It had been two days since Lingling had stopped going to the office.
October 13.
She had made excuses, telling her board members she was working remotely, only joining meetings when necessary via Zoom. Her assistant, Nene, had been handling most of the in-person responsibilities, taking notes and keeping everything running smoothly.
Orm had noticed.
Lingling could feel her fiancé's eyes on her as she sat on the couch, scrolling through reports on her laptop. She had barely left the condo since waking up two days ago to find Orm alive. She couldn't. The idea of leaving Orm alone, even for a second, made her stomach twist with anxiety.
Orm, on the other hand, had been working from home as well. As an interior designer, she only needed to meet clients when necessary. Most of her work was done remotelyâdesigning layouts, discussing plans, and making adjustments through calls or emails.
But today, something was different.
Orm placed her laptop aside and turned to Lingling, arms crossed. "Baby."
Lingling hummed in acknowledgment, eyes still glued to her screen.
Orm sighed. "Are you really not going to the office?"
Lingling barely looked up. "I just want to be here at home with you." Her tone was neutral, casual, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
But Orm wasn't convinced.
"You're acting different," Orm pressed. "First, you skipped work for the first time in years. Now, you're working remotely even when you don't have to. Did something happen?"
Lingling finally looked up, forcing a small smile. "No, nothing happened. I just want to spend more time with you."
Orm's eyes softened. "You know, you could have just said that instead of making me worry."
Lingling chuckled, trying to hide the tightness in her chest.
If only you knew, baby.
She wasn't just spending time with Orm. She was protecting her.
She wasn't going to let the accident happen.
She couldn't.
_____
Orm sighed, deciding not to push the issueâfor now. If Lingling didn't want to talk about it, she wouldn't force her. But that didn't mean she wasn't worried.
With a quiet shake of her head, Orm stood up and made her way to their bedroom, where she had set up a small workspace. Sitting at her desk, she opened her laptop and tried to focus on the designs she needed to finalize.
But no matter how hard she tried, her mind kept drifting back to Lingling.
Her fiancé had never been the type to skip work unless absolutely necessary. Yet, for the past two days, Lingling had barely left their condo, keeping herself occupied with reports and meetings over Zoom. She seemed fine on the surface, but Orm knew better. There was something off.
She hesitated for a moment before reaching for her phone. If Lingling wouldn't tell her what was wrong, maybe someone else would know.
She scrolled through her contacts and found the name she was looking for. Nene.
Orm pressed the call button and waited. After a few rings, a familiar voice picked up.
"Orm?"
"Hey, Nene. Sorry to bother you," Orm said, keeping her voice light. "It's been two days now since Lingling started working from home. Is everything okay?"
There was a brief pause on the other end.
"I honestly don't have any idea," Nene admitted. "Everything seemed fine when she left the office last time. I thought maybe you two had a fight or something."
"No, we didn't," Orm said, frowning. "And that's exactly what's bothering me. She's not telling me something, and I thought maybe something was up at work."
"Nope, nothing unusual. Everything at the office is running smoothlyâexcept for the fact that she's not here."
Orm sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Thanks, Nene. I appreciate it."
"Of course. Let me know if you need anything."
Orm ended the call and placed her phone on the desk.
She still didn't have any answers.
Lingling wasn't acting like herself, and the more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. Was it stress? Was she feeling unwell? Or... was there something she just wasn't ready to say?
Orm exhaled, rubbing her temples. She knew Lingling. If she pushed too hard, it might lead to an argument. And the last thing she wanted was to force Lingling into a conversation she wasn't ready for.
For now, she would wait.
But she wasn't going to stop watching.
_____
Ling's POV
Lingling had been glued to her laptop all day, eyes scanning through reports and spreadsheets, making sure every deadline was met. She had thrown herself into work, not just to keep up with her responsibilities, but to distract herself. To push away the overwhelming fear that gnawed at her heart every waking moment.
She refused to let history repeat itself.
But as she checked the time, she realized something.
4:00 PM.
It was quiet. Too quiet.
Orm had been in their bedroom for hours, working on her designs. But now, there was no sound. No keyboard clicks. No chair creaking. No movement at all.
A sharp pang of anxiety hit Lingling's chest.
She set her laptop aside and quickly got up, walking toward their shared bedroom. Her heart pounded with every step.
She reached for the doorknob, hesitating for just a moment before slowly pushing it open.
The sight before her made her breath hitch.
Orm was slumped over her desk, her head resting on her arms.
Is she breathing?
Panic rose in Lingling's throat as she took a shaky step forward, eyes scanning Orm's still figure. Her fingers curled into trembling fists.
But thenâ
A small movement.
Orm shifted slightly, her chest rising and falling with steady breaths.
Lingling exhaled sharply, relief washing over her like a tidal wave.
Her legs felt weak, and tears welled up in her eyes. She had been so afraid, just for a second, that Orm had... No. She shook the thought away. She's here. She's alive.
She wiped at her eyes and took a step back, carefully closing the door, leaving it slightly ajar.
She didn't want to wake Orm up.
But she needed a moment.
She walked straight to the bathroom, her breathing uneven. As soon as she shut the door behind her, she turned on the shower, letting the sound of running water fill the room.
Then, she sank to the floor.
Tears fell freely, her body shaking as silent sobs wracked through her. She clutched her chest, as if trying to hold herself together, as if trying to stop the pain from breaking her apart.
I already lost you once, Orm. I can't go through hell again. It hurts.
She pressed a hand to her mouth, biting back the cries that threatened to escape.
She didn't know what would happen in few days.
She didn't know if she could truly change fate.
But right now, she knew one thing.
She would stay by Orm's side.
No matter what.
____
Orm's POV
Rubbing her tired eyes, Orm slowly lifted her head from her desk. Her body ached slightly from falling asleep in an awkward position. Stretching her arms, she blinked a few times, adjusting to the dim light in the room.
Then she heard it.
The sound of hurried footsteps.
She turned just in time to see Lingling rush past their bedroom door, heading straight for the bathroom.
Orm frowned. Was she feeling sick?
Lingling never moved that fast unless something was wrong.
A knot formed in Orm's stomach. Lingling had been acting strange for days nowâskipping work, hovering around her more than usual, staring at her like she was afraid she'd disappear.
Something wasn't right.
Quietly, Orm got up and followed her.
She approached the bathroom door, raising her hand to knock, but thenâ
She stopped.
From behind the door, she could hear faint sniffles.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Lingling was crying.
Orm pressed her ear against the door, straining to listen. The sound of running water nearly drowned it out, but she could still hear the uneven breathing, the muffled sobs.
Her chest tightened.
Lingling rarely cried.
What's wrong, baby? she wanted to ask. Why won't you tell me?
Orm clenched her fists. Whatever it was, whatever burden Lingling was carrying, she wouldn't let her go through it alone.
She leaned against the door, her voice barely above a whisper.
"My love... I'm right here."