Chapter 19

I found them together and brought them where I could openly criticize them. "Why are the two of you following me?"

"Following you? Don't be daft Kongpob!" Nue declared but her voice was tellingly high.

"Rin?" I turned to the most unexpected party for explanation.

"What are you doing with that girl?" she outright asked me, nodding her head to the store Paula just entered.

"Not that it is any of your business, Rin, but she is my friend."

"Your friend who you've been going out with every day?"

I kept myself from speaking with all my will. They didn't have the right to act this way and I didn't owe them any explanation. P'Arthit has allowed me to be with my soulmate as friends and this way I have kept the soulmate bond from killing me and I have also appeased some of the guilt I felt about betraying the love I swore to protect. If I could support Paula, protect her and get her married with someone who truly loves her like I love P'Arthit then maybe the soulmate bond will break and I can be free to love P'Arthit completely. Maybe I could even touch and kiss my boyfriend without enduring massive amounts of pain.

"Listen, P'Arthit knows about this, you don't have to be suspicious and think that I am doing something with her, I am not."

"Oh that's what we thought at first, Kongpob but we see the way that you look at her. You are in love with her. Deny it if you can." Nue was vibrating with anger, all embarrassment at being caught watching me gone.

"I do love her," I said then to Rin I added, "she is my soulmate."

P'Arthit already told her everything, hopefully she would understand a little. I didn't want Paula to see them out here, so I should try to get rid of them. Telling the truth seemed the way to go.

"You are sick, Kongpob." instead her face twisted into anger. "Does she know that you are with Arthit? That you are dating him."

"No, but—"

"You keep acting like the good guy, like you mean well," she didn't let me finish, "When you are just a manipulative bastard. You are playing with Arthit's heart, aren't you? He is gullible and naïve and he cannot see you for the dirt that you are."

"I'm not! I love P'Arthit. I know I led him on in the past and didn't do the right thing but right now, I will do anything for him."

"Then prove it, tell her in front of me that you are in love with Arthit and that you guys are dating."

I controlled my breath and said, "I can't." P'Arthit doesn't want his father to know about us and he thinks if Paula knows then she would have some control over him. She would hold the secret over his head like his step mother was doing.

Rin rolled her eyes with a twisted smile." You are such a bastard, Kongpob."

"You don't understand, Rin."

"I understand enough," she started to leave, "and I am putting an end to this. If P'Arthit is not strong enough to do it himself then I will."

I stepped after her. She sounded too threatening." What do you mean, Rin?"

Nue unexpectedly stood in the way. "Out of the way" I said.

She raised her hands in surrender but still wasn't moving out of the way. "I just want to know the truth, Kongpob. "

I thought that was what I was saying but neither Rin nor Nue seemed to understand. They wouldn't, after this entire situation wasn't normal. If Nue could just say what she wants to say fast they I can go after Rin and explain things in the way that didn't look as bad or as suspicious.

"Are you gay, Kongpob?"

My focus returned to Nue's face. She was wearing makeup as usual and for a lot the time it made her look chic and stylish, rich and suave but I knew the person it was hiding underneath. Nue is in love with me and on her face was hope. Hope for what, I can't exactly say I don't know. That hope she was holding to was new since I had thought she had given up already.

"Nue," I said with a sigh. "Don't."

"You are engaged to me, if you run off to go be with a guy, no one can blame you or me but if you choose her? I need to know this, Kongpob."

"I love P'Arthit, "I said. "I am deeply in love with him and I don't think it would matter to me if he turned into a girl. I would still love him, just like I used to love that person in that store. She was once a man and now she is a woman. It doesn't really matter to me."

Like I had guessed, Nue looked very confused. "I don't understand," she said.

"Well, it is difficult to understand, I am sorry." Of course she didn't understand. Only P'Arthit can understand this a little even though he didn't entirely believe me. For him I was talking about an ex whom I used to love. Still he understands me and that has made it easier for me too. If Nue could understand too then that would be great but she can't.

"Hey Kongpob." My attention is dragged to Paula who has come out of the store and is now standing behind me looking between Nue and me with an awkward smile. I turned to her and Nue caught my hand.

"Let me just get this straight, you are picking P'Arthit over her, right?" I nod and she nodded back. "Okay, then I won't bother you again."

I watched her walk off across the road and disappear into a corner.

"Girlfriend?" Paula asked.

"Fiancée," I corrected.

Paula widened her eyes." I didn't know you were engaged."

"Not by choice."

"Then she is the secret lover?"

"It's not a secret lover."

"Hmm, so you say but you still won't even tell me their name. They are real right, this person you love so much."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Of course they are and I might have made things very difficult for them."

I stared towards the direction Rin walked off to. She held a special place in P'Arthit's heart, and I am worried about what she might be doing.

Paula sighed. "If you need to go, Kongpob..."

"I don't, I am fine."

"You are distracted. Just go do whatever you need to, I will be fine here."

"You sure?"

She laughed. "You worry about me more than my father does. Can you go so I can get back to work?"

"Wow. That's so heartless, I didn't know I was in your way all this time."

She shook her head while laughing. "Yeah, you are just the muscle I needed but it doesn't look like I need you anymore."

"Fine. Call me if you need me."

"Don't I always. At this point I will have you coming to my new apartment to fix light bulbs and unclog sinks"

"Sure, when you call I know this really good electrician and plumber who can actually help."

"You are hopeless." She laughed.

I laughed too as I walk away to my car. If I finish all I needed to do I could come back to get Paula because I am her ride back to the company where she worked. Things have been going great between us. Paula didn't seem to recognize me the closer we got, her memories aren't coming back either which had been my biggest worry. I guess the idea to keep things impersonal between us had been the right one.

As I drove, I dialed P'Arthit's number. He didn't answer so I switch to calling Rin but she wasn't answering either. Having no other choice I went to P'Arthit's home despite the fact that I knew his mother didn't want to see me. I told her what happened with Rin and she had nothing good to say to me. She of course sent me away but as soon as she thought I had left, I spot her hailing a taxi in a hurry.

It goes without saying that I followed her. Somehow it just felt like the right thing to do. I tailed her to the company, P'Arthit's father's company. She lingered outside the building causing me to believe that she wasn't allowed to be here or to enter the building. Her hands were urgently busy with her phone and she was calling someone.

I waited and watched, my car parked just a few distances away.

It didn't take more than two minutes for Rin and P'Arthit to show up at the doors. P'Arthit had a grip on Rin's arm and she was struggling to be free, but he continued to force her forward, flinging her into motion even as she resisted. They both stopped moving when they saw P'Arthit's mom standing there.

I had come here hoping to stop Rin so I got out of the car, plus the situation was escalating. Rin was yelling and P'Arthit was trying to remain calm but he wouldn't let go of her. It looked like it hurt. Soon security would come out and everything would become very chaotic.

I ran to them and heard the words they were saying.

"Let me go Arthit! I swear you are not going to get away with this. Let me go!"

"Please let her go, Arthit. I am begging you."

"Why did you do it?! You've ruined everything Rin!"

P'Arthit's mom got in between when Rin started hitting P'Arthit screaming that he should let her go. She fought with him her face painfully red like she had been slapped.

I reached them in time, so did another man and I gripped P'Arthit's hand that was latched to Rin's arm. "Hey, hey. Let this go."

P'Arthit's angry eyes found my face and there was a slight pause but he looked away again, not listening. The other man had Rin trying to hold her off from throwing punches everywhere.

"Aioon!" I shouted "let her go, now!"

That got his attention and he pulled back, his fingers loosen on Rin's arm and I could see red finger made bruise.

The security men were out now and I needed to get P'Arthit out of there before he got in trouble. "Come on." He tried to resist but I raised a finger in warning. "Hey! Don't test my patience, P'Arthit. Follow me immediately."

He was breathing so fast and his eyes were still so full of rage. I had to drag him away while Rin was crying, bawling actually, and trying to explain what was happening. I got P'Arthit into my car, the security people were asking me not to but I drove off with him.

We went to a park instead of the apartment and I waited in silence for an hour for an explanation. Aside from calming down and slowing down his breathing P'Arthit did not try to speak to me.

"What was that about," I ended up having to demand. "Why did you treat Rin that way?"

P'Arthit inhaled but he doesn't respond. I didn't have the patience however. "Talk to me!" I raised my voice. "You don't get to sit there and be silent.

He looked at me, his eyes going wet. "She betrayed me. She told my father about us. She told him who you are and that you are even engaged. I-I couldn't believe my ears when she told him everything. I was right there and she just came out with everything I have ever done. She revealed about the adoption, about your soulmate, and about everything. "

P'Arthit pulled in a breath and continued, "She encouraged my father to do whatever he could to destroy our relationship. She offered to help him. My father didn't even wait to hear if it was true, he—"

I listen to his breathing rise again without saying a word. "He told me to end it with you. He doesn't want anyone else to know and swore he would destroy me if anyone does find out. I tried to stand up to him but he wouldn't listen. He threw things at me and fired me from work when I said that I won't do what he was asking. He also demanded that I should pay him back what I owe him, my mother's life. He told me he would poison her and make her die as she was supposed to years ago. "

He stopped talking, his fist clenched tight. "I didn't know what to say. He pulls up a contract that I signed four years ago, giving my will to him. Everything went to dust in my eyes, Kong. I chased Rin and I just wanted to know why she did this, why she betrayed me like this but she wouldn't listen. She called me a fool, said she did the right thing, that she should have done it since the beginning. Then she told me... that my half sister was an even better match for you and I... I slapped her. I lost it. I slapped her and I would have done worse."

He didn't say anymore and I was really glad for that because I didn't think I could listen to anymore. I exhaled and looked at the greenery in front of me to think.

"Is it true," he said next to me.

"Is what true?"

He shifted and I knew he was looking directly at me. "That Paula is your soulmate "he said.

I didn't intentionally hide that from P'Arthit. He had said that he didn't want to know, but that was just a convenient excuse. Given how much P'Arthit hated Paula I knew he would react differently when I asked him, no begged him, to let me have a place in her life. I knew I wouldn't get to do what I wanted to do so when he said he didn't want to know I just dove on that and now, in the end, he knows.

"I am going to take your silence as a yes then." P'Arthit opens the door and got out of the car. I gripped my head and exhaled before coming out after him.

"Where are you going?"

"To see her."

"What!" that was most definitely not a good idea. "Don't drag her into this, "I said firmly, coming around him to stand in his way. I didn't have to because P'Arthit stopped moving and his eyes held mine.

"Do you love her?"

"What?" that question blindsided me.

"Do you love her?"

"Wait, this is going off topic. We were not talking about me. we are talking about how you abused Rin in public. No matter the reason, P'Arthit, treating her that way is not right. I thought she is your family."

"Not anymore," he answered coldly. I honestly have never felt such chill in his voice. "I never want to see her again."

"Okay," I said slowly, "I know she went overboard outing you but it is because she doesn't know the whole story. She was confused and I didn't help clear that confusion. I am sorry, P'Arthit."

P'Arthit opened his mouth but his words were delayed, then he said, "I honestly don't care why she did this, what she thought she was doing this for. I don't even care the slightest bit that she thinks she was doing it for me. I cannot stand her. I can't stand to look at her, hear her voice or even talk about her so if you're done diverting, Kongpob, I would like an answer to my question."

"An answer to your question," I said unable to believe him. "What do you think the answer to that question is, P'Arthit? How long have we been doing this that you are going to stand there and pretend that you don't know what the answer to the question is?"

P'Arthit did not say anything back which really hit a nerve within me. "Listen to me—"

"I can't," he whispered and his eyes turned different, desperate. Not like when he thought I was going to break up with him and go after Paula. No there was frenzy to this desperation, it bothered on madness.

P'Arthit gripped my shirt at the front and said wide eyed, "I can't Kongpob. I can't give you to her. Anyone else, but not Paula. She can't be your soulmate and you can't be in love with her. You can't choose her over me. I just can't handle that so... so Kongpob you have to stay with me."

"P'Arthit," I took his grip, and tried to calm him down. "Listen to me."

"Yes, I know. I know you aren't leaving me but that isn't enough for me. I don't want you to see her or think about her or even speak her name. Love only me okay. Promise me that you will just love me."

"P'Arthit please calm down!" I ended up raising my voice even though I didn't want to. "Just calm down."

He stopped talking, his breathing faster than normal. He still looked crazy and I was starting to think going home was a good idea. I took his hand from my shirt and held it in firm hold. "I am not going anywhere so let's go home okay. We will talk about this after you've calm down a little more. You are still unnerved by what Rin did and you aren't thinking clearly. Let's go home."

He mumbled something while looking at the ground and I really started to worry about him. P'Arthit had a temper but he wasn't the type of person who would hurt anybody let alone a girl he has been protecting for so long. Now he was looking unstable and lost. What happened to him? Is it just because of what Rin did or is it something else. Could it be Paula?

"Promise me?" P'Arthit brought my attention back to him. "Promise me that whatever you had going on with her you will call it off, and then we will go home."

"P'Arthit," I sighed and he pulled his hand out of mine just to grab it himself.

"I know you loved her in the past, but I met you first. I loved you first in this life. I have only loved you Kongpob and I can tell you with certainty that I won't be able to love anyone else. You are the only one and I am not going to let you go to her. I can't let you go to her."

"Why? Why her when you were willing to before. You promised me that you would let me go when the time came."

It was as if I destroyed his entire world with those words. P'Arthit's expression collapsed and he squeezed my hand enough to hurt and looked away from me.

"Hey, I am sorry I asked." If it would stop him from looking like that I would take it all back.

"Are you going to promise me then?" he looked at me from the corner of his eyes.

I nodded, a little reluctant. I have reasons why I can't just ignore Paula and when P'Arthit was more himself I will tell him everything. He would have to see that Paula wasn't a threat to him.

P'Arthit nodded right back, taking my word for it. I didn't think of it as lying to him. I just needed him to calm down and return back to acting like the P'Arthit I know.

With things settled, P'Arthit was ready to go home with me. He was silent the whole ride there and I couldn't think of anything to say in this atmosphere so I let the silence sit. We arrived at the apartment and it looked like a lot of the fight had been drained out of P'Arthit. He was almost dropping to the floor and it felt like all that was keeping him on his feet was my hand on his arm leading him through the hallways.

I was hoping he could get some sleep after everything. He needed a little thinking space, but then I caught sight of P'Arthit's mom at the door. He saw her too and tensed.

She saw us too and her march towards us, her body language told me that she didn't come here out of concern. She looked pissed and the first thing she did was raise her hand and slap P'Arthit hard on the face.

I stood in between them before she could throw another one and she wanted to. "Mom, mom," I called her to stop.

"Shut your mouth you disgusting man." she looked at me like I was vermin "I knew you would destroy us the minute I saw you. Everything about you is just bad and my stupid son can't see it. "

"Mom, you don't know what you are talking about." P'Arthit was trying to push me aside so he could get into it with his mom. I wasn't letting him do anything stupid today.

"Go into the apartment, P'Arthit."

He looked at me like I was insane. "And leave you here to deal with her? No, I will deal with her."

"I can't believe you attacked Rin like that. You know how much that girl cares for you."

"Yes and I didn't ask her to intrude in my life."

"She was just trying to help you. She saw this man you love so much cheating on you and she had it. She was just trying to help. That's all that girl has ever done. Look out for you and this is how you pay her."

"It's not any of your business or hers how I live my life. You gave me away and she is not my sister so I don't owe any of you anything. My decision should be respected."

"Again with that. I am still your mother."

"No, you are not."

"P'Arthit! Stop talking." I couldn't stand anymore of the things coming out of his mouth. "Go inside, please."

He looked willing but his mother wasn't done. "Fine, if you really believe that then good for you. You just live your life here with him, alone. We won't get in your way anymore. When you destroy yourself with him, just know we won't be there to pick up the pieces."

"Mom, please don't that say that and P'Arthit don't open your mouth. " I was in between them trying to keep them apart but it didn't seem there would be any more physical blows, just emotional ones and I have no idea how to stop those.

"Don't call me mom. Just get out of my sons life. Return him the way you found him, sane and capable of loving anyone besides you. That's all I am asking from you." She held her hands together begging me. She didn't wait for me to say anything back and pushed through me to leave.

"Mom, please wait. Let's talk about this. It is all a big misunderstanding."

"Let her go." P'Arthit held my arm pulling me back from chasing her.

"She needs to know, P'Arthit."

"She made her choice." He let my arm go and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't care either way."

"You don't care." He didn't look at me but he didn't deny it. What's wrong with him? "You care okay, you are just going through a lot."

"You are all I care about. Everyone else betrays me."

"That... that wasn't betrayal, P'Arthit." I gestured after his mom. "Wrong words were used but that was love. Both Rin and your mom really love you and if I wasn't in the picture then that love wouldn't be going through this"

P'Arthit shook his head and moved into my space gently. He hugged me and said slowly." Don't say that. I don't want you out of the picture."

"I—"I didn't know how to respond but I couldn't hug him back. I didn't feel that he was saying the truth. Thanks to knowing me, P'Arthit is losing everything.

We went into the house and P'Arthit willingly took a shower, ate and curled in bed but he wouldn't let me go. He made me sleep next to him and said this was what he wanted.

"Going to sleep with you next to me and waking up with you, that's all that matters to me. I don't think I want anything else."

"You should. I shouldn't be all you have in your life, P'Arthit."

"Well," he exhaled. "That's what I have right now so just stay here with me, Okay?"

"Like I could leave with you curled around me like a python," I tried to tease. He smiled against my neck but didn't respond. He was very tired and in need of deep sleep.

I waited for him to sleep before detangling myself from him. It wasn't hard. P'Arthit lost all the straight in his body and it was completely easy to pull off me.

I pressed a kiss to his forehead before rising to my feet. "Don't worry. I will fix this." He needs his mom, his family. I won't be the reason he doesn't have that. I will explain everything and they would see that it was all a big misunderstanding. By the time morning comes P'Arthit would be able to return to himself and the peace would return.

I left the apartment with such purpose and mission but that would be last time I step in that apartment.

End note: Hi. Thanks for reading this story. The next chapter will be the final one for this story. Hope you stick around to finish it.