Chapter 24
The rest of the morning, Mint decided to spend every spare minute she had with Lingling.
The two of them joined different activities around the island, determined to make the most of the beautiful weather before the day slipped away.
They went island hopping first, hopping from one stretch of paradise to another. The sea was impossibly blue, the sky clear and endless above them. They swam in hidden lagoons, explored quiet beaches, and laughed whenever Mint struggled climbing back onto the boat after every swim.
Later, they joined a beach volleyball game with a group of tourists.
Predictably, Lingling became the center of attention.
Dressed in a black sports bra and board shorts, she moved across the sand with effortless athleticism. Years of discipline and training showed in every jump, every dive, every powerful spike she sent across the net.
Soon, people began gathering around the court.
Mostly women.
Every time Lingling scored, loud cheers erupted from the sidelines.
Some openly whistled.
Others shamelessly asked for photos after the game.
Mint could only stand there, shaking her head in amusement.
"You're unbelievable," she laughed as another group of women applauded after Lingling landed a perfect serve.
Lingling merely wiped the sweat from her forehead and shrugged.
"They're cheering for everyone."
Mint snorted.
"Sure they are."
The game ended with Lingling's team winning.
More cheers followed.
More smiles.
More admiration.
Yet beneath all of it, Lingling still carried that familiar emptiness inside her chest.
No amount of attention had ever been able to fill it.
Not four years ago.
Not now.
And perhaps not ever.
—
By lunchtime, the sun sat high above the ocean.
The two women settled into a seaside seafood restaurant overlooking the water. Gentle waves rolled against the shore while the salty breeze drifted through the open windows.
For a while, they talked about work.
Mint shared updates about the major case she was currently handling, venting about difficult clients and endless paperwork.
Lingling listened patiently, occasionally offering advice.
In return, Mint asked about Lingling's ongoing architectural project in Spain.
"It should be finished before autumn," Lingling explained while peeling shrimp from its shell. "Unless the contractors find another problem to delay everything."
"They always do."
"They always do."
They laughed.
The conversation flowed easily between them.
Comfortably.
Like it always had.
At some point, Mint leaned back in her chair and pointed her fork toward Lingling.
"You should come with me to Switzerland this summer."
Lingling raised an eyebrow.
"Switzerland?"
"Mhm."
"That's very random."
"It's not random. It's beautiful there."
Mint smiled.
"And I happen to think you'll like it."
Lingling took a sip of water.
"If my schedule allows it, I'll go."
Mint's eyes brightened.
"Really?"
"Really."
"See? That's why I like asking."
Lingling chuckled softly.
For a brief moment, silence settled between them.
The comfortable kind.
Mint studied her from across the table.
The sunlight pouring through the restaurant windows illuminated Lingling's features.
Her eyes.
Her smile.
The tiny crease between her brows that appeared whenever she was thinking too much.
Beautiful.
As always.
Mint suddenly found herself remembering the first time they met again after years apart.
A train station in London.
Two years ago.
Lingling had just finished inspecting a project site.
Mint had been visiting her grandmother.
A chance encounter.
A coincidence.
Or maybe fate.
They had shared coffee while waiting for delayed trains.
Exchanged numbers afterward.
Started talking occasionally.
Then frequently.
Eventually becoming friends.
Good friends.
The kind that could disappear for months and continue exactly where they left off.
And through all those conversations, Mint had learned about Orm.
The woman whose name still carried weight in Lingling's voice.
"You know," Mint suddenly said, resting her chin on her palm, "fate really enjoys playing games with you."
Lingling looked up.
"And why is that?"
Mint grinned.
"Because everywhere you go, women stare at you."
Lingling groaned immediately.
"Mint."
"No, let me finish."
Mint laughed.
"Women admire you. Praise you. Fall for you. Some are probably willing to let you ruin their lives."
"That's dramatic."
"It's accurate."
Lingling shook her head.
But Mint continued.
"And despite all of that..."
Her smile softened.
"You still somehow keep stumbling back into Orm."
The words lingered between them.
Lingling's fingers paused around her glass.
Mint watched her carefully.
"And may I say," she added quietly, "Orm still looks at you the same way she looked at you four years ago during your birthday in Khon Kaen."
Lingling slowly lifted her gaze.
Waiting.
Knowing there was more.
"There it is."
Mint pointed.
"That look."
"What look?"
"The one where you're pretending not to care."
Lingling rolled her eyes.
Mint only laughed.
Then her expression softened.
"And she still looks absolutely murderous every time I act sweet around you."
That finally earned a genuine laugh from Lingling.
A soft one.
Warm.
Rare.
"Orm has a family."
Lingling leaned back.
"What are you even talking about?"
Mint stirred her drink absentmindedly.
"Only a blind person would think she's happy with her life right now."
The smile faded from Lingling's face.
For a moment, she looked out toward the ocean.
The endless blue horizon.
The waves.
The distance.
"Well..."
Her voice came quieter than before.
"She made her choice four years ago."
A pause.
"They have Liam."
Another pause.
"So they should be happy together."
The words sounded convincing.
Logical.
Reasonable.
Yet Mint noticed how Lingling couldn't quite meet her eyes afterward.
As though saying it still hurt.
As though every syllable scraped against an old wound that never truly healed.
The conversation drifted elsewhere after that.
Neither of them willing to linger too long on subjects that could reopen scars.
Eventually, Lingling checked the time.
"I'll drive you to the restaurant later."
Mint blinked.
"The one where my friends are meeting?"
Lingling nodded.
Mint immediately blew her a playful kiss.
"Thank you, handsome."
Lingling laughed.
Then Mint suddenly smirked.
"You know..."
That tone never led anywhere good.
Lingling already knew.
"If my friends hadn't interrupted us that night two years ago when we were both completely drunk..."
Mint wiggled her eyebrows.
"Maybe we'd have a cute two-year-old son by now."
For a second, Lingling stared at her.
Then she burst out laughing.
A real laugh.
The kind that made her shoulders shake.
The kind Mint always loved hearing.
"Maybe."
Lingling wiped tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Or maybe fate saved you."
Mint raised an eyebrow.
"Saved me?"
Lingling smiled sadly.
"Because it didn't want you getting dragged into the mess my life was back then."
Something flickered briefly across Mint's face.
Affection.
Sadness.
Understanding.
"Yup."
She nodded dramatically.
"I should definitely be thankful."
Lingling laughed.
"If that happened, I'd probably be your beautiful backburner."
Mint pointed at herself proudly.
"The most gorgeous backburner in Thailand."
That earned another laugh.
A quieter one this time.
Lingling reached across the table.
There was a smear of chocolate cake on Mint's cheek.
Without thinking, she wiped it away with her thumb.
The gesture was natural.
Comfortable.
Familiar.
Mint smiled.
Lingling smiled back.
And for a brief moment, neither of them said anything.
Because beneath the jokes and teasing, they both understood something.
Some people arrive in your life when you're drowning.
Not to replace the person who broke your heart.
Not to heal every wound.
But simply to sit beside you while you learn how to survive them.
After lunch, Lingling drove Mint back to her resort so she could change clothes.
Later, just as promised, she dropped her off at the restaurant where Mint would be meeting her friends.
—
That night, Lingling decided to wander around Phuket again.
She didn't want to stay inside the villa.
She didn't want to sit alone with the silence.
Because silence had become dangerous lately.
The moment everything grew quiet, her thoughts would begin crawling back to her. Memories she had spent four years trying to bury would rise from the depths of her heart, demanding to be felt all over again.
And after meeting Orm twice in just two days, those memories had become impossible to ignore.
So she walked.
She walked without a destination.
Without a plan.
Just letting the warm Phuket breeze guide her wherever it wanted.
The beach stretched endlessly beside her, illuminated by moonlight. Waves rolled gently onto the shore, their rhythmic crashes filling the night air.
Couples laughed as they passed her.
Families sat together by the water.
Friends gathered around bonfires.
Everyone seemed to belong somewhere.
Everyone seemed to have someone.
Lingling shoved both hands into her pockets and continued walking.
She didn't realize where she was going until a familiar restaurant came into view.
The moment she looked up and saw the sign, she almost laughed.
Somehow, her feet had carried her straight back to Jingjing's restaurant.
Again.
As if her heart already knew where to seek comfort.
The soft chime above the door rang as she entered.
Almost immediately, Jingjing looked up from the counter.
Her entire face lit up.
"There you are."
Lingling barely had time to greet her before Jingjing rounded the counter and grabbed her wrist.
"Come on."
"Jing—"
"Nope. You look miserable again. Kitchen. Now."
Lingling couldn't even protest.
A small smile tugged at her lips as she allowed herself to be dragged through the restaurant and into Jingjing's private office.
The familiar warmth of the personal kitchen welcomed her.
The scent of herbs and spices filled the room.
For the first time all day, the tightness in Lingling's chest eased slightly.
Jingjing immediately tied an apron around her waist.
"Sit."
Lingling obediently sat.
"You always order me around."
"And you always listen."
"That's because you're scary."
"I'm adorable."
Lingling laughed quietly.
The sound surprised even herself.
It had been a while since laughter came so naturally.
Jingjing smiled in satisfaction before turning toward the stove.
Soon, the kitchen came alive.
The sound of oil sizzling.
The chopping of vegetables.
The aroma of freshly cooked food filling every corner of the room.
Lingling simply watched.
There was something comforting about seeing someone care for her without asking for anything in return.
No expectations.
No obligations.
Just kindness.
The kind she hadn't realized she desperately needed.
A few minutes later, Jingjing placed several dishes in front of her.
"Eat."
Lingling looked at the feast and raised an eyebrow.
"Are you feeding me or preparing me for hibernation?"
"Both."
Despite herself, Lingling laughed again.
Then she took her first bite.
And somehow, the food tasted like home.
Warm.
Comforting.
Safe.
For a while, they talked about simple things.
The restaurant.
The tourists.
The weather.
But eventually, the conversation drifted toward the events of the past two days.
Lingling found herself telling Jingjing everything.
About meeting Mint unexpectedly.
About meeting Orm again at breakfast.
About standing face to face with the woman she had spent four years trying to forget.
About how Orm had stared at her like she couldn't believe she was real.
About how those familiar eyes still had the power to make her chest ache.
Lingling spoke quietly.
Calmly.
But Jingjing noticed the way her fingers tightened around the spoon.
The way her voice occasionally faltered.
The way she stared at nothing whenever Orm's name came up.
Jingjing listened without interrupting.
Without judging.
Without offering unnecessary advice.
She simply listened.
When Lingling finally finished speaking, silence settled between them.
Jingjing poured her a glass of water before speaking carefully.
"You know," she said softly, "sometimes the hardest part isn't losing someone."
Lingling looked up.
Jingjing offered her a small smile.
"It's realizing that after all this time, they're still in your heart."
The words landed heavily inside Lingling's chest.
Because they were true.
Painfully true.
Lingling lowered her gaze.
For years, she had convinced herself she was moving forward.
That she was healing.
That she was becoming someone who no longer looked back.
But seeing Orm again had shattered that illusion within seconds.
Four years.
Four years apart.
And somehow her heart still recognized her immediately.
As if no time had passed at all.
As if it had been waiting.
Patiently.
Quietly.
The thought hurt more than Lingling wanted to admit.
Jingjing reached across the table and squeezed her hand.
Not hard.
Just enough.
A silent reminder that she wasn't alone.
Lingling swallowed the lump forming in her throat.
"Maybe some people never really leave us."
Jingjing smiled sadly.
"No."
She squeezed her hand again.
"Some people become part of us."
Lingling looked away quickly.
The sting behind her eyes suddenly becoming too much.
Fortunately, Jingjing pretended not to notice.
Instead, she stood up dramatically.
"Enough sadness."
Lingling blinked.
"What?"
Jingjing pointed at her.
"You've cried enough in your life."
"I didn't cry."
"Your face is crying."
"My face is not crying."
"Your face looks like it lost a custody battle."
That earned a genuine laugh from Lingling.
A real one.
The kind she hadn't heard from herself in a very long time.
Jingjing smiled triumphantly.
"There she is."
After dinner, true to her promise from the previous night, Jingjing grabbed her car keys.
"We're going out."
"Again?"
"Especially again."
The two of them drove through the glowing streets of Phuket beneath a sky painted with neon lights and scattered stars.
Lingling sat quietly in the passenger seat while soft jazz played inside the car.
Outside, the city remained alive.
Crowded night markets.
Street performers.
Tourists laughing loudly near the beach.
Motorcycles weaving through colorful streets.
The entire city seemed to pulse with life.
But Lingling barely noticed any of it.
Her mind remained trapped hours earlier—
standing barefoot on the sand while Orm stared at her like she had seen a ghost.
Like she had been searching for her.
Like she had never truly let her go either.
The memory twisted painfully inside her chest.
"You okay there, Engineer?" Jingjing asked softly while stopping at a red light.
Lingling blinked slowly before forcing a small smile.
"Yeah."
Jingjing didn't call her out for lying.
Instead, she simply reached over and lightly tapped Lingling's arm.
"Good," she said quietly. "Because tonight, I'm fixing your tragic face."
That earned a weak laugh from Lingling.
And somehow—
it helped.
A little.
Soon, the car stopped in front of one of Phuket's most famous bars.
"The Lunar Space."
The building itself looked breathtaking.
Dark glass walls reflecting the city lights.
Silver neon crescent moons decorating the entrance.
Luxury cars lined outside while bass-heavy music vibrated softly through the air.
The moment Jingjing stepped out of the car, the staff immediately greeted her respectfully.
"Good evening, Boss Jing!"
"Boss, welcome back!"
Jingjing casually waved at them before grabbing Lingling's wrist gently.
"Come on, VIP treatment for my favorite engineer."
Lingling raised an eyebrow.
"Favorite? We barely know each other."
Jingjing smirked.
"You're emotionally damaged and attractive. That automatically makes you memorable."
Lingling laughed quietly under her breath.
For the first time that day-
the laugh sounded almost genuine.
They bypassed the crowded dance floor and headed toward a more secluded hallway upstairs.
Soon Jingjing opened large black double doors revealing her personal VIP room.
Lingling stopped walking for a second.
The entire room screamed elegance and luxury.
Soft golden lighting glowed against dark marble walls.
Expensive liquor lined glass shelves behind a private bar.
Velvet couches curved around a low crystal table while floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the ocean illuminated by city lights.
It was beautiful.
Lonely somehow.
Like the kind of place built for people trying to distract themselves from silence.
"Welcome to my cave of bad decisions," Jingjing announced dramatically.
Lingling chuckled softly.
"I can see that."
A waiter soon entered carrying several bottles of imported liquor alongside crystal glasses before silently leaving afterward.
Jingjing loosened the sleeves of her black button-up casually before walking behind the mini bar.
"So," Lingling finally asked while leaning comfortably against the couch. "Why bars and restaurants?"
Jingjing glanced toward her briefly while grabbing bottles from the shelves.
"Because food makes people honest," she answered simply.
Lingling tilted her head slightly.
"And alcohol?"
Jingjing smiled faintly.
"Alcohol makes people stop pretending."
For some reason-
that answer lingered heavily in Lingling's chest.
Jingjing continued preparing the drinks skillfully.
"My family owns vineyards in Europe," she explained while mixing liquor smoothly. "Wine-making has been part of our family for generations. I basically grew up around alcohol."
She poured several liquids together effortlessly before adding ice.
"But cooking..." Jingjing smiled softly afterward. "That part is mine. Cooking feels personal. Intimate somehow."
Lingling watched her quietly.
The way Jingjing moved looked practiced.
Comfortable.
Like this was one of the few places she fully understood herself.
Soon Jingjing slid a glass toward Lingling elegantly.
"My signature drink."
Lingling stared at the drink briefly.
Beautiful amber liquid.
Thin slices of orange floating above crystal-clear ice.
It almost resembled sunset colors.
She took a small sip.
Then another.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"That's dangerously good."
Jingjing grinned proudly.
"See? I told you."
The alcohol burned warmly down Lingling's throat.
Not harsh.
Comforting.
Like temporary numbness disguised as luxury.
As the night deepened, the conversation between them became lighter.
Easier.
They talked about Europe.
Architecture.
Restaurants.
Travel disasters.
Terrible exes.
Jingjing made her laugh several times.
Real laughs this time.
The kind Lingling hadn't heard from herself in years.
Eventually the alcohol pulled them downstairs toward the crowded dance floor.
Lights flashed wildly across the room while music vibrated through their bodies.
People danced everywhere.
Sweaty.
Carefree.
Temporary.
Lingling usually hated crowded places.
But tonight-
she welcomed the noise.
Because noise helped drown memories.
And unfortunately for her-
Lingling naturally attracted attention without trying.
Women kept glancing toward her from across the bar.
Some approached confidently.
Some danced beside her.
Some touched her arm while laughing too closely.
A brunette nearly kissed her near the bar counter before Lingling gently dodged away with an apologetic smile.
Another woman shamelessly asked for her number.
Someone else asked if she was a celebrity.
Jingjing watched the entire thing while laughing endlessly.
"You really don't even try," she shouted over the music.
Lingling raised both hands defensively.
"I'm literally just standing here!"
"That's the problem!"
Hours passed like that.
Dancing.
Drinking.
Pretending.
And for brief moments-
Lingling almost forgot the ache inside her chest.
Almost.
Until she accidentally caught sight of a woman in the crowd with dark hair laughing beside her husband.
And suddenly-
Orm's face flashed violently inside her head again.
Her smile disappeared immediately afterward.
Jingjing noticed instantly.
She always noticed.
Without saying anything, Jingjing gently pulled Lingling away from the dance floor and back toward the privacy of the VIP room upstairs.
By then-
both of them were already tipsy.
The city lights outside the windows blurred softly against the glass while another bottle sat half-empty on the table between them.
"You're seriously a chick magnet," Jingjing teased while pouring another drink. "We spent one hour downstairs and half the women there practically wanted to climb you."
Lingling laughed weakly before taking another sip.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the fact that one girl literally offered to leave with you tonight."
Lingling groaned softly.
"She was drunk."
"She was obsessed."
Lingling shook her head while laughing under her breath.
Then eventually-
the laughter faded.
Silence settled softly between them.
And somehow-
without even realizing it-
Lingling started talking about Orm.
At first only small things.
How they met.
How annoying beautifully Orm used to be.
How Orm laughed too loudly when genuinely happy.
How she always stole food from Lingling's plate even after saying she wasn't hungry.
Then slowly-
the story became heavier.
Deeper.
Painfully honest.
Jingjing listened quietly while leaning against the couch across from her.
No interruptions.
No judgment.
Only quiet understanding.
Lingling talked about late-night drives together.
Shared dreams.
The future they almost built.
The feelings they both carried but never fully confessed properly because timing kept ruining everything.
Then she spoke about the separation.
Leaving Thailand.
The silence afterward.
Four years of trying to move forward while still secretly carrying Orm inside every corner of her life.
"She was never really mine," Lingling whispered eventually while staring blankly into her glass. "That's the stupid part."
Jingjing stayed quiet.
Lingling smiled faintly afterward.
But it was heartbreaking to look at.
Because there were no tears.
No dramatic breakdown.
Only exhaustion.
The kind of pain that had existed for so long it became part of someone's bones.
"As time passes..." Lingling continued softly. "You learn how to survive it."
Her eyes remained fixed on the amber liquid inside her glass.
"You wake up. Work. Smile properly. People think you're okay."
She laughed quietly afterward.
A broken sound.
"But the pain never really leaves. You just get better at carrying it."
Jingjing's chest tightened painfully while listening.
Because Lingling spoke about heartbreak like someone discussing an old permanent injury.
Not fresh anymore.
Not bleeding.
Just something that never healed correctly.
"And for the past two days..." Lingling inhaled shakily. "Seeing her again felt like reopening something I spent years trying to bury alive."
The room fell silent afterward.
Only the distant bass from downstairs echoed faintly through the walls.
Jingjing slowly leaned forward.
"Do you still love her?"
Lingling smiled weakly.
Then looked down at her trembling hands.
"I don't think I ever stopped."
That answer shattered the remaining air inside the room.
Jingjing suddenly understood everything afterward.
The careful smiles.
The sadness behind Lingling's eyes.
The loneliness that followed her even when surrounded by people.
Lingling wasn't someone struggling to move on.
She was someone who already tried.
And failed.
Because some people remain inside you no matter how many years pass.
No matter how far you run.
No matter who else tries to love you afterward.
They kept drinking after that.
One glass.
Then another.
And another.
Until time blurred completely.
By midnight, Lingling was heavily intoxicated.
Her cheeks flushed lightly from alcohol while her movements slowed.
Jingjing sat beside her now instead of across from her.
The room had become quieter.
Softer.
Outside the windows, rain had started pouring over Phuket.
Lingling stared blankly toward the city lights.
Then suddenly whispered-
"She looked at me the same way."
Jingjing turned toward her carefully.
"What do you mean?"
Lingling swallowed hard.
"At the beach yesterday and at the restaurant this morning, ."
Her voice cracked slightly for the first time that night.
"Orm looked at me like she still loved me."
Silence.
Heavy.
Devastating.
Lingling laughed weakly afterward before covering her eyes tiredly.
"But she has a family now," she whispered painfully. "So what am I supposed to do with that?"