The Constant Beat - LingOrm (Completed)

Chapter 1

It was a typical Monday morning. The city was alive with hurried footsteps and car horns as everyone rushed to beat the clock. The traffic was heavier than usual, causing frustrated sighs and constant glances at wristwatches.

Yet, despite the chaos outside, Seline maintained her routine of arriving at the office 15 minutes before the start of the workday. Punctuality was one of the few things she could control in her otherwise hectic life.

Seline entered the office, her heels clicking on the floor. She went straight to her desk, ignoring the noise of her workmates.

Her workspace reflected her nature: organized and tidy. She pulled out a stack of papers and organized for the morning meeting.

She hadn't slept well the previous night; her mind was elsewhere, but she was determined to maintain her professionalism.

She reviewed the files for last-minute changes she had made, her officemate, Nene leaned over from the neighboring desk.

"Hey P'Seline, are you ready for our meeting?" Nene asked, her voice tinged with the stress of the impending workday.

Without looking up from the screen, Seline responded, "Yes, I've finalized all necessary details and reviewed Gap's report. I made the necessary corrections." she replied. Still, there was a hint of undercurrent fatigue. There was so much to do, and she didn't want to leave anything to chance.

Moments later, Jaja, her closest friend at the office, arrived at her working station. Unlike Nene, Jaja had a natural ability to sense when something happened with Seline.

Today, the signs were more obvious than usual. Seline's bright and alert eyes were clouded, she had dark circles under her eyes. Her shoulders slumped, betraying the emotional weight she was carrying.

Jaja leaned closer, excusing Nene with a polite gesture. "Excuse me, I need to talk to her," she said softly, her concern evident in her voice.

When they were alone, Jaja's tone became gentle, almost motherly. "What's wrong with your sad eyes?" she asked, her gaze softening as she took in her friend's weary expression.

Seline sighed deeply, spinning a pen between her fingers, a habit she always resorted when she was trying to suppress her emotions or just thinking deeply. "We broke up." she finally said, her voice barely whisper.

"I mean, I broke up with her." Jaja tilted her head slightly, her expression a mix of understanding and irked. She had seen this coming. Seline had been on edge for months, her frustrations with Keia's lifestyle building up like pressure in a cola bottle.

"Do you really love her?" Jaja asked. "I mean, you two were together for eight whole months, that's the longest you've ever been in a relationship." She smiled faintly, knowing Seline's dating history too well, where most relationships go downhill within just 3 to 5 months.

Seline's eyes flickered with sadness as she twirled her pen, avoiding direct eye contact. "I do. I still do" she admitted, the weight of those words was heavy on her heart. It was the truth, but sometimes, love didn't seem enough.