Melted: A MaxTul AU story

Fifty-Seven: Inside Job

While Max had been putting the folder that Tor had given him in his bag, he got a text from Pongpat asking him to come to Shilapath right away. Everyone knew that he'd read something from his uncle, so it didn't surprise him that he got a text from him. None of the team members knew about the ice cream code, so in their mind an emergency call to Max had to involve Uncle Pong. What he didn't expect was a to also get a call from Wanna in tears.

He was just getting off the elevator in garage of the building that housed Leelutt Industries, Tor's company, and was heading toward his bike.

"What is it, Wanna? I'm on my way," he asked while putting on his helmet.

"Please, Max. Are you coming soon?"

"Yes, Wanna. What is it?"

"Security. They've taken Ann away. I think they think she stole the samples!"

This didn't surprise Max with the way things were going. He thought Plustor would try something like this. Plustor had to blame the team because no one else was able to get any access to the lab materials. Max had initially thought Plustor would work to blame Wanna because she was the easiest mark; however, the shift to Ann would make more sense if Plustor thought Tul was in love with her. It would be the best way to elicit the most pain and cause a bigger distraction.

"I'm on it, Wanna. Just try to stay calm. How is everyone?"

"I don't know. Kuhn Pong seems pretty calm and so does Kuhn Prin. Sukrit looks shocked, and . . ."

She paused, and so did Max. "Kuhn Tul."

"What is it, Wanna."

"I've never seen him so angry, and he's been called upstairs. Also, Max, there's lots of reporters in the lobby already. I don't know how the story got out. Plus, . . ."

Wanna didn't know how to bring this up. She had thought, even hoped, that there had been something going on between Max and her boss. She had seen how much kinder and happier Tul seemed to be once Max had arrived. They had worked so well together. Tul had even offered to let Uncle Pong (which is how she thought of him since his confession in the plaza) live at his house. 

However, even after that, it wasn't until she had seen them both with the twins that she thought there might be more there than just close friends. They looked so much like a family and Tul had looked so warmly at Max that she had wondered if anyone would ever look at her like the way Tul looked at Max. All the other changes in her boss seemed to make more sense. Then, after Max and Tul had gotten back from Hongtai Farms, they seemed closer than before.

But something had happened, Kuhn Tul had come back from a surprise, brief business trip looking haggard and worn. No one seemed to know where he had gone nor was anyone talking about it. Soon after, he started dating various women set up for him by his family, and she was seeing Max less and less. Should she bring up to Max that the latest woman was actually at the company?

Max was getting impatient. He knew Wanna was upset, but she had always risen to the challenge before. He couldn't afford for her to freak out now. Why was she so silent?

"Wanna. Spit it out. I don't have time to wait here if you want me to get there, and I'm coming on my bike. I won't be able to hear you over it, so I can't talk and ride at the same time."

"Sorry, Kuhn Max" she said crisply, trying to get back her focus. Max cringed. He couldn't remember the last time Wanna called him Kuhn. She always called him P'.

He responded to her more kindly, "Wanna. Just go ahead. You can't possibly hurt my feelings anymore than you just did calling me Kuhn." He tried to convey over the phone the smile he had for her.