Summer House

Chapter Fourteen

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Chapter Fourteen

Arthit approached his sister, holding out his hand. "Let me take that for you," he offered politely.

May held the groceries close to her chest possessively; her eyes angry and clearly condescending him. "So, you're still here."

"Yes," Arthit replied, not averting his eyes from May's face.

May looked even angrier than before as she spat through gritted teeth, "You lied to Kongpob and he still let you stay here?"

"Yes," Arthit replied calmly.

"Unbelievable," May said, looking away to find Kongpob approaching them both. She moved to stand next to Kongpob, hooking an arm around his arm. "I don't understand you."

"Arthit's staying," Kongpob said firmly, sparing a glance at Arthit.

May argued against it. "But—"

"We need to talk, May," Kongpob said, cutting her off.

Taking the groceries from May, Kongpob used his free arm to lead her inside the house.

As shocking as it was to see his dead sister figuratively return from the grave, why did Arthit feel May was going out of her whim to get rid of him? It was either May was entirely convinced that Arthit was dead or she wasn't.

Another sleek car pulled up to the driveway, stopping behind May's car. Arthit realized it was the same car from the other time. May's fiancé. He had probably tailed her to the summer house.

Two men in black suits stepped out of the car.

Arthit clenched his fist and went over to greet them as kindly as possible. "Hello, I don't suppose you're here for a visit?"

The taller of the two replied, "No. We're here for May Rojnapat."

"I'll go and—"

"Don't bother," one of them said, shoving Arthit roughly out of the way.

Arthit's eyes widened in anger. He ran to block their path, holding out his hands in a protective gesture. "That was really unnecessary."

Another man stepped out of the car, his eyes focused solely on the house. It was the same man from the other time. May's fiancé stood tall with his usual stoic expression, which gave away nothing. "We don't mean to impose on you and we're not here to cause you any trouble, but if you insist on stopping us, I'm afraid my men won't act too kindly." He spoke in a tone that carried clear warning and anger in it.

Scoffing, the two men strode past him, towards the house and Arthit was left confronting the fiance himself. "The house won't let you in," Arthit said aloud, determined to win over them.

The two men tugged and pushed on the big wooden door, but it didn't budge just like Arthit wanted it.

Arthit spoke calmly, "It's locked and I don't have the key."

"We'll knock."

"They won't hear you," Arthit said honestly, knowing his spells were doing everything to protect the house and the people inside.

"Why not?" one of them asked while the other pounded on the door furiously.

"Because I said so," Arthit replied, giving them an angry look.

Eventually, both men gave up and turned to look at Arthit with puzzled expressions.

May's fiancé came forward to take a closer look at Arthit, re-assessing him behind his shades as if he was a tiny specimen, mere dirt beneath his expensive dress shoes. "Who are you?"

"I am Kongpob's—"

"You lied to me last time. What makes you think you could lie to me?"

Arthit never overlooked the man's power. He knew a man in his status was capable of anything. He was dangerous and Arthit could sense it from the demanding aura that surrounded his presence. "He won't let you in. The one who watches the house." He said warningly.

"He?" one of the other two men (bodyguards, Arthit had concluded) asked him nervously.

The other interjected as if something finally registered, "The one who haunts this house. I heard he killed himself here. Do you see him?"

Perfect, Arthit smirked to himself and spoke in a haunting voice, "I see him everyday. He's guarding the house as we speak," he said, spinning around to meet their gazes, and finding Jinny standing behind him, giving a quick wave of her hand in acknowledgement. "In fact he's standing in front of you both, watching you with his watchful eyes."

The two of them slowly began to back away from him. Jinny covered her mouth to muffle out her laughter afraid they would hear her. She seemed to be very amused by this little scaring joke.

"He won't let you in, no matter how hard you try." Arthit said conclusively.

"We'll break in."

Arthit sighed, growing more impatient by the second, "Like I said. I could simply go in and fetch May for you. There's really no need for you to go through all the trouble just to enter the house," Arthit insisted, looking over to May's fiancé who finally gave him a curt nod.

"Wait here. I'll be back." Arthit began walking up the stairs to the main door, before stopping suddenly and turned back around to meet May's fiance. "I need your word that you won't do anything to hurt her."

"I'm her fiancé. I wouldn't harm her." The man said sternly and despite himself, Arthit chose to believe him. If the man did try anything, he would be there to stop him.

He opened the door using his magic and heard the surprised gasps from the men behind him when the door suddenly opened on its own. He pretended to thank Jinny as the house protector before entering. Once the door was shut, he headed to where Kongpob and May were. He found them in the kitchen, in the middle of an argument when he interrupted them.

"Excuse me."

They both turned to him.

"Miss, your fiancé is outside."

Kongpob's face went slack and May's eyes widened in response. "He can't know that I am here." She said frightened.

"I tried to lie about your whereabouts, but it's hard when your car is parked outside. I'm sorry. By the looks of it, I think he only wants to talk to you." Arthit assured her.

Kongpob Suthiluck was already rushing toward him, grasping his wrist to pull him aside. "Why didn't you tell them to leave? Why did you let them know May is here?"

Arthit looked up at him, not liking the fact that Kongpob was being illogical. "That's not the way to handle things."

Kongpob's jaw tightened at that response, clearly unsatisfied. "You don't understand. She wants nothing to do with him."

"But she is putting you at risk," Arthit found himself arguing. "Besides, he made a promise to me not to hurt her."

"And you believe him?"

May Rojnapat strode past them both, towards the front door. Kongpob released Arthit to catch up to her, blocking her way. "Don't do it. He'll take you away. Don't."

Without saying a word, May stepped around him to exit the house. Kongpob followed her out, along with Arthit who remained on the porch, watching them approach May's fiancé together.

May's fiancé was eyeing them both with a smug look on his face, as if anticipating it. "Please, I—" her words were immediately cut off by the harsh slap to her face.

Arthit was wrong to have assumed May's fiancé would be smarter to keep his earlier promise and not use any force. A guardian spirit like himself believed a human, trusting that he wouldn't use violence to solve things. How could he have misjudged him so badly? He had been way too naive.

Kongpob Suthiluck was about to lunge at him, but the two bodyguards quickly caught both his arms, forcing him down on his knees. "You bastard. You fucking bastard!" Kongpob cursed aloud, attempting to break out of their hold.

"You prefer the younger ones?" May's fiancé mocked loudly. "He looks rather fresh. Unfortunately you've picked the wrong brother. From what I hear, Chris is the one who will carry on his father's position."

May was still holding onto her cheek in complete shock. "You struck me! You bastard! You struck me!" she yelled, lashing out at him as he easily dodged her attacks, grabbing hold of her shoulders and shoving her roughly to the ground.

She fell, her eyes burning with rage when she looked back at him.

"Don't look at me like that!" the man shouted, making another attempt to grab her, but without thinking, Arthit found himself rushing toward them and placing himself directly in front of his sister. "Touch her like that again and I'll promise you, you won't be able to use your fingers anymore."

The man stopped mid-step, his small eyes squinting at Arthit evilly as if he was a helpless human. "Who are you to threaten me?"

Arthit would have easily tossed him against the tree and snapped him in half if it had been his will. He realized how far he had allowed this to carry on. "Leave before everything turns to turmoil," he warned with a firm tone.

The man chuckled disbelievingly. "You really think I believe in that ghost bullshit?"

Right then, Jinny suddenly appeared right next to May's fiancée, placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered eerily into his ear, so that only he could hear him. "You should start believing."

Arthit could see a shiver go through the man as his face paled to sheet white and he looked around nervously, wondering who had whispered those words. Jinny was making herself useful, Arthit thought amusingly.