The memory faded like smoke. Li Ming took another sip of his brandy, his eyes narrowing at the shimmering lights dancing upon the dark surface of the water. "The assassin I sent to teach Adisorn a lesson… he’s gone to ground now, hasn't he?"
"Yes, sir," Rosé reported. "He’s hiding out in the countryside. It seems Adisorn has chosen to let the matter go quiet."
Li Ming turned his gaze toward the CK Group headquarters, towering in the distance as the boat drifted past. "The audacity… those vermin from Southeast Asia dare to meddle in my empire?"
A murderous glint flashed in his eyes as he glanced down at his own feet. "Since they are but tiny ants dreaming of grandeur... I shall do them the favor of crushing them into oblivion beneath my heel."
A cruel smirk played on his lips, his grip tightening slightly around the glass. "But I won’t finish them just yet. They’ve managed to rouse the courage in my son. I’ll allow them to draw breath a while longer."
Rosé nodded. "And regarding Ms. Meiling?"
"Meiling…" Li Ming’s expression turned glacial. "I want Wen Jie to handle her with his own hands. I want to see Lu Rong’s heart shatter when his beloved daughter is torn apart until nothing remains."
He let out a low, guttural chuckle before glancing at a massive cargo ship passing by. "And Yong Chang… Ming Zhi is cleaning that up, I presume?"
"He is."
"Good. The filth that used the CK Group name to fatten themselves... in the end, they cannot outrun the Reaper." Li Ming tilted his chin up, letting the cold wind lash against his face. "And 'Godfather' Chatchawin… he doesn't suspect you yet, does he?"
Rosé gave a chilling smile. "Not at all. He trusts me implicitly. He believes I am his mole."
"Excellent!" Li Ming nodded. "And what of the situation within that group?"
"It’s beginning to fracture. Adisorn trusts no one neither Chatchawin nor Gawin. He’s playing a solo hand. Gawin, in turn, is becoming increasingly suspicious of him. As for the two from Ros-Lom… their sights are set firmly on Lu Rong."
Li Ming laughed with dark amusement. "Adisorn… a viper that even his charmer cannot predict."
He turned to Rosé, his eyes devoid of mercy. "Dispose of the weakest prey first. Those two nobodies from the restaurant wipe them out. Leave no trace. Consider it the overture... to let them know the grand performance is about to begin."
Adisorn sat cross-legged on the sofa in his living room, dressed in simple casual wear. His long, slender fingers swiped across a tablet screen, reviewing figures in a document, but his gaze flickered sideways at regular intervals.
Phueak sat there, frozen with a beaming smile, his eyes sparkling with unabashed admiration.
The faint ticking of the pendulum clock and the soft trickle of water from a miniature indoor fountain were the only sounds in the room. Adisorn’s brow furrowed. Finally, he set the tablet down and looked directly at him.
"Is there something on my face?"
Phueak’s grin widened. "No, sir… I’m just looking at you, Mr. Sorn."
Adisorn arched an eyebrow. "Is that all?"
"I’m just wondering how you can be this handsome… like an angel that fell straight from heaven," Phueak said with such earnestness that Adisorn felt a rare wave of awkwardness. He shifted uncomfortably as Phueak frantically waved his hands.
"Wait! Not like that! I don’t mean anything weird. I truly just admire you," Phueak stammered. "I was just thinking... if I could be among handsome guys like you, Mr. Gawin, and Mr. Tum... would we be cool like the F4?"
"F4?" Adisorn repeated. Phueak winked and clicked his tongue.
Ohm, walking in with a pitcher of blended juice, let out a weary scoff. "What about me? If you include me, that makes five."
Phueak looked Ohm up and down and puckered his lips. "The F4 only picks good-looking people. You didn't make the cut, brother."
"Who are you calling ugly!" Ohm slammed the pitcher onto the table.
Adisorn rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. The peace he had tried so hard to maintain was disintegrating rapidly.
"Whoa! Look at that! What did you bring us, Ohm? It looks delicious!" Phueak changed the subject faster than an eel slipping through a net.
"Aha! This is the... 'Chilled Bliss with Twinkling Eyes' menu," Ohm announced. Phueak and Adisorn could only blink in stunned silence.
"What kind of name is that? Completely nonsensical," Phueak muttered. Ohm made a playful jab at his subordinate but stopped himself, turning to Adisorn to pour an old-rose colored liquid into a glass.
"This is a recipe from Ros-Lom. It’s a floral extract blended with cold-pressed white grape juice. The taste is slightly sweet and tart, with a floral aroma that hits the nose. It helps with relaxation and reduces stress perfect for someone who uses their brain as hard as you."
He filled the glass nearly to the brim and placed it before Adisorn.
Adisorn hesitated for a moment, looking at the old-rose hue in the glass and then back at the mischievous faces of the two men. He took a sip. The first sensation was a wave of freshness that surged down his throat. A delicate fragrance swirled in his mouth, and as he swallowed, he felt a calming sensation return, accompanied by the scent of flowers and grapes.
Adisorn set the glass down and looked up at Ohm and Phueak.
In truth, you don't need to stay here with me... I don't want to know you at all. This was what he thought, the words he wanted to say, but they remained lodged in his throat.
"Mr. Sorn, on a day off, would you like to go to Gucun Park with us?" Phueak blurted out suddenly.
"I… don't..." Adisorn began to decline, but he was cut off.
"The cherry blossoms are about to bloom. There’s a giant Ferris wheel, too. The atmosphere is amazing," Phueak pulled out an old phone with a screen cracked like a spiderweb, showing a picture of vibrant pink blossoms.
Adisorn took the phone, confused. His eyes caught the deep cracks on the glass, running right through the image of the flowers.
These two… they just escaped a brush with death from the thugs who trashed their shop a few days ago, yet they can still smile this wide.
He handed the phone back to Phueak without a word. The barriers he had fought so hard to maintain… began to tremble without his even realizing it.