Amanda Zhou was twenty-five and living a lie—at least, that's how it felt.
To the outside world, she was a lucky tech analyst working at the country's biggest, richest, shiniest software corporation. Her friends envied her. Neighbors talked about her like she was a national treasure. The whole country worshiped her boss, William Chang, a billionaire tech genius and the nation's most eligible bachelor.
But Mandy knew the truth.
William Chang wasn't a dream boss. He was a nightmare with a jawline. A capitalist tyrant in tailored suits. The kind of man who trampled work-life balance and used midnight emails like weapons. Sure, he was handsome. Sure, he had that gruff CEO vibe that would make any drama lover meltdown.
But if you've ever had your boss schedule a meeting during a national holiday, you'd understand her rage.
Every day Mandy prayed.
To the gods.
To the universe.
To whatever deity was on duty.
That someone — anyone — would remove William Chang from her life… or remove her from his.
She'd tried resigning six times. Six friggin times! Each time, William would rip up the letter, smirk like a villain, and say, "You don't quit until I say so."
At this point, Mandy was convinced she'd die on his payroll. Crushed under overwork or pure frustration.
And then, there was the weird part.
She couldn't date. Not because she wasn't pretty or unlovable — because William kept calling.
On dates.
During dinner.
During—private moments.
Didn't matter how creative Mandy tried to be in escaping the stalker boss... her phone would ring, and it'd always be him.
One night, it went too far. Mandy had finally set the mood — music, candles, a plan to wind down and relax — when her phone lit up.
Of course, it was William.
And of course, she picked up.
She always picked up.
"Leave me alone," she snapped.
But it was pointless.
William Chang always got what he wanted.
Mandy didn't know what to think anymore. She didn't know why she answered that call. She didn't know why he finally asked if she was busy. She didn't even know why she still worked for this man.
I think I work for a literal beast.
"Mandy," William's voice crackled over the line. "Are you busy right now?"
That stopped her cold. Mr Chang never asked if she was busy. He demanded. He issued commands like she was an office-bound iron puppet.
She clutched her phone tighter, cautiously hopeful. Is he finally learning basic human decency?
"Yes, actually. I'm very busy."
"Okay. I don't care. Come to the office. I need to show you something."
She closed her eyes and exhaled disappointment.
"It's midnight, boss."
"I know. I can see the clock." He paused. "You have fifteen minutes. Don't be slow."
And just like that, the cosmic illusion crumbled.
Mandy tugged on her coat, still in her pajamas, and bolted down to her car. The pay was too good to mess this up. Her friends thought she was part-time royalty with her fresh gadgets and luxury lunches — meanwhile, she'd traded her soul for the moneyup. Tonight, she'd traded sleep too.
She pulled up to the building in fourteen minutes, thirty seconds, practically holding her breath. If being underpaid was a crime, being late was an execution. She sprinted inside, swiped her badge, and slammed her palm on the private elevator button.
William's office glowed like an empty throne room when she barged in.
"I'm here, boss," she panted, chest heaving. "What now?"
William turned with a deadpan expression, the kind that made her wonder if he practiced it in the mirror.
"I want you to test something."
He tapped a few keys on his laptop and played a clip.
"Hello, system," he said in the recording.
"Hey boss, how's it going?" replied a voice — in her tone.
Mandy's jaw dropped. "Wait. Why does it sound like me?"
"The voice module isn't finalized," William replied. "You're not that special. But it works."
She blinked. That was… weirdly comforting and insulting at the same time.
"Okay," she sighed, pinching her nose. "You could have shown me this tomorrow, you know. People sleep, boss."
"No," he said. And that one word carried the weight of his obsession. "We can't wait. Come with me."
He grabbed his laptop and strode out. Mandy followed, grumbling.
"You're not secretly trying to kill me, right?"
"No. I still need someone I can trust."
She snorted. "That's the best lie I've heard today."
They reached the rooftop. Wind whipped around them, cold and foreboding. William walked right to the edge, eerily calm.
Mandy's heart stuttered. "Boss—are you trying to—? Don't do anything stupid!"
She rushed forward to pull him back. He turned, grabbed her wrist with an unsettling smile.
"This is just to test the project."
"What do you mean—?"
He shoved her.
Mandy screamed as her body collided with cold air and gravity—falling hard and fast, the city lights turning to streaks of chaotic blur—