Chapter 4 - It's a small world

Orm's POV

Orm arrived home, feeling the weight of exhaustion pressing down on her shoulders. The long flight was one thing, but the emotions she had been suppressing made it even worse.

As she entered the house, her mother turned to her with a gentle smile.

"Get some rest, dear. You've had a long day," Koy said softly.

Orm nodded, forcing a small smile. "You should rest too, Mom. I'll see you in the morning."

Without waiting for a reply, she made her way to her bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

She stood still for a moment, taking a deep breath. The quietness of her room was almost deafening. She could still see it—the image burned into her mind.

Lingling.

And Charlotte.

Orm exhaled sharply as she peeled off her blazer, tossing it onto a chair. She unbuttoned her shirt with slightly trembling fingers.

It wasn't like she had the right to feel this way.

It wasn't like Lingling owed her anything.

She had been the one to leave. The one to walk away.

Yet, seeing Lingling tonight—seeing her with Charlotte—made something inside her chest tighten painfully.

She made her way to the bathroom, turning on the faucet to fill the tub. The steam slowly curled into the air as the scent of lavender filled the space.

Orm rubbed her temples. Don't think about it. Don't go there.

She remembers how Lingling introduced Charlotte way back in Krabi and told her that they were just childhood friends.

She had buried that feeling. Told herself it was nothing.

And now, years later, she had seen them together again.

Not as just friends.

Not anymore.

The tub was full now, the water warm and inviting, but Orm just stood there, gripping the edge of the sink.

She whispered to herself, "You walked away, Orm. You have no right to feel this way."

She sighed, forcing herself to step into the tub, letting the warmth of the water ease the tension in her body.

She leaned back, closing her eyes.

She had more important things to focus on.

A business to run. A mother to take care of.

But no matter how hard she tried, the memories wouldn't fade.

_______

Ling's POV

Lingling and Charlotte arrived at the condo. The moment they stepped inside, Charlotte wrapped her arms around Lingling's waist, pressing a kiss to the curve of her neck.

"I missed you," Charlotte murmured against her skin.

Lingling exhaled softly, reaching up to hold Charlotte's hands for a brief moment before gently pulling away. "Not tonight, Char. I'm really tired."

Charlotte frowned, but she didn't push. "You've been acting strange since we left the airport. What's going on?"

Lingling shook her head, forcing a small smile. "Nothing, just exhausted."

Without waiting for Charlotte's response, she made her way to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. She leaned against it, closing her eyes as she let out a deep breath.

She turned on the shower, letting the water run hot before stepping in. As the warmth cascaded down her body, she tried to wash away the uneasiness settling in her chest.

But no matter how much she tried, her thoughts kept drifting back to Orm.

She had changed.

The Orm she once knew was relentless, annoying even—always finding a way to get under her skin, always teasing her, always making her feel something she couldn't quite understand back then.

But tonight, Orm was different.

Lingling leaned against the cool tiles, her hands running through her wet hair.

She thought she had prepared herself for this moment. That if they ever crossed paths again, she would be unaffected. That she had moved on.

But seeing Orm again had unraveled something deep inside her.

The way she used to hold her, the way she used to kiss her—the memories came flooding back all at once.

Lingling clenched her jaw.

It shouldn't matter.

Not anymore.

She turned off the shower and stepped out, drying herself off before slipping into her nightwear. When she opened the bathroom door, Charlotte was already in bed, scrolling through her phone.

Lingling walked to the vanity, running a towel through her damp hair.

Charlotte glanced up. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Lingling nodded, not meeting her gaze. "Yeah. Just tired."

She climbed into bed, turning off the bedside lamp.

But as she lay there in the darkness, staring at the ceiling, her heart wouldn't stop racing.

Because for the first time in years, she realized—

She wasn't as over Orm as she thought she was.

_________

The next morning, Charlotte woke up early, already dressed in her office attire. She glanced at Lingling, who was still sound asleep, tangled in the sheets. Smiling softly, she leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Hey, I'm heading out," Charlotte whispered.

Lingling groaned in response, barely opening her eyes.

"I'll pick you up tonight. Let's celebrate," Charlotte added.

Lingling nodded sleepily before pulling the blanket over her head. Charlotte chuckled, shaking her head as she grabbed her bag and left for work.

On the other side of the city, Orm had just arrived at her office. The moment she stepped inside, she was met with the sight of Riu casually reclining in her chair, his feet comfortably resting on her desk as if it were his own. Like Orm, Riu was an heir—his family owned the prestigious Watthana Group. Their fathers had been close friends for years.

"Hey, you," he greeted with a smirk. "Fancy seeing you in Bangkok. I thought you had officially relocated to Europe."

Orm rolled her eyes and walked toward her desk. "I'm back."

Riu sat up, watching her closely. "So, how was it? You've been traveling all over Europe for the past year."

Orm sighed as she placed her bag down. "It was work."

Riu smirked. "You know, I missed my bride-to-be."

Orm scoffed, shaking her head. "Riu, we're not getting married. Not now, not ever."

Riu dramatically clutched his chest. "Ouch. That hurts." He leaned forward with an amused glint in his eyes. "What's the real reason, though? Are you saving yourself for someone special?"

Orm's expression faltered for a split second before she schooled her features. "First of all, I'm into women. Second, you're disgusting."

Riu let out a loud laugh. "Oh, I know that. But you do realize that no matter who you love, our families already decided our fate few years back."

Orm's grip on her pen tightened. "That so-called 'pact' was between my father and yours. My father is gone now, Riu. It doesn't concern me."

Riu leaned back and shrugged. "Still, it's funny, isn't it? If you're not married by the time you turn thirty-five, then you're mine. That was the deal."

Orm exhaled sharply. "You act like this is some contract I signed. It's not happening."

Riu raised his hands in surrender. "Relax. I'm just teasing." He stood up, stretching. "But you know how these things work, Orm. You can avoid it all you want, but you can't run from it forever."

Orm remained silent, too exhausted to argue.

Riu grabbed his coat and glanced back at her. "Anyway, I'll pick you up tonight for dinner."

Orm frowned. "I never agreed to that."

Riu smirked. "You didn't have to. At least help me make my dad believe i'm putting an effort in to this.  I'll be at your house by seven."

And with that, he walked out of her office, leaving Orm staring after him with a sigh.

As much as she hated to admit it, Riu was right about one thing—she couldn't keep running forever.

But what frustrated her the most wasn't business, or her father's so-called promise.

It was Lingling.

Seeing her again had shaken something deep inside Orm.

She didn't tease her. She didn't annoy her.

She acted like a complete stranger.

And somehow, that hurt more than Orm was willing to admit.

______

The rooftop restaurant exuded luxury—soft golden lights reflecting off polished marble tables, the city skyline glowing beneath them. A gentle breeze swept through the open space, carrying the murmur of conversations and the clinking of expensive glassware.

Orm arrived with Riu, her presence effortlessly commanding attention.

She was wearing a black, elegantly revealing dress. Thin straps rested delicately on her shoulders, the plunging neckline highlighting her collarbones, and the high slit on one side revealed smooth, toned legs with every graceful step. Her hair was styled perfectly, and her deep red lipstick contrasted beautifully against her fair skin.

Riu let out a low whistle as he pulled out a chair for her. "Damn, Orm. You trying to kill someone tonight?"

Orm rolled her eyes, sitting down with practiced elegance. "Shut up and order."

Riu smirked, raising a glass of wine in amusement. "Always so charming."

___________

Across the restaurant, Lingling noticed Orm the moment she walked in.

She hadn't meant to look, but it was impossible not to. The moment she saw that black dress, the way Orm's confidence radiated through the room, she felt something tighten in her chest.

Beside her, Charlotte followed her gaze and smirked. "Well, well," she said, leaning back in her chair. "That's your ex, isn't it?"

Lingling snapped out of her daze. "What?"

Charlotte took a slow sip of her drink, watching Orm with sharp eyes. "Orm Sethratanapong. I've met her before, remember? In Krabi." She tilted her head, smirking. "I knew I recognized her. I almost forgot about her."

Lingling exhaled through her nose, forcing herself to look away. "Yeah. So?"

Charlotte chuckled. "So, nothing. I just think it's funny. You haven't looked at me like that. But I get it. We're not even a thing. We just do things for fun and don't want to be alone."

Lingling scoffed, reaching for her glass. "You're imagining things."

Charlotte hummed, unconvinced. "Am I?"

Lingling didn't respond. She was too busy trying not to glance back at Orm.

____________

Oblivious to Lingling's presence, Orm focused on her dinner with Riu.

As they laughed over a joke, Riu suddenly leaned in, casually placing a hand on the small of Orm's back. She didn't think much of it—it was Riu, after all. They had a love-hate friendship filled with banter and sarcasm.

But from across the restaurant, Lingling clenched her jaw.

She wasn't sure why, but seeing Orm so comfortable with another person—especially a man—made her grip her wine glass just a little too tight.

Lingling kept her eyes on her plate, but she wasn't eating. She heard Charlotte talking beside her, but none of the words registered.

Across the restaurant, Orm laughed—her voice rich, her expression carefree. Lingling gritted her teeth.

Charlotte noticed. "You're really bad at hiding your emotions, you know," she said, sipping her wine.

Charlotte smirked. "You've been stabbing your steak for the past five minutes."

Lingling looked down, realizing she had, in fact, been pushing her fork into the meat absentmindedly. She exhaled and set it down.

Meanwhile, Orm raised her newly poured wine glass, tapping it against Riu's. "To being stuck with each other."

Riu chuckled. "To being stuck."

As Orm took a sip, her gaze briefly drifted around the restaurant—just for a second. But that was all it took.

Her eyes locked with Lingling's.

Orm muttered, "Fuck me," under her breath as soon as she spotted Lingling across the restaurant.

Riu, who was swirling his wine lazily, raised an amused brow. "No, thank you," he quipped before taking a sip. "What's got you so tense?"

Orm immediately tried to hide her face, subtly shifting her chair. She made an urgent expression at Riu, silently mouthing, Let's go.

Riu, catching on, glanced around with curiosity before smirking. "Ohh. One of your exes?" He leaned back in his chair, clearly enjoying this.

Orm shot him a glare. "Shut up and let's leave. Now."

Riu, ignoring her plea, grinned. "Come on, let's stay. This could be fun."

Orm rolled her eyes and leaned in. "You son of a bitch, let's go. I want a peaceful life."

Riu let out a dramatic sigh. "You are so boring." Then, wiggling his eyebrows mischievously, he added, "Should we make her jealous first?"

Orm narrowed her eyes. "Riu. I swear to god—"

Riu sighed in defeat. "Fine, fine. Let's go."

Orm wasted no time standing up, but the alcohol had already hit her harder than she expected. The moment she straightened, the world tilted slightly.

Riu immediately caught her arm, steadying her. "Easy there, lightweight. Can you still walk, or do I have to carry you?"

Orm shoved him weakly. "Shut up. I'm fine."

Riu laughed. "Sure you are." He guided her toward the exit, his hand still on her waist.

Across the room, Lingling watched everything unfold, her grip tightening on her glass.

Charlotte, sitting across from her, noticed. "Annoying, isn't it?" she mused.

Lingling scoffed. "What?"

Charlotte smirked knowingly. "Watching your ex being all cozy with someone else."

Lingling didn't respond. Instead, she took a slow sip of her drink, pretending it didn't bother her. But it did. More than she was willing to admit.

__________

On their way home.

As the car rolled through Bangkok's streets, Orm sighed. "I think coming back was a mistake."

Riu glanced at her. "Bangkok is your home."

"Anywhere but here," she muttered.

Riu smirked. "This about your ex?"

Orm scoffed. "Shut up."

"You downed wine like water and nearly tripped leaving," Riu teased. "She still gets to you."

Orm leaned back. "It's not like that."

"Then stop running," Riu said.

The car stopped. Orm stepped out. "Thanks for the ride."

"Anytime, bride-to-be," Riu joked.

"Go to hell."

Riu laughed as his car drove off, leaving Orm deep in thought.