วิวาห์ ปฐพี

Chapter Zero

A rose under the care of the earth.

"Mr. Thipakorn, since we are people of the same region and have known each other since the time of our fathers, I hope you will have no objection to my coming as a representative to ask for the hand of your daughter Rose for my son, Wasu."

"I have already explained this clearly to Mr. Wasupon: this matter must depend on my daughter's decision."

"Does that mean you're going to refuse?"

"Yes, if that is Rose's wish, I will not oppose it. But the fact is that my daughter and your son have not yet met or had the opportunity to learn anything about each other. To tie today's young people to a promise made by their parents in our generation, I think that is an exaggeration."

Thipakorn answered the visitor, Wasupon, firmly in his decision. As the owner of the Chomchan flower farm and as the father of his only beloved daughter, Tippapha, he would not give in easily. It was true that the two families had maintained a close friendship since the days of their fathers, who had pioneered and brought progress to the region. But giving his daughter to Wasupon's son was something that Thipakorn was completely opposed to.

"I don't think we should fall out or create animosity in our old age over a broken promise, Mr. Thipakorn. Wasu has a bright future and a steady job, and I have only one son, who will take over the tea farm business."

Nabanan. Our farms are neighboring, and it is only fitting that our children come together as one solid family."

"Sorry, Mr. Wasupon, but no matter how many times you come to negotiate about this, my answer will not change."

As long as he was still alive and breathing, Thipakorn swore to do everything he could to protect his daughter. He would never allow Amornjinda to end up alongside Mahatthanakorn.

"So, Dad, did that old man give in and agree to give Rose to me today?" "That Thip is so stubborn that he'll probably never hand his daughter over to you so easily."

"He doesn't want to sell the land, he doesn't want to hand over his daughter ... How long will that old man keep this up? Or is he trying to dodge the deal and not keep it?"

Wasu swore in a harsh voice, clearly angry at not getting what he wanted. As the only son of Wasupon, the owner of the Nabanan tea estate, he was the heir to everything: properties, businesses, and the hidden enterprises that the Mahatthanakorn family maintained under the guise of local benefactors.

"Those few dozen acres of his land are getting in the way of our plans. If we can't use the land as a passage, things will get even more complicated in the future."

"Leave it to me, Dad. That worthless, insignificant old flower farm owner ... I'll teach him to stop being stubborn."

"Do you have a plan yet, Wasu? Do whatever you want, but don't bring trouble to me."

"Trust me, Father. I have a way to get the land you want for ourselves. And I'll also take his daughter as my wife. One shot, two targets: land and wife. It's a great deal!"

"Mrs. Din, excuse me."

"Between."

"There is a visitor to see you, Madam Din." "Who would come to see me at this hour?" "It's Lord Thipakorn."

"Mr. Thip? Tell him to wait in the living room. I'll be right there."

Kasama gave the order to her trusted assistant, who worked with her at Saenrak Farm, before looking away and putting down the financial documents she was reviewing. The fresh-faced woman paused her computer screen and rose gracefully, heading for the living room. She was confused and could not fathom the reason for Thipakorn's unexpected visit, especially so late and without prior notice or phone call.

"Good evening, Mr. Thip."

"Sorry for showing up so late." "Do you have something urgent to attend to?" "Din, I'm worried."

"It must be something related to the Nabanan Tea Farm."

From what she knew of Mr. Thipakorn, there were few things that made him so worried. One of them was the Mahatthanakorn family, the owners of the tea estate that occupied nearly a hundred acres of land. They were known for abusing their power, acting above the law, and for the many dirty stories she had heard over the years.

"Yes. Today Wasupon came to me again to talk about Rose. He tried to negotiate, but I refused as always."

"If Mr. Thip continues his steadfastness, they will eventually give up and lose interest."

"But this time I don't think they will back down easily.

I know Wasupon has his eye on my land because it is valuable to his business. And Wasupon, in turn, wants to win my daughter, just as he has done with so many other women. He hurts them emotionally and then discards them. I don't want Rose to suffer the same fate."

"Din, can you promise me something?"

"What does Mr. Thip want me to promise?"

Kasama snapped out of his thoughts, which he had lost himself in upon hearing Mr.

Thipakorn about the problems she was facing. She knew she could not say with full confidence that the

Saenrak farm was completely immune to these problems.

The lands of the three farms were interconnected: starting with the Nabanan Tea Farm of the Mahatthanakorn family, which owned the largest area; followed by the Chomchan Flower Farm of the Amornjinda family; and finally the Saenrak Farm of the Watinwanich family, which was also a large property connected to the Chomchan Farm. The three farms had close relations since the time of their grandparents.

Wasu, who was the same age as Kasama and an old friend of hers, and Rose, whom she had known when they were younger, were also part of this story.

But so much time had passed that Kasama could barely remember them. After Mr. Thipakorn decided to send Rose to study abroad and she began living there, news about the young girl came only through conversations with adults. And since Mr. Thipakorn usually visited his daughter instead of bringing her back, direct contact had been lost. Even if they met now, they probably wouldn't recognize each other.

"If something ever happens to me, Din, please protect Rose."

"Mr. Thip!"

"Besides your father, Kasidit, I don't trust anyone else but you now."

"Don't say that, Mr. Thip. I would never let something terrible happen to anyone again. You are the one who should protect and care for Rose."

"Nothing in this world is eternal or certain."

"But ... "

"Din, don't abandon Rose." “ ... "

How could he trust the most important thing in his life to someone who had never managed to protect what was precious in his own life?

Mr. Thipakorn, don't you think you are trusting the wrong person?

"Ah, Mrs. Din, where are you going? Do you want me to drive for you?"

"No need, Kaew. I'll drive myself." "It's late. Are you going alone?"

Kasama did not respond to the question posed by her assistant, who questioned her in surprise. She had been in a hurry ever since she had parted ways with Thipakorn less than ten minutes ago. He had taken his leave after finishing discussing an important matter, leaving her alone to ponder everything, even though she was still confused.

But his words stayed in her mind, causing her to feel uneasy. That was why Kasama decided to drive after him, leaving Saenrak Farm.

"What was that noise? Was it an accident?"

With a tense face, Kasama pressed down on the accelerator to increase speed. She had heard the sound of a sudden brake followed by a loud impact as she drove on the road connecting Saenrak Farm to Chomchan Flower Farm. Soon, she spotted a car that looked familiar, the same one that had left the farm just a few minutes earlier.

Mr. Thipakorn's car had been involved in an accident, overturning before colliding with a large tree on the side of the road. The driver died at the scene, while Mr. Thipakorn was seriously injured, breathing poorly and on the verge of losing consciousness. There were cuts on his face and body from the flying glass, and fresh blood was pouring from his head, which had been hit hard. Quickly assessing him, Kasama realised that he was in critical condition and needed to be rushed to hospital to save his life.

"Mr. Thip! You're going to be fine!" Her voice was shaking with tension, and she could barely breathe. With trembling fingers, Kasama called the hospital to request an ambulance as soon as possible. Then she would also have to notify the police so they could collect evidence from the scene, as she suspected that this was not just an accident. It seemed to be a deliberate act by someone who sought to benefit from eliminating Thipakorn.

"Di ..."

"Don't say anything now. Please hold on, Mr. Thip. The ambulance is on its way."

"Rose ..."

I promise to protect you with all my strength ...

"Rose, stop for a bit and come eat, how about it? " "Just this last bouquet, just a moment, Aunt Laura." The pretty-faced woman smiled pleadingly at Aunt Laura, who insisted that she put down the bouquet of flowers she had been arranging with such care and dedication. Rose wanted it to be perfect, worthy of the trust that customers placed in the small flower shop. Although it was only a small shop compared to the larger ones in the city, the attention to detail and care that went into each bouquet, meticulously choosing the flowers until everything was perfect, kept loyal customers coming back.

"You're so dedicated, I don't know if I have a bonus to pay you."

"I don't want a bonus, Aunt Laura. You already take such good care of me."

"Speaking like that, Rose will have to stay with me here for a long time! I don't care, I won't let your father steal my niece back."

Tippapha looked at Aunt Laura, who was her mother's older sister. Since her mother passed away a few years ago, Aunt Laura had become both an aunt and a second mother to her. As for her father, who had just been mentioned,

he continued to help her financially and visit her frequently in the United States.

Rose's father was Thipakorn, the owner of Chomchan Flower Farm, a medium-sized farm located in northern Thailand, in the Chiang Rai province. This was where the entire family lived together before she and her mother moved to the United States so that Rose could continue her education and her mother could take care of her.

In fact, part of the reason she had loved beautiful flowers since she was little was because of the farm, which had a wide variety of flowers for her to admire. Even though she was away from home to study and build a future, Tippapha always missed Chomchan Farm. She hoped that her father would let her come home soon.

"When I go back to Thailand, I will definitely visit Aunt Laura.

I won't live there forever."

"And your father has already allowed you to return? " "He promised he'll let me come back next year." "Last year when you graduated, I heard Thip say that too."

Rose, with her pretty face, just smiled slightly, not knowing how to justify her father's words, since what Aunt Laura said was true. Initially, she had also hoped to return to Thailand once she finished her master's degree. But instead, her father asked her to stay and help Aunt Laura for almost another year. He often gave her hope that after resolve something important that he said was not finished, she could come back.

"I'm sure my father has a reason he can't tell me."

In the past, because she was very young, she didn't have much knowledge about adult problems. Furthermore, her father rarely talked about his own problems with her. However, despite the distance, she always loved and respected her father. Rose wanted to go back home to spend time with him and also because she missed the flower farm. She wondered how beautiful the farm would be now, if it would have grown even bigger and if it would be even more stunning than before.

Crash !!

"Oh my God! I just made a small mention, you didn't need to get so upset."

"It's okay, Aunt Laura. I'll clean it myself."

Tippapha volunteered to help Aunt Laura, who accidentally knocked over her father's picture frame that was on the corner of her desk, breaking it.

Then she went straight to collect the broken glass from the picture frame to throw it away, making sure no one would step on it and get hurt.

"There!"

"Rose, are you okay, honey? You're bleeding!"

"Don't worry, it's just a superficial cut. It was my fault, I was careless."

"I'll get the first aid kit."

"Who's calling now?"

Her face filled with beauty, she looked towards Aunt Laura, who was already running to get the first aid kit. Even though she wanted to ask her to stop, she knew it would be useless at that moment. Then, the ringing of the phone ended up diverting her attention from the chaos in front of her.

Tippapha abandoned his task of picking up the pieces and answered a call from a familiar number.

"Hello?"

[Miss Rose, something terrible has happened!]

"Moddaeng, what happened at home?" [Please stay calm. It's just that ... ]

"Speak now!"

[Your father ... He had a serious car accident. The vehicle overturned and, at this moment, he is in the ICU.] " ... "

[Miss Rose? Are you listening to me? Can you hear me?]

Between the picture frame of his father, which was next to him in the photo and now shattered into countless pieces scattered across the floor, and the heart that had just received devastating news from the other side of the world ...

Which of the two would have been more shattered?

"When will my father wake up?"

"Your father's case involved severe brain trauma due to the accident. The doctor had to perform surgery to drain the blood and reduce the swelling in the brain, reducing intracranial pressure. In addition, other internal organs were also damaged due to the impact. Although the surgery performed yesterday was successful, doctors still cannot predict when the patient will wake up. Even if he does wake up, the damage to the brain could cause complications that we will only be able to assess after recovery and further detailed examinations."

"Either way, I recommend that the family prepare themselves emotionally."

Tippapha sat motionless, as if she had been hit hard on the head and neck, after hearing the words of the neurologist who was handling her father's case. The doctor suggested that she prepare for the worst, which was not easy to accept.

She didn't want to deal with the loss anymore. After losing her mother a few years ago, what hurt the most was not having enough time to spend with her father. She had always waited for the opportunity to be with him, but he couldn't resist and left her alone, without warning.

"Rose, please go and rest. Even if you stay here, you still can't see your father."

"I'll wait here, Moddaeng. I'll wait until my father wakes up, so he can see me first."

"Rose, don't be stubborn. If your father finds out, he'll worry."

"So, I'll go back to the farm first and then I'll go to the police station."

"Rose, what are you going to do there? I need to investigate my father's case, see if it was an accident or if someone did this on purpose."

The pretty-faced lady glanced quickly at Moddaeng, who was following her anxiously. Moddaeng was the daughter of the maid who took care of the house and the details for Tippapha's father. Moddaeng, who was the same age as Tippapha, was the one who always contacted her with news about the farm and the neighboring properties that were connected.

"It was the day of your father's accident. On that day, Mr. Wasupon went to the farm to visit his father."

"The farm owner, Nabanan?"

"Yes, do you remember Wasu, Mr. Wasupon's son?"

"I remember vaguely. On the neighboring farm, there was Mr. Wasu and Mrs. Din, but it's been a long time since I've seen them."

"Mr. Wasu and Mrs. Din were a very beautiful couple. But in terms of personality, they were completely different. Here, Mr. Wasu is a powerful person, everyone respects him. Mrs. Din, on the other hand, prefers to be alone, not mixing with anyone."

"And do you know, Moddaeng, why Mr. Wasupon came to see my father?"

"I don't know, Rose. I wouldn't dare listen to private conversations about Mr."

Wasupon."

Tippapha was disappointed and frustrated. What Moddaeng had told her did not give her any useful information about the difficult situation she was facing. However, when she heard about people she had known in the past, she could not help but try to reminisce about the old times, although she could not identify many changes.

"Rose, there's a car following us."

"Is that the car behind?"

"Yes. I noticed he's been following us the whole time."

"That car looks familiar. I think I saw it parked in front of the hospital."

"Let me speed up a little. If not, he'll soon stop following us."

"Yes! Rose, the car honked and is pulling up alongside us."

Tippapha lost her balance under the sudden braking, but was lucky not to be injured. The black truck with tinted windows pulled in front of her car, blocking the road to Chomchan Farm. A young man in the passenger seat opened the door and began walking towards her car.

"It's Mr. Wasu! How does he drive like that? That's dangerous! Moddaeng, is that man Mr. Wasu?" "Yes, it's him, Mr. Wasu."

Before she could finish speaking, the young man named Wasu approached the Sangjan farm car she had driven from the airport to the hospital in. Mr. Wasu raised his hand and gently touched the window on the side she was sitting in, smiling, even though she had not yet opened the door to get out or rolled down the window to to talk.

"Rose, come down and talk to me."

"Rose, please don't come down. We don't know what his objective is yet."

"Don't worry. If I don't come down, he probably won't stop following us."

Tippapha made the decision with the same determination as her father, Mr. Tipakorn. She then slowly opened the car door and got out, coming face to face with the young man, who was not much taller than her. It was a meeting after many years, and she hardly recognized the boy from the neighboring farm, the one she used to call P'Wasu.

"It's been so long since we've seen each other. Rose, you're looking prettier."

"Mr. Wasu ..."

"No, no, why so formal? We're like family, aren't we?"

"Why did you follow my car here? Ah, just I wanted to welcome Rose home in a warm way."

"Let me go!"

"Why is that? When we were kids, you even rode on my back, don't you remember?"

"The past and now are different things. I feel uncomfortable and I don't like what you are doing!"

"You are so beautiful and tough."

Since he didn't let go of her wrist rudely, Tippapha then pulled her arm away from that rude touch, especially since they hadn't met for so many years. Besides, the fact that they played together as children didn't mean that it would be considered a type of closeness now that they were adults.

But because she was alone, she couldn't face the men's strength, and Moddaeng couldn't help her because she had been detained by Wasu's men, who were accompanying him, along with her driver. So, she would need to find a way to escape this uncomfortable situation by herself, without expecting anyone to come to her aid until her father had woken up yet.

As she hadn't expected help, the person who appeared and got out of the car that had parked behind her, quickly going to grab her wrist and pull her to take shelter behind her, was someone she hadn't expected.

"Damn, it has to be you, Din, always showing up to stick your nose where it doesn't concern you."

Din? So the person who came to help was his sister, Din, who lived on the farm next to his father's flower farm.

"You are mistaken. I never wanted to get involved in matters that are none of my business."

"Then why the hell are you butting into my business with the"

Rose?"

"Because it is my duty."

"Duty? What duty is that? Don't come and interfere. If you don't want trouble, go back to your farm."

Tippapha's eyes widened in surprise, as she had not imagined that someone would dare to act in such a defiant manner against the law in the middle of the day, without fear of committing a crime, just as Wasu raised a pistol and pointed it at the person who was helping her, with several other pistols in the hands of her henchmen.

"If we're going to exchange shots, let's see who comes out on top."

"Din, leave me with him for now!"

Kasama glared at the man in anger after being surprised by her actions, who realized her strategy and had his henchmen from the flower farm follow Wasu's group, creating a numerical advantage. If a fight were to break out, it seemed like Wasu's farm would not come out on top.

"Don't think that without Thipakorn, everything will be easy for you."

"What the hell are you talking about? Because Thipakorn entrusted Rose to me!"

Chapter One

Earthly Marriage

"Don't cry anymore, Nong Rose. It's just a small cut. I'll take you to get some medicine, and it will heal soon."

"Get out of the way, Din! I'll take care of Rose!"

The girl Kasama, just ten years old, was pushed hard on the shoulder by a boy who looked taller and stronger than her, causing her to lose her balance and fall.

Compared to him, she was small, shorter than other children her age. Furthermore, she was often teased and teased, being called frail and sickly for her weak and frail appearance. She clearly did not have the strength to help someone younger than her who had just tripped, hurting herself and leaving a slightly bloody knee, like Rose.

It was at this moment that Wasu readily offered to help.

"Nong Rose, come here, behind me." "It was you, P'Wasu!" "I wouldn't let Nong Rose fall, like P'Din made her trip and hurt herself."

"No! P'Din didn't hurt me. I tripped on my own."

Even though little Tippapha had tears in her eyes, whimpering in pain as she sobbed, the four-year-old girl quickly defended her friend. She didn't want P'Wasu to tell her father that P'Din had hurt her. In fact, Din hadn't done anything like that. She was actually the first one to help her, even before Wasu.

The only problem was that P'Din, being smaller and more fragile, was unable to carry her on his back. Unlike P'Wasu, who was strong and managed to carry her firmly.

But when she looked back, she realized that Din had not abandoned her or run away. On the contrary, he had picked up the doll that she had dropped and had gotten dirty with dirt. Furthermore, he had taken off her shoes and held them, walking behind her and watching carefully, not leaving her alone.

She was like an older sister who liked to watch from afar, full of care, always looking after and caring in silence, without liking to stand out or seek recognition for what she did. That was the impression that remained in her memories, although somewhat fragmented.

P'Din was someone who seemed too fragile to protect or care for her as well as P'Wasu ...

But if the question were about human warmth and coziness, little Tippapha, at four years old, would probably answer immediately that, in this aspect, P'Din was second to none.

"You were very scared, weren't you?" "Yes!" "What happened a little while ago, I mean."

"I was scared, yes. Going through something like that would scare anyone."

"It's all good now. I think they'll back off for today."

Tippapha glanced at her friend, who had been the one to start the conversation with her. This was after Din had said that she would drive her to Chomchan Farm herself, while asking Uncle Dech and Moddaeng to follow them in the car. Moddaeng, in turn, immediately agreed enthusiastically, despite Tippapha trying to discreetly signal that she didn't want to. After all, she didn't know if this would be like "running away from a tiger to meet a crocodile."

As mentioned, meeting P'Wasu again had already been a huge surprise for her, something that was beyond any expectation, considering they hadn't seen each other for decades. Wasu had changed so much that she could barely recognize him. And what about Din? She herself hadn't sure of her intentions. Why did she decide to help her? Didn't it seem a little too convenient that she would show up at exactly the right time and place? Maturity and the world itself did not teach her to look at life with pessimism. However, due to the difficult circumstances she faced at that time, Tippapha could not fully trust anyone.

Neither the people of Chanapanan Farm, nor those of Saenrak Farm. After all, she still didn't know the details about her father's accident, nor did she know enough about those who were now by his side.

Although Din had also changed, it did not go unnoticed by her eyes, who observed her for a long time, letting herself be carried away by old memories. P'Din, who used to be small and fragile, smaller than the others and even smaller than her, now seemed to have grown.

She was taller than her and looked mature. Furthermore, she seemed much stronger and more stable, demonstrating calm and firmness in the face of adversity, without showing any sign of hesitation or fear.

Since when did P'Din stop hiding behind others?

Now, she dared to firmly face Wasu and protect her ...

"Oh, it's just ..."

"Is there something you want to ask me?"

"You remembered I'm Rose, didn't you?"

Kasama nodded, confirming the truth instead of answering with words. The moment she drove up to that situation, in addition to the workers of the

Chomchan Farm, whose faces were already familiar to her, such as the uncle driver whom she often met when her adoptive father Thipakorn visited, even the girl named Moddaeng who always greeted her when she came to Chomchan Farm, there was another person she had not seen for fourteen years. To someone unfamiliar with the area, it was easy to guess who she might be.

"But P'Din had changed so much ... Rose almost couldn't recognize her."

"And even."

Tippapha glanced at her, who was still a woman of few words, just as she had been in her childhood when Din had been unable to keep up with her incessant chatter. This meant that she had not changed completely. There were still features that reminded her of the child she had been before. However, her serious, expressionless face and the absence of the smile she usually gave in response were the most noticeable changes since she had grown up.

Thinking about it, the Din now seemed much more reserved than when she was ten.

"It's been over ten years since we last saw each other. How many exactly? I moved abroad to study when I was ten. If I count up to now, it's ..."

"Fourteen years."

"Yes, exactly fourteen years. But why, when she came to help me just now, was P'Din able to remember that it was me, Rose?"

"I saw the Chomchan Farm car. From the looks of it, there was something wrong. So I decided to go check it out."

"Moddaeng brought water and snacks."

"Thank you. Moddaeng, you can leave now. If I need anything, I'll call." "Yes, Mrs. Rose."

The owner of the beautiful face watched Moddaeng leave the living room of Chomchan Farm and then looked back at P'Din, who was taking a sip of water in a reserved environment, suitable for important conversations.

"About my father ... does P'Din know what happened?"

"Before I met you and Wasu, I had just returned from the police station."

"What were you doing there? Does it have to do with my father?"

"I went to speak to the officer in charge of the case. It seems they are too quick to conclude that it was an accident. The officer told me that based on the evidence at the scene, it was probably due to driver negligence. But what I questioned and still puzzles me is that the memory card for the car's dash cam was not at the scene of the accident."

"There is no concrete evidence as to when the card went missing. At that time, I didn't even notice because I was worried about Uncle Thip's condition. It is possible that the card was stolen before or that someone tried to hide or destroy important evidence that was on it."

"You said 'at that time'? Does that mean P'Din was present at the accident?"

"Yes, I was the first person to arrive at the scene. I called the ambulance, notified the police and then followed Uncle Thip in the ambulance to the hospital. Afterwards, I went to give my statement at the police station."

Tippapha was silent as she heard the truth of what had happened, something no one had told her before. Not even Moddaeng had mentioned these details, only the basics when the rescuers had called the farm. This meant that the last person to be with her father before he arrived for medical care was P'Din.

"So is there anyone suspicious or any evidence to suggest it wasn't an accident?"

"I still can't accuse anyone without concrete evidence."

"So when you told Wasu that my father entrusted P'Din to me, what exactly did that mean?"

Kasama kept eye contact with Nong, who seemed full of confusion and concern at the situation she was facing. She understood and sympathized with Rose, but she could not say anything that was just an assumption or without concrete evidence, so as not to make her even more uneasy. As for the case of Uncle Thipakorn, Kasama would do her best.

all to seek justice and ensure that he was not ignored. Besides, she had promised her uncle to take care of Rose.

"Before the accident, Uncle Thip came to the farm to meet me and mentioned about Mr. Wasupol wanting to ask Wasu for her hand in marriage. But Uncle Thip refused, as he always did when that side insisted."

"Why didn't my father ever tell me about this?"

"As for that, I don't know the reason or motives behind Uncle Thip's decisions. I can only tell you what I know. He told me that he was uncomfortable with the situation and asked me, if anything happened to him, to take care of you. He asked me this very seriously, and I promised that I would not abandon you."

" ... "

"I want you to be careful, Rose, because you are in a difficult and very dangerous situation right now. Both because of the land your father wanted to leave you and because of the people who may be waiting for an opportunity."

Even without pointing fingers directly at the culprits, Kasama believed that Rose was intelligent enough to understand the gravity of the situation. She was also certain that the Mahattanakorns, father and son, would not give up so easily. Now that everything seemed to be going in their favor, with Uncle Thipakorn absent to protect his daughter, Rose was in an even more vulnerable position.

This was probably why Uncle Thipakorn had asked Kasama to protect Rose, even in a moment between life and death. Kasama knew that he was fighting with all his might to survive,

while she would also do her best to fulfill her promise.

"I want Rose to come live under my care." "P'Din?"

"For now, until the case is resolved and Uncle Thip gets better. Think about it. When you have an answer, let me know."

Did this mean that her father had really decided to leave her in P'Din's care?

"Lom, are you busy? Can you talk now?"" "I need your help with something important." "If P'Din is asking like this, how could I not help?"

Kasama was silent for a moment as she looked through the rearview mirror at the Chomchan farm area, where she had just said goodbye to Thipakorn's goddaughter to return to her own farm, Saenrak. However, she was still worried about the young girl's safety, so she decided to call Wayo, her cousin, who could probably help her deal with the situation that was troubling her.

"Rose is back."

"Rose? Ah, now I remember. The girl from the flower farm next to yours, right?"

"That's right. But now she's in danger."

And maybe it's too difficult to deal with alone ...

"Miss Rose, may I come in?"" "Yes, you can come in."

"I brought you some warm milk. I noticed you didn't eat much for dinner. By the way, what are you looking for? Do you want me to help?"

"No need. I'm just going through some old boxes. It's like reliving memories."

"But there's so much dust! Maybe I should clean it up first."

"Are the childhood toys still here? Dad put them all away."

"What toy is that? Look at that ugly stitch in the seam!"

Tippapha stared at the poorly stitched arm of her favorite childhood teddy bear. She had almost forgotten about it, long ago abandoned in a box that had never been opened again. But Moddaeng's observation of the poorly stitched arm brought back a memory: the person who had done the clumsy work was the same person who had recently brought her something important to think about and decide on.

"When I was a kid, his arm got torn. I remember trying to fix it with duct tape, but I couldn't. So P'Din snuck in and fixed it for me."

"Ah, was it P'Din who did this? I take it back right now!"

"I wonder ... is P'Din someone I can trust right now?"

"Why do you speak like that, Miss Rose? It seems like you don't trust P'Din, even though she helped you today."

"But P'Din was the first person present at my father's accident. Maybe it was a coincidence, but what was she doing there at that time? And there's also the matter of my father confiding in me ... Never mind! I just want to wait for my father to wake up and ask him the truth directly."

Tippapha's beautiful face looked at Moddaeng, who was looking at her with an even more confused expression. The young woman's words had left Moddaeng puzzled, not fully understanding the confusion she was going through. But even if she explained everything, she knew that Moddaeng would not understand.

"Moddaeng, go rest. I'm going too. I need to go to the hospital early tomorrow."

"Don't forget to drink all the milk, okay?"

"I'm not a child anymore for you to force me to drink milk!"

"Moddaeng is just worried, Miss Rose. Everyone on the farm is worried about Thipakorn and also with you. Now you need to take care of yourself, so that nothing happens to you too. You need to be here as a strength and inspiration for all of us."

"I understand. Please thank everyone for me."

Thipakorn's daughter, who may become the new "mother" of the farm in the future, ended her conversation with Moddaeng before turning her attention to the old teddy bear she had just taken out of a storage box.

Even though it was covered in dust and still unwashed, Tippapha decided to put it on the table instead of returning it to the box. She stared at it, lost in thought, and mumbled, even though she knew her question would probably never be answered.

"I wonder what P'Din is like now?"

"Don't you want us to accompany you, Miss Rose?"

"Everyone wait here. There shouldn't be any problems inside the hospital."

Tippapha ordered the farm workers who had accompanied her to the hospital that morning to stay outside. She assumed this was Moddaeng's idea, concerned to avoid any repeat of the previous day's incidents. But when she arrived at the front of the intensive care unit, where her father still remained in critical condition, she was met with an unexpected face: the man she had had a disagreement with the day before.

"Have you come to visit your father, Miss Rose? I've been waiting here for a while now."

"Mr. Wasu, what are you doing here?"

"I came to visit Uncle Thipakorn, of course. See, I brought a basket of fruit."

"Then take it back, my father hasn't woken up yet and can't eat anything."

"Miss Rose, eat in his place. I'm worried about both you and Uncle Thipakorn."

The pretty-faced young woman instinctively backed away when she saw the man approaching her in an overly intimate manner. Fortunately, he did not have the courage to act disrespectfully or try to invade her space, as he had done the day before, when she made her displeasure with his lack of education and respect very clear.

"Miss Rose, do you want me to call the men from the farm over here?"

"No need, Moddaeng. He won't dare to cause trouble here."

"Are you going to visit your father now? That way I can go in and visit him too."

"Mr. Wasu, if you have something to say, say it quickly. Don't bother my father."

"Then let's talk over there in that corner. You don't need to be afraid, this is a hospital. And I promise I won't be disrespectful to you again. I apologize for yesterday. I was so excited that I couldn't control myself."

"Please go ahead. Actually, I have something to talk to you about too."

"Do you want to talk to me alone? How about we go to a nice restaurant outside the hospital? We can talk while we eat, the atmosphere will be much better than here."

"I don't have time to do something so unimportant while my father is still in a coma."

"Sorry, I just didn't want to see you so stressed or sad about what happened to Uncle Thipakorn."

Tippapha stared at the man she was trying to keep her distance from. After sitting down on a chair, she saw that he had also sat down nearby, which made her move away and put her bag between them, making it clear that she didn't want him to get any closer.

"Mr. Wasu, do you know if my father has any enemies or conflicts with anyone in the region?"

"What are you suspecting?"

"I think what happened to my father may not have been an accident. Maybe someone who wants the Chomchan Farm land is involved, or maybe it's some conflict of interest. But I really can't think of who it could be. That's why I'm asking you, who knows the area well."

"It's not hard to figure out. I'll tell you: the enemy who has always been against your father is Din."

"What?"

"Surprised? But if you know the truth, you'll be even more shocked. Think about it: Din's Saenrak Farm is much smaller than my family's Chanapanan Farm."

He wants to take over Chomchan Farm's land so he can have more land than my family. He might be planning to gain Thipakorn's trust so he can betray him later."

"But the Din I knew as a child wasn't like that."

"People change as they grow up. Besides, yesterday she said that your father entrusted you to her, knowing that Thipakorn is still in a coma. How can you be sure that your father really said that? She knows that without Thipakorn, all the land and assets will go to you, so she went ahead and deceived you as well. Worse still, she might even be behind the attack on your father."

"Please, Miss Rose, don't make rash decisions like that again. Moddaeng almost had a heart attack! You spent so much time talking to Wasu that I thought something serious had happened."

"I can take care of myself, Moddaeng. And besides, nothing bad happened."

"It's a good thing Din sent the men from Saenrak Farm to help ensure security. That way, if anything happens, they can help you."

"Men from Saenrak Farm? Who are they?"

Tippapha asked, puzzled by what Moddaeng was saying. She had no idea that there were people from Saenrak Farm accompanying her since early morning. She thought they were all from Chomchan Farm. It seems that she misinterpreted and jumped to conclusions.

"The workers on our farm are only Uncle Dech and P'Aod. As for the young man named M, he is not a worker on our farm. Moddaeng only found out from P'Aod that Mr. M is actually an undercover police officer."

"And who gave permission? I didn't know anything."

"Maybe Mrs. Din didn't tell you because she didn't want you to worry."

"It's all Mrs. Din this, Mrs. Din that.' Which farm are you from, Moddaeng?"

"It's nothing to do with it, Miss Rose! Moddaeng is just commenting on what she saw. I don't really belong to anyone."

The pretty-faced young lady glared at Moddaeng, who immediately raised her hands, as if admitting defeat and declaring neutrality before her mistress. Even so, Rose still couldn't shake the disturbing thoughts that had been tormenting her since that morning. And to make matters worse, new problems had arisen, making her dinner even more tasteless.

"If I have to choose someone to help me, will I make the right choice?"

"You're talking about Mr. Wasu and Mrs. Din, right?"

"Yes." "Ah, that's not hard to decide! If I were Moddaeng, I'd choose Madam Din. Mister Wasu is so impulsive that if you get close to him, you might end up being threatened with a gun at any moment."

"People may seem good or bad at first glance, but the heart is a mystery. Even if someone presents themselves as a good person, I don't want to judge hastily or trust them completely without getting to know them better."

"If you don't know, just ask, Miss Rose. Then you can decide based on the answer."

"You're right. I should go ask and clarify things, so I don't get confused anymore."

"Hey! Where are you going, Miss Rose? You haven't even started eating!"

Moddaeng watched her mistress, who suddenly hurriedly stood up from the dining room and walked quickly towards the entrance of the house. Without wasting any time, she rushed to follow her, but was forced to stop when her mistress stopped abruptly, staring at someone who had been mentioned in the recent conversation.

Tippapha stopped in front of Kasama, who had also stopped. They both exchanged glances for a few moments before one of them broke the silence and spoke first.

"P'Din, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you, Rose. But it looks like you were leaving, doesn't it?"

"No, it wasn't going anywhere."

Tippapha lied through his teeth, even though his earlier attitude and obvious haste completely contradicted his improvised answer. It was such an unconvincing excuse that it didn't even seem necessary to question it further.

However, P'Din did not insist and instead explained the reason for his visit.

"I just got back from an errand in the neighboring district. It was only now that I heard that you found Wasu in the hospital."

"It was nothing major."

"There was no problem, right? If you need any help, just let me know."

"There wasn't, I solved everything myself." "If that's okay, then I'll take my leave." "P'Din came to ask just that and is already leaving?" "Yes, I have already finished what I had to do."

Kasama replied in her usual calm voice, while keeping her eyes fixed on Tippapha's, who continued to stare at her intensely, as if the matter was not yet over. And she was right, for she heard the unexpected question that came from the younger girl.

"He is well."

"Then stay for dinner. Rose has something important she wants to talk about."

The fair-faced lady glanced at the person who had quickly interrupted, leaving no room for her to refuse, before turning to Moddaeng, who had hurriedly invited her into the dining room after the landlady's daughter had entered earlier.

"Rose invited you to dinner?"

"Yes."

"But I don't think that's it."

"Why not?"

"I feel like Rose invited you over to watch her eat."

"I know you've been stressed about a lot of things, but take care of yourself too, I don't want Uncle to worry."

Din spoke with a voice full of concern and good intentions, because he noticed that Rose was just sitting in silence and barely picking up food to put on her plate or bring to her mouth. So, it was a dinner where only she was eating for a while, until the older one had to speak, even though she normally doesn't like to meddle in other people's business.

"Mahattanakorn or Watinwanich?"

"Rose is asking you, Din, who Amornjinda should trust more at this time, between Mahattanakorn or Watinwanich."

"I don't know. I don't have an answer."

"No answer? I thought you would say to trust more in

Watinwanich."

Here is the Portuguese translation:

Since Mr. Wasu had told her to trust Mahattanakorn when she had asked the same question, but the answer she had received was completely different, she did not understand what Din's "I don't have an answer for you" response really meant. Or could it be that Din did not want her to trust?

"Because Rose's trust can't be decided by anyone else. Rose is an adult now. I think you can decide for yourself about that."

"And if I decide to choose Mahattanakorn, what will Din think?"

"I will respect your decision."

"But you said you promised your father?"

Does this mean that if Din respects her decision, it would mean breaking his promise to her father?

Tippapha wanted to ask to clarify as clearly as possible, so that she could hear both sides and then make a decision based on her own feelings.

"Even if Rose chooses Mahattanakorn, if it is your choice and will, I have ways to protect you in my own way. Don't worry."

"And you're not going to tell me that Mahattanakorn is a bad person? You're not going to warn me to be careful of him or not to trust him, like Mr. Wasu told me to be careful of Din? You have the right to explain, Rose gave you the opportunity. Din, tell me what Mr. Wasu is like?"

"Actions speak louder than words. I'm not going to say someone is bad without proof and I'm not going to say I'm better than anyone else.

Rose, decide based on what you see and what you feel. I have nothing to justify or explain."

"Okay, thanks, Din. That really helped me make a decision."

"Like this?"

"I have decided that I will remain in your care."

"Because I chose Watinwanich."