The interview with Ae came in the evening news, catching quite a few people by surprise. Many realized they exhibited his work in their homes. Friends of the Medthanet family quietly took down their art pieces and placed them in locked rooms to be put back up at a later, safer date. Others sought more pieces and displayed them openly to be controversial.
There was nothing like watching someone fire back at the elite boldly and making them blink. In this case, the young man had a leg to stand on and that made it even better.
Tul watched the interview with flinty eyes. He hated seeing his fuckup exploited so blatantly and on one of the best and most trusted news networks in Thailand. The Vongpipans had reach and if he remembered correctly, they were connected to Ae's boss. He reached for his phone to contact his own links when the door bell rang.
"Can someone get that!" There was no response from anyone and Tul looked around only to realize the house was virtually empty. What the fuck? He stood and went to the entryway before he remembered his wife and son had everyone in the back yard. The boy had come to him about half an hour ago and had asked him to come. Shit. He had quickly forgotten what the kid said. With a growl, he want to the door himself.
"How may I help you?" He asked pleasantly, his mask firmly in place. Everyone knew him to be pleasant and approachable. He slipped on that facade easily and instinctively.
"Are you Tul Medthanet?" The man before him was an unknown and he answered with caution. Another dumb move! What if the man had a bomb or a gun! He thought of Ae as a thug and expected thug-like behaviour from him.
"Yes? What can I do for you?" It was too late now. He hoped he could respond rapidly enough towards any threat.
"My name is bailiff Lamsam. Kindly sign here on receipt of these documents." A tick appeared on the side of Tul's left eyes as he reached for the pen. This was another fucking different kind of threat! He just bet this was from that peon. Was he trying to fight fire with fire? Tul scrawled his signature in anger and wrenched the package from the man's hands. If Ae thought he could raise to Tul's level, then Tul could surely stoop to his!
"Have a good night now," The bailiff muttered as the door was slammed in his face. He calmly walked back to his car and got in. Using the Bluetooth as he drove, he contacted Pinnie.
"The documents were served to the man himself."
"Thanks Rich. How's the wife and kids?" Pinnie rubbed his tired eyes as a smile couldn't help but slant his lips. He wished he could have seen the bastards face when he realized what was happening. If only Rich could have snapped a picture. Even that might not have been enough.
"Great as usual. Your godson asked for you yesterday. Come by some time." The two were really good friends outside of their jobs. In fact, it was the job that had created the friendship in the first place.
"I'll make some time this week. Literally." They put down and Pinnie sighed. He was still in the office and didn't see himself leaving in the next hour or so.
Currently, he had the situation with the statues all tied up in court. They weren't going anywhere any time soon despite how much Tul pushed. He couldn't prove that Ae was even involved and Pinnie was exploiting that angle to the maximum. If he wanted them removed, he would have to do so himself but that would be admitting defeat. Now Tul had gone and run his mouth in a rare dumb move and Pinnie was going to exploit that as well.
In the history of Tul's career, he had only made about 4 other dumb moves but had managed to escape the consequences. Not this time thought.
He rocked a bit in his chair, deep in thought before he called Ae.
"Hey! Was up. Hold on Pete. Hey."
"He was served within the last 5 to 10 minutes."
"Yeah. I can only imagine what he must be doing right now." There was a smile in Ae's voice that Pinnie knew was also in his.
"You remember what I told you?"
"Yes. I'm always wired now and so is Pete just in case."
"Great. Later."
Ae turned to Pete who leaned against him. "He got served."
Pete looked up from his laptop and sighed. "He's going to retaliate."
"I know. But it_" The phone rang, Pete's this time.
"It's Dali." He said before looking over.
Ae put his palm out. Pete sighed and handed it over. He had already tried calling and talking to Dali twice. She ran him over verbally both times. She was like a roller, only she used words to bulldoze you into the corner she wanted you in.
"Pete. Are you looking at the news? Your friend is on it. Can you believe that he's going up against the Medthanets? They'll eat him for breakfast. What kind of connections does he had anyway? I looked into him you know. He's not even from a rich family. Aren't you afraid he's using you? A_"
"I would never use Pete. We have been together for the four years of university, faced insane trials, another three years of separation and still managed to find each other. What does that tell you Dali?" Ae's voice had become super hard and penetrating. Pete was looking at his eyes and he was sure, if Dali was here, she would have fainted from the pressure of his gaze alone.
There was silence.
"How dare_!"
"No. I have let this go on for too long. He cannot be your date next weekend because he already asked me. He can be your friend but nothing more because I claim everything. Heart, body, soul. There is no space for you. Are we clear?"
Pete felt his body flush in happiness even as a tiny part of him felt sorry for Dali. That part was ruthlessly squashed by Ae's hot and possessive gaze as he scanned his territory.
Dali began screaming profanities over the phone in frustrated anger and Ae simply cut her off. Pete blinked when he heard the words she spewed. He had always seen her as a perfect lady. Someone who was kind and would make a great companion and lover. This vulgar person did not equate to the Dali he knew.
"Ae. Do you_"
"No Pete. You were harboring a cancerous tumor who would slowly leech every bit of you onto herself to the point where you wouldn't have a choice but to belong to her."
The phone rang. Dali.
"If you want to continue that unhealthy relationship, just answer the phone." Pete shook his head, rejected the call and put it on silent. he hadn't actually been about to defend Dali but to ask Ae if he thought this was enough. It didn't make sense to ask thought. Ae would fight until it was enough. He turned and leaned back against Ae, going back to his report. He had to present an update of their future projects on Thursday. He would let Ae handle this matter, falling back into that dependency they had created so long ago.
"Pete?" Not five minutes later, his mother called out to him from the door.
"Yes Mae?" He sat up again and turned to the doorway where his mother stood.
"It's Dali. She sound upset?"
"I have nothing further to say to her."
"Ok. I'll tell her your indisposed."
"Don't. Please tell her I was present for her conversation with Ae and I simply have nothing further to say."
She nodded, her face calm and placed the cordless in her ear, talking calmly as she walked off. Ae listened for as long as he could, so he didn't miss when Putch suddenly called Dali's name in a reprimanding manner and spoke to her in a fairly harsh tone for Putch. Ae wasn't sure what happened after but he was at least sure that Dali was burning all her bridges when it came to Putch. He looked at Pete and knew that there was still some connection left. He wanted Pete to sever it but most of that was just jealousy. She had been close to Pete, at one point, closer than he could ever be. He resented her for that. It was why he would never push Pete to make that choice.
She could easily burn that bridge on her own, anyway. It was her move now. Ae was sure she wouldn't thought. He was sure she loved Pete, obsessively too. As obsessively as he did but in a different way. She would make some apology to Pete and Ae then actually reach out to Ae, and if he rejected her, she would use the chance to make him look bad. He wasn't going to reject her though. Best to have the enemy close.
He continued working on the computer program, building a hotel model that had a Puckett meets Bangkok vibe. Many others had that feel but they weren't made by Ae.
The next morning, Ae left and went to look at a new location close to Pete's house. Actually he looked at two. Both were owned by the same person and the spots were close, but one had a much better view. Ae took pictures before taking the chip out and storing it so Pond could work the angles.
He went to the almost complete project next. There was just some inside work to do now but that could actually take a long time depending on what the client wanted. He was surprised to see both Forth and the client there watching the house and discussing.
"Hey. What a surprise. I wasn't expecting you back so soon."
"I wasn't either but there was a break so I called Forth since I couldn't get you."
"Oh, so you were the missed call I saw this morning. I did call back but I got your VM."
"It's ok, Ae. I just want to tell you how much of a genius you are. I mean I got the pictures but they just don't do the house justice. You understood me so much better than I did. I love this."
"I try the best I can to give the client what they want. You told me what you wanted but you didn't seem satisfied with the initial concept work and that was a big clue. Most clients have an idea and they rarely deviate even when they aren't happy because they want the idea to work."
"That was totally me. I wanted it to work because it was my idea and i knew what I wanted. It's why I'm not bothering with the nonsense going on right now with that business guy. Your work speaks for itself and it's outstanding work. I'm looking forward to when the inside work gets finished and I can actually come here, especially with my mom."
"The most frustrating part is knowing the outside is done and you still have to wait to move because there are is so much left to do."
"I know. I really want to spend the night here now. It just feels so complete."
Ae grinned at the longing look. He had built enough to know what this guy was... Huh. He turned fully to look at the Nissan that had just driven up. Dali stepped out looking like a queen and swept the house. Her eyes widened and she gasped a bit.
"Excuse me a second. I just need to talk to this lady."
Ae walked up to her and she looked at him in astonishment. "You made this house? Actually made it?" Her disbelief was clear in her tone and Ae sighed as he stood before her.
"Yep. I did the compute design then headed the building team. The interior team is working on it now. Why are you here?"
"Because I wanted to apologize and I was curious. I'm really sorry. I have always liked Pete Ae. We have been best friends as kids and I always had a dream we would be together. I actually spent the entire night awake and thinking on what you said. You and Pete spent a long time together too. You were there when he needed someone most since I only heard about that incident from my mom and not the full story either. You became the person he needs and I realized some time in the wee hours of the morning that he had out grown me. I'm deeply jealous and I'm not going to lie, I will probably blunder my way into your life and mess up but I will try to be aware of, and respect your relationship. I really don't want to loose Pete."
"And if I disappear you can always step in?"
"Well I wouldn't loose my feelings for him in a day. Look. I'm going to try."
"Thanks. You do that and I'll try too." To keep you as far away from him as possible you fake as hell bitch. As if I can't see the look in your eyes. You want to stab my with the screwdriver resting on the table about two feet from us. I can see you watching it. Huh.
"Thank you so much Ae. Is it possible to get a tour of the house?" She actually was astonished by the house and when Ae walked her the Forth and the client, she went into fan girl and almost fainted. Forth had to take her out for water and some air.
"Um. Sorry. I didn't think she actually knew you. She didn't say anything when she arrived."
"So did I. I swear she even looked at me and nothing." He was as baffled as Ae by the sudden hysterics.
Dali came back after a while with Forth and managed to be calm. She eyed Ae for a moment shrewdly before looking at the man again and charming him into a tour of the house. He was ok with it and gave permission for a walk through." Ae let Forth deal it mostly and took a back seat. He didn't want to deal with the girl at all.
Dali left about half an hour later and to everyone's shock, Tul showed up, suit pressed, shoes shiny, and ready to "talk things out". Ae gave him a once over then remained silent.
"Ae, may I call you that?" No response. Just Ae's fierce eyes locking on to Tul's. The plan had been to entice Ae to talk and hopefully say something that would trap himself but Tul could see that this time it wouldn't work. Still, he had to try.
"Sorry. I just wanted to talk to you. This is regarding yesterday and my article as well as your response."
"Have your people talk to my people." Ae finally spoke.
"Can't we come to some sort of_?"
"Have. Your. People. Talk. To. My. People. Here's my lawyer's card."
Tul sucked in a breath, snatched the card, and walked away.