.
"Beneath a beautiful image…
there is often a mask hiding secrets."
.
.
At the Witchakorn Mansion,
the afternoon sunlight streamed through the glass roof of the European-style conservatory set within the gardens. Soft conversations drifted through the air as distinguished guests, business leaders, politicians, and diplomats mingled quietly throughout the space.
Attendants in formal attire moved gracefully through the crowd, pouring champagne into crystal glasses and serving delicate hors d' oeuvres. Live jazz music played softly in the background, lending the evening a sense of ease and elegance.
Then, the female host's voice rang out through the microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our angel of conservation, Ms. Fah Rafah Witchakornin, Director of International Strategic Communications of the Suphakiat Wildlife Foundation."
A hush fell over the room. All eyes turned toward the stage at once, waiting for the appearance of the evening's most important figure.
Rafah stepped onto the stage with effortless grace, dressed in an off-shoulder ivory gown that revealed smooth, luminous skin. Her dark brown hair flowed naturally, framing her tall, slender figure. She drew every gaze the moment she appeared, a woman too striking to be ignored.
"Good evening. My name is Rafah Witchakornin. On behalf of the Suphakiat Wildlife Foundation, founded by my mother, Kanyawee Witchakornin, I am deeply honored to welcome you all tonight.
For the past ten years, the problem of wildlife poaching in Thailand has not disappeared. Whether it is illegal wildlife trade on the black market or hunting for sport, we continue to see cases of animals killed unlawfully. One notable example was the black panther poaching case in a protected wildlife sanctuary in 2018, which became national news, yet the offender served only a few years in prison.
Our foundation does more than conservation alone. We work to raise awareness and to push for sustainable policy change. I believe this is not the responsibility of any single individual, but a shared duty we all carry as human beings living together on this planet.
And that is why we are all here tonight."
The moment Rafah finished speaking, thunderous applause filled the hall. Guests watched her with open admiration.
At that very moment,
Petra finally understood why everyone called Rafah an angel of conservation.
Tonight, Petra was at the Witchakorn Mansion not as an honored guest, but as part of the behind-the-scenes team hired by the Suphakiat Wildlife Foundation to produce content specifically for this fundraising gala.
Petra Jirathawin.
She was an independent documentary filmmaker and content creator who had previously worked with environmental conservation organizations and regional documentary projects.
In truth, Petra had known Rafah only through articles and viral clips in the media. She often found herself quietly admiring her. But seeing Rafah in person made her realize that the phrase "so beautiful she seems unreal" was not an exaggeration in the slightest.
Still, in Petra's eyes, someone so far beyond reach was meant to be admired from a distance.
Nothing more than that.…
…
After Rafah's opening speech came to an end,
Petra moved through the venue, diligently capturing still shots of the event atmosphere. Yet her gaze suddenly stalled at the center of the room when she noticed Rafah engaged in conversation with a woman in a striking red gown.
Petra recognized her immediately.
Napassorn Siwakarn.
The daughter of a former high-profile minister, a socialite whose name appeared in society news almost every year.
But instead of turning her camera toward Napassorn, the well-known figure who was clearly worth photographing, Petra found herself staring at Rafah for far longer than she should have.
Just then, a familiar voice broke the moment.
"If you keep staring at Khun Rafah like that, your eyes are going to pop out, Petra."
Tharin Silathong, her closest friend and work partner, lifted her head from the video camera with a teasing smile.
"She's beautiful, right? In person, I was stunned too the first time I saw her. No wonder everyone calls her an angel of conservation."
Tharin leaned closer and whispered, her voice laced with laughter.
"I swear, I want to take her face to a plastic surgeon and say, 'Give me this exact one.' But I'm afraid the doctor would just tell me to go get reincarnated instead."
Petra let out a soft laugh at her friend's joke. But a moment later, her stomach betrayed her with a loud growl. Tharin snapped her head around at once.
"Wait, was that your stomach? Have you eaten anything at all since we got here?"
Petra gave a dry smile. "Not yet…"
"Oh my god, Petra. Why didn't you eat first? You're going to pass out at this rate. Don't tell me you were so busy editing that you skipped a meal again."
Petra shrugged, smiling apologetically, while Tharin let out a sigh.
"Alright, I'll finish taking the remaining still shots. You go find something to eat and sit down for a bit."
...
After parting ways with Tharin,
Petra drifted away from the main event area without any clear destination. She wandered through the mansion until she stopped in front of a room with its door slightly ajar, as if inviting her inside. She peeked in. No one was there. So she quietly slipped inside and sat down on the sofa to rest, taking out the bread she had brought with her and eating in silence.
Once she was full, the fatigue she had been holding back finally caught up with her. She leaned back against the sofa, her body relaxing, and soon drifted off to sleep without realizing it.
Petra did not know how long she had been asleep…
She became aware again when she heard footsteps approaching from outside the room. The sound grew closer and closer, until she jolted upright in alarm.
She hurried to her feet, panic setting in as she feared being caught for sneaking in here to rest. In her flustered state, she retreated behind the long curtains, squeezing her eyes shut when she heard the door being pushed open.
The first woman to step inside was Napassorn, dressed in the same fiery red gown Petra had seen her wearing while speaking with Rafah earlier at the event. And behind her… was Rafah.
The door was closed and locked immediately. Rafah walked in holding a glass of wine and sat down on the sofa, while Napassorn stood before her with a seductive smile.
Then Rafah's voice cut through the silence of the room.
"Take it off."
Napassorn slipped the straps of her dress from her shoulders at once.
The red gown slid down smoothly, pooling at her ankles and revealing her naked body beneath the soft lighting. Hidden behind the curtain, Petra held her breath, her body frozen as if she had been pinned in place.
"Kneel down… and crawl to me slowly."
Rafah issued the command again, her voice calm yet commanding.
Petra swallowed unconsciously as she watched Napassorn lower herself onto the carpet, moving slowly before crawling forward as instructed. When she stopped at Rafah's feet, Rafah reached out and lifted her chin. Long, slender fingers traced along her jaw with unmistakable ownership. Napassorn tilted her face into the touch, her eyes glossy.
"Show me… how you touch yourself when you think of me," Rafah ordered, her tone firm and authoritative.
The very next moment, Petra nearly forgot how to breathe as she watched a woman of such social standing abandon all dignity and begin touching her own body without a trace of shyness.
"This is what I do when I think of you, Khun Rafah," Napassorn said softly.
Petra could hardly believe what she was seeing. Rafah, seated on the sofa, wore a satisfied smile, as if savoring an exclusive performance put on solely for her pleasure.
Startled, Petra instinctively stepped back. But the hem of her skirt snagged on the curtain.
Rip.
The sound of fabric tearing rang out, followed by the entire curtain crashing down, dragging Petra with it as she hit the floor.
Napassorn screamed, scrambling to grab her dress and cover herself. Before Petra could even get up, heavy footsteps approached. Rafah's tall, imposing figure stood before her, sharp eyes fixed on her without wavering.
"Who are you… and how did you get into this room?"
Petra stiffened, forcing herself to answer through her panic.
"I… I'm sorry. I got lost. I'll leave right away…"
She hurried to her feet, trying to slip past, but before she could take another step, Rafah reached out and grabbed her wrist tightly.
Petra froze, her heart pounding violently.
Rafah simply studied her face in silence before speaking in a low voice.
"What's your name?"
"P… Petra," she answered.
Rafah's lips curved into a faint smile, her gaze still locked on her.
"Petra… I think you and I have something we need to talk about."
...
Hojicha Writer
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