"What's going on here?"
Ryan's voice came from behind them.
The moment she heard him, Kassandra took a deep breath.
The flames disappeared from her eyes.
The heat vanished.
The dark clouds outside slowly dispersed.
Within seconds, everything returned to normal.
As if nothing had happened.
Kassandra quickly picked up her glasses and put them back on before turning around.
Ryan's sharp gaze swept across the room.
"I asked what was going on."
Before Kassandra could speak, Jessica stepped forward.
"Ryan, you need to fire this ugly assistant of yours."
Ryan remained silent.
Jessica pointed at Kassandra.
"She was being disrespectful to me."
She crossed her arms.
"Even after I told her I was your fiancée."
Ryan's expression remained unreadable.
He turned toward Kassandra.
"Is what she's saying true?"
Kassandra opened her mouth.
"I—"
"Enough."
Ryan's cold voice cut her off.
"I don't want to hear it."
Both women froze.
"Kassandra."
"Yes, Boss."
"You are suspended for one week."
The office fell silent.
Kassandra blinked.
A week?
Without another word, Ryan turned and walked toward his office.
Jessica hurried after him.
"Ryan, that's all?" she asked. "I thought you were going to fire her."
She grabbed his arm.
"She was disrespectful to me. That's the same as being disrespectful to you."
Ryan didn't answer.
He simply continued walking.
Meanwhile, Kassandra remained standing where she was.
A bitter smile appeared on her face.
"I guess I really needed that suspension."
She adjusted her glasses.
"But shouldn't he have asked what happened first?"
Her eyes lowered.
"How can he decide after hearing only one side of the story?"
A painful thought crossed her mind.
Then again...
Jessica was his fiancée.
What else had she expected?
CEO's Office
"That's enough."
Ryan's voice was cold.
"I've already given her a suspension. What more do you want?"
Jessica pouted.
"Whatever."
A moment later, her expression softened.
"Ryan, I missed you so much."
She walked closer.
"I thought you would pick me up from the airport."
Ryan didn't even look up from the documents on his desk.
"I was busy."
His voice remained indifferent.
Jessica frowned.
"You're always busy."
She sat down across from him.
"Auntie asked me to come so we can start planning our wedding."
Ryan finally looked at her.
"I'm busy right now."
His tone made it clear that he wasn't interested in discussing it.
"I'll call you when I'm free."
Jessica's face darkened.
Ryan pressed a button on his desk.
"Someone escort Miss Jessica out."
Jessica immediately stood up.
"I can leave by myself."
She pointed at him.
"You will be mine sooner or later."
Ryan remained silent.
"I'm waiting for you at home tonight."
"You shouldn't."
Jessica froze.
"I'm not coming home."
The rejection stung.
"Fine."
She grabbed her handbag.
"Suit yourself."
Then she stormed out of the office.
The door slammed shut behind her.
Silence returned.
A few seconds later—
"Sky."
A guard appeared.
"Yes, Boss."
"Has Kassandra left?"
"Yes, Boss. She left a few minutes ago."
Ryan leaned back in his chair.
His thoughts drifted back to the scene outside.
He had seen Jessica slap Kassandra.
He had also seen something else.
Something no one else seemed to notice.
Those eyes.
For a brief moment, he could have sworn they had changed.
And the weather...
Ryan stared out the window.
The sky had returned to normal.
But he knew what he had felt.
The sudden heat.
The pressure in the air.
The strange energy.
It wasn't normal.
Who exactly are you, Kassandra?
For the first time since she joined the company, Ryan found himself genuinely curious.
Kassandra walked back to the apartment feeling annoyed.
Larissa wasn't home yet.
With nothing else to do, she headed straight for the bathroom and sank into the warm bathtub.
She stared at the ceiling.
"Should I be happy that I've been suspended?"
A pause.
"Or should I be sad that I'll be stuck at home for an entire week?"
The thought made her groan.
Being suspended was one thing.
Being bored was another.
After her bath, Kassandra walked into the kitchen.
Since Larissa wasn't home yet, she suddenly had an idea.
"I should prepare dinner for her."
A few seconds later, another problem occurred to her.
"...I don't know how to cook."
She stared at the ingredients on the counter.
"What should I do?"
A determined look appeared on her face.
"I'll just make something."
The necklace around her neck glowed softly.
"Princess," Little Flame said, "don't you think your boss noticed something? Maybe that's why he suspended you."
Kassandra shook her head.
"What do you mean?"
She opened the refrigerator.
"I froze time. Everything stopped."
She grabbed a few vegetables she didn't recognize.
"I think you're overthinking it."
"If you say so, Princess."
Several minutes later—
Smoke filled the kitchen.
A frying pan was producing sounds that no frying pan should ever make.
Kassandra stared at it.
"Why does it look angry?"
The apartment door suddenly opened.
"Baby, I'm back!"
Larissa stepped inside.
Then she froze.
Her eyes widened.
"What the heck?!"
She rushed into the kitchen.
"What are you doing?"
Kassandra pointed proudly at the disaster.
"I'm making dinner."
Larissa quickly turned off the stove.
"Do you want to burn down the building?"
Kassandra looked genuinely confused.
"I was trying to cook something for you."
Larissa stared at the blackened pan.
Then at the smoke.
Then back at Kassandra.
"Baby..."
"Yes?"
"From now on, leave the cooking to me."
"Why?"
"Because I don't have enough money to pay for the damage if you accidentally destroy someone's building."
For a moment, Kassandra looked offended.
Then Larissa burst out laughing.
A second later, Kassandra laughed too.