WHISPERS OF LINGORM : A One-Shot Anthology - Chapter 4: Chapter 4

“Lingling, dear, where are you? Today is your engagement, no excuses about work will work today. Be here on time!” her mother scolded.
“Yes, Mom, I’ll be there on time. I’m just…working. Bye, I’ll talk to you later,” Lingling replied quickly before hanging up.
Today was Lingling Sirilak Kwong's engagement day. The name itself carried weight—Lingling Sirilak Kwong, the sole heiress of the Keepwonder Group of Companies and the current CEO of their empire. She’d told her mother she was working, but in truth, she was in her car, driving aimlessly with no destination in mind.
This engagement wasn’t something that truly mattered to Lingling, nor did the women she was going to engaged—there was no love, and she was acutely aware of it. Yet, she didn’t resist this engagement or marriage. She had chosen this path, an arranged marriage, for reasons beyond her personal wishes. The weight of family expectations, the necessity of maintaining her social status, had slowly pressed her into acceptance after years of waiting.
But her heart? It was still trapped eight years ago, locked away with someone she had loved with all her soul—a love she’d never been able to forget. She had slipped away from her life long ago, leaving her to carry the fragments of that love alone. She wasn’t angry; there was no bitterness, and not even towards Charlotte, her to be fiance. It was just that she felt incapable of loving anyone else, and the disappointment lingered—disappointment in a life where the one person she had loved so deeply had never loved her back.
Ling's POV
Same Day
October 11, 2016
It was just another regular day at college. My friends and I were sitting in the lecture hall, chatting away as we waited for the lecture to start. There was still some time left, so everyone was just relaxing and passing time. The atmosphere was light and cheerful, and, as usual, we had claimed our favorite back seats.
I was mostly on my phone, scrolling and texting, occasionally chiming into the conversation. Truth be told, I was a little distracted. I’d been chatting with a girl on a dating app—a recent match who messaged me two days ago, saying she liked my profile. But, much to my annoyance, she’d become a bit clingy. I didn’t want to be rude, so I was trying to explain politely that I wasn’t interested in dating her. I suggested we could be friends instead, but nothing beyond that.
Just then, my friend Namtan suddenly grabbed my shoulder, shaking me with excitement. "Dude, look! Just look at her!" she exclaimed, eyes wide with admiration. I stared at her, half-amused, wondering what kind of criminal mind I’d chosen as a friend who gets so worked up over a girl.
Realizing my confusion, she nudged me and said, "idiot, not me—look at her!"
I sighed and followed her gaze, only for my heart to skip a beat. My soul felt like it left my body, and my mind could only think of one thing:
"Is she even real? How can someone be so flawlessly beautiful?"
But then, I reminded myself—I come from a well-respected family; I know better than to sit here gawking. Yet, despite my efforts, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. And as if reading my mind, Namtan whispered in my ear, "I think she's a new admission."
I had always believed in something simple but firm: You can’t like someone just by looking at them. You can’t fall for someone you don’t know. And this girl? I didn’t know her. I couldn’t just like her because of her looks.
Namtan leaned in closer, whispering in my ear with a teasing grin, "Are you staring at her? What’s going on, you like her now?"
I shot her a look, scoffing. "Please. You really think I’m the kind of person who falls for someone at first sight? You’re insane."
Driving along the quiet, deserted roads, Ling found herself drifting further into an offbeat area, far from the usual city bustle. She glanced at the clock—4 PM. She still had plenty of time before she needed to reach the venue for the ceremony, before 9. Realizing this, she decided to take a detour. There was a secluded area nearby with open gardens and gentle hills, a place she often visited to find a sense of calm. Maybe today, it would help her gather her thoughts, clear her mind, and brace herself for the life waiting ahead.
Ling knew the truth in her heart—she could never truly forget that love, nor could she ever love someone else with the same depth. But she couldn’t allow herself to let her parents down. They had their dreams for her, dreams they had never imposed but had held close. Four years ago, when she had opened up to them, laying bare all her feelings and the pain that held her back from any new relationship, they had understood her completely. They hadn’t forced her into anything she wasn’t ready for; instead, they had supported her unconditionally.
But now, she knew it was her turn to honor their wishes, to try and understand them the way they had understood her.
Ling sat in her car, eyes closed, allowing herself a moment to breathe and collect her thoughts. But when she opened them, she noticed a girl standing by her own car just a few feet ahead, struggling with the open hood. It seemed the girl’s car had broken down, though her face wasn’t visible—she was facing away from Ling, with her back turned, making it hard to recognize her.
Initially, Ling thought the girl would manage on her own. She waited, watching for any sign of progress. Five minutes passed, and the girl was still trying to figure out the issue. Something about her seemed familiar, but Ling brushed that feeling aside, convincing herself it was nothing.
Finally, Ling sighed, feeling a tug of empathy. She stepped out of her car and approached the girl cautiously, stopping a short distance away. “Um, miss,” she called out gently, “I know how to fix cars. Would you like some help?”
The girl paused at the sound of her voice and turned around, and in that instant, Ling’s heart froze. Her lips parted as the word slipped out involuntarily, “Ma’am…”
And from the girl’s lips came her name, like a whispered echo from the past. “Ling…”
Yes, it was her—Orm Kornnaphat Sethratanapong. Ling’s former professor, the very woman who had captured her heart completely, the one she had once loved with every fiber of her being.
They stood there, lost in shock, eyes wide with emotions that ran too deep to be contained. Memories flooded Ling’s mind, every feeling she had buried over the past eight years rushing back with a force she hadn’t been prepared for. She never imagined she’d see her again, let alone like this, out of nowhere.
For a moment, they just stared at each other, bound by a silence thick with words left unspoken. Then, without warning, Orm stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Ling in a warm, desperate embrace. Ling’s body stiffened in surprise, still unable to comprehend the reality before her. Her mind reeled, spiraling back to all those years ago, to the love she thought she had lost forever.
Ling’s POV
"I'm not the kind of person who falls in love just by looking at someone. What happened now?" Namtan teased me, her grin growing wider.
I rolled my eyes and replied, "Of course, idiot. It took me a whole year! It’s not like I fell in love at first sight."
But even as I said it, I could feel the warmth rising in my cheeks. I was definitely blushing, no matter how hard I tried to deny it. Just the thought of her made me feel things I never had before—feelings so intense they nearly took my breath away. Seeing her brought peace and comfort that I couldn’t put into words.
Because, this was something different, something powerful. Yes, I was in love with her—Orm Kornnaphat Sethratanapong. The very same woman who had left me spellbound the first time I saw her, the one we had mistaken for a new student. But no, she wasn’t a student; she was our new assistant professor.
She wasn’t that much older than us—just 25, while I was 20. That small age gap and her youthful, friendly personality made her different from the typical 40- or 50-year-old strict professors. Over time, our relationship shifted from just teacher and student to something more. She wasn’t just a mentor; she was a friend. And little by little, my feelings grew beyond friendship.
I began to admire everything about her—the way she spoke, the way she treated everyone around her. I grew addicted to her presence, so much, so that by the time I realized what was happening, I knew it was too late. I had fallen in love with her—not some passing love, but a deep, intense, all-consuming love.
Today was my farewell day, a party held a few days before the main ceremony. And today, I had finally decided to confess my feelings to her. Somewhere deep down, I felt she cared for me too. The way she looked at me, the way she treated me differently from others, shared personal stories with me, and showed genuine concern—it couldn’t be a mistake.
Suddenly, rain began pouring out of nowhere, soaking everything around them. It was unexpected—almost surreal—because the sky had been perfectly clear just moments ago. Yet, neither Ling nor Orm moved, standing frozen in place, lost in the weight of emotions surging between them. The rain trickled down their faces, blending with the storm of feelings neither had words for.
But reality hit Ling like a sharp jolt, pulling her back from the trance. She blinked rapidly and stepped forward, her voice steady yet urgent. “You should sit in my car, Ma’am. You’ll catch a cold standing in this rain. I’ll check your car and be right back.”
Before Orm could respond, Ling handed her the keys to her car and gestured firmly toward it. “Go. I’ll take care of this,” she said. There was something in Ling’s tone—calm, assured, and unyielding—that left no room for argument.
Orm hesitated for a moment, her eyes lingering on Ling. This wasn’t the same carefree, sunshine-filled student she had once known. The girl who stood before her now had transformed into a composed, mature woman who carried an air of authority. Quietly, Orm obeyed, walking to Ling’s car and sitting inside, all the while trying to process the change she had just witnessed.
Meanwhile, Ling moved toward Orm’s car, inspecting it carefully in the rain. Within minutes, she returned to the driver’s seat of her own car, her damp hair clinging to her face as she wiped the water from her forehead. Her tone was pragmatic as she started the engine. “This is an off-road area, and there aren’t any shops or garages nearby. Your car won’t start like this—there’s an issue with the alternator. It’ll need a mechanic to fix it,” she explained, using a precise technical term.
Orm nodded, but there was a flicker of tension in her expression, her concern evident.
The rhythmic sound of the rain hitting the car's windshield filled the heavy silence inside. Both women sat quietly, the awkwardness thick between them. Ling’s throat was dry; words hovered on the edge of her lips but refused to escape. She was torn, confused, and overwhelmed. Orm, sitting beside her, was no different.
Moments passed before Orm finally broke the silence. Her voice was cautious, tinged with nervousness. "Ling...how are you?"
Ling’s emotions churned within her, but she kept her face stoic. She nodded slightly and replied, "Umm, I’m fine." Her tone was controlled, almost detached. "What about you? You were in England, right?"
Orm hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering toward Ling before she answered, "I moved back to Bangkok last week."
For some reason, Ling felt a strange sense of relief hearing that. It was subtle but undeniable. She nodded again, quickly regaining her composure. "Your car won’t be fixed here," she said calmly. "Where were you headed? I can drop you off, and my staff will have your car delivered to your home."
Orm processed Ling’s offer, her expression unreadable. Then, without looking directly at her, she responded, her voice steady yet distant, "Home. But don’t worry about me I'll manage. You’ll be late; it’s your engagement today, isn’t it?"
Those words hit Ling like a blow to her chest. Her heart clenched painfully, but her face betrayed no emotion. She swallowed the lump in her throat and merely responded with a quiet, "Hmm."
Of course, Orm would know. How could she not? Ling was the sole heiress to one of the biggest business empire, and news of her engagement had been all over the media. It wasn’t something that could stay hidden, no matter how much Ling wished otherwise.
"It’s fine," Ling said after a moment, her voice carefully measured. "I still have time. Just put the location on the map."
Orm hesitated briefly before entering her address into the GPS, realizing that Ling’s tone left no room for argument. Without another word, Ling started the car and began driving toward Orm’s home.
The silence returned, heavier this time, wrapping around them like a suffocating blanket. Ling gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles turning white as she fought to keep her emotions at bay. Tears threatened to blur her vision, but she blinked them away. She couldn’t afford to appear weak—not now, not in front of Orm.
Orm, too, stayed quiet. She had so much she wanted to say, but the tension in the air made it impossible to form the words.
As they drove, the silence inside the car felt suffocating, and Ling’s coldness was palpable. Orm could feel the tension between them, but Ling’s facade remained unmoved, while Orm was drowning in emotions she could no longer control. The unease in the air was thick. Then Orm finally broke the silence, her voice quiet, yet heavy with emotion.
"Congratulations on your engagement." She paused
"You must hate me now," Orm said, her words trembling, as if hoping they weren’t true.
Ling’s heart shattered at the thought. The woman she loved, the one who meant the world to her, thinking that she might hate her—it was too much to bear. She felt a sharp pang of pain in her chest, followed by a surge of disbelief. "How could she think I would hate her?"
Ling’s voice, however, was calm and steady as she responded, "I don’t hate you, and I never will." She paused for a moment, her eyes focused ahead, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as she added, "I loved you once. And when you love someone, there’s no place for hatred."
Orm’s eyes welled up, her tears barely staying inside, threatening to spill over. Her voice cracked as she tried to speak. "Ling, I…"
But before she could finish, Ling abruptly stopped the car, her tone crisp as she spoke. "We’ve arrived, ma’am."
Orm fell silent. She could feel the weight of Ling’s words hanging in the air, and she knew that whatever had been between them was now drifting farther away. They got out of the car, and just as Ling was about to turn away, Orm called out to her.
"Ling, please come inside. Your clothes are soaked. You’ll catch a cold. At least dry off first."
Ling hesitated for a moment, but then shook her head, her voice firm. "No, it’s okay, ma’am. I’ll be fine."
Orm stepped forward, her eyes pleading. "Ling... please. I need to talk to you. And there’s something I want to give you."
Ling could feel her heart racing while looking at orm she wanted to leave, but she agreed, silently following Orm inside. Orm left to fetch dry clothes, and Ling sat on the couch, waiting, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts.
Ling's POV
"Did you set everything up properly?" I asked, my nerves getting the best of me.
"Yes, yes! It’s all set up, Romeo," Namtan replied, laughing at my worry. "This is the fifth time you’ve asked me!"
The time had finally come, and I was beyond anxious. I had somehow convinced Ma’am to join me for dinner after the farewell party. It had taken a lot of effort to make her say yes—after all, who would agree to dine with their student? But somehow, I managed.
I waited, completely ready, nerves buzzing with anticipation. The moment she would enter, was drawing near and Then, she walked in.
She was stunning. Her appearance was captivating—her long, flowing hair, delicate features, and the elegant, yet simple black dress she wore. Her presence was magnetic, and for a moment, I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
Her face showed clear confusion and surprise as she took in the setup, and she walked towards me slowly. Her eyes met mine, and I could see that she was trying to understand what was happening.
Without hesitating, I dropped to one knee, holding up a ring in front of her.
"I love you, Ma’am, with deep respect and pure sincerity, my soul belongs to you." I confessed, my voice shaking with emotion.
For a moment, there was nothing but silence. She stood there, stunned, staring at me. I could see the conflict in her eyes, and I knew she was caught in a storm of emotions. But then, her voice broke the stillness, and her words felt like a gut-wrenching blow.
"Ling…" she began, her voice faltering. "I am your teacher! I...I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you, but I... I can’t. I have to leave. Next week, I’m going to England for a higher job opportunity. I wanted to tell you first, and that’s why I agreed to dinner tonight... But…"
Her words trailed off, and for a moment, everything around me seemed to disappear. The world had turned into a blur as my heart shattered. She was rejecting me. She was leaving.
I couldn’t breathe. My chest tightened painfully as tears blurred my vision. I tried to speak, but nothing came out. I was drowning in the pain of it all. My world had crumbled in front of me, and I couldn’t make sense of it.
She was crying too—her tears falling freely as she watched me, but it didn’t matter. The truth was already there: she couldn’t love me back. Not the way I loved her.
Orm returned, holding a bundle of clothes in one hand, but in the other, a diary—something that carried the weight of her deepest secrets. She walked over to Ling and sat next to her, looking down at the diary for a moment, gathering the courage to speak.
"Ling," she began softly, her voice trembling with a deep ache,
"This diary... I wrote it over the past eight years, during the time I was away from you. But today, I can't keep it in any longer. I need you to know everything." Her eyes filled with guilt as she slowly continued,
"I was wrong, Ling. So wrong. I pushed away the love that was pure and real. A love that we both shared. I pushed it aside... because I was scared. But the truth is, I loved you. I loved you so much, more than I knew how to deal with."
Her words hung in the air, each one heavier than the last. Orm’s voice cracked slightly, but she didn’t stop.
"I made a terrible mistake, and I know that now. I'm so sorry for everything I said, for everything I did that hurt you. The things I said to you that day... they were nothing but a defense mechanism. A way to protect myself from the fear that overwhelmed me. But in doing so, I hurt you. And that’s something I can never take back."
Ling didn’t move, her heart aching with each of Orm’s words. Orm paused, gathering herself, and her next words were soft but full of pain.
"I didn’t understand what was happening back then. I couldn’t accept that I, of all people, had fallen in love with my student. When I realized you loved me too... it scared me. I worried about everything. I worried about your future, about the way people would look at us, about how our worlds were so different. You were the heiress to the biggest empire in Bangkok, and I was just a simple teacher. How could that ever work? Everyone would’ve judged us. They would’ve said I took advantage of you, that I was using you for your wealth and status. Your name would’ve been ruined, and so would mine. I couldn’t bear the thought of that. I couldn’t let that happen. So I chose to walk away, thinking it was the right decision. I thought it would bring peace. But instead, it only brought pain."
Orm's voice cracked as she spoke, and the tears she’d been holding back finally began to fall.
"Even when I went to England, even when I thought I was escaping everything, I never found peace. I thought I was doing the right thing, but the guilt of rejecting you, of turning my back on you, ate me up inside. For eight years, I carried that guilt with me. And no matter where I went, I could never escape it. The guilt of hurting you, the guilt of walking away from the one person I loved."
Orm took a deep breath, her chest tightening with each word.
"I know it was wrong. I know I shouldn’t have done it. I should’ve been honest with you. But I wasn’t strong enough, I... I can’t just let you go without telling you the truth. The truth that, I love you. I love you more than anything. I always have, and I always will."
"My love… it was forbidden. I couldn’t understand how I had fallen so deeply in love with my student."
“Ling… I thought about it so many times, about meeting you, about telling you everything, but I never had the courage to. But when I found out you would be with someone else… that’s when I broke. I broke inside, Ling… I broke."
She sobbed, her heart breaking into pieces as she spoke.
"Please, Ling, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me."
Orm’s tears fell freely now, soaking into Ling’s shirt as she clung to her, her words barely audible through the sobs.
Ling, holding Orm tightly, felt her own tears falling as she processed everything Orm had said. The truth was finally out, and it was painful—but it was also freeing. For both of them. And as they sat there together, drowning in the ache of unspoken love, Ling realized that no matter how much time had passed, no matter how many miles had come between them, this love had never faded. It was always there.
Ling's mind was spinning, caught in a whirlwind of emotions that she struggled to comprehend. She had just learned the truth—that the woman she had loved for so long, who she thought had never returned her feelings, had actually loved her all along. Orm, her Orm, was here, in her arms, trembling with tears of regret and vulnerability.
Ling’s heart felt both the deepest joy and a searing pain as she held Orm close, knowing how terribly shattered Orm had been for years. Yet, words failed her. Her lips parted, but no sound came. Instead, she tightened her grip around Orm, as if anchoring her to reality.
And then, Ling did what words couldn’t. She leaned forward, gently cupping Orm’s tear-streaked face, her fingers trembling as they brushed against her skin. Slowly, softly, Ling pressed her lips to Orm’s—pouring into that kiss everything she couldn’t yet articulate. It was tender yet consuming, a silent promise that no time, no circumstance, and no pain could take this love away. Orm froze for a second, overwhelmed, before melting into Ling’s embrace, her tears mixing with the kiss that felt like salvation.
As Ling pulled back, her eyes burned with intensity, her voice steady but filled with conviction. “Marry me,” she said, the words holding the weight of her heart.
Orm’s swollen eyes widened in shock. “Ling... but... your engagement...” her voice broke, still caught between disbelief and hesitation.
Ling shook her head, her hands cradling Orm’s face. “Do you trust me? Do you promise to spend your life with me? Just answer that—leave the rest to me.” Her voice carried a strength that left no room for doubt.
Through her sobs, Orm nodded frantically. “Yes… yes, I do!”
Ling let out a shaky breath and wrapped Orm in her arms again, holding her so tightly it felt like she was trying to shield her from the entire world.
Their embrace was interrupted by the sharp ringing of Ling’s phone. She frowned, pulling back slightly to check the screen—her mother’s name flashed across it. Reality came crashing back as she remembered the engagement that had been meticulously planned for tonight. Her breath hitched, but when she glanced at Orm, who still clung to her tightly, she knew what she needed to do. Ling answered the call, already preparing to refuse the engagement.
"Mom...?" Ling's voice faltered when she heard the light sobbing on the other end. Panic seeped into her tone. "Mom, what happened? Why are you crying? Is everything okay?"
Her mother’s voice cracked with emotion. "Ling… Charlotte..."
Ling’s heart dropped. "What about Charlotte? Mom, please, don’t cry. Tell me what happened!"
Her mother took a shaky breath, her voice trembling. "Charlotte called off the engagement. She had a boyfriend… and her parents forced her into this. She came to us, crying, begging for our help to stop it. We canceled everything, my child. I’m so sorry... I don’t know why sorrow keeps finding its way into your life."
A soft, almost disbelieving smile spread across Ling’s face. Her heart swelled as she thought, "Sorrow? Mom, today is the happiest day of my life."
Ling cupped Orm’s face, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead, a silent promise of the life they would share. Turning back to the call, she said with quiet determination
"Mom, get ready for the engagement, It’s happening tonight."