Chapter 26
The rain continued to pour relentlessly around them, drumming against the pavement, the roof of the car, and the silence that had settled heavily inside Orm's chest.
For a moment, she simply stared through the windshield.
At the dark road ahead.
At the blurred city lights swallowed by the rain.
At the reflection of a life she had spent years trying to outrun.
Beside her, Lingling remained asleep.
Peacefully.
Quietly.
Completely unaware of the war raging inside the woman sitting next to her.
A strand of hair had fallen across Lingling's face.
Orm swallowed hard.
Then carefully, almost trembling, she reached over and tucked it behind her ear.
The gesture was small.
Gentle.
The kind of gesture that meant nothing to strangers.
But everything to someone who had spent years loving in silence.
Her fingers lingered for only a second before she pulled away.
Because she knew she had no right to hold on.
Not anymore.
Not after everything.
Not after all the years that had passed.
Not after all the words left unsaid.
Not after all the chances they had lost.
Lingling shifted slightly in her sleep, leaning unconsciously toward the window.
Orm's chest tightened painfully.
There was something cruel about seeing someone you loved look so peaceful when your own heart felt like it was breaking apart piece by piece.
She wanted to freeze this moment.
Just this one.
This quiet car.
This rain.
This road.
This version of Lingling beside her.
Because deep down, she knew moments like this never lasted.
They always slipped away.
Just like everything else.
A tear escaped before she could stop it.
Then another.
She quickly wiped them away.
No one was there to see them.
Still, she couldn't bear the thought of crying over someone who no longer belonged to her.
Outside, thunder rumbled across the Phuket sky.
Inside, only silence remained.
The kind of silence that carried years of regret.
Years of longing.
Years of loving someone at the wrong time.
Orm took a shaky breath and closed her eyes for a brief second.
Then she looked one last time at the woman sleeping beside her.
Memorizing her.
As if she were preparing herself for another goodbye.
As if her heart already knew that some people could feel like home...
and still never stay.
After several minutes of driving through the rain, they finally arrived at the hotel.
The rain had never stopped
It continued to pound mercilessly against the glass walls and windows of the building, drumming like thousands of restless hands against the night.
Relentless.
Unforgiving.
As though the heavens themselves had decided to mourn something neither of them could put into words.
Orm barely managed to support Lingling as they stepped out of the elevator.
The taller woman was almost completely unconscious.
One of the hotel guards and a male attendant immediately rushed forward when they saw her struggling.
"Ma'am, let us help."
Orm nodded gratefully.
Together, they supported Lingling between them.
Her body felt heavy.
Not because of her weight.
Because she wasn't helping herself anymore.
Every ounce of strength she'd spent years carrying seemed to have finally abandoned her tonight.
Her head hung low.
Dark strands of hair clung to her forehead and cheeks.
Her face was flushed a deep crimson from the alcohol.
Every few steps, she stumbled.
Every few seconds, she muttered something beneath her breath.
Broken words.
Fragments of sentences.
Half-finished thoughts.
Things nobody could understand.
Until Orm realized she could.
Because among all the incoherent mumbling, one name kept surfacing.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Her name.
Orm.
Each time Lingling whispered it, something twisted painfully inside Orm's chest.
A wound she thought had scarred over suddenly reopened.
By the time they reached the suite, Lingling could barely keep her eyes open.
The attendant unlocked the door while the guard carefully guided her inside.
The luxurious room stretched before them.
Beautiful.
Expensive.
Empty.
Far too empty.
Far too quiet.
Far too cold.
They carefully lowered Lingling onto the oversized couch.
The moment her body touched the cushions, she collapsed into them completely.
As if she'd been holding herself together for years and finally no longer had to pretend.
Exhausted.
Broken.
Lost.
Orm stood there frozen.
Just staring.
For a moment she couldn't reconcile the woman before her with the woman she used to know.
Because this wasn't the Lingling Kwong she remembered.
The Lingling she remembered was untouchable.
Elegant.
Confident.
The kind of woman who entered a room and instantly became the center of it.
The kind of woman everyone looked at.
The kind of woman everyone wanted.
The kind of woman who never let anyone see her weak.
But tonight-
Tonight she looked shattered.
Like someone had taken every beautiful piece of her and left only the cracks behind.
"Thank you."
Orm's voice came out barely above a whisper as she turned toward the attendant and the guard.
Both men nodded politely before leaving.
The door clicked shut.
And suddenly there was silence.
Only the distant sound of rain remained.
Steady.
Lonely.
Endless.
Orm slowly sat beside Lingling.
For several moments, she simply watched her.
Studied her.
Tried to understand.
Tried to figure out what drive someone like Lingling into this state. She's fine and happy with Mint earlier at the beach.
Then finally-
"Why the hell did you get yourself this drunk, Lingling Kwong?"
The words were supposed to sound annoyed.
They didn't.
They sounded scared.
Fragile.
Almost trembling.
Because the irritation wasn't real.
It had never been real.
What she felt was concern.
Fear.
And something far more dangerous.
The image of dozens of women surrounding Lingling at the bar.
Touching her.
Laughing with her.
Flirting with her.
Offering themselves to her.
Trying to take her home.
Jingjing's words echoed inside her head.
And for reasons she refused to examine too closely-
The thought made her furious.
Not angry.
Furious.
As though the idea itself hurt.
Lingling stirred.
Her eyelids fluttered open.
Slowly.
Heavily.
Her eyes were unfocused.
Clouded by alcohol.
Yet somehow still breathtaking.
A lazy grin spread across her lips.
"Heyyyyy..."
She squinted.
"You're so loud, woman."
A hiccup escaped her.
Orm rolled her eyes despite herself.
But before she could respond, Lingling's hand lazily lifted.
Her fingertips brushed against Orm's cheek.
A simple touch.
An accidental touch.
Nothing more.
Yet Orm's heart nearly stopped.
The warmth of those fingers felt achingly familiar.
Dangerously familiar.
"Wait..."
Lingling blinked several times.
Her gaze drifted around the room.
"What the fuck..."
She frowned.
"Where am I?"
Then her eyes landed on Orm again.
She stared.
Longer this time.
"Damn..."
A drunken laugh escaped her.
"You look like my Ormy."
Orm froze.
Every muscle in her body locked.
"Even drunk..." Lingling continued softly.
"I still see her everywhere."
Another laugh followed.
But this one carried no amusement.
Only sadness.
The kind of sadness that came from missing someone for too long.
"Fuck my life."
She pointed at Orm.
"I'm sorry, miss."
Before Orm could speak, Lingling suddenly leaned forward.
Closer.
Too close.
Close enough that Orm forgot how to breathe.
Lingling sniffed lightly.
Then frowned.
Then sniffed again.
A third time.
As if trying to solve a mystery.
Then she groaned dramatically.
"Argh."
Her eyes closed.
A tiny smile appeared.
"You smell like her too."
Orm couldn't move.
Couldn't speak.
Couldn't even think.
"Vanilla."
Lingling whispered.
A pause.
Then-
"And home."
The word shattered something inside Orm.
Home.
Not a place.
Not a house.
Home was a person.
And somehow, after everything...
Lingling still thought of her that way.
But Lingling only laughed again.
A broken laugh.
A defeated laugh.
Then she shook her head.
"No."
Her smile vanished.
"It can't be her."
The words hurt more than they should have.
"If you were Orm..."
A shadow crossed her face.
"She wouldn't let me get this close."
Silence.
Heavy.
Painful.
Lingling swallowed.
"She has a husband."
A knife.
"A son."
Another knife.
"A family.
Every word landed directly inside Orm's chest.
Because Lingling wasn't saying them to hurt her.
She was saying them because she believed them.
Because she'd spent four years convincing herself of them.
Because she had no other choice.
Then suddenly Lingling pushed herself upright.
Wobbling immediately.
Unsteady.
Determined.
"I'll go."
"Lingling-"
"I need to find my room."
She took one step.
Then another.
Then her knees gave out.
"Lingling!"
Orm lunged forward.
Catching her just before she hit the floor.
The impact nearly knocked them both over.
"Damn it."
Orm wrapped both arms around her waist.
Holding her together.
Holding herself together.
"Why did you drink this much?"
Her voice cracked.
And she hated how desperate she sounded.
Because she already knew the answer.
She knew.
If she hadn't gone to that bar tonight-
Someone else would've taken Lingling home.
Someone else would've held her.
Someone else would've seen this vulnerable side of her.
And somehow-
That thought hurt more than it should.
Far more.
Eventually she managed to settle Lingling back onto the couch.
The effort left her breathless.
Lingling immediately sank into the cushions again.
Half asleep.
Half conscious.
Completely vulnerable.
Orm walked toward the kitchen area.
She grabbed water.
A clean towel.
A basin.
Anything she thought might help.
When she returned, Lingling was sweating.
The alcohol was finally beginning to take its toll.
Carefully.
Gently.
Orm knelt beside her.
She removed her shoes.
Adjusted the pillow beneath her head.
Wiped the damp strands of hair away from her face.
Dabbed her forehead.
Her cheeks.
The side of her neck.
Each motion felt painfully familiar.
Like muscle memory.
Like something she'd done countless times before.
Like loving Lingling had become so deeply ingrained inside her that her body still remembered.
Then suddenly-
Lingling grabbed her wrist.
Hard.
Her eyes flew open.
Wide with panic.
"Who are you?"
Orm startled.
"Please..."
Lingling's voice cracked.
"I'm drunk."
She shook her head.
"But I don't want to have sex with you."
Orm felt her heart drop.
The fear in Lingling's voice was real.
Raw.
Protective.
As if even in her most vulnerable state, there was still one boundary she refused to cross.
Lingling struggled upright.
Nearly falling again.
"Please let me go home."
Tears filled her eyes.
Fresh.
Uncontrolled.
"Orm's the only woman I'm going to sleep with."
Silence.
The confession hung between them.
Bare.
Honest.
Unfiltered.
Like truth stripped of all pride.
"I don't want another woman."
Orm couldn't breathe.
Four years.
Four years apart.
Four years of silence.
Four years of believing she had lost her.
And somehow-
Even now-
It was still her.
Only her.
"Lingling..."
Orm whispered.
"It's me."
But Lingling wasn't listening.
She kept pushing weakly against her.
"Miss, please."
Her voice trembled.
"Why are you touching me?"
Tears streamed down her face.
"I don't want to betray Orm."
Another sob.
"I have money."
She laughed bitterly.
"Name your price. I don't care."
Her voice broke completely.
"Just leave me."
Another tear fell.
"I'm not getting laid tonight with you."
Then she whispered the words that finally shattered whatever composure Orm still had left.
"I've already given everything to her."
Orm's vision blurred.
Tears spilled freely down her cheeks now.
Because Lingling wasn't talking about her body.
She was talking about her heart.
And Orm knew it.
She had given everything.
Every dream.
Every hope.
Every piece of herself.
And Orm had been the one who walked away.
Finally-
Desperate.
Breaking.
Orm grabbed her face gently between both hands.
"Lingling Kwong."
Her voice cracked.
"I am Kornnaphat Orm Sethratanapong."
"It's me, I'm here. You're with me."
Silence.
The entire world seemed to stop.
Even the rain felt distant.
Lingling stared.
Recognition slowly entered her eyes.
Then disbelief.
Then shock.
Then heartbreak.
Then tears.
"Orm..."
The name came out like a prayer.
And suddenly she broke.
Completely.
Throwing herself into Orm's arms.
Holding onto her as if she were drowning.
As if letting go would kill her.
"I miss you."
A sob.
"I miss you so much."
Orm closed her eyes.
Because hearing those words felt like both salvation and punishment.
"You hurt me so much."
Another sob.
"But I still want you."
Her grip tightened.
"I still love you like four years never happened."
Orm's tears fell silently now.
Hot.
Unstoppable.
"I tried to move on."
Lingling laughed through tears.
"I swear I tried."
Another tear slipped down her cheek.
"So many times."
Her voice trembled.
"And every single time I failed."
A hollow laugh escaped her.
"People said time heals."
She shook her head.
"They lied."
More tears.
"You never left me."
Her trembling hand pressed against her chest.
"You became part of me."
Orm felt like her heart was being ripped apart.
"Shhh..."
Her own voice broke.
"Lingling, stop talking. Please."
Tears streamed down her face.
"We'll talk tomorrow."
A sob escaped her.
"I'm sorry."
Another.
"So sorry."
She tightened her arms around her.
"We'll fix this."
Her voice cracked completely.
"I promise."
For one brief moment, Orm thought the worst was over.
Then everything changed.
Lingling slowly pulled away.
And the vulnerability disappeared.
Replaced by anger.
By hurt.
By four years of unanswered questions.
"You tell me."
Her voice turned cold.
Sharp.
"How are we supposed to fix this?"
Orm blinked.
"What?"
"Sean."
The name exploded between them.
"If he's still in the picture..."
Lingling laughed bitterly.
"What am I, Orm?"
Her eyes glistened.
"Your mistress?"
The accusation stole every ounce of air from the room.
"You married him."
Her voice shook.
"You built a life with him."
Another tear.
"You had everything."
Then she looked away.
"And I was still stupid enough to love you."
Orm's chest tightened painfully.
Because every word carried years of suffering.
Years she wasn't there to witness.
Years Lingling had endured alone.
"Why couldn't it be me?"
The question was barely above a whisper.
Fragile.
Broken.
Devastating.
"You said you loved me."
A tear slipped down her face.
"Did that disappear when I left?"
Orm couldn't answer.
Not because she didn't want to.
But because there were no words big enough to fix what she'd broken.
Lingling looked at her.
Really looked at her.
And Orm saw it.
The heartbreak.
The longing.
The exhaustion of loving someone who never truly left your heart.
"If you really moved on."
Lingling's voice softened.
"If you really love Sean..."
She swallowed hard.
"Then why do you still look at me like that?"
Neither of them spoke.
Neither of them moved.
Outside, the rain continued to fall.
Steady.
Endless.
Like time itself.
"You know you're always mine."
Lingling lifted a trembling hand and touched Orm's cheek.
"I loved you first."
Her fingers slowly traveled downward.
Stopping over Orm's chest.
Directly above her heart.
"You always belong to Lingling Kwong."
Orm's breath caught.
"You can fool anyone."
Lingling's eyes filled with tears.
"But not yourself."
And for one terrifying moment-
Everything came rushing back.
Khon Kaen.
The night she finally allowed herself to love Lingling without fear.
Without doubt.
Without hesitation.
She remembered the goodbye.
The unbearable goodbye.
The future they were supposed to have.
The life that never happened.
"Do you understand?"
Lingling finally asked.
Her voice quieter now.
Almost pleading.
Almost breaking.
Orm swallowed hard.
Then nodded.
Quickly.
Desperately.
Before she could think.
Before she could remember.
Before she completely lost herself inside those eyes again.
With trembling hands, she gently guided Lingling back onto the couch.
Then she reached for the nearest thing she could find.
A cold glass of water.
Anything to distract herself.
Anything to stop herself from falling apart.
Anything to keep from answering the question neither of them was ready to face. They needed to talk sincerely when Lingling's not drunk.
And silently, with shaking hands, she held it out toward her.
"Drink please."
Lingling stared at the glass.
Then at Orm.
Then back at the glass again.
For several seconds, neither of them moved.
The rain hammered against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the suite.
The sound filled every corner of the room.
Filled the silence.
Filled the spaces where four years of missed conversations should have been.
Slowly, Lingling took the glass.
Her fingers brushed Orm's.
The contact lasted less than a second.
Yet it felt like someone had ripped open an old wound that had never truly healed.
Lingling drank obediently.
A few drops escaped the corner of her mouth.
Orm instinctively reached for a tissue.
Then froze.
Because she suddenly remembered.
Four years ago, she would have wiped it away without thinking.
Four years ago, Lingling would have leaned into her touch.
Four years ago, they belonged to each other even without saying it loudly.
Now everything felt foreign.
Careful.
Fragile.
As though one wrong word could destroy what little remained between them.
Lingling lowered the glass.
"You still do that."
Orm frowned.
"Do what?"
"Take care of me."
The words came out soft.
Dangerously soft.
The kind of softness that hurt more than anger.
Orm looked away.
"You were drunk."
"That's not an answer."
Silence.
The rain grew louder.
Lingling laughed bitterly.
A broken laugh.
One that sounded far too painful for someone her age.
"You know what's funny?"
Orm didn't answer.
Lingling continued anyway.
"I spent four years trying to hate you, so that it would be easy for me to forget you."
Her voice cracked.
"I really tried."
Orm's fingers tightened around the tissue in her hand.
"Lingling-"
"No."
Lingling shook her head.
"Let me finish."
Her eyes glistened.
"I want to date other people. I want to give chance to others."
Orm's heart stopped.
"The past four years? I met people."
Every word felt like a knife.
"Good people."
Another knife.
"People who wanted me."
Another.
"People who would've loved me properly."
Another.
Another.
Another.
"But every single time..."
Lingling laughed again.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
"I kept comparing them to you."
Orm closed her eyes.
Because she knew.
God, she knew exactly what that felt like.
"I compared their smile to yours."
Another tear.
"Their voice."
Another.
"The way they looked at me."
Another.
"The way they cared."
Her breathing shook.
"And every single time I realized they weren't you."
The room suddenly felt too small.
Too quiet.
Too suffocating.
Orm felt her chest tightening.
She wanted to tell Lingling to stop.
Because every word hurt.
Because every confession sounded too much like her own.
Because she had done the exact same thing.
For four years.
Every attempt to move on from Lingling failed.
Nobody had ever been Lingling.
Nobody ever would be.
"You know what the worst part is?" Lingling whispered.
Orm looked up.
Their eyes met.
And suddenly she saw it.
Not anger.
Not jealousy.
Not bitterness.
Just grief.
Pure grief.
"The worst part is that I never stopped loving you."
The confession shattered whatever composure remained inside the room.
Lingling lowered her gaze.
Looking defeated.
Broken.
Exhausted.
"As stupid as that sounds."
Orm felt tears gathering in her eyes again.
"Lingling..."
"I loved you when you left and chose to marry Sean."
A tear fell.
"I loved you when I was angry and lost."
Another.
"I loved you when I was trying to forget you."
Another.
"I loved you when I convinced myself I'd moved on."
Her voice broke completely.
"And I still love you now."
The room became silent.
Only the rain remained.
Neither woman moved.
Neither woman spoke.
Because what could possibly be said after that?
How could either of them explain four years of longing?
Four years of regret?
Four years of waking up every morning missing someone they were never supposed to lose?
Lingling lowered her head.
The alcohol was finally beginning to wear off.
Leaving behind only exhaustion.
Only heartbreak.
Only truth.
"I'm tired, Orm."
Her voice was barely audible.
"So tired."
Orm felt something inside her crack.
Because she knew Lingling wasn't talking about tonight.
She was talking about the years.
The waiting.
The hoping.
The loving.
The losing.
Slowly, carefully, Orm reached forward.
Not as a lover.
Not as someone claiming ownership.
Just as someone whose heart still broke whenever Lingling cried.
She brushed a tear from Lingling's cheek.
And for the first time that night-
Lingling didn't pull away.
Instead, she slowly closed her eyes, as if surrendering to something far beyond exhaustion. As if she no longer had the strength to fight whatever pain had brought her to this state.
The gesture was small.
Almost insignificant.
Yet it shattered something inside Orm.
Because once upon a time, Lingling used to lean into her touch.
Used to seek it.
Used to belong there.
Now, even the simple act of not pulling away felt like a gift Orm no longer deserved.
The room fell silent.
Only the faint hum of the air conditioner filled the space, blending with the distant sounds of the city beyond the windows.
Orm remained seated on the edge of the couch, unable to move.
Unable to look away.
Unable to stop feeling.
Her chest rose and fell unevenly as she stared at the woman sleeping in front of her.
Or perhaps not sleeping.
Just lost.
Just tired.
Just broken.
Just like her.
After a few moments, Orm lowered her gaze and forced herself to breathe.
Slowly.
Carefully.
As though one wrong breath might completely unravel her.
Lingling was no longer the complete disaster she'd dragged out of the bar.
The damp towel.
The water.
The gentle coaxing.
The silent care.
It had helped.
Her flushed cheeks had softened slightly, and her breathing had become steadier.
She wasn't sober.
Not even close.
But she wasn't falling apart anymore.
At least not physically.
Emotionally...
Orm wasn't so sure.
A tired sigh escaped her lips.
She stood and gathered the empty glass and damp towel before carrying them to the kitchen.
The mundane task gave her something to focus on.
Something other than the ache clawing at her chest.
Something other than Lingling.
But when she returned-
She froze.
Her eyes found Lingling immediately.
And just like always...
She couldn't look away.
The warm lighting painted soft shadows across Lingling's face.
Her hair was messy.
Her posture ungraceful.
Yet somehow...
She was still beautiful.
Painfully beautifully handsome.
The kind of beauty that made breathing difficult.
The kind of beauty that felt cruel.
Orm swallowed hard.
God really had taken His time creating Lingling Kwong.
Every detail.
Every feature.
Every smile.
Every expression.
Everything about her felt unfair.
Because even now...
After everything.
After all the misunderstandings.
After all the hurt.
After all the years that had slipped through their fingers-
Orm still looked at her the same way.
Like she was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.
A bitter smile touched her lips.
Yesterday's memory resurfaced immediately.
Lingling standing there.
Watching her.
Watching Sean.
Watching Liam.
Thinking she had moved on.
Thinking she had built a happy family with someone else.
Thinking there was no longer a place for her in Orm's life.
The memory stabbed deeper than it should have.
Because none of it was true.
Not a single part.
Orm closed her eyes briefly.
A painful ache spread through her chest.
The truth was far uglier than that.
Far more painful.
They were here because of one mistake.
One drunken mistake.
One moment of weakness that destroyed everything.
A moment she regretted every single day.
A moment she would spend the rest of her life wishing she could take back.
And after that...
She made herself a promise.
A promise carved so deeply into her heart that even time couldn't erase it.
If it wasn't Lingling-
Then it would be no one.
No one else would ever have her body, soul, and heart.
No one else would ever occupy the space Lingling had left behind.
No matter how much it hurt.
No matter how lonely it became.
Because the cruelest truth Orm had ever learned was that loving someone didn't simply stop because they walked away.
Sometimes...
It stayed.
It lingered.
It haunted.
And sometimes...
It loved in silence.
For years.
Orm looked away before her emotions could completely consume her.
She needed to focus.
Needed to stop thinking.
Needed to stop remembering for the mean time.
Slowly, she reached out and tapped Lingling's shoulder.
"Ling."
Her voice was soft.
Almost fragile.
"Ling, wake up."
No response.
Orm smiled sadly.
"Come on. Let's move to the bedroom. You'll be more comfortable there."
A quiet hum escaped Lingling's lips.
Nothing more.
But somehow it made Orm's heart squeeze.
Because it sounded so familiar.
So painfully familiar.
Like countless nights from another lifetime.
Carefully, Orm slipped an arm around Lingling's shoulders and helped her stand.
Lingling immediately leaned against her.
Trusting her weight to her.
Trusting her.
The realization nearly made Orm's knees buckle.
The walk to the bedroom was slow.
Awkward.
Unsteady.
Every step forced them closer together.
Lingling's warmth seeped through the thin fabric of their clothes.
Her head occasionally bumped against Orm's shoulder.
And each accidental touch felt dangerous.
Like reopening wounds that had never truly healed.
Eventually, they reached the bed.
Orm guided her down gently.
As though handling something precious.
Something breakable.
Something she was terrified of losing.
Again.
She crouched in front of her and carefully removed her socks.
Lingling sat quietly the entire time.
No complaints.
No teasing.
No arguments.
No walls.
Just silent compliance.
And suddenly Orm realized how much she missed this version of her.
Not the drunken part.
Not the vulnerability.
But the closeness.
The simple act of caring for her.
The privilege of being allowed to.
Her smile faded as she reached for Lingling's polo.
The fabric was damp from sweat and alcohol.
Uncomfortable.
She carefully began unbuttoning it.
Trying not to think too much.
Trying not to notice.
Trying not to feel.
But the moment the shirt slipped from Lingling's shoulders-
Orm's breath caught.
Her fingers froze.
Her heart stumbled.
Lingling's toned figure was revealed beneath the soft bedroom light.
Strong.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
And suddenly Orm couldn't remember how to breathe.
She quickly looked away.
Then immediately hated herself for looking away.
God.
This was torture.
Because even after all these years-
Her body still recognized Lingling before her mind could stop it.
Her pulse raced.
Heat crawled up her neck.
And all she could think was how grateful she was that she had gone to that bar tonight.
Because the thought of someone else bringing Lingling home.
Someone else seeing her like this.
Someone else taking care of her-
Made something ugly twist inside her chest.
Something dangerously close to wanting to murder someone.
Orm quickly pushed the feeling aside.
She crossed the room and opened her closet.
Finding the first oversized shirt she could grab.
When she returned, Lingling was still sitting on the edge of the bed.
Head slightly lowered.
Half asleep.
Waiting.
Orm stepped between her legs and gently lifted one of her arms.
The scent of Lingling's perfume drifted toward her immediately.
Familiar.
Comforting.
Devastating.
Because it smelled exactly like the memories she'd spent years trying to bury.
Her hands trembled as she guided Lingling's arm through the sleeve.
Then the other.
Trying desperately to focus on the task.
Trying desperately not to notice how close they were.
Not to notice Lingling's breathing.
Not to notice the warmth radiating from her skin.
Not to notice how badly her heart was hurting.
But she was too distracted.
Too lost.
Too overwhelmed.
And because of that-
She didn't notice Lingling move.
Not until it was too late.
Strong arms suddenly wrapped around her waist.
And before Orm could react-
She was pulled forward.
Straight onto Lingling's lap.
A startled gasp escaped her lips.
Her hands instinctively landed on Lingling's shoulders.
Her entire body went rigid.
For a second-
Everything stopped.
Her heartbeat.
Her thoughts.
Her breathing.
The world.
Lingling's face was only inches away.
Close enough for Orm to feel the warmth of her breath.
Close enough to see every eyelash.
Every tiny detail she'd spent years pretending she no longer remembered.
"Ling..."
The name escaped her lips as little more than a whisper.
A plea.
A warning.
A prayer.
Maybe all three.
But Lingling didn't answer.
Not with words.
Instead, she buried her face against Orm's cheek.
Slowly.
Tenderly.
Like instinct.
Like memory.
Like she belonged there.
Lingling nuzzled against her skin, and Orm felt her entire body betray her.
A shiver raced down her spine.
Her stomach twisted.
Her chest tightened.
Her pulse became unbearable.
And then-
Lingling's fingers began tracing slow circles against her back.
Absentminded.
Gentle.
Affectionate.
The way she used to.
The way she'd done countless times before everything fell apart.
Orm squeezed her eyes shut.
Because suddenly she wasn't standing in a bedroom anymore.
She was standing in every memory they'd ever shared.
Every laugh.
Every touch.
Every almost.
Every lost chance.
Every version of them that never got the ending they deserved.
And with one simple touch-
One drunken, unconscious touch-
Lingling managed to destroy years of carefully built walls.
Her stomach churned.
Her head spun.
Her heart raced wildly inside her chest.
It wasn't butterflies.
It was the entire zoo.