My lover is my boss (LingOrm)

6 - Boss advice

The next day arrived, and before I knew it, we were sitting in the boardroom for the big meeting with Malisorn Industries. The atmosphere was tense, but focused. Everyone had their game faces on. The presentations went smoothly, and I could feel a sense of accomplishment settle over the room as we concluded. Each one of us had contributed, and Ling herself seemed satisfied with the outcome, her posture relaxed for once. As we filed out of the room, shaking hands and exchanging polite smiles with the executives, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. We'd done well.

But as we were about to leave the building, I bumped into a striking woman who introduced herself as Yoko Apsara Malisorn. It didn't take long for me to connect the dots-she was the wife of the CEO, and her reputation as a sharp businesswoman preceded her. To my surprise, Yoko wasn't as intimidating as I'd imagined. She had an easy smile and a friendly demeanor that instantly made me feel at ease.

"You did great in there," she said with a kind smile, her eyes crinkling in the corners. "I'm sure our companies will work well together."

"Thank you, Mrs. Malisorn," I replied, feeling my cheeks flush at the unexpected compliment.

"Please, call me Yoko," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "And don't be so formal. We'll probably be seeing a lot of each other in the future."

Before I could respond, however, the sound of someone sighing heavily interrupted us. I turned to see Bright, standing nearby with a worried look on his face. He had been acting strange ever since the meeting ended, and his constant moping was starting to wear on my nerves.

"I don't know," Bright muttered for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "I feel like I didn't talk enough. I'm probably going to get fired."

I sighed deeply, my patience wearing thin. He had been repeating variations of that same line ever since we left the conference room, and it was driving me up the wall. I knew he wasn't actually worried-he was fishing for reassurance, trying to get compliments.

"Don't? Then come," I said, grabbing his arm and dragging him across the room, determined to put an end to his self-pitying drama. I could see Ling speaking with one of the other executives, and I marched straight up to her, pulling Bright along with me.

"Ms. Kwong," I called out, getting her attention. She turned to face us, her expression mildly curious.

"He's worried he's going to be fired," I said flatly, pointing at Bright. The exhaustion in my voice must have been obvious because Ling's eyebrows furrowed slightly as she looked between the two of us.

Ling blinked, confused. "No, why would he be fired?" she asked, clearly perplexed by the idea.

I rolled my eyes in frustration, hoping she'd understand my silent plea for help. She must have noticed my exasperation because her expression shifted slightly, a hint of amusement creeping in.

"But," Ling continued, her tone light, "I did want to talk to you about your demission," she said, glancing at Bright with a playful look.

Bright's eyes widened in alarm. "What?"

"Relax," I said quickly, freeing his arm from my grip. "She's joking. I need to talk to her, though. We'll catch up later."

Bright let out a sigh of relief, though I could see he still looked a little shaken. "Fine. See you later," he mumbled, walking off, leaving me and Ling standing together.

"Thank you," I said, letting out a deep breath as I ran a hand through my hair. "You're my savior, honestly."

Ling glanced at me, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Your hair is a mess," she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course it is. I'm losing my mind because of him," I replied, feeling even more frazzled than before. But before I could fix my hair myself, Ling stepped forward and took my hand gently.

"Let's go to the bathroom so you can adjust yourself," she said softly. "We can talk in peace there."

I followed her into the nearby restroom, my heart beating a little faster at the unexpected gesture. Once inside, I found myself standing in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection. My hair was indeed a disaster, wild from all the stress and running around. I sighed as I tried to fix it, brushing it back with my fingers.

"He thinks he didn't talk enough during the meeting," I said, glancing at Ling in the mirror. "And now he's convinced he's going to be fired."

Ling furrowed her brows. "So why are you so annoyed with him?" she asked, leaning casually against the sink.

"Because he's repeated that same complaint about 20 times already," I groaned, rolling my eyes. "And I know he's just fishing for compliments."

Ling took a step closer, her focus shifting to my hair as she gently smoothed down a few stray strands. Her touch was unexpectedly calming, and for a moment, I forgot all about Bright and his whining.

"Hmm," she hummed quietly. "That's what's really bothering you, isn't it?"

"Yes," I admitted. "He's driving me crazy with all the attention-seeking. It's exhausting."

Ling's hands were still in my hair, carefully fixing it. I watched her in the mirror, noticing how focused she was on the task, her expression unusually soft. It was a side of her I hadn't seen much, and it was both surprising and comforting.

"By the way," I said after a moment, trying to distract myself from how close we were standing. "Do you know a girl named Yoko Apsara?"

Ling nodded, not looking up from my hair. "Yes. Why?"

"I met her earlier," I explained. "She's really friendly."

Ling made a noncommittal sound, finishing the last few touches to my hair. "There," she said, stepping back to admire her work. "Much better."

I smiled at my reflection, feeling more put together now. "Thanks. I got so frazzled earlier, my hair just wouldn't behave."

"No problem," Ling replied, leaning back against the sink again. "So... are you going out with Bright?"

I blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Should I?"

"Are you interested in anyone right now?" she asked casually, her eyes meeting mine in the mirror.

I shook my head. "No, not really."

"Then go out with him," Ling said with a shrug. "It's just a date. You don't have to marry him."

"But what if I'm not ready to date?" I asked, feeling a bit uncertain.

"You don't need to be," she replied smoothly. "It's just one date. You don't have to commit to anything. Just go, enjoy yourself."

I hesitated, still unsure. "But what if he gets the wrong idea?"

Ling smiled, her eyes softening. "Call me, and I'll come pick you up. If he turns out to be annoying, I'll handle it."

"Really?" I asked, surprised by the offer.

"Yes," she said simply. "Now go tell him that if he sucks, I'm going to fire him." She gave me a gentle nudge, a teasing smile on her lips.

I laughed, feeling the tension in my chest lighten. "Fine," I said, starting to turn toward the door. "Wait-what's your number?"

Ling pulled out a pen from her pocket and grabbed my hand, writing her number on my palm in neat, precise handwriting. "It's 096-824-5917," she said with a wink.

I smiled, looking at the numbers on my hand. "Okay. I'll text you."

"Perfect," Ling said, her voice soft and reassuring. As I left the bathroom, I felt more confident, knowing that whatever happened, Ling had my back.

...

The chapter had literally 1234 words lol