Chapter Text
The smell of new books, the excitement of surrounding people and the ambience of the place is what she wished for. Mon and her team have worked hard on the book festival for the past 2 months and today is the last day of the event and it will end just like she envisions it to be. The buzz about the book fair on the internet and the media press the company got for this is a hit and Mon can not be more than happy about it. She was doing a round of the event on the third floor when she got a phone call from one of her team members regarding the team lunch for today. On her way down she met with Yha and decided to go to the hall together and talk about the new books that were released on the 7-day book fest.
Lunch was loud, people were eating, conversing and some even went on to have a singing competition out of nowhere. Mon is proud of her team members, they have been working very hard and would want to unwind on the last day as the other team is helping them on the lookout. While it was a good thing, part of her wishing that Noi could stop singing as she would need her ear for as long as she lives but she just smiles because why be a party popper even when they are in the middle of day. Mon saw Yha snatching the mic from Noi and asking her to say a few words to wrap up the day. After a few name chanting Mon finally gets up from the chair and walk to the stage and started,
“Thank you all for the hard work that you guys have done for the past couple months. Finding new authors, new books, expanding the content and promoting this book fest. We have our ups and down but that has never been a problem. This book fest is a success because you guys are awesome. Thank you,” Mon keeps her speech short because as much as she wants to talk, deep down she knows her members would appreciate the speech because they would want to get wild until late at night.
Part of her wanted to join the fun but remembering the mess from the previous session last year and having a family dinner tonight made her stop and excuse herself from the party. She bids goodbye to Yha and her team before exiting the hall and goes to the lobby where her driver is waiting for her. Once she is in the car her driver or more like her personal assistant starts to tell her on the itinerary for dinner tonight. What Mon did not expect is that there might be people beside her parents and to have dinner at the hotel seems like a waste of money and time but that is the props of being the only daughter and to have parents that would likely spend their fortune for her.
Mon would not mind any of it but she is also not fond of people spending their money on certain things (for example a dinner outside) but she could not say no to her parents because as much as she dislikes the idea of it, who is she to say no to her beloved parents. And what is hurting having dinner outside sometimes, it would not hurt the earth as far as she is concerned. But what she hates is when dining outside and having guests, is to get ready and be presentable. She rather has dinner at home wearing her comfy pyjamas and eats her stomach out on the homemade food from her mom and the caretakers.
“You will ride together with your parents tonight so I am a call away if you need anything, because I hate to assume things but with your parents anything could happen,” Astrid says to Mon once they have arrived at the house.
“Astrid, you should stop jinxing things!”
“Well let me know if I am indeed jinxing things tonight,” Astrid replied with a soft laugh before driving away.
‘I guess I should keep my head straight for the dinner’ Mon thought before goes to her room to get ready.
‘Shoot, I’m late and now Neung probably will kill me, why is the traffic so freaking bad today.’ Sam thoughts as she runs to the elevator that will bring her to the upper restaurant of the hotel. When she gets there the VIP room is surrounded by her grandma guards and by the look of it the restaurant really didn't have anyone except for the maids and bodyguards from her family. She shrugs it off and goes to the room after knocking it and a string of overly used apologies is at the tip of her mouth ready to speak when Neung gets to her.
“Neung, I am so sorry. I know I should not be late because this is important but cut some slack as I am driving from Hui Nan to here by myself and the launching of the hotel there is successful. Please for the love of god take my apologies. I swea-” Sam’s word got cut off by a hand right in front of her mouth.
“Sorry everyone for the late appearance by my little sister but she is here now. Let us start this dinner first before we get into the details later on,” Neung spoke to the room and put Sam to the seats.
Dinner was boring, all the small talks and boring stuff never really impressed Sam, hell she does not know any of there new people right in front of her and she was just waiting for the right time to bid her goodbye but by the look that Neung and Song gave her she stay put and enjoy her third cup of coffee. Beside the uneventful dinner and the older people talking she did enjoy her time watching the girl and her niece to her right as Neung let her sit beside them. They were talking animatedly about flying cows or some sort of not-supposed-flying animal. She did love her niece but to be talking about something that does not exist or stupid (she knows it's not stupid for the kids she just can't fathom the idea of logic behind a child's brain) she will just shut her mouth.
“While we are here having our dessert, let me get on why this dinner happened in the first place. As we all know we gathered to discuss the contract that has been sealed by our late grandfather. This will be shocking news to some but it has been discussed by the elders to go on with the plan. I present to you the contract here and the contents of it….” Neung started with the ongoing contract and the conditions of it. Sam should really be paying attention but she is tired from the day and to listen to some business contract is not really what she was waiting for.
“... and to seal the joining of two families, we shall proceed with the marriage of Samanan Anantrakul and Kornkamon Petchpailin.” Neung said while watching the expression of each person in the room and seeing her little sister's face goes from bored to shocked should not make her smile but she could not hide it.
“I’m sorry but I might be listening to the last part wrong. I should get married to who now?” Sam asked as she stood from her seat.
“I know this is a lot to take, but Mon have reached the age of 25 and by the contract that have been signed this would be a marriage between you and Mon in less than a year” Neung explains. She eyes Mon who is still in her seats looking down on her fingers not realising Sam comes forward to her and snatch the contract.
“Bulshit. I can't just marry someone I don't know, and for some stupid thing as a joint company? Why would we need to listen to dead people’s words,” Sam is seething. Right now she knows her sisters and grandma would probably kill her but she does not care and let her anger fueled her up.
“Sam please have some manners,” Song said as she pulled Sam back to the seats to calm her down.
“I don’t fucking care about manners, I would not agree to this stupid marriage thing,” Sam retaliate and stood up from seat before storm out from the room. The bodyguard then stops Sam from going out to the room. “Get out of my way or I will personally fire all of you now!” Sam shouted at the door. Things are getting heated up as the bodyguards try very hard to stop Sam from exiting the room. The threat is nothing to them as they were all employed under Sam’s Family not Sam herself.
“Sam please be rational and come back here, you are embarrassing all of us in front of our guest” Neung says as she sees Song and Ice trying to pull Sam back to the table. Neung had already excused her husband and kid earlier and glad she did that as fast as she could because she would not want her kid seeing the mess that was going on right now. Mon gets up from the seats and looks over at her parents and grandma asking for some time alone and once she sees the nod from the elders she goes to the commotion at the door. Neung guided her way to the door and asked the bodyguard to let Sam go. Song and Ice go back to their seats and Neung takes Sam’s hand and brings both of them to one of the empty rooms beside them.
“Sam stop being a child and sit here. This is as far as I could bring you to calm down.” Neung says as she was getting tired with Sam being such a bratty little kid. She then smiles at Mon before muttering a quite sorry which is acknowledged by Mon. Sam listens to her older sister and sits right in front of Mon with a huff.
“I know this is a lot to take in, but look at other people's perspective for once could you? Mon has not uttered a single word from the moment she knew about this and you throwing tantrums is the least thing I would want to look at. I know it is unfair but this is what has been discussed by both of our grandparents and our parents knew about this as well. Mom and Dad agreed on this arrangement, Sam. Same goes for Mon's parents as well. I did not know until last month when Grandma decided to let me see the contract. All I ask is to stay and discuss this together,” Neung decided to let out a sigh once she was done. She knows this is hard for all the people involved but to see her grown little sister become like her child is tiring and embarrassing, especially in front of Mon who looks unaffected by things that are happening right now.
“Is there any way for us to get out of this marriage? Joint company could be done without the marriage of us anyway so why the hassle to get us married?” Sam started, but before she could continue Mon interject with her opinion,
“I’m sorry to get into this but if Khun Sam is not willing to follow the contract is there anything I could do? I would like to follow where you are going Khun Sam but at the same time I could not let both of the families be disappointed, not with my parents. I know this might be biased but I am very close to my grandparents, especially my Pop, and for me this arrangement will not change anything towards me.” Mon says
“You wanted to get married with a stranger just because you don't want to disappoint your parents?” Sam asked bewildered.
“As a matter of fact, yes. I lost both of my grandparents, the least I could do to make my parents happy is go with what they had planned for me.” Mon answered with a smile.
Neung nodded head and looked over at Sam with a shocked expression.
“Sam, this is a benefit for all of us to be honest with you. People will stop matchmaking you with their sons, you could get away from relatives' questions, the joint company project will go on and the media will eat this news up. A bonus is you got yourself a pretty wife right beside you. If your brain actually thinks logically you can see the great potential of this.” Neung backed Mon’s idea.
“Might I add on, the contract says nothing about us getting divorced later on, so we could do that later on if we decided that there is no more benefit with this marriage,” Mon added up.
“Nong Mon please do not say that, this marriage should-”
“Now that makes this a great contract, as I checked earlier there is no mention of we cannot divorce and the dateline is only for a year and half. I could pretend for a year and half and just get divorce later on. Mon you're a genius, I am so sorry for the earlier burst,” Sam says with a smile. With this fact she cant stop being intrigued with whatever plan this little Mon would like to add.
“Wait guys it wasn’t supposed to be like that. Even when the contract does not indicate anything about divorce you are not supposed to get a divorce once the time is up. Please don’t let that idea run in your heads.” Neung says to both of them after seeing the change of direction on where this would go on if they did continue talking about the future divorce.
“But Khun Neung, there is no harm in thinking that. It is a possibility and people deserve to have the future they want. I certainly am not agreeing to this arranged marriage but if the way out is to stay within the deadline then I am fine with it. I think the same goes to Mon.” Sam replied after seeing Mon acknowledge her with a nod.
“God why are you guys so hard to talk to. I assume you will go on with this and no more tantrums?” Neung let out a sigh and saw both of the girls seal the deal with a handshake. Guess it's a plan that is going and she can't wait to let it out to her husband later on with the burden she has to get these girls to agree on things that she cannot control.