Bitter Rivalry, Sweeter Love

Chapter 1: Family Feud

From the outside, the Kwong and Kornnaphat families seemed to have it all. Wealth, power, influence—everything anyone could dream of in modern-day Bangkok. But for those who lived within the walls of their opulent mansions, the truth was much more brutal. The two families had been at war for as long as anyone could remember, though the origins of the feud had long since faded into obscurity.

What remained was a deep-seated hatred, passed down like an heirloom from one generation to the next. Every Kwong child learned early on that to even think kindly of a Kornnaphat was betrayal, and vice versa. The bitterness between the two families seeped into every aspect of their lives, from the way they spoke to the media to the way they positioned themselves in the boardroom.

Ling Ling Kwong had never questioned it. From the moment she was old enough to understand, her family had drilled the rivalry into her. The Kornnaphats were the enemy. They were dangerous. They would do anything to undermine the Kwong family's success. For Ling, it wasn't just about business—it was personal.

Now at 29, Ling was seen as the epitome of the Kwong family's legacy—sharp, determined, and utterly focused on protecting her family's empire. Standing on the terrace of her family's mansion, overlooking the city her family helped shape, Ling thought about how much she hated Orm Kornnaphat.

Orm, at 22, was seven years younger and had lived a very different life than Ling. Ling had built walls, created distance from anyone who might see a crack in her cold façade. Orm, on the other hand, was known for being carefree, her youth giving her a kind of lightness that made people gravitate toward her.

That wasn't why Ling hated her, though. No, what Ling hated most was how Orm seemed to effortlessly charm everyone around her, how people fell in love with her smile, her innocence. It was infuriating. And to make matters worse, their rivalry had gone viral, feeding the endless fascination the public had with their families.

Every event, every gala, every social media post was another opportunity for the world to pit them against each other. Their names were trending constantly, always linked in some way, despite the fact that they hadn't exchanged more than a few icy words in years. And yet, even in silence, the tension between them crackled, electric and unavoidable.

It didn't help that their businesses constantly clashed. The Kwongs specialized in high-end tech, while the Kornnaphats were pioneers in the luxury fashion world. Both industries overlapped in ways that brought them into constant competition. A new tech innovation from the Kwongs would be quickly undercut by a Kornnaphat marketing campaign that positioned their fashion as the next "must-have" to pair with the latest device.

It was all strategy—corporate warfare at its finest. And both families reveled in it.

Ling turned away from the cityscape and walked back inside. Tonight, her family was hosting yet another high-society event, a fundraiser disguised as a networking opportunity for Bangkok's elite. And as always, the Kornnaphats were expected to show up, even if it was just to keep up appearances. Ling wasn't looking forward to it. She knew Orm would be there, flaunting her effortless charm and those piercing eyes that Ling wished she didn't notice as much as she did.

Meanwhile, across the city, Orm Kornnaphat stood in front of her bedroom mirror, adjusting her dress for the evening. She didn't want to go, but skipping one of these events wasn't an option. Her family needed her there, if only to remind the Kwongs that the Kornnaphats were still their greatest threat.

Orm had grown up under the same rules as Ling. Never trust a Kwong. Never show weakness. But deep down, Orm hated the feud. It wasn't just exhausting—it was pointless. The only reason the two families were still at each other's throats was because no one wanted to be the one to back down.

Still, Orm couldn't deny the thrill that came from seeing Ling. Their rivalry was a game Orm had learned to play well, and even if she didn't believe in the feud itself, the way Ling's face hardened every time they were in the same room was its own kind of satisfaction.

Orm laughed softly at herself as she applied her lipstick. What was it about Ling that got under her skin so easily? Sure, Ling was brilliant and ruthless, but there was something more—something Orm couldn't quite put her finger on.

Maybe it was the way Ling seemed so unshakeable, so untouchable, like nothing could break through that icy exterior. Maybe that's what made Orm want to push her buttons, to see if there was something more beneath the surface.

Tonight would be no different. Another event, another night of pretending the feud was worth something. Another round of watching Ling from across the room, silently daring her to say something, anything, that would make Orm feel less invisible to her.

The event was as glamorous as expected. The ballroom glittered with chandeliers and laughter, the air thick with money and influence. Ling arrived with her family, making her rounds among the guests, her smile as polished as ever. But even as she charmed the crowd, her eyes kept darting toward the entrance, waiting for the inevitable arrival of the Kornnaphats.

And then she saw her—Orm, walking in with the ease of someone who had never known fear. Her black dress clung to her in all the right ways, her dark hair falling effortlessly over her shoulders. Ling's jaw tightened. She hated the way Orm could command attention just by existing.

Their eyes met across the room, and for a brief second, the rest of the world faded away. All Ling could see was Orm, and all she felt was the familiar burning resentment that had been simmering for years.

Orm smiled—just a small, knowing curve of her lips that made Ling's blood boil.

The night was young, and the battle between them was just beginning.