Tum stepped into the gastropub, where the atmosphere was bathed in a dim, warm glow and the slow, sultry notes of jazz drifted through the faint haze of smoke. He chose the most secluded corner, yet his senses sharpened as his gaze fixed on the entrance... and in that very heartbeat, Rong Ru appeared.
She was stunning in a fire-red bodycon dress that contrasted sharply with her snow-white skin—a total departure from her modest "accountant" persona earlier that day. Through his "Third Eye," however, Tum saw a different story. Her aura was a searing crimson of simmering desire, but beneath that seductive layer lay a murky black soot—a warning sign of the malicious plot she had been ordered to execute. Yet, swirling within it all were faint traces of pale pink, suggesting a sliver of pure affection that hadn't been entirely corrupted.
"Hello, Ms. Rong Ru. I almost didn't recognize you. Outside of work, your beauty is enough to make me forget to breathe," Tum said, his voice a smooth, velvety baritone. He offered an innocent smile, while internally, he remained as calm as a still lake.
"Seeing you like this, away from the office, finally feels like I can breathe properly," Rong Ru replied, sliding into the seat beside him. The delicate scent of floral perfume hit his senses. Her slender fingers traced a slow, lingering path across his chest as she gazed at him with eyes like honey—a trap set to ensnare any man. "In the office, we only talk business. But tonight... I think we should talk about something much more interesting."
She locked eyes with him, the fiery red of her aura surging as if to devour his soul. Tum met her gaze, unflinching. Her offensive began, swift and scorching.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked, her voice a soft rasp as she moved closer, her warmth radiating against him.
Tum offered a thin smile, letting the silence hang for a moment before countering, "And what do you think?"
She tilted her head, scrutinizing his gentle features. "I think not... judging by the way you look at me." She whispered, her hand intentionally drifting lower. "It's as if you've never..."
Before things could escalate, Tum caught her fingertips with a gentle but firm grip. "I think we should get something to drink first, don't you?"
Rong Ru let out a soft, knowing laugh and immediately ordered a round of strong Cosmopolitans. The plan to loosen his tongue with alcohol had begun. Tum played along flawlessly, feigning the effects of the drinks until his cheeks flushed from the spirit. Seeing her prey seemingly susceptible, she cast her net.
"Mr. Tum... I've heard Mr. Gawin is an incredibly brilliant CEO. But why would he risk everything on the Chairman's Hydrogen Project? Or does he have... a special motivation that no one else knows about?"
"Mmm... Hydrogen..." Tum slurred slightly, mimicking a man losing his grip on reality. "My boss... he sees things others don't. He wants to prove that a Thai man like him can be a world-class CEO. That's why he's going all in." It was a calculated answer—using a fragment of truth to mask the internal power struggle. Rong Ru frowned slightly before pushing further.
"And what about Away Logistics? How are they involved with you?"
"Away... what? Oh... the transport company?" Tum let out a wild, drunken laugh. "Honestly, we don't know them that well. Mr. Gawin just liked the name... because it sounds modern. Hahaha!" Tum's erratic laughter frustrated her; she wasn't getting any tangible data.
"Then how did that company contact you? CK never received any reports," she probed, testing the waters.
Tum's eyes drifted half-shut. He leaned in, whispering close to her ear. "They called us themselves... then used their big influence to say if we didn't cooperate, they'd bully us." He feigned a serious face before breaking into another laugh. "I'm kidding! Actually, they've tried to contact CK for a long time, but the representatives in Thailand... they were a bit too 'dramatic' with their foot-dragging." Tum caught her flash of annoyance and quickly pivoted. "And you, Ms. Rong Ru... beautiful and talented as you are, have you been here long?"
"Nearly ten years. Since before CK became the giant it is today..." she replied, her initial pride tinged with a sudden weariness.
"Wow! That means... the higher-ups must trust you immensely to have kept you this long," Tum said, intentionally nudging her to slip up about her benefactor.
"Not really. I'm just an ordinary employee... not particularly important to anyone," she whispered. The fiery red of her aura began to be overtaken by a murky blue—the color of profound sadness.
Tum looked at her with genuine tenderness, placing his hand gently over hers. "Ms. Rong Ru... I understand. Sometimes, working in a massive corporation feels like a marathon rigged by the well-connected. Like me... without connections or a powerful backer, I'd never reach a high position, no matter how hard I tried. We can never truly beat 'those' people."
He spoke with a faint, sorrowful smile, projecting a deep sense of empathy toward her. Her aura shifted again, now a mix of pale brown and navy—symbols of despair and exhaustion that were beginning to consume her heart.