"Ethan, I'm sorry I couldn't eat with you like I promised."
Kassandra looked genuinely apologetic.
Ethan smiled and shook his head.
"It's okay, Boss."
"You are such an understanding person."
Kassandra smiled.
Unlike Ryan.
Of course, she wisely kept that part to herself.
"Thanks for the compliment, Boss," Ethan replied.
Then he picked up a stack of documents from his desk.
"Oh, right."
"Someone dropped these files off while you were away."
Kassandra accepted them.
She glanced through the documents.
"These are for the CEO."
She turned around.
"I'm coming back. Let me deliver these first."
Before she could leave—
"Boss."
Kassandra stopped.
"What is it?"
Ethan hesitated.
Then he asked,
"You seem very close to the CEO."
Kassandra blinked.
"Close?"
"Yeah."
Ethan scratched the back of his neck.
"I mean... compared to everyone else."
Kassandra frowned.
"Why would you think that?"
"Nothing."
Ethan quickly shook his head.
"I was just curious."
Kassandra laughed.
"Trust me, Ethan."
"I'm not as close to him as you think."
Ethan didn't look convinced.
After all...
He had never seen Ryan Lee allow someone to walk into his office whenever they wanted.
He had never seen Ryan eat lunch with someone.
And he definitely had never seen Ryan personally take an employee home.
But Ethan wisely kept those thoughts to himself.
"Anyway, I should get going."
Kassandra adjusted the files in her hands.
"See you later."
"See you later, Boss."
As she walked away, Ethan watched her disappear around the corner.
A thoughtful look appeared on his face.
"Not close?"
He chuckled.
"Then what exactly do you call it?"
Meanwhile...
Kassandra was walking toward the CEO's office.
Why was he asking that?
She frowned.
Do people really think I'm close to Ryan?
Little Flame immediately answered.
Princess.
You spend more time with that human than anyone else.
He buys you food.
He drives you home.
You calm his poison.
And he looks ready to murder anyone who annoys you.
Kassandra stopped walking.
What?
That's ridiculous.
Little Flame sighed.
You really know nothing about relationships.
Neither do you.
Fair point.
A few moments later, Kassandra arrived outside the CEO's office.
She knocked twice.
"Boss."
"Come in."
Kassandra pushed the door open.
Ryan looked up from his desk.
His eyes immediately landed on the files in her hands.
Then...
For a brief second...
His gaze shifted toward the direction she had come from.
"Ethan?"
Ryan asked casually.
Kassandra nodded.
"Yes."
Ryan's expression remained calm.
Too calm.
"Why?"
"Oh."
Kassandra placed the files on his desk.
"We were just talking."
The pen in Ryan's hand snapped.
Silence.
Kassandra stared at the broken pen.
Ryan stared at the broken pen.
Neither spoke.
Finally
"Boss..."
"Yes?"
"That is the third pen today."
Ryan looked at the pen.
Then at Kassandra.
Then quietly threw it into the trash.
"I'll buy more."
"Humans are something else."
Kassandra looked at the broken pen in the trash.
Why waste money like that?
She shook her head.
Then looked at Ryan.
"Boss, I think it would be best if you stopped snapping those pens."
Ryan raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
"You might hurt your hand one day."
Ryan leaned back in his chair.
A smile appeared on his face.
"Are you worried about me?"
Kassandra almost rolled her eyes.
I'm worried about myself.
If you hurt your hand, guess who will end up doing all your work?
Me.
But she couldn't say that out loud.
"Boss, you can think of it that way."
Ryan's smile widened.
Kassandra immediately felt something was wrong.
Why is he smiling?
Did I say something strange?
Humans were confusing.
Very confusing.
"Boss, I have work to do."
She took a step toward the door.
"So I'll be leaving now."
Ryan nodded.
"Okay."
A few seconds later, the office door closed.
Then—
"Sky."
"Yes, Boss."
Sky stepped forward.
Ryan looked unusually thoughtful.
"Did you see that?"
Sky immediately knew where this conversation was heading.
Unfortunately.
"See what, Boss?"
"She was worried about me."
Sky stared at the ceiling.
He suddenly missed the days when Ryan only talked about work.
"Boss..."
Ryan ignored him.
"Tell me something."
Sky already had a bad feeling.
"What if I got injured?"
"...Boss."
"What if I accidentally shot myself?"
Sky nearly choked.
"What?"
Ryan nodded seriously.
"If I got shot, do you think she'd stay and take care of me?"
Sky was speechless.
Completely speechless.
For the first time in years, he wondered whether the Cold Poison had affected his boss's brain.
Boss has finally gone crazy.
"What are you murmuring about?"
Ryan's cold voice interrupted his thoughts.
Sky straightened immediately.
"Nothing, Boss."
Ryan narrowed his eyes.
"Then answer the question."
Sky thought for a moment.
Then a brilliant idea appeared.
"I think that's a terrible idea."
Ryan frowned.
"Why?"
"Because if you got injured..."
Sky paused dramatically.
"...Miss Jessica would probably use the opportunity to stay by your side."
Ryan's expression darkened instantly.
The smile vanished.
"You're right."
Sky sighed in relief, crisis avoided.
Ryan crossed his arms.
"No guns."
"Good decision, Boss."
Ryan nodded.
A few seconds later, he spoke again.
"What if I caught a fever?"
Sky closed his eyes.
This was going to be a very long day.
"Speak of the devil..."
Sky looked toward the office door.
"And she appears."
Ryan frowned.
"What?"
Before Sky could answer—
"Boss, Miss Jessica is coming this way."
Ryan immediately put down his pen.
"Tell her I'm busy."
Unfortunately...
It was already too late.
The office door opened.
"Don't bother."
Jessica walked inside confidently.
"I'm already here."
Ryan's expression darkened.
"What are you doing here?"
Jessica smiled.
"Do I need an appointment to see my fiancé?"
"If you have nothing important to say, leave."
Jessica ignored his cold tone and sat down.
Then she smiled mischievously.
"Oh, by the way..."
Ryan already knew he wasn't going to like whatever came next.
"I just saw your little ugly assistant chatting happily with a guy in her office."
Silence.
The temperature in the room dropped instantly.
Sky slowly stepped backward.
Experience had taught him that this was the safest option.
Jessica continued.
"They looked quite close."
Ryan's hand tightened around his pen.
Jessica didn't notice.
"Maybe she's finally found someone willing to—"
"Shut up."
Jessica froze.
Ryan's voice was terrifyingly cold.
Even Sky looked surprised.
Ryan slowly raised his head.
His crimson eyes flashed for a split second.
"I said..."
"Shut."
"Up."
For the first time, Jessica felt afraid.
Real fear.
Meanwhile...
Inside Kassandra's office.
"Boss."
Ethan looked up from his desk.
"Who was that woman just now?"
Kassandra didn't even lift her head.
"Our boss's fiancée."
The moment she said the words, something twisted inside her chest.
An uncomfortable feeling.
One she couldn't explain.
Why was she angry?
She didn't know.
Why did hearing Jessica's name annoy her?
She didn't know that either.
All she knew was that she didn't like it.
Not one bit.
Suddenly—
The lights flickered.
Then went out.
Darkness filled the room.
The temperature began changing.
The air became heavy.
Outside the office windows, dark clouds gathered.
Employees looked around in confusion.
"What's going on?"
"Did the power go out?"
"Why is it suddenly so dark?"
Inside Kassandra's office, Ethan slowly stood up.
A strange pressure filled the room.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up.
"Princess!"
Little Flame's voice echoed in Kassandra's mind.
"You need to calm down!"
Kassandra blinked.
"What?"
"Your emotions are affecting your powers!"
Only then did she notice what was happening.
The shadows around her desk were moving.
Tiny flames flickered beneath her chair.
The air itself seemed to distort.
"Princess, if you lose control, you'll expose yourself!"
Kassandra immediately took a deep breath.
Slowly.
Carefully.
The darkness began to retreat.
The pressure weakened.
The flames disappeared.
But Ethan had already seen enough.
He stared at Kassandra.
His face was pale.
His eyes were filled with shock.
And fear.
"Kassandra..."
His voice trembled.
The office had returned to normal.
But one question remained.
A question he could no longer ignore.
"Who exactly are you?"