SOLD TO THE MAFIA | SAILUBPON

CHAPTER 7

The days had been peaceful. Sailub had kept his promise by teaching Pon the world of racing, the importance and about his business, and how to handle the pressures of life in the spotlight. Pon was starting to get used to the rhythm of his new life.

The mansion, the luxury, the racing, it all felt overwhelming at times, but Sailub had a way of making him feel like he belonged. There was a gentleness in his words, a calmness in his actions that made Pon feel safe, even when everything around him felt like it was moving too fast.

It was in moments like this, when the world was quiet, and they were just two people sharing a simple evening together, that Pon realized how much he'd come to care for Sailub.

They were sitting in the living room, the light of the fireplace casting flickering shadows on the walls, the soft hum of the evening air filling the space between them. Sailub had been unusually quiet tonight, his usual confident self was quiet and it bothered Pon.

Pon watched him closely. There was a heaviness in the way Sailub held himself, something that wasn't there before. It wasn't a bad kind of weight, but Pon could sense that Sailub had something on his mind.

"You've been quiet tonight Khun Sai.. it's not like you.." Pon said, his voice soft, trying to break the silence. "Something on your mind? hm? you can talk to me.."

Sailub looked over at him, his eyes warm but distant. He seemed to be weighing something in his mind, and Pon could feel the tension in the air.

For the past few weeks, they'd grown closer than Pon had ever thought possible, he thought it will be a friendship that will only obey and order but it was something else.

Sailub had shown him sides of himself that no one else had seen, and Pon had come to care about him in a way he hadn't expected.

"I've been thinking," Sailub began, his voice low. "About us, you know? I mean I'm just..."

Pon's heart skipped a beat. He didn't know what Sailub meant by that, but his mind started racing.

They had spent so much time together, but there were still parts of their relationship that were undefined, unspoken.

They had shared quiet moments, and in many ways, Pon felt like he was starting to understand Sailub I mean, really understand him but there was still so much he didn't know.

"About us?" Pon echoed, his voice barely above a whisper his heart beating while Sailub went and held Pon's hands.

Sailub nodded, his eyes never leaving Pon's. "I know things have been... unconventional. And I know you didn't expect any of this when you first came into my life. But Pon,"

Sailub paused, his expression softening as if he was choosing his words carefully. "I care about you. A lot. More than I ever thought I would."

Pon's heart stopped. The words hung in the air between them, heavy and full of meaning.

Sailub, the powerful, composed man who had always been in control of everything, was vulnerable now, sharing a piece of himself that Pon had never seen before.

"I care about you too," Pon whispered, the truth of his own feelings making him feel lighter, but also nervous. Sailub's gaze softened, his lips curling into a small smile, but before either of them could say more, the sound of a car pulling into the driveway interrupted the moment.

Sailub stiffened, his expression hardening instantly. He stood up quickly, a sharp contrast to the vulnerable man he had just been.

"Stay here," Sailub said, his voice firm. "I'll be right back."

Pon didn't have time to ask what was going on before Sailub walked out of the room. He could hear voices in the distance raised, unfamiliar voices and then the sound of the front door opening and closing.

A few moments passed before Pon stood up, curiosity pulling him toward the door. He moved quietly, trying not to make a sound, but he couldn't help overhearing the conversation.

"I told you to stay out of my life, Kinn," Sailub's voice was low, but there was an unmistakable anger in it.

"Come on, Sailub. You know you still want me. You always did," another man's voice said, dripping with confidence and something darker.

Pon froze. The voice. It sounded familiar. And then it clicked it was Kinn. Sailub's ex. The man who had always been there in the background, the one whose presence had always lingered in Sailub's life, like a shadow that never quite left.

Pon's heart sank. He didn't want to listen, but he couldn't stop himself. He had heard the rumors, but hearing it now, in the quiet of the mansion, made it feel like everything was suddenly falling apart.

"You need to leave," Sailub said, his voice colder now. "I don't have anything left to say to you."

"I don't think you mean that, Sailub," Kinn's voice was too sweet, too persuasive. "You and I both know we had something special. Don't pretend like you've forgotten."

Pon felt a wave of unease roll over him. He knew he shouldn't be eavesdropping, but the hurt in Sailub's voice, the tension in the air,
it made him stay, frozen in place, listening to every word.

"I don't need you in my life anymore," Sailub replied, but this time there was a crack in his voice, a hesitation that Pon had never heard before.

Pon felt the weight of it all the distance growing between them, the sudden disturbance that Kinn made into their world.

He wanted to go to Sailub, to comfort him, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Was this what Sailub had been hiding? Was he still tangled in something from his past?

He turned away, retreating back to the living room, unsure of what to do next. His thoughts were a jumble of confusion and hurt.

Sailub had just confessed something so real, so raw, and yet now it felt like everything was being thrown into question.

A few minutes later, Sailub returned, his expression carefully controlled, though Pon could see the tension in his jaw, the way his hands were clenched.

"I'm sorry about that," Sailub said, his voice quieter now. "Kinn's a complication I don't need, but he doesn't know when to quit."

Pon nodded, but his heart was heavy. He had heard enough to know that there was more to the story than Sailub's past.

more to the woman who was still trying to claw her way into his life.

"I just want to be with you, Pon," Sailub said, walking over to him. "But I need you to understand that my past isn't something I can escape from so easily."

Pon looked at Sailub, his gaze softening. "I get it," he said quietly, though the weight of the situation was still heavy on his chest. "But I don't know if I can just ignore what I heard."

Sailub's face fell, but he reached for Pon's hand, his grip gentle. "I'm not asking you to ignore anything. I just want to be honest with you. I'm here, Pon. I'm choosing you."

Pon hesitated, looking at Sailub's eyes eyes that had always been steady, but now, there was something uncertain in them, something vulnerable.

"I'm not going anywhere, Sailub," Pon said softly, squeezing his hand. "But I need to know I'm the one you want. Not someone from your past."

Sailub's expression softened, and for the first time since Kinn's arrival, Pon saw the man he had come to care for the one who wasn't wrapped up in power or control, the one who needed something real.

"You are," Sailub said firmly. "I won't let anyone come between us."

Pon nodded, though the unease in his chest hadn't fully disappeared. But for now, he would trust Sailub. He had to. They had come too far to let anyone especially someone from Sailub's past tear them apart.

"I believe you, because.. I love you very much." Pon said, his voice steady.

"I love you too, my Pon." Sailub replied.

And with that, the tension in the room seemed to ease, but the uncertainty still lingered. Sailub's past had come back to haunt him, but maybe together, they could face it. Maybe together, they could find a way forward.