Chapter 6: Vengeance

In the hospital room, Treephat lay with her eyes closed, her face pale, and an IV drip attached to the back of her left hand. Suddenly, her body jolted violently, and a piercing scream echoed through the room.

“La-Orchan!” Treephat’s voice rang out, her face drenched in beads of sweat. Her eyes shot open, filled with the terror of a nightmare that seemed too real to bear.

“Khun Lin! Are you okay?” Rinlada reached out, clasping Treephat’s hand tightly, her voice trembling with concern.

Treephat gasped for breath, trying to regain her composure.

“I… I’m fine,” she murmured, though her voice was unsteady. She glanced around the room, taking in the sterile white ceiling and the faint scent of disinfectant. The realization dawned on her—she was in a hospital.

“When we were sitting under the tree at the temple, just as you were about to stand, you fainted,” Rinlada explained quickly. “Now we’re at a hospital in Ayutthaya. Your sister and Khun Nicha are on their way here.”

“What?” Treephat responded, her face showing confusion.

Rinlada offered a faint, apologetic smile before continuing. “I’m sorry. I used your phone without asking and called Khun Nicha.”

Treephat nodded in understanding. “That’s okay. Thank you, Khun Aey, for taking care of me.”

She hesitated before adding, “Could you hand me my phone, please? I want to call Nicha and P’Lee to let them know they don’t need to come to Ayutthaya. I think I’m fine now.”

Rinlada looked at Treephat with a hint of doubt. “Are you sure you’re okay, Khun Lin?”

Treephat nodded again, offering a small smile to reassure her. “I’m really fine. I just don’t want them to go through the trouble of traveling all the way here.”

Though not entirely convinced, Rinlada stood and retrieved the phone from the table beside the bed. Handing it to Treephat, she spoke softly, “If you feel unwell, please let me know, okay?”

Treephat accepted the phone, her eyes meeting Rinlada’s with genuine gratitude.

“Thank you, Khun Aey.”

…

In the hospital parking lot,

Treephat walked ahead of Rinlada toward her car, trying her best to maintain a composed demeanor. Yet, her eyes betrayed the turmoil brewing within her. The images of Phiengwad, La-Ordeuan, and the unfamiliar name La-Orchan swirled relentlessly in her mind, as if the dream refused to be forgotten.

“I’ll drive you home, Khun Aey,” Treephat said, her voice as steady as she could manage.

“Are you sure you’re up for it, Khun Lin? You just got out of the hospital,” Rinlada asked, her tone laced with concern.

Treephat nodded, her expression calm. “I’m fine. The doctor said it was just heat exhaustion,” she replied, though her voice sounded weak and strained.

Rinlada studied her carefully before gently reaching out to take the car keys from Treephat’s hand.

“Then let me drive you instead,” Rinlada offered with a playful smile lighting up her face. “Don’t worry, Khun Lin, I’ve never had an accident.”

She paused for a moment, then added teasingly, “Although… I’ve scraped the curb plenty of times. Your car has first-class insurance, right? At least if I hit something, it’ll be covered.”

The comment caught Treephat off guard, pulling a laugh from her lips despite her pensive thoughts. Rinlada’s bright smile and lighthearted humor seemed to ease the weight on her mind.

“Alright, I’ll leave it to you, Khun Aey,” Treephat said with a smile that finally showed signs of life again.

...

Treephat’s sleek Porsche came to a smooth stop in front of Rinlada’s large house, this time with Rinlada behind the wheel. Treephat gazed at the house with interest. She had been here once before, but she had only seen the gate. Now, she could finally take in the full view of the elegant home.

Turning her attention away from the house, Treephat glanced at Rinlada, who was unbuckling her seatbelt. Rinlada’s sweet face was still marked with concern.

“Are you sure you won’t let me drive you back to Bangkok, Khun Lin?” Rinlada asked again, her voice laced with worry. “I’m afraid you might not make it safely on your own.”

Treephat gave her a faint smile and replied, “It’s okay, Khun Aey. I don’t want to trouble you.”

Despite her reassurances, Treephat’s tired eyes betrayed her exhaustion. Rinlada studied her closely, noticing how much weaker she seemed than before.

When Rinlada didn’t look convinced, Treephat quickly added, “If you drive me to Bangkok, you’d have to come back to Ayutthaya alone. It’s a long distance, and I’d feel bad for putting you through that.” She tried to reason with Rinlada, but her companion’s eyes still reflected unshaken concern.

After a moment of deliberation, Rinlada made up her mind. “In that case… why don’t you stay the night at my house, Khun Lin?”

The unexpected invitation made Treephat freeze for a second.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to impose,” she replied hesitantly.

“I’m sure,” Rinlada said firmly. “If you don’t agree to stay here tonight, I’ll definitely drive you to Bangkok myself. You’ll have to choose, Khun Lin, because there’s no way I’m letting you drive back alone tonight.”

Rinlada’s tone was decisive, and her unwavering determination left Treephat with no room to argue. Letting out a soft sigh, she accepted the inevitable.

“In that case… I’ll take you up on your offer. Thank you, Khun Aey,” Treephat said, giving her a small, grateful smile.

Rinlada returned the smile, relieved that Treephat would stay where she could ensure her safety. The two stepped out of the car together, and Rinlada led Treephat toward her home.

.

.

“Please, Lin, help yourself. Don’t be shy,”

said Nittaya Sattayanuruk, Rinlada’s grandmother, the matriarch of the household, with a warm smile. Her kind eyes and welcoming demeanor radiated genuine hospitality, making any guest feel instantly at home.

The dining table was filled with an array of aromatic traditional dishes. Rinlada took on the role of a gracious host effortlessly, serving Treephat and introducing each dish with an enthusiastic tone.

“This is our special green curry chicken. It’s my grandmother’s signature recipe and incredibly delicious,” she said while ladling a portion of the fragrant curry into Treephat’s bowl.

Treephat accepted it with a polite smile. “Thank you.”

The harmonious blend of flavors in the dish delighted Treephat immediately. Yet, what warmed her heart even more was Rinlada’s thoughtful care. Across the table, Rinlada’s grandmother watched her granddaughter and their guest with fondness, her gaze full of affection. The atmosphere around the table was cozy and inviting, almost like a family gathering.

However, as Nittaya’s eyes drifted to her granddaughter’s bare neck, her smile gradually faded, replaced by a flicker of concern. A thought crossed her mind, one that unsettled her deeply. She vividly remembered the promise Rinlada had made—to always wear the sacred necklace she had given her.

“Aey,” her grandmother spoke, her voice gentle but tinged with worry, “why aren’t you wearing the amulet necklace I gave you today?”

The question made Rinlada freeze, her spoon pausing mid-air. Her delicate hand instinctively moved to touch her neck. “I’m sorry, Grandma. I completely forgot,” she replied softly.

“That amulet necklace is important, my dear. That’s why I told you to always wear it,” said Nittaya, Rinlada’s grandmother, her gentle tone laced with concern.

Rinlada hesitated for a moment before glancing at Treephat. Gathering her courage, she decided to share a secret she had never told anyone before. “Do you remember what I told you today, Lin? About how I almost drowned when I was a child?”

“I remember,” Treephat answered, her expression filled with curiosity.

“That day was... strange,” Rinlada continued, her tone growing more serious. “I was sitting by the pier, playing near the water, and suddenly, it felt like something pulled me under. I tried to resurface, but it happened again, like I was being dragged down.”

She paused briefly, her voice growing somber. “When I told my parents, they said I must have panicked and gotten tangled in some underwater branches. They didn’t think much of it.”

Treephat listened intently, her focus unwavering.

“After that, Grandma gave me the necklace and told me to wear it all the time. Since then, I’ve been terrified of rivers and canals,” Rinlada admitted, forcing a small smile as if to brush off the gravity of her words. “But maybe I just swallowed too much canal water that day and imagined the whole thing,” she added with a light laugh, trying to shift the mood.

But Nittaya didn’t join in the laughter. Instead, her expression turned somber and tense.

“Once you’ve finished eating, you need to go put that amulet necklace back on, Aey,” Nittaya said firmly, her voice leaving no room for argument.

“Yes, Grandma,” Rinlada replied softly, her tone subdued.

.

.

Through the shadows not far from the house, the vengeful spirit of La-Orduen stood silently, her cold eyes fixated on the scene before her. A mocking smile curled on her pale lips, contrasting sharply with the darkness surrounding her.

"Your time has come... La-Orchan," she murmured in a chilling tone, her voice cutting through the stillness like an icy blade.

Her gaze burned with unrelenting hatred, transforming her once-beautiful face into something terrifying. The moment she had been waiting for—her long-awaited reckoning—had finally arrived.

…

After dinner, Rinlada excused herself to take a bath. Immersing herself in the warm water of the tub, her thoughts circled back to the events at the hospital, particularly the moment when Treephat had shouted the name "La-Orchan" upon regaining consciousness.

As the haunting images from her dream resurfaced, Rinlada vividly remembered the two women who bore an uncanny resemblance to her—La-Orchan and La-Orduen—and Phiengwad, the woman whose face mirrored Treephat’s perfectly.

“What is happening…” Rinlada murmured softly, leaning back into the tub. The warm water rose to her chin as she closed her eyes, trying to steady her racing mind. But then—

“La-Orchan!”

A furious voice thundered, shattering the silence.

Rinlada jolted upright, her eyes snapping open. Standing before her was a woman in traditional Thai attire, her face identical to Rinlada’s own, yet deathly pale, contorted with rage, and marred by grotesque wounds.

“Die, you treacherous snake!” La-Orduen’s voice was laced with venom as she lunged forward, her icy hands gripping Rinlada’s head and forcing it underwater.

Rinlada thrashed with all her strength, her muffled screams swallowed by the water.

Memories from her childhood came rushing back—

The day she nearly drowned. Little Rinlada had been sitting by the riverside when she felt an inexplicable force yank her into the water. She flailed desperately, trying to surface, but an invisible grip clung to her ankle. Her tiny hands clawed for anything to hold onto, but there was nothing. Opening her eyes in the murky water, she saw it—a pale hand gripping her ankle and the sinister face of a woman with disheveled hair staring back, her smile mocking.

“Do you remember me, La-Orchan? It was I who dragged you underwater that day!”

La-Orduen’s voice roared, snapping Rinlada back to the present.

She choked on the water, her hands desperately clawing at the edges of the tub to pull herself up. But La-Orduen’s unrelenting strength shoved her under again. Rinlada fought with every ounce of her will, breaking the surface just long enough to gasp for air.

The spirit hovered above her, watching with a grin that stretched unnaturally wide, the corners of her crimson lips tearing all the way to her ears.

Rinlada let out a blood-curdling scream, her voice ringing out with sheer terror.

“AAAAHHHHHH!”

.

.

Treephat, who was about to close her eyes for a brief rest, was startled awake by the sudden sound of Aey's voice. She rushed to the bathroom, the source of the noise, and tried to open the door, only to find it locked from the inside.

"Khun Aey! Khun Aey! What's happening?"Treephat called out urgently, her voice trembling with concern. But no response came from within. Without hesitation, she decided to break down the door.

The scene before her made her freeze in shock.

Rinlada was submerged in the bathtub, struggling, while a woman dressed in traditional Ayutthaya-era Thai attire—who looked identical to Rinlada—was holding her head down in the water. Shackles of seemingly endless chains bound the ghostly woman's wrists and ankles.

It was her—the woman who had always appeared in Treephat’s dreams.

"La-Orduen..." Treephat whispered in disbelief, her knees threatening to give way beneath her.

La-Orduen turned her head toward Treephat the moment she realized she could be seen. Her pale face twisted into an expression of fury, her blood-red eyes glaring menacingly. Then, without warning, the spectral figure dissolved into thin air before Treephat's eyes.

The spell broke. Regaining her composure, Treephat lunged forward and grabbed Rinlada's limp body from the water. Her hands shook as she wrapped a towel around Rinlada’s fragile frame.

"Khun Aey! Are you alright?"

Her voice was filled with panic. Rinlada coughed weakly, sputtering water, but she was conscious. She clung tightly to Treephat, her body trembling uncontrollably.

At that moment, Nittaya, Rinlada’s grandmother, and the housekeeper came rushing in, their faces pale with alarm.

"Aey! What happened, dear?"

Nittaya asked, her voice quivering.

…

......

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