Karan didn't sleep the night before.
He lay awake in the darkness of his small room, staring at the ceiling as the weight of every secret he carried pressed down like stones on his chest. His heart wasn't quiet anymore. It was loud, screaming, demanding release.
He couldn't run forever.
Not from Arthit.
Not from what happened.
Not from the truth.
The early morning light filtered through his window when he made the decision.
**He would tell Arthit everything.**
Even if it destroyed both of them.
---
THE DOORBELL
It was afternoon when the doorbell rang.
Karan froze, halfway through chopping vegetables in the kitchen. His parents weren't home—they had gone out to handle a supplier issue. His brother was at school.
So when he opened the door…
His heart stopped.
**Arthit stood there.**
Still in his business uniform.
Hair slightly messy.
Eyes tired—hurt—desperate.
"Karan…"
Just hearing his name in that voice made Karan's chest tighten painfully.
"What are you doing here?" Karan whispered, stepping back instinctively.
Arthit took one step inside, closing the door behind him.
"I needed to see you."
His voice cracked. "You've been avoiding me. Blocking my calls. Not replying to messages. I thought—" His breath shuddered.
"I thought you left the country because of me."
Karan swallowed hard, looking away.
"I didn't leave because of you. I left because I had no choice."
"That's not true!" Arthit snapped.
"You promised you'd tell me everything. You promised I'd never lose you again."
Karan's eyes burned.
But he forced the mask on.
"I don't love you, Arthit."
Arthit closed the distance instantly, slamming his palm on the wall beside Karan's head.
"**Lie to anyone. But don't you fucking lie to me.**"
Karan flinched.
Arthit rarely cursed at him.
Arthit's breathing grew heavy.
His hands trembled.
"What happened, Karan?"
His voice dropped to a broken whisper.
"What did my father do?"
For a moment, Karan froze.
He wasn't ready.
He wasn't strong enough.
He wasn't supposed to speak it aloud.
But Arthit's eyes were pleading, drowning in fear and love.
So Karan broke.
"He kidnapped me."
Arthit went absolutely still.
"He what?"
The words were knives.
Karan exhaled shakily. "He kidnapped me. Dragged me into a black car. Blindfolded me." His hands trembled. "I didn't even know where I was. I thought I wouldn't… survive."
Arthit's jaw clenched violently.
He looked like he couldn't breathe.
"And he threatened me," Karan whispered.
"He said he'd destroy my family. My restaurant. My friends."
Karan's voice cracked into pieces.
"He told me I didn't belong in your world."
Arthit's fists shook with rage.
"Karan…" Arthit stepped toward him, voice trembling. "Why didn't you come to me? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"Because he was right," Karan whispered.
"I can't fight your father. I can't survive your world."
Arthit grabbed his shoulders.
"You're **my** world!"
Karan jerked his face away, tears spilling.
"And your father is powerful enough to end everything I love! I couldn't let you fight him! I couldn't risk my family!"
Silence.
It felt like the walls themselves had stopped breathing.
Arthit finally spoke, voice low—dangerously calm.
"I'm going to kill him."
Karan's eyes widened.
"No—Arthit—don't—"
"He kidnapped you."
"He threatened you."
"He made you leave me."
Arthit's voice shook with a fury so deep it chilled the air.
"He will pay."
Without another word, Arthit turned and stormed out of the house.
Karan ran after him, grabbing his wrist.
"Please—don't confront him. He'll hurt you!"
Arthit pulled him close instead.
"Karan, listen."
He cupped Karan's trembling face in both hands.
"I'd die before I let him touch you again."
And then he was gone.
---
ARTHIT VS MR. SAKDA
The Sakda mansion felt colder that day.
Servants scattered at the sight of Arthit stomping inside, fury radiating from every step.
He slammed the door to his father's office open.
Mr. Sakda looked up calmly from his paperwork.
"You seem angry," he said, voice smooth like poison.
Arthit's voice roared.
"YOU KIDNAPPED HIM?!"
Mr. Sakda sighed.
"Ah. So he told you."
"YOU THREATENED HIS FAMILY?!"
Mr. Sakda closed the folder in front of him.
"Arthit, you are a Sakda. You cannot be with someone beneath—"
Arthit slammed his fist onto the desk so hard the wood cracked.
"DON'T YOU FUCKING SAY HE'S BENEATH ME!"
Mr. Sakda stared at the broken desk, then at his furious son.
He spoke slowly.
"He makes you weak."
"He makes me human," Arthit snapped.
"And humans die."
Arthit froze.
"You love him," Mr. Sakda said. "Love is the weakest weapon a man can hold."
"You know nothing about love," Arthit hissed.
Mr. Sakda leaned back.
"Very well. If you want him so badly…"
A cold smile spread across his lips.
"Win the international boxing championship."
Arthit blinked.
"That's your condition?"
"Yes."
"If you win… I will never interfere with Karan again."
Arthit exhaled shakily.
"I'll do it."
Mr. Sakda smiled wider—but it wasn't a smile of approval.
It was the smile of a predator.
"Good. Because the winner of this championship…"
His eyes gleamed with deep mafia darkness.
"Becomes the next ruler of the Sakda empire."
Arthit froze.
"What?"
But Mr. Sakda continued.
"You think this is just a boxing tournament? No, son."
He steepled his fingers.
"This tournament decides leadership. The mafia world watches. Whoever wins earns ultimate respect. They become a king."
Arthit felt the ground tilt beneath him.
"And once you step into that ring…"
Mr. Sakda's smile sharpened.
"You won't ever be able to step out of this world again."
Arthit's breath caught.
"You tricked me."
"No," Mr. Sakda said softly.
"I guided you."
Arthit gripped the desk.
"You want me to lead the mafia."
"You were born for it."
Arthit's voice cracked.
"And Karan? He'll never survive this world!"
Mr. Sakda leaned forward.
"That's exactly why you must win."
"So no one else controls what happens to him."
Arthit's chest tightened painfully.
It was cruel.
It was manipulative.
But it was also true.
If he didn't win, someone worse would rule.
His father.
His father's enemies.
People with no mercy.
Karan would never be safe.
Arthit closed his eyes.
"…I'll do it," he whispered.
Mr. Sakda's smile returned.
"Good boy."
Arthit felt sick.
But he knew one thing:
**He would win.
For Karan.
Even if it cost him his soul.**
---
BACK AT KARAN'S HOUSE
Karan sat alone on the sofa, trembling.
Tears dried on his cheeks.
Every second without Arthit felt like hours.
He replayed their conversation over and over.
Arthit's anger.
Arthit's pain.
Arthit's promise to protect him.
He hated himself.
He hated this world.
He hated that love could be so dangerous.
"Karan?"
His mother entered the room, concerned.
"You look pale. What happened?"
Karan swallowed hard.
"Nothing, Mom. I'm just tired."
She didn't believe him.
But she didn't push.
When she left, Karan whispered into the empty room:
"Arthit…
please be safe."
He didn't know Arthit had already made a deal with the devil.
For him.
---
## **ARTHIT LEAVES THE MANSION**
Arthit stepped outside into the cold night.
He looked up at the sky.
"Karan…"
His voice broke.
"I'll protect you."
Even if it meant destroying his father.
Even if it meant becoming king of the mafia.
Even if it meant bleeding for the rest of his life.
He loved Karan more than his own safety.
More than his own future.
More than the world.
He clenched his fists.
"This is for you."
And he walked into the darkness,
ready to fight the biggest battle of his life.
---
End of chapter 20