Forever Charmed: Book One Forever Loved

by L. J. Hawke

  “Hteiksu. Please, sit,” said Sanur. He sat as well. They were at a table on the far side of the pool, away from both guests and other bar patrons. His investigator and right hand had chosen well. Sanur ordered a mint-lime concoction. It was not yet dinner, so he could speak freely about business. “How did you find South Korea?”

  Supayalat gave him a flat stare. “Icy. I despise waste, as you know. I had the outfitters meet me at the airport. Puffy coats are...impossible.” She shuddered. “I checked every place your new employee has been. All reports are very positive.”

  “Good.” Sanur smiled and inclined his head.

  Mollified, Supayalat gave the rest of her report. “The American trip was cold. And...disturbing.”

  “In what way?” Sanur asked. He carefully put down his drink so his glass did not make a noise.

  “Her father is a criminal.”

  Sanur sighed. “What kind of criminal? Drugs? Guns? Tax evasion?”

  “No, he attacked his own daughter.”

  Sanur leaned forward. “He did what?” He wasn’t often surprised or shocked, but this stunned him.

  “He attacked his daughter. Jake Brussell apparently intended to bed his own daughter, and she defended herself. Tania made so much noise the neighbors roused. Her mother, Rita, walked in and found him in a state of undress. Tania escaped out a window. Her father chased her, still in her nightclothes, out of the house. He had a bloody lip. A conviction, usually difficult in such cases, was swift. It was implied that there was more evidence concerning other young females.” Supayalat’s eyes were flat.

  “She defended herself. Good,” Sanur said. He realized he was clenching his jaw and both fists and strove to relax.

  “Then, her mother, Rita Brussell, apparently weak of will, collapsed. She eventually took her own life.”

  “Such a fool to turn her back on her daughter.”

  “She had a son as well. Both children went to live with their father’s mother, Sofia Brussell, as the mothers’ parents died in a car accident years before.”

  “At least Tania was safe.” Sanur forced himself to sip a drink he no longer wanted.

  “She was in the physical sense, but her grandmother did not believe Tania or the neighbors’ version of events. Sofia, the grandmother, told Tania’s little brother, Sean, that his sister was to blame for destroying the family.”

  Sanur narrowed his eyes. “So, this young woman was attacked. Then her father went to prison and her mother committed suicide. Then her grandmother lied and told her little brother that the victim was responsible for so many tragedies. So Tania, she has no one?”

  “That is where the story gets interesting. Like you with your heart-brothers, Tania went away to a small but prestigious school and made close female friends there. They met as roommates and worked together to gain scholarships and work-study programs so they could finish school more quickly. Her friends, Corinne Jackson and Kandace Walker, all stayed together for five years as roommates and heart-sisters. They all worked their way through a bachelor’s degree in three years and a master’s degree in a year and a half, then defended their dissertations successfully.”

  “Very impressive. And all three had to work the entire time?”

  “Yes, but Tania and her friends were left with crushing debt. Tania came very far away from her heart-sisters and is making impressive headway. Her degree in business is helping her a great deal.”

  “I see,” said Sanur.

  “I doubted you for a moment,” Supayalat admitted, bowing her head. “I see now that, as with other situations, you have keen insight into others.”

  Sanur gave a rueful laugh. “You mean when one of my heart-brothers and my lover stole my money?”

  Supayalat bowed her head. “My lord, I must confess, I have not yet found them.”

  Sanur waved his hand. “I have distracted you with this matter of my new employee. Do not be too deeply concerned. In time, their money will run out. They will be forced to stop running and to begin to, as the Americans say so colorfully, run another con to get money.”

  “I hope it is so.” Supayalat gave Sanur a slight bow. A server came by and left menus on the table. Sanur smiled. They were done talking about serious things until after dinner. “So, tell me about this place that you went to in America. Missouri? What is that place like?” Supayalat looked at Sanur balefully, and Sanur grinned.

  As she spoke about heavy coats, a lack of public transportation, and cows, Sanur’s mind traveled back to the past. A friend-brother he'd picked up at Thai boarding school, Somchair, had been bright enough, and considered himself good with the ladies. Sanur and Somchair went into business after the university, and the beautiful Malee soon joined them. Malee looked like a dream, moved like a breeze, and carried the delicate scent of the flower she was named after.

  Sanur had been with women before, of course. His shimmery hair and aloof demeanor attracted them. He treated them gently and honorably, bought them presents, and explained that he couldn't settle down for many years, if at all. He was quiet, calm, and gentle. Somchair was more brash, and spent a fortune on hair color, dyeing his hair a shimmery golden to match Sanur’s coppery locks. Sanur did not see the jealousy in his friend’s eyes. A background check showed nothing in Somchair or Malee’s pasts that would hint at the betrayal to come.

  The fact that Malee only had eyes for Sanur made Somchair insane. At first, Sanur kept the woman at a distance because she worked for him, and because of his friend’s desire for the woman. Then Somchair came to him with an idea. “You only stay with women for a few weeks,” he said. “Be with her, then let her go. She will come to me, crying, and I will be her friend.”

  Sanur had no intention of using the woman, so he was very clear that he would only be with her for a short time if she chose him, and that work and after-work were separate. But Sanur found himself in a trance, something that had never happened before. Weeks turned into months, then nearly a year.

  Eleven months to the day after he had begun dating Malee, Sanur had woken in the morning, prepared to have flowers delivered later in the day to the office for his lady, then headed to the office. But he found the doors closed and locked, the joint account looted, and Somchair and Malee nowhere to be found.

  Sanur had wept bitter tears but was delighted that they had access to only one account. He fell out of his strange lethargy, kept everything going, hired a beautiful art student to be his receptionist, and kept the business afloat. Sanur had too many people counting on him, people who needed medical care and to send their kids to school, people who could keep the lights on because of him.

  The pain over being used cut deep, like a shard of metal caught in his heart, but eventually faded. The desire for revenge went much deeper. He had an excellent retainer working on it and knew the two of them couldn't hide from him—or Supayalat—forever.

  Two weeks later, over a dinner of curry shrimp rice, Tania asked Sanur how they were staying in business because their profit margins were very low. Sanur laughed. “I have many investments,” he explained. “Over time, many people in this region have assisted my very small, powerful family. We are in a position to help others, and this is the best way I could find to do that.” He grinned. “We also keep a host of delivery people working for us. Entire families are fed based on this business.”

  He ate a little more rice. “What possessed you to try the orphanage? I'm not doubting the decision. The girls are extremely intelligent and very willing to do the job. But that's definitely what you Western people call ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking. What made you choose that route?”

  “Very simple. I volunteered twice a month at orphanages in South Korea. Orphans have very few prospects. Without a family name, it's very difficult for them to get jobs. Even if the girls don't want to become receptionists in the future, their current education is paid for. And they can learn new skills as well. I plan on eventually training them in marketing. This will give them far more opportunities. Working o
nline can help them find jobs that will allow them to go to a university.”

  “Thinking ahead about their futures is excellent.”

  Tania smiled, nodded. “Why didn't you offer me the over-office apartment?”

  Sanur smiled gently. “You're a Western woman in a hot country. Why deny you the pool? Also, I figured if a Thai receptionist was hired, he or she would probably want to have that apartment.”

  Tania pointed out something she had noticed. “You drive a scooter the same as everyone else. Definitely no Mercedes-Benz.”

  Sanur laughed. “My time is too valuable to be stopped in traffic.”

  Tania grinned. “You also wear fine clothes, but very simple ones.” She loved his simple elegant style. They both wore the slacks and professional short-sleeved shirts that everyone wore in Thailand for business. Sanur’s simple wardrobe obviously cost more than Tania's. Tania tended toward light blouses in jewel tones of blues, copper, gold, teal, and the requisite khaki or tan pants. Everything in Tania’s closet matched everything else, so it took less than a minute to choose what to wear in the morning. Since Tania resembled a zombie until nearly nine in the morning, this was a good thing. Tania wore sandals or flats instead of heels, practical with the uneven sidewalks and the Thai heat.

  Sanur nodded. “You must fit in where you are. Hiding in plain sight.”

  Tania poked at a shrimp. “Camouflage, you mean.”

  “Exactly. Suits in this environment just look overdone and we only wear black for funerals. It's best to be simple, classic, and ready to work hard. And, of course, take your two-hour lunches that are not common elsewhere except in the Spanish- or Italian-speaking world.”

  “I know some Spanish. Eighty-eight countries speak Spanish. Are you ready for me to advertise in the upper-class Spanish-speaking market? Plus, of course, there are so many people looking for an Asian vibe for their homes. I specifically targeted people of a certain age that love Asian cultures with the social media ads I created. Also, we can stage little nooks for photo shoots. Your ads are getting a little tired.”

  Sanur pointed at her with a chopstick. “I thought I said no business during dinner.”

  Tania laughed. “Give me some products to put in a photo shoot. Looks like I'm going to be training some teenage boys in how to do photoshoots for ads.”

  Sanur grinned at her. “The orphanage?”

  “But of course.”

  Sanur laughed. “I approve.”

  “Good to know.” Tania took the last of the rice. “I live for your every approving word or gesture.”

  Sanur threw back his head and laughed. “Seriously, despite my rule about not discussing work over dinner, I would like for you to learn the accounting so we can make reports. Sales are up, our ad campaigns are working according to the spreadsheets you insist upon sending me, and I'd like for you to understand our cash flows. My accountant does the taxation, and we have a small business lawyer on call for all of the Thai paperwork she can't handle. I would like for you to oversee the business when I am out of town. I travel frequently, looking for new things for the website.”

  “You could have done this from anywhere; the heart of Bangkok, Tokyo, Seoul, London, or Sydney. Why here?”

  Sanur ticked the reasons off on his fingers. “First, the cost of living and conducting business are both very low here. Second, I need to be in the region to take care of all of my artisans. Third, Asia is my home. This is where I belong, where I've always belonged.”

  Tania sipped her fruit juice, a mint-lime iced concoction. Sanur stuck to iced mint tea. The night was sultry, the cold drinks welcome. “Must be nice to have a place like that, a home, a place to belong.”

  Sanur decided to take a risk. “You don't have a home back in the States?”

  Tania barked out a sad laugh. “I have people that are home, close friends, but they're scattered to the winds.”

  “But you have a family?” he pressed.

  Tania sighed. Family was all-important to Asian people, and the Thai were no exception. What to tell, what to keep back? Tired of the dance, she went with the truth. “My grandma took me in after my father attacked me one night when things went very wrong. Grandma didn't believe me about what her son did, even when my father went to prison, and my mother fell apart, eventually committing suicide. My brother sides with my grandmother.”

  Sanur’s eyes turned stormy, but he kept his voice cool. “That sounds like a series of terrible events.”

  “It was. Just so you know, small-town prejudice is not a thing that can be altered or moved. Not all of it was whispers; quite a bit of it was to my face. Some of the kids at college knew, because that sort of thing is big news where I'm from. It's better to make a clean break, a new start.”

  Sanur nodded. “I understand new beginnings.” He sighed. “I went to live with some people when my mother left. My father left a long time ago. My mother paid some people to take care of me. They lived like maharajas until the money ran out. They tired of me, for I moved like the wind or slept all day. I ended up in an orphanage.”

  Tania’s eyes widened. “How old were you?”

  “I was eleven.” He took a sip of his tea. “Fear not. My majordomo found me, sent me to school that I chose from a list. I found two heart-brothers, Ketuk and Desak, at the orphanage. They joined me in boarding schools in Thailand and Australia, then the university. Like you, I received a master’s in small and online businesses. Desak majored in tourism, and Ketuk in business and marketing.”

  “Where are they now?”

  Sanur smiled. “Bali. They manage a small oceanside hotel and own some villas. I visit them from time to time.”

  Tania tilted her head. “I’ve never been there. It sounds fantastic.” She waved her hand. “And this, this is heaven. It's warm, it's so green and lush, you can hear the birds sing. I spend my evenings and weekends floating in the pool and eating all kinds of delicious food. I can live so cheaply here, especially since my employer pays for my apartment.” Tania grinned mischievously at him.

  “I am pleased I can help.” Sanur gave a slow smile that made Tania’s stomach jump.

  “I love the fresh fruit and vegetables here and bring them to the orphanage when I can. I teach kids how to speak, read, and write English without having to worry about a paycheck, absent co-teachers, or anyone telling me how they should be taught.”

  Sanur smiled gently at her. “I wondered where you were going in such a rush on Tuesday and Thursday nights.”

  “Now you know. Plus, I won't lie to you. I have other marketing clients. I've got to get those school loans paid off as quickly as possible. The interest is a killer.”

  Sanur raised his eyebrows. “I know American colleges are extremely expensive, and that most students take out loans to go.” He finished off his rice. “If I may ask a deeply personal question, how much are you in debt?” He knew, of course; his investigator Supayalat had done an extensive background check on her when Sanur had received Tania’s work application and resume. He knew when he met her that Tania was the person he wanted to work for him. She was obviously intelligent, a hard worker, and an expat, not a nomad moving from place to place on a whim. Her ways of thinking and her generosity had stunned him. Sanur did not want his employee going anywhere.

  “I had some scholarships and grants, but they didn't cover that much. I'm in the economic hole for close to twelve thousand American dollars. That’s after paying off thirty-eight percent before I got to you.”

  “Impressive turnaround,” said Sanur. “I have a business proposition for you. The interest is killing you, correct?”

  “Yes, it is.” Tania ducked her head. She hated her debt with a passion.

  “Why don't I give them a call?” Tania raised her eyebrows in shock. “I can see exactly how much it will take to buy out your loan. Then, I can charge you five percent interest, which is probably a much lower rate than what you are currently paying.”

  Tania, stunned, fought to pick her jaw up
off the table. “Why would you do that?”

  “Very simple. I don't want to prevent you from having other clients. But it is in my self-interest to make sure you don't have to chase clients so hard that your work suffers.”

  Tania narrowed her eyes at him. “I promise you, my work for you will never be compromised by my work for anyone else.”

  Sanur shrugged elegantly. “I know. But why take the risk? It's a simple business decision. I get an employee that wants very much for my business to grow, so that she may get a pay raise, so that she may pay me off faster. Win-win-win for everyone.”

  Tania narrowed her eyes at him again. “You really have that much money to throw around?”

  “I have investments all over the world. And not all in tourism, which goes up and down depending on seasons. Although I do own some property here.”

  “Airbnb strikes again.”

  Sanur laughed. “Of course. I have old money, family money, invested all over the region in a variety of currencies. I move money around to take advantage of interest rates and currency exchanges. I'm a businessman, pure and simple. I can't say every dollar, baht, or yen of my family money was completely clean in the distant past, but I can say that I run legitimate businesses. I really don't want to go to a Thai prison.”

  “Does anyone?” They both laughed. Tania sighed. “I agree. Thank you for your generosity.” She wanted to do a happy dance but refrained. How many investments, how much family money did this guy have? I think I’d better settle for “really rich” and leave it at that, she thought to herself. Some of the other students at school had money, family money. But this seemed way off the scale from what she’d seen before.

  Sanur waved a hand. “I already established that it is in my best interests.” He grinned. “Text or email me the information tomorrow, and it will get done. I give you my word.” Tania inclined her head, and he did the same back. They grinned at each other, then finished their meal.