Watching how careful and attentive Cassandra was with me only made me more certain that the floating text had to be fake.

I told myself every odd thing I'd noticed was just a symptom and shoved the terminal diagnosis report deeper into my pocket.

I wanted to tell Cassandra I was sick, but after thinking about it, I decided against it. I was afraid she would be devastated and that it might be a misdiagnosis.

I was about to ask for time off so I could go to a bigger hospital and get a more thorough check-up when a voice cut in.

"Cassie!"

Cassandra's newly hired assistant, Xavier Lynch, walked over. He reeked of alcohol, and his cheeks were flushed from being drunk.

I thought he was done for. Cassandra was always strict. Drinking at work was a serious violation.

The first time I accidentally broke one of her rules, she made me stand in a corner while she yanked my ear and chewed me out for five straight hours.

I was almost looking forward to watching her explode at Xavier, but she only scolded him with mild irritation, "Drinking is bad for your health. Don't do it so often."

That was it?

While I stood there, completely stunned, Xavier swayed and spoke in a cutesy tone right in front of everyone.

"Cassie, I just got promoted, and the pressure's been insane. I didn't have a choice, so I drank. If you approve a one-month beach vacation so I can reset, I'll quit drinking immediately."

Cassandra waved him off impatiently. "Get lost."

Xavier squealed like he'd just won the lottery. "Does that mean you agreed? Cassie, I love you so much."

The way he talked made my stomach churn.

I was about to ask why Cassandra wasn't punishing him when the lines of text drifted across my eyes again.

"Cassandra is seriously biased. The last time Harvey got an infection and a fever, he only wanted to rest for ten minutes, but Cassandra still wouldn't allow it. She made him work while he was on an IV drip."

"That's not true. Harvey just never complained. Only the squeaky wheel gets the grease. If Harvey had asked the way Xavier did, Cassandra would've agreed."

I had no idea why these texts kept appearing in front of me, but it hit exactly where it hurt.

I was still trying to decide whether I should do what it suggested when Cassandra checked the time, looked at me, and hardened her expression.

"Why are you still not back at your desk? You've already wasted 30 seconds. Life is short. How much time do you think you can afford to waste?"

Her tone toward me and her tone toward Xavier couldn't have been more different.

At that, I pressed my lips together. "Cassandra, I want to take some time off."

Cassandra's voice jumped sharply. "Time off? Why?"

In the past, I'd swallowed everything and never asked anyone for anything. But this time, I finally understood something.

It wasn't that Cassandra didn't care about me. It was that I was always trying to be strong, and I never showed her any vulnerability.

I took a deep breath and said, "I'm tired. I want to take half a day off."

For the past five years, I'd worked year-round without a break, running like a spinning top. It was only because I was human that I hadn't broken down. If I were a machine, I would've been scrapped a long time ago.

I waited, hoping she would soften and ask if I was okay.

But not only did she reject my request, she even berated me.

"You saw Xavier ask for time off, so now you're copying him? What is he, compared to you? He's lazy. He's a parasite. He's trash that even the dumpster wouldn't take. You're an elite I spent years shaping!

"Tired, you say? Elites don't get tired. Elites should feel better the more they work. They should get more energized, not less."

"Honey, tell me. What's our slogan?" she shouted.

My body reacted instinctively. I snapped into a rigid stance and shouted back. "Good, better, and best. I'm the greatest!"

Cassandra clapped, satisfied. "Good. Now, answer me. What are you going to do next?"

Just then, the people nearby turned to stare.

The attention burning into my skin made shame rise in my throat, and it also snapped me awake. I looked at Cassandra and held my ground. "I want to take time off—"

A loud smack echoed through the office.

Cassandra had slapped me across the face. "You're impossible. Are you trying to drive me to an early grave?"

For a second, my mind went completely blank.

She hit me.

Cassandra was still furious, and she raised her hand again.

Just then, Xavier rushed forward and wrapped his arms around her.

"Cassie, don't be mad. It's my fault. I'm the useless one who led him astray," he said. "Give me another three months off and one million dollars as living expenses, and I'll disappear to the farthest country. I won't corrupt him ever again."

Cassandra pulled out a card and threw it at him. "Ten million dollars. Take it. Keep your promise and get as far away as possible."

The sharp edge of the card knocked his forehead and left a red mark, but he broke into a wide grin. "Cassie, your money hits so good. I'm so happy. Love you!"

He even blew her a kiss.

Cassandra's mouth curled in disgust, but her eyes held a hint of indulgence.

Something inside me cracked.

I had too many words stuck in my chest, and none of them could find their way out. I held my burning cheek and turned to go downstairs.

It was then that the lines of text floated into view again.

"Don't be sad, Harvey. Cassandra can't stand Xavier either. She's only putting up with him because she owes him. Look, you just left, and Cassandra's already chasing after you. She's even holding a gift for you."

I froze, staring at the words.

Before I could process them, Cassandra was already in front of me, touching my face.

"I'm sorry. I lost control," she apologized. "Honey, I just didn't want to see you get led astray and ruin everything you've worked for all these years."

When I didn't respond, she held out a pure gold pendant. "I had this specially requested for you. It'll keep you safe and steady."

I was rather touched, and I almost reached for it.

Then, the lines of text appeared again.

"Cassandra's unbelievable! She clearly requested the pendant for Xavier. It even has his initials engraved on it."

"He saved her life. What's wrong with her requesting something for him? You people are so ungrateful."

My face drained of color as I flipped the pendant over. The letters "XL" were engraved on it.

Cassandra seemed to think I was happy to receive the gift.

"He's just a nobody. I don't care what happens to him, but you're my husband," she said. "You're the person closest to me. When you love someone, you hold them to higher standards. Everything I do is for your own good."

Her words barely reached me. All I could see were the words in front of my eyes.

"She shouldn't have given Harvey something Xavier didn't want. That's downright humiliating!"

"Cassandra has no choice. Xavier owes too much money. She wants to pay it off quickly so he'll stop clinging to her. In fact, she's saving money by doing this."

"Saving money? Harvey's phone broke once, and he wanted to spend a thousand dollars on a new phone, but Cassandra refused. She only spent 200 dollars to buy him a used one.

"Meanwhile, Xavier gets ten million dollars for vacations, swaps phones twice every month, and even buys the latest headphones the second they drop. Cassandra pays for all of it. Why didn't she try to save money then?"

As it turned out, even the apology gift was something Xavier didn't want. Moreover, she had spent so much on him behind my back.

A bitter smile tugged at my mouth. The favoritism couldn't be any more obvious, and she still claimed to love me?

Cassandra urged me to go back to work again.

Disappointed, I handed the pendant back. "I'm not going."

Her face darkened immediately. "What are you doing? You used to be so obedient!"

I stayed silent.

Even the lines of text that had been defending me started pushing back.

"Harvey, what are you doing? Once you finish this project, the money will be enough for Cassandra to pay everything off. After that, she can finally love you wholeheartedly. You made it through five years already. Why give up right when it matters most?"

"That's right. Cassandra counts the days, too. Seeing how exhausted Harvey is, she cries every day."

Really?

But I was dying of cancer. There was no future left for me to wait for. I didn't want to keep waiting either.

"I'm sick," I said.

Saying it out loud felt like finally exhaling after holding my breath for too long.

Cassandra, however, didn't believe me. She let out a cold laugh instead.

"You're sick, alright. Fine. You want half a day off? I'll give it to you. But don't think acting unreasonably will earn you anything more. This leave will be made up later. For the next ten days, you'll cut one hour from your sleep each night to compensate."

"Does Xavier have to make up his leave too?" I retorted.

She answered without hesitation, "He's different."

So that was it. He didn't have to make up for lost time.

Her response lit the fuse on everything I'd been holding down. "Is he different, or does he just matter more to you?"

Cassandra studied me for a moment, then sighed. "I didn't want you overthinking this, but since you already are, I might as well tell you.

"Five years ago, when I was working abroad, I ran into trouble. Xavier took 18 stab wounds while trying to save me. He nearly died. I tolerate him because I owe him my life. It has nothing to do with romantic feelings. Do you understand now?"

Five years ago was also when she had returned home, distracted and hollow-eyed, and started her elite training on me.

I'd thought she was shaken by truly exceptional people abroad. It turned out she was only using me to repay a debt.

Even though the lines of text had already hinted at the truth, hearing it stated so plainly still sent a sharp pain through my chest. I clutched at it and slowly sank into a crouch.

Cassandra's expression changed. "What's wrong with you?"

She was just about to help me up when Xavier suddenly rushed over, his eyes red as he pointed at me. "Harvey, you took the flash drive with the confidential files, didn't you? Stop pretending to be sick to dodge responsibility!

"Getting fired is one thing, but if those files fall into a competitor's hands, the company could go under. If you hate me, curse me or hit me, but don't gamble with the company's future."

Cassandra's face darkened immediately. "Where did you hide it?"

The pain had already drained all strength from my limbs.

Before I could answer, Cassandra's hands were on me, searching roughly through my clothes. I stared at her, stunned. "Cassandra, do I really not deserve even a little trust from you?"

She didn't ask a single follow-up question. She believed Xavier without hesitation.

She pulled the neatly-folded diagnosis report out of my pocket. Just as she was about to look at it, she glanced at me, disappointment flickering across her face.

"When we were in school, you used to steal love letters other people wrote to me. I thought after all these years, you'd really changed. Alas, a leopard never changes its spots."

I'd done stupid things back then because I liked her, but I'd admitted my mistakes long ago and apologized to everyone involved.

She'd even comforted me, saying that knowing one's faults and correcting them mattered more, and that she believed I wasn't a bad person at heart.

Yet, even after seven years of dating and five years of marriage, I was nothing more than a thief in her eyes.

Xavier snatched the report from her hand, glanced at it once, and tossed it into the trash. "It's useless."

Cassandra's patience finally ran out. "If it's not in your pants pocket, then it must be in your jacket."

She told Xavier to hold me while she cut open my coat and searched every inch of my body.

In the end, even my undershirt was stripped off.

The cold air was nothing compared to the weight of strangers' stares and the phones raised to record everything.

Suddenly, my symptoms hit me. I broke out in a cold sweat and curled forward, barely able to stay upright.

Cassandra, however, didn't soften in the slightest.