"Simon had changed Kongpob's life into a total mess, Arthit," Riya sighed.

"As you might know, Simon was Kong's senior in college. Simon was all over Kong but Kong always rejected him. For Kong his life depended on April and his parents, he wanted to make them happy and safe. His main aim was to take over his father's company so that he could help his father. Even after Simon graduated he always visited Kongpob at the market he worked part-time."

"You might think of why he worked part-time. Kongpob was always stubborn when it came to his daughter, he doesn't want his parents to be overburdened by their finances so Kongpob worked part-time to at least help his parents with the pavement.

Kong's father's business wasn't a company like yours or Simon's, it was small but did gain a lot of profit. It wasn't famous all over the country but it was popular in the city."

"Kongpob got fed up one day when his co-workers at the market started to tease him. At first, he didn't give any reaction to it but day by day it became worse so he strictly asked Simon to leave him and told him that he couldn't fall in love with anyone. Surprisingly Simon left, for two years there wasn't any trace of the man."

Riya took a deep breath. Arthit observed as he saw Riya's expression change to a darker one.

" Kong took over the company after graduation and he was pretty happy. Then out of nowhere Simon came back as the CEO of SN.ltd. We didn't know that he was the CEO of such a famous company because he just joined in after his father died. He wasn't in front of the press that much."

"He visited Kong again asking him to be his lover. He told him that since he had reached a good position and provide for his family now, Kongpob didn't have to worry. But Kong being Kong, he didn't agree. He told him that he can't because for him loving someone was difficult. He didn't trust anyone."

Arthit bit his lips as he heard Riya's words.

"I was there for Kong every time when Simon met him. I was his personal assistant back then. He always shared everything to me because he didn't want to worry his parents by telling this."

"Then after Simon started to send gifts to Kong, every day there would be either flowers or branded clothes for him waiting at his table. Then one day when Kong went to pick April at school he saw Simon with her, laughing and playing.

You know how hard hit is for an omega who isn't marked to get pregnant and have a child. The society is not very acceptable even if they don't know what the person had gone through. So April's identify was kept hidden even though at school it was hard but they managed it."

"Simon told Kongpob that he knew about April and it's safe if Kong marries him so that he doesn't have to keep April as his little secret. Kong didn't say anything because he doesn't want anyone else in his life if had completely ignored the fact that he has a mate.

Soon after Kong's company started to fall off. Profits turned to loss. Along with that Kong having a child without getting married started to spread. Kong didn't know what happened but he couldn't fix the things going one. His dad and I tried our best but we couldn't. That's when Simon came to the show. He proposed to take the company under his wings and he'll protect it on behalf Kongpob had to agree to be his boyfriend."

Arthit watched a tear slide down from Riya's eyes.

"I still blame myself for pushing Kong to agree to be his boyfriend. Because in all our eyes Simon never did anything wrong, he always tried to help Kong and April. April always used to talk how uncle Simon was soo good to her and she wished to see him every day.

For us Kong started to date, Simon. Simon was a perfect boyfriend and son in everyone's eyes. Kong's parents loved him a lot. Even though Kong wasn't open with his feelings we knew that he liked him. Kong's priority was always April and seeing her happy made him happy too.

They dated for some years and then got married. After marriage, Simon asked Kong to be his PA which Kong agreed because he didn't have anything to look after. His company was under Simona and was going well. His parents too supported him.

But being Simon's PA means he had to move to here at Bangkok from Chaing Mai. Kong had to leave his parents at Chiang Mai and stay here. Kong didn't return back again to his parents after he arrived here," Riya sighed.

Arthit raised his eyebrows in confusion.

"What do you mean? Why didn't he go?" Arthit asked.

Riya scoffed, "Simon wouldn't allow him to."

Arthit confusion grew more. His eyebrows crooked up as he listened to Riya.

"After their honeymoon trip, Kong and April moved in with Simon. At first, everything was okay but later he found out that Simon was the one who was behind his father's company's loss and the spread of news. Simon told this to him when one day he came home drunk.

I was working in this company after Kong requested to Simon. Since my home town is here it wasn't hard for me. I have everyone here, but Kong doesn't. He wants me to be with his side as a sister which I was glad to be. So I know everything that happens between them.

Simon slowly started to become a person we have never seen. He started to be harsh on Kongpob. The real truth is he started to show his real face. Simon is a real sadist, Arthit."

Arthit clutched his fist tighter. His face turning red from anger. He bit his lips to control his inner alpha.

"What...what did he do?" It came out as a growl from Arthit.

Riya looked at Arthit, trying to find the emotion in his eyes. She could see the need to protect his mate in those eyes and she was happy for it.

"Simon would always blame Kong for making others smile at him. He started to lash out on him because he fucking smiled at everyone! Kong wasn't allowed to talk to anyone in the company except for me, he was only allowed to talk when asked to or if it was an emergency.

Then one day Kong didn't come to the company and Simon had gone on some fucking business trip. I went to his house to check on him. I saw Kong with bruises all over his face and hands. There wasn't any cuts or anything, but there were a lot of bruises of purple, red and black," Riya let out a sob.

"It was Simon who did that to him. Simon punished him because some guy at the business meeting told that he looked beautiful and young. Kong didn't even do anything!"

Arthit saw how angry Riya was. He was now confirmed from where that bruises came from.

"Somehow April started to drift away from Kong. She was always very open to Kong and always talked about her problems with him. But after the marriage, after a year, she started to change. She stopped talking to Kong and was always angry at him. But whenever Simon came she didn't speak a word. I don't know what happened but I'm sure Simon did something that made April be like this," Riya sighed.

She looked up at Arthit who didn't say anything and was staring blankly at her. Riya placed her hand on Arthit's which made the latter look at her confused.

"I beg you Arthit, save Kong and April from him. Please, it's my request. April might not be your daughter but if you love her she'll love you like her own father. Please Arthit," Riya cried.

"I'll Riya, I'll."

Arthit sighed as he placed the cash on the table and left the restaurant. His mind was full of Kongpob. That fear in those eyes when he went to Simon, the longing he saw in those eyes when he asked Arthit to accept him.

He understood as to why Kongpob kept blaming that he failed Arthit. He knows Kong is blaming himself for having been raped but Arthit, on the other hand, felt helpless. He wanted to tell Kongpob about what he did.

Arthit wasn't still sure whether Kong was that person or not until he gets more detail about it.

Arthit came out of his thoughts when he heard his phone ring inside his pocket. He took a deep breath as he saw who was calling him.

"Ai' Prem, what is it now?" Arthit asked annoyed.

"Where are you!? You completely ignored my calls from the morning. How did it go with Kongpob?" Prem asked excitedly.

Arthit sighed, " It went great until that Simon came in."

"Oh."

"What did Kong say?" Prem asked again.

"I think he loves me," a small smile forming on Arthit's lips as he spoke.

"What do you mean you think? You're his mate! Oh, by the way, did you tell him?" Prem asked.

"Tell what?" Arthit raised an eyebrow.

"That you're his mate and about your past?"

Arthit bit his lips, "He knows that I'm his mate. He asked me if I could accept him and save him from Simon."

Arthit heard clapping sound on the other side of the phone.

"Pream, are you with Bright?" Arthit asked.

"Hah, well yeah? It's on speaker, everyone's here," Pream said while chuckling.

Arthit shook his head.

"So, did you tell Kongpob about your past?" Arthit heard Knott's voice on the other end, his friend or the mother hen in their group of five.

"No, I didn't. I didn't get the chance to," Arthit sighed.

"You okay, Arthit?" He heard Tootah asked worriedly.

"Yeah I'm, I'm just having some doubts that I want to clear. Besides that nothing else," Arthit took his car's key from his pocket as he reached the parking lot.

"Don't worry Arthit, Kongpob will accept you. After all, it wasn't your fault, you tried your best. If it wasn't for that bastard Drake none of this would happen," Arthit heard Bright talk.

Arthit could only sigh. He was about to open his car's door when he heard shouting from a corner of the parking lot.

Arthit could hear his friends talk something but his attention was on three girls and boys standing and shouting at each other at the dark side of the parking lot. Soon he saw them started to fight and Arthit saw how a girl was punching the life out of a boy.

He watched another boy pull the hair of the said girl and he landed a punch on her face.

Arthit's eyes widened, he felt the need to protect that particular girl even though two others were also fighting.

"Arthit you there?" Arthit looked at his phone and then at the group.

"I'll call you later, bye."

Arthit didn't wait for a reply before he hangs up. He rushed towards the group and pushed the boys away from the girls. Arthit looked at the girls and his eyes landed on that particular teenager who had a fire in her eyes as she glared at the boys, a bruise on her cheek.

"What are you guys doing here late at night!? Don't you have homes to return back?!" Arthit shouted.

"Who the fuck are you to ask?" A boy shouted back.

"You don't want to mess with me if you know who I'm, boy. No leave this place and don't create a scene," Arthit smirked.

The boy glared at Arthit and was about to fight when his friend standing next to him pulled his towards him and whispered something in his ears.

The boy looked at Arthit with wide eyes. He then looked at the girls and glared at one particular one before he turned around to leave.

"Ron! If you ever talk bad about my Mom, I won't spare you next time!" The girl yelled at the boy who was walking away.

The boy turned towards the girl with the bruise on her cheek.

"Oh really!? I'll tell again! We all know that you're not Simon's daughter, April! That mother of yours, he's a slut!" The boys laughed.

April clutched her palm into a fist as she growled, the alpha inside her getting out of her control.

"You!" April shouted as he ran towards the boys, the two other girls tried to stop her only for them to fall on the ground.

The boys ran away in fear as they saw her eyes turn pitch black in anger.

Arthit rushed towards April and caught her by her waist.

"April, relax baby girl. Please, relax," Arthit whispered softly to April's ears.

April's eyes widened. Unconsciously she felt herself relax. Her eyes started to water as she let herself relax in the warm hands.

"No, my mom is not a slut, he's not. He's not."

Arthit found April trembling in his arms. Arthit felt an ache in his heart as he heard the teenage girl sob.

"He's not, I know. Relax April, I'm here," Arthit was startled when April turned around and hugged him and started crying in his arms.

Arthit looked back at the two girls who were looking at him with wide eyes. He smiled at them and called them closer by his hands.

"Do I have to send you back home girls?" Arthit asked.

"No sir, we can go back. And April, she..." The girl pointed at her friend who was in Arthit's arms.

"I'll send her home, she's Simon's daughter right?" Arthit asked to which the two girls nodded but April pushed Arthit absurdly.

"I'm not his fucking daughter! He's my stepdad!" April glared at Arthit.

Arthit chuckled at her as he nodded his head.

"I'll take her back, you guys go," Arthit said.

"No, I'll go with them," April said as she wiped her tears.

"I want to talk to you April, will you please stay with me? I'll send you home before it gets too late, okay?" Arthit asked.

April looked up at the famous CEO in front of her. She knows who he's, how could she not know. She stared at Arthit looking at how his eyes pleaded at her with a small smile on his face. April didn't know why but she nodded her head.

Arthit then called a cab for April's two friends and after making sure that they went home safe Arthit and April went to Arthit's car and stood there. There weren't many people out there and only a few cars, the atmosphere was cool and soft breeze flowed.

"So, what happened out there with your friends? Why did you fight?" Arthit tried to ask as he leaned against his car.

Arthit watched April jump t on the hood of the car and sit on it. If it was anyone else Arthit would have snapped at them, he loved his car soo much but oddly Arthit smiled while he saw April sitting on the car with pouty lips.

"Well, we're just hanging out. Our exams just got over so just had dorm fun. And then that stupid Mike, he..." April played with her fingers.

Arthit raised an eyebrow, "He what? Teased you with Kongpob?"

April's eyes widened as she turned to look at Arthit, "You know my mom?"

A beautiful smile formed on Arthit's face as he walked closer to April and sat on top of the hood near April.

"I know him, he was my junior at college and I'm working in collaboration with your 'step-dad'," Arthit did an air quotation for the word step-dad making April chuckle.

"You were really Mom's senior? How was he that time? Does he always smile back then?" April asked with eyes filled with excitement.

Arthit chuckled, "Well, I was in my last year so I didn't get much time to check on others but I will say that your mom's smile and looks were indeed a talk back then," and it still is in my heart.

Arthit found himself talking in his mind.

"I wish I could see that smile again."

Arthit looked at April who looked up at the sky, her hands behind her supporting her body. They stayed silent for a moment which gave Arthit more time to watch her.

Arthit noticed how she had dimples on her cheeks when she smiled at the sky telling how beautiful the stars looked. Arthit could see some resemblances in him and April but he didn't want to overthink.

"What would you do if you find your real dad one day?" Arthit asked suddenly making April look at him confused.

"How do you know about that?" She asked, her eyes questioning him.

Arthit bit his lips, "I just know."

"Are you really just my mom's senior?" April raised an eyebrow.

Arthit was surprised by the teenager's question.

"What do you think?" Arthit asked back.

April just stared at him for a good few seconds before she resumed looking at the sky.

"My mom always said he never regretted having me. He told me that if one day he finds my dad first he would ask the reason why did that and second thank him for giving me to mom, "April chuckled.

"I'm grateful for being born as his daughter. I'm lucky to have him as my mom and I'll always be. I'll surely forgive my real dad and if there's a possibility ask him to escape me and my mom from that terror Simon."

Arthit's eyes filled with tears unknowingly. He saw how April clutched her palm when she said about Simon.

"I don't even know whether I deserve to be his daughter. Mom has done so much. He's too pure for this world, and I'm too corrupted! I can't even tell him what I'm feeling!" Tears slide down April's cheeks.

Arthit couldn't bare see those tears. He pulled April into a hug.

"I've been harsh to him ever since Simon came to our lives. I thought Simon was good but he wasn't! He fucking did things to me I don't like! He fucking did things to Mom that I can't bear to look at! I saw my mom's smile vanish from his face! I never saw my old mom again after he got married to that bastard!" April cried she didn't know why she's telling this to someone who she merely knows but she felt a sense of protectiveness and comfort from Arthit that only her mom could give her back then.

"You're not bad, April but I would tell you to talk to Kong. He loves you soo much, April. He'll believe you and support you. Don't hurt him by pushing him away, he lived his life for you April," Arthit caressed her hair.

April cried as she nodded her head against Arthit's shoulder.

"Do you have your phone?" Arthit asked April.

April nodded her head as she took out her phone from her jacket.

Arthit smiled when she saw the wallpaper on her phone, it was a picture of Kongpob laughing while April made funny faces. If was an old photo referring to the change the April in the photo and the one who sat next to him was. He soon dialled down his number in her phone and returned to April.

"It's my number, call me whenever you want. I'm here for you, I'm not joking, I'm here for you. You get it?"

April smiled showing her two dimples as she nodded her head making Arthit smile too.

"It's getting late, I'll send you home," Arthit said as he hopped down from the car followed by April.

They got inside the car and soon Arthit drove to April's house.

They talked along their way with April mostly blabbering about her and Kongpob when she was a child. Telling Arthit how Kongpob used to surprise her during her birthdays.

Arthit all the while only smiled at her while listening.

When Arthit stopped in front of Simon's house he found April was disappointed but he promised her that they'll meet soon and that she could call her anytime.

Arthit stayed there until April walked to the door and rang the bell. He felt responsible for April, he felt the need to protect her.

Even from the distance, Arthit could make out that it was Simon who opened the door and he could see that the latter was somehow pissed. Arthit saw Simon's head turning towards his direction which stayed stagnant until April got in making Simon shut the door.

Arthit sighed. He looked at the seat beside him where April sat. His lips stretched into a small smile as he ran his hand over the seat.

Arthit raised his eyebrows when he found a string in his hand. He placed it closer for his eyes to observe making him realise that it was a hair. He understood that it was April's and unconsciously an idea popped into his mind.

Arthit gulped as he clutched the strand of hair in his hand.

********

What is Arthit planning to do?

Did Arthit really did something cruel intentionally?

How will April react when she finds that Arthit is her mom's mate?

Stay tuned for next chapter!

Hope you all are safe and healthy!
Love you all!♥️♥️♥️♥️