The Suspence Of Us

Orm had always trusted Lingling. Sure, Lingling was reserved and loved her privacy, but she had never been outright secretive—until now. For weeks, Lingling had been acting distant, disappearing into her office for hours on end, muttering about "projects" that she refused to explain. And the whispers with Becky and Freen weren't helping; every time Orm walked into the room, the trio would abruptly stop talking or awkwardly change the subject. Lingling's quick dismissals and vague reassurances were no longer convincing, and Orm couldn't help but feel like something big was being kept from her.

At first, Orm tried to brush it off. She's just busy. It's probably nothing.But the more Lingling avoided her, the more restless Orm became. Her gut told her something wasn't right, and her mind spiraled into worst-case scenarios. What if Lingling was in trouble? Or worse... what if Lingling was hiding something that could shatter everything they'd built together?

Orm decided she couldn't take it anymore. She needed answers, especially since this strange behavior was happening the night before Lingling had cleared her schedule, a rare occurrence.

It started innocently enough. Orm was tidying up the living room when she noticed a small stack of papers on the coffee table. She hesitated, glancing toward Lingling's office to make sure she wasn't coming out, and then picked up the papers. Her heart sank when she saw what they were.

Receipts. Expensive ones. A florist and a high-end jewelry store. The dates matched Lingling's recent "mysterious meetings."

Orm's chest tightened. *Flowers and jewelry? For who?* Her mind raced. The pieces didn't add up, and yet they painted a picture she didn't want to believe. Lingling had been so distant lately, so secretive. Could there be... someone else?

Shaking her head, Orm tried to dismiss the thought. No. Ling wouldn't do that to me. But the doubt lingered, and the more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that something was seriously wrong.

Determined to get answers, Orm decided to confront Becky and Freen. She found them at Blooming Beans, huddled together over their phones and laughing at something. The moment they noticed her, they stopped and exchanged a knowing look.

"What are you two up to?" Orm asked, crossing her arms.

Freen smirked. "Nothing. Why? Do we look suspicious?"

"Yes," Orm replied bluntly. "What's going on with Ling? Why has she been acting so weird lately? And don't tell me it's nothing because I know you two are in on it."

Becky leaned back in her chair, grinning. "Relax, Orm. You're reading way too much into this."

"I'm not," Orm insisted. "She's hiding something. I found receipts for flowers and jewelry. Explain that."

Freen's eyebrows shot up, but she quickly recovered, leaning forward with a teasing smile. "Oh, so you're snooping now? Interesting."

"Freen!" Orm snapped, her patience wearing thin.

"Alright, alright," Freen said, holding up her hands. "Look, I'll tell you everything... if you give me your Netflix password."

Becky snorted. "No, no. Let's make it interesting. I'll spill the beans if you let me rename Blooming Beans after myself for a week. 'Becky's Beans' has a nice ring to it."

Orm's jaw dropped. "Are you serious right now?"

"Dead serious," Becky replied, grinning.

"You two are impossible," Orm muttered, standing up abruptly. "I don't have time for this."

As she stormed off, Freen leaned toward Becky, whispering, "Maybe we pushed her too far."

Lingling sat in her office, staring at the proposal plan on her laptop. Her hands trembled slightly as she scrolled through the details. Everything was ready—the flowers, the dinner, the ring. But the pressure was mounting. Orm was starting to suspect something, and Lingling could feel the tension every time they were in the same room.

Becky and Freen's teasing didn't help. They'd texted her earlier:

Becky: Orm's onto you. Better propose now before she packs her bags.

Freen: Orm's in full detective mode. She's gonna crack this case wide open.

Lingling groaned, burying her face in her hands. What if Orm really thinks I'm hiding something bad? The thought made her stomach churn. She debated confessing everything early, but a part of her wanted to stick to the plan.

"You're overthinking this," she muttered to herself. "She'll understand once she sees the ring."

That evening, Orm finally decided she couldn't take it anymore. She found Lingling in the living room, sitting on the couch with her laptop. Lingling looked up, startled, as Orm approached.

"We need to talk," Orm said, her tone firm.

Lingling closed her laptop, her expression wary. "What's wrong?"

"You tell me," Orm shot back. "You've been acting so strange lately. You're avoiding me, sneaking around, and whispering with Becky and Freen. And then I found these."

She placed the receipts on the coffee table. Lingling's eyes widened as she realized what they were.

"Flowers and jewelry?" Orm continued. "Who are they for? What's going on, Ling? Just tell me the truth."

"Orm, it's not what you think," Lingling said quickly.

"Then what is it?" Orm demanded. "Because right now, it looks like you're hiding something from me. And I don't know if I can..." Her voice faltered, but the hurt in her eyes was clear.

Lingling's heart clenched. She realized she'd pushed Orm too far. If she didn't come clean now, she might lose her.

"Okay," Lingling said softly, standing up and taking Orm's hands. "You really want to know the truth?"

Orm nodded, her gaze unwavering. "Yes. Please."

Lingling took a deep breath, her hands trembling slightly. "Fine. I'll tell you everything. But you need to sit down first."