Faye approached her Sister, who was seated on the gazebo of their grand mansion, and settled beside her. "I didn't like how you behaved earlier, Ling." Her voice startled the younger woman, who remained silent in response.
"Whatever the issue between you and Orm, I hope you both can talk it out calmly." She expressed, trying to mend the strained atmosphere.
Lingling turned to look at her, her eyes reflecting pain. "What would you do if you find out you've been played by the person you thought loved you?" She asked, her voice heavy with emotion.
Faye considered her words thoughtfully before replying. "It depends on how people choose to react. Staying calm is a must to avoid saying things we might regret later, especially to someone we care about."
Lingling's eyes glistened. "She said she loved me, but why was she with Win?"
Faye's expression softened as she listened, understanding her sister's going through. "Are jealous of Orm or Win?"
"The naughty girl." She replied, a soft chuckle came out of her mouth.
The older woman teased, "Finally realizing your feelings for Orm huh." Eliciting a playful eye roll from the CEO, who sighed, gaze fixed ahead.
In the quiet of the evening, with a gentle breeze caressing them, Lingling found a moment of peace amidst the chaos of her emotions. "Just when I realized my feelings for her, things happened."
"Are you certain of what you saw? Is there a chance for misunderstanding?"
Lingling shook her head, the memory of Orm on top of Win fueling her anger once more. "Why was she in his place then?"
"So, what are you planning to do next?"
She fell mute for a while. "I'm not sure. Maybe I'll just give Win a chance. He's always been good to me. He didn't give in to Orm that night, which shows me he really cares. I think I should give our relationship a try."
Even though the Older one wasn't sure about Win, she decided to support her Sister's choice. She knew Lingling's happiness is the most important.
As the morning sun gently filtered through the curtains, Orm stood in front of the mirror, her hair wrapped in a towel and a bathrobe hugging her frame. She was in the middle of a video call with her Mother, a bittersweet moment as she prepared for her graduation later that day. Her heart aches a little with longing as she expresses her wish for her Mom to be physically present on this special day.
"Mom, I wish you were here." She pouted. Her mother's warm chuckle resonated through the screen, a comforting sound that eased the girl's heart.
"Baby, I'm really sorry. But I promise you will get the best gift soon from me. Tell me what you want, I'll buy it right away." Orm knew her mother's love language well - showering her with gifts and spoiling her.
She understood the reasons behind her mom's absence, knowing that she was tirelessly managing their family company. The weight of responsibility had been passed down to Orm from her late father, entrusting her with his wealth and power. Despite being the rightful heir to the family business, Mrs. Koy had wisely appointed her brother to oversee the businesses until her daughter was ready to take the reins.
"I don't need anything, mom. I just want to hug you right now."
"Aww, my big daughter wants to be babied by mom. Don't worry, my darling, I'll talk to Win to help you with anything there. I already told him to give you a bouquet of flowers from me."
"Mom, P'ying is here. She can guide me. No need for another person." Orm said flatly without looking at her. She doesn't need his help. Instead of being safe, she gets into trouble.
"I understand, darling. It's just to help you both get along well."
Orm seemed happy on the outside, but you could see she was worried about something.
"Are you alright, honey?" She could tell that her daughter wasn't really okay, so Orm just forced a smile and pretended everything was fine. "Ah... Yes, mom."
After the video call was over, Ying came into the room and saw the girl looking really thoughtful. She had heard Orm talking to her mom and waited until they were finished. "Why don't you just tell your mom what that jerk did to you?"
"I don't wanna burden mom. She's been carrying a lot already."
"If you can't handle this alone, don't forget I'm by your side, okay?" Orm nodded, a small smile playing on her lips.
"Dress up. The make up artist is already downstairs." Ying suggested, trying to lift her spirits.
Orm and her friends were excited and nervous, sitting in the university gymnasium waiting for their names to be called. They were about to graduate, so it was the last day of being carefree college students before they had to start their real lives.
The graduation ceremony was happening, and everyone was getting awards for doing well in school. They were really happy, they got multiple awards. The whole gym was clapping and cheering for them, showing how proud everyone was. They felt proud as they walked across the stage, and all the cheering made them remember how much they had accomplished together. They knew this was just the start of their lives after college, and they were excited about what was coming next. They held onto all the good memories made in college and were ready to face any challenges and make the most of all the opportunities that came their way, determined to do great things in the world.
After exchanging Congratulations, The group of friends decided to go their separate ways to spend time with their families and celebrate.
Orm and Ying settled into their reserved seats to celebrate, surrounded by a spread of delicious food that the newly graduate couldn't wait to devour. The table was adorned with all of her favorite dishes, a thoughtful gesture. "Thank you, Phi. You really know my favorite." She expressed, a grateful smile on her face as she received a playful wink from her cousin. "Of course. I'll forget everything but not your favorite."
Ying excused herself to catch up with a friend outside the restaurant, Orm found herself alone at the table, her attention drawn to the tantalizing array of food before her that made her stomach growl. But her food admiration was abruptly interrupted when a man approached her.
"Congratulations." Win greeted, extending her a bouquet of flowers. She hesitated to accept. "This is from your mom. Take it fast, Lingling will be here soon. She might suspect." He whispered, glancing around cautiously.
Feeling irritated and wanting to avoid any involvement with him, she reluctantly accepted the bouquet, knowing it was from her mother. Just as she was about to take it, a sudden cough behind them startled them both. Lingling stood there, raising an eyebrow at him, silently urging him to speak.
Win, clearing his throat nervously, stammered. "Ah, I just wanted to congratulate Nong Orm on her graduation." Attempting to divert her business partner's attention. But her gaze remained fixed on Orm, observing the interaction keenly. She simply nodded disinterestedly at him and glanced at the bouquet in which he noticed, so he quickly gave them to her. "Anyway, these are for you."
The CEO acted like she was really happy and took it. She linked her hand on his arm in a way that was meant to be flirty, trying to get the younger woman's attention in which she succeeded.
"Let's start with our date. We wouldn't want to keep the food waiting, right?" Lingling purred, her words directed sensually at him but her eyes lingering on the girl, a subtle display of power play that didn't go unnoticed by Orm.
Orm stared at Win's back in disbelief, watching as the bouquet of flowers meant for her from her mom now rested in Lingling's hands. The weight of disappointment settled heavily on her shoulders as she shook her head, resigning herself to the fact that her special day was beginning to unravel at the hands of two people. With her appetite waning, she sank into her seat, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on her.
Ying returned to the table after a minute and took her seat, offering an apology. "I'm sorry, Nong. I had important things to catch up with a friend." She explained. Orm managed a forced smile, trying to mask the disappointment brewing within her.
"Let's eat. Try this dish. the food here is exceptional, which is why I chose to celebrate here. I'm sure you'll love it." Ying said, placing a serving on her cousin's plate. Her gesture faltered as she noticed her despondent expression. "You okay?"
Orm's gaze shifted to the other table, where the source of her mood. Ying moved to stand up, but the younger one halted her with a pleading shake of her head. "Don't." She murmured.
The older woman frown but complied and sat back.