Business or Something More?

Lingling sat at her desk, trying to focus on the document in front of her. Her perfectly tailored suit and impeccable hair screamed confidence, but her bloodshot eyes betrayed the truth—she hadn't slept a wink. She spent most of the night tossing and turning, haunted by the thought of Freen and Orm's supposed "date."

She hated how much it bothered her.

Why do I care? Freen's just... being Freen. And Orm? She's irrelevant. It's fine.

But it wasn't fine. Every time she tried to push the thought away, her mind conjured images of Orm laughing, Orm leaning in too close, Orm—

A knock interrupted her spiraling thoughts. Freen sauntered in, coffee in hand, looking far too smug for Lingling's liking.

"Morning, Ling!" Freen chirped. "You look... tired. Something keeping you up last night?"

Lingling scowled, shooting Freen a glare. "No."

"Hmm." Freen took a long sip of her coffee, clearly unconvinced. "Well, I have some news! I gave Orm your email."

"You what?" Lingling's tone was sharp, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

Freen shrugged, completely unbothered. "Relax, it's professional. Probably. She mentioned something about a collaboration. You're welcome."

Lingling opened her mouth to argue but stopped herself. She waved Freen off with a sigh, waiting until the door closed behind her to open her inbox. Sure enough, there it was:

Subject: Potential Collaboration

Lingling read the email three times, her eyes lingering on Orm's informal yet polite tone. It was annoyingly charming—just like the woman herself.

Focus, Lingling. This is business. She began crafting a response, her fingers hovering over the keyboard as she overthought every word.

At Blooming Beans, Orm was leaning against the counter, sipping her coffee while Becky worked on an order.

"So," Becky began, a sly grin creeping across her face, "what's the real reason you want this collaboration with Lingling's company? Expanding your business, or...?"

"Or what?" Orm asked, feigning innocence.

"Or you're just using this as an excuse to see your ice queen CEO again."

Orm chuckled. "She's not an ice queen. She's..." She paused, searching for the right word. "Intriguing."

"Hmm. Intriguing, huh?" Becky teased. "Translation: You think she's hot."

Orm rolled her eyes, but her grin gave her away. "Okay, fine. She's hot. But it's more than that. She's... I don't know. There's something about her."

Becky smirked. "You're in trouble, Kornnaphat. Big trouble."

Before Orm could reply, the bell above the door jingled, and Freen entered as if she owns the place.

"Well, well," Becky said, eyeing Freen. "Back for more coffee, or just here to harass me?"

"Can't it be both?" Freen shot back, leaning casually against the counter. "How's the most gorgeous barista in town today?"

"Your charm isn't getting you a discount," Becky said, sliding her a cup.

Orm watched the exchange with an amused grin. "Should I charge extra for the romantic tension, or is that included in the price?"

"Charge her double," Becky said without missing a beat.

Freen grinned. "Worth every penny."

Back in the office, Lingling was still agonizing over her email response when Freen poked her head in.

"Still writing?" Freen asked, leaning against the doorframe. "You're writing her a novel, huh? Should I grab some popcorn?"

Lingling glared at her, biting back a retort. She hit send before she could second-guess herself anymore.

"There," she said coolly. "Happy?"

Freen smirked. "Ecstatic. Can't wait to see how this little partnership turns out."

When Lingling walked into Blooming Beans later that day, the lively atmosphere was jarring. Conversations buzzed, laughter echoed, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee wrapped around her like a blanket.

Lingling's sharp eyes scanned the room, noting a small group of men seated near the counter. They were giggling—no, openly flirting—as Orm leaned against the counter, smiling in that easy, confident way of hers.

Orm glanced up and spotted Lingling, her grin broadening as she straightened. "Welcome, CEO. Can I get you something to drink or are you strictly here for business?"

Lingling's sharp gaze flicked to the flirtatious group before landing back on Orm. "Business." Her tone was cold, but her eyes lingered a fraction longer on the men than necessary.

Orm, picking up on the shift in Lingling's aura, tilted her head with a curious smile. "Not even a glass of water? You look in a bad mood. Caffeine might help."

Lingling raised an eyebrow. "Are you implying I'm in a bad mood?"

"Not at all," Orm said, smirking. "Just making an observation."

Lingling said nothing, but the intensity of her aura was unmistakable as they moved to a quieter corner of the shop to talk.

The customers Orm had been chatting with whispered among themselves, their eyes darting to Lingling nervously. Her presence was magnetic, almost intimidating and it was clear they didn't dare approach Orm while she was there.

As Orm outlined her proposal, Lingling's icy demeanor began to melt slightly. She found herself drawn in by Orm's genuine passion for her ideas, though she kept her face neutral.

"Your proposal is... thorough," Lingling said after a pause.

Orm leaned back in her chair, grinning. "Careful, Ling. If I didn't know better, I'd think that was a compliment."

"It's not," Lingling said quickly, though the faintest twitch of her lips betrayed her.

"Of course not," Orm replied, feigning seriousness. "You don't seem like the type to give compliments easily."

"I'm not."

"Noted," Orm said, her grin widening.

At one point, Lingling caught Orm glancing toward the counter, where another customer was trying to catch her attention.

"Do you need to... attend to your admirers?" Lingling asked, her tone sharp.

Orm's eyebrows shot up, and she bit back a laugh. "Oh, them? No. I think they're a little scared of you, actually."

"Scared?"

"You've got this... intense aura going on," Orm teased, leaning forward. "It's kind of impressive, honestly."

Lingling's eyes narrowed, though a faint pink touched her cheeks. "Focus on the proposal."

"Whatever you say, CEO," Orm said, chuckling.

As their meeting wrapped up, Orm leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "So, should I email you updates, or...?"

Lingling hesitated, her fingers tapping lightly on the table. "It would be... more efficient to communicate directly."

Orm blinked, then grinned. "Are you saying you want my number, CEO?"

"Don't flatter yourself," Lingling said, pulling out her phone. "It's strictly for business."

"Of course." Orm handed over her phone, her grin only widening as Lingling keyed in her number.

"Don't misuse it," Lingling warned, standing to leave.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Orm called after her, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

After the meeting, Lingling lingered in the shop, her eyes following Orm as she moved behind the counter. Orm's easy charm and warmth were on full display as she greeted customers and laughed with her staff.

Lingling noticed how effortlessly Orm drew people in. There was no pretense, no ulterior motive— just genuine care and confidence. It made Lingling wonder if she'd been wrong to judge her so quickly.

As she left the shop, her mind buzzed with thoughts of Orm.

Freen was right about one thing, she admitted to herself. Orm isn't just a pretty face.

But the thought unsettled her, and she wasn't sure why.