Chapter 2: Lin Treephat

Treephat Akarawongwatana, or Lin, is the youngest daughter of the Akarawongwatana family and the third-generation heir to Akara Group, Thailand’s largest jewelry empire. Her renown extends far beyond her prestigious lineage, earned instead through her exceptional abilities and confident demeanor.

Despite her youth, Treephat has gained the trust of her family to take the lead as the head of marketing for their business. With sharp acumen and a visionary approach, she has delivered remarkable results, earning widespread recognition as a rising star in the business world.

Outside of her professional life, Treephat has a deep passion for art. She spends her free time painting watercolor landscapes and designing jewelry—hobbies that not only reflect her artistic sensibilities but also inspire innovative ideas for her work.

With her impressive profile—marked by talent, beauty, and a magnetic personality—Treephat has become a coveted figure within the business circle. Many seek to build connections with her family through her, especially young entrepreneurs from prominent families who see her as both a rival and a prize.

Yet, despite the attention and admiration surrounding her, Treephat has never truly opened her heart to anyone. It’s as though something unseen binds her spirit, holding her back from forging deeper connections.

Perhaps it’s the presence of her—the mysterious woman who haunts her dreams. La-Orduen, the enigmatic figure who lingers in her subconscious, might just be the tether keeping Treephat’s heart bound in ways even she cannot fully comprehend.

.

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"Let me summarize this meeting," Lin Treephat said as she stood up, her voice firm and resolute, carrying a sense of determination.

"I’d like the marketing team to revise the strategy and present a new plan in two days. Additionally, for the profit growth KPI, I’m adjusting the target from 10% to 30% compared to the previous quarter, aligning with the CEO’s vision."

All eyes in the meeting room were fixed on her. Though her expression remained calm and composed, the sharpness in her gaze and the decisiveness in her tone created an undeniable pressure on everyone present. A few people exhaled softly, startled by the unexpectedly ambitious target, but no one dared to challenge her.

"That’s all for today’s meeting. Thank you, everyone," Treephat concluded, her eyes scanning the room one last time before she turned and walked out.

As she stepped through the meeting room door, her phone rang. She paused mid-step, glancing at the screen to see a familiar number. Without hesitation, she answered the call.

“Nicha, I was just about to call you,” Lin said, her tone softening slightly.

“Lin, are you still at the office? I’m at the gallery now but just stepped out to grab some coffee,” came the cheerful voice of Nicha, her closest friend since high school. Nicha, a talented interior designer, was the one Treephat trusted to oversee the setup of her new art gallery.

“I just finished a meeting. I’ll head over right away,” Treephat replied.

“Everything at the gallery is coming along fine. Once this part is finalized, you can start planning the showcase for the grand opening. But I really think you should come and see the overall setup yourself before we move forward,” Nicha said matter-of-factly.

“Okay, thanks. I’ll leave it in your hands for now,” Treephat said, her voice betraying a hint of weariness. She exhaled lightly, as if deliberating, before speaking again, this time almost in a whisper.

“Nicha… Last night, I dreamt of her again. The woman from my dreams…”

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before Nicha’s voice returned, now tinged with concern.

“Was it the same dream? Are you okay?”

Treephat raised a hand to her forehead, her brows furrowing deeply. The uneasy feeling that had lingered since she woke up still clung to her, refusing to fade.

“No… I’m not okay. It felt so real, Nicha. So real that I don’t think it was just a dream. It was like I was actually there, living through it. What should I do? I don’t want to keep having these dreams over and over again…”

…

The roar of a Porsche engine echoed through the parking lot of the art gallery. Treephat parked her car and headed straight for the office, where she found Nicha, her best friend, lounging comfortably on a cream leather sofa. After inspecting the progress of the gallery’s interior design, the two sat down for a conversation.

“In the dream this time, she grabbed my neck… and screamed that I betrayed her,” Treephat said evenly, though her eyes betrayed a deep frustration simmering beneath the surface.

Nicha frowned deeply. “The ghost… La-Orduen, right?”

“Yes,” Treephat nodded slightly. “I don’t understand what she wants from me.”

“Have you tried making merit again? I just saw a post on social media about a temple in Ayutthaya. They say it’s incredibly sacred.”

Treephat let out a long sigh. “You know how many temples I’ve been to already, how many times I’ve chanted the prayer to break curses? La-Orduen… she still haunts my dreams every single night.”

“Maybe what you’ve done isn’t enough,” Nicha said thoughtfully. “Have you tried burning 16 incense sticks outdoors and reciting the forgiveness prayer like that psychic suggested?”

“I’ve done that too, but it didn’t help,” Treephat replied, her voice laced with exhaustion. “Do you know I even consulted a therapist? They said I might be stressed, overworked, not getting enough sleep, and that my dreams are just my mind processing things like movies I’ve watched.”

Nicha nodded slightly as she listened. “That could be true, but come on, dreaming about the same woman over and over for years? That doesn’t sound normal. Look, how about this? Let’s go to that temple in Ayutthaya. We can go tomorrow—I’m free.”

“Again, Nicha? If P’Lee finds out you’re dragging me off to another temple, we’ll both get an earful,” Treephat said, mentioning her older sister, Yanin Akarawongwatana or Lee, the CEO of Akara Group. Yanin always had something to say whenever she found out Treephat was joining Nicha for yet another temple visit.

Nicha laughed. “Oh, your sister? The one who says she doesn’t believe in this stuff, but hired a feng shui master to redo her office layout and tore apart my entire design plan? Doesn’t believe in ghosts, but totally trusts geomancy. That’s P’Lee for you.”

Nicha’s words finally coaxed a laugh from Treephat.

“Laugh all you want, but are we going or not?” Nicha pressed.

“Okay, okay, I’ll go,” Treephat said, smiling.

“Great! And don’t overdress this time, okay? We’re going to a temple to pray, not a fashion show,” Nicha teased, earning another round of laughter from both of them.

…

The sleek Porsche glided smoothly along the highway, heading from Bangkok to Ayutthaya. Treephat gripped the steering wheel firmly, her eyes fixed on the road ahead, while Nicha, seated beside her, scrolled idly through her social media feed.

Suddenly, a black dog darted out of the roadside bushes and crossed in front of the car without warning. Treephat slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching loudly against the asphalt.

“Ahh!” Nicha shrieked in panic.

The car came to a halt just inches away from the dog. Treephat’s face turned pale as she caught her breath. In that split second, the corner of her eye caught a reflection in the rearview mirror—a charred black figure of a woman with long hair standing ominously behind the car.

Treephat quickly turned to look, but all she saw was emptiness.

“Why’d you hit the brakes so hard?” Nicha complained, still rattled. “You scared the life out of me!”

“A dog ran in front of the car,” Treephat replied, her voice unsteady.

Nicha leaned forward, peering at the road ahead. “A dog? What dog? I don’t see any dog.”

She looked around, left and right, but saw nothing.

Treephat’s face grew even paler. She scanned her surroundings, but the dog was nowhere to be seen. Silence hung between them for a moment before Treephat restarted the car and resumed driving. She chose not to mention what she had seen, fearing it would frighten Nicha even more.

Unbeknownst to Treephat, as her car pulled away, the charred black figure of the long-haired woman stood by the roadside, her gaze fixed on the departing vehicle. Her eyes burned with a seething, unrelenting vengeance.

…

Finally, they reached their destination.

Treephat parked her car in the temple’s lot, stepped out of the sleek vehicle, and donned a pair of oversized sunglasses. The eyes of passersby turned toward her, drawn by her poised demeanor and striking presence.

Suddenly, Nicha’s phone chimed with a notification. She quickly pulled it out, read the message, and turned to Treephat.

“Lin, I need to hop on an online meeting with my team real quick. Something urgent just came up. You go ahead and pay your respects in the main hall—I’ll catch up with you later,” Nicha said before hurrying off to find a quiet spot to join her call.

Treephat nodded in understanding, her gaze beginning to wander over her surroundings.

She walked slowly, her eyes locking onto an ancient chedi wrapped in the gnarled roots of a massive Bodhi tree. The weathered structure exuded a sense of timeless power. Something about the sight sent a peculiar sensation through her chest, a strange feeling of déjà vu. It was as though she had seen this exact scene before.

The inexplicable familiarity rooted her to the spot. She stood motionless for a long moment, staring at the ancient chedi as though searching for answers buried deep in its history.

When she finally gathered herself, Treephat gave her head a gentle shake, brushing away her wandering thoughts, and made her way toward the main hall.

.

.

Inside the hall, a large, intricately carved green stone Buddha sat majestically on a high pedestal at the center of the room. Treephat knelt and bowed deeply, her heart steadying as peace washed over her.

As she lifted her head and glanced to the side, her breath caught in her throat. Her gaze fell upon a young woman seated humbly on the floor, and the sight of her was so strikingly familiar that Treephat’s heart began to race.

She couldn’t look away.

The woman sat with her hands pressed together in prayer, her eyes closed in silent meditation. Her small, delicate face was framed by long lashes that fanned over her cheeks. Her dark brown hair fell freely over her shoulders, casual yet graceful, adding to her unassuming beauty. Treephat stared, captivated, unable to shake the feeling that this woman was more than a stranger—someone she had seen before, somewhere beyond the boundaries of logic and time.

So familiar...

The overwhelming feeling swelled within Treephat's heart. She stood frozen, staring intently at the young woman until the woman’s eyes fluttered open, revealing a pair of deep brown irises that locked directly with hers.

In that instant, the woman’s face overlapped with the image from Treephat’s dreams. The resemblance was uncanny, as if the two were mirror images. A shiver ran down Treephat’s spine. This woman looked exactly like the one who had haunted her dreams—La-Orduen.

“Is something the matter?”

The woman’s gentle voice broke the silence, her tone polite yet grounding. It jolted Treephat out of her trance.

For a moment, Treephat could only stand there, speechless, grappling to regain her composure and find an answer, even as her mind churned with the chaos of what she had just encountered.

…