When Love Becomes a Cage by Nora

Chapter 20

Chapter 20



Clyde had finally agreed to let me file for employees' compensation, and I wasn't about to save him any money. Plus, I had my reasons this time. Something about how Clyde looked at me today felt different, reminiscent of old times. That evening, I organized all the paperwork carefully and sent it to the finance department.

It took Kristin half an hour to respond to my message.

Kristin: [Is this your medical report? Mr. Patterson approved the reimbursement?]

I replied: [Yes, I'll come to see you tomorrow.]

I could imagine Kristin's shock. After all, my illness was a secret to everyone at the company.

Kristin was a veteran at the Patterson Group, handpicked by Clyde's grandfather to lend him a hand, so I trusted her, knowing she wouldn't gossip. And I believed she would tell him the truth if Clyde asked her.

I gently clutched my phone, fixing my eyes on my chat with Clyde.

I wondered what Clyde would look like if he knew I was sick.

The next day, I went to the finance office with my documents. Kristin was staring at me with the reimbursement forms, completely lost for words. "Melanie, is this for real? I thought you were joking. Are you sure you want the company to cover this?"

nodded firmly. Of course, I was sure. Otherwise,

me. She showed me how to organize the paperwork. But when she saw my documents, she paused. "How young

day before to prevent my wound from opening, and it was all detailed in the report. If Kristin could see it, I was sure anyone who

"Did Clyde tell you he

"Said it counts as

didn't ask anything else?" Seeing Kristin shake her head, I had nothing more to

might have learned about my condition, but he didn't.

I asked for reimbursement. My medical report had been sitting where he usually dropped

was sick, filled with regret and turning over a new leaf. But he didn't even glance at my medical report,

women around. Nearly everyone knew my husband was cheating on me. Yet, he never let go, and the office

looked at my documents and then at me with sympathy. "Melanie, you're talented and gorgeous. Why put up with this?

time, I wholeheartedly agreed. Perhaps it was the wisdom of experience speaking. All love was transient.

most clear-sighted view

I made Kristin

puzzled. "Maybe if he knew, he'd

shrugged helplessly. "Clyde won't change. He'd think I'm playing

maybe that

the finance department, I saw Kayla flaunting her new designer bag to others with

line for a long time. You need to spend millions

helped me reserve it. He chose

came to finance for reimbursement? A few hundred bucks worth the trouble? Are