A Heart's Promise Beneath The Night [E-Book on MEB]

CHAPTER 1 : An Unavoidable Bond

The sound of rain falling in the evening echoed against the roof of Thanida's old wooden house. It was a two-story house built from ancient teak, but now it was in a state of disrepair due to the passage of time. The house was surrounded by large trees that gave it a gloomy atmosphere, despite the efforts of the few working light bulbs to illuminate the area. The ambiance was cold, damp, and lonely, with only the sounds of night insects and water dripping from wet leaves being audible.

Thanida, a beautiful, slender 25-year-old woman, stood by a tightly closed window. She wore a white long-sleeved collared shirt and plain long pants, but her tense expression reflected her anxiety. Her gaze was fixed on the darkness enveloping the area around the house.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

The sound of knocking at the door startled the homeowner, making her turn abruptly to look.

"Who's there?" Thanida shouted, her voice laced with worry and uncertainty.

"It's me, Miss Thanida," came the familiar voice of a middle-aged man. It was Uncle Somchai, the family's old and loyal driver. He opened the door without waiting for her permission.

Thanida turned back to look at him curiously. "What is it, Uncle Somchai?"

Uncle Somchai also had a worried expression as he rubbed his balding head. "Miss Thanida, people from Ngao Chandra Company are at the house... They want to see you right now."

Thump! Thump!

Thanida's heart pounded. She had heard stories about this company from her father. He had told her that Ngao Chandra was a real estate company with a background as a large and fearsome mafia gang. No one had ever dared to challenge Ngao Chandra. But she never thought they would come here. She quickly followed Uncle Somchai down to the gloomy ground floor living room. Although it was still raining outside, the atmosphere inside the house was tense due to Thanida's anxiety.

When she reached the living room, Thanida found four men in black suits standing guard around the room. They were dressed in black suits and wore dark sunglasses. One of them stood out from the others. He had sharp features and an aura of authority. This man was Nawin, the well-known leader of the Ngao Chandra gang in the underground business world.

"What... business do you have with me?" Thanida looked at him uneasily but tried to maintain her composure.

"I want what your father owes me," Nawin smirked.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Thanida's heart raced when she heard his words. It seemed she knew all too well what Nawin wanted.

"The debt my father owes you, I know it's a lot, but I don't have the money to repay you right now. But I promise I'll get it back to you as soon as possible..."

Nawin pulled out a document from his suit pocket. "This is the loan agreement your father signed. It's worth an enormous amount, and I don't believe you can repay it all."

Thanida looked at the document with a heavy heart. "Then what do you want me to do?"

Nawin stepped closer to her. "I'll take you as collateral until the debt is paid..."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll have to come with me until your father can pay off the debt in full."

Thanida's breathing quickened, fear beginning to gnaw at her heart. "This isn't fair at all. What are you going to do with me?!"

Nawin looked at her with sharp eyes. "I don't need to explain anything to you. You have only two choices... come with me, or let your father face the consequences that will follow."

Confusion and fear overwhelmed Thanida's mind. She knew her father couldn't find the money to pay off the debt, and if she refused, she might face worse consequences. So she had to make a quick decision.

"A-Alright... I... I'll go with you," Thanida said with a trembling voice, but her eyes showed firm resolve.

Nawin nodded slightly. "Good. We'll leave right now."

Uncle Somchai looked at Thanida with sadness, but he couldn't do anything. He tried to comfort her to ease her worry.

"Miss Thanida... Please take care of yourself."

Thanida gave Uncle Somchai a sad smile before following Nawin out of the house, which had been her home all her life.

Now she felt as if her life was changing completely, not knowing what would happen in the future.

The sound of rain continued to fall as Thanida stepped into the luxurious car waiting in front. Nawin sat beside her in the car. She turned to look at the house one last time before the car started to move away.

Thanida's heart was full of fear and uncertainty, but she knew she had to face this unavoidable fate. The only thing she could do now was prepare herself to deal with everything that would happen from here on out