Chapter 3: Threads Beneath the Silk

"Avoid screens and get some rest. That is all you need right now."

Mr. Tanam spoke coldly as he closed the door of the luxury sedan that had transported us from the Prakash Tower to one of Bangkok’s hidden gems: the ancient Prakash Estate.

The mansion was like a living museum—walls of dark wood inlaid with mother-of-pearl, sprawling gardens surrounded by tropical palms, and the faint, echoing trickle of stone fountains. Yet despite all this grandeur, the heavy knot in my chest only tightened.

"Miss Jawaher, your mother's gift isn't just jewelry," Tanam said, guiding me down a grand corridor toward a side hallway that led to the estate's dusty library. "It is the key to a private vault at the Central Bank of Thailand... and family vaults are not opened with fingerprints, but with a sequence known to almost no one."

I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to him. "What does *Rohan De-Silva* have to do with my mother? And why is he standing up to his own uncle Vikram for my sake?"

Tanam adjusted his glasses, a rare shadow of hesitation flickering across his face. "The De-Silva family has been your family's fiercest rival for decades. Arthur De-Silva—Rohan’s father—was your grandfather’s closest partner before a sudden, bitter fallout, shortly after which your mother vanished under mysterious circumstances. Rohan is no ordinary man; he moves people like chess pieces. Whatever you do, do not trust his smile."

Tanam left me in the library to rest. I sank into a worn leather armchair and pulled the sandalwood box from my bag. Unlatching the heavy lid, the rich scent of sandalwood drifted into the air once more.

I pulled out the old photograph. My mother was standing in a garden much like this one, smiling brightly. Beside her stood a handsome young man with the same commanding presence as Rohan, but with softer, older features... Was this Rohan’s father? Or someone else entirely?

Suddenly, the soft crunch of a footstep echoed behind me.

I froze, my thumb digging into the edge of the emerald necklace.

"That photo was taken in the summer of 2008."

I turned instantly to find **Rohan** standing in the doorway of the library. He had shed his suit jacket and rolled the sleeves of his crisp white shirt up to his elbows, revealing sun-kissed skin and a striking, mysterious black lotus tattoo on his inner forearm.

"How did you get in here?" I asked, struggling to hide the tremor in my voice as I snapped the box shut.

A faint, mocking smile touched his lips as he stepped toward the table with the slow, deliberate grace of a predator stalking its prey. "This estate used to be co-owned by our families before it became a tomb for secrets. Besides, I am your legal guardian for the next ninety days... didn't you hear that in the boardroom?"

He stopped right in front of me, leaning down slightly and planting both hands on the edge of the table, trapping me within his intense hazel gaze.

"Why are you helping me?" I demanded, my voice sharp as I fought the urge to step back. "My uncle says you want my share. Tanam warns me about you... and you are the son of the man who—"

I cut myself off before I could finish the thought.

Rohan’s eyes narrowed, the playfulness vanishing from his face, replaced by a dark, dangerous shadow. He leaned in closer, until the subtle scent of his expensive cedarwood and rain-laced cologne wrapped around me.

"The son of the man who *what*, Jawaher?" he whispered, his voice dangerously sharp. "The man everyone believes made your mother disappear?"

I couldn't speak. His eyes held a scorching blend of fury and enigma that made my throat go completely dry.

Very slowly, he reached out a hand. His warm fingers cupped the underside of my chin, tilting my face up and forcing me to look straight into his eyes.

"I will tell you only one truth tonight," he murmured, his low voice laced with unspoken threat. "I am the only person in this city who isn't trying to kill you or buy your silence. Sometimes... you have to make a deal with the devil to survive hell."

A cold shiver ran down my spine—not just from fear, but from the electric current that crackled in the air whenever he got too close.

He leaned in further, his warm breath fanning against my ear.

"Tomorrow night is the Blue Diamond Gala. Wear the emerald necklace, and get ready... the first card in this game is about to fall, and I will be right beside you to make sure you see who your real enemies are."

Before I could form a response, Rohan pulled back, turned around, and strode out of the room with absolute confidence, leaving me alone in the silent library with my heart hammering against my ribs like a war drum.

I reached down to touch the cold emerald inside the sandalwood box...

*Was Rohan my guardian angel... or the most dangerous trap I was about to walk into?*

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***