Chapter 4
The voice belonged to a young girl, causing Unakarn to let out a quiet breath of relief. Supannika's slender figure, clad in a university uniform, stepped in to block the path between her sister and the flirtatious man with a defiant stance.
Unakarn's younger sister was undeniably pretty and cute—the kind that made men daydream. She was certainly more strikingly beautiful than her older sister, but Isara felt as though he was facing a demon in disguise every time this young girl appeared.
"Hello, Nong Mai," he greeted her reluctantly. "I'll definitely be back to ask again."
The little villain let out a mocking sneer. "I think you shouldn't waste your time coming back, P'Isara. By then, P'Prae will probably have so many good men coming into her life that she won't be able to choose—or she'll be married already."
"Nong Prae might want to wait for me..."
The villain let out a clear, ringing laugh. "Ha! People only wait when they have feelings. Some playboys... they just mess around with everyone and yet are deluded enough to think they're so great that every woman must fall for them. Even when they're chased away, they claim she loves them. Even after being rejected ten times, they still manage to interpret it in their favor, thinking she wants to wait."
Isara's handsome face turned crimson. It was one thing to lose face, but he happened to see Unakarn hiding a brief smile, as if amused by her sister. This implied she truly felt that way, causing him to blurt out:
"Nong Prae, do you really feel nothing for me?"
She looked at him with polite concern and shook her head. There was no hesitation in her beautiful eyes, which made Isara Lucknara feel as though his heart had been utterly crushed for the first time. It was a mix of heartbreak and a desperate need to win, as he was more accustomed to discarding others than being discarded himself.
Isara had departed, but in the corner of the building, the shadow of a woman remained, watching with a cold expression. However, the two sisters did not see her, as they were too busy feeling relieved that Unakarn's problem seemed to have been resolved for the better.
"Khun Ginny just left right before you arrived, Mai," the older sister said.
"I know."
"How do you know? Weren't you stuck in a lecture?"
"I guessed that P'Isara would sneak over to see you while I was in class, so I asked Meth to keep watch for me." The young girl mentioned Phutthimeth, a close friend in her group who was the son of a seafood export company owner, with a smirk. "Meth knows Khun Ginny, so he called her to hurry over as soon as he saw P'Isara's car in front of the faculty. It just so happened Khun Ginny was nearby."
"She arrived just as P'Isara was lying, too." Unakarn shook her head. "I wonder if they'll get back together."
"P'Isara will go and crawl back to her anyway."
"Why do you sound so certain?"
"My intel is good," the girl said airily. "Word is that LN Holdings is currently facing a massive storm due to the economic crisis. They need to find a partner urgently, or they might even go bankrupt."
"Hmm. And can Khun Ginny help?"
"Khun Ginny's company is a major client of LN Holdings right now. If they lose them to a competitor at a time like this, it would be a disaster. They also say Khun Luck, P'Isara's father, is trying to secure a loan from the bank where Khun Ginny's father is the chairman."
Unakarn frowned as she processed the news she had never known. "Your information is quite impressive."
"I'm in the International Program, after all. Most of my friends are children of business owners. The LN Holdings situation is a hot topic they're discussing because both P'Isara and Khun Ginny study here."
"You've only just started your freshman year and you're already this interested in business?"
"The blood of a merchant runs thick, P'Prae. Some people are already helping with the family business. Many seniors have even suspended their studies to invest because they feel classes are a waste of time." Supannika broke into a jovial smile. "But people are mostly interested because it's a scandalous insider story involving a love triangle, since both P'Isara and Khun Ginny are popular."
"I see. If it's as you say, then it's quite pitiful."
"Ugh, why be pitiful? This is great! He won't bother you again."
"It's good that he won't bother me, but his troubles are still regrettable." The young woman reached out to ruffle her sister's hair. "What's with you? Seeing someone in distress—don't you feel any compassion for them at all?"
"Good people probably feel sorry for them," the little villain muttered, pouting.
It turned out that Supannika's prediction came true. Isara returned to Ginjutha, and they became engaged two years later, after she completed her Master's degree in the United States, having flown there immediately after graduation.
As for Isara, he entered the company's management full-time and successfully steered LN Holdings out of the crisis, making it even more prosperous than before. Within a little over two years, Isara Lucknara became a name of a rising young businessman worth watching.
Unakarn encountered the young man a few times at gatherings for faculty alumni. Although there was almost no opportunity for conversation, Isara's eyes still looked at her meaningfully.
During those two or three years, Pudpitchaya's fame in the entertainment industry grew. Unakarn pursued her Master's degree and secured a job at Kent Industries during that time, thanks to a close senior who called her in and vouched for her.
After working for about a year and a half, she was promoted to be the assistant to Natthawara, the PA of the Big Boss, after finishing her studies.
It was during this time that the family's benefactor, Bancha Thanaphatwanit, was assassinated. It became a sensational news story that captured the nation's attention, and Pudpitchaya was involved in the fallout.
Though she wasn't as close to Bancha as her eldest sister—who loved and respected him like a biological father—his death brought no small amount of chaos to the family of Prayong Sukonthee and her children.