Chapter 9

Orm was deep in sleep on the hard, cold wooden floor, her body seeking rest and recovery from the events of the day.

Suddenly, she was jolted awake by a rough shake.

"Hey, wake up!" a firm voice called out, urgently shaking her out of her slumber.

Orm's eyes flew open, and she sat up on the floor, disoriented and confused.

Her bleary eyes darted around, trying to make sense of her surroundings.

"What the...?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes as she tried to focus on the person who had rudely woken her.

Orm's confusion grew as she saw the man standing before her, his expression stern.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice a little groggy.

The man's expression was stoic as he looked down at Orm, his eyes narrowing.

"I could ask the same thing," he replied bluntly. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm the owner of this house," Orm stated firmly, her voice tinged with a hint of defensiveness.

"You want to explain the reason you were shaking me awake on the floor of my own home?"

"This home was sold three days ago," he asserted firmly, his tone unwavering. "And I can assure you that it wasn't you who signed the contract."

"Please, listen to me. I think I've been tricked," Orm implored, her eyes searching the man's face for any sign of sympathy. "I believe my friends, well, ex-friends now, did this without my knowledge. Can you please help me get my house back?"

The agent's face remained expressionless for a moment as he pondered Orm's plea. After a few seconds, he let out a heavy sigh.

"Unfortunately, the ownership transfer process has already been completed," he stated matter-of-factly. "There's not much I can do to reverse it."

"However, I can tell you that a substantial amount of cash was paid by the new owner... Your so-called friends pocketed most of the money and probably still have some of it. You'll need to contact them to get your share."

Orm cursed under her breath, a mix of anger and frustration flooding through her.

"Those bastards are out of reach."

The agent's expression softened slightly, a hint of sympathy in his eyes.

"I really can't do anything else to help," he said sincerely, his tone tinged with a hint of regret.

"Your friends provided all the legal papers, and everything seemed legitimate. There was nothing suspicious about it."

The agent changed the topic, his tone becoming more business-like.

"I should mention that the new owner will be here within a couple of hours," he informed her.

"I'm just making sure all their belongings are properly placed inside the house."

Orm glanced around the room, taking in the sight of strangers carrying in furniture and unpacking boxes.

Her heart sank, the weight of reality fully hitting her.

"It's really happening..." she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Orm gathered her courage and addressed the agent, hoping for some sort of assistance.

"Can you help me, at least? Do you know of anywhere I can stay?" she asked, her voice cracking a little.

The agent fished a business card from his pocket and handed it to Orm.

"Here, contact me when you need any information or help, I should get to work now, I am already 10 minutes late for my next appointment."

Orm stood tere, feeling utterly defeated and lost. The once familiar surroundings now felt alien and cold. She was truly alone, with no home to return to.

Tears prickled at the corners of her eyes, but she fought to keep them at bay. She couldn't believe that her own friends could betray her like this.

She slowly walked around the house, feeling a mix of sadness and disbelief.

The once familiar walls, floor, and even furniture held a different energy now. The presence of strangers' belongings only added to the discomfort.

She let out a deep sigh. If she had to promise that she'd work herself to the bone just to convince the new owner to sell her the house back, she would.

That's how important this was for her. This house was filled with memories of her childhood.

She couldn't let go of this house easily. If anything, her father wouldn't be happy about it at all.

She kept pacing around the house until she heard the sound of footsteps inside.

Preparing herself with the monologue that she was sure would make even the hardest criminal cry, the door finally opened.

And her jaw hit the floor.

"You?" Orm frowned in disbelief.

"And you." The deep voice said back.

It seemed like fate was out to get her because the new house owner was actually the most unexpected person she ever thought would see.

None other than Lingling Kwong herself.