The Ros-Lom Restaurant at twilight felt ominous. The fiery red of the blooming begonias across the estate looked like splatters of blood against the ancient walls. Qin Mei sank into a faded wooden chair that looked ready to collapse at any moment. Her eyes scanned the surroundings with undisguised revulsion the grease-stained walls and cracked concrete floors were a world away from the luxury she had envisioned.

  Ohm emerged from the kitchen in a brown shirt with rolled-up sleeves and a stained apron. His rugged, raw appearance was such a stark contrast to their first meeting that Qin Mei couldn't help but let out a mocking sneer.

  "So, you lied to me... all that talk about being a tycoon with a grand empire," she said, her voice trembling with pity. "This cramped, filthy rat-hole? This is your 'dream restaurant'?"

  Ohm shrugged, unfazed. He grabbed a spatula as if it were a magic wand. "I didn't lie. This is exactly what I dreamed of... a place where flavor matters more than the fake, overpriced luxury people like you love to flaunt." He smirked back, while the socialite curled her lip in disgust.

  "But this place is..." She trailed off, using two fingers to pinch her designer handbag and place it on her lap, as if terrified the "lowliness" of the shop might cling to her valuables.

  "If you don't believe in me, then why did you bother coming all this way?" That question hit a nerve. She glared at him with resentment. "Because you crashed the system at my gallery! And worse... my entire financial network is frozen because of your damn virus. I can't spend a single Yuan. My credit cards are all declined!"

  She slammed her hand on the wooden table. BANG! "My husband in Thailand is going insane! His accounts are seized because of this madness. You have to take responsibility for everything!"

  Ohm leaned in close, his gaze so fierce she instinctively recoiled. "And what did I do to you? Your system crashed on its own. Don't go blaming others for your own failures."

  "It was you! You brought that virus in and sent everything into a tailspin!" she argued, her neck tendons straining.

  "Hey! Watch your mouth. How could I bring a virus in? Maybe your own people downloaded something they shouldn't have," Ohm retorted, baring his teeth. Qin Mei looked like she wanted to claw his face off.

  "Everything was fine before you showed up! Do you have any idea the chaos I've had to deal with these past few days? The financial loss is immeasurable... and it's all because of you, Four-Eyes! You’re nothing but a con artist!"

  Ohm broke into a cold, mocking grin, hands on his hips. "A con artist? Funny... when you were busy scamming people until they were penniless, you didn't seem to call yourself a con artist then. You’re just a common thief in a fancy dress!"

  "How dare you!" she shrieked. "What do you know?"

  "Ugh, the mosquitoes are buzzing everywhere. So noisy," Ohm said, digging into his ear with a finger, while Qin Mei practically fumed.

  "You vile swindler!" She bit back a curse, knowing she was nearly destitute and had no leverage. She fell back on his previous promise. "You said you’d help me if I came here... you said you’d help me escape the risk. Now, I need cash. Right now!"

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Ohm sighed heavily, looking annoyed. "This old lady is such a pain," he muttered, making Qin Mei’s eyes widen in shock.

  "What did you say?!"

  "Fine, fine. I gave my word, so I’ll help," Ohm said with a dismissive wave.

  Qin Mei panted, biting her lip slightly. "Then what do I have to do?" she asked, tilting her chin up defiantly.

  Ohm’s eyes glinted with mischief. "Wait... and eat," he replied shortly before turning back to the kitchen and shouting at the top of his lungs, "Phueak!"

  "Yes, Chef!" A stout, energetic man marched in, making Qin Mei gasp in surprise.

  "You... you’re Wiwat!"

  "Wiwat who? My name is Phueak!" Phueak puffed out his chest and adjusted his collar."With a face this handsome, the only people I can be compared to are Korean drama leads." he said, stroking his cheek and winking provocatively.

  Ohm ignored the nonsense, focusing on the stove. He swung his spatula with aggressive rhythm. "And this... is the Blood-Red Menu!"

  The chef picked up a piece of King Mackerel , smoked with decade-old tamarind wood. The soft, fragrant aroma filled the kitchen. "This mackerel flew across the skies from Southern Thailand," Ohm said, using a razor-sharp knife to meticulously fillet the fish and cut it into perfect cubes. "A bold, distinct flavor—the soul of the Thai sea."

  Then, he plucked deep red begonias from a pot by the stove. CHOP! CHOP! CHOP! The rapid-fire sound echoed as the petals were minced into tiny fragments. He swept them into a mixing bowl, followed by garlic, pepper, sugar, and thick white cream, finishing with fermented mulberry vinegar until he had a deep red sauce that shimmered like a ruby.

  "This sauce is like the benefits offered to greedy businessmen..." Ohm poured in a splash of floral Mead. "Sweet at first, but leaving a sharp, piercing tartness at the end." He placed the smoked mackerel on a wooden plate, drizzled the begonia sauce over it, and garnished it with "branches" made from traditional Thai fish crackers and torch ginger flowers.

  "This is the dish infused with Thai essence that will break your deadlock."

  The special dish was placed before Qin Mei.

  "Smoked King Mackerel with Bloody Begonia Sauce... the menu that will pull your husband out of the black hole." Behind Ohm, an imaginary silhouette of an eagle soared out of Thai waters, piercing a sky filled with scattered begonia petals.

  Qin Mei looked at the dish a work of art. The white fish flesh was glazed in vivid red. The smoky aroma and the tart scent of the begonias made her mouth water. She picked up a spoon and took a bite. The first sensation was the ocean’s fragrance, followed by the intense, savory saltiness of the fish, ending with a sharp, electrifying tartness from the begonias that made her eyes snap wide.

  "The taste of unquenchable greed," Ohm said, handing her a small slip of paper while gesturing to her phone. "Call your husband. Tell him that CEO Phakphum, the most brilliant investor in Thailand, will be the ATM your husband can withdraw from without limit."

  Qin Mei nodded rapidly, her tongue still coated in the tartness of the begonias. "Phakphum... CEO Phakphum..." She reached for the paper with the phone number and immediately began dialing Yong Chang.

  Ohm smirked, locking eyes with Phueak, who gave a devious grin. The plan to lure the tiger from its den had begun. And the next victim to sacrifice themselves to this flavor... was Yong Chang.

  Character Profile: CEO Phakphum

  From the Thai Novel:: The CEO's Secret Plan ????????????

  Gawin, a sharp-witted and charismatic CEO, finds himself entangled in a high-stakes game of corporate cat-and-mouse. When whispers of internal corruption threaten his empire, he teams up with a brilliant, no-nonsense accountant to unmask the traitors.

  Blending sharp business maneuvers with witty office comedy, this story follows their undercover mission to audit the fraud while navigating a minefield of eccentric colleagues and unexpected sparks. It’s a battle of ledgers, lies, and laughter, where the ultimate bottom line is discovering who they can truly trust.

  I am a Thai author. This story is a product of my own imagination and was not generated by AI. However, I have used AI to assist in translating the text from Thai to English. Thank you for following my work."

  "This edible flower-based menu was meticulously designed by Flowers You Can Eat Shop, Thailand."