Chapter 19 Us #2
There were people analysing the way Ling had criticised Orm's original proposal.
People were discussing the fake relationship contract.
People were speculating about when the relationship had become real.
Some believed it had happened during the campaign.
Some believed they had been together long before.
Others were convinced the entire thing was a carefully constructed publicity strategy.
Ling read some of it.
Orm read too much of it.
At 12:43, Ling sent:
Ling: Stop reading comments.
Orm replied:
Orm: I'm not.
Ling stared.
Ling: You're lying.
Orm: Maybe.
Ling: Orm.
Orm: Okay, I'm reading them.
Ling: Why?
Orm: Curiosity.
Ling: That's a terrible reason.
Orm: Some people think we're adorable.
Ling: They're correct.
Orm stared at the message.
Then laughed.
Orm: Some people think you're intimidating.
Ling: Also correct.
Orm: Some think I'm too chaotic for you.
Ling smiled.
Ling: They're definitely correct.
Orm gasped.
Orm: Excuse me?
Ling: I love you anyway.
Orm stopped typing.
Then:
Orm: You're forgiven.
Ling smiled.
?
The hardest part came in the afternoon.
A client meeting.
Aurelia.
The campaign that had started everything.
The campaign that had brought them together.
The campaign that had once given them an excuse to pretend.
Now they were sitting in a conference room discussing its final performance results.
The presentation was strong.
Sales had exceeded projections.
Engagement remained high.
Brand recognition had grown significantly.
The campaign had become one of Veyra's most successful projects that year.
And yet, for Ling, the numbers felt strangely distant.
She looked across the table.
Orm was presenting one of the final creative reports.
She was confident.
Professional.
Calm.
But Ling could see the small movement of her fingers against the tablet.
Nervous.
Orm looked up.
Their eyes met.
Ling smiled.
Just slightly.
Orm smiled back.
No one else noticed.
Or perhaps they did.
Ling no longer cared.
When the presentation ended, the room applauded.
The Aurelia client representative stood.
"Whatever happened between the two of you, I think it helped make this campaign memorable."
Ling stiffened.
Orm glanced at her.
The client continued.
"People connected with the authenticity."
Ling considered the words.
Authenticity.
That was almost funny.
Because the campaign had begun with pretending.
And somehow, the pretending had led them to something real.
Ling smiled politely.
"Thank you."
After the meeting, Orm walked beside her.
"That was strange."
"Very."
"Do you think she knew?"
Ling glanced at her.
"Probably."
Orm laughed.
"Everyone knew before we did."
Ling smiled.
"Maybe."
They walked down the corridor.
Orm bumped her shoulder lightly against Ling's.
"You know what I was thinking?"
"What?"
"If someone had told me on my first day at Veyra that I'd end up dating you, I'd have quit."
Ling laughed.
"You hated me."
"I did."
"You really did."
"You criticised my proposal."
"It needed work."
Orm stopped walking.
"You're still doing it."
Ling laughed.
"I'm sorry."
Orm smiled.
"No, you're not."
"No."
Orm took her hand.
"Good."
?
That evening, there was an unexpected knock on Ling's office door.
She looked up.
Orm stood there.
"Hi."
Ling smiled.
"Hi."
"Are you busy?"
"No."
Orm walked inside.
Ling watched her close the door.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Then why are you here?"
"I wanted to see you."
Ling smiled.
"You saw me two hours ago."
"That's too long."
Ling laughed.
"You're becoming clingy."
"I learned from you."
"I am not clingy."
Orm raised an eyebrow.
"You literally came to my apartment because I was leaving."
"That was different."
"How?"
Ling thought.
"It was important."
"So am I."
Ling smiled.
"Yes."
Orm walked toward her.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Are you scared?"
Ling knew exactly what she meant.
She nodded.
"A little."
"Me too."
Orm stood in front of her desk.
"Do you regret it?"
Ling looked at her.
"Us?"
Orm nodded.
"Never."
Orm smiled.
"Even if people talk?"
"Yes."
"Even if they don't like us?"
"Yes."
"Even if they say we did it for publicity?"
Ling stood.
"Yes."
"Even if they say I only got the job because of you?"
Ling's expression softened.
"Then I'll remind them that you earned it."
Orm's eyes became glassy.
Ling stepped closer.
"You were hired before any of this happened."
"I know."
"You were good before I fell in love with you."
Orm smiled through the emotion.
"And now?"
"Now you're still good."
Orm laughed softly.
"And you're still intimidating."
"Good."
They stood close.
Orm reached for her hand.
Ling intertwined their fingers.
"Do you want to go home?" Ling asked.
Orm smiled.
"Together?"
"Together."
?
They left Veyra through the side entrance.
No security entourage.
No publicist.
No photographers.
Just them.
Outside, the evening air was warm.
Orm slipped her hand into Ling's.
Ling looked down.
Then back at her.
"Are you sure?"
Orm nodded.
"About what?"
"This."
Orm squeezed her hand.
"Very."
They started walking.
No hiding.
No rushing.
No checking who might be watching.
A few people recognised them.
One woman smiled.
Another whispered.
Someone took a photograph.
Orm noticed.
Ling did too.
Neither let go.
They kept walking.
And somehow, that simple action felt more powerful than any statement they could have released.
They weren't announcing anything.
They weren't performing.
They weren't trying to convince anyone.
They were simply together.
?
Later that night, they sat on Orm's balcony.
The city glittered below them.
Orm had her head resting against Ling's shoulder.
Ling held her hand.
"Do you ever think about how strange this is?"
Orm smiled.
"All the time."
"We started because we had to pretend."
"And now?"
Ling looked at her.
"Now I don't know how to pretend anymore."
Orm laughed softly.
"Good."
Ling kissed her forehead.
"I don't want to."
Orm turned toward her.
"Me neither."
There was a comfortable silence.
Then Orm whispered,