Opposite Attracts

Lingling shifted in her seat, crossing her arms as she watched Orm flipping through stacks of paperwork.

The woman barely acknowledged her presence, only giving her a quick glance before returning to her work.

For the first time, Orm looked… serious.

Not playful. Not arrogant. Not like the spoiled rich girl who had been pestering her endlessly.

Here, in this office, she was someone else entirely.

A businesswoman.

Someone in charge.

Lingling leaned back in the chair, her eyes roaming around the office. It was sleek, modern, and expensive—exactly what she expected. The floor-to-ceiling windows showcased the city skyline, and everything in the room screamed wealth.

She exhaled slowly. So this is the world Orm lives in.

Minutes passed, and the silence stretched between them.

Lingling had half a mind to clear her throat just to remind Orm she was still there, but before she could, Orm finally put down her pen, stacked the papers neatly, and looked up.

“Alright.” Orm clasped her hands together and leaned back in her chair. “Let’s get started.”

Lingling raised an eyebrow. “What exactly am I supposed to do?”

Orm smirked. “As stated in the contract, you’re my personal assistant. You’ll do as I say, whenever I say it.”

Lingling rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I remember. Just tell me what to do, so I can get this over with.”

Orm chuckled. “You sound so thrilled.”

“I just want to get paid.”

Orm grinned, standing up. “Then let’s begin your training, shall we?”

Lingling had a feeling she wasn’t going to like whatever Orm had planned.

Orm picked up her iPad from the desk and handed it to Lingling.

“Here,” she said, tapping the screen. “Your job starts now.”

Lingling took the device reluctantly, glancing at the screen. It displayed a detailed schedule—Orm’s meetings, appointments, events, even her workout sessions. Every hour of her day was planned down to the minute.

Lingling scoffed. “You rich people really have everything scheduled, huh?”

Orm smirked. “Time is money, darling. And now, managing my time is your job.”

Lingling ignored the pet name and scrolled through the schedule. “So, what do I do exactly? Stand beside you all day, nodding and pretending to care?”

Orm laughed. “Not exactly, but I like the enthusiasm.” She walked around the desk, leaning against it with her arms crossed. “You’ll keep track of my meetings, remind me of important events, answer calls when I’m busy, and—”

Lingling cut her off. “So basically, I’m a glorified secretary?”

Orm tilted her head. “No, my secretary works outside. You are my personal assistant.”

Lingling narrowed her eyes. “Sounds the same to me.”

Orm grinned. “Then let me make it clear. Unlike a secretary, you will also handle personal errands. If I need coffee, you get it. If I forget something, you fetch it. And if I’m having a bad day…” She leaned in slightly, her voice teasing. “You cheer me up.”

Lingling made a disgusted face. “No way.”

Orm laughed and straightened up. “Relax. I won’t ask you to dance for me or anything… unless you want to.”

Lingling rolled her eyes. “Can we focus on work?”

Orm smirked. “Of course. I just love seeing you so worked up.”

Lingling took a deep breath. It was going to be a long day.

Orm leaned back in her chair, arms crossed as she studied Lingling’s outfit with an unimpressed look.

“First things first—you need to look like you work here.”

Lingling frowned. “What’s wrong with how I look?”

Orm smirked. “Where do I even begin?” She grabbed a sleek black credit card from her desk and handed it to Lingling. “Go shopping. Fix yourself. Head to toe.”

Lingling stared at the card as if it were cursed. “No way. I don’t need your money.”

Orm rolled her eyes. “Oh, stop being dramatic. It’s not my money. It’s the company’s. Consider it part of your uniform budget.”

Lingling hesitated. “What exactly am I supposed to wear?”

Orm shrugged. “Office attire. You know, something professional? And while you’re at it, get rid of those glasses.”

Lingling instinctively adjusted them on her face. “What’s wrong with my glasses?”

Orm sighed. “You remind me of my grandma.”

Lingling blinked. “What?”

“She’s dead, by the way.”

Lingling scoffed. “Wow. Nice way to bring that up.”

Orm just smirked. “You asked.”

Lingling shook her head, looking down at the credit card again. Every part of her wanted to refuse it. But another part—one that remembered her mother’s medical bills and how every baht mattered—knew she couldn’t afford to argue over something so simple.

She sighed, snatching the card from Orm’s hand. “Fine. But don’t expect me to come back looking like one of your rich, plastic friends.”

Orm grinned, looking victorious. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

Lingling turned on her heel, muttering under her breath as she stormed toward the door.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

Lingling stopped, looking over her shoulder. “What now?”

“Take the rest of the day off.”

Lingling blinked. “What?”

Orm leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. “I don’t want you showing up tomorrow still looking like you work at the airport. You’ll officially start working for me tomorrow. So, take your time, go shopping, get your hair done—whatever you need.”

Lingling narrowed her eyes. “And you’re just… giving me the day off?”

Orm shrugged. “I don’t see the point in having you hang around here looking like that.” She smirked. “Consider it a gift.”

Lingling pursed her lips. “You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?”

Orm gave her an easy smile. “Immensely.”

Lingling sighed, shaking her head as she finally walked out of the office.

Orm leaned back in her chair, chuckling to herself.

This is going to be fun.

_________________

After leaving Orm’s office, Lingling stared at the credit card in her hand, feeling an odd mix of emotions. This was the first time she had ever held something so expensive, something that belonged to someone as rich and powerful as Orm.

She had no intention of going overboard with the shopping. She would buy only what was necessary—office attire, shoes, and maybe some light makeup. She didn’t want to give Orm the satisfaction of thinking she was taking advantage of her generosity.

With a sigh, she made her way to the nearest shopping mall.

Lingling browsed through the racks, searching for clothes that were professional yet affordable. She refused to buy anything too flashy. After some time, she settled on a few well-fitted blouses, a couple of knee-length skirts, and two pairs of trousers. Simple, neat, and appropriate.

She then moved on to shoes. Her current sneakers were comfortable but far from office-appropriate. She picked out a pair of modest black heels—not too high, just enough to give her a polished look.

Next was makeup.

She had never been the type to wear it, but since Orm had made a comment about her appearance, she figured she should at least learn the basics. She bought a small makeup kit with foundation, blush, neutral eyeshadow, and lipstick.

Then, reluctantly, she stopped by an optical shop.

The saleswoman recommended contact lenses, and after struggling to put them in for several minutes, Lingling finally saw herself in the mirror.

She looked… different.

Her features, usually hidden behind her thick glasses, were more defined. Her large, dark eyes stood out, and without the frames, she looked softer—almost elegant.

She scoffed at her own reflection. “All this just to be Orm’s assistant? Ridiculous.”

Still, there was no denying that the change was refreshing.

__________________

Back at her apartment, Lingling sat in front of her tiny mirror with her new makeup kit spread out before her. She pulled up a YouTube tutorial and followed along.

It was a disaster.

The first attempt left her looking like a ghost—too much foundation. The second attempt resulted in eyeliner smudged everywhere. By the third, she accidentally poked her eye with the mascara wand.

Frustrated, she wiped everything off and tried again.

Little by little, she got the hang of it. She learned to blend the foundation properly, apply a light touch of blush, and draw a thin line of eyeliner without looking like a panda.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough.

Lingling leaned back, exhaling deeply. “This is way too much effort.”

Still, she had to admit—she looked pretty.

________________________

The next morning, Lingling woke up early.

She dressed in one of her new outfits—a white blouse tucked into a beige pencil skirt. She slipped on her heels, applied light makeup, and checked herself in the mirror one last time.

She looked… professional.

No more oversized uniforms. No more glasses.

Just Lingling, in a new setting.

With a deep breath, she grabbed her bag and left for work.

Orm’s Reaction

Arriving at Orm’s office, Lingling walked in confidently.

As soon as she stepped inside, Orm, who was in the middle of a Zoom meeting, glanced up.

For the first time since they met, Orm was speechless.

Lingling noticed the brief flicker of surprise on Orm’s face before she quickly masked it. Still, she didn’t miss the way Orm kept stealing glances at her.

Orm forced herself to focus. “Yes, Mr. Liu, I understand. We’ll send over the revised proposal by the end of the day.”

Lingling, pretending not to notice Orm’s distraction, quietly picked up the iPad from the desk and checked the schedule.

A few minutes later, Orm ended the meeting and leaned back in her chair, eyeing Lingling from head to toe.

“You clean up well,” she finally said.

Lingling shrugged. “You told me to.”

Orm smirked. “And here I thought you’d rebel and show up in sneakers.”

Lingling crossed her arms. “If I’m going to do something, I might as well do it properly.”

Orm raised an eyebrow. “Interesting.”

Lingling ignored her and focused on the schedule. “Your morning is packed with meetings. You have a lunch appointment at noon and a gala tonight.”

Orm groaned. “Right. The gala.”

“You need to confirm your plus-one,” Lingling added.

Orm smirked. “What, you’re not volunteering?”

Lingling rolled her eyes. “Absolutely not.”

Orm chuckled. “Shame. You’d look great in a gown.”

Lingling shot her a deadpan look. “Would you like me to call one of your usual dates?”

Orm thought for a moment, then shook her head. “No need. I’ll figure it out later.”

Lingling nodded, making a mental note.

Orm stood and grabbed her blazer. “For now, just follow me today. I want to see if you can actually keep up.”

Lingling smirked. “Try me.”

Orm chuckled as she led the way out of the office.

Maybe hiring Lingling was the best decision she’d ever made.