. I have already decided that staying away from Kongpob was stupid and I wasn't going to do it anymore.

"Kongpob—"I started.

"Don't talk to me," he cut me off. "Don't say anything and just let me leave." His voice was harsh but unlike before I could sense the struggle in between.

"Are you being watched?" I asked, losing the little confidence I had gathered.

He glanced at his father and said nothing. Actually, I haven't told Kongpob that I have told his father everything.

I let the silence seat then I said, "Kongpob, I have made up my mind."

He lifted his brows in confusion.

"I won't play along anymore," I said.

"P'Arthit," his eyes shadowed and I stopped from saying all that I wanted to say, "remember what I told you, "he said

What he told me. Kongpob told me a lot of things but two were especially significant: I love you and don't do anything.

"Dad, I will be leaving now," he walked till he was next to me and didn't stop or say anything but his presence, his smell and his warmth filled me with fierce yearning.

After he was gone did I turn to call him," Kongpob, wait,"

"Arthit son," his father stayed my movement and I stared after the exiting back. At least he should have let me say what I wanted to say. "Let him go."

I turned my head to him, showing how reluctant I was to do that. I have already made up my mind not to fear Anya's father, and to end this game of hiding. My resolve may have wavered a little but I still want to be free. There are things, now that I am thinking about it, Kongpob and I could do to make sure that we were both safe.

"Listen to me," he pleaded. "Kongpob is doing what he thinks is right in order to protect you."

I turned fully and lowered my eyes. "But sir, his way isn't working at all. All we are doing is staying away from each other while Anya's father gets the best of us with his threats."

"So what are you planning to do?"

"Bargain," I said. "Anya's father is running for a seat in the government, if his daughter becomes involved in a legal case it would hurt his name. I now understand what kind of a man he is; name, reputation and prestige matters to him. Just as he is holding us ransom, I want to hold him ransom too."

Kongpob's father leaned forward," that's not a bad plan, Arthit. How are you going to do it?"

"First I gather all the evidence I have and present it to him and I will have someone also be ready to send it to the police should anything happen to me."

"I will do it," he said, startling me.

"No," I shook my head. I don't want you to get involved.

"Nonsense, I am already involved. The thing I promised you will take some time and I can tell you are impatient and Kongpob is suffering more than he lets on. I am worried about him. If we can achieve something with this then I want to help out too. Besides, who would you give?"

He was right; I could only count on him. P'Dean was also another choice but I don't want to make her a target.

"So, when are you going to present it to him?"

I smiled a little, exhaling at the opportunity presented to me. "I was invited to his party, actually. I will use that opportunity."

So it was decided. I returned to my office thinking hard about the decision I have made. I didn't want to make a mistake, plus now I had Kongpob's father involved. I can only hope that his good relationship with Anya's father would protect him and then Kongpob and I will finally gain our freedom. For that I don't care what happens to me, I will do anything to free Kongpob from the threats and web of lies Anya and her father have weaved around him.

"Arthit."

I looked up and it was P'Dean," do you have time?" she said.

She wanted us to work together on an innovative project. I wasn't focused enough and she sighed at me. "At this rate you will only be hindering me," she explained as she began to pack up her papers.

I smiled helplessly at her; she never says any light words. Something slipped from the pile of papers and I got up to pick it for her."Hm? This is..." I stared at it.

"Oh, that is an invitation card for a birthday."

"You are friends with a Mr Rojhat?" I asked with slight humor. My experience with people with that surname hasn't been very good so I wasn't feeling very comedic.
She snatched it back," I actually don't know the guy and it's some old man, friend of her father. "She frowned," she said he invited me specifically, which was weird. I don't think I will go."

"Wait, P'Dean, can I see the invitation card again?" it was a unique card of peach color showing the wealth of the person. "What kind of man is he?" something felt off. The date on the card was the same as the one Anya told me. The venue was... Kongpob's father's house.

"What is it, you are acting really weird."

"P'Dean, I don't think you should go. I know this person, he is probably Anya's father."

Her eyes widen and her mouth opened slightly. "You mean the man who is threatening your life if you don't stay away from Kongpob?"

"Yes, this feels like a trap for you,"

"Wait, Arthit. Remember how I played your girlfriend at the pharmacy? What if that got to him? "

That's right. That could have gone better. Due to P'Dean announcing herself so strongly to Anya and the spy, perhaps they had suspected foul place. The only reason P'Dean would be interesting to Mr Rojhat at all was likely that.

"Arthit, what if they wanted to test me to see if I was really your girlfriend"

That seemed a bit too much unless if I was also invited to the party too. "That's all the more reason not to go," I said.

I didn't want to involve P'Dean in this whole mess after all. She already knows a lot, I can't ask her to keep pretending to be my girlfriend. Besides it won't matter anymore.

"What about you Arthit, did they invite you too?"

I focused on her face and thought about how Anya clumsily invited me, saying she wanted me to see something. I don't know if it was necessary for me to be there while they interrogate P'Dean, but what if Anya's invite wasn't unplanned. I can't trust Anya in anyway. She certainly had no reason to see me, and she is so confident, nothing I could have said would have fazed her. In fact, she wants to erase me from her life as much as from Kongpob's,

I sighed, I don't know what they are planning. P'Dean can just make an excuse and not go whereas I have something I need to do at that party.

"I wasn't invited exactly but I am going," I told her.

"Then let me go with you. I think since we have already started this story about my being your girlfriend we should continue with it so that you can get to see Kongpob."

A wave of something strong that I immediately recognize as want swept through me. That was something that I could do, and it would make things easier. I was already wondering how I was going to tell Kongpob my plan but... "P'Dean," I struggled to say.

She sighed," you don't want to get me involved. I hear you Arthit but has it occurred to you that maybe you should get me involved? You can't do everything alone and you need Kongpob's help but you can't talk to him. Think of me as your ticket to Kongpob."

"I don't want to use you like that," I said. I have already used her enough. And somewhat in this same way.

"You are not using me, I am offering to help. I guess I just want to do something for you."

Why did she feel that way, does she still have feelings for me? In that case I don't want her help even more. There is nothing I can give her in return. I paused and sneered at my thoughts, that was so conceited of me. I am nothing special and I hurt her before, she doesn't have feelings for me. She is my friend and she just wants to help me.

"Okay, P'Dean, thank you."

When I decided to do this I knew I was risking everything. I didn't care what happens to me as long as I could help Kongpob and free him from his troubles. I guess I was moving too fast, my mounting frustration at Anya blinding me. I don't know what else I could have done differently but the fact is that I didn't want to do nothing anymore.

So the next day, I got dressed for the party. P'Dean was waiting for me in front of her house when I came to pick her up with my car. As we were talking, I suddenly noticed a guy wearing deep green shirt seating across the road in a pub with a newspaper in his hand opened wide to hide half his face, but for a moment our eyes met.

This made me uncomfortable and I could not shake the feeling that he was watching me. "P'Dean," I called her softly, "can you see that guy over there?"

I held her hand to keep her from looking too fast and giving us away. "What guy, "she said, stopping her movement when I held her.

"don't look yet," I said," I think he is watching us."

"Seriously?!" she sounded terrified and I clasped her hand.

"Don't worry, just act natural. He is probably trying to make sure that you are my girlfriend just like you said."

"What—are you serious?" even though she had said the same thing I could see that P'Dean was a little afraid. When people think that they are being watched they become uncomfortable naturally but this didn't happen often and when you experience it for the first time, it can feel like you are a suspended out of your body and the experience. But I don't know for sure if this was the first time I was being watched. I haven't been acting with caution because of it.

"It's okay, nothing will happen," I smiled as if I was saying something funny to her. "Let's go."

She nodded stiffly, unable to act cool. When we were inside the car and I have started driving, we both exhaled and I looked through the mirror to see if we were being followed. There was only a bike and one other car behind me. I didn't see anything suspicious.

"How long do you think that person has been watching us," P'Dean asked her nervousness showing. She was dressed in an off shoulder blue dress peppered with gems like she was trying to out-dress someone.

"I don't know," I said," I hope it hasn't been long. I wonder why they want to confirm you as my girlfriend, why are they being so nosy?"

"Well, they have been trying to keep you and Kongpob from seeing each other, of course they would want to confirm that what happened at the pharmacy was real or not."

That is possible. That day I hadn't banked on Anya being there and P'Dean had gone off on her own to quarrel with her. This could be Anya's doing.

We soon arrived at the house and there wasn't any big sign of a party going on. I and P'Dean walked into the house and saw that it was bustling with people and there really was a party.

My eyes immediately fell on Kongpob who was looking at the door the whole time. The minute he saw me his whole face lit with joy and I saw him take two steps towards me, but I was bracketed by Anya and his mother before he could reach me.

The two women stared at me like I was a little better than an insect that had invaded their home and I stared back without wincing, even from Kongpob's mother.

"What are you doing here?" Kongpob's mom asked her face blank.

"I invited him mom, but I didn't know he would be so shameless as to come here." I looked at Anya, she was dressed better than all the female guest that anyone would think she was the celebrant instead of her father.

"That's good my child, you did the right thing. It is very important that you are here, maybe now you will give up on Kongpob for good." I catch Anya giving Kongpob's mother a wary look then she looked at me with her usual look of disgust which up till this point I have been trying to get used to when compared with the person she was before. I was done trying to find any good in her now.

"P'Arthit—"

I cut off anything she was going to say and link my arm with P'Dean, "I don't know what you are talking about, didn't you meet my girlfriend before?"

She coughed as if choking on her saliva.

"Your girlfriend." Kongpob's mother's face looked hopeful, "then you are not gay?" Anything but my being in love with her son would make her feel better, I thought. She must really hate me. I probably will never see her smile at me or call me son again.

"Yes, I am his girlfriend." Thankfully P'Dean answered for me because a ball of pain I couldn't swallow had blocked my throat.

To avoid getting more hurt I said, "We will go and mingle with others."

We walked away, leaving them behind and I felt P'Dean place a comforting hand in mine. It was warm. I looked at her and showed her an easy smile, "thank you P'Dean."

"No problem," she replied.

I looked around for Anya's father but he was not at the party yet then I saw Kongpob coming to us. He was blocked by a woman who was dressed like a maid. So that must be her, I thought, as Kongpob side stepped her after a few words to her and came to see me.

He looked at us looking like he wanted to smile. I don't know what was making him happy, that P'Dean and I came together or that I came.

"Kong—pob," I canceled the familiarity only to make him comfortable and smiled a little.

"P'Arthit, P'Dean," he said, greeting her with a wai which she gratefully accepted. "Thank you for coming today. P'Dean you look beautiful."

I looked at her and she did look beautiful and I was reminded of my jealousy at the time that P'Dean and Kongpob were supposedly dating. It was okay for Kongpob to call her beautiful I thought.

"P'Dean would you like to dance later?" he asked. I started and returned my eyes to his. He wasn't speaking to me at all but was giving P'Dean undivided attention? I wasn't supposed to let jealousy touch me but it did even though deep down I knew there must be something he wanted to do.

"um, sure Kongpob," she accepted," only if my boyfriend is okay with that. Are you honey."

I held Kongpob's eyes as he was finally meeting mine, then I nodded," sure."

"okay." He laughed, planted a hand on my shoulder and squeezed then he walked passed me. Where he touched me stayed with me for a long time, like his hand never left.

"So what now, " P'Dean asked.

"I want to speak with Anya's father but he is not here yet so we should probably just act the part."

"Act the part? You mean like normal boyfriend and girlfriend?" she looked appalled which made me hesitate to nod.

"Is it too much?" I asked.

She smiled and shook her head," no, aside from kissing nothing will be too much right now. But how long do we have to do his for?"

"Only tonight, I'm sure."

So she took my hand and said, "honey, I am tired of standing, can we find somewhere to seat," she smiled up at me. I looked uneasily at her as she was leaning on me too close, all her body touching mine. Well, I was the one that told her to act the part, I thought wryly.

"Yeah," I said.

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