The events from yesterday have made headlines in every newspaper and news outlet in the country. From the accident involving the only son of a famous attorney to the arrest of a well-known businessman from his generation, everything was on the front page.
Pond and I have become the hot topic of the online news. Pond, as the youngest CEO, too bold and daring to put Mr. Pakphum behind bars, and me, being dubbed the "warrior of love," standing my ground and putting Aimee in her place where she truly belongs.
I love the attention Pond is getting. People are praising him for acting quickly, digging into the dark side of his company before everything could spiral out of control. Some admire his bravery, while others are shocked that such a well-respected businessman would resort to such underhanded tactics. They never imagined he could be so greedy and envious.
But there are still people who laugh at Pond. They say he's too young to challenge Mr. Pakphum, that he doesn't understand the strength of the wall he's up against. Of course, these people don't believe the actions of Mr. Pakphum. They claim the evidence is fake and that Pond is just seeking revenge for what happened to me.
As for me? A "warrior of love"? I don't consider myself that. I just made my stand because I have a friend who was dragged into this mess and is still fighting for his life in the ICU. I don't know where people get these ideas or why they come up with these labels for me.
Aimee, of course, has also become the subject of online investigations. As a suspect in the accident that almost killed Dunk, she's become a hot topic as well.
There are so many hate comments about her. Some people are even wishing death upon her. The self-proclaimed "detectives" and trolls of the internet have dug up her background and shared it online, complete with what they claim are solid proofs. Aimee's apparently a "sexy starlet in the making." Whether or not this is true, I honestly don't care. I'm not about to waste my time figuring out whether she's a rookie starlet or not. I'd rather scroll through people's comments and read their thoughts on her.
Even in the office, people are talking. Many employees from the Finance Department have come forward to Pond about the things Mr. Pakphum asked them to do. Some have even resigned after everything that happened. They admitted to taking large sums of money from Mr. Pakphum in exchange for doing things that could harm the company.
Of course, Pond didn't immediately accept their resignations. He first asked them why they accepted the money, even though they knew the tasks they were assigned were wrong. Most of the employees targeted by Mr. Pakphum were people with familiesâeither married or single parentsâwho were financially struggling. They saw the money as the only solution to their problems.
Only two resignation letters were accepted. Those two had weak reasonsâone wanted to travel and enjoy life with friends, while the other wanted to give his girlfriend a lavish anniversary celebration. Their reasons were purely indulgent, not out of necessity. The rest received a three-day suspension as punishment and were given a second and final chance.
"I'm tired," Pond said suddenly, lying down on my lap. I looked around the office for Boom, who was supposed to be with us, but I couldn't see him. All I saw were piles of papers on Pond's desk and his computer wallpaper, which was a photo of us from our vacation in Japan.
"Where's Boom?"
I glanced at my wristwatch and was surprised to see it was already 11:30 AM.
I had gotten caught up scrolling through comments online and had lost track of time. The team hadn't asked for my help because they were handling everything on their ownâreviewing the financial documents submitted by the Finance Department. Just last night, Pond received a message about two more accomplices of Mr. Pakphum. Pond had asked Boom for help since he was an accounting graduate.
"He went to Aou," I replied.
"What do you want to eat?"
"You."
"Pond," I said, laughing. He always had a way of being playful, choosing no particular time or place to tease me. He'd joke around and ask for something like a kiss, no matter where we were.
"I already ordered. But first, I want an appetizer."
"Pond, we're in the office."
"And? Can't I have my kiss?"
I shook my head in disbelief. These past days, Pond had become somewhat of a "kiss addict." He kept exaggerating how much he needed my kiss, always asking for it wherever and whenever. Even when his parents were with us, he'd steal kisses from me.
"Please, kiss me, please," Pond pouted, acting cute. Seriously, him doing that puppy-dog eye thing to get what he wants was like a golden retriever asking his master for something.
And that was my weakness.
I cupped his face and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "You really know how to play your cards, Pond." I said, giving him another kiss.
"What do you mean?"
"Don't act innocent, Pond. You know exactly what I mean."
"Well, I just want my daily dose of kisses, but it's hard to get from you."
"So, you're playing your ace card?"
"If it makes you kiss me, acting cute is a piece of cake for me."
"Ah, I see. Okay, no more kisses for today."
"Babbbyyy. No!"
"Why? I need to set limits on the kisses, so you're not always asking for them."
"No! I want it anytime."
"And what if I say no?"
"Then, I'll tie you in bed so I can kiss you whenever I want."
"Pond!" I was shocked. I never thought he'd have such ideas. Is that his kink? I mean, every time we made love, he always tied my hands up or pinned them above my head.
Pond's loud laugh echoed through the office. He wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me close. In the blink of an eye, I was straddling him.
"What's so funny?" I raised my eyebrow at him.
"You. Your face," Pond said, laughing again.
"Tell me, is that your kink? Tying me up in bed?"
"Nope. I just like seeing you in my bed, looking helpless."
"Pond!" I hit him on the shoulder. Where was he getting these ideas?
"What? I love seeing you helpless. I love seeing you a mess because of me."
I just shook my head. Actually, I didn't know what to say to him. This was the first time we'd had a conversation like this, and I hoped it would be the last.
"Baby, I love you," Pond said suddenly.
Before I could answer, his phone rang. I quickly moved off his lap so he could answer it. In the past, he didn't always answer his calls, but now, he had to answer every single one.
Pond picked up the phone and answered.
"Yes, Joong?"
Pond sat back down beside me, putting the phone on speaker.
"Pond, Dunk's awake."
Pond's eyes lit up, a smile spreading across his face. I could see the relief in his expression. I too felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest hearing that Dunk was awake.
"Really? That's great news. How is he?" Pond asked.
"Can you come to the hospital now?"
Something sounded off in Joong's voice. It was as if he was trying to hold back tears, or perhaps he had just been crying. Maybe it was the latter; Joong's tears always came easily when it came to Dunk.
"Mm. Not sure. We'll swing by before we head home. Why?"
"Well... he's asking for you," Joong replied, his voice still trembling. "But... he remembers everyone... except me."