He kissed me gently, as if he wanted that kiss to carry everything he couldn't say out loud. His lips lingered against mine before he pressed his forehead to mine and whispered,
"I love you, Niran. Now and forever."
"I love you too," I whispered back.
"We have to go to work," I said softly, though a part of me wished the moment would never end.
"I don't want to," he murmured. "I just want to stay here with you."
"If I don't show up, people will start getting suspicious," I reminded him quietly.
Chak sighed, then gave me a faint smile. "You're right. I can't let anyone look at you without my supervision."
We got dressed and left the house together with Anamarija. Before driving off, Chak looked at me first, then at her.
"Today, a lot of things will change," he said seriously. "Especially for you, Anamarija. I'll tell the reporters only your name and nothing else. If they ask you anything, you don't have to answer. Niran and I will be right by your side."
Anamarija nodded, but I could see the uncertainty in her eyes.
"I'm worried they might follow us after the press conference," Chak continued. "That's why we'll split up afterward."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"The reporters know where I live. They think I'm living at the condo," he said, glancing out the windshield. "But I've actually been living here in secret. If we go there after the conference, they might follow us — and I don't want that. It's safer if you, Anamarija, stay somewhere else for one night — just for your protection."
"Where would I stay?" she asked, her voice tense.
"I'm still thinking," Chak replied quietly. "Somewhere I can be sure you'll be safe."
"What about you two?" she asked then, looking between us.
Chak hesitated for a moment before answering. "I don't know," he said finally. "But one thing's certain — we won't be coming back here tonight."
"No matter where we stay," I said softly, looking at him. "I just want to be with you."
He reached for my hand and pressed a gentle kiss against it.
As the car slowed down and turned into a narrow street, I felt Chak's hand tighten around the steering wheel. His silence was heavier than any words. I reached for him, sliding my fingers over his — a simple touch, but it said everything I couldn't voice aloud.
His hand relaxed under mine. For a second, he looked at me, eyes soft yet filled with something that hurt to see — worry, guilt, love. All tangled together.
Then he parked the car and turned toward me. "Niran," he said quietly, "go wait for me in front of the company entrance."
I frowned, confused. "Wait—why?"
He leaned closer, and before I could ask more, he pressed a gentle kiss to my cheek. The warmth of his lips lingered, but his voice was steady when he whispered, "Just do as I say. I'll be right behind you."
My chest tightened. I wanted to stay beside him, but I knew this wasn't the moment to argue. So, I nodded.
He turned to Anamarija next, his tone shifting to something colder, more composed — the tone he used when he was Mr. Phanprasit.
"You'll sit where Niran was sitting," he told her. "When we get there, Rattan and Suraphom — the man you met yesterday — will stay by your side."
Anamarija nodded silently.
I opened the door and stepped out of the car. The morning air was cool against my skin, sharp enough to wake the ache in my chest. I glanced back once — Chak was watching me through the window, his expression unreadable — and then the car pulled away toward the main street.
I started walking toward the Love Food building. Its glass facade shimmered in the sunlight, and for a moment, everything felt like déjà vu. The same nervous flutter in my stomach, the same rush of awe… just like the first day I met him. Only now, everything was different.
When the black car finally pulled up in front of the entrance, I saw him step out. Instantly, the security guards straightened, the receptionists bowed their heads, and every employee nearby seemed to freeze in place. That was the effect Chak always had — quiet authority, like the air itself bowed to him.
And me? I walked a few steps behind him, as always. But this time, my heart was louder than my footsteps.
Inside the lobby, whispers followed us like shadows. I kept my head low, pretending not to notice, though every sound echoed in my chest.
When the elevator doors opened, we stepped in together. There were other people inside — assistants, managers — and I moved to stand slightly in front of Chak, careful not to draw attention.
A moment later, I felt his hand brush lightly against my back — so subtle no one else would notice. My breath caught, and without meaning to, I stepped just a little closer to him. It was a small movement, barely anything… but to me, it meant everything.
When the elevator doors slid open, the familiar scent of coffee and office paper greeted me. I walked toward my desk, but before I could sit down, Chak's deep voice cut through the quiet hum of the floor.
"From today onward," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for questions, "you and Pim will both be my secretaries."
I froze mid-step and turned to look at him. His expression was calm, composed — the kind of calm that carried hidden storms beneath it.
"Yes, sir," I replied softly, before walking toward Pim's desk.
She looked surprised at first, her eyes darting between me and Chak.
"From the very beginning, you've been working as my secretary," he said firmly. "From now on, both of you will be my secretaries."
For a second, the room fell silent. Pim blinked, clearly taken aback, but then quickly composed herself.
"Yes, sir," she replied politely, though I caught the faint tension in her voice.
I gave her a small nod, forcing a smile, but inside my chest, my heart thudded unevenly.
Working beside her meant being close to Chak every day — and yet, having to pretend like we were nothing more than coworkers.
Chak's eyes flicked toward me briefly, unreadable, before he turned away and said in his usual calm tone,
"That will be all. Get to work."
"Understood, sir," Pim added quickly, bowing her head slightly. Then she turned to me and smiled again, that same polite office smile that never quite reached her eyes.
Chak gave her a brief nod, then turned to Anamarija. His tone softened slightly.
"You can either come with me or look around the company for a bit."
"I'll look around," she replied quietly and smiled to me.
Chak's gaze shifted to the two security guards standing nearby. "Keep an eye on her," he ordered.
They both nodded silently.
Then his attention returned to me — and just like that, the warmth in his eyes vanished. His voice turned cold, professional.
"Coffee. In my office. Now."
I swallowed hard. "Right away, sir," I said quickly, keeping my tone formal even though my heart stung at the sudden distance between us.
Without another word, I turned and headed toward the small kitchen area. The murmur of coworkers' voices followed me as I walked away, mixing with the faint hum of machines and the echo of my own thoughts.
Every time he spoke to me like that — cold, distant, as if I were just another employee — it tore a little piece of me apart. But I knew why he did it. Here, we had to pretend.
Still, pretending never got easier.
As I carried the coffee toward Chak's office, I slowed down when I heard two female employees talking near the hallway corner.
"Do you think she's his girlfriend?" one whispered.
"I doubt it," the other replied. "She's… something else for sure. Maybe just a close friend."
"Still," the first one said with a giggle, "did you see how well she got along with that new secretary?"
I swallowed hard and forced myself to keep walking, pretending I hadn't heard anything.
When I stepped into Chak's office, he was already seated behind his desk, going through some documents. I placed the coffee cup in front of him carefully.
"Your coffee, sir," I said softly.
He gave a slight nod without looking up.
For a second, I hesitated by the door. Then I turned back, walked quickly to his side—and before I could stop myself, I leaned down and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
He froze. I smiled faintly, whispering, "For luck."
His gaze softened. "You are my luck," he murmured, reaching up to gently touch my cheek. His fingers lingered there for a moment, warm against my skin.
His eyes lifted to mine. For a heartbeat, neither of us moved. Our faces were close — too close — the air between us charged and fragile. I could feel his breath against my lips, smell the faint trace of his cologne.
And just as the world seemed to still around us the door suddenly swung open.