Secretly Watching Over Her

Chapter 2: A Step Closer

As Ling sat at her desk in the hospital, the soft hum of the overhead lights and the distant chatter of nurses were the only sounds breaking the silence. She rubbed her temples, trying to ease the tension that had built up over the past few weeks. Ever since she had seen that article about Orm, Ling had thrown herself into her work, immersing herself so deeply in her duties that she became the best-known doctor at the hospital. Her colleagues praised her dedication, her patients adored her for her compassionate care, and her superiors were impressed by her tireless work ethic.

But Ling knew the truth. She wasn't just working hard for the sake of her career. She was trying to escape. To forget. To push away the thoughts of Orm that had consumed her every waking moment.

The article had hit her harder than she'd expected. Seeing Orm's name linked with someone else, seeing the smiles and laughter she had once imagined were only for her, had been like a punch to the gut. Ling had always known that her feelings for Orm were irrational, that they were based on a fantasy she had created in her mind. But knowing that didn't make it any easier.

So, she had done the only thing she knew how to do: she buried herself in her work. Ling took on extra shifts, volunteered for the most challenging cases, and stayed late every night. She avoided her phone, refusing to check Orm's social media, refusing to even think about her. Ling had convinced herself that if she worked hard enough, if she exhausted herself enough, she could rid herself of the feelings that had taken root in her heart.

Three weeks had passed in this haze of work and avoidance. Three weeks of long days and even longer nights. Ling had become a fixture at the hospital, the go-to doctor for difficult cases, the one everyone relied on in a crisis. But no matter how hard she worked, no matter how many lives she saved, she couldn't stop the gnawing ache in her chest, the hollow feeling that had settled in the pit of her stomach.

It was on a rare day off, after three weeks of grueling work, that Ling finally allowed herself to stop. She sat on the edge of her bed, her phone clutched in her hand. For the first time in weeks, she hesitated, her thumb hovering over the screen. She knew what she was about to do, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for it. But the pull was too strong, the need to know too overwhelming.

With a deep breath, Ling unlocked her phone and opened her messages. Her heart pounded as she scrolled through the notifications, half-hoping, half-dreading what she might find. She had convinced herself that there would be nothing—no messages from Orm, no missed calls, no signs that Orm had even noticed her absence. But a part of her, a small, hopeful part, still wished for something.

When she saw that there was nothing from Orm, just as she had expected, her heart sank. Ling had prepared herself for this moment, but it didn't make it any easier. She sighed and was about to close her phone when something caught her eye—a message from two weeks ago, buried among the others.

"Hi Dr. Kwong" the message began. "We would like to invite you to do an interview. We heard about what you did last week—you saved a Chinese family and spoke Chinese so fluently. We would like to say thank you, and maybe get you roles for acting."

Ling's eyes widened as she read the message. Her heart, which had been heavy with disappointment just moments before, now fluttered with a renewed sense of excitement. She had almost forgotten about that day. It had been one of the more challenging cases she had handled—a car accident involving a Chinese family who spoke little English. Ling had stepped in, not only providing medical care but also acting as a translator, reassuring the family in their native language.

She hadn't thought much of it at the time. To her, it was just part of her job, another day at the hospital. But the family had been so grateful, and apparently, word had spread. Ling's fluency in Chinese had caught the attention of someone in the entertainment industry, and now they were offering her an opportunity she had never expected.