Fallen (Lingorm)

Chapter 24

Lingling sat stiffly at the dinner table, staring at her plate, willing the evening to end quickly.

 Across from her sat her father, Chai, a man known for his icy demeanor and formidable reputation as a high-ranking diplomat and politician. 

He was cutting into his steak with precise, mechanical movements. And also her mother and cousin were present.

Chai cleared his throat, setting his utensils down a bit too forcefully, making Lingling flinch. "How's work going?" he asked, not out of curiosity, but as a form of interrogation.

Lingling kept her tone casual, though she could feel her father's disapproval already brewing. "Work's been... work," she replied, giving a slight shrug, as if to brush the question away.

He gave her a long, disapproving hum and returned to his plate, though he only took a few bites before redirecting his attention to Rick. His face lit up as he said, "I heard you won a very challenging case last week. The council's been buzzing about it—seems like you made quite the impression."

Rick, clearly not in the mood, simply nodded "Yeah. It wasn't easy," he muttered, without the smug grin he usually wore when Chai praised him in front of Lingling. 

Even in his silence, she could feel her father's pride radiating from across the table.

Chai, oblivious to his lack of interest, turned back to Lingling, his tone flat and dismissive. "You either rise to the top, or you should consider finding another career path," he said sharply. "No sense in hovering around mediocrity."

Lingling's hand tightened around her fork, each word pushing her further into a tension she couldn't shake. She fought to keep her voice steady, biting back every word that flared in her mind.

"Honey,, she's doing her best," Ariya interjected gently, trying to soften the moment. "She's still young... she'll get there in time."

Chai snorted, giving Ariya a dismissive look. "Young? She's in her thirties. By now, she should be in the top three at least, or she's wasting her time."

Ariya's apologetic smile didn't make Lingling feel any better. She looked down, trying to focus on the food, but each bite was harder to swallow.

Chai suddenly shifted his gaze back to her, a new glint in his eye. "Oh, I heard about that unexpected visitor at your office."

Lingling's stomach twisted. She knew exactly who he was referring to- her ex-fiancée.

"I don't want you seeing that woman," he said, his voice a low growl. "And I certainly don't want you helping her. She's brought enough shame to this family already."

Lingling clenched her jaw, willing herself to stay calm. "I keep my personal life and work separate," she replied firmly, meeting his gaze without flinching. "I know my job, Father."

Chai scoffed, dropping his napkin onto the table. He pointed a finger at her, eyes blazing with irritation. "See that, Ariya? She's acting like an idiot again. She never listens to a single word I say."

Lingling's patience snapped as she dropped her fork with a clatter. "Maybe if you stopped meddling in my work, you'd see that I'm doing just fine."

"Fine? That stupid job that you're barely even succeeding in?" His words were a slap across her face, each one more cutting than the last. "You've done nothing impressive, Lingling. Nothing! I have nothing to brag on to the council, they barely know I've a daughter! Zero accomplishment!"