Lina didn't remember how she got back.
The hallway.
The stairs.
The door.
All of it blurred into nothing.
By the time she dropped into her chair...
Her legs felt weak.
"It's over…"
Her voice came out dry.
Barely there.
"It's over… it's over…"
Her hands trembled slightly as she pressed them against her face.
"Why…"
A shaky breath.
"Why me?"
Her fingers dragged down slowly, her eyes unfocused.
"I just wanted a normal life…"
A small, broken laugh escaped her.
"Like a normal person."
Silence.
"But even that…"
Her voice cracked.
"…the gods won't give it to me."
Her chest tightened painfully.
"I'm so scared…"
The words came out softer this time.
Real.
And then...
She sat upright suddenly.
Her eyes widened.
"What if she finds me?"
Her breathing quickened.
"Elena…"
Her fingers curled into her hair.
"What if she catches me—what would she do?"
Her thoughts spiraled instantly.
"Will she silence me?"
A pause.
"…or send me away?"
Her breathing hitched.
"Leaving the country… that's better than being silenced…"
Her head shook quickly.
"No...no...what am I thinking..."
She pushed her chair back slightly, pacing a step before stopping again.
"Should I go confess?"
The thought hung there.
Then...
"No."
Immediate.
Firm.
"That's the worst thing I could do."
Her voice rose slightly.
"If she finds out I slept with him..."
Her chest tightened again.
"I'm finished."
Her mind raced faster.
"When she asks… I'll lie."
Her breathing grew uneven.
"I'll say I didn't sleep with him. That when I got there, he was already collapsed on the bed…"
A pause.
"…and I left."
Silence.
Then...
Her eyes widened again.
"But what if she asks why I didn't call for help?"
Her hand flew into her hair, gripping it tightly.
"Ah—"
She scratched at her scalp slightly, frustrated, restless.
"I'm seriously done for this time…"
Her voice broke.
"When it comes to a woman's jealousy…"
A weak laugh.
"I can't say I'll survive."
Her body gave in.
She collapsed back into the chair...
"Ahhh—!"
A frustrated, muffled scream tore out of her.
"Lina?"
The voice came suddenly.
Too suddenly.
A hand touched her shoulder.
Lina jolted violently.
Her heart nearly stopped.
She turned sharply...
Eyes wide.
Breath caught.
And then...
Yuqi.
"…oh."
Relief hit instantly.
Too fast.
Lina exhaled shakily.
"You scared me…"
Yuqi blinked.
"…I just tapped you."
A pause.
"Where did you go?" she asked, frowning slightly. "You disappeared."
Lina looked away.
"I just went to cool my head."
"Why?"
"…I don't know."
The words slipped out.
Empty.
And then...
Her vision blurred.
Before she could stop it...
Tears filled her eyes.
"…hey."
Yuqi's tone changed immediately.
"What happened?"
Lina shook her head.
"I don't know how to start…"
Her voice trembled.
"…or how to end."
Yuqi crouched slightly beside her chair.
"Did someone bully you?" she asked.
"No."
"Did the CEO say something?"
Lina hesitated.
Then...
"I don't know…"
That was the only answer she had.
Yuqi stared at her for a second.
Then softened.
"…do you need money?"
Lina blinked.
"I wish I did…"
A weak, broken smile.
"…but no."
A quiet silence settled between them.
Yuqi didn't speak immediately.
Didn't push.
She just stayed there.
Close.
"…then we'll figure it out," she said finally.
Simple.
Like it was possible.
Lina didn't respond.
But her tears didn't stop either.
And somewhere outside...
Someone was already looking for her.