CHAPTER 7

HAPPY READING

Luna exited her apartment and walked down the corridor towards the elevator. She entered the elevator, which took her down to the lobby. She noticed the security and receptionist on duty there. She looked at Alfred's SUV parked in the lobby.

Alfred rolled down the power window and looked at Luna's pretty face as she approached the car. She opened the door handle and settled into the seat, making sure to fasten her seatbelt.

"Morning, Lun," Alfred greeted.

"Good morning, Al," Luna replied.

Alfred observed Luna's face, which was sweet as sugar as usual. She wasn't the type of woman with a strikingly beautiful face, but when she smiled, she radiated charm.

"On your second day as a secretary, how are you feeling?" Alfred asked.

"It's a mixed bag. I actually regret taking this offer," Luna admitted.

Alfred nodded in understanding. "So, what's your decision?"

"I'll just go with it. If I can't handle it, I'll resign."

"If you want to resign, it's okay. I agree with your choice."

Luna raised an eyebrow, turning to look at Alfred. She didn't expect him to actually support her decision to resign.

"Let's give it a month, and if I can't handle it like the previous secretaries, I'd better look for another job," Luna muttered.

Alfred smiled, fully agreeing with Luna's decision to resign from her job. He maneuvered his car, keeping an eye on the distance between his vehicle and the motorcycle in front of him. Throughout the journey to the office, they listened to music from the audio system and discussed work-related matters.

***

Finally, Alfred's car arrived at the lobby. "Thanks, Al. Be careful on the road," Luna said.

"Sure," Alfred replied.

Luna opened the car door and entered the lobby. She watched Alfred's SUV drive away and noticed several other employees there as well. She entered the same elevator as some of her colleagues. She needed to brace herself for Mr. Wiga, as his behavior was incredibly irritating. It seemed like his words could never be contradicted.

The elevator doors opened, and she headed to her office. She saw some of her coworkers already in their cubicles, while others had not yet arrived since they were scheduled to start at nine. She noticed the office boy leaving his room and greeted him with a smile.

"Good morning, Mrs. Luna."

"Good morning."

"Mr. Wiga has already arrived."

Luna's eyebrows shot up. "Mr. Wiga?" she asked.

"Yes."

Luna covered her mouth with her hand, wondering why Mr. Wiga had arrived so early. She felt guilty that her boss had arrived before her. She glanced at her wristwatch, which showed 7:45 AM. It was still early, and yet her boss was here. What time had he come in? What was he doing at this hour? Was he always this diligent?

She opened the door, and her body froze as she saw a man standing near her office. The man looked at her without a smile.

"You just got here?" Wiga asked, observing his secretary standing by the door.

"Yes, sir."

"If possible, arrive earlier than me," Wiga said.

"What!" Luna screamed internally. What time did she have to arrive if he was here this early? When she was a PR, she would come in at 9 AM. Yesterday, HR and Risa had said she should start at 8 AM, and they claimed Mr. Wiga came to the office at 9 or 10 AM. But now she found her boss here before 8 AM. She couldn't believe it.

"Yes, sir," Luna replied.

Wiga looked at Luna. "What's my schedule for today?" he asked.

Luna took her phone from her bag and recorded all of Mr. Wiga's activities in her phone. "Today, from 9 AM to 11 AM, you have a meeting at the branch office. It's a financial evaluation and follow-up on the audit results."

"And then?"

"At 1 PM to 3 PM, there's a meeting with all the managers and departments in the company's meeting room."

Wiga folded his hands across his chest and looked at Luna. "Remind me next time if there's a meeting like this."

"Remind you through WhatsApp, sir?"

"Yes."

"Alright, sir."

"Oh, by the way, this weekend we have a flight to Bali."

Luna checked her phone's schedule. On Saturday at 12 PM, Mr. Wiga had a meeting with Mrs. Lenny, the owner of PT. Alam Residence, in Denpasar, Bali.

"Okay, sir. Do you want a morning or afternoon flight?"

"I prefer the evening."

"So, you mean you want to depart on Friday night, sir?"

"Yes."

"Alright, sir."

"You'll come too," Wiga said.

"Okay, sir," Luna replied, her eyes widening in surprise that she would be accompanying Mr. Wiga to Bali. Oh God, how many times had she been shocked at this hour? It was starting to take a toll on her heart.

Wiga took a deep breath and looked at the woman once more. "I haven't had breakfast yet. Accompany me for breakfast."

"Of course, sir."

Luna swallowed nervously. The man didn't even allow her to sit for a moment. She watched as Mr. Wiga's figure walked out of the room. Luna hurried to catch up, feeling more honored to be a PR meeting with clients than a secretary. Indeed, as Raisa had put it, secretaries were ready to become their boss's lackeys.

***

Luna kept pace with Mr. Wiga as they headed to the seventh floor. She knew this building had a fancy restaurant. She had eaten there a few times before. The restaurant was called Kila Kila, which meant the sound of happiness. True to its name, it offered a variety of Indonesian dishes. As they walked towards the restaurant, Luna remained silent.

The elevator doors opened, and they entered the restaurant. They were warmly greeted by the server on duty. Luna and Wiga took their seats, and she noticed that several tables were occupied by other guests. At the cashier's counter, there were cakes and pastries displayed in a tempting showcase.

***