Crash Landing Into Love

Chapter 7: The Start of Something New?

Orm paced restlessly outside the operation room, her heart pounding with worry. Milk sat beside her, trying to offer words of comfort, but it wasn't working. Even though Milk had reassured her several times that Lingling had been through worse — having survived a bullet wound in the war and injuries far more serious than this — none of that eased Orm's fear.

"She's tough, P'Ling will be fine," Milk said softly, her hand resting on Orm's shoulder. "She's been through worse and come out stronger."

Namtan leaned against the wall, her arms crossed but her expression soft as she chimed in. "She'll pull through this, Orm. Lingling's a fighter."

Becky, standing nearby, gave Orm a sympathetic look. "It's hard, I know. But she'll make it. She's got too much to live for."

Orm nodded, but her mind was still racing. The memory of Lingling collapsing after being shot replayed over and over, the fear in her chest tightening with every passing second. She couldn't stop thinking about how Lingling had shielded her, how she'd been willing to take a bullet to save her.

"What if she doesn't make it this time?" Orm whispered again, her voice trembling, her entire body tense with worry. Her hands were still shaking, stained with the memory of Lingling's blood from when she had cradled her earlier. The blood was still fresh on her clothes, a stark reminder of how much Lingling had lost. It terrified her—how Lingling had passed out in the ambulance, her breathing shallow, her skin pale.

"That's just the blood loss, Orm," Milk reassured her softly, sensing the deep-rooted fear in her friend's eyes. "She passed out because she lost a lot of blood, but she's strong. Once the doctors stabilize her, she'll come through. She's fought through worse."

Orm's mind kept circling back to the moment Lingling collapsed in her arms, her warmth fading as her body weakened. The fear was relentless, clawing at her insides. She felt utterly powerless, and she hated it. She had always looked at Lingling as this unshakable, invincible force, but today... today, she saw just how fragile life could be.

Becky stepped closer, her hand gently resting on Orm's arm. "I know it's hard, but we have to trust the doctors. She's in the best hands."

Namtan nodded, her gaze softer than usual. "And Lingling would never give up that easily, not when you're waiting for her."

Orm swallowed hard, the weight of everything crashing down on her. "She saved me. She took that bullet because of me."

"She's going to fight through this because of that too." Becky added quietly, her voice firm.

The minutes stretched into what felt like hours, every second heavy with fear and uncertainty. All Orm could do was hold onto the hope that the woman who meant everything to her would survive this nightmare and return to her, as strong as ever.

—

Faye approached Freen, the weight of the situation evident in her eyes. She could see the tension radiating off Freen, her usually calm demeanor replaced by deep frustration.

"You okay?" Faye asked softly, though she already knew the answer.

"Not okay," Freen admitted, rubbing her temples, her eyebrows drawn together in a tight knot. "Lingling shouldn't have shot Thanakorn. Now he's dead, and the Wongsuwan family is definitely going to come after Orm and Lingling. They'll want revenge."

Faye nodded, understanding the gravity of what Freen was facing. "The head of the family is behind bars, right?"

"Yeah," Freen said, sighing heavily. "But not for long. They have money, connections. Someone will bail him out, and if he finds out his son is dead..."