Startled by her husband's abrupt presence, Mrs. Armstrong blurted out "Richard." Pale, she turned to face her husband, but she pulled off an act of normalcy, turning back to her drawer, pretending to grab something out of it, and deftly concealing the crumpled letter under her undergarments.
''ฉันจะทำความสะอาดตัวเองและเตรียมตัวเข้านอน" [I'll clean myself up and get ready for bed."] " Mrs. Armstrong reasoned out and quickly made her way towards the bathroom, hoping to buy herself some time to think of an explanation for the letter. As she closed the bathroom door behind her, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease and uncertainty about what was to come.
Mr. Armstrong cast a doubtful glance at his spouse, and as soon as she shut the bathroom, he hurriedly opened the drawer to see what she might have hidden there. However, he found nothing.
Mrs. Armstrong hugged the letter from her daughter as she saw how her husband searched for something in her drawer.
Good thing she changed her mind about hiding the letter there. She had initially considered hiding the letter in the drawer but decided against it at the last moment. Now, as she watched her husband's frantic search, she felt a mix of relief and guilt. She knew that keeping the letter a secret would only prolong the inevitable conversation they needed to have.
She hid the letter inside the sleeve of her nightgown. And she got out of the bathroom like nothing had happened. Her husband looked up to her as if he weren't sure what he was searching for anymore. She maintained her composure, trying not to let her guilt show. Deep down, she knew that the truth would eventually come out, and they would have to confront the issues that had been brewing between them for far too long.
''ที่รัก มันคืออะไร? ฉันช่วยคุณได้ไหม? '' (Darling, what is it? Can I help you?) Mrs. Armstrong asked her husband, her voice filled with concern. She reached out to touch his hand, hoping to provide some comfort in this moment of uncertainty.
''ไม่มีอะไร ไปนอนได้แล้ว''[''Nothing, go to bed.''] He said, withdrawing his hands from her hold and getting into their bed. He lay there, his back facing his wife.
She had always noticed that her husband was hiding something from her. He always looked tense, and he became more short-tempered, like he seemed to be scared of something. She thought bringing her daughter to Siam would bring them closer before her daughter's wedding and allow them to have their own family with the prime minister's son, but it seems like everything is getting more complicated. She admits she made a mistake a long time ago that cost her daughter being taken away from her, but her husband had already forgiven her, or did he?
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Rebeca's Pov
I am now inside the kitchen and expressing my happiness with Irin and Miss Nam, as I saw for the first time in a very long time the girl, which is the reason why we are here.
But my attention was diverted when a certain person made me question my identity and beliefs in life. I'm laughing at her cuteness right now. I don't know why she's acting so tense around me now.
Yes, I noticed her. I just don't know how to approach her after what I did in her room when she was injured at that time. I am feeling a lot, and it is scaring me so much.
It is only now that I still feel this weird longing for her, even though I know it's not logical or practical. It's as if there's an unexplainable connection between us that I can't ignore. Despite my fear and uncertainty, I can't help but wonder if she feels the same way.
Just like now, she's pulling me again without any effort. I am being drawn towards her, unable to resist the magnetic pull she has on me. The thought of approaching her fills me with both excitement and trepidation, as I fear the consequences of my past actions. But deep down, I can't shake the feeling that taking a chance on her might be worth it, even if it means facing my fears head-on.
''Let me.'' I grabbed her hand away from her face, and here I am again mesmerized by the beauty of her eyes, feeling a surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins. I can't help but wonder if this time things will be different and if our connection will finally lead to something more meaningful.
But then again.
I am a coward.
I hid my nervousness behind my smile and grabbed an egg behind her.
And I cracked it in her face. My heart raced as I watched her reaction, unsure of how she would respond. The room fell silent as the egg dripped down her face, and I immediately regretted my impulsive action. The look of shock and disappointment in her eyes made me realize that I made a mistake, but I found it cute and laughed at her and ran, but she still managed to hit back. She hit twice, but on the third, I managed to dodge, and it didn't hit me. I laughed so hard at her that I couldn't control myself. However, as I continued to laugh, I noticed a hint of anger in her expression. It dawned on me that my laughter may have only escalated the situation further. But her face turned pale as she looked past me, so I looked in the direction she was looking, and my face also turned pale as I saw how the egg was dripping on Miss Nam's chest and her dress was so stained with yellow goo. The room fell silent as everyone's attention shifted to the unfortunate scene. Miss Nam stood frozen in shock; her eyes were filled with anger and humiliation. The once lively atmosphere became tense as we all realized the severity of the situation. It was clear that an apology would not be enough to mend the damage caused by my laughter.
But the silence was broken when Irin burst out in laughter, unable to contain herself any longer. Her laughter was contagious, and soon the entire room erupted in a mix of laughter and relief. Miss Nam's anger slowly dissipated as she couldn't help but join in on the laughter herself. But she wouldn't let it pass without taking revenge, as she grabbed a pail of flour and tossed it playfully in my direction. The room erupted into chaos as everyone started throwing flour at each other, turning the tense atmosphere into a lighthearted flour fight. In that moment, as everyone is having fun, my eyes can't help but watch how beautiful Freen was amidst the chaos. Her hair was covered in white flour, but it only seemed to enhance her radiant smile. I couldn't help but be captivated by her playful spirit and infectious joy.
Freen's Pov
I turned my back at them, and they all laughed at me as I made the flour spread more while I was cleaning all of my hair.
''Urgh'' I groaned in frustration, feeling a mix of embarrassment and anger. I wiped away the flour from my face, determined to prove them wrong and show that I was capable of so much more than they believed.
''Let me.'' My body froze when familiar soft hands grabbed my hand away from my face and wiped it with a gentle touch. I looked up, and there I saw the beautiful face of Rebecca with a mischievous smile, and I don't trust that smile.
And I was right when she quickly cracked the egg in my face and laughed so hard as the yolk of the egg was all over my face, and before I knew it, she was already far away.
Is this woman thinking I will just let her get away with this? hm.
I grabbed three eggs and threw them in her direction, where she came from, where she was sitting with Irin and Miss Nam.
And I don't know what exactly happened next; all four of us here are throwing flour at each other, and this somehow lightens my sadness due to my mother's disappearance and all the tragic events that happened with my family recently because of the threat given to the current king and Kirk. I am also thinking about where he is now and whether he is safe. As the flour filled the air, laughter erupted from all of us, momentarily distracting me from my worries. I couldn't help but wonder if Kirk was facing similar challenges and if our paths would ever cross again.
And my mother, who had always been my pillar of strength, was now missing. The uncertainty surrounding her whereabouts added to my growing anxiety. I hoped that wherever she was, she was safe and would soon return to us.
While all that was in my mind, my vision caught the bright eyes of Rebecca laughing uncontrollably, and all my worries disappeared like a bubble with the wind. In that moment, I realized the power of laughter and how it can momentarily lift the weight off our shoulders. It reminded me to cherish the present and find joy amidst the uncertainty.
And I am glad I am part of her happiness today.
Meanwhile, inside one of the residences of the royals in the kingdom of Ayutthaya lay a square pit with a wooden cover hole in the middle, where the only source of light inside was the small hole in that wooden cover. Inside that muddy pit is a woman who is thin and frail, mumbling and crying for help.
A nobleman was walking towards the pit angrily and firmly, holding a whip and whipping air like a mad person.
''Open the cover,'' he commanded to the guard of the covered pit, and the guard obliged, and as soon as the cover opened, the woman attempted to get out of the place, but the guards had caught her quickly.
The nobleman holding the whip gestures for the guards to tie the woman to the wooden pool. Her back is facing the mad nobleman. The woman is crying and shouting, but her mouth is muffled by a cloth that has been tightly tied around her face. The nobleman's eyes gleam with sadistic pleasure as he raises his whip high above his head, ready to strike the woman's exposed back. The guard watches in horrified silence, unable to intervene or save her from the impending brutality.
After several blows to her back, the woman collapses to the ground, her body wracked with pain. Blood stains her torn clothing, and her cries of agony echo through the air. The nobleman's sadistic smile only grows wider as he continues to mercilessly whip her, reveling in his power and control over her helpless form.
The woman's blood splashes on the man's face, and he relishes in the sickening satisfaction it brings him. He stopped, licked the blood near his lips, and laughed without a voice, as they couldn't be heard outside. If this happens, his plans to ruin the royals will be wasted.
He approached the bleeding woman, and he sat beside her like nothing had happened. He grabbed her hair, which made her groan.
'' I hope this time you'll learn to be quiet, old woman.'' He whispered in the woman's face. The woman looked at him with a mixture of fear and defiance in her eyes. She knew that her silence would not guarantee her safety, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of breaking her spirit. Instead, she mustered all her strength and spat in his face, a small act of rebellion that ignited a spark of hope within her.
He laughed again, wiping the spit off his face with a sinister smile. "You think that's going to save you?" he sneered, tightening his grip on her hair. The woman's heart raced, but she refused to let fear consume her. She knew she had to find a way to escape this nightmare and reclaim her freedom.
''You are just like your daughter, too brave but no power," he taunted, his voice dripping with contempt. She clenched her fists, hearing what he just said, but the guards had already lifted her and thrown her back on the pit, her tears mixing with the dirt on her face. As she hit the ground, a surge of determination coursed through her veins.
''Freen'' she weakly whispered her daughter's name as she curled up in a protective ball.