Wittawin floated blissfully in the hotel's swimming pool while Pamorn and Baramee dozed peacefully on poolside chairs—despite being the ones who'd suggested swimming in the first place.
A dark-complexioned young man around Wittawin's age had been stealing glances at the tall engineer ever since entering the water, but Wittawin paid him no mind. He was used to drawing attention. His six-foot frame and well-toned physique from regular workouts naturally caught eyes, though Wittawin knew it was his youthful face that truly captivated people.
A large body with a boyish face, it made him stand out from others. The buzz cut only emphasized his young appearance. At first, he'd never liked how he looked, but lately, his perspective had begun to shift.
Eventually, the man smiled and seemed ready to strike up a conversation, but suddenly there was a loud splash nearby. Baramee's face emerged above the water.
"Back off. Don't touch my friend," Baramee murmured to Wittawin with a laugh, then shot the stranger a look that clearly said 'stay away.'
"Hilarious," Wittawin smirked. "What made you decide to get in?"
"It's hot. Lying in the sun made me feel like I was roasting." Baramee grinned broadly before diving into a freestyle stroke toward the other end of the pool, waving for Wittawin to follow.
"We're staying out until dawn tonight, Win. Let me get properly drunk for once," Baramee said when Wittawin swam over. "Don't drag me back early like last night."
Wittawin didn't answer immediately, his mind torn between competing voices. One insisted tonight wouldn't be as unlucky as before—with so many people around, surely he wouldn't run into Teeradon again. The other argued that the more you try to avoid someone, the more likely you are to encounter them.
"What's it going to be, Win? Stop overthinking. Or do you want to cozy up to Pamorn instead?" Baramee teased with a grin.
"Watch your mouth." Wittawin feigned sternness and swam breaststroke to the far end, with Baramee trailing close behind.
"I think you should test Pamorn a bit, you know? Just to be sure whether he is or isn't." Baramee still harbored suspicions about their university friend.
"Test him yourself."
"I don't dare. What if it's really true? That would be awkward." Baramee shuddered dramatically.
"What nonsense." Wittawin grumbled and launched into a butterfly stroke across the pool. This time Baramee didn't follow, feeling tired, so he waited for Wittawin to complete another lap.
Right, what nonsense. But he did want to be certain that Pamorn—who worked at the same company as Wittawin and was even a business partner—wasn't what he suspected.
He was genuinely scared. Somehow, that fear had grown stronger lately. He couldn't understand why.
Toey climbed out of Captain Nares's pickup truck and trudged into the hotel, utterly drained. The young man had intended to rush back to his room to change clothes before heading straight to the pool.
Halfway there, the secretary detoured toward the swimming area to survey how many guests were in the water. But as he approached, he froze at the sight of the very person he and the pickup-driving officer had spent the entire afternoon searching for.
What a waste of time. Don't tell me Wittawin is staying at this hotel...
"Khun Toey!" Wittawin exclaimed, looking slightly startled as he turned to see the slender young man walking directly toward him.
"What a small world, Khun Wittawin. Are you staying here too?" Toey greeted him brightly.
"Yes, and you and your...?"
"Yep, but Khun Teeradon isn't staying here. That guy needs the finest luxury—he's at that mysterious hotel with the six senses, 'Sixth Sense: Hidden Peak Life.'" Toey finished with a laugh at his own wordplay.
"Don't you need to take care of your boss?"
"Oh, that guy would probably love to banish me to some remote island hotel," Toey grimaced, though still smiling. Then he decided to be direct. "Khun Teeradon is looking for you. He knows now that you're the speed demon who's beaten him in multiple races."
"Speed races? What do you mean?" Wittawin frowned, looking confused.
"You don't know?" Toey seemed genuinely surprised. "The red sports car you cut off, making Khun Don crash into a roadside trash bin at the company entrance. Then again late at night on Ratchada Road. And most recently, from Cha-am to Hua Hin yesterday." Toey revealed the truth but embellished the story Teeradon had told about Wittawin sneaking into The Dazzle.
"I had no idea."
"How could you? He only ever saw your back." Toey laughed and secretly glanced down at Wittawin's 'backside' in those wet swim shorts.
No wonder Teeradon is so obsessed...
"So now that he's found me, is Khun Teeradon going to cause trouble?" Wittawin asked, his face showing not a trace of worry.
"Not at all," Toey defended his boss, then immediately contradicted himself with gossip. "But Khun Don has this strange quirk—he loves to win and can't stand being the loser. Though he should accept reality sometimes. Nobody can win all the time, right? There's always someone better out there."
"I never intended to race Khun Teeradon. But when I'm on the road, if someone wants to challenge me, I won't back down either."
Just as I thought. Khun Don was the one picking fights, starting it all...
"Don't give in, Khun Wittawin. Khun Don could use a lesson or two." The secretary switched sides against his employer.
"Meaning...?"
"Just don't let him catch you. What I mean is, help Khun Don face reality—that he can't always get his way. This man is so spoiled he's become insufferable."
"But Khun Teeradon still wants me to meet him Tuesday morning to apologize." Wittawin's face clouded at the thought of facing that troublemaker.
"Oh no! I completely forgot—he has to go to Singapore on business. We'll probably have to reschedule." Toey feigned shock.
"But..."
"I'll call to set up a new appointment."
Wittawin sighed softly and nodded before excusing himself to shower after his swim. The cunning secretary stood watching the tall, baby-faced young man with admiring eyes, itching to pull out his phone and photograph Wittawin's retreating figure. He knew that if Teeradon could see what he was seeing right now, his boss would probably lose his mind.