Pim straightened up and began counting on her fingers.
"Lady Malai has a husband and a child."
She raised another finger.
"Master Chai has a boyfriend."
Another finger.
"Our boss has a boyfriend."
And then she pointed directly at Anamarija.
"And you have no one."
The room went quiet again.
Anamarija stared at them in disbelief. "That is not a competition."
Non suddenly pulled out his phone.
"Oh, but it kind of is."
He started tapping quickly.
Anamarija crossed her arms. "Non."
He ignored her.
"Do you even realize how popular you are in Thailand?"
She frowned. "I don't care about that."
"Too bad," Non said dramatically, spinning his phone around and shoving it toward her.
"Look."
She glanced down reluctantly.
Non's voice rose with excitement.
"On X, you're number one trending."
He swiped.
"Our boss is number two."
Pim gasped. "Oh my God."
Amara leaned over to see. "That's insane."
Non looked at Anamarija triumphantly.
"I bet you could get more than one hundred suitors by tomorrow."
Anamarija lifted her eyes slowly.
If looks could kill, Non would not survive the night.
"Are you done?" she asked calmly.
But before she could continue—
Taeng spoke.
Casually.
"I think one already fell for her."
The room froze.
Amara's head snapped toward him. "What?"
Her eyes immediately shifted to Anamarija.
"Who?"
Non gasped. "WHO?"
Pim looked ready to combust.
Anamarija looked at Taeng sharply.
Taeng lifted his hands defensively. "What? I'm just saying."
Chak, who had been silent until now, leaned back slightly.
"Vikran."
The name landed in the room like a dropped glass.
Non's mouth fell open.
Pim's eyes widened.
Amara's jaw dropped slowly.
Anamarija didn't react for half a second.
Non pointed aggressively at Chak. "Vikran from LF Lab?"
Pim looked stunned. "The Vikran?"
Amara blinked repeatedly. "Tall, perfect, annoyingly polite Vikran?"
Taeng nodded. "That one."
Kit tried — and failed — to hide his smile.
Anamarija looked at Chak.
Chak's expression didn't change.
"He watches you," he said evenly.
Non clutched his chest again. "THIS IS BETTER THAN DRAMA."
Pim looked at Anamarija like she was seeing her differently now.
"Oh my God."
Amara leaned closer. "Wait… that day at the office… he was staring."
Taeng nodded again. "Exactly."
Anamarija let out a breath through her nose.
"That means nothing."
Non shook his head dramatically. "It means everything."
Pim smirked. "Imagine Vikran at the wedding."
Amara's eyes lit up. "He would get so much attention."
Non gasped. "There would be a fan war."
Taeng laughed. "He already has too many admirers at LF Lab."
Kit added calmly, "He is considered ideal."
Non counted again on his fingers. "Tall. Handsome. Polite. Rich."
Pim added, "And mysterious."
Amara grinned. "And single."
All eyes returned to Anamarija.
She looked between them.
Then at Chak.
Then at me.
Her composure was still there.
But her ears were slightly pink.
"I am not discussing this," she said firmly.
Non leaned back dramatically. "Denial."
Pim whispered loudly, "This is interesting."
Taeng smirked. "I'm just saying what I noticed."
Kit finally spoke again.
"Vikran doesn't look at people casually."
That made the room go quiet for a second.
Because everyone knew that was true.
Anamarija straightened her posture.
"Even if he did," she said calmly, "that doesn't mean I feel the same."
Non immediately replied, "Yet."
She shot him another deadly look.
Chak's hand squeezed mine under the table.
I glanced at him.
He looked amused.
Relaxed.
For once, the spotlight wasn't on us.
And somehow, that made the room lighter.
Amara clapped softly.
"Well. Looks like love is contagious in this family."
Non sighed dramatically. "Everyone is falling in love except me."
Pim looked at him. "That's because you fall in love every three days."
"That is slander."
Taeng laughed.
Kit shook his head.
Anamarija rolled her eyes.
But she didn't deny Vikran.
And that—
That was interesting.
Chak remained calm while everyone kept staring at Anamarija like she had just confessed to a secret engagement.
The room paused.
"I asked Vikran because I wanted her away from the media," Chak continued. "There were too many reporters around the office. I didn't want her photographed or followed."
All eyes shifted to him.
"And Vikran," Chak added, "was the perfect candidate."
Non blinked. "Perfect candidate?"
Chak nodded once. "He lives in a private building. Secure entrance. No paparazzi access. No staff leaking information."
Taeng crossed his arms, impressed. "Strategic."
Pim tilted her head. "So this was… protection?"
"Yes," Chak said simply. "I didn't want her dragged into unnecessary headlines."
Amara looked at Anamarija differently now. "You were being shielded."
Anamarija didn't answer immediately.
Non slowly raised a finger. "Okay, but security explanation accepted… I still have questions."
"Of course you do," Kit muttered.
Non turned dramatically toward Anamarija again.
"How does Vikran drive?"
She stared at him. "We're back to this?"
"It matters," Pim insisted. "Driving style reveals personality."
Taeng nodded seriously. "Facts."
Anamarija sighed. "He drives normally."
"That is not helpful," Non complained. "Is he fast? Slow? One hand on the wheel?"
"He drives carefully," she said.
"Carefully how?" Amara pressed.
"Focused. Calm. Both hands on the wheel."
Non gasped. "Responsible."
Taeng leaned forward. "What car?"
She hesitated a fraction of a second.
Non pointed. "See? Suspicious."
"It's blue," she said flatly.
"That tells us nothing," Pim said.
Kit rubbed his temples. "You people are exhausting."
Non ignored him. "Fine. Next question."
He leaned in.
"Where did you sleep?"
The room quieted again.
Anamarija crossed her arms. "On his bed."
Dead silence.
Pim inhaled sharply.
Amara's eyebrows lifted.
Taeng slowly turned toward Chak.
Chak remained completely composed.
Non whispered dramatically, "His bed."
Anamarija lifted her chin. "I wanted to sleep on the couch."
"And?" Pim asked quickly.
"He didn't allow it."
The room collectively froze.
"He said I was his guest," she continued calmly. "And that guests don't sleep on couches."
Non put a hand over his heart. "This man."
Amara tried not to smile. Failed.
"So where did he sleep?" Taeng asked.
"On the couch."
Relief mixed with disappointment spread across several faces.
Taeng leaned back. "Gentleman confirmed."
Chak gave a small approving nod. "That's why I chose him."
Non pointed at him dramatically. "You chose him."
"Yes," Chak replied coolly. "Because I trust him."
The weight of that statement settled.
Pim looked at Anamarija again. "Did he at least give you something to wear?"
A tiny pause.
Anamarija exhaled. "He lent me one of his shirts and pants."
Non slammed his palm lightly against the table. "Oversized?"
"Yes."
Taeng grinned. "Classic."
Amara covered her smile with her hand. "And you're telling us this is purely logistical."
"It was logistical," Anamarija insisted.
Non leaned back, studying her.
"You slept on his bed. In his oversized clothes. In his private secure apartment. While he sacrificed himself on the couch."
He narrowed his eyes.
"That is not neutral behavior."
Anamarija glared at him. "It was practical."
Taeng smirked. "Practical romance."
Kit didn't disagree.
Chak finally crossed his arms. "Enough."
But there was the faintest hint of amusement in his voice.
"They're not children," he added calmly. "And Vikran knows exactly what he's doing."
Non gasped softly. "So he does like her."
Chak didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Anamarija looked at her brother sharply. "Don't."
Chak only gave her a small, knowing look.
And for the first time that evening—
She looked slightly flustered.
Which, according to Non, confirmed everything.
Non leaned forward, raising one finger.
"Last question."
Anamarija didn't even blink. "I know that's not your last question."
He ignored that.
"Do you love him?"
The words landed harder than anyone expected.
Her eyes sharpened instantly. "What kind of question is that?"
Silence.
"Of course I don't," she continued, voice firm. "I'll never love him."
Amara tilted her head slightly. "Then what bothers you about him?"
Anamarija opened her mouth.
"He…"
The word lingered.
But nothing followed.
She searched for something concrete. Something rational.
Nothing came.
"I don't know," she admitted finally. "But I do know I'm not going to play his games."
"I'm not sure those are games," Chak said quietly.
Everyone turned to him.
"I've known Vikran for a long time," he continued. "And when he came to me that night, he said these exact words."
Chak's voice remained calm, but precise.
"'I don't know what to think. I think I just fell in love with his girl. The way she looked at me with that icy stare… it was cute. And one day, she'll be mine. I'll win her heart.'"
No one breathed.
Anamarija's expression didn't change.
But her fingers tightened slightly against her arms.
"At the time," Chak went on, "I thought maybe he was just talking. Maybe it was ego."
His eyes shifted to her.
"But when I saw the way he looked at you at LF Lab… I knew he was serious."
The memory hung in the air.
"And when he caught you," Chak added softly. "When you almost fell."
He shook his head once.
"That wasn't a man playing around."
He met her gaze directly.
"He's in love with you."
The room was completely still.
No teasing.
No jokes.
Just the weight of that truth sitting between them.
Anamarija held his stare.
For a second—
For two—
And for the first time since the conversation started—
She didn't argue.
The silence after Chak's words lingered.
No one dared to speak.
Then—
Chak reached for his phone.
Anamarija narrowed her eyes immediately. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing dramatic," he replied calmly.
Which meant the opposite.
Non leaned forward. "Oh no."
Before anyone could stop him, Chak stood up and walked a few steps away from the table.
He didn't say he was calling.
He just pressed the screen.
The call connected quickly.
"Chak."
Vikran's voice was steady as ever.
Chak didn't move far enough.
Anamarija could hear everything.
She didn't realize at first.
Until—
"How is your evening?" Chak asked casually.
"Fine," Vikran replied. "How is your sister?"
The room went still.
Anamarija's head snapped up.
Chak's expression didn't change. "She's fine."
"I hope she rested well," Vikran continued. "She looked exhausted."
Her breath caught.
He noticed that?
Chak glanced at her briefly.
"She managed."
A short pause.
Then Chak added smoothly, "Try not to photograph her secretly next time.
Anamarija's eyes widened.
On the other end, there was the faintest exhale.
"I wasn't hiding it," Vikran replied calmly.
"You were," Chak said.
"They were candid," Vikran corrected. "I didn't share them."
Anamarija's heart started beating faster.
"He took pictures of me?" she whispered under her breath.
No one answered her.
Chak continued, tone measured. "Be careful."
"I am careful," Vikran said. "Especially with her."
Chak leaned against the wall. "You're confident."
"Yes."
"And why is that?"
A brief silence.
Then—
"Because I know what I want."
The words were quiet.
Certain.
"And I don't chase things I don't mean."
Anamarija felt heat rise to her face.
Chak's gaze flickered toward her again.
"You told me something interesting the other night."
Another pause.
"I still meant it," Vikran said before Chak could repeat it.
Chak's brow lifted slightly.
"You don't even know what I was going to say."
"I assume it's about her."
His tone softened at the last word.
The room didn't breathe.
Chak tested him.
"She doesn't trust your intentions."
"That's fair."
"And she thinks you're playing games."
A quiet, almost amused exhale.
"I don't play games with things I value."
Anamarija's fingers tightened around the edge of the table.
Chak's voice lowered.
"She said she'll never love you."
The words hit harder this time.
Silence.
Longer.
But not uncertain.
"Then I'll give her a reason to."
No hesitation.
No arrogance.
Just certainty.
Chak studied his sister as he asked one last question.
"You're serious."
"Yes."
A beat.
"I'm very serious."
His voice softened again.
"Tell her… I'm looking forward to seeing her."
Another small pause.
"Very soon."
The call ended.
The room stayed unnaturally quiet.
Chak lowered his phone slowly, studying his sister.
Non was the first to breathe again. "He didn't even know you could hear that."
Taeng let out a low whistle. "That makes it real."
Amara didn't say anything.
She was watching Anamarija carefully.
Anamarija didn't move.
She didn't storm off.
She didn't roll her eyes.
She just stood there, posture straight, gaze distant for a second longer than usual.
Chak slipped his phone into his pocket. "Well?"
She looked at him.
Then at the table.
Then somewhere past all of them.
"I didn't expect that," she said quietly.
Non blinked. "Expect what?"
She hesitated.
"That he would fight for me."
The words were calm.
But honest.
The table went silent again.
Pim's expression softened.
Amara tilted her head slightly. "You thought he'd give up?"
Anamarija let out a small breath through her nose. "Men like him don't chase. They choose. And if it's inconvenient, they move on."
Taeng crossed his arms. "Vikran doesn't move on."
Kit nodded once. "Not when he's decided."
She swallowed lightly.
"I thought maybe it was ego. Or curiosity. Or… the challenge."
Chak shook his head slowly. "You're not a challenge to him."
Her eyes flicked to him.
"You're a decision."
That landed.
Non leaned back dramatically. "This is better than any series I've watched."
"Be quiet," Pim muttered, though she didn't look away from Anamarija either.
Anamarija's voice dropped slightly.
"He sounded certain."
"Yes," Chak replied.
"And patient."
"Yes."
She looked down at her hands for the briefest second.
"That's what scares me."
Amara spoke softly. "Why?"
Anamarija met her gaze.
"Because patience means he's not playing."
The realization settled over all of them.
Taeng gave a small smile. "You don't look angry."
"I'm not," she admitted.
Non's eyes widened. "You're flustered."
She shot him a look.
"I am thinking."
Chak stepped closer, his voice calm but steady. "He won't rush you."
"I know."
"He won't humiliate you."
"I know."
"He won't back down either."
That made her exhale.
"Yes," she whispered.
And for the first time that evening—
There was no denial in her voice.
Only uncertainty.
And maybe—
Just maybe—
A beginning.