Chapter 12 The Ex
The problem with pretending to be in love was that eventually, someone was bound to forget it was pretend.
The problem with actually falling in love while pretending was much worse.
Because then every little thing started to matter.
A glance mattered.
A touch mattered.
A delayed reply mattered.
A smile given to someone else could ruin an entire afternoon.
Orm had discovered this unfortunate truth about herself sometime between the rooftop conversation and Monday morning.
She had spent most of Sunday telling herself she was fine.
She was not fine.
She was, however, determined to behave like someone who was.
That distinction seemed important.
By Monday morning, she had convinced herself that whatever was happening between her and Ling could be handled sensibly.
They hadn't made any promises.
They hadn't officially called themselves a couple outside the campaign.
They hadn't even kissed again after the studio.
They were simply—
Whatever they were.
Orm refused to give it a name.
Names made things real.
And real things could be lost.
So she arrived at Veyra determined to focus on work.
It lasted approximately twelve minutes.
Because at 9:17 a.m., P'Cherry walked into the creative department carrying a folder, followed closely by Fluke, who looked unusually interested in whatever she was holding.
"Meeting in ten minutes," P'Cherry announced.
Bow looked up.
"About Aurelia?"
"Yes."
Orm turned in her chair.
"What's happening?"
P'Cherry hesitated.
"The client has added a guest to the upcoming campaign event."
"Who?"
P'Cherry glanced at Fluke.
Fluke suddenly found the ceiling fascinating.
P'Cherry sighed.
"Someone from Ling's past."
Orm blinked.
"Her past?"
"Yes."
"Like... an old colleague?"
Fluke coughed.
P'Cherry gave him a warning look.
"Something like that."
Orm narrowed her eyes.
"That's a very suspicious answer."
P'Cherry smiled.
"Come to the meeting."
Then she walked away.
Orm watched her go.
"That was weird."
Bow nodded.
"Very."
Fluke was still standing there.
Orm turned toward him.
"You know something."
"No."
"You absolutely know something."
"I know many things."
"Fluke."
He smiled.
"Meeting in ten minutes."
Then he walked away.
Orm stared after him.
She hated when people did that.
She hated it even more when her instincts told her something was wrong.
Still, she told herself not to care.
Ling had a past.
Obviously.
Everyone did.
There was no reason for her to be bothered by the existence of an ex-girlfriend.
No reason whatsoever.
She was an adult.
A mature adult.
A perfectly reasonable adult.
A mature, reasonable adult who definitely did not feel a strange knot forming in her stomach at the thought of another woman knowing Ling in ways Orm didn't.
She opened her laptop.
Then closed it again.
"Absolutely not," she muttered.
Bow looked over.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Bow smiled.
"That word again."
Orm groaned.
?
The conference room was already half full when Orm entered.
Khun Dew stood at the front, reviewing the schedule.
P'Cherry was arranging printed materials.
Fluke was sitting beside the window.
Ling was at the head of the table.
Orm's eyes immediately found her.
Ling looked up.
This time, she smiled.
It was small.
Private.
The kind of smile that didn't belong to an Executive Director addressing an employee.
It belonged to Ling.
Orm felt her irritation disappear instantly.
She hated that too.
"Morning," Ling said.
"Morning."
Orm took the chair beside Bow.
For the first few minutes, everything was normal.
The Aurelia campaign was entering another major phase.
The client wanted to build on the success of the previous content and introduce a large public event that would combine the campaign's lifestyle message with a series of interactive experiences.
Khun Dew explained the schedule.
"The event is Thursday evening. Aurelia's executives will be there, along with several media partners and selected influencers."
Orm took notes.
P'Cherry continued.
"Ling and Orm will be one of the main focal points."
Fluke leaned toward Bow.
"Translation: we're all going to work until midnight."
Bow nodded.
"Accurate."
Khun Dew ignored them.
"The client has also invited several strategic partners."
She changed the slide.
A list of names appeared.
Orm skimmed it.
Then one name appeared in the highlighted section.
Ariya Vachirayan.
Orm frowned.
The name meant nothing to her.
Then Khun Dew said,
"Ariya will be joining us as Aurelia's international creative consultant for the event."
Orm looked up.
Ling had gone completely still.
It lasted only a second.
But Orm saw it.
A subtle tightening around the eyes.
A pause in her breathing.
Then Ling returned to her usual expression.
"She's consulting for Aurelia now?" Ling asked.
Khun Dew nodded.
"Temporarily. She was brought in because of her work with the European luxury division."
Ling nodded.
"I see."
Fluke looked at the table.
P'Cherry cleared her throat.
"She specifically requested to be involved with the Veyra team."
Orm looked from one person to another.
"Why?"
Silence.
Then Fluke said,
"Because she and Ling know each other."
Orm looked at him.
"How well?"
Fluke's mouth opened.
Closed.
Then he looked at Ling.
Ling gave him a look.
Fluke immediately became interested in his coffee.
Khun Dew answered instead.
"They have a history."
Orm felt the knot in her stomach tighten.
"What kind of history?"
Khun Dew glanced at Ling.
Ling finally spoke.
"We dated."
The room went silent.
Orm's pen stopped moving.
She looked at Ling.
Ling didn't look at her.
Three words.
That's all it took.
We dated.
Orm had known Ling had been hurt before.
She had known there had been someone.
But knowing there had been someone was different from hearing Ling say it aloud.
And for some reason, the word dated sounded far too intimate.
Bow looked at Orm.
Fluke looked at Orm.
P'Cherry looked at Orm.
Everyone seemed to be watching her.
Orm smiled.
A perfectly normal smile.
"That's fine."
Fluke looked down to hide his reaction.
Orm kicked his chair.
He winced.
Khun Dew continued the meeting.
"There's no need for this to affect the campaign. Ariya is there professionally."
"Of course," Orm said.
Her voice sounded perfectly calm.
Ling finally looked at her.
Orm smiled.
"I'm happy for her."
Ling's eyebrows lifted slightly.
Orm immediately realised that she had no idea what she was supposed to be happy about.
So she added,
"Professionally."
Fluke covered his mouth.
P'Cherry sighed.
Khun Dew pretended not to notice.
Ling's lips twitched.
For one brief moment, she looked amused.
Orm glared at her.
Ling looked away.
?
Ariya arrived at Veyra on Tuesday morning.
Orm had heard enough about her in the previous twenty-four hours to know that she was dangerous.
Not dangerous in the traditional sense.
She wasn't cruel.
She wasn't rude.
She wasn't dramatic.
That would have been easier.
Ariya was worse.
She was elegant.
Confident.
Calm.
The kind of woman who entered a room and immediately seemed to know where she belonged.
She wore a cream suit with understated jewellery and carried herself with the effortless confidence of someone who had never once questioned whether she was welcome somewhere.
Orm disliked her immediately.
Which was unfair.
She knew that.
It was also completely unavoidable.
The first time Orm saw her, Ariya was standing beside Ling in the Veyra lobby.
They were talking.
Ling looked relaxed.
Too relaxed.
Ariya laughed.
Then she reached up and casually brushed something from Ling's shoulder.
Orm stopped walking.
Something inside her went cold.
She stared.
Ling said something.
Ariya smiled.
Then, as though it were the most natural thing in the world, she touched Ling's arm.
Orm's jaw tightened.
Bow appeared beside her.
"Oh."
Orm didn't look at her.
"What?"
Bow glanced at Ariya.
"Nothing."
"Say it."
Bow hesitated.
"You look jealous."
"I'm not."
"Okay."
"I'm not."
"Sure."
"I'm not."
Bow nodded.
"I believe you."
Orm looked at her.
"You don't."
"Not even slightly."
Orm sighed.
"She's just touching Ling."
"Yes."
"People touch each other."
"Yes."
"That's normal."
"Absolutely."
"So there's nothing wrong."
"Nothing."
Orm narrowed her eyes.
Bow smiled.
"You're still jealous."
"I'm not jealous."
"Then why are you glaring at her?"
"I'm not glaring."
Bow looked at Ariya.
Then at Orm.
"Your face disagrees."
Orm immediately looked away.
"Shut up."
Bow laughed.
?
The situation became worse when Ariya walked toward them.
"Orm?"
Orm looked up.
Ariya smiled.
"You must be Orm."
Orm stood.
"Yes."
"I've heard a lot about you."
Orm smiled politely.
"Hopefully good things."
Ariya's smile widened.
"Mostly."
That answer did not help.
Ariya looked toward Ling.
"I can see why."
Orm felt something twist.
Ling stepped closer.
"Ariya."
The woman's expression softened when she looked at Ling.
"Ling."
The way she said it bothered Orm.
It was too familiar.
Too easy.
Too practiced.
Like she had said that name a thousand times before.
Orm suddenly became fascinated by the floor.
Ariya turned back to her.
"I hope we get along."
"I'm sure we will."
It was the most diplomatic lie Orm had ever told.
Ariya smiled.
Then she looked at Ling.
"You haven't changed."
Ling's expression remained neutral.
"You have."
Ariya laughed.
"Still direct."
Orm looked between them.
"Have you two worked together before?"
Ariya answered.
"We worked together."
Ling corrected quietly,
"We lived together."
Orm nearly swallowed her tongue.
Fluke, who had just walked into the lobby, stopped dead.
Bow looked at Orm.
Orm stared at Ling.
Ling looked slightly uncomfortable.
Ariya smiled.
"Briefly."
Orm nodded.
"Of course."
Her voice was unnaturally calm.
"Briefly."
?
The day got worse.