Chapter Text
The betrothal was announced at the dinner table. She had known it would happen sooner or later, but she never would have guessed it would be today. All of a sudden, everything becomes muted, as if someone had placed her underwater, like she always does when she's deep diving.
All she could do was nod and agree, never wanting to be a burden to anyone especially her parents. This was simply the path laid out for her. As the only daughter of the Taechal family, she had always known where she was expected to be, and complaining is not one of them.
Her father proceeded to speak about her soon-to-be partner. He spoke about it very calmly and casually, too casually. It feels more like an evening tea time discussion over the dinner table rather than a discussion about Miu's entire future.
The famous heir of the Schuelle family. Well known. Intelligent. Top of her class. An amazing businesswoman.
Someone she had never really met properly. Still, she understood her role and accepted her place.
As the firstborn, she once dreamed of leading the company herself. However, the Taechal Automotive had never chosen a woman for that role. When her brother was born, the title of heir became his without question.
What remained for her was a marriage that would strengthen the company, a strategic connection. So the engagement wasn't a surprise and it was not something she ever truly considered refusing.
She is actually grateful that at least her soon to be partner is in the same age group as her and not a middle aged businessman.
Between her own work and the wedding preparations, her days became unexpectedly busy. Although the two families and the wedding agency handled almost of the wedding everything, she still had to attend meetings and fittings.
Even this small involvement took more of her time than she expected.
So when her friends invited her to their annual meet up, she gladly accepted, hoping for a moment to breathe.
⸻
"Where's Ginny?" Miu asked as she set her bag down carefully.
"She had patients," Orm replied
"So you have never actually met her properly?" Sonya asked.
Miu shook her head. It was true. They never really meet properly let alone having a conversation. They never even stood close enough to exchange greetings.
When the engagement news broke off, they immediately became the subject of everyone's mouth. The Taechal and Schuelle families are on top in their respective industries, and their union was treated as the birth of a new dynasty of their own.
People loved talking about it. About them. They loved it too much that it feels suffocating sometimes.
But Miu barely knew anything about Lena. Their only interaction was at a charity event where Lena had nodded politely at her from across the room.
Miu hadn't approached her either, although she could not deny her curiosity now. At the very least about her upbringing.
Because children born into wealth and fame often grow into one of two kinds of people. They either raised into kindness and grace because they were raised properly, or they became entitled and unbearable.
She hoped Lena belonged to the first group, though she did not dare to assume anything.
"P'Ling said she is nice but quiet," Orm commented.
"That sounds like she's describing herself," Bam said, frowning.
"Well, Mhe is her best friend, and saying I asked her too many questions about her is an understatement," Sonya added. "She could probably file an official complaint" and everyone burst out laughing because they could exactly picture Lookmhe's annoyed face.
"But aren't you curious?" Sonya continued. "I could never marry someone that i hadn't talked to at all" says Sonya
"Well, you cant really say that, you've been with Lookmhe since, like...... what? Seven? Eight?" says Orm
"Close, it was five" says Sonya correcting her proudly.
"Still," Bam continued, "The last time I heard, she was supposed to marry the daughter of the Prashet family. Why is she engaged to you now?"
"Oh, so from what Mhe said it was..." Sonya began before she launched into another story.
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Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Lookmhe had been blowing up Lena's phone since the morning. This was nothing unusual. She had been doing this ever since their undergraduate years.
Lookmhe was a medical student, knowing fully well she will eventually inherit her family's hospital alongside her older sister. That's why she took extra business, taxes, and economics classes back in college. That's also where she met Lena.
The two most kept to themself students in the class were paired together for a project, and from that point on, they remained in each other's lives.
"You're really not going to meet her?" Lookmhe asked, shocked and in disbelief.
"Its not that I dont want to," Lena sighed. "Im currently handling things in Canada. She has works back in Bangkok."
"Oh, please. That is so not a real excuse."
"Fine," Lena admitted. "I simply don't know what I'm supposed to say when I meet her. You know I am not very good at.....starting conversations."
"I know. But perhaps, introduce yourself as her future partner or something. Like i dont know" Lookmhe let out a big sigh. Too dramatic.
"Right, that is a really good advice. Wonderful, I will see what I can do," says Lena not convinced.
"Fine, Its your life. Do whatever you want. I will stop bothering you. But Sonya has been asking me a massive quantity of questions about you since yesterday. I think she's friends with your future wife."
"Sonya? As in Sonya your wife Sonya?"
"Do you think I know another Sonya?" Lookmhe sighed dryly. "She asked about K earlier, and I just told her what I knew. I hope you dont mind."
"Its fine. I am not hiding anything anyway." replied Lena, "Not like its a secret"
"Good. I have a patient. We will talk later. I know it is a little early, but.....congratulations on your wedding."
"Thanks. Good luck with your shift," Lena replied before the call disconnected and the silence of the room ate her up.
After that, she sighed and stared ahead, deep in her thoughts.
⸻
Miu couldn't stop thinking about Sonya's story. According to her, Lena and the daughter of the Prashet family, K, had been close since junior high school. Because of Lena's family business, she moved around frequently during childhood, and when she entered a new junior high school in New York, she met K, another Thai student. They became inseparable ever since.
No one really knows what their actual relationship is. Even though K had dated plenty of people ever since she has been friends with Lena. They still stayed a good friend. It was the type of connection where everyone simply assumed that at the end of the day they will eventually end up with each other. They are set to marry in the future. Or at least, that was what people believed.
Everything changed when K attended their school reunion last year without Lena. At the reunion, she met an alumnus who founded a gaming company, and they apparently fell in love at first sight as people said. They married within a month.
No one knew the exact state of her relationship with Lena after that. The Prashet family is said to be very angry. Furious even, with K's decision, and eventually disowned her now. She stayed in New York and never returned to Bangkok.
Miu didn't really mind the past. Everyone had one. But mostly the situation thats shes in, not fully hit Miu until she sat in front of a massive mirror in a white backless gown.
Her hair was styled neatly in a bun and her mother was adjusting her veil.
"You look beautiful," her mother said softly.
"Mommy, that is the fifth time you have said that."
"Because it is true, my daughter looks beautiful."
"So only today?"
"Oh baby. You always look beautiful. You are practically my carbon copy. But today you are exceptionally beautiful. Glowing. Maybe because this is your happy day."
Calling it her "happy day" felt strange and ironic when she hadn't even had a real conversation with her future wife.
"Everything is going to be alright," Miu said. She wasn't sure if she was reassuring her mother or herself. Or her mother and herself.
Her mother smiled warmly. "Do you know? Another reason this marriage happened is because I am friends with Lena's mother. We were inseparable in high school. We once joked that we should marry our children so we could stay together forever. And now look at you."
"If Aunt Aom could see this, i know she would be very pleased," responded Miu
"Mommy," Miu whispered before pulling her mother into a tight hug.
"I shouldn't cry yet. We still have the ceremony. Your father is probably crying already. I'll go comfort him and come back soon," her mother said, kissing her forehead. "No matter what anyone says, you will always be my baby girl."
When her mother left, the room became quiet. Miu sat alone, staring at her own reflection, thinking about the future.
For the first time, she faced the truth fully. She didnt know what kind of person she was about to marry. She had never even tried arranging a meeting.
Between her busy schedule and Lena's work, the opportunity never appeared. Perhaps a distant and cold partner would be easier, she thought. Less pretending. Fewer expectations. It would be easier if both remained distant. Simple.
At the very least, she hoped Lena valued loyalty the same way she did.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. She wasn't sure if time had flown by while she daydreamed or if her mother had soothed her father quickly and had returned earlier than she expected. Either way, she walked toward the door and reached for the handle.
"Mommy? That was quick" says her
Just as her hand touched the handle, it was pushed shut from the other side. Someone did it. A person was purposely keeping it closed. Anxiety came to her.
Is it her friend? Do they want to pull a prank on her?
Or is it a bad person trying to hurt her? A threat?
"Can you open the door, khun?" she called. Her tone is sharp, almost demanding.
No one answered.
She turned, wanting to grab her phone to call for help when a quiet voice spoke from the other side of the door and then she stopped.
"I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, khun," says the voice from behind the door.
The voice is soft, deep, calm with an apologetic tone that sounded almost like a whisper. "I was about to see you but.....I just remembered that it is considered bad luck to see the bride before the ceremony."
"I was going to see you....to tell you that," the person continued. She paused for a brief moment as if taking a breath. "I cannot promise you everything, khun. But I can promise to treat you kindly and with respect. Because that is what I would expect in return. I sincerely hope we can get along, khun."
Miu remained silent, too stunned to speak, the woman spoke again.
"Very well, then. I will see you at the ceremony, khun."
Silence filled the space again.
Miu remained frozen with her hand still resting on the handle. If that voice really belonged to the person she thought was talking behind the door then everything she had assumed about her was wrong.
Completely wrong.
All her assumptions crumbled just by a three minutes conversation that is very one sided.
She opened the door quickly, wanting to respond, wanting to apologize for every thought she had, but the hallway was already empty.
She rather had an unfamiliar disappointment when she found the corridor was quiet and empty. That person has gone.
So she retreats back to her room. Heart beating just a little faster than before.
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