This episode is as captivating as it is telling. The core characters have been introduced and we find out what – if anything – Kemchard has in store for his revenge mission. And we wonder how much more Su can hold up against Mr. Nasty, and it’s only the second episode.
EPISODE 2 RECAP
Su scarfs down her lunch in an attempt to rush back to the office. Earlier she had a scare with her son who was rushed to the emergency room. Luckily it is only a high fever and her parents are able to take him back home. This leaves Su and Eua, who were in a mad dash to the hospital, to reconvene for lunch, since he was meaning to talk to her about his sisters’ proposal.
Eua opens the discussion about his sisters – Aum and Orn- who wishes to change the twin’s shareholdings on the will to a trust fund. They are willing to accommodate any figure. Su wipes her lip and is unwavering – she will never sell her son’s shares because it was their father’s last wish. She flashes back to her late husband who anticipates this very moment where his daughters would want the control over the twin’s shares. Su promises him that she won’t let that happen. The man breathes a deep sigh of relief, it was the last reassurance he was seeking before he could finally go. Eua understands completely and will inform his sisters. Before Su heads back to work, he shows her adorable pictures of her sons who had sent him the photos.
Kemchard discovers his assistant’s desk (where she should be awaiting his beck and call) empty due to her son’s critical condition at the hospital. Yet as he’s meeting up with Kanlong – his friend, girlfriend, or ‘we’re still courting each other’ person- along with her father for lunch, he spies his assistant dining with a man and definitely not at the hospital. They are smiling and leaning into each other. Kanlong wonders why his mind is drifting and Kemchard merely replies that he thought he saw someone he knew, but it turned out that he didn’t know that person at all. So many contexts in one sentence! His eyes follow the two out of the restaurant and it seems to have spurred his next move.
He asks Kanlong’s father for permission to speak about him and Kanlong – which shocked the girl as she’s trying to eat her dessert – but it’s not about their relationship. In a meeting with Weeboon and Somkit, Kemchard announces that he has asked Kanlong to be his Executive Assistant – while his current Executive Assistant looks on with gloom. When referring to his current assistant, he speaks about her in third person, as if she’s not in the room – “either fire her or put her in a different role. The factory is fine too, the farther the better. I dislike working with liars.”
“Liar?” questions Somkit, “what do you mean?”
Kemchard circles his desk while his eyes remain on Su’s, “Why don’t you ask the person you hired? You said she was pitiful, you encouraged me to hire her – why don’t you ask her if her son was really sick?” but he wasn’t really waiting for a response, as he continues, “or was it a handy excuse so she can spend her lunchtime with a man.”
Su turns to Somkit knowing that she couldn’t possibly speak to her boss directly, and tells him that if he’d like to know, she certainly has an answer.
“But your answer may not be the truth,” Kemchard interjects. “Some people lie so much that it becomes a habit.” He finally takes a seat and reiterates that Kanlong would start next week, while they- Somkit and Weeboon- could do whatever they want with his old assistant. However if nobody wants her, they can just fire her ass! Su sits quietly but her eyes speak more than words could ever say.
Meanwhile Kanlong is rankled because her father gave Kemchard his blessings while Kanlong couldn’t utter a word in edgewise. Her father thinks it’s a great opportunity to get to know Kemchard better, she would know more about his work as well as getting to know his personal life. Win-win. But dad, mixing personal and business never ends well, but I digress. Furthermore, Kanlong says she wouldn’t be a good assistant, she doesn’t know how to please people. Her father retorts that it would be a good indication on whether Kemchard can stand her. Ha. More importantly, she can apply her knowledge about textiles and designs to their hotel, either way, it would be beneficial. Kanlong considers it, can’t argue with logic.
Mr. I-want-to-throw-my old-assistant-out-every-minute is thinking about that very person. Seeing her with another man – smiling to boot – makes him grimace. He orders her to his office and watches her stroll in with her chair. Her clever rebuttals are so that – clever! In the earlier episode he forbade her from sitting on the guest chair or the sofa, the option was sitting on the floor or standing on her heels, but Su wheels in a chair from her desk instead, leaving him speechless, as most of her clever rebuttals have done. Su is prepared to take notes, but the question doesn’t have anything to do with work.
“Who was that man you were with? You made an excuse that your son was sick to see him.”
“He’s a family member,” she replies calmly.
He abruptly gets up from his chair, “A family member? Your new husband?” Oh Kem.
Su patiently holds her tongue.
“I’m just asking because I’m worried about the safety of my company. You lied then met with a stranger – you’re widowed with two kids – which one might take pity on – but you can be desperate for money and sell off our company trade secrets! Tell me- who is that man?”
Su suppresses her smile, “Do not be concerned, the person I met with during lunch has nothing to do with work.”
She’s being enigmatic, which pisses him off, “Then what about?!”
“-personal stuff.” Heh. “That cannot be told to another person,” she counters.
“IF the company trade secrets escape to the public, YOU will be the first suspect! Better not get caught, or I’ll mince you.”
Su sits on with a quiet smile until he dismisses her, but he mentions one thing before she leaves, do we want to even the playing field, Khun Kem?
“Kanlong will be stopping by tomorrow, just know that she’s a very important person to me and you must take good care of her. If she’s displeased, you’re fired!” he warns.
But Su merely says, “Roger that,” leaving Kemchard dissatisfied with her reaction. Heh.
Mom is more than happy to learn that her daughter’s devil boss has hired a new assistant. She encourages Su to quit the job and help her with their dessert business. Su surmises that even if she doesn’t quit, she will be fired soon. Dad wonders why the heck she’s waiting around to get fired, she should just quit now.
No one quite knows what’s going on in Su’s mind but she finally gives us an indication:
“I don’t want to be the person who abandons another person again. From now on, if there is a goodbye, I would rather be the party that gets left behind or rejected. I’m going to do my best to please him, if that’s not enough, it will give him solace to be the one who ends things (with me.)”
Her parents are perplexed; they weren’t privy to Su’s college boyfriend. But they know something’s odd about this boss-assistant relationship.
Su sees to her ill son who is as cute as a button. He tells her that the nice doctor gave him a special medicine and he feels all better now, but the process of going to the doctor was not fun. He wonders if she’s tired- but Mae Nu Lek (mom Nu Lek) reassures him that her tiredness goes away the minute she thinks about him and his brother (Gai and Khai – which means chicken and egg). They give her strength to persevere. As she tends to her other son who’s sleeping in her bed, she thinks about her promise to her late husband, that she would care for them until they’re grown. But moreso than a promise to care for them, she clearly adores them. I could watch the mom-sons scenes forever.
A couple of people do not believe that Su adore the kids. They bemoan that Su is after their inheritance, to which Eua states that Su can do whatever she wants with the inheritance – it is in the will that only Su can dictate what happens to Gai-Khai. He’s done what he was asked to do and Eua does not have any power to control what Su has adamantly expressed. Aum on the other hand, vows that she would be the one to control it- no matter how many names Su has (Suriyawadee, Suriyong, Nu-Lek) – Aum will remove them all from their inheritance. Eua is unfazed by his sister’s crazy talk.
Kemchard piles on the sweetness when speaking to Kanlong on the phone, she is on her way to his office for her first day at work. He makes sure that Su overhears just how honey sweet his tone is too. He turns to Su and warns her to give Kanlong a warm welcome otherwise- let me guess, she’s fired?! Haven’t heard that one before.
Just as Su prepares to welcome one lady, another lady rolls in. Wanita (Noey Chotika) whom Kemchard would like to avoid thank you very much. He lectures Su about her gatekeeping role – and that she must learn to distinguish whom she lets in and whom she keeps out. Wanita is one she keeps out.
Su calls Pimmalai (Somkit’s assistant) to pick her brain about Wanita, Kemchard’s guest, since Kemchard expects her to read his mind. Pimmalai immediately fills her in. Wanita is a designer who wants to do business with ThaiKK, she wants to incorporate their fabric at her shop. Besides, Wanita seems like she’s using work as an excuse to get closer to Kemchard, and Kemchard wants no part of it. Su thinks of a plan and asks Malai for her assistance.
Shortly after, Kanlong strolls in looking beautiful and fresh but she spies Wanita. Before she could approach her though, Su distracts her toward Kemchard’s supposed office, avoiding what would be a train wreck.
Since Kemchard has an audience in Su, he demonstrates just how much he misses Kanlong, he tells her that he wishes to change her status as his assistant to his wife. Su looks on with a sad smile.
Pimmalai steers a begrudging Wanita to the vans that are currently taking potential workers to the factory. She threatens to have their heads if Kemchard’s not at the factory, but the assistants aren’t concerned because she bears no weight in the big boss’ opinion. Heh.
Kemchard orders Su to train Kanlong regarding her duties, but Su explains that she too recently started in this role and couldn’t possibly be the trainer. But with one stern look from Kemchard- who dares not behave badly in front of Kanlong- Su immediately shifts and tells him that she’ll do her best to train Kanlong. Kemchard wants her to start working tomorrow, but Kanlong isn’t ready, and methinks Kemchard isn’t all too concerned about the operations of his business because well, he’s had so many bad assistants in the past that he ends up doing the whole work himself. So to him, it probably doesn’t matter. It just makes his day to put pressure on Su.
Kanlong negotiates to be up and running in a month’s time despite Kemchard’s whining, which buys Su a little more time. Not sure if this is a good or bad thing. She still has a job but she has to watch these two lovebirds, especially Kemchard who likes to pile it on real thick! But Su can only smile on as she watches them, no matter the pain, because she truly wants him to be happy.
Oh but Kemchard doesn’t like that she’s happy for him. In fact, he hates it when she smiles; it means that his tactic and ploy isn’t working on her. He immediately doubles back to the office with an excuse that he forgot something- but he’s only returning to question why she’s smiling.
“I’m smiling because you seem happy with Khun Kanlong,” Su replies.
“I don’t buy it,” he retorts.
“You can pretend to be a good person in other people’s eyes, but no need to do that with me. Don’t be fake, it disgusts me. Keep your smiles for somebody else because it won’t work on me! If you want me to be truly happy, it’s simple. In your most devastated state, that’s when I’ll be the happiest.”
He didn’t really mean that, did he? My heart can’t take it. What a meanie.
Su maintains her smile though, because she’s truly happy for him.
Wanita finds herself at the factory but no Kemchard. Instead Somkit is there and offers himself in place of Kemchard. Wanita is not amused as she thinks he’s old enough to be a fertilizer. Heh. She realizes that she’s been played by the assistants.
Kanlong strikes beautiful poses for the new collection of clothing that she’s representing. During the interview, she’s asked what superpowers she wished to have. Unsure at first until she peers over at Kemchard who’s lost in thought over a cup of his black coffee and lemon slice.
She tells the reporter that she wants a superpower that allows her to be in someone’s heart. To possess the ability to see someone’s hidden thoughts, see what they’re seeing and understand the meaning of their words, it would make life so much easier if one fully understands another person. But since there is no such thing, it’s difficult to see what’s hidden in someone’s heart. It makes her evaluate that perhaps the best thing is to be with someone who is straightforward. She smiles lightly and tells the reporter that she hasn’t found someone like that yet.
That someone is wearing a light blue blazer and carrying several balloons. The kids adore him because he’s like a big kid himself. As he’s scratching Gai’s back lightly to put him to sleep, Eua flashes back to the first time he met his brothers.
They were infants when his father introduced the twins to them. Orn wants to think that her father adopted those children, that they weren’t indeed his own flesh and blood. Eua took to the news pretty well, but his two sisters were in disbelief- especially the youngest who was used to being the youngest. She refuses to accept them. Aum (the oldest) told her father that if he kept the other wife a secret from them for 5-6 years now, then he can continue to keep it a secret. She won’t accept those kids either.
Present time, Eua leans down to kiss Gai as Su walks in and witnesses the tender moment.
Kemchard and Kanlong play a game of pickle ball at the gym. While attempting to outscore reach other, Kemchard tells her that her father called him to ask whether he could go with Kanlong to one of his old friend’s daughter’s wedding. He teases her that he’s not available to take her to the wedding so Kanlong plays along, she will bring someone else then. Heh. Kemchard is always available for her. But he then learns that her dad’s good friend is a high level manager for Bank Rattanachart. Upon hearing this, the pickle ball hits him squarely on chest. He didn’t see that coming.
Things aren’t looking so well in Su’s court either. She receives a couple of unfriendly visitors, Aum and Orn. The younger sister tells Su that they had to come unannounced in case she decides to evade them, but as Su explains, she has no reason to run away. Aum gets right to the heart of the matter, she wants to know the price for Gai-Khai’s shares with the bank. Money is not an issue. Once money has been exchanged, Aum orders them to change their last names and get the hell out of their sight. Hypothetically speaking.
Being the classy one, Su thanks them for their generosity, but she is unable to accept their offer. To clarify matters, Su explains that even if they piled up all of Rattanachart’s money before her, she still wouldn’t be able to accept the offer. That burns and the sisters are furious. Orn tells her that it is not a request, it is a command. Su stands her ground and replies that their father is the only person who could command an order to her. Aum warns her that they come with a peace offering today, and with her scary, steely eyes, she further warns her that from now on, she will get nothing. There will be no negotiation, Aum will do everything to get their shares back from the twins. Orn also gives Su her last words, to stay away from her older brother. She should find someone as old as their dad to be suitable. Ouch. What a sucky day, first her devil boss and now these evil sisters. And of course the parents decide to come to her side when the duo has already left.
Eua phones her home later and learns from her mother what had happened. He confronts his sisters, he tells them to let it go and respect their father’s will. It’s something they shouldn’t pursue. Aum claims that Su is brainwashing him but he turns it back on her, “you’re brainwashing me. You’ve ordered me around for so long- if it weren’t for you I would have listened to our dad and I would have been married to Nu-Lek by now!”
Ah.. so it is true.
“Are you regretting that gold digger?!”
“I do. But more than anything, I regret the fact that I listened to you more than I listened to dad,” he states.
“You did the right thing by listening to P’Aum,” Orn says, “that woman broke up our family! Why do you allow it to be that way?”
“Before, I did what you guys wanted me to do. Now, I’m going to do what I want to do.” Go P’Eua!
Eua calls Su to apologize on behalf of his mean sisters, but Su had already prepared herself for their confrontation. His father had made sure of that. He admits that he regrets not listening to his father, who had always been right about everything. An awkward silence follows so Eua switches subject and asks her to play his father’s wife role once more- they will go to a wedding this Saturday, where she will represent Suriyong Rattanachart.
And it’s makeover time! Both men – Eua and Kemchard – are determined to make their date the most beautiful woman in the room, the bride be damn. Kanlong sends him a teasing selfie while the makeup artists go to work on her. He responds with his own selfie, clad only in a towel. And of course one of the markeup artists couldn’t help but notice how hot he is. Ha.
Su adorns a fitted sparkly dress while Kanlong wears one that fans out like a trendy ball gown. As Su excuses herself to the rest room – having recently been given the cut direct by her step daughters – Kemchard and Kanlong enter the wedding reception. The hero, despite finding Kanlong beautiful, simply could not take his eyes off Su as he watches her walk through the crowd. His feet follow her.
Meanwhile Kanlong runs into her old time acquaintance, Eua. They knew each other through family but also because they both went to school in Boston, apparently well aware of each other’s popularity, although they haven’t seen each other in a while. Aum and Orn spy on the two from afar and approve.
Kemchard approaches Su from behind, they are alone poolside. “You must realize that it isn’t easy snatching a rich man at a wedding party, that’s why you’re being depressed.” She turns upon hearing his voice. “So rather, you should go to a funeral to snatch widowed, old men.”
She thanks him for his suggestion, “next time I attend an acquaintance funeral, I’ll be sure to do that.” Heh.
“Don’t be sarcastic-“ he snipes.
“I am not, I’m accepting.”
“Just because you look the part, you’re feeling a little brave today aren’t you? I am your boss! Not your colleague, so don’t you argue with me,” he thinks he sees right through her, “ah, I see, you’re actually here today to announce that your Jao Sua’s wife? You’ve got the money now, but you’re still dwelling in the past. That’s pathetic.”
“It’s no different than some people who holds onto past grudges, continues to instigate and refuses to let go. Now that’s pathetic,” she replies. Su side steps him but he stops her.
Kanlong and Eua walk in on the two as they are nose to nose in an argument. Introductions are made and Eua is surprised that Su’s boss is so young, he expected someone much older. And everyone is now aware of the elephant in the room – Su is Eua’s stepmom!
At the wedding reception Orn chastises Su loudly, not embarrassed in the least that she’s making a scene. And as Su searches for a different table, she hears people gossiping that she’s the last wife of Jao Sua and that they had two children together. But no matter where she turns, gossipmongers are abounded. Inevitably she turns and leaves the party. Eua asks Kanlong to watch over Su, knowing that his hands are tied by his controlling sisters.
Kanlong assigns Kemchard to take Su home – despite his protest – but when Su declines and says she can go home on her own, Kemchard chimes in that he MUST take her home now. He can’t resist the rejection, can he?
Mr. Kemjerk orders Su to sit in the front once they drop Kanlong off, and even before she can shut the door, he speeds off in a flurry. But then he decides to stop in the middle of the road so they can have a discussion outside. He accuses her of grabbling for the stepson now that the dad is dead, does she know no bounds? Su tells him what he wants to hear, because money makes the world go round. She tells him that she doesn’t need to explain to him about her and Eua because he seems to share the same assumptions with the rest of society. Kemchard agrees that she doesn’t have to explain herself, because her action speaks for itself.
“If you came back to make me hate you even more, then you shouldn’t have come back at all,” he spat.
His words hit her, but she replies, “If you hate me that much, why don’t you just fire me?”
“I will fire you! But before I do that, you must do something for me first. You will train Khun Kanlong and more importantly, you will teach her to love me. You used to have a family, isn’t that right? You remember what love is, right?”
“Love cannot be taught,” Su rebukes, “If you love her enough, she would love you on her own.”
As she turns away he says:
“I used to love someone. I loved her very much, more than enough. But she left me to marry an old man! She left for money! I don’t get it.” He breathes through his nose deeply and turn to her, “I shall tell you that now, I love Khun Kan more than any other women I used to love. Remember that. And I’m sure that she will never leave me to marry another man for money.”
Su is happy for him despite the tears welling in her eyes, when he wants his words to hurt, they do, but she doesn’t let him know how deep it cuts her. She tells him that she will try to make Kanlong love him. As she tries to get back into the car, he tells her that he has changed his mind and she should go home on her own. He’s now Mr.Kemjackass.
Aum and Orn have found the right match for their brother: Kanlong. Perfect pedigree. Orn would especially be happy if her P’Eua can breakup Kanlong and Kemchard. So that she may wait in line? Well, with his Mr.Kemjackassness, it’s not a very long line..
Orn shares their plan with Eua who thinks it’s preposterous. When he’s off for a quick shower, Orn sneaks into his phone to search for Kemchard’s number, however she learns that Kanlong is acquainted with Su, and wonders why.
Meanwhile Kemchard orders Somkit and Weeboon to investigate everything about Eua. The two start immediately via google – well they’re no private eye – and even Kemchard does a little research on his own. He phones Kanlong and asks her to book a personal meeting with Eua. He expresses interest in opening another branch and needs a bank support.
They meet Eua the next day and Eua is pleased that Kemchard is interested in his bank. He will give him the support he needs since they currently have a great program for big customers. Eua also mentions that he can ask Su too because she used to work for his dad. Kemchard prefers to handle things with Kanlong because she’s going to be his future assistant, to which Kanlong says she’s still learning both the role and her new boss. Eua is pleased to hear that Kanlong will be Kemchard’s new assistant, because that means Su can come work for him. Ha. Kemchard does not like the sound of that. Eua emphasizes how lucky Kemchard is to have Su as his assistant because Eua has tried to recruit her many times but keeps getting declined.
Kemchard walks over to view Jao Sua’s picture, his dead competition. He promises in his mind that he will seek revenge right before Jao Sua’s eyes. Jao Sua’s only son will hurt as Kemchard has hurt in the past. Orn makes eyes at Kemchard while getting introduced and Kanlong doesn’t like the way the girl is looking at her man.
My stomach just dropped. Not Khun Eua too! Innocent bystander be damn.
Back at ThaiKK, Su turns in her letter of resignation to Somkit, who is floored. “Is this a joke?” he questions.
Su explains that she’s bored and her work will be replaced by Kanlong so she feels that resigning is best. Before she could utter anything further, Weeboon storms in and announces that they will be receiving a big customer’s visitation next week. Kemchard looks at the letter but happens to be viewing Su’s resignation instead. He orders Somkit to tell the assistant – who’s standing right there – that she should also go to the meeting as well, and that she ought to use her brains for something important then to think about useless things. Like quitting? He crumbles the resignation letter, showing her how he feels about it.
During the meeting each person is designated tasks for the customer’s visitation. Su is assigned to be the go-to girl- someone who will do everything that other people can’t do or unable to do. Su assures Weeboon and Somkit –much to their dismay – that she will definitely quit her job, but that she will see this task to the end first.
Unfortunately as Su tries to leave, her car wouldn’t start. Weeboon offers her a ride but gets a call from Kemchard that he is needed at the factory right now, and that Kemchard would be the one to take her home. No ifs, ands or buts.
But!
Kanlong receives a phone call from Orn – who was eyeing her man earlier- Orn
The day is getting darker as Su stands in the entrance waiting for Kemchard. She doesn’t leave because all of Kem’s minions keeping telling her that the boss will have their heads if she leaves. Kemchard watches her from above.
The skies rumble and the clouds open- dumping rain. Su rushes back to the building but not before she trips and fall, papers strewn everywhere. His Highness finally arrives, with an umbrella, looking somberly at her. It’s a charged moment as the lightning lit the sky, only to be ruined by Kemchard walking away with the umbrella.
As he pulls up to her house he informs her that he has denied her resignation letter. Su tells him that even if he doesn’t permit it, she IS quitting.
“When you can’t accept the truth, you run away. When you can’t tell the truth, you run away,” he plainly states, taking them back to the past again.
“I never think to run away.”
“What about the breakup letter and running away to marry?” he challenges. “You changed your name and last name. You changed yourself. You can’t even accept who you are. If that’s not called running away, then what is it called?!”
“It’s called starting over. When the condition in your life changes, you can’t go on living the way you used to. It’s surviving. But if you think that’s called running away, then I’m unable to convince you otherwise.”
“If the past can be forgotten so easily, have you ever loved someone?” he questions.
Su looks away, “I’m a married woman, I can’t answer these questions.”
He follows her out, “But being married doesn’t mean that you’ve been in love. Some people marry for status, some people marry for money.”
“That is correct, sometimes money is more important than love. Staying together through hardships only exists in a fairytale.”
“Is this the real you?” he asks as he steps closer, “Suriyawadee, the person I knew was never like this.”
“I don’t know what she used to be like, but for me, Suriyong Rattanachart is like this. I don’t dwell in the past, I choose only to remember the good things, forsaking sorrow.”
He grabs her by the shoulders, “So you choose to forget me, Suriyawadee?”
“If Suriyawadee has hurt you in the past, you should forget her too.”
Kemchard’s eyes gleam as they stare at each other. What a way to end episode 2! Whew, I can finally breathe. That last charged moment, I swear Kemchard was going in for a forced kiss.
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Watch episode 2 raw here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f-HecE1HS4&list=PLF10yZb-FZlcFruo_wMlD8tKygVF9OeGv
DarknessLakorns will recap episode 3!