From Something To Everything (Bounprem)

164. Risk

"In just a few months of marriage, Tessa got pregnant with your brother and dropped out of the university in the third trimester because P' Saen told her that it was dangerous to attend the university with such a huge belly." Ann poured some water for herself.

"When Alan turned one, all of us practically forced her to go back to continuing her studies despite P' Saen's opposition." She chuckled. "Your Maa was a brilliant student, she finished courses worth two years in one year, graduating alongside her batchmates from the fresher's year."

She smiled proudly remembering the day Tessa became the valedictorian of the batch. "She had plans to join the family business when she got pregnant again, with Oreo. She dropped her plans again and nursed her pregnancy.

This time she was somewhat more determined than last time and hired a nanny to take care of Oreo and joined the company. She was really good at her job and impressed almost all of the directors in the company, making her mark within the industry."

Ann looked at Boun who was listening to her with almost interest. She didn't know if she should continue or stop there. She somehow felt that she shouldn't be bad-mouthing Saen in front of Boun.

"Mae, if you are hesitating because of something related to Khun Saen, please don't be. I do know how low he can drop." Boun could see the bit of hesitation on Ann's face.

Ann's creased brows relaxed. "Actually, everything was good until she caught him in bed with his secretary. She was so broken by the site that she wanted to kill herself."

Boun clenched his fits, imagining the pain his mother had to go through that a strong woman like her would want to consider committing suicide.

"That was when she found out that you were growing within her. She survived it for you, Boun. You are the reason why she chose to live." Ann reached out to hold Boun's hand across the small dining table. "She loves you more than you can ever imagine, Boun. You are her life."

Boun felt a lump in his throat, his eyes tearing up in happiness and guilt.

"P' Saen didn't even show up at home until she was eight months into pregnancy. By then Tessa had already made up her mind to get a divorce from him after giving birth to you. But when he showed up he created a huge scene. He started telling everyone that the baby in her belly wasn't his."

Boun felt bitter hearing that. He had always known that his father never liked him. But this, this was too much for him to accept. "W- What h- happened then?" he asked in a broken voice.

"Your Maa wasn't a coward either. She threw the evidence of his affair with multiple women right at his face. A huge fight broke out and Tessa almost lost you. We took her to hospital and her pregnancy was saved.

The hatred Tessa had for P' Saen went up to a new level. She didn't want to live under the same roof as him. So she moved to the Guntachai Mansion along with Oreo."

"Maa moved to the Guntachai Mansion before giving birth to me? " As far as Boun remembered, they had been living at the Ruby Mansion [1].

"She did. But the elders of the Dechaphatthanakun family intervened and settled the matter. They didn't want the relationship between the two families to worsen. Tessa gave in in the end because she didn't want you to be born fatherless. "

The sweet and spicy noodles in his mouth didn't taste like either. It tasted bitter. Very very bitter.

"As she moved back, she brought along her own set of servants because she didn't trust anyone under P' Saen. Then she gave birth to you. Since he was under strict surveillance by the elders of both families, P' Saen laid low for a while, especially after it was announced that you would be the heir of the Guntachai family." Ann put down her chopsticks.

"For a while means?" Boun already had his doubts but didn't voice them out.

"Do you remember that you used to get in several accidents while you were young?"

Boun's expression hardened. He still remembered his mother and grandparents taking him to different temples and doing rituals just to make the bad luck vanish. She even remembered the nights when his mother would hug him and cry because the priest told her that he might not be able to live past the age of eight.

"It was all P' Saen's doing. You were almost killed by him, Boun." Ann didn't want to sugarcoat anything. "None of us had any idea what was going on and believed that it was due to your bad luck. But by the time we realised that the biggest bad luck in your life was to have a Por like him."

"How did you guys find out that it was Khun Saen..." Boun wanted to know everything.

"I am not sure Boun. All I know is that Tessa found out that it was P' Saen who egged Alan to push you into the water when you were a kid and make it look like an accident. Maybe it was the result of all the prayers everyone did for you that you were rescued on time.

Once your Maa found out about it, she moved you to the Guntachai Mansion the very night. She didn't dare take any more risk keeping you around. Following that a huge fight broke out between her and P' Saen. Tessa was so angry that she smashed a whole bottle of champagne on his head. He was hospitalised for a few weeks because of that fight."

Boun felt that it was too inappropriate to laugh out loud in such a situation but he found it too funny. He was sure that more than his father's physique, his ego must have taken the hit back then.

"Oreo was old enough to understand the situation and volunteered to join the boarding school. As for Alan, Tessa sent him abroad to keep him out of P' Saen's radar."

"Does that mean that Maa sent me away to protect me?"

Ann nodded with a sigh.

"Then why didn't she contact me? Why did she come to me?" Boun felt that if his mother hadn't been so cold to him, he wouldn't have misunderstood her.

"That is something you should ask her Boun. I am sure she has her own reasons." Ann stood up picking up the empty plates and culinary. "But there is something I can assure you. Your Maa really loves you and she is dying to be close to you just the way you two were when you were still a toddler."