Twilight of Shadows | LingOrm (GxG)

TWENTY

Earn lounged on the couch in her sleek Australian apartment, idly scrolling through her phone. The low hum of the television buzzed in the background, but her focus was elsewhere, her mind drifting.

Suddenly, a headline caught her eye.

Breaking News: Narin Worachai, Daughter of Thai Business Tycoon Fahlada Worachai, Reported Missing.

Earn froze. Her heart pounded in her chest as she clicked the article. She scanned the details, each word tightening the knot in her stomach.

"Narin Worachai, daughter of Thai multi-millionaire Fahlada Worachai, was last seen outside her international school. CCTV footage shows the six-year-old getting into a black sedan, but no driver has been identified. Thai authorities are working with the Worachai family's private security team to locate the missing child. No ransom demand has been made, and the motive remains unclear."

Earn's breath caught in her throat. Narin. Missing. That sweet little girl she hadn't seen in years, taken. She immediately clicked on the video accompanying the article. The footage showed a chaotic scene outside the police station in Bangkok, with reporters crowding around but there was no sign of Lada. Instead, the camera panned to a police spokesperson giving an official statement, his voice steady but urgent.

"We are working closely with Khun Fahlada Worachai's private security team to locate Narin. We are following all leads and encourage anyone with information to contact the authorities immediately. The safety of the child is our top priority."

The camera cut to footage of Lada's mansion, now swarming with security personnel and bodyguards. Earn recognized a few familiar faces-men who had worked for Lada since they had been together. But something in her gut told her that this situation required more than just muscle. This isn't just a kidnapping. This is personal.

The article played on a loop in her mind, her thoughts spiraling. Lada-how is she coping with this? Earn knew how much Lada loved her daughter. Her hands started shaking as she imagined the panic Lada must be feeling.

Without thinking, Earn grabbed her phone and dialed a number she hadn't used in years-Kitti, a man from her family's past who had connections to Bangkok's underworld, someone she once knew all too well.

The line rang for what felt like forever before a gruff voice finally answered.

"Who's this?"

"Kitti, it's me, Earn."

A pause. "Earn? Haven't heard from you in a long time. What do you want?"

"I don't have time for small talk. It's about Narin-Fahlada's daughter. She's been kidnapped. I need your help."

Another silence, longer this time. "You still care about those people? After everything?"

Earn clenched her jaw. "This isn't about the past. Narin's in danger. I need to find her."

Kitti's sigh was audible through the phone. "You realize who you're asking me to go up against, right? Bella has her hand in this. You know that, don't you?"

Earn's heart sank at the name. Bella, the woman who had once loomed in her world, had always had her reasons for taking what she wanted. This felt personal.

"Please, Kitti. I don't care about anything else. Just tell me where she is."

"You're walking into a storm, Earn. Bella doesn't play games. This isn't something you can just fix."

"I don't care. Just give me the location," she snapped, her voice shaking.

Kitti paused again, his hesitation palpable. "I'll text you. But once I do, you're on your own. Don't call me again."

The line went dead before Earn could say another word. A moment later, her phone buzzed, and a message popped up with coordinates. Khlong Toei Port.

Earn stared at the screen, her heart racing. She couldn't sit here any longer. She had to get back to Thailand.

Her phone buzzed again, this time with a call from Atid.

"Earn, what's going on? I saw the news," Atid's voice came through, laced with concern.

"It's bad, babe," she whispered. "Narin's been taken. I'm going back to Bangkok."

There was a heavy pause. "Earn, are you sure this is just about Narin? Or is this about Lada too?"

Earn gripped the phone tighter, her throat tightening. "It's about Narin. She's an innocent kid caught in this mess."

Atid sighed. "Maybe. But you and I both know it's not that simple. You haven't seen Lada in years, but the way you're rushing into this... You still care about her, don't you?"

Earn swallowed hard. "That doesn't matter right now."

"It does," Atid pressed gently. "You're risking everything for them. You need to be careful."

"I don't have time to think about that. Narin needs me," Earn insisted, though Atid's words stirred something in her chest.

"Just... be safe, okay? I'll be here when you reach Bangkok." Atid said softly.

"I will. See ya!" she whispered, ending the call.

The thought of Lada's face flashed through her mind-the woman she had loved so deeply, the one she had left behind. But now wasn't the time for those emotions. This was about Narin.

Earn quickly booked a flight. She had no plan, no clear idea of what she was walking into. But she couldn't let Narin down. She wouldn't.

As she packed, one thing was clear: this wasn't just about saving Narin. It was about confronting the past she thought she'd left behind.

And this time, there is no turning back.

As she prepared for the journey, the weight of Atid's words hung over her. Was this mission solely about Narin, or was there a deeper, more personal battle she is facing?

The plane was set to depart in less than ten hours, and as Earn made her way to the airport, she couldn't escape the dual weight of her mission and her heartache. Her path was set: find Narin, save her from danger, and confront the lingering truths she had tried so hard to avoid.