Objection Overruled
The courtroom was silent except for the rhythmic click of heels against the polished floor as Ling approached the witness stand. She carried herself with sharp precision, her dark hair pulled back into an elegant bun, her brown eyes locked on the witness like a hawk sizing up prey.
"Let me repeat the question," Ling said coolly, her voice cutting through the tension in the room. "Did you or did you not approve that contract knowing it would result in financial loss for my client?"
From her seat at the defense table, Orm smirked, her amber eyes twinkling with amusement. She leaned back in her chair, looking infuriatingly relaxed.
"Objection," Orm said lazily, rising to her feet. "Asked and answered."
Ling didn't even glance her way. "Your Honor, I'm clarifying for the record."
The judge sighed, clearly weary of the two of them. "Overruled. Proceed, Ms. Kwong."
Orm sat back down, but not before flashing Ling a brief, knowing smile. Ling ignored it—or at least, she pretended to.
This was their dance: opposing sides in a high-stakes corporate lawsuit, sparring with words and wits in front of an audience. Ling had to admit, Orm was good—annoyingly good. Confident, sharp, and just arrogant enough to make Ling want to wipe that smug grin off her face.
Not that she could do that here. That was reserved for later.
---
Later that night
The door to their shared apartment swung open, and Ling barely made it two steps inside before Orm was on her.
"You were ruthless today," Orm said, her tone somewhere between impressed and amused as she leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.
Ling dropped her bag on the floor and turned to face her girlfriend, her lips twitching into a small, satisfied smirk. "Ruthless is my job."
Orm raised an eyebrow, pushing off the frame and stepping closer. "You almost had me sweating with that cross-examination. Almost."
"Good," Ling replied, her tone teasing as she shrugged off her blazer and hung it on the back of a chair. "You should sweat. Your client doesn't have a leg to stand on."
"Oh, is that so?" Orm asked, closing the distance between them in two strides. She was taller, her blonde hair slightly disheveled from the day, and there was a glint in her amber eyes that sent a shiver down Ling's spine.
"Mm-hmm," Ling hummed, trying—and failing—to maintain her composure as Orm loomed over her.
"Funny," Orm murmured, her voice dropping as she placed her hands on Ling's waist. "Because you looked like you were about to combust when I brought up that counter-argument in my closing statement."
Ling glared at her, though the effect was somewhat ruined by the faint blush creeping up her neck. "You're insufferable."
"And yet, here we are," Orm said with a grin, leaning down until their faces were inches apart.
Ling held her ground, refusing to let Orm win—at least, not immediately. "You know, I could destroy you in court tomorrow."
Orm chuckled, her breath warm against Ling's cheek. "And I could charm the jury into thinking otherwise."
"Charm only gets you so far," Ling shot back, though her voice was softer now, her resolve beginning to waver.
Orm's grin turned into something softer, more genuine. "Good thing I've got more than charm, then."
Before Ling could respond, Orm kissed her.
It was slow at first, a gentle meeting of lips that quickly turned into something deeper, more heated. Ling's hands found their way to Orm's shoulders, pulling her closer as the tension of the day melted away.
When they finally broke apart, Ling was breathless, her brown eyes staring up at Orm with a mix of annoyance and affection.
"You're still losing tomorrow," she muttered, her voice stubborn but her lips curling into a small smile.
Orm laughed, pressing a quick kiss to Ling's forehead. "We'll see about that."
For now, though, the courtroom could wait.