No Strings Attached

Chapter 6

"P'New." He immediately notice the ice cold voice of his stepbrother.

Nunew tightens his grip on the bouqet of roses he was holding. He saw a force smile on Anne Thongprasom's plump red lips.

"Mama."

"Hi, Nhu. Let me get this flowers." His mother grab it from his hand and handed it to a staff that pass by them. "Have you eaten dinner yet? Come, Child, let me get you a table. Have I told you about Harit's Peach Ice Cream Cake? You would love it, it was his specialty. It won gold at the Hong Kong Culinary Classics. Everyone's raving about it."

Nunew tried to stop the tears from flowing from his beautiful eyes, as his mother guide him to an empty table.

"Stay here, Sweetie. Enjoy your meal okay!"

That's all she said and then leave him alone. His mother continue walking around to greet their guests.

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It was already ten in the evening when the last guest leaves the shop. Once Harit have sent the guest to the door, his smile immediately wipe off from his face.

Harit walk faster and heading to his office. His mother quickly followed him.

Nunew's mother was force to smile when she passby Nunew's table. "It's nice having you here, Nhu. It's already late, maybe you should go home and rest."

"What's wrong?" Nunew can't help but ask. He was worried.

Harit stops and glared at his older brother. Nunew can feel his head starts to ache as he knows already what's going to happen next.

"What's wrong?" Harit said with a high voice. "You're really asking that P'? You! You're the problem! You know how important this is to me. But you came here and try to make it about you! Why are you so selfish and why do you always try to make everything about you? You just can't allow me to get people's attention, can you? You turned my event into "Nunew Chawarin's little reunion with friends"! You even pathetically tried to get Khun Bella's attention just to keep her interest off my business!"

Nunew was speechless. He just absent mindedly stare at his brother. Then his gaze fall on his mother. There's sadness in her eyes. "You should go home, Nunew."

Nunew almost stepbackwards. His mother's words is like a slap to his face. He hold Harit's arms and gently stroke his back. "Calm down, Harit. It's a successful opening, the guests loved your cakes. I'm sure that's what the press people would notice first not some little news about small pharmaceutical company and their little fever medicine. They came for you, not for anyone else."

Nunew can feel the tears threatening to fall. He tried so hard to breath and to stop the emotions that is kneeling in front of him but he was not able to do so.

"So it's all my fault huh?" His voice trembling.

His mother close her eyes, as if she doesn't have the strength to give her attention to him. "Nhu, sweetie, go home and let's call each other later, okay?"

"God, you're horrible."

His mother quickly look at him. "Excuse me?"

"You're fucking sorry excuse for a mother."

His statement makes his mother speechless. The lady tried to open his mouth but no words came out.

Harit hissed at him. "How dare you talk like that to Mama? You bastard! You are so ungrateful. Don't you know that Mama sacrifices alot for you? It's all your fault! She could have been a world renowned model if she didn't have you! But she chose to keep you and forget her modeling career. There are so many things she gave up for you, you ungrateful bitch. How dare you to speak like that to your own mother! The woman who gave you life!"
"You're always like that P'New. You always try to make everyone else the villain, and you always try to look like the innocent victim. You're so ungrateful and all you can think about is how people mistreated you! God, you are older than me. So please act like it."