"What happened, Arhit?" Kiet asked, his voice tight with concern.

Arhit took a deep breath before answering. "There was a call from the hospital, sir. They said she was hit by a car."

Kiet's brows furrowed in confusion. "A car? How? Wasn't she supposed to be at her school?"

Arhit shook his head, his expression equally puzzled. "We don't know, sir. That's all the information they gave us. It seems she left school."

Kiet clenched his fists, his worry deepening. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath, his thoughts a whirlwind of fear and frustration. He stared out the window, the city lights blurring past, as his mind raced with questions and concerns about Thanaya's condition.

"Have you contacted the school?" Kiet asked, turning back to Arhit.

"Not yet, sir. My priority was getting to you and heading straight to the hospital," Arhit replied.

Kiet nodded, appreciating Arhit's focus. "Once we get there and see her, I want you to find out how she left the school."

"Yes, sir," Arhit affirmed.

The rest of the ride was consumed by a heavy silence, each passing moment heightening Kiet's anxiety.

City Hospital,

Kiet and Arhit entered the hospital with purposeful strides, their anxiety masked by their determined expressions. Arhit approached the reception desk. 

"We are here for Thanaya Rattanakorn," he said.

"Are you the guardian?" the receptionist inquired.

Arhit nodded. "Yes."

"Please, come with me." A nurse led them through the maze of corridors to the emergency room, where Thanaya was now resting in a normal ward. Her small legs and hand were in plaster, and Kiet's heart clenched at the sight. A lady, who had evidently brought Thanaya to the hospital, was sitting beside her bed.

Kiet stood by Thanaya's side, his face a mask of cold composure. Inside, however, his heart broke at the sight of his injured eight-year-old daughter. The lady stood up as they entered, looking uncertainly between Kiet and Arhit.

"Are you this girl's father?" she asked, directing her question to Arhit.

Arhit shook his head and pointed to Kiet. "No, he is the father."

The lady nodded in understanding. Kiet, his voice cool and controlled, asked, "What happened? How did she end up here?"

The lady stepped forward, guilt etched on her face. "I was driving, and suddenly she ran in front of my car. I couldn't stop in time and hit her. I'm so, so sorry. Please forgive me."

Kiet's expression tightened as he processed her words. "She was running?" he asked, puzzled.

The lady hesitated. "Yes, she was running, like she was trying to escape from something or someone."

Kiet exchanged a meaningful look with Arhit, questions swirling in his mind.

"Please come with me," Arhit said, his tone firm but polite. "I will drop you home."

As he led the lady towards the exit, he paused and turned to her. "Thank you for bringing her to the hospital in time."

The lady managed a small smile, clearly relieved by Kiet's composed demeanor, and left with Arhit. Kiet walked closer to Thanaya. Her small body was covered in plaster casts, looking fragile and vulnerable. His face remained an impassive mask, revealing none of the turmoil roiling within him, but his eyes softened as he took in the sight of his injured child.

He reached out, gently patting her head, his touch tender despite the cold expression he maintained. The room was quiet; the steady beep of the heart monitor was the only sound breaking the silence.

Kiet looked around the hospital room, his eyes landing on a nearby nurse. With a cold, menacing look, he commanded, "You, call the doctor immediately."

The nurse nodded quickly and hurried out. Kiet continued to stand beside Thanaya, his hand lightly resting on her head. Moments later, the doctor arrived, his face a mix of professionalism and concern.

"Is something wrong, sir?" the doctor asked.

"Shift my daughter to the VIP ward," Kiet said firmly. "I cannot let her stay here."

The doctor nodded, immediately setting the process in motion. Within minutes, Thanaya was moved to a spacious and private VIP room. Kiet followed closely, his eyes never leaving his daughter. Once she was settled, the doctor turned to Kiet to provide an update.

"She is safe now," the doctor said. "Because she was brought in time, we could save her. She needs complete rest, and it's crucial she receives healthy foods to aid her recovery."

Kiet nodded, his face still stoic. "When will she wake up?"

"She's sleeping because of the injection. Once it wears off, she will wake up," the doctor explained.

"Thank you," Kiet said curtly, dismissing the doctor with a nod.

Alone with his daughter again, Kiet sat down beside her bed. He looked at her small, plastered limbs, a pang of pain piercing his heart. His face remained composed, but his actions spoke of his deep care and love. 

Gently, he took her hand, his thumb brushing lightly over her fingers. "Thanaya, why are you here?" he whispered, his voice filled with a rare vulnerability. "Why did this have to happen to you?"

He paused, his eyes scanning her peaceful face, as if hoping she would open her eyes and respond. The sight of her like this was almost unbearable, and he felt a deep ache in his chest.

"I cannot see any more of my family landing in the hospital," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "It breaks me every time."

Then suddenly, Kiet's eyes turned cold and menacing as he stared at his unconscious daughter. The room's soft lighting cast shadows across his face, highlighting the dangerous intensity in his gaze. Just then, the door opened, and Arhit walked inside, his expression tense but composed.

"Arhit," Kiet called, his voice low and commanding.

"Yes, sir," Arhit replied, standing at attention.

Kiet's stare bore into him; the air in the room was thick with a palpable sense of threat. "Find out what happened at the school," Kiet ordered, his voice icy. "I want every little detail about how my daughter ended up running in the streets and landing in the hospital. I want every answer."

Arhit nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Yes, sir. I will get to the bottom of it."

Kiet's eyes narrowed further, his expression hardening. "If they don't have the answers, destroy the school. I don't care what it takes. No one endangers my daughter and gets away with it."

Arhit swallowed, his own apprehension evident but masked by his professionalism. "Understood, sir. I will make sure we get the information we need."

Kiet's gaze didn't waver, a silent promise of retribution for anyone who had failed to protect Thanaya. He turned back to his daughter, the menacing aura still surrounding him, but his hand gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, a stark contrast to the cold fury simmering just beneath the surface.

"Go," Kiet commanded, not looking away from Thanaya.

Arhit nodded and left the room, the weight of Kiet's orders heavy on his shoulders. Kiet remained by his daughter's side, his expression a dangerous mix of love and wrath, ready to unleash his full fury on anyone who dared harm his family.

As Arhit walked out of the room, he couldn't help but mumble under his breath, "Looks like someone is going to have a horrible death."

                                                                                               ***

Rattanakorn Mansion,

Milo lay under the blanket, his body trembling with fear. The events of the night played over and over in his mind, each memory more terrifying than the last. Kiet's cold, menacing words echoed in his head: "This is the price you pay for your parents' wrongdoings. You have to face it."

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the images of Kiet's brutal actions. Milo's heart raced, and he whispered to himself, "If I run away, will everything be solved?"

But almost immediately, he shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "No, no. My family and friends will be in danger."

"What if I run away with them?" but the thought seemed impossible. Kiet's face, drenched in blood and filled with cold fury, flashed before him. 

Milo mumbled, "He's a demon. He will definitely find me."

Despair washed over him as he lay there, feeling trapped and hopeless. "Should I really have to accept the situation I'm in?" he asked himself, his voice barely audible.

The weight of his circumstances pressed down on him, making it hard to breathe. 

                                                                                             ***

Hospital, Next Day,

The next day dawned with a faint light filtering through the hospital room window. Thanaya stirred in her bed, groaning softly from the discomfort in her plastered limbs. She shifted slightly and looked around the room, her eyes settling on Kiet, who was asleep and sitting on a sofa nearby.