The sound of whistling rang out before anyone appeared. Mom Ratchawong Tharatorn turned around and met the gaze of Mom Luang Rawirampai, his beloved wife, who gave him a gentle smile. As soon as a tall figure entered the dining room, Tharatorn asked,

"You seem to be in a good mood today, leader."

Asira chuckled. His father and uncles had a habit of calling their eldest sons the "Five Monkeys of Jutathep," and since he was the eldest, he was their leader. In truth, he was only a few months older than his cousins, but since his father was the eldest among the "Five Tigers of Jutathep," he inherited the role of leader from him, making him the head of the Jutathep monkey group by default.

"Yes, my mood is quite good today." He smiled in response.

"Ploy heard the big news today. It seems like it's more than just 'a little' good."

Anitha, his younger sister and the only daughter in the family, who held the position of finance director at their company, teased him. Despite being only 28, she had already earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from a prestigious public university in the country and completed a master's degree in the same field in England at just 23. When she returned, she started as an accounting staff member, gradually rising through the ranks until she became the department director.

As the previous director approached retirement, he mentored Anitha in all aspects of the job. When the position became vacant, Tharatorn appointed his only daughter without any opposition from the board of directors. Once they witnessed her outstanding achievements and dedication to her work, they readily entrusted her with such an important role.

No one was more pleased than her father, who had a beautiful and capable daughter, especially since his son still had much to learn about the business, as he had not studied this field from the start.

"What's all the fuss about?" Rawirampai asked her daughter since she didn't work at the company. Other than being a board member who only attended occasional meetings, she was mainly involved in charity work supported by the Jutathep family foundation, which helped underprivileged children.

"Well, today, Petch personally conducted an interview. And before anything else, he hired a beautiful woman on the spot. But that's not all-he even took her to a café downstairs. The news has already spread throughout the company."

"Really, Chai Yai?" Rawirampai turned to ask her husband. If the news was really that big, he would surely have heard about it. Tharatorn simply nodded slightly, the corners of his mouth curving into a small smile.

"I did hear about it. Samorn rushed to report it right away. Nothing escapes her ears." Tharatorn mentioned his senior secretary, who was skilled in handling both company affairs and workplace gossip.

"I've never seen Petch act like this before," his mother murmured. "Is the girl really that beautiful?"

"They say she is, but... usually, Petch isn't the type to be obsessed with beautiful women. He doesn't even care about celebrities or models. But it's strange that he suddenly seems interested in this one."

"It was just coffee," Asira frowned. "Why make such a big deal out of it?"

"It is a big deal, considering you never act like this."

"If just having coffee can cause this much gossip, won't it be difficult for her when she starts working?" Rawirampai murmured, worried about her eldest son. Even though he was over thirty, she couldn't help but worry-afraid that women might deceive him because of his status and career, which made him a prime target for many.

"Prang... our son is about to become an old bachelor. Stop worrying and just let him be with someone. Otherwise, he might not have kids in time," Tharatorn teased his wife.

"Oh, Chai Yai! Why would you say that? You were 35 when you got married. Were you ever an 'old bachelor'? Plenty of women were interested in you."

"But I never paid attention to anyone except you," Tharatorn said with a sweet smile, making their children clear their throats, afraid their food would get stuck.

"If that's the case, I still have five years left," Asira calculated. "Then I'll get married."

"Oh, don't make your father anxious. Your uncles are already teasing him, saying he'll be holding grandkids soon. The leader of the group can't fall behind his cousins."

"This isn't something I can compete in," Rawirampai still worried. "What will Ket think if she hears about this?"

The two men at the table exchanged glances, neither denying how close Rawirampai and Mom Luang Ketsara were. Both women wished for their children to marry each other, partly due to Rawirampai's deep guilt over preventing Tharatorn from marrying Ketsara. Meanwhile, Ketsara had built a happy, enviable family with her husband.

She thought that if Asira married Chalisa, Ketsara's only daughter, perhaps her feelings of guilt would lessen.

Additionally, if a Jutathep married someone from the Taewaprom family, it would make Grandmother On happy in her final years. Even though three grandsons were already set to marry into the Taewaprom lineage, it would be even better if one of them married a direct descendant of Mom Ratchawong Taewapan, like Ketsara, who was once promised.

Over time, it became clear that Asira had no romantic interest in Chalisa. Perhaps because they had known each other for so long, there was no spark between them.

"Ket is reasonable, Prang. Don't worry too much. No one arranges marriages these days. You should understand that."

"I know, but I just..." Tharatorn reached out to squeeze his wife's hand, shaking his head slowly. "Don't worry about things that haven't happened yet, my dear."

Anitha glanced between her parents before smiling at her brother, who immediately frowned. She knew how much he cared for their mother. But despite his deep love for her, he refused to give in to her wishes-at least in this matter. That was likely why he stayed single; as long as he had no girlfriend, their mother wouldn't have to worry about him choosing someone other than Ketsara's daughter.

"Yes," Rawirampai forced a tense smile.

"Honestly, Ploy doesn't think she's that beautiful, so Mom doesn't need to worry too much. Petch is just rebelling. He's probably annoyed that Kanlaya and Jum are trying to use connections to place people in the company. This seems more like retaliation." Anitha quickly changed the subject. She had her own sources within the company who reported everything she wanted to know.

"Oh wow, you're really well-informed," Asira chuckled.

"Of course! It's only you who doesn't care about office gossip."

"I already have too much work. Why bother with all that nonsense? I'd rather focus on my job."

Tharatorn smiled as he watched his children bicker affectionately. Even after hearing his secretary's detailed analysis, he felt there might be more to this situation. It was possible that Anitha was right, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Asira was genuinely happy-except when their mother mentioned Ketsara's daughter.

After dinner, everyone returned to their rooms. Tharatorn and Rawirampai retreated to the master bedroom in the Jutathep mansion.

Tharatorn entered his study, his personal office, and instructed the butler to call Asira to meet him in the lounge-a room under the domed roof of the mansion. It was an old room filled with memories.

Whenever the "Five Tigers of Jutathep" gathered, there were always endless stories to tell-from childhood to adulthood, about work and love. If the walls could record the conversations shared in that room, they would be filled with countless stories. And now, it was time for the room to record the story of his only son.

A knock sounded twice before the door opened. Tharatorn poured a glass of his favorite brandy, handing another to his son before swirling the amber liquid in his glass as he leaned back in his chair, completely at ease.

"Did you want to talk about something, Dad?"

"Nothing important. Just sit and have a drink with me. It's been a while since we talked."

"Oh, I thought you wanted to discuss business."

"Once we're home, leave work at the office. Don't bring it home," Tharatorn reminded his son."

"This is something you should tell Ploy too, Dad. She keeps bringing work home and working non-stop. How will she ever find time to fall in love?"

"What about Wit? Do you think there's any hope of him pairing up with your sister?"

Asira frowned at the mention of his childhood friend, whom he had known since they were little. They had only gone their separate ways after high school-Asira pursued a military career, while Chawit went abroad for his studies.

Chawit studied overseas until he completed his master's degree, then returned to help his father, Chinakorn, manage their family's gold shop before founding a wholesale gold trading company. He was currently researching new business strategies to modernize the market and increase revenue. He had significantly contributed to his family's gold business, making him a passionate and successful entrepreneur of his era.

However, the problem was that Chawit was one of the most notorious playboys in society. Still single, wealthy, and highly capable, he was a prime target for countless women across Thailand. Because of this, Anitha never paid him any attention. Though they had once shown interest in each other during their teenage years, his reputation as a womanizer made her lose interest entirely.

"It seems unlikely, Dad. When they meet, they barely exchange a few words. It's like they speak different languages."

"That's exactly why I was thinking-if your sister were to marry Chawit, your mother might ease up on her desire for you to marry Chalisa."

"I understand, but this isn't something the younger generation should have to take responsibility for. You and Aunt Ket didn't marry according to the elders' wishes, so why should Mom try to force me into it?"

"I've told you before, haven't I? The guilt still lingers in her heart. I understand how she feels."

"But this isn't the way to resolve guilt, Dad. This is a lifelong matter-practically a national issue!"

"So, what's wrong with Chalisa? Tell me one reason why she wouldn't be a good match for you."

"Then let me ask you, Dad-what was wrong with Aunt Ket back in your time? Why didn't you choose her?" Asira countered, making his father laugh in amusement.

"Ah, you clever one! You've learned how to turn the argument back on me."

Asira laughed along, taking a sip of his brandy. It wasn't his favorite drink, but he still drank it to enjoy the moment with his father.

"I did choose Aunt Ket, but she didn't choose me," Tharatorn admitted. "In the final moment, with the engagement ring about to be placed on her finger, she chose the man she truly loved instead. And she never regretted it. Because of her courage, all of us now have happy families to this day."