TO SHOU WITH LOVE

8 - BLACKMAIL

The second floor of the Atsadang Bar used to be a billiard hall, but due to poor business, the owner disappeared without a word, leaving behind overdue rent over a month ago.

Thanapon remembered that Belle had visited the second floor several times before, seemingly hesitant about whether to expand it into the territory of the bar or to continue operating it as a billiard hall after renovation.

Thanapon walked up to the second floor and saw Tania sitting on the billiard table, holding a cake in one hand and watching TV while swinging her legs about half a meter off the ground.

She looked much more spirited than before.

As he passed by Tania, she had a ring of white cream around her lips. She looked at Thanapon and said, "Someone was lurking around the bar door in the afternoon, someone I didn't recognize. Were they looking for you?"

Thanapon ignored her and walked all the way to the east end of the second floor.

When he saw another cake on the coffee table, his steps halted, and he stared at the cake for a few seconds.

It was the cake Topten and Sammy bought, the words "Happy 19th Birthday" had melted into the surrounding cream, making it impossible to distinguish.

Next to the cake on the table was a plastic cover that didn't quite match its size, with a paper envelope on top.

Thanapon approached, bent down, and picked up the envelope, pulling out a piece of paper from inside.

After quickly scanning the contents of the letter, he turned to Tania.

"Where did the cake you have come from?"

"It was on the coffee table," Tania looked at the TV, took another big spoonful and put it in her mouth, and mumbled, "Why did you receive two cakes?"

Before she could finish eating the cake, Thanapon walked over to her, snatched the cake from her hands, and wordlessly dumped it into the nearby trash can.

Along with the letter in his hand, he squashed it into a ball and threw it in as well.

Tania stared at him, but Thanapon ignored her gaze, picked up the trash can, and handed it to her. "Go throw the garbage away."

Without saying a word, Tania wiped the cream off the corners of her mouth, jumped off the billiard table, took the trash can, and walked towards the door.

There was a pristine white box tied with a ribbon at the entrance of the second floor.

Passing by, Tania glanced curiously at it, put the trash can aside, and then bent down to untie the ribbon.

Thanapon leaned against the billiard table, looking at his phone.

Suddenly, he heard the frantic footsteps at the door mixed with Tania's exclamation.

He stood up and quickly walked to the door, catching Tania who was stepping back step by step. "What's wrong?"

Tania, still shocked, pointed to the paper box she kicked away.

Following her gaze, Thanapon looked at the box on the ground.

A bloody arm lay prominently in the box, contrasting sharply with the pristine white paper box, creating a strong visual impact.

Thanapon walked to the side of the box, half crouched down, picked up the "severed arm," muttered, "Persistent ghost," and then put the fake arm back into the box, covered it, and threw it into the trash can.

He glanced at Tania with a slightly mocking look. "Aren't you supposed to be fearless?"

Tania tightly pursed her lips. Perhaps she was startled, her face was paler than usual, making her eyes look like two black pearls.