Chapter 29
The drive to the hospital felt endless.
Orm hadn't stopped crying.
Not even once.
Not even for a second.
Beside her, Lingling drove through the streets of Phuket faster than she ever had before.
Traffic lights.
Tourists.
The breathtaking beaches.
The sparkling blue ocean.
None of it existed.
The beautiful island that millions traveled across the world to see had become nothing but a blur outside the windshield.
Because all Orm could think about was Liam.
Her baby.
Her little boy.
Her entire world.
The hand gripping hers trembled violently.
Lingling tightened her hold.
Not saying anything.
There was nothing she could say.
No words existed for a mother's fear.
No comfort could erase the terror consuming Orm.
The only thing she could do was stay.
So she stayed.
Even as her own heart continued breaking.
Even as she remembered Sean.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the hospital.
Before the vehicle had even fully stopped—
Orm was already opening the door.
"Orm—"
But she was gone.
Running.
Almost stumbling.
Lingling immediately followed.
The bright white hospital corridors seemed endless.
The smell of antiseptic filled the air.
Doctors walked past.
Nurses rushed around.
Phones rang.
Monitors beeped.
Yet all Orm could hear was the terrifying possibility that she might be too late.
She rushed toward the nurses' station.
"Excuse me."
Her voice shook.
She was crying so hard she could barely breathe.
"Where is my son?"
The nurse immediately looked up.
"Liam Sage Nakamura."
The words came out broken.
Panicked.
Desperate.
"My son is Liam Sage Nakamura."
The nurse quickly checked the system.
Then pointed toward the emergency pediatric ward.
"This way, ma'am."
Orm didn't wait.
She ran.
Lingling followed.
And then—
she saw him.
Sean.
Sitting outside the emergency room.
His face was pale.
His eyes red.
His clothes disheveled.
He looked like he hadn't breathed since making that phone call.
The moment he saw Orm—
he stood.
And Orm immediately ran into his arms.
Sean caught her instantly.
Holding her tightly.
As though he was afraid she would collapse.
And maybe she would have.
Lingling stopped walking.
Her feet rooted to the floor.
Something sharp pierced through her chest.
Because there it was.
Reality.
Brutal.
Unavoidable.
Painful.
That was where Orm belonged.
In Sean's arms.
Not hers.
His.
Her husband.
The man she had chosen.
The man she had built a family with.
The man standing beside her when their son was fighting inside that room.
Lingling suddenly felt like an intruder.
A stranger standing in the middle of someone else's life.
Sean buried his face in Orm's shoulder.
"I'm sorry."
His voice cracked.
"I'm so sorry Orm."
Orm shook her head immediately.
Still crying.
Still trembling.
"What happened?"
Sean looked completely devastated.
"I only looked away for a few minutes."
His voice broke.
"The restaurant served pancakes."
His eyes filled with tears.
"They told me there were no peanuts."
A sob escaped him.
"But the server put the wrong pancake in the table."
He looked shattered.
Orm immediately started crying harder.
Sean's shoulders shook.
"He only took a few bites."
"He started coughing."
Another tear slid down his face.
"Then he couldn't breathe."
Orm covered her mouth.
Trying to stop herself from breaking apart.
Failing.
Sean lowered his head.
"I thought..."
His voice disappeared.
For a moment he couldn't continue.
"I thought I was going to lose him."
That was when Orm completely collapsed.
A sob ripped from her chest.
Sean immediately held her tighter.
And Lingling looked away.
Because she couldn't bear witnessing it.
Couldn't bear watching the life she once dreamed of belonging to someone else.
Couldn't bear seeing the family Orm had built.
Even now.
Even after everything.
Even after hearing Orm confess she still loved her.
This family was real.
Sean was real.
Liam was real.
And Lingling suddenly felt smaller than she ever had before.
Like she no longer knew where she fit.
Or if she fit at all.
—
Twenty minutes later—
the emergency room doors finally opened.
Everyone immediately stood.
The doctor stepped out.
Removing his mask.
The look on his face made all three of them stop breathing.
Then—
"He'll be okay."
The relief was instantaneous.
The doctor offered a gentle smile.
"You brought him in very quickly."
Sean nodded shakily.
"The reaction was severe."
The doctor's expression turned serious.
"Extremely severe."
The words made Orm's stomach drop.
"He was experiencing anaphylaxis."
Sean squeezed his eyes shut.
"If there had been any significant delay..."
The doctor paused.
"...the outcome could have been very different."
Silence.
Terrifying silence.
Orm started crying again.
Because she understood exactly what the doctor wasn't saying.
Her son had almost died.
The allergy.
The same allergy Liam inherited from her.
The doctor softened his voice.
"But he's safe now."
A pause.
"He's sleeping."
"Thank God..."
The whisper escaped Orm's lips.
Thank God.
Over and over.
Like a prayer.
Like gratitude.
Like desperation.
A short while later, Liam was transferred into a recovery room.
The moment Orm entered—
she broke.
Again.
Her hand immediately covered her mouth.
Because there he was.
So small.
Lying in the hospital bed.
Connected to monitors.
An IV attached to his tiny arm.
His dinosaur pajamas slightly wrinkled.
His cheeks pale.
His eyelashes resting against his skin.
He looked impossibly young.
Too young.
Far too young to be in a hospital bed.
"My baby..."
Orm whispered.
Then she started crying.
Harder than before.
The sight shattered her.
She carefully sat beside him.
Brushing his hair back.
Kissing his forehead.
Holding his tiny hand.
As if she needed to physically feel him breathing.
Needed proof he was still here.
Lingling stood quietly near the window.
Watching.
Her chest aching.
Because this was the Orm she used to imagine.
Years ago.
Back when she still planning future with her.
Back when she thought forever might belonged to them.
She always imagined Orm would become a wonderful mother.
And now she was seeing it.
Watching it happen.
Just not with her.
Never with her.
—
Thirty minutes later—
Liam stirred.
His small fingers twitched.
Orm immediately leaned forward.
"Liam?"
Sean did the same.
The little boy slowly opened his eyes.
Confused.
Sleepy.
Weak.
Then he blinked.
"Mommy?"
Orm immediately started crying again.
"Oh, baby."
Liam frowned.
"Why awe you cwying?"
That only made her cry harder.
Sean laughed weakly through his own tears.
The little boy looked between them.
Completely confused.
Then—
his gaze landed on Lingling.
Instantly—
his face brightened.
"Wingwing!"
Lingling felt something crack inside her chest.
A smile appeared despite everything.
"Hey, dinosaur boy."
Liam grinned.
"You came."
"Of course I came."
His little hand reached toward her.
Without hesitation.
Without question.
Lingling walked over.
Taking it gently.
Liam smiled.
The same innocent smile as always.
The same smile that had no idea how complicated the adults around him had become.
"I missed you. I thought I'm going to see you at the westauwant this mowning."
Lingling swallowed.
Hard.
Because somehow those three words hurt more than anything else that day.
"I missed you too buddy. Please be well so we could talk about dinosaurs again."
Liam nods and smiles at her.
Eventually, Sean excused himself to take care of the hospital paperwork.
The moment he stepped out of the room, a strange silence settled over everything.
The chaos was gone.
The panic.
The crying.
All of it had disappeared.
Now there was only the soft hum of the air conditioner and the rhythmic beeping of the machines connected to Liam's small body.
A reminder that he was still here.
Still breathing.
Still fighting.
Still alive.
Orm sat motionless beside the hospital bed.
Her swollen eyes never left her son.
She watched every rise and fall of his chest.
Every tiny movement.
Every breath.
As though looking away for even a second would somehow cause him to vanish.
The fear still hadn't left her.
She doubted it ever would.
Not after today.
Not after believing, even for a few horrifying moments, that she had lost him forever.
A mother's heart was never meant to survive that kind of terror.
And yet somehow she had.
Barely.
Her trembling fingers brushed gently through Liam's hair.
A silent promise.
A desperate one.
I'm here.
I'm here now.
I'm not going anywhere.
Across the room, Lingling quietly watched them.
Neither Orm nor Liam noticed.
For a moment, she allowed herself to simply look.
To simply feel.
And unfortunately—
that was her biggest mistake.
Because the sight before her was everything she had once dreamed about.
Everything.
The woman she loved.
A beautiful child of their own.
The family she had secretly imagined countless times during lonely nights.
A future she had once believed was possible.
A future she had built inside her heart brick by brick.
A future that never happened.
A future she lost four years ago.
And now—
a future that belonged to someone else.
Her chest tightened painfully.
She looked away for a second.
Then back again.
Because despite how much it hurt...
she couldn't stop looking.
Slowly, Lingling stood from her chair.
The movement finally caught Orm's attention.
Orm immediately looked up.
Their eyes met.
And just like that—
the fragile peace inside Orm shattered again.
Because she knew what that look meant.
Lingling was leaving.
"No..."
The word escaped before she could stop it.
Soft.
Broken.
Almost childlike.
"Lingling..."
Lingling forced a smile.
A small one.
A sad one.
The kind of smile people wore when they were trying not to cry.
"I should go, Orm."
Fear immediately flashed across Orm's face.
Pure fear.
Not the fear of losing Liam.
Not the fear of death.
But something far more personal.
The fear of losing Lingling again.
After finally finding her.
After finally seeing her.
After spending years convincing herself she had moved on.
"No."
Orm shook her head immediately.
Her voice cracked.
"Please."
Lingling's expression faltered.
"Orm—"
"Please stay."
The desperation in her voice filled the room.
"Just... stay a little longer."
For a brief second, Lingling almost gave in.
Almost.
Because God knew she wanted to stay.
She wanted to sit beside Orm.
She wanted to hold her hand.
She wanted to tell her everything.
The truth.
The pain.
The love she never stopped carrying.
The memories she never managed to bury.
But wanting something and being able to have it were two very different things.
And Lingling had learned that lesson years ago.
So she swallowed the ache.
And smiled instead.
A heartbreaking smile.
"We still need to talk."
The words landed heavily between them.
Neither woman responded.
Because neither woman needed clarification.
They both knew exactly what conversation waited for them.
The truth.
The past.
The unanswered questions.
The confession hidden beneath years of silence.
The love neither of them had truly escaped.
Everything.
Everything that had been left unfinished.
Everything that still hurt.
Everything that could either heal them...
or destroy them completely.
But not today.
Not while Liam lay sleeping in a hospital bed.
Not while Orm's hands were still shaking from fear.
Not while everyone's hearts were still bleeding.
Not while they were barely holding themselves together.
Lingling slowly walked toward her.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
Then she stopped beside Orm.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Neither breathed.
Neither looked away.
Finally, Lingling gently squeezed her shoulder.
The gesture was small.
Simple.
But it carried years of memories.
Years of comfort.
Years of affection.
The same gesture she used whenever Orm was stressed before a presentation.
The same gesture she used when Orm cried over her father's illness.
The same gesture she used when they were still each other's safe place.
The same gesture she still wanted to give.
The same gesture she still wasn't ready to let go of.
"We'll talk."
Orm stared at her.
Her eyes instantly filled with tears.
Almost pleading.
Almost begging.
Almost breaking.
"When?"
The single word sounded fragile.
Like she was afraid of the answer.
Lingling glanced at Liam.
Sleeping peacefully at last.
Then she looked back at Orm.
And softly answered,
"When your son is better."
A tear slipped down Orm's cheek.
Then another.
Then another.
Because somehow that answer felt impossibly far away.
And yet not nearly far enough.
Because part of her wanted that conversation immediately.
And another part feared it more than anything.
Lingling's smile trembled.
"Focus on him first."
Her gaze drifted toward Liam.
The little boy who smiled brightly whenever he saw her.
"He needs his mom."
The words shattered something inside Orm.
Completely.
Because once upon a time—
Lingling had needed her too.
Needed her to stay.
Needed her to fight.
Needed her to choose them.
And somehow...
she hadn't.
The guilt hit her with brutal force.
So strong she couldn't breathe.
So strong she couldn't speak.
Neither of them said another word.
Neither of them moved.
The silence stretched endlessly between them.
Heavy.
Painful.
Beautiful.
Devastating.
It carried four years of love.
Four years of regret.
Four years of heartache.
Four years of unanswered questions.
Four years of wondering what could have been.
Four years of pretending they were okay when neither of them truly were.
Finally—
Lingling forced herself to turn toward the door.
Because if she stayed another second...
she might never leave.
And if she never left...
she might take Orm away from her family.
That's the most selfish idea and painful dream Lingling had spent years trying to bury.
So she walked.
One step.
Then another.
Then another.
Not because she wanted to.
Not because she was ready.
But because staying hurt.
And leaving hurt too.
The door opened quietly.
Lingling paused for the briefest moment.
Just long enough to look back one final time.
At Liam.
At Orm.
At the family she once dreamed would be hers.
Then she stepped outside.
The door closed softly behind her.
Leaving Orm alone with her sleeping son.
And the terrifying realization that after finding Lingling again—
she might lose her all over again.
—
The automatic glass doors of the hospital slid open with a soft hiss.
Lingling stepped through them, her movements slow, almost mechanical.
The exhaustion from last night clung heavily to her body. Her eyes burned. Her chest felt hollow. Everything that had happened since then had left her emotionally drained.
Orm's terrified cries.
The rush to the emergency room.
And above all—
last night.
The memory struck her again without warning.
The hotel room.
The warmth.
The desperate way Orm had held onto her.
The way she had looked at Lingling as if she were the only thing keeping her alive.
Lingling squeezed her eyes shut for a second.
Stop.
Please stop.
She couldn't afford to think about it.
Not now.
Because every time she did, guilt wrapped itself around her throat and squeezed.
She had crossed a line.
A line she had spent years trying not to cross again.
A line that belonged to another woman.
A married woman.
A mother.
A family.
And no matter how much her heart loved Orm...
she had no right.
No right at all.
"Ling!"
Lingling froze.
The familiar voice pulled her from her thoughts.
Slowly, she turned around.
Sean was walking toward her down the hallway.
He looked tired too.
His shirt sleeves were rolled up.
A folder of documents rested under his arm.
He had probably just finished handling Liam's paperwork and settling the hospital bills.
A responsible husband.
A responsible father.
The sight alone made Lingling feel even worse.
Sean stopped in front of her and offered a small smile.
"Hey."
"Hey."
An uncomfortable silence settled between them.
Lingling forced herself to smile back.
"Thank you for driving Orm to the hospital," Sean said sincerely.
"No problem, Sean."
Her voice came out softer than she intended.
"I'm glad I could help."
Sean nodded.
But his eyes remained fixed on her.
And something about that look made her stomach tighten.
Lingling felt her heartbeat begin to speed up.
Because suddenly—
she remembered everything.
Everything from last night.
Every touch.
Every embrace.
Every moment she should have walked away.
And now she was standing here.
Talking to Orm's husband.
The guilt nearly made her sick.
"I know you and Orm were together last night."
The words landed like a gunshot.
Lingling's entire body went rigid.
Her breath caught.
Her mind went blank.
For a moment she genuinely forgot how to breathe.
Sean's expression didn't change.
He simply stood there.
Calm.
Serious.
Watching her.
"I..."
Lingling swallowed hard.
"Sean... I can explain."
Sean gave a slow nod.
His face remained unreadable.
"Can we talk?"
His voice was quiet.
"Like really talk?"
Lingling stared at him.
Confused.
Terrified.
Ashamed.
Sean continued.
"Are you free for a coffee?"
—
A few minutes later, they sat across from each other inside a small café near the hospital.
The smell of coffee filled the air.
Soft music played in the background.
People chatted around them.
Yet somehow their table felt isolated from the rest of the world.
Neither of them touched their drinks.
Neither knew where to begin.
Because despite sitting across from each other—
they were both connected to the same woman.
And that connection hurt.
Finally, Sean broke the silence.
"Like I said, I know you and Orm were together last night."
Lingling's fingers tightened around her coffee cup.
Sean looked down briefly.
"Orm left Liam for you."
The words hurt more than she expected.
Because they were true.
Painfully true.
Sean lifted his gaze.
"And I know you spent the night together."
Lingling felt her pulse hammering in her ears.
"I'm not blind, Lingling."
His voice cracked slightly.
"I know something happened between the two of you."
The air left her lungs.
For a moment she couldn't hear anything.
Couldn't think.
Couldn't move.
Images flooded her mind.
Lingling closed her eyes.
And all she could see was Orm.
Orm looking broken.
Orm looking lost.
Orm whispering her name.
When she opened her eyes again, tears had already gathered.
She looked at Sean.
He remained calm.
Far too calm.
And somehow that made everything worse.
Because if their positions had been reversed—
if Lingling were the spouse sitting across from the person who had spent the night with her wife—
she didn't think she'd be able to stay this composed.
"Sean..."
Her voice trembled.
"I'm sorry."
The words came out broken.
"For everything."
Sean remained silent.
Lingling lowered her head.
Ashamed.
Humiliated.
Disgusted with herself.
"I know being drunk doesn't excuse what happened."
Her voice shook harder.
"Please don't hurt Orm."
Sean blinked.
"Don't blame her."
Tears slipped down her cheeks.
"Don't be angry at her."
She clasped her trembling hands together.
"It's all on me."
The guilt she'd been carrying finally spilled out.
"I'm the one who ruined your family."
Her shoulders shook.
"If you want to hate someone, hate me."
A tear landed on the table.
"If you want to hurt someone..."
Her voice broke.
"Hurt me."
Another tear followed.
"I'll accept it."
She looked up.
Eyes red.
Face wet with tears.
"But please don't put this on Orm."
The café blurred around her.
She couldn't stop crying now.
Because nobody deserved this.
Nobody.
Sean didn't deserve this.
Liam didn't deserve this.
And no matter how much she loved Orm—
love wasn't supposed to leave this much destruction behind.
Love wasn't supposed to hurt innocent people.
Love wasn't supposed to feel this wrong.
Sean stared at her quietly.
For a long time, he said nothing.
Then unexpectedly—
he spoke.
"No, Lingling."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"I should be the one apologizing to you."
Lingling froze.
Her tears stopped.
Her entire body went still.
"What?"
Sean looked away.
And for the first time since this conversation started—
she saw pain in his eyes.
Real pain.
"What?"
Lingling repeated.
Her voice sounded distant.
Sean swallowed.
"No, Lingling."
His eyes glistened.
"I should be the one saying sorry."
Lingling stared at him as if he had suddenly started speaking another language.
Nothing made sense.
Why would Sean apologize?
Why?
"Huh?"
Her brows knitted together.
"Why are you apologizing?"
She shook her head.
"I'm the one at fault here."
Her voice grew frantic.
"I did horrible things."
"To you."
"To your family."
Sean looked at her sadly.
And then he said something that made her heart stop.
"So..."
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
"I guess you and Orm still haven't talked."
Lingling frowned.
"Talked about what?"
Sean exhaled heavily.
"About everything that happened years ago."
The confusion only deepened.
"What are you talking about?"
Sean looked down at his coffee.
Then back at her.
His eyes filled with regret.
The kind of regret that had been buried for years.
"Lingling..."
His voice cracked.
"I'm sorry."
A tear rolled down his cheek.
"Really."
Another followed.
"Really sorry."
Lingling stared.
Unable to move.
Unable to understand.
"I know how much you suffered."
Sean's voice trembled.
"I know how much pain you carried all these years after being separated from Orm."
More tears fell.
"And I know..."
He lowered his head.
"...that I had the biggest part in causing that pain."
Lingling's heart pounded violently.
Every word made less sense than the last.
"If it weren't for me..."
Sean's shoulders shook.
"You and Orm could have had everything."
The tears streamed freely now.
"But I came into the picture."
His voice broke.
"I ruined everything."
"I ruined both of your lives."
Lingling stared at him.
Completely bewildered.
Terrified.
Confused.
Nothing made sense anymore.
Nothing.
"Sean."
Her voice came out weak.
"Wait."
She shook her head repeatedly.
"No."
"No, no, no."
"You are Orm's husband."
Her breathing quickened.
"Why are you saying all of this?"
She looked seconds away from losing her mind.
"Why?"
Before Sean could answer—
a voice interrupted them.
"Sean Nakamura?"
Both of them turned.
A beautiful woman wearing a doctor's coat approached their table.
Sean immediately stood up.
A smile appeared on his face for the first time.
"Doctor."
The woman smiled warmly before pulling him into a hug.
"How are you?"
She looked genuinely happy to see him.
"I heard you've completely recovered."
Sean laughed softly.
"Yeah."
The doctor's eyes became misty.
"I'm so glad, Sean."
She squeezed his shoulder.
"Really."
"God is so good."
Only then did she notice Lingling.
"Oh."
She smiled politely.
"I'm sorry."
Lingling quickly stood up.
The doctor extended her hand.
Lingling shook it automatically despite still being completely overwhelmed.
"I'm Dr. Engfa Waraha."
She smiled.
"Sean's doctor when he was here in Thailand."
Lingling nodded politely.
Though confusion only deepened inside her.
Treated?
For what?
The doctor looked back at Sean fondly.
"I'm sorry for interrupting your conversation."
"I was just really happy to see him healthy."
Sean chuckled.
"Thank you, Doc."
After a few more minutes of casual conversation, Dr. Engfa excused herself and left.
The moment she disappeared from sight—
the silence returned.
But now it felt heavier.
Much heavier.
Lingling slowly turned toward Sean.
Her mind replayed one sentence over and over.
Sean's doctor.
Recovered.
Healthy.
The pieces were beginning to move.
Not fit.
Just move.
And somehow she felt afraid of where they would lead.
Very carefully—
almost afraid of the answer—
she asked:
"You were sick before?"
Sean looked at her.
Then nodded.
A sad smile touched his lips.
"Yeah."
His eyes lowered.
"It was Acute Myeloid Leukemia."
And suddenly—
everything inside Lingling grew still.