A large black armored van rolled out of the grounds of the Rattanaruangrit family mansion. Sixteen and Seventeen, Chang's personal bodyguards, sat in the front seats, while Chang and Moddang lounged in the back. Despite being annoyed at the constant shadowing, Chang said nothing, seeing the relaxed expression on Moddang's face. Even though they were the sa age, Chang had encountered far more dangerous situations than her companion.
Chang had been targeted for kidnapping countless tis since infancy. She had been rescued in the act eight tis, successfully abducted twice, and in one instance had been gravely injured, requiring nearly two months of hospitalization. This did not include dozens of plots foiled before execution. All of this stemd from being the only daughter of Pichaya, a billionaire and the owner of Infinity Group, a conglorate encompassing nurous prominent businesses. Because of the company's sprawling network and its many co-managers, it was difficult to pinpoint who were internal threats against Pichaya. However, five individuals were under quiet surveillance, suspected of being involved. Though Pichaya disliked doubting his own people, the most recent incident—where the kidnappers used an Infinity Group van—prompted him to consider scrutinizing internal personnel more closely. Naturally, this investigation was being conducted with utmost secrecy.
The van ca to a stop in the police station parking lot. Sixteen and Seventeen got out to guard and open the door for Chang. The group walked toward the station's entrance and encountered a small group of people who seed to be waiting for sothing. As the strangers approached, Sixteen and Seventeen imdiately stepped forward to block them, their stance ready for action.
"Those three are my friends. They're here to give statents to the police too,"
Chang quickly explained, seeing Sixteen ready himself. Upon hearing this, Sixteen stepped aside, allowing Chang to approach the three young n, who looked sowhat startled.
"Have you been waiting long?"
Chang asked Id, the closest to her.
"Yeah, but what about you? I called you, but you didn't answer or call back,"
Id replied, sounding a bit irritated.
"You called? When? I don't know anything about that,"
Chang said, puzzled.
"Oh, Miss! It was while you were talking to . I rember a call coming in, but you didn't answer. You even said it might be so prank call from a creep, so you ignored it."
Moddang chid in, recalling the incident in detail. Id's jaw dropped when he heard that Chang had mistaken him for so prank caller and refused to answer.
"A... a creep? You thought I was so creep?"
he exclaid, his face clearly showing his disbelief.
"Uh-huh, it can't be helped. Your number wasn't familiar, so I didn't pick up,"
Chang replied nonchalantly.
"Well… I guess it's my fault for having an unfamiliar number,"
Id muttered, shaking his head in exasperation.
After so brief conversation, the group headed up to the police station to give their statents. The questioning took a considerable amount of ti, and it was not until noon that Chang and her friends were done. The police did not provide many details about the progress of the case, but Chang was confident they would inform her father, so she did not bother asking. They left the station looking exhausted and hungry.
"Let's grab sothing to eat. I'm starving,"
Mon groaned, clutching his rumbling stomach.
"Sa here, but where should we eat? Around here, it's probably just capsule food vending machines,"
Es grumbled with a pout, clearly hoping to avoid that as a last resort no matter how much hungry he was.
"There's a second-class restaurant nearby. The quality of the produce may not compare to first-class places, but the taste is decent."
Chang suggested. Everyone turned to look at her in surprise, not expecting soone like her, with her privileged background, to even know about such places.
"What are you looking at? Not hungry anymore?"
Chang asked, feigning a stern tone before leading the way, flanked closely by Sixteen and Seventeen.
"Wait for , Miss,"
Moddang exclaid as she hurried after. The three young n, unable to bear their hunger any longer, quickly followed as well.
Chang led them along a clean sidewalk toward a restaurant called Kaewfah, which required crossing the crosswalk to the opposite side. The restaurant was bustling, mostly filled with office workers from nearby, who could afford to eat real als instead of capsule food.
As they crossed the busy crosswalk, Chang was unexpectedly knocked over and fell backward.
"Ah!"
She exclaid in surprise.
Grip.
Before she could hit the ground, a young man caught her as none of her bodyguards or friends could push through the crowd in ti to help. The man gently steadied her and let her go.
"Sorry about that. I was in a bit of a hurry. Are you alright?"
He asked politely. He was tall, with fair skin, dark hair, and black eyes, dressed in an elegant black suit.
"Uh... it's okay. I'm not hurt,"
Chang replied, still a little startled.
"Miss!"
Moddang, Sixteen, and Seventeen called out in unison, urgently pushing their way through the crowd to reach her.
"I'm glad you're okay. I'll take my leave now,"
the man said and started to walk away, mindful they were standing in the middle of the crossing.
"Wait! Um... thank you,"
Chang called out, her tone polite.
"No need to thank . I'm the one who bumped into you,"
the man replied with a faint smile. He nodded to Chang before continuing on his way. On the other side of the crossing, a few n and won in black suits approached him, greeting him briefly before they walked off together.
"You're really okay, Miss?"
Moddang asked with concern.
"I'm fine. Let's go; I'm starving,"
Chang replied and resud leading the way. This ti, the two bodyguards kept the crowd at a safe distance to prevent a repeat of the earlier incident. The three young n—Id, Es, and Mon—watched the over-the-top precautions with a mix of amazent and understanding. After the harrowing events of the other day, they knew it was unlikely that Chang's overprotective father would ever allow her to go anywhere alone with just Moddang again.
The restaurant was buzzing with chatter and activity. Kaewfah Restaurant, the establishnt, was popular in the area. Its twin owners, Kaew and Fah, were stunningly beautiful, drawing a steady stream of admirers among their patrons who ca to support them while eagerly flirting with them. When Chang's group entered, the room went silent as all eyes turned toward them. Everyone in the group looked like celebrities, and the presence of two bodyguards added an air of intrigue. It was as if the patrons of the restaurant were under a spell.
Sixteen led Chang and her friends to an empty table in a secluded corner of the restaurant, away from prying eyes. A waiter nervously approached to take their order before scurrying off to relay it to the kitchen.
"Why don't you guys join us at the table?"
Chang asked the bodyguards, who stood motionless like statues.
"No, miss. Our job is to protect you. Sitting at the table wouldn't be appropriate and could compromise our effectiveness,"
Seventeen replied. Sixteen nodded in agreent.
"But aren't you guys hungry?"
Chang pressed further. Sixteen shook his head and pulled sothing from his pocket. It resembled a magazine clip for bullets, about a handspan long and two inches wide. It was actually a capsule food container, packed with high-nutrition als popular among modern police and military personnel for convenience during missions.
Id had been waiting for a chance to talk to Chang and finally found the mont. He was about to voice his biggest question, one he was sure would be answered exactly as he expected. But before he could speak, they all felt nurous pairs of eyes fixed on them.
"Are you all celebrities!"
a young woman among a group of ladies standing nearby asked excitedly.
"Huh?"
The group echoed in confusion.
"You are, right? Please, can I have your autograph? Please!"
Without waiting for an answer, the won sward toward Chang's table. The bodyguards quickly stepped in to block them but were overwheld by the sheer enthusiasm of the office ladies. The two n were practically buried under the crowd, clearly struggling to contain the wave of fan frenzy.
Chang and her friends panicked, glancing around for a way to escape. Spotting one of the beautiful restaurant owners looking in her direction, Chang signaled for help. The owner, eager to maintain order in her establishnt, quickly obliged. The restaurant staff ford a human barrier, guiding Chang and her group to a VIP dining room upstairs.
"Phew! I thought we were going to get mobbed,"
Es said with relief as he sank into a plush, comfortable upholstered chair in the private dining area.
"We haven't even eaten yet, and I'm already feeling faint,"
Mon complained.
"Complaining won't help. Luckily, the owner stepped in to assist. Otherwise, I don't even want to imagine how it might have turned out,"
Id added, visibly relieved as well.
Knock, knock.
The knock on the door startled everyone in the VIP dining room. When the door opened, Chang's two bodyguards stepped in, looking utterly battered. Their faces, necks, and any exposed skin were covered in scratches, so bleeding slightly. Their hair was disheveled, sunglasses askew, and their clothes torn and crumpled from being pulled and tugged.
"Uh... are you guys okay?"
Chang asked with concern, noting the sorry state of her bodyguards.
"That's right; you both look terrible,"
Moddang added, eyeing them sympathetically.
"We... we're fine, miss. We've dealt with situations like this plenty of tis before,"
Sixteen replied, his voice weary.
"But it's the first ti we've been mobbed by a group of girls like that..."
Seventeen mumbled, his voice muffled and barely coherent.
.....
anwhile, a man in a sleek black suit sat in a small, windowless room that appeared to be a secret eting space. He was accompanied by four others, all engaged in a tense discussion that seed as weighty as a national crisis. The lone woman in the group appeared especially displeased with the opinions of the group's leader. She could not tolerate his apparent sympathy for their adversary.
"What do you an by that? Are you saying you don't intend to deal with that girl?"
She snapped, her tone sharp.
"The girl has nothing to do with this. We shouldn't involve her in this conflict,"
the man replied solemnly.
"How can you say that? She's the daughter of the man who took over your family's business and stressed the chairman so much he was hospitalized for months!"
The woman argued.
"I still don't see how she's involved. From what I've seen, she's just a college student. I don't want to drag her into this ss,"
the man reiterated firmly.
"Excuse . Even if we don't target her, others surely will. Pichaya Rattanaruangrit has more enemies than just us."
said an older man with a darker complexion seated next to the leader.
"Exactly. Everyone knows the best way to hurt Pichaya Rattanaruangrit is through his heart—his only daughter, the apple of his eye!"
the woman declared.
"I don't agree. I also want to suspend all plans you've been concocting for now. The girl's recent kidnapping attempt has already made things quite inconvenient. If we act now, we'll all end up in jail. And as for any plans to harm the girl, I want them scrapped entirely. The one at fault is her father. I'd prefer we target Pichaya directly."
the leader said in a flat tone.
"But..."
"Enough. I don't want any of you touching that girl. Even though Infinity Group has taken over our company, I am still an executive here. I trust you will respect my authority."
The young man gave his order in a sharp tone and imdiately walked out of the dimly lit room.
"He's lost his mind. Just one encounter with that girl, and he's already gone soft?"
The woman exclaid in exasperation.
"Don't tell he's fallen for that Chayarin girl,"
the man in thick-rimd glasses said, breaking his silence after listening to the conversation for a long ti.
"No way. I won't let that happen!"
The woman said firmly, resentnt brewing within her. Though she did not know or hold a grudge against Chang before, the care and concern the man she loved showed toward Chang sparked an uncontrollable dislike for her.
"Hehehe, if he decides to do sothing, you can't stop him, Roong. You know his personality well enough. I'm just worried he might prioritize love over revenge,"
the man in glasses said with a soft chuckle, amused at her agitated deanor.
"Well. Right now, we really do need to hold off on all plans. With what recently happened to that girl, the police are bound to be even more vigilant. For now, let's focus on work. Otherwise, he'll co after us, accusing us of slacking off."
The older man said. The group nodded in agreent and began filing out of the secret room.
"Still, it's her fault for being born as Pichaya Rattanaruangrit's daughter. And if she dares to seduce him and he falls for her, I'll make her pay more than any kidnapping ever could!"
the woman said with venom as she prepared to leave.
"Careful, Roong. You wouldn't want him to overhear you. He just ordered us not to ss with her at all."
The man in glasses warned. The woman let out a frustrated huff before stomping out of the room behind him.
-----
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