Serenade in a Coffee Cup

Beneath the Surface

Ling's heart was still racing as she left Orm's apartment. The weight of Orm's trauma bore down on her like a tidal wave, suffocating, overwhelming. It wasn't just anger that simmered beneath her calm exterior—it was fury, pure and blinding. No one was going to hurt Orm again, not while she was still breathing. But this... this needed careful planning. She couldn't be reckless.

The moment she reached her car, her fingers were already dialing.

"Gather every file you can on Orm Kornnaphat," Ling ordered, her voice low but commanding as she spoke into the phone. "And anyone connected to Bright."

Her team—an elite unit within the SBB, Thailand's top-secret intelligence agency—knew better than to ask questions. Ling was one of their best, the sharpest tool in their arsenal, an undercover agent who operated in the shadows, dismantling criminal organizations, infiltrating their ranks, and leaving no trace of her presence.

They called her the White Tiger, for her relentless precision and deadly efficiency. But tonight, the tiger was wounded, and that made her even more dangerous.

Ling hung up and gripped the steering wheel tightly as her car roared to life. As she sped through the city streets, her mind raced faster. Names, places, memories—everything Orm had told her—whirled in her head like a storm. She needed answers. She needed to know every single person who had ever touched Orm's life, every detail about the people who might want to harm her.

Because Ling wasn't just going to protect Orm. She was going to burn her enemies to the ground.

When Ling arrived at her apartment, the building was dark, unassuming, a stark contrast to the world she truly lived in. She walked through her front door, locking it behind her as she entered her living room. To anyone else, it was a typical home—minimalistic, clean, with simple décor that reflected her calm, composed personality.

But behind that calm exterior was a woman with secrets. Ling made her way to the far corner of the living room, where a tall bookshelf stood. With a practiced motion, she pressed a hidden button behind one of the books, and the shelf slid open, revealing a narrow staircase that led down into the depths of her apartment.

The air was cooler down here, the dim lighting casting shadows across the walls as she descended into her secret room. As she entered, the door sealed shut behind her, the lights flickering to life.

The room was a fortress of technology and firepower. Screens covered one wall, each displaying feeds from various places—surveillance cameras from across the city, encrypted communication lines, and data streams her team had already begun sending her.

A large whiteboard stood in the center, still empty, but not for long. Ling would fill it with every piece of information, every name, every connection. She would map out the web of lies and deceit that surrounded Orm, find the people responsible, and take them down one by one.

On another wall, an impressive collection of weapons gleamed under soft lighting—knives, guns, tactical gear—all carefully organized, ready for action. But her most prized possession was hidden behind a case of tempered glass: an intricately designed katana, a weapon she only used when she needed to send a message. Tonight, that message was clear—vengeance.

Ling paced the room, her mind sharp as ever despite the chaos raging inside her. She scanned the information as it came in, her team working quickly. Photos of Orm and Bright appeared on the screens, along with background checks on everyone they had ever associated with. Business associates, friends, enemies—it was all there, a puzzle just waiting to be solved.

Her eyes flickered to a fax machine in the corner, buzzing to life as pages began to spill out. She grabbed them, skimming through the details. More files, more leads. The names started to blur together, but her focus was unshakable.

As the night dragged on, Ling's whiteboard began to fill up. Pictures, notes, connections—everything started coming together like a spider's web. And at the center of that web was Bright, his smug face staring back at her from one of the photographs.

He was going to pay.

She would tear his world apart, expose every dirty little secret he thought he could hide, and make sure he regretted ever laying a finger on Orm.

But for now, Ling needed more. More information. More connections. This was just the beginning.

She ran her fingers over the scar on her own arm, a silent reminder of the battles she had fought, the enemies she had brought down. She was no stranger to revenge, but this time it was different. This time it was personal.

Ling's phone buzzed, pulling her from her thoughts. It was her team, reporting back with more intel. She glanced at the message, her expression darkening.

They had found something. Something big.

Ling sat in her command chair, swiveling slightly as she stared at the screens in front of her. Her mind was racing, formulating a plan, but her heart was heavy. She could feel the weight of Orm's pain, the fear that had clung to her in the apartment. And now, knowing the full extent of what had happened, it ignited something inside her—an all-consuming fire.

Ling picked up her phone, her fingers hovering over the screen. She knew what she had to do next.

——•

Author's Note: Honestly, CH3 already beat me to this! 😂 I was planning to have Ling work with guns here, but it's all good! Now that their new show is coming out, I'll just live out the fantasy as if my story is being broadcasted to the whole world—with my two favorite actresses!