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

CHAPTER 6 : Complicated Secrets

The light drizzle in the evening created a chilling atmosphere around Nawin's mansion. The light from the lamps in front of the mansion shone down on the wet ground, reflecting like small crystal stones. A gentle breeze blew, but it sent a chill through Thanida's heart.

She stood at her bedroom window, looking out at the dark garden behind the house, overshadowed by rain clouds about to pour down. Thanida was contemplating the events of the past few days. The tension from Nawin's request to help observe within the mansion had prevented her from sleeping soundly.

Nawin's cunning smile appeared in her thoughts. He spoke with full confidence, as if he knew everything happening in this mansion but was waiting to expose someone. The feeling that she had been drawn into a game too big for her made her feel both scared and uncomfortable.

Her bedroom was decorated with luxurious furniture, but the dark gray walls and the silence made her feel isolated. Only the sound of rain hitting the window echoed in her ears.

Knock, knock, knock!

As Thanida was lost in thought, the sound of knocking on her door broke the silence.

"Miss Thanida..." Phum's voice came from the other side of the door.

The owner of the name opened the door with curiosity. Phum stood at the door, his face more serious than ever.

"There's something important to tell you," he whispered softly, glancing around as if wary of something.

"What is it?" Thanida asked, her voice full of excitement mixed with concern.

Phum nodded for her to follow him. He led her to a small office in the east wing of the mansion. This room was rarely used. The dim light from the desk lamp gave a quiet atmosphere. Thanida sat down in a chair, while Phum went to close the door carefully.

"Nawin hasn't told you everything," Phum began in a low voice, his eyes serious.

"What do you mean?" Thanida frowned, feeling the situation becoming more complex.

Phum took a deep breath before starting to explain. "Nawin suspects someone in this mansion is planning to betray him, but actually..." He paused for a moment as if hesitant to continue.

"Actually what?" Thanida asked again, her voice full of concern.

Phum looked at her with a complex gaze. "There's someone in this mansion with secrets beyond just betrayal, and that person... might not be who you think."

Thanida's heart raced. She felt like she was being drawn into something she could no longer control.

"Who do you mean?"

"How well do you know Nawin?" Phum asked back, his voice firm but tinged with a gentleness that made Thanida unable to resist asking questions.

Thanida was silent for a moment, her thoughts in turmoil. She had always been suspicious of Nawin's behavior, his mystery, and his unpredictability, but she had never thought that Nawin might have some hidden secret.

"Are you telling me that..." Thanida couldn't finish, feeling her heart beating faster.

Phum sat down opposite her, his eyes fixed on her seriously. "I don't have clear evidence yet, but I believe the story about someone here planning to betray Nawin is just a deception."

"What do you mean?"

"I think it's a lie because no matter how much I investigate, I can't find even a clue that anyone in this mansion would think of betraying Nawin."

"How can you be sure?"

"Trust me. I think Nawin created this story to hide some secret he has never told anyone."

Thanida felt confused. She didn't know what or who to believe. The information received from Phum and the secrets that Nawin might be hiding made her feel even more like she was lost in a maze with no way out.

Late that night, after Phum left the office, Thanida returned to her room. The sky was still dark, and the rain continued to fall. She turned on the bedroom light and sat on the bed, feeling the silence return once again.

As she was about to turn off the light to rest, her phone rang. It was a soft ringtone cutting through the silence. She looked at the name on the screen. It was Nawin.

She answered the call. Nawin's voice at the other end sounded calm. "How are you doing?"

"I'm... I'm okay," Thanida replied, but her voice trembled slightly.

Nawin didn't ask anything further, but just stayed silent for a moment, as if thinking about something. "I know Phum came to see you. What did he tell you?"

This question made Thanida feel a chill. She didn't know what Nawin knew and didn't know how to answer without revealing too much. She decided to speak honestly.

"He said you have secrets," she answered softly.

The other end went silent again before Nawin chuckled softly. "He's very observant indeed. I'm surprised you haven't noticed anything yourself."

Thanida's heart sinks. She tried to regain her composure and asked back, "What do you mean?"

"Maybe you should start observing me, Thanida," Nawin replied in an ambiguous tone before hanging up abruptly, leaving Thanida sitting bewildered with endless thoughts.

That night, Thanida could barely sleep. Her suspicions about Nawin intensified with each passing second. She began to think that there might be something she had missed—something close to her that she had never seen.

Amidstthe sound of falling rain, she decided that tomorrow she would have to findanswers... whatever they might be.