When Love Becomes a Cage (Melanie)

Ever since I started working, I've felt some of my old spark returning. But the best part? I finally had a paycheck.

The day before, our finance department, in an unprecedented move, handed me a month's base salary. To me, $20,000 felt like winning the lottery. I didn't dwell on why they paid me for a month after just three days of work. After all, Clyde wasn't short on cash.

I immediately transferred half to Jade, who'd been slaving away preparing nutritious meals for the two of us every day. Despite her decent salary, taking care of her grandma on top of everything else, including me, has been a real struggle.

Unfortunately, she refused the money and gave me an earful in the hospital room. "What do you think you are doing? My meals aren't just for anyone, you know. Don't bother to transfer money unless you have a million or two to spare."

I held my food tray, grinning at her.

"Jade, I'm back at work and got my first paycheck," I chuckled.

"What's so funny? You haven't fully recovered yet. Eat up. You're such a pain sometimes." She roughly dished out some lobster for me, quickly wiping a tear when she turned her back.

I devoured the lobster, tears welling up in my eyes, too. Jade's terrible cooking was a waste of the lobsters. After a hearty meal, we fell into our usual chit-chat.

Seeing me back at designing, she was worried. "Isn't your condition supposed to keep you from overthinking? You should be resting, and Clyde..." Mentioning Clyde, we both instinctively stopped. He was both a taboo and an inevitable part of my life.

I waved it off. "Working makes me happy. Having money makes me cheerful, better than lying in bed all day. It's not like I have much else going for me besides this one talent. Who knows, I might not stick around long, but the buildings I design... they'll keep standing tall."

"Stop, don't talk like that," Jade was superstitious, trying to ward off bad luck with her words.

"You need to bulk up and get some resistance. You have to eat more lobsters. I'll bring it daily. And get some for yourself, too."

I nodded silently, but my mind was on my budget. Lobsters were expensive, and frankly, eggs and milk were cheaper protein. Luckily, now that I had a salary, I shouldn't have to worry about affording food.

Perhaps it was the uplift in spirits, but my recovery was going well. Before being discharged, I managed to finalize my design revisions.

Lina rushed to the hospital, excited. "Melanie, you're amazing. Your revision got approved on the first try. You have no idea the Design Department struggled for months only to get rejected. Everyone's waiting for you to lead when you get back. You've got to recover fast."

She babbled about how much everyone missed me, but I knew better. In the Design Department, I was a walking disaster for everyone else. Clyde sometimes couldn't separate personal from professional, often taking it out on the team because of me. I didn't want my presence to be a burden again.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

But then, things were different. First, I needed to ensure I stayed alive.

"Good to hear there's no issue with Radiant Systems. It's a big project." I started thinking about the final commission, which could cover my medical expenses for half a year.

That thought improved my mood, granting me another half year of life.

Lina continued, "But they want to meet immediately to discuss with you in person."

Seeing Lina's troubled face, I knew

why she rushed over after work. Since I initiated the design, it made sense for me to handle the talks. Others might not grasp the project's nuances, potentially messing things up.

I calculated the timing, asking her to schedule the meeting with the client three days later at the office. Three days wouldn't significantly impact the project, but for me, it was crucial. I needed to be discharged and rest at home a bit longer.

Thinking about Rocky, my dog, whom I hadn't seen in ages, made me miss the little guy.

Before bed, the nurse showed me my latest reports, confirming my steady recovery. It seemed I was getting a second wind.

But then, in the early hours, Clyde's call shattered my peace. Even on vibrate, the phone sounded alarmingly loud.

I stepped out to the hospital corridor to talk, keeping my voice low.

"Melanie, why is the Radiant

Systems meeting set for three days from now? Do you realize how important this project is? How hard can it be to meet immediately? What are you fussing over? Do you think the company can't function without you?"

Listening to Clyde's barrage of criticism only drew a cold laugh from me. He recognized the project's importance yet couldn't even pick up a call from them.

I left the phone on the windowsill, staring out into the night. The hospital's surroundings were eerily quiet, the dim lights barely cutting through the gloom.

After a minute of silence, he realized I hadn't said a word. "Melanie, are you even listening?"

“Are you still in Westbridge?" Picking up the phone, I asked indifferently.

He hesitated, and then I heard Kayla's cheerful voice in the background. "Clyde, look, I caught a little crab."

I glanced at my phone and realized they were enjoying a midnight beach outing. How romantic.