Pim left the hospital with a rage she had never experienced before. Her hands were squeezed into fists her jaw tense, Seeing Arthur so weak, so broken—it kindled something in her, something strong and merciless.
She had wanted to confront Tyler for a long time, but there had never been strong proof, until now.
Pim grabbed out her phone and dialed Mia.
Mia picked up after a few rings, her voice calm as always "Pim?
"We need to talk. Now"
Mia picked up on the urgency immediately "Where?
"Meet me at Siam Paragon. We're confronting Tyler."
There was a gap before Mia spoke again. "I'll be there in twenty minutes."
Pim finished the conversation and slipped her phone back into her pocket. She had no patience for waiting.
Mia arrived exactly on time. She spotted Pim standing near one of the cafes, arms crossed, and her expression furious.
Mia knew this was serious. Pim rarely lost her composure, but tonight, she was enraged.
"Am here" Mia exclaimed, as she arrived.
Mia didn't need to ask. "Tyler." Right?
Pim nodded. "I'm done waiting. I'm done hoping he'll slip up. We're pressuring his hand tonight."
Mia didn't hesitate. "I'm with you."
Pim finally looked at her. "We need to be smart about this. Tyler is good at twisting things."
Mia smirked. "Then we'll make sure there's nothing to twist."
Pim's lips twisted into a similar smile.
"Let's go."
Meanwhile,
Tyler was at a rooftop bar, drinking an expensive cocktail while he scrolled through his phone. The city lights twinkled in the backdrop, but he barely saw them. His attention was elsewhere—on Arthur, on Nick, on the mayhem he had unleashed.
For weeks, he had been telling himself he had done the right thing. That Arthur earned it. That he wasn't the villain.
But deep down, the guilt was there, nagging at him.
He was going to take another sip when he heard a voice.
"Enjoying? Hmmm
He looked up and nearly choked.
Pim and Mia stood before him, their gazes keen as knives.
Tyler's heart hammered, but he forced a smirk. "Ladies What a surprise."
Mia sat across from him, crossing her legs. "We need to talk."
Tyler lifted an eyebrow "About what?
Pim didn't sit. She placed her hands on the table and leaned in. "Arthur."
Tyler's sneer faltered for a single second, but he recovered. "What about him?
"He's in the hospital," Pim replied bluntly.
Tyler's stomach sank. "What?
"Collapsed in class" Mia added "Exhaustion, Dehydration, Guess why?
Tyler's fingers curled around his glass. He looked away, and he was in shock. Am I the reason? "He asked
Pim's eyes blazed. "Yes, you are."
Tyler scoffed. "You have no proof I did anything."
Mia brought out her phone and tapped the screen.
A voice played—his voice.
"Arthur won't know what hit him."
"Nick will think he cheated. It's perfect."
Tyler's face became white.
He knew exactly where the recording had come from; someone who had turned against him "Tee"
His mouth went dry.
"We know everything, Tyler," Pim added. "Every little lie, every setup, every manipulation."
Mia placed the phone on the table and leaned back. "You can deny it, but this recording? That's all we need." And for your information, Tee is my cousin. I bet you didn't know that before using him for your scheme.
Tyler stared at the phone, his heart thumping.
He may still try to argue his way out of it. He could still fight.
But something inside him cracked.
Maybe it was the weight of his lies, Maybe it was the gleam in their eyes.
Or maybe it was the mere truth that Arthur was in a hospital bed, suffering.
His chest constricted.
He had wanted Arthur to hurt.
But not like this.
Not like this.
He swallowed hard and looked up at them.
"I never wanted it to go this far," he said. His voice was tiny, broken. "I just… I was jealous."
Pim narrowed her gaze "Jealous of what?
Tyler let out a sour laugh "of Nick, of what he had with Arthur, how perfect he always seemed. I wanted…" He exhaled. "I wanted Nick to lose, for once. And I wanted Arthur to see me. I like Arthur but never seem to look my way"
Mia's look was inscrutable. "You like Arthur."
Tyler nodded, shame sweeping over him. "I always have."
Pim's fingers tightened into fists. "So you destroyed him instead?
Tyler looked down. "I thought if Nick was gone, Arthur would—" He stopped, shaking his head. "It was stupid and selfish of you to think that way Tyler"
Mia studied him. "Do you regret it?
Tyler swallowed past the lump in his throat. "I do." The moment I saw Arthur broke, I regretted every bit of it. I wanted to, come clean but I was scared.
Pim's voice was ice. "Then fix it."
Tyler stared up at her, perplexed.
Mia leaned forward. "Arthur is in the hospital because of you. If you really regret it, go to him. Tell him the truth. Apologize."
Tyler felt like he couldn't breathe.
Face Arthur? After everything?
But then he thought about Arthur, pallid and frail in his hospital bed.
He thought of the way he had broken Arthur's world apart.
And he knew they were right.
With a trembling breath, he stood up.
"I'll go."
Mia and Pim exchanged a glance, and then nodded.
They watched as Tyler went away, shoulders hunched, the weight of his misdeeds crushing down on him.
"Do you think he'll actually do it?" Mia asked.
Pim sighed. "I don't know."
But for the first time, she saw something in Tyler's eyes that she had never seen before.
And maybe, just maybe, that was enough.