It was Saturday morning, and Lingling woke up with a rare smile. Two whole days off, she thought gleefully. She hadn't had a proper weekend in weeks, and today was her chance to relax. She wandered downstairs to grab breakfast, humming a soft tune to herself.
Orm was already at the dining table, scrolling through her phone while sipping coffee. "Morning," Orm mumbled without looking up.
"Morning," Lingling replied quietly, taking a seat across from her.
Their routine silence was broken by the sudden buzz of Lingling's phone. She glanced at the screen, and her heart skipped a beat. Sonya? Why was her little sister calling this early?
Lingling hesitated before answering, "Hello?"
The voice on the other end was excited, almost shrieking. "P' Why didn't you tell me you're getting married?! And to Orm Sethratanapong, the daughter of your BOSS Sethratanapong family?!"
Lingling froze. "W-what? Who told you that?" she stammered.
"one of my doctor friend also close to Sethratanapong !" Sonya exclaimed. "Everyone's talking about how Mr.Sethratanapong brilliant employee, Lingling Kwong, is marrying his daughter. Why didn't you tell me? Am I not important enough to know?!"
Lingling's face flushed. She glanced nervously at Orm, who was now eyeing her curiously. "Uh, Sonya, it's... complicated."
"Complicated? You're my sister! You can't keep this from me!" Sonya's tone softened. "I'm happy for you, but why didn't you say anything?"
Lingling tried to think fast. "It's not like that. Um... we've been... dating for a while, but it's only recently that-uh-Orm's father found out and decided to arrange the marriage." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Orm raised an eyebrow but said nothing, her gaze amused.
"Ohhh, so it's one of those 'boss finds out and arranges everything' situations?" Sonya said, laughing. "That's kind of romantic. I'm jealous, Jie!"
Lingling forced a laugh. "Yeah... romantic..."
"Well, I need to meet her. You can't get married without me meeting my future sister-in-law!" Sonya declared.
Lingling's stomach dropped. "Meet? Uh, you don't have to-"
"I insist! Let's do a family dinner. I want to see what kind of person Orm is."
Before Lingling could protest, Sonya added, "I'm free this weekend. Tomorrow night works, right? Great, see you then!" She hung up before Lingling could respond.
Lingling lowered the phone slowly and sighed.
Orm smirked. "Let me guess. Someone wants to meet the lucky bride?"
Lingling shot her a flustered glance. "It's my sister. She wants to have dinner... with us. She thinks we're... together."
"Together as in happily in love?" Orm teased.
Lingling looked away, fiddling with her hands. "It's not funny. I didn't know how to explain this to her. She's my little sister, and I don't want her to think I'm... hiding things from her."
Orm leaned back in her chair. "Well, I guess we'll have to play the perfect couple for one night."
Lingling blinked. "Perfect couple?"
Orm shrugged. "You're the one who told her we've been dating. What else are we supposed to do? And thanks me later"
Lingling groaned, burying her face in her hands. "This is a mess."
---
Lingling spent the rest of the day pacing nervously. When dinner rolled around, she finally gathered the courage to bring up the topic.
"Um. Mom and ...dad?" Lingling began timidly as the family sat down to eat.
Orm's mom smiled warmly. "Yes, dear?"
"I... I have a small request," Lingling said, fidgeting with her chopsticks. "My younger sister, Sonya, found out about the engagement. She... wants to have a family dinner tomorrow night to meet Orm."
Orm's dad glanced up from his plate. "Sonya? Your sister's a doctor, right?"
Lingling nodded quickly. "Yes, she is. She's very busy, but she insists on meeting Orm. I... I told her about the engagement."
Orm's mom chuckled. "That's sweet. Of course, we can have dinner. It'll be nice to meet your family, Lingling."
Orm's dad nodded in agreement. "It's good for both families to get to know each other."
Lingling relaxed slightly but still felt the weight of their words. "Thank you. I... really appreciate it."
---
Later that night, Lingling and Orm found themselves in their shared room. Orm was lounging on the bed, scrolling through her phone, while Lingling paced anxiously.
"What are you so nervous about?" Orm asked.
"I just... I don't want to mess this up. Sonya is very observant, and she'll know if we're faking," Lingling said.
Orm smirked. "So, what's your plan? Do we hold hands? Gaze lovingly into each other's eyes?"
"Orm!" Lingling said, her cheeks turning red.
Orm laughed. "Relax. I'll behave. Just tell me what you want me to do."
Lingling hesitated. "Just... don't overdo it. Sonya doesn't need to think we're... that kind of couple."
Orm raised an eyebrow. "What kind of couple?"
"You know!" Lingling said, flustered. "Just... act normal."
Orm chuckled softly. "Fine. But if she asks questions, I'm not responsible for what I say."
Lingling groaned and flopped onto the couch. "This is going to be a disaster."
Orm glanced at her, amused. "You're too stressed for a Sunday dinner. You should get some sleep. Big day tomorrow, future wife."
Lingling muttered something under her breath, pulling a blanket over herself. Orm shook her head, still smiling.
___
It was a quiet Sunday morning in the Sethratanapong household, and Orm was already downstairs, sitting on the couch with a cup of tea and scrolling through her phone. Her parents sat nearby, casually reading the newspaper and chatting.
"Orm," her mom said, glancing up from her paper, "go wake Lingling and tell her to come down for tea."
Orm sipped her tea lazily. "She's still sleeping. It's her day off. Let her enjoy it."
Her dad chuckled. "She's worked hard all week. Let her rest. We don't want to disturb her."
Orm raised an eyebrow. "Wait, so if I oversleep, you both nag me to death, but Lingling gets a free pass?"
Her mom smirked. "That's because Lingling deserves it. She's always so polite and hardworking."
Orm put her cup down dramatically. "Excuse me? I work hard too!"
Her dad leaned back in his chair, smiling. "We know, but Lingling is just... special."
"Special?!" Orm exclaimed. "This is starting to feel like a Lingling fan club, and you're both the founders."
Her mom laughed. "Oh, don't be jealous, Orm. She's practically family now."
Orm rolled her eyes, muttering, "Unbelievable. My own parents have been stolen by her."
Just then, there was a shuffle from upstairs, followed by the sound of footsteps. Lingling appeared at the staircase, looking refreshed and cheerful.
"Good morning!" she said with a bright smile, making her way to the dining table.
Orm's mom immediately perked up. "Good morning, Lingling! Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, thank you," Lingling said, sitting down. "I really needed that rest."
Orm crossed her arms, muttering, "Of course you did. Princess Lingling gets royal treatment."
Lingling tilted her head, confused. "Did I miss something?"
"No, nothing," Orm replied sarcastically. "Just basking in the glory of your fan club."
Her mom shot Orm a playful glare. "Don't listen to her, Lingling. Have some tea." She poured a cup for Lingling herself, ignoring Orm's dramatic sigh.
As Lingling took a sip, Orm's dad set down his newspaper. "By the way, Lingling, isn't your sister coming for dinner tonight?"
Lingling froze mid-sip, her eyes widening in panic. "Oh no... Sonya!" She put the cup down quickly. "I completely forgot! She's going to be here tonight!"
Orm smirked. "You're panicking already? It's just your sister."
"You don't understand," Lingling said, pacing nervously. " Its being so long since we meet she always busy,. I need to cook something special!"
Orm's mom waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it, Lingling. We'll handle dinner. You can just relax."
"No, no, I insist!" Lingling said quickly. "I'll cook for everyone. Please, let me do this."
Orm's dad chuckled. "She's really determined, isn't she?"
"She's panicking," Orm said dryly. "Big difference."
Ignoring Orm, Lingling turned to her mom. "Please, I'll make dinner. It's the least I can do for your hospitality."
Orm's mom smiled warmly. "If it makes you feel better, go ahead. But we'll help if you need anything."
Lingling nodded, looking slightly relieved. "Thank you. I'll make sure everything is perfect."
Orm leaned back in her chair, smirking. "So, what's the plan, Chef Lingling? Five-star dining or something simple?"
Lingling shot her a look. "You'll see. And you're helping."
"What?!" Orm said, sitting up straight. "Why do I have to help?"
"Because it's your kitchen," Lingling replied with a sly smile.
Orm's mom laughed. "She's got a point, Orm. You'd better listen to your future wife."
Orm groaned. "Not you too, Mom!"
Lingling smiled shyly but looked more relaxed now, determined to impress her sister.
---
Later that evening, Lingling took over the kitchen, with Orm reluctantly helping chop vegetables. As the aroma of delicious dishes filled the house, Lingling's nerves began to settle.
"I'm impressed," Orm admitted, watching Lingling work. "You're pretty good at this."
Lingling gave a small smile. "I had to learn. Sonya always had high standards, and I didn't want to disappoint her."
Orm smirked. "You're really going all out for her, huh?"
"She's my sister," Lingling said simply. "I want her to feel at home."
Orm watched her quietly, feeling a new kind of admiration for Lingling's dedication. Even though they weren't particularly close, Orm couldn't help but respect her.
The stage was set for an interesting family dinner, and Orm couldn't wait to see how the night would unfold.
Orm didn't want to admit it, but Lingling was starting to grow on her in ways she couldn't ignore. For someone who had agreed to this arranged marriage without much protest, Lingling worked tirelessly, carrying her responsibilities with a grace that Orm found both frustrating and impressive. She hated the whole setup, hated the pressure from her father, and hated that Lingling just went along with it-but watching her fuss over dinner plans for her sister made something in Orm's chest soften. Lingling was caring, almost to a fault, and despite herself, Orm couldn't help but respect her. It wasn't just the hard work or the effort Lingling put into everything; it was the quiet sincerity in the way she did it, as if she didn't even realize how much she was giving. It made Orm feel conflicted-annoyed and intrigued all at once.
_to be continued_
Hello, lovely readers!
I'm super excited to share that my exams are finally over today! ð I'm taking a well-deserved break from studying, which means I'll have more time to focus on writing. Get ready for more chapters coming your way soon-I can't wait to dive back into the story! Thank you for your patience and support. Stay tuned! â¤ï¸