Bachelorette Chaos

The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the café as Becky and Suzy huddled at their usual table, a notebook and Becky's phone on the table. Suzy, with her pen poised over the paper, wore a look of concentration, while Becky, on the other hand, had a mischievous grin that spelled trouble.

"What about a spa day? Something relaxing and sophisticated," Suzy suggested, scribbling it down on the list.

Becky rolled her eyes so hard it was a wonder they didn't fall out. "Suzy, please. Orm deserves more than scented candles and seaweed wraps. This is her bachelorette party, not her retirement plan."

"Well, she likes simple things," Suzy defended weakly.

"Exactly! Which is why we're giving her something totally unexpected." Becky leaned forward, her grin widening. "Strippers."

Suzy gasped, almost dropping her pen. "Becky!"

"What?" Becky threw her hands up. "It's tradition! Plus, imagine Orm's face when a stripper walks in. Better yet, imagine Lingling's face."

"Lingling?" Suzy froze, her eyes widening in panic. "Do you think she'd find out?"

"Oh, Lingling always finds out," Becky said with a knowing smirk. "But that's what makes it fun!"

The bell above the café door jingled, and Orm strolled in, her sharp eyes immediately narrowing at the sight of Becky and Suzy whispering conspiratorially.

"What are you two plotting?" Orm asked, stopping at their table with her hands on her hips.

"Nothing!" Suzy said too quickly, her cheeks flushing.

Becky, on the other hand, leaned back in her chair with a sly grin. "Oh, just planning your bachelorette party. No big deal."

Orm raised an eyebrow. "And?"

Becky didn't miss a beat. "We're hiring a male stripper."

Orm froze, her face draining of color as she processed Becky's words. "You want me dead? Lingling will kill all of us. Me first. Then she'll kill you. Twice."

"It's tradition!" Suzy offered weakly, though her voice wavered.

"Relax," Becky added, waving her hand dismissively. "Maybe Lingling will send her own stripper just to outdo us."

"That's not helping!" Orm snapped, her tone rising in panic. "You don't understand. She probably has spies watching us right now. Do you know how Lingling feels about other people even looking at me, let alone touching me?""

"Fine," Becky said with a dramatic sigh, though the mischievous glint in her eyes remained. "No strippers. Maybe... Ying could strip instead."

"BECKY!" Orm's jaw dropped, her eyes darting around as if Lingling might appear at any moment. "Don't even joke about that!"

Later that afternoon, Freen strolled into Lingling's office, holding her phone with an amused grin.

"You won't believe what Becky and Suzy are planning for Orm's bachelorette party," Freen began, dropping into the chair across from Lingling's desk.

Lingling glanced up from her paperwork, her expression neutral. "Do I want to know?"

Freen leaned back, clearly enjoying herself. "Strippers. Inflatable nonsense. It's chaos."

Lingling set down her pen, her eyebrow arching. "Strippers?"

Freen shrugged, suppressing a laugh. "Don't worry. Orm vetoed it. But Becky's still Becky, so who knows what'll happen."

Lingling's eyes narrowed slightly, but she said nothing, returning to her work. "Becky's chaos is your problem," she said coolly. "Make sure it stays in check."

"Noted," Freen replied, though her smirk suggested otherwise.

That evening, Orm was scrolling through her phone on the couch when Lingling walked in, her expression calm but unmistakably serious.

"So," Lingling began, crossing her arms. "Strippers?"

Orm nearly dropped her phone, her heart racing. "No strippers! I shut that down immediately! I swear."

Lingling raised an eyebrow, stepping closer. "Good. Because I don't like the idea of anyone else... touching you."

Orm smiled nervously, reaching for Lingling's hand. "I wouldn't let that happen. You know you're the only one for me."

Lingling softened slightly, though her eyes still carried a possessive glint. "Just so we're clear, you're mine. Always."

Orm laughed, pulling Lingling into a hug. "Always. I love you, Ling."

"I love you too," Lingling murmured, her head resting on Orm's shoulder. "But if Becky crosses the line, I'm holding you responsible."

Despite Lingling's warning, Becky wasn't one to fully behave. That night, she and Freen worked on a "harmless" addition to the party: a life-sized cardboard cutout of Lingling dressed as a queen, complete with a speech bubble that read, "Behave."

Freen held up the cutout, squinting. "You're actually insane."

Becky grinned. "It's perfect."

"You know this will get us both killed, right?" Freen asked, setting the cutout against the wall.

Becky waved her off. "It's harmless. Lingling will appreciate it. Probably."

Freen crossed her arms. "When she murders you, I'm not stopping her."

Becky smugly admiring the decorations for the party: fairy lights, balloons, the karaoke machine, and the infamous Lingling cutout. She clapped her hands together, satisfied.

Orm, sitting at the counter, looked around nervously. "I still feel like this is going to end badly."

"Relax," Becky said, patting Orm on the back. "It's going to be fine."

The glow of Lingling's desk lamp illuminated the stack of documents she'd been reviewing for hours. She had just wrapped up her last report when her phone buzzed. A notification from Becky's Instagram story caught her attention.

Lingling hesitated, already wary of Becky's antics. But curiosity got the better of her. She tapped on the notification.

Her screen lit up with chaos. The first clip was Becky belting out an ear-piercing rendition of Single Ladies on a karaoke machine. The second showed Orm laughing, her head thrown back, clearly amused. The third was the pièce de résistance: a cardboard cutout of Lingling herself, complete with a speech bubble that read, "Behave."

Lingling's eyebrow twitched. "They think this is funny?"

She scrolled further, her eyes narrowing at the sight of balloons, questionable party favors, and Orm looking a little too carefree. But it was the next story that truly made her freeze.

Ying. Tagging herself in a video with the caption: "Goddess gracing us with her presence tonight!"

Lingling's jaw tightened. "Of course," she muttered. Her mind began to spiral. What if they hired strippers? she thought grimly. What if Ying... She didn't dare finish the thought.

She stood abruptly, grabbing her coat. "This ends now."

Blooming Beans was a full-blown bachelorette chaos zone. Becky was in her element, shamelessly singing off-key while Freen and Suzy cheered her on. Streamers hung from the ceiling, and a table of half-eaten snacks sat neglected as everyone gravitated toward the karaoke machine.

Orm sat at a table, sipping her drink and shaking her head at Becky's antics. Despite herself, she was enjoying the lighthearted energy—until Ying walked in.

The room collectively paused as the statuesque goddess entered, dressed in a sleek outfit that managed to look effortless and stunning. She made a beeline for Orm, her signature flirtatious smile firmly in place.

"Orm, darling," Ying greeted, her tone smooth as silk. "You look amazing. How's the party treating you?"

Orm, flustered but polite, replied, "It's... lively."

Becky grinned from the karaoke machine, raising her mic. "The goddess has arrived! Everyone, give it up for Ying!"

Orm leaned toward Becky, whispering, "Do you think Lingling's watching this?"

Becky smirked, holding up her phone. "Oh, she's watching. Trust me."

As if summoned by Becky's words, the café door swung open. Lingling stepped inside, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. The air seemed to grow colder as the room fell silent.

Even Ying straightened slightly, though her teasing smile remained.

Lingling's gaze swept the room. She took in the karaoke machine, the balloons, and the cardboard cutout of herself in the corner. Finally, her eyes landed on Orm, sitting too close to Ying for her liking.

Lingling's voice was dangerously calm as she spoke. "Am I interrupting something?"

Becky, in true Becky fashion, stepped forward with a grin. "Ling! Welcome to the party! Isn't the cutout fabulous?"

Lingling ignored her, stepping closer to Orm and Ying. She took Orm's hand, pulling her gently but firmly away from Ying's orbit.

Her gaze locked on Ying. "I see you're enjoying yourself," Lingling said, her tone icy.

Ying, unbothered, smirked. "How could I not? It's Orm's night, after all."

Lingling's jaw tightened, but she didn't lose her composure. "Yes. My fiancée's night. And no one else's."

Turning to Orm, Lingling's voice dropped lower, her words sharp. "Tell me the truth. Were there strippers?"

Orm's eyes widened in panic. "No! I swear! Becky suggested it, but I shut it down immediately!"

Lingling's glare shifted to Becky, who raised her hands defensively. "It was a joke! No strippers, I promise!"

Lingling arched an eyebrow. "Good. Because if anyone had been grinding on my fiancée..." She paused, her voice dangerously low. "They wouldn't have made it out of here."

Becky leaned toward Freen and muttered, "Yep. Definitely going to die."

Spotting the karaoke machine, Lingling smirked. She walked over, picked up the microphone, and turned to the room. "Since I'm here, I might as well contribute."

The room watched in stunned silence as Lingling began singing "I Put A Spell On You" (by Nina Simone). Her voice was sultry and commanding, leaving everyone captivated. Even Becky, who rarely passed up an opportunity to tease, whispered to Freen, "Why is she both terrifying and amazing?"

As Lingling finished her performance, she set the microphone down gracefully. "I trust there won't be any more questionable ideas for tonight."

After handling the room, Lingling pulled Orm aside, her icy demeanor softening as she looked at her fiancée.

"Are you okay?" Lingling asked, her tone quieter now.

Orm smiled, holding Lingling's hands. "I'm fine. But I think you scared Becky into early retirement."

Lingling sighed, her fingers brushing against Orm's cheek. "I just... I don't like the idea of anyone else touching you. Not strippers. Not Ying. No one."

Orm leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Lingling's lips. "You don't have to worry about anyone else. You have me. Always."

Lingling smiled faintly, her jealousy melting away. "Good. Because I don't share."

After Lingling and Orm left, Becky collapsed into a chair, letting out a long breath. "So... we all survived?"

Freen nodded solemnly. "Barely. If you'd gone with the stripper plan, you'd be six feet under right now."

Suzy, sipping her wine, sighed dramatically. "At least the karaoke machine made it out alive."

Becky groaned, throwing an arm over her face. "Next time, remind me to keep Ying and Lingling in separate rooms."