Orm’s Backstory
The sound of waves crashing against the shore echoed through the night as Orm lounged on the private terrace of her beachfront villa in Phuket. A glass of whiskey sat beside her, untouched. The trip was meant to be a brief escape before heading back to Bangkok, but relaxation eluded her.
Her thoughts drifted to the cleaning lady.
Lingling.
Orm had met countless people—socialites, executives, celebrities. They all knew her last name. They all wanted something. But Lingling? She spoke to Orm as if she were just another person. No fake smiles, no forced politeness. Just irritation.
Orm smirked, swirling the whiskey in her glass.
She didn’t like Lingling. Not in that way. But she found her entertaining.
Her assistant, Pring, stepped onto the terrace, tablet in hand. “Your father called. He wants you at the office as soon as you land.”
Orm groaned. “Of course, he does.”
Pring didn’t react. She was used to this. “Also, your meeting schedule has been updated. And your phone is still with that girl in Bangkok.”
Orm raised an eyebrow. “You think I forgot?”
Pring sighed. “Are you planning to compensate her?”
Orm smirked. “She doesn’t seem the type to care about money. I’ll just thank her in person.”
Pring looked skeptical but said nothing.
Orm leaned back, gazing at the dark horizon.
She wasn’t in a hurry to get her phone back.
This was simply… amusing.
Orm had everything from the moment she was born—wealth, status, power. The Sethratanapong family wasn’t just rich; they were one of the most influential business dynasties in Thailand, dominating the food manufacturing industry.
Her father, Oct Sethratanapong, was known for being ruthless in business and even more so at home.
Orm was his only child. His heir.
While other children played, Orm learned to read financial reports. While other teenagers made mistakes, she was trained not to.
There was no room for failure.
Her mother, Koy, had been different. She had once been warm and loving, but over the years, Orm watched her mother retreat into silence.
Koy was a socialite, a beautiful woman who once lit up every room she entered. But being married to Oct came with a cost.
Love was conditional.
If Koy disappointed him, she was met with coldness. If she obeyed, she was rewarded with luxury.
Orm understood the lesson early: love could be controlled.
And she refused to let anyone control her.
Orm had never believed in love.
She had seen too many people fall for the illusion, only to end up disappointed.
So, she played the game differently.
She flirted, she entertained, she let women fall for her—but the moment things got serious, she walked away.
Her reputation as a playgirl was well-known. Women loved the thrill of chasing her, and she let them—for a while.
But the moment she sensed genuine feelings, she cut them off.
It was easier that way.
No mess. No complications.
And definitely no heartbreak.
Despite her carefree reputation, Orm knew she couldn’t avoid her responsibilities forever.
Her father had made that very clear.
“This company is your future,” Oct had told her countless times. “You don’t get to choose.”
And he was right.
By the time she graduated with a degree in business, the expectations had fully settled on her shoulders. She had to lead. She had to be perfect.
It was exhausting.
Sometimes, she wondered what it would be like to live a normal life.
But that wasn’t her reality.
Her life was already mapped out.
And all she could do was play her role.
___________________
Orm exhaled, shaking the thoughts away.
Instead, her mind drifted back to Lingling.
Why was she so irritated during their call?
Most people would be thrilled to be contacted by someone like Orm. Yet, Lingling had acted as if she were just another inconvenience.
Orm found that oddly refreshing.
Maybe that was why she hadn’t rushed back to retrieve her phone.
Because for once, she had encountered someone who didn’t care about her last name.
And in a life full of expectations, that was intriguing.