A.N: I honestly don't know what happened. This chapter was supposed to go so differently but the boys were having none of it!
I swear I haven't watched a soap opera in years but this chapter is like an episode of EastEnders crossed with Dallas. Try to imagine some dramatic music at the end of the chapter! :::::Brief mentions of mental health issues in this chapter.
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Tin drew courage from Can's hand in his, from the trust he had placed in him, in each other.
He pointed at Lhew, "You. If you think you have even the slightest chance of taking Ren, you are sorely mistaken—not that anyone here believes for one moment that you genuinely want her. You only want to get your twisted revenge on Can. Not happening."
Lhew sprang to her feet, all fiery eyes and long silky hair, on the surface as stunning as Can had described. "I'm her mother. I have rights! I made a mistake giving her up. I want her back."
"What did Tul offer you?"
The surprise was back on her face again before the acting kicked back in. In his periphery Tin could see Tul shifting in probable discomfort and knew his instinct had been right. "No one offered me anything. I just want my baby back."
"Tin, darling, calm down. A child needs it's mother."
Tin laughed bitterly and turned his eyes on her. "Did you really just say that to me? What about the child standing right here in front of you? When have you ever been there when I needed you? I am only your son when I'm doing what you want." He glanced at his father for a moment, registering the guilt stamped on his face, then took his attention back to the woman whose last motherly duty towards him had been birthing him. "What about Tul when you made sure his mother left him behind when she went back to England?"
Mother drew a breath ready to reply but Tin held up a hand and she remained silent even though he could see it was killing her.
He looked back at Lhew.
"You signed a several legal documents waiving all rights to the baby. I've had it triple checked by my lawyers and it's one hundred percent watertight. Your parents made sure of that after they sent you for several months of psychotherapy to make sure that you understood the implications of not keeping her. The therapist diagnosed you with narcissistic personality disorder. There's no judge in the land who hand custody of that child to you." Tin threw a triumphant glance at Tul who was now looking uncomfortable. "Now that you know that. What did my brother promise you?"
Her beauty slid away, and her true face was revealed. "Can. He promised me Can."
"It's not in his power to make that promise!" Can took a step towards her but Tin squeezed his hand and he stalled.
"We have a baby together. I love you, Can, please..?"
"We don't have anything together and I'm never letting you take Ren." Tin squeezed Can's hand as reassurance, proud of Can. Ren was going nowhere. "I'd like you leave. Now."
Lhew picked a figurine off the nearest sideboard and threw it at Can. Luckily it missed him my quite a margin and smashed on the floor behind them. Tin's mother screamed something about priceless sculptures and his father went for the door and called for security. Lhew went for a vase next, aiming it at Can again and Tin pulled him out of the way and in the process put himself in the line of fire. The pain in his head was sharp as the vase caught him about the eye and everything went fuzzy.
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Tin awoke to the sensation of someone grasping his hand and stroking his wrist and the sound of woman shouting and crying. He opened his eyes and the first thing that came into focus was Can's face.
"Thank fuck," Can said, red rimmed eyes peering a down at him. With his spare hand he pushed the hair out of Tin's eyes. "The doctor is on her way."
Tin realised he was lying on the sofa, Can kneeling in front of him. He shook his head. "I'm fine, I don't need a doctor." His head throbbed but his vision was fine. "What's happening?" He endeavoured to sit upright and managed it easily, proving his hypothesis that he was fine.
"Your dad called the police and they've just arrested Lhew." Can's expression was full of worry. "And you do need a doctor, you're bleeding."
Tin realised that sound of crying was becoming distant. Ignoring Can's observation about him bleeding he said, "She's even crazier than I'd imagined."
"Tin, darling! Thank goodness you're awake. What drama!" Mother appeared in his line of sight. Tin thought she might actually look concerned if her Botox wasn't hampering her face's efforts. She sighed emphatically and looked at Can who had just got to his feet. "We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Rasaa Medthanan, Tin's mother."
"Can Kirakorn."
Mother gave a little cough and looked behind her. "Where has Tul gone?"
"His scheming has been uncovered, I expect he'll have slithered back under his rock," Can said, obviously not caring who he was offering his opinion to.
A suited woman appeared in the doorway before Tin could add his thoughts about Tul's current location. "Where's the patient?"
The next thirty minutes were taken up with the doctor checking his vitals and patching him up. Luckily, he didn't need stitches, it was just a scratch.
Father reappeared and advised that if they wanted to press charges they could, otherwise he could make it all go away. He finished by saying, "I've already got my lawyers filing a restraining order. That individual won't be allowed within a mile of this young man or his baby again."
Tin narrowed his eyes as he studied his father. A restraining order to protect Can and Ren? His mother being polite and introducing herself to Can like she considered him her equal? Perhaps his head injury was worse than he'd realised, Maybe he was in a coma in the hospital and his was just some weirdly surreal dream.
"Thank you, Sir," Can said, letting go of Tin's hand. He turned to him to say, "I need to— I'm just going to find Ren. I'll be right back."
Tin nodded, watching him go, understanding Can's need to reunite with his daughter after what had happened. Hell, Tin wanted the same thing and he wasn't even her father.
"I didn't expect to become a grandmother at thirty-nine," Mother said with a pout and Tin couldn't help his near gape. "Oh, don't look at me like that. I'm not stupid. You're committed to that boy and he's obviously a package deal."
"You're not going to try to talk me out of it? He's 'poor', and you were trying to fix me up with Nat Noppachorn just a few weeks ago!"
Mother waved her hand dismissively. "I was merely opening the door. I can't make you walk through it." Her voice dropped a couple of decibels and she said, "I just want you to be happy."
Before Tin could respond Can appeared in the doorway holding a beaming Ren on his hip, all signs of her previous distress vanquished. He walked over and sat down next to Tin. Ren immediately leant towards Tin, arms outstretched, and he took her automatically, kissing the top of her head as he settled her onto his lap. Instantly something settled inside him at the comfort of having her in his arms. He'd never imagined it could be possible to love someone as unconditionally as he loved Ren. He wanted her near him, wanted to protect her, nurture her, help to shape the person she would one day become. He wanted to be her father. He slid his spare hand into Can's.
Mother came to sit on his other side, running a perfectly manicured hand over Ren's wild hair. "She's very cute," she said, moving to hold her hand up in front of her. Ren grabbed a finger, staring at her 'grandmother' in fascination.
"What a touching scene." Tul appeared in the doorway, sharp eyes scanning the scene before him.
Tin looked at Tul. He'd been caught in the act and he somehow seemed smaller for it. On the surface he looked no different, but Tin could sense his unease. He was a good actor, he'd fooled Tin for years, but he could see it all for what is was now. Underneath, Tul was rotten to the core. Had something made him that way? Probably. Did Tin care? Not since his brother betrayed him.
The cold fury that encompassed him at Tul's actions today, when Tul had chosen to strike at him via Can, surrounded him like armour. He was more like Can than he'd realised. Can's unwavering loyalty to his friends had been something Tin had never really understood, he didn't have friends, how could he understand? Pete, yes, and perhaps his actions to separate Pete from Ae was somehow comparable even if misguided. Tin's loyalty to Can, his desire to protect him and Ren at all costs, was paramount—and Tul had crossed that line. Messing with Tin was one thing, harming his family was something else entirely.
Tin handed Ren to Can and stood.
He felt calm when he spoke, "You know, brother, you could have had it all. You wanted me out of the way, so you played the long game, played my parents indifference to me to your advantage, separated me from them, placed yourself in their role and all in order to discredit me. That wasn't enough for you though was it? I'm guessing you hoped they would disown me after discovering I was a 'druggy'? Or were you hoping to drive me take my own life and remove me from the equation so you could take control of the company?"
"Why do you insist on maintaining the fantasy that I set you up?" Tul said, his expression now one of pure innocence. "At least have the balls to admit your failings, little brother. We'd all respect you a lot more for it."
"Cut the bullshit!" Can jumped to his feet, still holding Ren, burning eyes glaring at Tul. Tin was afraid he'd try to punch him again and quickly snaked his arm around his waist and pulled him back against himself.
"Oii, Tin, take Ren and let me punch him again! It was so satisfying!"
"You punched him already? When?" Tin could see that Can spoke the truth just by the expression of hatred that flashed across Tul's lying face before the faux innocence returned.
"While you were away. This asshole propositioned me first then when that didn't work, he turned nasty. Like I'd ever touch him unless it was with my fist."
Tul chuckled without humour, "I see why you like him. He's a fantasist, just like you."
Can struggled against Tin's hold, going for Tul again. "A fantasist, am I?" Can twisted again and Tin realised he was fetching his phone out of his pocket. Despite holding Ren he managed to tap the screen a couple of times and the television on the nearby wall blinked into life. Another couple of taps and a scene, clearly taken on a phone, appeared on the screen. Six sets of eyes fixed on the television as the two figures on the screen began to converse. Tin loosened his hold on Can but Can made no attempt to wriggle free, choosing to relax back against Tin instead and Tin watched the screen over his shoulder.
Tin watched with mounting horror as on-screen Tul said to Can, 'I'd like nothing more than to bend you over this table' then 'I know you've given it up for my drug addicted brother', watched with anger and pride as Can punched Tul and spoke words that defended Tin, 'don't you say one word about Tin. He's worth a million of you!' and he pulled Can closer into his chest as if to protect him.
If Tin was furious before it was nothing compared to the rage that coursed through him at Tul's words to Can. Rage turned to pride as Can stood his ground and then screen-Tul responded to Can's goading and admitted he'd set Tin up by replying to the question about why he'd done it by saying, 'because it's fun. Setting him up like that, playing the long game, watching him fall'. Can had so easily succeeded where Tin had failed for so long.
He saw the dawning realisation on the faces of his parents that they had been duped. Two sets of shocked eyes turned to look at their elder son who was still trying to look innocent even when the evidence was indisputable.
The same eyes turned to him, both pairs full of guilt. It was all too late, he'd stopped needing their approval years ago, but having Tul's scheming revealed was enough.
"Tin, darling—" Mother began but Tin shook his head.
"I don't want to hear it."
He settled his arm under Can's rib cage and Can reached up to place his hand on Tin's. Tin drew his strength from the contact. He turned to Tul.
"Whatever your motivation, you lost." When his grandmother—his father's mother—died, she left everything she owned to Tin. Everything. All the money, all the property and her eighty-five percent share of Medthanan Real Estate. "—I had planned to share it all equally with you, the brother I loved and trusted. I couldn't believe that she'd cut you out."
Tin felt some satisfaction as Tul went pale. He felt his father's gaze upon him and turned his attention to him. "I have the controlling share of Medthanan Real Estate. Even if you gift your favourite son all of your shares it will never be enough."
"Your share doesn't come to you until you turn twenty-one," Father said but Tin could see he was rattled.
Tin shook his head. "No. You see, twenty-one was never mentioned in the will, that was an arbitrary restriction Tul had the trustees agree to. I was banished in England at that time, not even allowed to return for the funeral. I never saw the will until recently when I instructed my lawyers." He swept his eyes over the three members of his 'family' who were watching him, seemingly waiting for the punchline. He locked eyes on his father again. "The lawyers confirmed today that no restriction can be placed on my inheritance. Everything reverts to me as of now.
"I think you thought that I'd carry on in the dark, didn't you Tul, while you plotted to take it all from me." He gave a cold smile. Despite everything he felt no pleasure in his words. He'd rather have had his family's love, but it was too late for any of that now.
"Tin—" Tul began, taking a small step forwards, what he probably thought of as a placating smile on his face.
"You're standing in my house and you are no longer welcome. Leave."
Tul's expression twisted. "I'll press charges against your little fuck toy here for assault."
"Do your worst!" Can shouted, tensing up. "I'd do it all again!"
Tin whispered in Can's ear, "Cantaloupe, relax. We won," and enjoyed how Can did as he was told, as he relaxed back into Tin. To Tul he said. "No, you won't—and if you as much as look at Can or Ren again, I'll make sure you regret it."
"Son, let's discuss things further in my office," Father said and Tin thought to himself, no, it's my office, but he didn't voice his thoughts. Tul would never be allowed over the threshold again but he wouldn't banish his parents. They were guilty of many things, but they had never schemed his downfall, they had been manipulated too.
"No discussion. He leaves now." He looked at Tul who looked genuinely shocked. Probably the most honest expression he'd ever shown to Tin.
Next to him his mother started to cry. Tin didn't care about her tears. He only wanted to escape now, with Can and Ren, back to their room. "Anything either of you have to say can wait until tomorrow," he said, releasing Can and gesturing his intentions with his eyes when Can looked at him questioningly. "It's been a long stressful day. We need to get the baby to bed so we will go up now."
"He told us you refused to come home for the funeral," Mother said, voice almost a whisper, shooting daggers at her step-son. "Tul, I think you should do as your brother says and leave"
Satisfied, Tin said, "Goodnight." and with one last expressionless glance at his Tul he guided Can from the room.
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I'm convinced I read somewhere that Tin inherited a LOT from his grandmother so I have gone with that, but even if it's not right (It could well be something I read in another fan fic!) it is my head canon now so there it is.