Illicit Infatuation-Lingorm

Chapter 17

Orm sat in her spacious hotel suite, the morning sunlight filtering through the large windows, casting a warm glow on the room's luxurious furnishings. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air, its bitter scent blending harmoniously with the faint hints of her own perfume.

As she leaned back into the plush cushion of the armchair, her mind started wrestling with conflicting emotions. The tranquil environment seemed to contrast starkly with the chaos inside her head.

She sipped her coffee, and the bitter taste on her tongue served to sharpen her thoughts and resolve. The rumors swirling around them, Jake's potential motives, and above all, Lingling's safety and the state she might be in weighed heavily on her heart.

Orm's intuition tugged at the edges of her consciousness, a nagging sense of unease. It was a familiar feeling, like a quiet whisper in the back of her mind, telling her that something was off. She paused in her thoughts, her hand holding the coffee cup suspended mid-air.

Setting her coffee cup down, she reached for her phone and dialed the number of the bodyguard she had assigned to watch over Lingling.

Orm's fingers fidgeted with a loose thread on the armchair's upholstery as she waited for her bodyguard to answer the phone, the seconds passing like minutes. Finally, the sound of the bodyguard's voice on the other end of the line broke the silence.

"Yes, Miss Orm. Is everything alright?" asked the bodyguard with a professional tone.

Orm's heart pounded in her chest as she inquired about the safety and well-being of Lingling. The bodyguard's response would either calm her nerves or fuel her suspicions.

"How is she?" Orm asked, her voice betraying a hint of unease. "Is she alright?"

The bodyguard's voice came through the phone, his tone solemn.

"Unfortunately, Miss Orm, I can't say she's in the best condition possible," he began. "She has been cooped up in her bakery for three days straight now, ever since her parents barged into the hotel room."

Orm's heart sank at the bodyguard's words, the weight of his somber tone adding more worry to her already troubled mind. She clutched the phone tightly, her knuckles turning white from frustration.

"What do you mean 'not in the best condition'? What happened?" she asked, her voice barely masking her growing concern.

The bodyguard's response sent a chill down Orm's spine. His confession fueled her worries rather than assuaging them.

"I don't know exactly what happened," the bodyguard admitted with a solemn tone. "All I can say is that she looked terribly upset when she got in the car, her face still wet from tears. It seems that she had a heated argument with her parents before leaving."

Orm's frustration flared to a boiling point as she reprimanded the bodyguard for failing to keep her updated on Lingling's situation. Her voice trembled with irritation as she voiced her disappointment.

"Why didn't you inform me about this sooner?!" Orm demanded, her voice seething with anger. "I assigned you to look after her, and you couldn't even bother to mention something as crucial as this?"

The bodyguard's voice was laced with contrition as he responded.

"I understand your frustration, Miss Orm," he began, his tone slightly deferential. "But Miss Lingling specifically asked me not to share anything. She seemed quite distressed and insisted that she did not want you to worry. All I can say is that I have been doing my best to assist her, but unfortunately, she is resisting my help."

Orm's pent-up frustration boiled over in a burst of anger as the bodyguard's words hit her. She reacted without thinking, flinging her phone against the floor with a violent motion. The sound of the impact sent a surge of bitter satisfaction through her.