The room overflows with people, their presence suffocating.

A sea of faces, perhaps four, perhaps five, including Sorn.

Sorn pours Gia a cup of tea, a hollow gesture. She accepts it mechanically, her expression icy, her gaze distant.

"Miss Hunter? Miss Hunter?"

"Gia..."

A gentle pat on her hand rouses her from her stupor. She fixes her gaze on the woman seated opposite her, clad in a somber navy uniform, clutching a notepad and pen.

"Hmm...? Sorry, I'm weary..."

"I understand, but we need every detail about the intruder so we can commence the investigation," the woman asserts.

"I've told you, it was pitch black. I couldn't see a thing, not even his hand," Gia responds, exhaling deeply. Exhaustion and confusion plague her.

"Can you recall anything? His voice, perhaps? Or any trace of an accent?"

Gia shuts her eyes, attempting to coax her scattered memories to the surface.

***

Gia POV

Fear grips me so intensely that I'm unable to scream when he abruptly charges forward, forcefully pulls me into a tight embrace, and covers my mouth. I struggle relentlessly, my body swinging as my back collides with his front. Tears well up, and my heart fills with terror.

"I warned you before. Do not disregard me..." His whispers send chills down my spine. This is not a dream anymore, unlike Paris. This is a stark reality, crystal clear.

He releases one of his hands, reaching into his pocket. Seizing the opportunity, I use my elbow to strike his abs and make a dash towards my phone. His grunt ignites hope within me, for I know I've inflicted significant pain.

Little do I realize, my actions only intensify his anger. I must be cautious of his rage.

With trembling hands, I quickly tap the number 2, directly dialing Sorn's number. Sorn is the only name that occupies my mind. The call connects instantly.

"Hello?"

"Sorn!" Before I can utter another word, my body is violently dragged away. The phone slips from my grasp, crashing onto the floor. Tears well in my eyes as I stare at the shattered pieces.

That's when a sharp pain shoots through my hand.

Something has poisoned my body, and I feel as though I'm floating towards my bed. My hand weakly flutters, and my vision blurs.

"Sorn..." I can only manage a faint whisper.

"You've made it difficult for me, jellybean. If only you had surrendered, we could have relished this moment while you were fully aware. You left me no choice..." My body grows numb, and my mind ceases to function.

But I sense a blindfold tightly wrapping around my eyes, accompanied by the sound of heavy breathing beside me.

"You belong to me. Only me..."

***

She shakes her head in frustration, gently pinching her temple. Sorn instinctively reaches for her hand, his gaze filled with genuine concern as he looks at her.

"Sorry, but I don't think she can continue," Sorn interjects, his voice laced with worry. He locks eyes with Gia, his heart brimming with empathy.

"Very well then. Make sure you both come to the station tomorrow," the woman responds, her tone carrying a hint of authority. She signals to her subordinate to clear the space, and in an instant, they leave the studio apartment.

A man stands by the front door, silently observing as the police depart. Then his gaze shifts towards the two individuals in the room.

"Gia," she turns away, seeking solace in Sorn's embrace. She can't bear to meet his eyes, not in her current disheveled state, with her robe-clad figure and unkempt hair, carrying the remnants of her anguish.

"Is everything alright?" he asks casually, stepping into the room, his gaze fixed on Sorn.

"Yeah... Gia just finished giving her statement to the police," Sorn replies, gently pulling Gia away from his embrace, his adoration evident in his touch. He delicately caresses her cheek, offering a faint smile.

"Sorry for arriving so late..."

"It's okay. At least you came..."

Their conversation is abruptly interrupted by a ringing phone.

"It's Mom. Just give me a few seconds," Sorn requests, leaving them alone with a heavy heart. Gia remains frozen, still dazed and frightened.

"Here," Way offers her a towel, extending it towards her. Gia turns around slowly, her trembling hand barely able to grasp the towel, her fingers quivering uncontrollably.

Way takes a step closer, gently covering her head with the towel, softly drying her hair. His eyes attentively study her reaction, making sure she feels comfortable under his touch.

Their gazes lock, exchanging unspoken understanding.

"Thanks..."

"Don't mention it," Way responds, rolling her hair with the towel and delicately placing the twist on her shoulder.

"Mom is still in shock, but I assured her that everything is fine now," Sorn shares as he puts his phone away.

"Come to Sorn's house tonight. It'll be much safer there..."

"Thanks, but..."

"It's for your own well-being, Gia! Please," Sorn insists, trying to persuade her.

"I'm fine. I just..."

Way gathers her bag, keys, and phone, swiftly placing them inside the bag, as he heads towards the front door. Having known him for some time, Gia instantly realizes that further negotiation is futile at this point.

"Let me change first," she states, stepping into her closet room, tightly closing the door behind her. Leaning against it, she holds her chest, her heart pounding rapidly. Tears well up in her eyes as she clenches her teeth, silently sobbing.

No one should ever know about this!

***

Tamara enters Gia's office, holding a sketch of a design, passing right in front of her. She encounters Sorn on her way and smiles at him, but he merely gives her a cold shoulder. Storming away, he exudes an air of anger, as if something has deeply unsettled him.

"What's wrong with Sorn?" Gia shakes her head, her gaze drifting outside the window.

"This is incredibly serious. You two never fight..."

"He's furious because I refused to file a report," Gia reveals with a heavy sigh.

"What?! Now, I'm furious too! Why?"

Gia sighs again, clutching her mug tightly, her index finger tracing the rim repeatedly.

"I... I don't want him to know..."

"Know what?"

Gia gazes at Tamara with a dull smile, setting her mug aside and adjusting her seat.

"He didn't just attack me..."

"Then, what happened?"

"He... He raped me..."

"What the fuck?!" Gia abruptly jumps from her seat, clasping her hand over Tamara's mouth. The girl struggles briefly, pushing her away, her eyes filled with fury.

"Let me go!"

"Shut up, Mara!"

"Are you out of your mind?! Keeping this from Sorn? This is beyond serious, Gia!" Tamara's voice grows louder. Gia swiftly pulls the curtains shut, shielding their conversation from prying eyes.

"I know... it's just..."

"You've been raped! Don't you think it's crucial to inform the police?!" Tamara's reaction intensifies, her words fueled by increasing boldness.

"Mara, you're exaggerating! Please, stop..."

"Seriously, you're acting insane! I might actually lose it this time! You know what? I'm going to tell Sorn about this..." Gia quickly halts Tamara, preventing her from leaving the room.

"Please! Sorn must not find out!"

"Why?"

"I have my reasons. For now, please keep this a secret. No one should know," Gia pleads.

"Why?"

"Please, Mara. If you're truly my friend, please keep this secret. It's a matter of my dignity. Besides, I don't want to burden Sorn any further. I'm already causing him too much trouble. Now, I believe I need to handle this on my own," Gia implores.

"But it's unfair to him! And what about the future? I still disagree with your decision. You shouldn't keep this to yourself!" Tamara firmly expresses her opinion. In her view, Gia should involve the police.

"You don't understand, Mara. It's not easy, but I have no choice," Gia says, her eyes veiled, casting her gaze outside the window.

"Fine. If that's what you say. I know you better than anyone, G. When it comes to stubbornness, no one can match you. But I hope you make the right choice. I just don't want anything terrible to happen down the line. Remember that," Tamara says as she leaves, feeling defeated, as if tossing a towel in surrender.

Gia watches her friend depart from the corner of her eyes.

All I did was out of love for you guys. I'm sorry, Mara!