Orasa extended her hand toward Bella with a faint smile.
"Hello, how are you?"
Bella returned the smile, shook her hand calmly, and replied,
"I'm fine, thank you."
Orasa gestured to the empty seat beside her.
"Please, have a seat."
Bella gracefully sat down, her posture perfect and composed. I took the seat next to her. As I settled in, I noticed Chak watching Bella his gaze tense, or maybe a flicker of jealousy.
Non entered the meeting room politely.
"Miss, what would you like to drink?"
"Water will be just fine," Bella answered with a gentle smile.
"Bring her tea," Orasa interrupted sharply, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"Understood," Non replied with a slight bow and left.
I glanced at Bella. She sat there with quiet confidence, chin lifted slightly. Our eyes met briefly, sharing a silent moment of encouragement.
When Non returned, he placed a cup of tea and a bottle of water on the table.
"Here you go, miss," he said politely.
"Thank you," Bella responded warmly.
As she twisted open the water bottle, I noticed a flicker of surprise cross her face.
"Is something wrong?" Orasa asked smoothly, though her voice carried a hint of curiosity.
"No, not at all," Bella replied with a small laugh. "I just didn't expect the cap to come off like this."
"What do you mean?" Taeng asked, leaning forward.
"In my country, caps stay attached to the bottle after opening. It's more eco-friendly that way," she explained calmly.
Taeng looked at Kit, and they exchanged intrigued nods.
As the meeting began in Thai, I noticed Bella's eyes following each speaker attentively. She didn't understand the language but observed carefully, reading their tones and body language.
In front of us were samples of packaging for new products — colorful wrappers, neatly designed with labels and the company logo.
Bella leaned toward me and whispered softly,
"Can I take a look at that?"
"Of course," I replied, handing her one.
She accepted it delicately, studying every detail. Her brows furrowed slightly. Something wasn't right.
She turned the packaging over, scanning the small text quickly under the light. Then she looked at me, calm but focused.
"This packaging has a lot of mistakes."
"Seriously?" I asked, leaning closer.
She nodded once.
Orasa's voice, overly sweet, interrupted,
"Oh? What mistakes could there possibly be?"
Bella met her gaze unbothered.
"Quite a few, actually."
Vikran scoffed, crossing his arms.
"Don't talk nonsense. I personally designed this packaging. I know every detail it's flawless."
Bella didn't flinch.
"Are you sure?" she asked plainly. "Because it doesn't seem that way to me."
The room fell silent as she began listing the issues in a clear, measured tone.
"Here, it says the product is gluten-free and lactose-free. Yet, in the ingredients, this isn't clearly stated. Oats don't naturally contain gluten, but cross-contact with wheat during processing can happen that should be declared."
She flipped the packaging.
"Then there's the yogurt nowhere does it say it's lactose-free, only 'yogurt.' Small oversights like this can easily make a customer put the product back on the shelf."
Kit and Taeng exchanged wide-eyed looks. Chak stayed still, eyes flicking from Bella to the packaging.
"And another thing," Bella continued firmly.
"The nutritional values are incorrect. The numbers don't add up properly for a 45g bar."
Vikran opened his mouth to argue, but Bella raised a finger to stop him.
"Most importantly… the design itself." She held the packaging up.
"White text on a light gray background? That's a fundamental mistake. Customers won't be able to read it properly. Light backgrounds need dark text never the other way around."
Vikran's face flushed.
"And how would you know that?" he asked, mocking.
Bella met his eyes steadily.
"Because I just know."
The tension was thick. Orasa's lips tightened. Taeng whispered something to Kit. Even Chak seemed caught between surprise and amusement.
Chak turned to Vikran, voice calm but sharp.
"Next time, focus on your own work instead of meddling in others' business."
Vikran clenched his jaw, irritated, and glanced at Bella.
"This girl has no idea about food products or how a proper label should look," he said dismissively.
Before he could continue, Bella and Chak shot him identical icy stares so cold it felt like the room temperature dropped a few degrees.
Kit and Taeng exchanged looks with me, silently acknowledging what just happened.
Then, with a sweet but calculated tone, Orasa leaned toward Bella.
"How old are you, Bella? You look… underage," she said, her false smile failing to reach her eyes.
Bella smiled calmly, posture unshaken.
"Many people think I look underage," she said smoothly, "but don't worry I'm not."
Orasa's smile tightened as she pressed on, fishing for a reaction.
"When I first met Niran, I honestly thought he was gay."
"Really?" Bella replied, glancing at me for a second, ignoring Orasa. Then softly but firmly:
"Well, I don't think he is. And even if he were, that wouldn't be a problem. What matters is the kind of person he is — the heart he carries inside."
A heavy silence filled the room. Bella's words sliced through the tension, leaving everyone speechless.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Taeng exchange a knowing smirk with Kit. Chak's gaze on Bella was unreadable a mixture of surprise.
Vikran and Orasa were left speechless, their carefully maintained composure visibly cracking.
Bella reached for the cup of tea in front of her, lifting it delicately to her lips. She took a small sip, then immediately set the cup down with a quiet, "Ájs."
Orasa arched a brow, her fake sweetness still clinging to her voice.
"Is it cold?"
Bella looked up, meeting her gaze with perfect calm.
"Too hot," she replied evenly.
"But… you said 'ice,'" Orasa pressed, tone sharpening as if trying to catch Bella off guard.
Bella tilted her head, amused yet unbothered.
"Did I?" she said softly, voice smooth like silk. "How interesting."
The room thickened with unspoken tension. I caught Taeng hiding a grin behind his hand, while Kit glanced at Chak, trying to gauge his reaction.
Chak hadn't moved. His eyes remained fixed on Bella not hostile, but with quiet, measured intensity.
Orasa, annoyed her verbal jabs weren't landing, leaned back in her chair slightly. But Bella wasn't done. She straightened her posture and spoke with calm confidence.
"You know," she began softly, "people often underestimate others because of their appearance or age. But being underestimated is often a strength — not a weakness."
This time, not only Orasa was left speechless. Even Vikran shifted uncomfortably. The air felt charged, as if something monumental had just been said but no one dared comment.
"Do you have any plans for tonight, Bella? If you want, we can go to dinner?" Orasa asked.
"No, thank you," Bella said, giving her a small smile.
"What are your plans for tonight?" Orasa continued. "Do you have any plans with Niran?"
Bella looked at Orasa, amused.
"I see you're very curious about me, Mrs. I'll tell you my plans for tonight, and they are…"