"Why are you looking at me like that? Haven't you seen the leaked photos? He's been out at events with someone. Hold on, let me find the pictures for you."
It was a photo of them sitting close together, whispering intimately at some event.
"Minister Panin debuts his new lady at a famous mall. Girls and fans everywhere are heartbroken! Turns out, the lady is none other than our Prime Minister's daughter," P'Kao read aloud.
Why does this feel like a dagger to the heart? While I'm stuck living in the shadows, he's out there casually flaunting someone else—someone I know all too well.
"The Prime Minister's daughter, can you imagine?" P'Kao continued. "At his level, he has to find someone who's a perfect match. Girls like us can only dream."
"Maybe it's not what it looks like. They might just be sitting next to each other and making small talk," I said, or rather, hoped.
"How could it not be? Look at this! They're linking arms. In this leaked photo, he's even walking her to her car. She's grinning ear to ear. I heard she's only twenty-five, the same age as you. But then again, Panin isn't old. His career, his family wealth... he's filthy rich. She'd be a total fool not to snag him. Don't you think?"
"..."
"Tim?"
"Huh? What?" I snapped out of it. I tried not to think about it, but the images were already burned into my brain. My heart was pounding, and my hands were shaking so much I had to clasp them together. Is this what it feels like?
The feeling of being betrayed...
"Let's not talk about him anymore. I have to go now; I still have things to buy." I said goodbye to her and went to get the car to pick up the twins.
We didn't exchange a word. I didn't even scold them for skipping school. My head was completely filled with thoughts of their father. Secret marriage or not, there should still be some respect, shouldn't there? Even if there's no love between us, why would he lead me on? Doing this is basically slapping me in the face.
Maybe it really is nothing... but was it necessary to be all over each other like that? I won't take this. I absolutely will not let this slide!
"Khun Jao Peem, Khun Jao Pat, Khun Tim... Khun Panin wants to see you in the library," P'Pang ran over to tell us the moment we got out of the car. Her face was pale, clearly terrified we were about to get slaughtered. "Khun Tim, he seems to be in a very foul mood."
I just nodded. Well, I'm in a foul mood too. The three of us walked in and sat on the sofa opposite the Minister. His gaze made it seem like we were the ones who had committed a high crime—never mind what he had been up to.
"Give me one good reason why you skipped school." His first sentence sent a shiver down my spine.
Honestly, I should be the one questioning him. Why were you being so attentive to that woman?What exactly is she to you?Why did you let her cling to your arm like that?
"No reason," Jao Peem replied flatly.
It felt like a small-scale war was about to break out.