"Aunt, he is Nai's~"

"He is my boyfriend!" Nai quickly cut off Jui from answering his parents. "My boyfriend!" He promptly grabbed Zo's hand, gulping nervously. "Mom, Dad, Uncle, Aunt, this is my boyfriend, Zo."

He could hear his heart beating so loudly. This was the first time he was lying to his parents, and he was really anxious. His parents had always been strict and if they got to know that he lied, it would be the end of him.

Jui nudged Zo from behind.

Zo snapped out of the daze and quickly waied at the two middle-aged couple. "Swadee Khrab. My name is Zo Patha, Khrab."

The couple waied back and nodded. 

Zo could see that Nai's parents were sizing him up, and so were Aum's parents. It was nothing like the way Jui sized him up. The looks were not very friendly. He was so tense. He could feel Nai's nails digging into his flesh, indicating the latter's anger. 

"He is twenty-nine. Works for his family's company. His dad works in the same company and his mom is a homemaker. Has a younger brother named Ko." Nai added, anticipating the questions his parents might ask.

"Why didn't you tell us that your boyfriend would be joining us?" Mike asked his son.

"It was a last-minute plan, Dad," Nai answered.

"Still, you should have given us a heads-up so that we could prepare ourselves," Jib scolded her son.

"Prepared for what, Mom?" Nai frowned in irritation.

"To meet him, of course. This just feels like we are not taking him seriously. It's almost as if we are not welcoming him into our family." Jib complained.

"Mom, he is just here for the party. Nothing else," Nai said in a serious tone. He did not like the direction in which the conversation was heading.

"I was just saying that this was not how things were done in the past," Jib pouted and mumbled in a low voice.

Her voice was low, but Nai still heard what she said. His expression changed instantly. It was indeed not how things were done in the past.

Even though his parents were comparatively stricter in nature, they have never been homophobic. Hence when he had his first relationship, he brought his then-boyfriend over.

Back then he had been so enthusiastic making arrangements for the meeting, wanting both sides to have a good impression of each other. He had notified his family of his boyfriend's arrival almost three weeks before the said day so they could be mentally well prepared to meet him.

Thinking back, Nai felt that he was too naive then. That person had thrown him away without any hesitation and shattered him. He was so stupid to think he had a future with that person.

Dona sensed the shift in Nai's mood. "Who is the gentleman behind you, darling?" She quickly changed the topic. She was aware of the fact that Nai and his ex-boyfriend hadn't ended things on a good note. Bringing him up, that too in front of Zo, was certainly not a good idea.

"Swadee Khrab," Sailom swiftly waied, feeling glad that he was no longer treated as an extra in the scene. "My name is Sailom, Khrab. I am Aum's~"

"Aum's boyfriend?" Dona asked excitedly.

"Mom," Aum was so done by his mother. "He is my apprentice."

"Your apprentice?"

"Khrab. He learns flower arrangement from me," Aum gave his mother a warning look.

Dona sighed in disappointment. She was hoping that Sailom was dating her son.

"Actually, Aunt Dona, P' Sailom has been hitting on Aum for a while now. But Aum likes to act like he doesn't understand anything." Jui ratted out his best friend without missing a beat.

A huge smile appeared on Dona's face as she turned to look at Sailom. "Really?"

"Khrab," Sailom smiled awkwardly.

Dona was on cloud nine hearing that the handsome guy in front of her was interested in her son. She hurriedly went over to him with her husband. She was very curious about her could-be son-in-law.

Jib and Mike were no better. They had dragged Zo with them.

Both Nai and Aum were staring at Jui, the mastermind behind all the trouble they were in currently. 

Jui felt a chill running down his spine as he felt their gazes. "Wow, today's decor is so beautiful." He commented looking at everywhere other than his two best friends, who were ready to throw hands on him. He escaped the area, acting as if he was the most innocent being on earth.

 Both of them gave up and retired to decorating the place. They were sure that they wouldn't be able to get anywhere near Zo or Sailom till their parents were done with them.

Almost an hour had passed before Nai finally got an opportunity to get Zo alone. He grabbed Zo by his wrist and dragged him to an empty corner, away from plain sight.

"Nai, let go. It hurts," Zo whined.

Nai slammed him against the wall. Rage was evident in his eyes. "How long have you been in cahoots with them?"

"With whom?" Zo massaged his bruised wrist.

"Jui and Aum. How long have you been in contact with them?"

"Would you believe me if I said that I met them for the first time today?"

"Then, are you saying that Sailom showing up at Aum's shop to learn floral arrangement and he being invited here is a coincidence?"

"It is a coincidence, Nai. I didn't even know that the guy he was hitting on was your friend," Zo had only seen him with Jui. He never spotted Aum with his husband.

"You expect me to believe that? After you showed up here like this? Do you take me for a fool, Young Master Zo?"

"I am telling the truth, Nai." Zo tried to calm his husband down. 

"So, you are saying that you came here without knowing that it was a party organized by me and my family?"

Zo avoided Nai's angry gaze. "I knew it was your party," He muttered. "I just wanted to get to know your family." He said defensively.

"Why on earth do you want to do that? Didn't I tell you that I don't want you to meet my family? Wasn't I clear enough?"

"Why can't I meet them?" Zo felt that his husband was being unreasonable. "I am your husband, Nai. Not your mortal enemy that you are treating me like this."

"Husband?" Nai sneered. "You are my husband for only ten more months. Are that~"

"Nothing is going to happen after that, Nai! Nothing! I am not going to divorce you, Nai. I have not signed that stupid agreement that you brought the other day, nor do I plan to. You can do whatever you want to make me sign it. Go to media, drag me and my family name through mud. But you know I have the means to make sure that none of it affects us, right?"

Nai knew, with Zo's wealth, status, and influence it would be a piece of cake for him to suppress any move he could possibly make.

"I want this marriage to work, Nai. I am going to make it work. We are going to make it work. Whether you like it or not. Deal with it." Zo had never used such a tone on his husband. But he was too pissed at how Nai kept safeguarding against him like this.