A Dangerous Liaison

-38-

court hearing, several weeks later

Unknown

Tuesday

The courtroom was filled with bitter whispers, tension thick in the air. The trial of the Jitkunattapol family had captured the public's attention for weeks, and now after an extensive wait, their final showdown had come. Reporters clustered near the entrance, their cameras ready. Outside, crowds of people had gathered outside the courthouse, the space filled with curious eyes as they pushed for a glimpse of the once most influential family now stained in scandal and disgrace - the very family that had even ruined some of their lives. Friends, family, and former business associates of the family took filled in the rows, their faces a blend of worry, dread, and disbelief. 

Nobody had expected it, or could bring themselves to truly believe it - the Jitkunattapol's empire had finally crumbled.

Talay sat in the front row, flanked by May and Korn, his hands clenched tightly in his lap, knuckles white from the pressure. He kept his gaze fixed on the door, waiting for the moment it would open and the accused would be brought in. Beside him, May sat rigid, her face a carefully composed mask, though her eyes betrayed her discomfort. She stared ahead, barely blinking, as if preparing herself for what was about to unfold. Korn had his hands clasped together, his face impassive, but Talay could see the nervous flicker of anticipation in his eyes. 

None of them spoke. There was nothing left to say - they had done their duty. This was where the family were supposed to be. 

Behind them sat Olivia, Kita, and Sand. Olivia's face was unreadable, but the pain was noticeable in her eyes as she silently reread the statement clenched tightly in her trembling hands. Kita sat next to her, his expression wild with barely contained anger and grief. Sand held Kita's hand, whispering in his ear to calm him, though his own face was drawn with exhaustion. 

The heavy wooden door by the Jury's quarter creaked open, and the entire room turned its attention to the figures being led in. Star, Nino, Charlie, and Akira were escorted by guards, their wrists shackled. Talay's heart lurched as Akira took his place among his siblings, his face twisted in fear, confusion, and anger. The vibrant light once present in his eyes had dimmed to a dark shadow, and his lips were drawn into a tight, unyielding line. 

Talay bit the inside of his cheek, fighting back the tears threatening to spill. As he turned away, his gaze caught Tiger, head bowed low, silent tears dripping from his chin —both of them drowning in the shared guilt of betraying the man they loved.

Star seemed less affected by the events of the past weeks and her time in prison. She lifted her chin, eyes cold and defiant, though the tension in her shoulders betrayed the mask of tranquility she wore. Her gaze scanned the crowd, flickering briefly over Talay and then moving away, disinterested; she focused on an invisible point in front of her, deliberately ignoring the rapid movement of her brother's leg beside her as he fought to control his nerves. His eyes were dark and sunken; he looked like a man who had already accepted his fate, resigned to whatever sentence was coming. 

The pressure of his father's legacy had finally crushed him dry. 

Charlie shuffled nervously in his seat, his face pale, eyes vacant. His once bright personality had been squeezed out of him, and all that remained was a ghost, haunted by the choices he had made. He glanced up, catching Tiger in the crowd; he did not take his eyes off him, not even as Akira leant in to whisper something in his ear. 

May gently tapped him on the shoulder, directing his attention to a woman seated in the witness box beside them. She looked old, yet carried an air of authority, her stare sharp and calculating as it swept across the room. There was a fierceness in her eyes, a knowing glint that hinted at secrets only she possessed. It was Mrs. Jitkunattapol.