Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai

Chapter 20

After administering medication and an IV drip, Manee's condition visibly improved. Her blood pressure stabilized, and she regained consciousness, though she remained weak. Chatklao gave her an injection and allowed her to rest. He couldn't help but admire the young woman tending to her mother so diligently by the bedside. She was a devoted daughter, staying close to her mother since the illness began.

"Here you go, Dr. Chat," the nurse said, handing him the documents he had requested to be photocopied. Chatklao accepted them, aware that he had lied to Khwanruetai to uncover certain truths. He was confident he had seen her mother before—not at Mr. Phon's funeral, but much earlier when he was too young to remember clearly. Moreover, he had never seen Manee again until now.

As he pieced together the fragments of information, Chatklao considered that Khwanruetai's family had moved to the area ten years ago, coinciding with the conclusion of General Phinit's case. Khwanruetai wasn't biologically related to Kongpop, her so-called brother. Could it be that Khwanruetai's mother was Mom Luang Martee, the missing heir of the Devaprom family that he had been searching for? The answers seemed within reach as he stared at the document in his hand—but disappointment quickly followed.

The name on the ID card read *Manee Pitakdeva*, not *Devaprom*, as he had suspected. Could she have changed her surname? Chatklao realized he had never asked the young woman's surname before. Once again, he was left with uncertainty. Determined to find clarity, he turned to the nurse.

"Is there any additional information in this patient's OPD card?"

"No, doctor. This is her first time receiving treatment here, and the card is new. Why do you ask?"

Manee had previously traveled to Bangkok almost every month for her hypertension medication, claiming she disliked military hospitals. Her aversion to the military explained her refusal to seek treatment locally. With her record showing no prior history, tracking her original registration details was impossible.

"It's nothing. I just thought I might know her," Chatklao replied.

"Someone you know?" the nurse repeated, her face full of curiosity.

"Yes, but I must have been mistaken. Thank you. I'll keep this photocopy for now. You can take a break; I'll handle things from here."

The nurse was about to leave but paused. "What about Manee's medical expenses? Doctor Chat, how will that be handled? As far as I've checked, the patient isn't covered under any health insurance."

"Please inform the billing department that they should contact me when she's discharged. I'll cover all the costs personally."

"But her daughter might not agree to that," the nurse said hesitantly.

"Then don't tell the patient or her family. Just say it's covered by social welfare or something similar. I feel sorry for her. Khwanruetai is already working herself to exhaustion."

The nurse nodded without pressing further. Chatklao stared at the photocopied document in disappointment. The chance to find the Devaprom heir had slipped away again. It might be a long time before he could fulfill his vow.

---

While Chatklao was occupied with patients, Mom Luang Pokkhet was experiencing her own whirlwind of emotions at her first professional assignment. She arrived at the airport on time, where a hotel van was waiting for her. As she unloaded her luggage at the hotel, she encountered a young man with a bright smile waiting at the lobby entrance.

"We meet again, Miss Pokkhet. Small world, isn't it?"

Atthawit was undeniably handsome, but his smile made Pokkhet uncomfortable. His gaze felt intrusive, lingering on her body, especially when it dropped to her chest. She wanted to punch him right then and there.