le="position: relative; font-size: 2em;">
<div style="position: absolute; z-index: 2; top: 0; color: green; padding: 1px;">

    <span style="display:table-row; white-space: pre"><span style="display: table-cell">a</span> bc <span style="display: table-cell">d</span></span>
  </div>
<div style="position: relative; z-index: 1; color: red; padding: 1px;">

    a bc d
  </div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
