MR. SAKDA IN ITALY: THE QUIET BEFORE THE STORM
Italy welcomed him with warm sunlight.
But nothing felt warm when Mr. Sakda stepped out of the car.
Bodyguards in black surrounded him.
His steps were calm, slow, yet sharp like a blade.
Ren saw him first.
"…Sir?"
Mr. Sakda smiled calmly.
"Where is my son?"
Ren didn't answer.
His throat tightened.
Mr. Sakda's smile faded
"asked a question."
Ren swallowed.
"He… went out."
Mr. Sakda's eyes narrowed.
"Looking for the chef?"
Ren froze.
"…Yes."
Mr. Sakda adjusted his cufflinks.
"Good.Then we meet him first."
Ren stiffened.
"Sir—please don't—"
Mr. Sakda raised a hand.
"Ren. Your loyalty is touching. But useless."
He stepped toward the restaurant street where Karan lived.
"Let us greet the boy who stole my son."
AT KARAN'S HOME: QUIET FEAR
Karan sat on the couch, knees pulled to his chest.
He had calmed down… but his eyes were swollen.
Lean brought him tea.
"Karan… you don't have to talk. But you need something warm."
Karan nodded softly.
"Thank you, Lean."
Lean sat beside him, close but respectful.
"You're trembling."
Karan shook his head.
"I'm fine."
"You're not," Lean whispered.
His voice was gentle.
"But that's okay. You don't have to be strong today."
Karan looked down.
I didn't think he'd come back… not like this."
Lean exhaled.
"You still love him."
Karan froze.
Lean smiled sadly.
"It's okay. Love doesn't turn off with a switch."
Karan bit his lip.
"Lean… I don't want to hurt you."
" I know," Lean whispered.
"But… if loving me less means you're breathing again, I'll accept it."
Karan swallowed hard.
"Lean… I—"
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A heavy, deep knock.
Karan stiffened instantly.
…No," he whispered.
Lean frowned.
"Karan? Who is it?"
Karan stood up slowly.
His hands were cold.
He walked toward the door.
Opened it.
And froze.
Good evening," Mr. Sakda said softly, smile sharp.
"Chef Karan."
Karan's heart dropped.
"W–What are you… doing here…?"
Lean stepped forward.
"Who are you?"
Mr. Sakda smiled pleasantly at Lean.
"I am Arthit's father."
Lean's eyes widened.
Karan's entire body tensed.
Mr. Sakda stepped inside without waiting to be invited.
Lean moved in front of Karan, blocking him.
"Leave," Lean said firmly.
Mr. Sakda chuckled.
"Brave. Cute. Pointless."
Lean's jaw clenched.
You can't come into his home like—"
"I can," Mr. Sakda said calmly.
"And I did."
He turned to Karan.
"Meeting again"
---
3years before
The streets were silent that night.
The kind of silence that felt unnatural—
like the world was holding its breath, waiting for something to break.
Karan finished wiping the steel counters inside his family's massive restaurant. Even late at night, the place still smelled of spices, herbs, and warmth. It was home.
He should've felt safe.
But something felt wrong.
Too quiet.
Too still.
Too cold.
His parents had already gone home.
Korn left with friends.
Even the staff was long gone.
Karan was the last to leave.
He stepped out through the back door, locked it, and turned—
A luxury black car rolled forward without headlights.
It stopped inches away.
Karan froze.
The door opened.
The man who stepped out was someone you did not mistake.
**Mr. Sakda.**
The man who ruled the business world by day
and the underground by night.
The father of the boy he loved.
Fear clawed into Karan's belly.
"S–Sir?" Karan stuttered, bowing slightly out of instinct.
Mr. Sakda closed the car door quietly.
Too quietly.
"What a dedicated young man," he said, walking toward him.
"Working so late. Alone."
Karan swallowed hard.
"Yes, sir… I was just… cleaning…"
Mr. Sakda smiled.
It wasn't friendly.
"That's good. Very good."
He stopped in front of Karan.
"Because we need to talk. Alone."
Karan's heart dropped to his stomach.
"What… what do you need to talk about, sir?"
Mr. Sakda's eyes sharpened like blades.
"My son."
Karan's breath caught.
Arthit.
"Arthit?" Karan whispered.
"Yes," Mr. Sakda said.
"The heir of my empire. The future ruler of my world."
Karan lowered his head.
"I know he's important. I—I respect that—"
"That is not enough."
Karan blinked.
"I'm… I'm sorry?"
Mr. Sakda took one step closer.
Karan instinctively stepped back until his back hit the restaurant wall.
"You have feelings for my son," Mr. Sakda said coldly.
"And he has feelings for you."
Karan's chest tightened painfully.
"I—sir—I—"
"Don't lie."
Karan looked down, unable to speak.
Mr. Sakda's voice turned to ice.
"Your existence is a threat."
Karan's eyes widened.
"A… threat…?"
"Yes."
Mr. Sakda's tone sharpened.
"You are a weakness he cannot afford."
Karan shook his head, scrambling for words.
"I never meant to make him weak—"
"But you did."
Karan froze.
"You make him hesitant," Mr. Sakda continued.
"You make him emotional.
Emotions get people killed in my world."
Karan's heart pounded painfully.
"I don't want to hurt him—"
"You *are* hurting him," Mr. Sakda said.
"And you will continue hurting him as long as you stay."
Karan's voice cracked.
"I care about him."
"That is the problem," Mr. Sakda said calmly.
Karan flinched.
"W-What do you want me to do…?"
Mr. Sakda's answer came like a knife:
**"Leave."**
Karan's knees weakened.
"Leave… him?" he whispered.
"No," Mr. Sakda said.
"Leave this country."
Karan's breath stopped.
Everything inside him froze.
"What…?
Why…?!"
Mr. Sakda's expression hardened.
"Because if you stay…"
He paused.
Then delivered the words that shattered Karan's soul:
**"I will kill Arthit."**
Karan staggered backward, slamming into the wall.
His legs gave out.
He sank to the ground, hands shaking violently.
"N-No… no… please—please don't say that…"
Mr. Sakda tilted his head, watching him break.
"You love him," he said.
"And because you love him, you will leave."
Karan shook his head desperately, tears already falling.
"Please… don't hurt him… he doesn't deserve that—"
"He deserves to survive," Mr. Sakda said sharply.
"And he will not survive if he chooses you over the empire he must inherit."
Karan covered his face, crying harder.
"But… he'll think I abandoned him… he'll never forgive me…"
"That is the intention," Mr. Sakda said flatly.
"Hate is safer than love."
Karan sobbed into his palms.
Mr. Sakda crouched down, voice low and deadly in Karan's ear.
"You will leave tomorrow morning."
Karan choked.
"Sir…!
I can't just disappear—!"
"You WILL," Mr. Sakda said sternly.
"Or Arthit dies."
Karan felt like the world was crashing around him.
"No… please… I'm begging you…"
Mr. Sakda stood up, towering over him.
"Your family also lives in this city.
Your brother.
Your friends."
Karan froze.
His blood turned cold.
"S-Sir…"
"Do not make me repeat myself," Mr. Sakda said quietly.
"You will board a plane.
You will study in another country.
You will never look back."
Karan's shoulders shook violently.
He pressed his forehead to the cold ground and whispered:
"I'll leave…"
Mr. Sakda didn't react.
"I'll leave the country," Karan cried.
"Just… don't hurt him… please…"
Finally, Mr. Sakda nodded.
"Good."
He turned back to the car.
But before stepping inside, he said:
"If you EVER tell Arthit about this conversation—
I will kill him first."
Karan sobbed silently.
"And then," Mr. Sakda added,
"I will destroy your family."
The car door shut.
The car drove away into the darkness.
Karan remained on the ground long after, shaking uncontrollably, tears dripping onto the pavement.
He whispered, voice breaking, heart shattering:
"I'm sorry… Arthit…
I'm so sorry…
I don't want to leave you…
I don't want to…"
He wrapped his arms around himself.
But he already knew—
Tomorrow morning, he would leave everything behind.
His home.
His city.
His family.
His friends.
His dreams.
And the boy he loved more than life itself.
Not because he stopped loving Arthit.
But because loving him meant losing him forever.
---
End of chapter 30