Chapter 4 The Rules of Pretending
By Tuesday morning, Orm had decided that saying yes to anything before having coffee was a terrible life choice.
Unfortunately, the decision about pretending to date Ling had already been made before she had even finished her first cup.
She stood outside the glass doors of the conference room with a paper cup warming her hands, staring at the words printed neatly across the folder tucked beneath her arm.
The title alone made her nervous.
The contents made her question every decision that had led her to this building.
She had read the proposal twice the night before and once again on the train that morning.
The arrangement was temporary, carefully structured, and entirely professional on paper.
The company wasn't asking them to lie about anything that could damage the brand.
They weren't being asked to reveal private details, create fabricated stories about their families, or stage anything without their consent.
They simply had to make the public believe they were romantically involved.
Which, Orm had decided, was possibly the most ridiculous sentence she had ever heard in a professional meeting.
She took another sip of coffee.
It did absolutely nothing.
"You're early."
Orm turned.
Ling stood several feet behind her, one hand holding her phone and the other carrying a slim black folder. She looked irritatingly composed for someone who was about to enter a meeting where they would apparently be discussing how to pretend to be each other's girlfriend.
Orm looked at the clock.
"You are too."
"I usually am."
"Of course you are."
Ling's eyebrow lifted.
"Is that a complaint?"
"Everything about you feels like a complaint."
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Ling's mouth.
"Good morning to you too."
Orm looked away before she could accidentally smile back.
She hated that Ling had started doing that.
Not smiling.
Making her want to smile.
It was inconvenient.
They had spent weeks irritating each other.
Ling had been the interviewer who had sat across from Orm during her first interview and dismantled her proposal with questions that had made her want to crawl under the table.
Orm had walked away from that interview convinced that the woman was impossible.
Then came the Aurelia campaign.
Ling had criticised her creative proposal again.
Orm had argued.
Ling had pushed.
Orm had pushed back.
Somehow, the campaign had succeeded.
And now, after one unfortunate photograph at the company ball, they were standing outside a conference room preparing to negotiate the terms of a fake relationship.
It was almost funny.
Almost.
The conference room door opened.
P'Cherry appeared.
She looked at the two of them, then at the space between them.
"You two look very romantic."
Orm nearly choked on her coffee.
"We're not even inside yet."
"Exactly," P'Cherry said. "You're already making my job difficult."
Ling sighed.
"Good morning, P'Cherry."
"Good morning, P'Ling."
P'Cherry turned to Orm.
"Good morning, future fake girlfriend."
Orm stared at her.
"I haven't agreed to that title."
P'Cherry grinned.
"That's why I like you."
She stepped aside.
"Come in."
Orm entered.
Khun Dew was already sitting at the head of the table, reviewing several documents. Fluke sat beside the window, scrolling through his phone with the relaxed expression of someone who had absolutely no reason to be in a meeting this dangerous and was therefore probably enjoying himself.
Orm narrowed her eyes.
"Why is he here?"
Fluke looked up.
"Good morning to you too."
She pointed at him.
"You."
He placed his phone face down.
"I was invited."
"By who?"
Khun Dew answered without looking up.
"Me."
Orm looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because Fluke works closely with Ling."
Fluke smiled.
"And apparently I'm the only person qualified to translate Ling."
Ling gave him a flat look.
"I don't need translation."
Fluke looked at Orm.
"See?"
Orm nodded.
"I understand."
P'Cherry sat down.
Khun Dew closed the folder.
"Everyone is here."
Orm took a seat beside P'Cherry, deliberately putting as much distance between herself and Ling as possible.
Ling sat opposite her.
Fluke noticed.
Of course he did.
He smiled.
Orm pointed at him.
"Don't."
"I didn't say anything."
"You were about to."
"You're learning quickly."
Ling looked at him.
"Fluke."
"Fine."
He raised his hands.
"I'm silent."
He lasted approximately seven seconds.
Then he said, "This is going to be fun."
Ling closed her eyes.
Orm suddenly understood why he had survived working with her for so long.
He had either developed exceptional survival instincts or completely lost his sense of self-preservation.
Possibly both.
Khun Dew cleared her throat.
"Let's begin."
The room settled.
The joking stopped.
The mood changed almost immediately.
This was no longer a ridiculous conversation between colleagues.
This was a business meeting.
The Aurelia campaign was displayed on the screen behind Khun Dew, the familiar visuals reminding Orm exactly why they were there.
The campaign had been released only weeks earlier.
It had performed strongly.
Aurelia House had been pleased with the response, Veyra had seen increased engagement around the campaign, and Siam Horizon Media had been satisfied with the reach and audience retention.
Then the photograph happened.
One accidental moment.
One photograph of Ling catching Orm as she lost her balance.
The internet did the rest.
The photograph redirected attention toward Aurelia.
People searched for the campaign.
They discussed the two women.
They created edits.
They speculated.
The clients noticed.
And marketing saw an opportunity.
Khun Dew changed the slide.
The photograph appeared.
Orm groaned quietly.
P'Cherry heard her.
"Still traumatised?"
"Yes."
"You'll get used to it."
"I don't want to."
P'Cherry smiled.
"That's probably healthier."
Khun Dew continued.
"The campaign remains unchanged. We're not altering the original creative direction. The extension will run for a limited number of weeks and will focus on the public's existing interest in Ling and Orm."
She clicked again.
A schedule appeared.
"Selected appearances, interviews, digital content, behind-the-scenes material, campaign events and controlled social media exposure."
Orm read the list.
"So basically..."
She looked at Ling.
"...we have to act like we're dating."
"Yes," Khun Dew said.
"Publicly."
"Yes."
"In front of cameras."
"Yes."
"Repeatedly."
"Yes."
Orm leaned back.
"Wonderful."
Fluke smiled.
"You're taking this well."
"I'm considering throwing myself out the window."
"We're on the second floor."
"That's disappointing."
P'Cherry laughed.
Even Khun Dew smiled.
Ling shook her head.
"We should establish boundaries."
Khun Dew nodded.
"Exactly."
She placed a printed document in front of each of them.
"That's why we're here."
?
Orm looked down at the first page.
At the top, in bold letters, were the words:
She looked at Ling.
Ling looked back.
Neither spoke.
Then Orm said,
"Who wrote these?"
P'Cherry raised her hand.
"I did."
Orm turned the page.
There were several rules.
Some were practical.
Some were obvious.
Some made Orm wonder what sort of disasters P'Cherry had witnessed during her career.
She looked at the first one.
Orm nodded immediately.
"Good."
Ling nodded.
"Agreed."
Fluke leaned back.
"That's already surprisingly strict."
Orm looked at him.
"It's a fake relationship."
"Exactly."
"Which means there's no reason to kiss."
"Fair."
P'Cherry pointed at the document.
"Before anyone gets ideas, the clause is there because marketing sometimes requires physical affection in promotional material. If a client requests anything beyond what is already approved, both of you have to agree."
Ling nodded.
"Good."
Orm looked relieved.
The second rule was underneath it.
Orm froze.
She slowly looked up.
"Was this necessary?"
P'Cherry looked completely serious.
"Yes."
Fluke coughed.
Khun Dew gave him a warning look.
He immediately became fascinated by the table.
Ling looked at Orm.
"I think it's clear."
"Very clear."
Orm looked back at the page.
"Why would anyone even think that was necessary?"
P'Cherry gave her a sympathetic smile.
"Because people are creative."
Orm didn't want to know what that meant.
She moved to the next rule.
Orm nodded.
"Also good."
Ling looked at her.
"Define unnecessary."
Orm paused.
"Anything that isn't required."
"For what?"
"For the campaign."
Ling considered it.
"Then holding hands?"
Orm hesitated.
"Publicly?"
"If we're pretending to be together, people will expect it."
Orm sighed.
"Fine."
"Arms around each other?"
Orm stared at her.
"Do you have to ask?"
"We need clarity."
Orm folded her arms.
"Fine. Approved when necessary."
Ling nodded.
"Shoulder?"
"Maybe."
"Waist?"
"No."
P'Cherry raised her eyebrows.
Orm immediately explained.
"No."
Ling remained calm.
"Why?"
"Because that's too intimate."
Fluke's eyebrows rose.
P'Cherry suddenly became very interested in her paperwork.
Ling looked at Orm for a moment.
"Understood."
Orm moved on.
She didn't notice the tiny smile that appeared on Ling's face.
?
The fourth rule was simple.
Orm laughed.
Actually laughed.
"What?"
Ling looked at her.
"No jealousy?"
"Yes."
"Why would I be jealous?"
Ling's expression remained perfectly neutral.
"I don't know."
"Because I won't be."
"Good."
"You don't have to worry."
"I'm not worried."
"Then why did you say it?"
"Because it's a rule."
Orm stared at her.
"You are impossible."
Fluke leaned forward.
"That rule might be the hardest one."
Both women turned toward him.
"Why?" Orm asked.
Fluke shrugged.
"You're pretending to date. People will flirt with you. You may have to flirt back for the campaign."
Orm frowned.
"I can do that."
Ling's eyes shifted toward her.
Orm noticed.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You looked."