𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦

The road ahead stretched endlessly through the dense forest, shadows dancing between the trees under the late afternoon sun. The silence inside the car was heavy - the kind that buzzed with restrained nerves.

Sky's grip on the steering wheel was steady, but his jaw was tight. The faint reflection of his eyes in the rearview mirror revealed a sharp focus that no one dared to break.

Beside him, William sat with his iPad balanced on his knee, eyes darting across encrypted feeds and heat maps.

"The officers are everywhere lately," William muttered, scrolling through the latest data. "Mall, the wedding planner's office, even around the Hirunkit mansion. They're tracking everything - waiting for us to slip."

"I know," Sky replied evenly. "That's why this has to end now. Before my new beginning starts."

William exhaled, frustrated but resigned. "Still, Sky... it's just us three. No backup. Not even Pooh or dad know where we're going. This isn't like the raid incident. Ohm's not playing games anymore."

Sky's eyes didn't leave the road. "The less people know, the better chance we have of surviving this."He glanced briefly toward William. "Check their position. Did they reach Mae Hong Son?"

William tapped a few keys, then nodded. "They did. Pooh's car crossed the checkpoint fifteen minutes ago. The convoy's clear."

"Good." Sky's tone softened slightly, relief flickering for a moment before fading again. "Now tell me where Agent Ohm is hiding."

William hesitated. "I don't think he's hiding anymore. He's planning."

The weight of those words settled between them like fog. Outside, the world grew quieter - the trees thickening, the road narrowing.

The drive had been too smooth. Too clean. Sky knew better than to trust quiet roads and perfect timing.

William's voice broke the silence. "I found something - faint signal, about three kilometers up ahead. It's not random. Could be bait."

Sky slowed down, the hum of the engine deepening. He pulled to the side, window sliding down with a soft mechanical hiss.

Red's Ducati purred to a stop beside them. His face was mostly hidden - only his eyes visible above the black handkerchief covering his mouth, the same eyes that gleamed with adrenaline and loyalty.

Sky leaned slightly out the window, voice calm but commanding.

"From the next turn, don't follow us anymore. Circle back. If William doesn't return in thirty minutes..." - his gaze flicked to William before locking back on Red - "you find him."

Red hesitated, the air thick with unspoken understanding. Then he gave a sharp nod, revved his bike, and sped off - the roar of the engine echoing through the trees.

Sky rolled the window up, started the engine again.

The forest ahead looked almost too serene, sunlight slicing through the canopy in golden threads."Buckle up," Sky murmured, his voice a low promise.

William smirked faintly. "You're walking straight into a trap."

Sky's hands tightened on the wheel, eyes dark with resolve.

"I know," he said quietly. "But this time - I'm the one closing it."

The safe house was dimly lit, the only source of light coming from the multiple monitors flickering across the room. Agent Ohm stood in front of them, arms crossed, his sharp gaze fixed on the live feeds. His men were silent, waiting for orders. On one of the screens, Sky's black Benz was visible, speeding along the empty road.

"They took the bait," one of the agents muttered, a grin tugging at his lips.

Ohm didn't respond. His expression stayed unreadable, though his eyes betrayed something deeper-grief buried under years of restraint. "Sky Wongravee Theerapakyun..." he murmured, his voice low, cold. "You took everything from me that day."

His hand brushed against the locket on his neck, a group photo hidden inside. Mark-his junior, his friend, his colleague-gone.

Ohm's jaw tightened. "The government will never allow this. They still worship him like a god. But I don't need their permission," he said, stepping closer to the monitors. "They won't even know until it's over."

One of his men asked, "Sir, are you sure his eyes will open the boxes?"

Ohm's lips curved into a smirk. "It will. He trusts no one with what's his. That's the beauty of Sky Theerapakyun-his arrogance is what kills him."

He turned away from the screen, grabbing his gun and sliding it into his holster. "Positions. We move the moment they cross the checkpoint."

Outside, his men were already stationed-snipers hidden, roadblocks set, signal jammers in place.

Ohm glanced once more at the monitor, at the face of the man who ruined his life. His voice dropped to a whisper meant for no one but himself.

"Let's see how perfect your world stays after tonight, Sky."

The feed flickered again, the sound of engines approaching. Ohm smiled faintly. "Showtime."

The tires screeched against the gravel as Sky's Benz came to a stop in the middle of the desolate stretch of road. Dust swirled in the headlights, the forest around them eerily quiet.

William looked up from his tablet, brows furrowed. "This is the location, Sky. The signal's strongest here-"

Before he could finish, a gunshot rang out. The front windshield cracked like thin glass.

"Down!" Sky barked, yanking William's shoulder just in time. A volley of bullets tore through the side mirror. Both men ducked behind the car doors.

"They were waiting for us," William hissed, drawing his gun.

"I know." Sky's tone was calm-too calm. He loaded his weapon with practiced ease and peeked over the hood. "Stay low and take the left flank. Don't let them circle us."

Figures emerged from the trees, masked and armed. The night erupted in gunfire-muzzles flashing, bullets whizzing through the air. William fired back, each shot sharp and precise, while Sky moved like a shadow, striking fast and clean.

William thought this was just another retrieval-grab one of Ohm's men, interrogate, leave. That's what Sky told him. But as the fight dragged on and the number of attackers grew, something didn't add up. Sky wasn't retreating-he was advancing, moving closer to the ambush, as if inviting it.

"Sky!" William shouted over the chaos. "We need to move back! There's too many!"

Sky's eyes flicked toward him, steel cold under the blood-red reflection of headlights. "Get to the car."

"What-? No! Not without you!" William fired again, dropping another man.

Sky ducked a punch, twisted his attacker's wrist, and drove a knee into his chest, sending him crashing to the ground. "William," he said again, voice sharp, commanding. "Go!"

William froze, realization dawning like a punch to the gut. "You- you planned this."

Sky didn't deny it. "They'll take me to the source. That's where I end this."

"Are you insane?!" William's voice cracked, raw with disbelief and anger. "You'll get yourself killed-"

"Trust me," Sky said, a faint, knowing smirk on his lips. "You'll find me."

Before William could argue further, pain exploded in his abdomen. He gasped, eyes wide, looking down to see a blade buried deep in his side. Blood poured warm and fast.

Behind him, Junior twisted the knife cruelly, his face twisted with hatred. "You're always with him, huh?" Junior hissed. "Then it must've been you-the one who killed my Mark."

William's vision blurred. His breathing turned ragged, but the fury in his eyes burned bright. "You talk too much."

With one brutal motion, William slammed his head back into Junior's nose. The man stumbled, grip loosening-but the knife stayed lodged in William's side. In one swift, desperate move, William drew his own blade and slashed Junior's throat open. Blood sprayed across the gravel as Junior dropped to his knees, gurgling before he fell silent.

"William!" Sky's voice cut through the ringing in his ears. He was surrounded-five, six men closing in fast. "Go!"

William staggered, pain clawing at his every step, but he forced himself toward the car. He looked back one last time-Sky's figure, backlit by headlights, still standing tall among enemies.

Then Sky looked over his shoulder, their eyes locking for a split second. And in that moment, William saw it-a faint, satisfied smile tugging at Sky's lips.

The kind of smile that meant everything was going exactly as planned.

William slammed the car door shut and sped off, blood still dripping from his wound. In the rearview mirror, he could still see the chaos-the flash of guns, the sound of shouting-and Sky Wongravee Theerapakyun, walking straight into the fire like it was his destiny.

The night swallowed the road whole.William's trembling hands gripped the steering wheel, blood dripping from his wound, staining the leather. The car tore through the mountain curves, headlights cutting through the fog like blades. His breath came in ragged bursts; the pain in his abdomen had spread to his chest.

He couldn't think-only drive.Sky's last look still burned behind his eyes.That faint smile. That damn smile.

"Hang in there, Sky," he muttered, his voice cracking. "I'll come back for you, I swear-"

Then the world exploded.

A deafening bang shattered the silence. The car jolted sideways, metal shrieking as tires lost grip. Another violent hit-something slammed into the rear. William's body jerked forward as the Benz spun out of control, flipping once, twice, before crashing into the slope. Glass shattered. The world turned upside down.

The sound of bending steel echoed through the air before everything went still.

Smoke filled the broken interior. William coughed, blood spilling from his lips as he tried to move. Pain shot through every nerve. He blinked rapidly, trying to fight the dizziness. His ears rang, heart hammering in his chest.

Footsteps.

Boots crunched over gravel. He squinted through the haze-dark silhouettes approaching, guns gleaming under the moonlight.

Hands yanked the car door open. Rough fingers dragged him out, throwing him onto the cold ground. His knees scraped the gravel; the knife still stuck in his abdomen twisted painfully as he landed. He groaned, clutching his side, but froze when he saw the man standing a few feet away.

For a second, he thought it was the blood loss making him hallucinate.

Then he blinked-and his heart stopped.

Cornal Theerapakyun stood before him. Perfectly dressed, polished boots, an expression carved from stone. His men stepped back instantly, as if making way for royalty.

William's blood ran cold. "You... what the hell are you doing here?"

Cornal's jaw tightened. He didn't answer. Instead, he walked closer, the crunch of gravel loud in the silence. Then, with mechanical calmness, he stepped on William's hand.

A sharp cry tore from William's throat as the pressure increased.

"Still stubborn," Cornal said quietly, almost like a sigh. "You never learned when to stop rebelling, did you, son?"

William stared up at him, disbelief and betrayal twisting his features. "The heck are you doing here? And how did you knew I was here? "

Cornal's gaze didn't waver. "You've become a problem, William. You're too loved, too trusted. You make Clara nervous... and I can't have discord in my home."

William's eyes widened. His voice trembled-not with fear, but fury. "So she told you to kill me? You're listening to her?"

"She's protecting her daughters' future," Cornal said coldly. "You've always stood in their way."

William let out a bitter laugh, even as tears streaked down his blood-stained face. "I stood in no one's way, Mr. Cornal. I just existed-and you couldn't stand that I reminded you of the woman you abandoned."

Cornal's expression darkened at the mention of Selina. His silence was answer enough.

Then, without hesitation, he pulled out his gun and leveled it at William's chest.

"Selina's shadow dies tonight," he said, voice cold as metal.

The shot cracked through the forest.

William's body jerked, the bullet tearing through his chest. He gasped, blood bubbling at his lips, eyes wide in shock.

"Y-you..." his voice broke, trembling. "You'll never... get away with this."

Cornal crouched down beside him, his voice low. "This is for the peace of my home, William. For Clara. For my daughters. You should've stayed out of family matters."

Another shot-this one to his knee. William screamed, his vision dimming. The pain was unbearable, but the betrayal burned deeper.

As the blood pooled beneath him, the world blurred at the edges. Through fading vision, he thought of only one person.

Sky.

He had to survive-for Sky. He needs to find sky. Nani will be devastated without sky. The business will go to hell without sky. The family will crumble. He fucking need to find him.

Then, through the haze, the sound came-low, heavy, roaring through the night like a storm breaking free.

The Ducati.

Black, fast, furious.

Its engine roared closer, tires screeching, a streak of shadow tearing through the trees.

Cornal turned sharply, soldiers raising their guns.

But it was too late.

William managed a weak, blood-streaked smile.

"Showtime..." he whispered.