Résonance: a LingOrm's Story

Chapter 41: We are Family

The hospital air was thick with the sterile scent of disinfectant, a reminder of the somber environment in which Orm lay. She was pale, asleep, her body trying to recover from the stress and exhaustion that had overwhelmed her. Ling sat by her side, her hand gently holding Orm's, eyes red from lack of sleep and the tears she'd shed silently throughout the day. She hadn't left Orm's side since they'd arrived at the hospital, but the weight of everything was taking its toll on her. Ling looked like a ghost of her former self—tired, worn down, barely functioning.

When the door creaked open, Ling glanced up, expecting a nurse. Instead, it was Orm's mother, Koy, standing in the doorway. Her eyes immediately filled with tears as she saw her daughter in the hospital bed, hooked up to IVs, and the woman she had grown to respect and love looking utterly broken beside her.

Mrs. Koy rushed to Orm's side, unable to hold back the sob that escaped her throat. "My poor girl," she whispered, her voice trembling. "My poor baby."

Ling stood slowly, her body protesting the movement after hours of being hunched over in the same position. "Mae..." she started, but her voice cracked, and she couldn't continue. Koy turned to her, seeing the raw emotion on Ling's face, the exhaustion and pain she had been holding in.

"You've been taking care of her all this time, haven't you?" Mrs. Koy asked gently, stepping closer to Ling.

Ling swallowed hard, nodding. "I'm trying, Mae. I'm doing everything I can."

Mrs. Koy's heart broke at the sight of Ling—this young woman who had always been composed, proper, and so sure of herself—now looked like a shell of that person. Her eyes were bloodshot, her skin pale, and there was a tremor in her hands. She looked like she hadn't slept in days, like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. Koy couldn't hold back any longer. She pulled Ling into a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry you've had to bear this alone," Mrs. Koy whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "You've done enough. Let us help you now."

Ling stood frozen for a moment before her resolve cracked, and she let herself cry into Mrs. Koy's shoulder. The tears came fast and hard, as if they had been bottled up for weeks. She clung to Orm's mother, overwhelmed by the kindness and love being offered to her in that moment.

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, Ling's parents were going through their own emotional roller coaster. Ling's mother had been calling her daughter every day, trying to stay updated, trying to offer comfort, but each conversation had been harder than the last. On one call, Ling had broken down completely.

"Ma, I don't know what to do anymore," Ling's voice had cracked, the tears audible through the phone. "I'm trying to take care of Orm, trying to keep the business afloat, but everything is falling apart."

Her mother had felt her heart shatter in that moment. Ling had always been strong, always the one to keep things together, no matter the situation. But now, hearing her daughter cry—something Ling rarely did—was unbearable. "It's okay to lean on us, Ling. You don't have to do this alone."

"I don't want to let anyone down," Ling had whispered, her voice filled with guilt. "I can't let Orm down. I can't let the company down."

"You won't," her mother had reassured her. "We will figure this out. Your father is already taking care of the business. You just focus on Orm."

Back in Hong Kong, Ling's father had wasted no time. He had seen the news articles, the social media frenzy, the way his family's business was being dragged into the scandal, and he knew action had to be taken swiftly. Meetings were held with shareholders, crisis management experts were brought in, and a comprehensive strategy was put in place to control the narrative.

"We will not let this ruin the company," he said firmly during one of the crisis meetings. "My daughter's personal life is not up for public scrutiny, and we will protect her at all costs."

Some of the more conservative shareholders had been skeptical. "But this scandal is damaging our reputation, especially in places like Thailand. We can't just sit by and let it play out."

Ling's father had squared his shoulders, his voice calm but resolute. "I will take care of this, and I promise you, this company will not fall because of a media storm. My daughter's well-being comes first, and that's not negotiable."

Despite the internal pressures, he never wavered in his support for Ling. He promised himself that he would be there for her in a way he hadn't been in the past—no more distance, no more prioritizing business over family. He would stand by his daughter through this storm.

With the crisis management team handling the business side, and with Orm's condition worsening, Ling's brother, Daniel, had flown in from New York. A finance expert in his own right, he was more than capable of stepping in to help manage Ling's business affairs while she focused on Orm.

When Daniel arrived at Ling's apartment, he found his sister standing by the window, staring blankly out at the city. She looked like she was about to collapse from exhaustion.

"Ling," he said softly, walking up to her. "I'm here. Let me take over the business for a while."

Ling turned to face him, her eyes filled with a mixture of relief and guilt. "You don't have to do that, Dan. You have your own life."

He shook his head. "You're my sister. Of course I have to do this. You need to focus on Orm right now."

She sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I don't even know where to start, Dan. Everything's a mess."

"That's why I'm here," he said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We'll fix this, together. But you need to take a break and take care of yourself too."

For the first time in weeks, Ling felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she didn't have to carry all of this alone.

Later that evening, as Ling sat by Orm's hospital bed, her family gathered around her. Mae Koy was there, keeping a close eye on her daughter's recovery, while Daniel was on a conference call with the business team, handling things in Ling's absence. Ling's parents had arrived earlier, both offering their unwavering support. Her mother had brought homemade food, trying to coax Ling into eating something, while her father quietly reassured her that everything was under control.

The room was filled with love and concern. Ling could feel the weight of her exhaustion lifting, if only slightly. Her family, both hers and Orm's, had come together to help them through this dark time. It wasn't just her battle anymore—it was theirs, and that made all the difference.

As the night wore on, Ling and her mother shared a quiet conversation in the hospital corridor.

"Ma, I don't know how to thank you for everything," Ling said, her voice still thick with exhaustion.

Her mother smiled softly. "You don't need to thank us, Ling. We're family. We're here for you."

Ling nodded, but her heart was heavy. "I just... I feel like I've failed everyone. The business, Orm, you and Pa..."

"You haven't failed anyone," her mother said firmly, taking Ling's hand. "You're doing everything you can. And we're all proud of you. You're strong, but even the strongest people need help sometimes."

Tears welled up in Ling's eyes again, but this time they weren't tears of defeat—they were tears of gratitude. She had been carrying so much for so long, trying to be everything for everyone, but now, finally, she could let go just a little. Her family was there. They had her back.

As Ling returned to Orm's side, her heart felt lighter. Orm's condition was still fragile, and the road ahead would be long and difficult. But with the love and support of their families, Ling knew they would make it through. Together.