Exception

Chapter 20

The next morning, Engfa rushed to her office, the rain pouring down in heavy sheets as she made her way inside. She hadn't thought to bring an umbrella, and by the time she reached the front doors, she was already drenched. Her hair stuck to her face, her clothes soaked through, but she didn't care. There were deadlines to meet, and she didn't have time to worry about something as trivial as getting caught in the rain.

As soon as she entered the building, she brushed past her colleagues with only a quick nod, heading straight for her desk. Droplets of water trailed behind her as she sat down and booted up her computer. Engfa could feel her wet clothes clinging uncomfortably to her skin, but she ignored it and got right to work.

For the next few hours, Engfa immersed herself in her tasks, losing track of time as she focused on finalizing project details. She barely noticed the chill setting in from her wet clothes or the soft sniffles that began to escape her. It wasn't until the sound of footsteps approached that she looked up, surprised to see Charlotte standing in front of her, an incredulous look on her face.

"Engfa, what happened to you?" Charlotte asked, her voice filled with concern as she took in Engfa's soaked appearance. "You're all wet!"

Engfa glanced down at herself, shrugging it off like it was nothing. "It's just rain, Charlotte. I didn't have an umbrella this morning, but I'm fine. It's nothing to worry about."

Charlotte frowned, her arms crossing as she leaned closer to inspect Engfa. "You're *not* fine. You're soaking wet! Why didn't you change or at least tell someone? You can't just sit here like this."

Engfa shook her head dismissively, her focus already back on the screen. "I'm fine, really. I didn't want to waste time when I have so much work to finish."

Charlotte sighed, clearly frustrated. "Engfa, you know how dangerous that is. You could get sick!"

But Engfa just waved her off, her usual stubbornness kicking in. "It's no big deal, Charlotte. I'll be fine."

Charlotte didn't look convinced, but she let it go for the time being. She grabbed a towel from one of the supply closets and handed it to Engfa. "At least dry off. You're going to regret this later."

Engfa took the towel with a small smile. "Thanks, but seriously, don't worry about me. I've got this."

Charlotte still seemed unsure, but with Engfa being so insistent, she reluctantly walked away, keeping an eye on her from a distance.

---

The next day, Engfa woke up with a pounding headache and a burning fever. She groaned, her body aching as she tried to sit up, but the weakness in her limbs made it difficult. She had a feeling this would happen, but she had ignored Charlotte's concerns and powered through anyway. Now, she was paying the price.

Stubbornly, she attempted to get ready for work, but before she could make it out the door, her phone buzzed. It was Charlotte.

**Charlotte:** *Hey, you didn't come to work today. What's going on?*

Engfa hesitated for a moment, not wanting to admit that she was feeling sick. But her body wasn't giving her much of a choice. She typed back quickly.

**Engfa:** *I'm fine. Just not feeling my best. I'll be there tomorrow.*

The reply was immediate.

**Charlotte:** *Fine? Engfa, are you sick?*

Engfa sighed, already imagining how Charlotte would react if she told the truth. But before she could reply, there was a knock at her door. To her surprise, it was Charlotte standing there, her expression a mix of concern and frustration.