?????? & ?????

The hospital corridors reeked of sterilizers and exhaustion.
Nani dragged his feet down the hallway, his body aching from the two emergency surgeries he'd pulled off back-to-back — and a third case still pending.

All he wanted now was simple.
Home. Bed. Sleep.

As he pushed the heavy doors open, he noticed them — the suited guards waiting for him outside the hospital like shadows stitched to the night.
Nani let out a tired breath and climbed into the car without a word.

The drive was silent.
Oppressively so.

He barely noticed when they pulled up outside the grand house — the house he now shared with his so-called husband.

His hand twisted the doorknob quietly, but the moment he stepped inside —
the tension in the air hit him like a brick wall.

Sky was sitting there, black suit, tie loosened, elbows on his knees, hands clasped together — seething.

Nani blinked, confused. "Sky? What's wrong?"

The mafia boss slowly lifted his head, and when his furious eyes met Nani’s, it was like lighting a match in a room full of gasoline.

"What's wrong?" Sky snapped, standing up so fast the chair skidded behind him. "You went to the damn model walk event after I told you not to!"

Nani flinched but set his bag down calmly. "It was for charity," he muttered.

Sky scoffed darkly. "Charity my ass. You gave your number to some random at the event, didn't you?"

Nani stiffened. "It was professional! For a medical conference invite!"

"Don't play dumb with me, Nani!" Sky roared, voice echoing in the hall.

The guards standing outside exchanged nervous glances.
They had seen their boss furious before, but this —
this was different.

Nani’s chest heaved, anger bubbling inside him. "You don’t get to control my life, Sky!"

Sky stepped closer, towering over him. "You're my husband!"

And that was the final spark.

Nani's voice cracked the air like thunder:
"THIS IS JUST A CONTRACT MARRIAGE FOR ONE YEAR, SKY!" he screamed, "After that, everything is over! You don't get to own me, rule me, or tell me what to do!"

Silence.

The guards outside stiffened.
Nani Hirunkit had just screamed at Vixin.

Nani, fuming, spun on his heel and stomped upstairs, muttering insults under his breath. "Idiot... controlling psycho... dictator wannabe..." he grumbled, slamming his bedroom door so hard the walls shook.

Downstairs, Sky stood frozen, staring at the stairs.

All he had wanted was to protect Nani...
And now, he had pushed him farther away.

Sky raked a hand through his hair, breathing heavily.
He wanted to chase after him —
wanted to pin him against the wall and make him understand —
But he knew it would only break Nani even more.

So Sky growled lowly, clenching his fists, and turned away.

Hours passed.

Night swallowed the mansion whole.

Sky, unable to sleep, stayed locked in his study with a drink in hand.
Nani's words still burned in his ears.

Suddenly —
Bang! Bang!

Urgent knocking at Nani’s bedroom door.

No response.

One of Sky’s most trusted guards, sensing something wrong, carefully pushed the door open.

His heart dropped.

Inside, Nani was curled on the bed, his skin deathly pale, his face wet with tears, twitching as if fighting invisible demons in his dreams.

"Doc.., oh shit..." the guard muttered and instantly dialed Sky.

"What's wrong?" Sky barked the moment he answered.

"It's Nani. He's crying in his sleep, boss. He looks... bad."

Sky didn't even reply —
He sprinted out of the room faster than a bullet, faster than a train, bolting up the stairs with wild panic clawing at his chest.

When he saw Nani —
Broken. Pale. Crying —
Sky’s world shattered.

He rushed to the bed, pulling Nani into his arms without hesitation.

"Shh, shh... I'm here, baby. I'm here," Sky whispered, cradling him.

But Nani mumbled in his sleep, his voice a broken whimper:
"Hate you... hate Sky... hate him..."

Every word stabbed into Sky like a knife.

Sky looked at the guard, his jaw tight. "Get out."

The guard left immediately, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Sky stayed, tightening his grip on Nani's trembling form.

Even if he hated him, even if he despised him —
Sky would still hold him through his nightmares.

Hours later, when Nani’s breathing finally evened out, Sky carefully tucked him under the covers.

Before leaving, he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on Nani’s damp forehead.
His heart ached like never before.

Outside the room, Sky leaned heavily against the wall.
He pulled out his phone again and dialed Perth.

"Bro?" Perth answered immediately.

"I figured it out," Sky said, voice low and lethal. "The kidnapping cases... Nani’s and Santa’s. They're linked."

Perth cursed under his breath. "Who's the puppet master?"

"I don't know yet," Sky admitted, rage simmering under his skin. "But whoever it is... he’s not showing his face yet. He's hiding. Watching."

"And when we find him," Perth said grimly, "we tear him apart."

Sky’s lips curled into a cold, deadly smirk. "Piece by piece."

He ended the call and shoved his phone into his pocket.

The night air was thick. Suffocating.

Sky vowed right then:
He would destroy anyone who tried to touch Nani again.

Even if it meant painting the entire world red.

Meanwhile... Somewhere Else

A luxury office bathed in dim golden light.

Two men lounged around a grand desk, the air thick with smoke and sin.

"Doctor Nani..." one of them said lazily, "he’s even prettier in real life."

The other man laughed, sharp and mocking. "Vixin will burn you alive."

"I’m not scared of him," the first man sneered.

The second man leaned forward, voice turning cruel:
"Last time someone touched his little husband... Vixin cut off both of Diargo's hands."
"He made him scream like a pig before letting him die."

A dark chuckle slipped into the room.

"At least," the first man whispered wickedly, "I might get a taste of his little husband before he finds me."

The lamp flickered — once, twice —
before plunging the room into heavy, plotting darkness.

And across the city,
the real storm had only just begun.