Silent Departure
They both woke up in the middle of the night, their bodies tangled under the sheets. Orm stirred first, her eyes fluttering open as she felt the warmth of Lingling beside her. A slow, satisfied smile spread across her lips as she turned on her side, propping herself up on one elbow to admire her girlfriend’s sleeping face.
Unable to resist, Orm leaned in and pressed soft, lazy kisses along Lingling’s bare shoulder, trailing down to her back. Lingling let out a small sigh, shifting slightly but not fully waking up. Orm smirked, her lips grazing Lingling’s skin teasingly.
As she continued her sweet assault, Lingling finally stirred, her brows furrowing as she stretched. She turned over to face Orm, her eyes half-lidded with sleep.
“Mmm, what are you doing?” Lingling murmured, her voice husky from sleep.
Orm grinned. “Waking you up… with love.”
Lingling let out a small laugh, her hands instinctively wrapping around Orm’s waist. But when she shifted, her eyes caught something on her chest.
She blinked. Then blinked again. “Wait… what the—”
Orm followed her gaze and grinned proudly. Hickies—deep, red, and unmistakable—were scattered across Lingling’s neck, collarbone, and chest.
Lingling’s jaw dropped. “You did all this?”
Orm, completely unapologetic, propped herself up on her elbow and smirked. “Of course. You’re mine.”
Lingling groaned, tilting her head back against the pillow. “How am I supposed to go out like this?”
Orm shrugged, her fingers lazily tracing circles on Lingling’s stomach. “Not my problem.”
Lingling huffed. “You’re impossible.”
Orm leaned down and kissed the fresh marks on Lingling’s neck, her lips lingering. “And you love it.”
Lingling shivered, her fingers threading through Orm’s hair. “I hate how much I do.”
Orm chuckled, wrapping her arms around Lingling and pulling her close. She buried her face in her girlfriend’s neck, inhaling her scent. “I missed you so much,” she whispered, her voice softer now.
Lingling softened, hugging Orm back. “I missed you too.”
They stayed like that for a moment, wrapped in each other’s warmth, before Lingling pulled back slightly.
“How long are you staying?”
Orm sighed. “Until Sunday night.”
Lingling pouted. “That’s too short.”
“I know…” Orm traced patterns on Lingling’s arm. “But I had to see you. Imagine a life without seeing you—no kisses, no sex… I almost died.”
Lingling rolled her eyes. “Drama queen.”
Orm gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. “I’m being serious here!”
Lingling laughed, shaking her head. “Alright, alright. Let’s make the most of it.”
Orm grinned mischievously. “Oh, I plan to.”
But before she could pounce, Lingling’s stomach growled loudly.
Orm blinked. Then smirked. “Hungry?”
Lingling sighed. “A little.”
Orm rolled out of bed, stretching. “Alright, I’ll make something.”
Lingling raised an eyebrow. “You? Cooking?”
Orm put her hands on her hips. “Excuse me, I’m a very capable woman.”
Lingling chuckled. “We’ll see about that.”
As Orm walked to the kitchen, Lingling lay back, watching her girlfriend’s figure disappear through the doorway. She smiled to herself, feeling a warmth in her chest that had nothing to do with their earlier activities.
Even if it was just for a weekend, having Orm here made everything feel right.
The aroma of freshly cooked food filled the small apartment as Orm placed two bowls on the table. She glanced over at the bed where Lingling was still curled up, her bare shoulder peeking out from the blanket.
Smiling, Orm walked over and gently shook her awake. “Hey, wake up, sleepyhead. I made food.”
Lingling stirred, groaning softly as she opened her eyes. “You? Cooking?” she teased, her voice husky from sleep.
Orm scoffed. “You doubt my skills?”
Lingling chuckled, stretching before sitting up. “No, I’m just surprised.”
As they sat across from each other, eating the late-night meal, their conversation drifted to how exhausting their month had been.
“I swear, I feel like my brain is going to explode from all the paperwork and meetings,” Orm sighed, rubbing her temples.
Lingling smiled. “But you love it, don’t you?”
Orm smirked. “I love the challenge. But I love you more.”
Lingling rolled her eyes playfully. “Smooth.”
Their laughter faded into a comfortable silence before Lingling finally spoke. “I’ll be starting school next month.”
Orm’s eyes lit up. “Really? That’s amazing!” She reached across the table, taking Lingling’s hand in hers. “I’m so proud of you.”
Lingling squeezed Orm’s hand. “I just want to finish what I started.”
Orm’s heart swelled with pride, but an ache settled in her chest. There was something she hadn’t told Lingling yet—she might have to extend her stay in China.
She pushed the thought aside. She didn’t want to ruin this moment.
But time passed quickly, and before they knew it, Orm had to leave again.
_______________
Days turned into weeks. Weeks turned into months.
Lingling adjusted to university life, balancing classes and her part-time job. Orm, on the other hand, was buried in work. The expansion was taking longer than expected, requiring her presence in China.
Their texts became shorter. Their video calls, once a nightly routine, became less frequent.
Lingling still tried—she sent voice messages, left cute good-morning texts, and even waited late at night just to catch Orm for a quick call. But Orm’s replies became delayed, often just a simple I miss you or I love you.
Lingling tried to be patient, telling herself that Orm was under immense pressure.
But as the months dragged on, the distance between them felt bigger than just the miles separating them.
Orm had been in China for eight months now.
The silence between them was growing louder.
The Breaking Point
One afternoon, while Lingling was having coffee between classes, her phone buzzed with a news notification.
“Breaking: Oct Sethratanapong, the renowned business tycoon, is in critical condition.”
The coffee cup nearly slipped from Lingling’s grasp. Her heart pounded as she reread the headline.
Orm’s father… critical?
Panic surged through her. She immediately grabbed her phone and dialed Orm’s number.
No answer.
She tried again.
Still no answer.
Lingling’s fingers trembled as she sent a series of frantic texts.
Lingling: Orm, I just saw the news. Please, call me.
Lingling: I know you’re probably overwhelmed, but please, just let me know you’re okay.
Lingling: I’m here, Orm.
Hours passed.
No reply. No missed calls. Nothing.
Lingling’s chest tightened. She needs me right now.
But why wasn’t Orm letting her in?
________________
Lingling couldn’t concentrate. The professor’s words blurred together, nothing making sense as her mind kept drifting to Orm.
She had been anxiously checking her phone every five minutes, hoping—praying—for a message or a call. But her notifications remained empty.
The silence was deafening.
Her chest tightened. Orm needed her, more than ever.
So, after class, without a second thought, she packed a bag, booked the earliest flight to China, and left.
She didn’t care that her exams were coming up. She didn’t care about anything except Orm.
Because if Orm wasn’t answering her…
Something was terribly wrong.
_____________________
The morning light greeted her as she stepped off the plane. A mix of exhaustion and determination weighed on her shoulders, but she had no time to rest.
She needed to find Orm.
She knew where to start—the hotel where Orm had been staying.
But as expected, security was tight.
With the recent news about Orm’s father, the media was relentless, camping outside, waiting for any updates.
Lingling stood across the street, watching the entrance. Waiting.
Hours passed.
Still, no sign of Orm.
Her stomach growled, but she ignored it. She had no appetite—not when the love of her life was shutting her out.
Then, just when she thought she had wasted her time, a black car pulled up to the hotel.
Her heart leaped.
The door opened, and there she was.
Orm.
Lingling didn’t hesitate. She ran across the street, dodging people and ignoring the shouts of security.
“ORM!” she yelled.
Orm froze.
Her gaze met Lingling’s—just for a second.
And then, she looked away.
Lingling stopped in her tracks, her breath catching in her throat.
She waited for Orm to say something, anything.
But Orm turned and walked away.
Guided by bodyguards, she disappeared into the hotel—without looking back.
Lingling’s hands trembled. Her chest ached.
What… just happened?
She came all this way.
She skipped school, she left everything behind—because she thought Orm needed her.
But Orm acted like she was a stranger.
Why?
Tears blurred her vision. Her heart shattered into pieces.
What was going on?
Had Orm changed?
Had she… stopped loving her?
And then, the worst thought hit her.
Was there someone else?
Her knees felt weak, her world spinning.
She needed answers.
And no matter what it took—she was going to get them.
To be continued…