Wilna was a little surprised by Thomas's decision—not that there'd be cooperation, of course, but that Helena would be at the meeting and signing the contract between Nakia Group and Intel Corp. Rumor has it that Nakia's CEO has returned from his studies."Is this okay with you, Mr. Thomas?" Wilna asked, looking a bit surprised at what Thomas had just said."You should know how to handle it if this becomes an issue. Don't you think, Wilna?"Dealing with Thomas Edison, who was both good-looking and devilishly annoying, made Wilna very patient. If it weren't for her sense of responsibility and dedication to her work and her friendly relationship with Helena, Wilna would have probably resigned by now. Wilna was tired of having to deal with Thomas and his sometimes cynical, wishy-washy remarks."Alright." Wilna decided to go along with it. "I'll let you know right away if Helena can make it to the meeting tomorrow.""If it's needed..." Thomas rested his chin on his hands. He looked at Wil
"I just found out that Thomas Edison is very handsome," Olivia said, complimenting Tiara on the lunch she organized.Tiara thinks the contract between Intel and Nakia will go smoothly today. To mark the occasion, she invited a number of her social contacts, including the wives of successful young entrepreneurs, to attend. One of them is Olivia Blanket, who's married to Intel Corp's IT manager. Her husband was there this afternoon to sign the contract with Nakia.Tiara, who had just sampled the appetizers, was eager to share her thoughts on Thomas and his palate. But she didn't want to bring up Helena's name. It was none of her business, anyway, right? "You're right. Thomas is definitely a good-looking guy, Mrs. Olivia. But how can you say that when your husband has something to be proud of besides his looks?"Olivia laughed at Tiara's joke. "You're right. While Mr. Thomas is certainly attractive, he is not in a position to cover all my expenses. Am I his wife?"Tiara couldn't help but
Ultimately, Arslan decided to go for the extra point, despite some of his teammates expressing reservations. He said, "I have the best team to get the job done right. Just an additional point won't change the essence of this cooperation contract."And so they signed the contract. Before Helena signed the contract, Arslan noticed the name on it. Was it Helena's name on the contract? Arslan had also remembered Helena's name when they first met, went through some civil procedures after they got married, and she was only a witness, not a recipient, in those cases. Arslan followed his mother's advice and decided not to use Helena's name when it came to the wealth he had accumulated, whether it was property or vehicles."Adelia Helena E ... Oh my God," Arslan muttered, still in disbelief.It was the same name that Arslan knew. However, the title "Helena" was enough to surprise Arslan. So, Helena had a Master's in Economics?"Why is she keeping that a secret?" Arslan thought to himself."You
Arslan put down the glass of wine he'd just finished in one go, rather abruptly. The sound of the glass hitting the table was pretty loud, and it got everyone's attention in the club's VVIP room. His tie was a little loose, and his shirt was rumpled, showing that he was going through a rough time. His reddish eyes, wild and unfocused, scanned the room as if searching for something that wasn't there.This club is a great place to go if you want to get away from it all. It's very private. Arslan found out about this place through Tiara. She told him that as a young businessman, he needed to network outside the office. Maybe this is the place to meet up with business partners and talk strategy, or just unwind with a few bottles of expensive drinks.Andy, the experienced bartender, watched Arslan with a look that said he was worried about him. "You seem to be thinking about something pretty serious," he said in a calm tone as he kept mixing another drink."I don't need your opinion," Arsl
The next morning, there was a real sense of unease in Arslan's office. Tiara and her dad, Deny Jacob, were waiting in the meeting room to talk about the next project with Nakia Group. They were eager to meet with Arslan to discuss a crucial matter that he had decided on without consulting with the Jacob Group."I need to hear a reasonable explanation, Tiara," Deny Jacob said, clenching his fist. He looked at his future son-in-law's study with a bit of an annoyed expression. "If he can't give a clear reason and outline the next steps in this cooperation, it might be time to question Arslan Tan's credibility in leading Intel Corp."Tiara could tell that the man next to her was holding back his anger. Her father wasn't the easiest person to negotiate with if he didn't agree with something. Tiara was also surprised to find that the contract she thought was going to be a breeze had other requirements. While it wasn't a major issue for her, she also needed to consider the sustainability of
"She's having an affair, Arslan."Tiara's words echoed in Arslan's head again. Like a nightmare that haunted Arslan in the last days. He didn't want to remember Helena's whereabouts, but the most reasonable assumption came from Tiara. If Helena was Nakia's CEO and the youngest daughter of the Edison family, why would this woman go to the trouble of hiding her identity? How ridiculous.At a time when many women out there were competing to show off their family status, on what basis would Helena hide that?"She really cheated on me?" Arslan clenched his fists. He was very angry and felt betrayed by Helena's innocence and simplicity all this time. "For status and a guaranteed life after we split up? Oh my!" Arslan tapped him hard on the forehead. It caused pain, but the man ignored it. "Is that why Helena refused my check? Because the amount in it was not comparable to what the President Director of Edison Group gave her?"Arslan laughed sadly, unable to believe that Helena played the ro
"How did the Intel factory inspection go, Wilna?" someone asked. His voice was firm, so Wilna gave a clear and simple explanation that matched the facts."As far as we can tell, the program was processed with high accuracy, and we didn't run into any major issues, Mr. Thomas. "Everything's under control, and I think the extra responsibility Arslan Tan is taking is why we're able to keep such tight control over the chip creation process.""Good, then," he said. "Give me a full report and don't leave anything out.""Yes, sir." Wilna let out a soft sigh. Her workload was increasing day by day, but she was happy to get stuck in. This was part of the job she loved. If you love what you do, it's not work. That's what Wilna believed."Just make sure Helena doesn't talk to that man for too long. I'm still concerned that Arslan might try to contact Helena again."Thomas Edison was very close to his sister. Wilna was certain that Helena's situation was also affecting Thomas's feelings. Thomas'
"Miss Helena, we've arrived," the driver announced as he pulled up to the hotel lobby. The auction was held at a five-star hotel in the city center tonight. It was exactly what Helena expected an auction event to be like—a bunch of people from different businesses. In the past, Helena had gone to events like this with Thomas or with her father to meet with his business partners. But she wasn't looking to stick around and mingle with other people for too long. It wasn't that she didn't like it, but Helena felt there was no sincerity, only a desire to support each other's businesses.Eventually, Helena realized that this is how people who play a big role in the economy operate. They meet, see eye to eye, and form new partnerships. They exchanged greetings and kept an eye on each other. If you're not careful, you'll get overtaken by a company with more authority and a bigger role. And it's all thanks to the connections made at meetings like this."Thanks, Hans. Pick me up in about an hou
The next morning, Helena woke up feeling much lighter and calmer. In fact, if Helena were to be honest, it was one of her best mornings ever. Waking up to a window with a beautiful, serene view of the city. The air was cool and made Helena feel at home on the balcony of her room.Today Helena planned to visit a museum that exhibited some famous artworks and if she was lucky, Helena wanted to bring one of them (if it sold) for her collection or to gift a client who loved artworks. It was for the benefit of her company as well since Helena did not rule out gift-giving as a strategy to make the partnership work.“I think it's time for me to go,” Helena said as she organized her small bag. She didn't want to leave anything behind. Today her father was not accompanying her. There was an invitation to lunch with an old acquaintance and of course, they discussed some important matters. It wasn't that Helena didn't want to be involved but she wanted to make the most of her time in Switzerland
“Good evening, Mr. Hanry and Helena,” Alaric greeted in a polite tone. He was waiting for Helena and her father to come out of the hotel for dinner. As per his promise to take them to one of the recommended restaurants not far from the hotel where they were staying.“The police chief isn't as busy as I thought,” Helena said with a laugh. She thanked Alaric for his concern just before he invited her to get into the car. Her father was already inside and sitting comfortably.“I've been busy but I've put in a lot of time to entertain you. When else will you visit this place?” Alaric laughed lightly. “Or are you planning to visit again?”“I don't know yet.”“Or... you, Mr. Hanry? I feel very honored to meet you in person. Many of the things I've heard about the Edison Group being what it is today are all thanks to you.”Hanry laughed. “I haven't kept up with the Edison Group for a long time. My son is doing well, I'm just an old man waiting for my bank account to fill up with the company'
Helena stood in the room with her suitcase open in front of her. Some of her clothes seemed to be scattered on the big bed, as well as some other necessities that she had to put in the suitcase. Occasionally, she looked out the window, where the mansion's garden looked green and beautiful.“Miss Helena, what else do you need?” asked Vania, the maid who assisted Helena during her stay at the main house.“I don't know, I'm confused,” Helena chuckled in disbelief. “I haven't traveled like this in a long time.”“I'll help you and make sure you don't leave anything behind while you're abroad.”“Thank you Vania.” At least Vania's words relieved her. “Don't forget my hairdyer. In case it's not provided there, I'm too lazy to find a new hairdryer.”“Yes, Miss Helena.”Hanry entered after knocking on the door.“Papa?” Helena looked surprised not by her father's arrival but by what was in his hand. “Let me carry it. Why don't you ask the servants to bring it here?” Helena grumbled. Hanri brough
“What's got you in such a mood?” asked Wilna after returning from lunch. In her hand was the cup of coffee Helena had ordered. At first, she thought she would hear an exciting story from Helena about her meeting with her future in-laws. But there seemed to be something wrong here.Helena, who was originally cheerful, looked somber.“Nothing,” Helena said with a fake smile.Wilna raised one eyebrow, not believing Helena's words. She sat on the sofa in front of Helena and offered her the coffee she had brought. “Oh, come on, you can't fool me. How long have I known you?” Wilna asked as she savored her cup of coffee. “Your face looks more pathetic than any tragic play I've ever seen.”Helena just sighed as she took the coffee and sat next to Wilna. The heat that the coffee cup brought to her palm made Helena hold it tighter. She hoped Wilna would give up and stop asking questions. But who was she trying to fool? This was Wilna-the friend who could always get her to talk, even when she di
Six months had passed since all the drama.“Is there a follow-up meeting?” Helena asked Wilna who was still going through some files. Because of Helena's question just now, Wilna looked up and stared at her best friend and boss. She seemed to think before she finally spoke.“I don't think so. Besides, all your dealings with the production and marketing teams have been handled by Gio. He's reliable.”Helena chuckled. “But afterward, he must have complained about a lot of things, especially that he couldn't go back to his apartment because he had too much work at Nakia.”Wilna spluttered. “Who told him to live so far away from the office?”“Sometimes I feel sorry for Gio. He's adapting a lot to his surroundings but there's no denying it, if that's what you have to do. Right?”Wilna nodded enthusiastically. “Should we ask him to transfer? Gio is a potential employee for Nakia, Helena. Do you know how much of an impact he could have on Nakia's survival?”“I know,” Helena replied immediate
I really wanted to get rid of this uncomfortable feeling. Even though the vibe was quite relaxed and the song I was listening to was pleasant, it still felt awkward.“Where are we going, sir?” I asked. For the longest time. His answer? Just a big smile and a mischievous grin. Typical of a man named Thomas Edison. More often than not, he was annoying with his multiple desires, dizzying with so many detailed things he wanted, not to mention that sometimes he acted like a sulking five-year-old.I don't understand why so many people admire him. I know he has extraordinary capacity as a leader. But... I guess that's a performance Thomas often gives in front of many people. In front of me? It's a different story.Just like this afternoon. Even though his meeting schedule with Sofie had been arranged in such a way. It was a little difficult to contact the woman in the middle of her busy schedule with the launch of the new product she was managing. Sofie Ansela, the daughter of a rich family.
“Why is this happening to me?” I grumbled with a grumpy face. Really, dinner this time made me sick. Plus, Lily hasn't come home yet because she has work to finish immediately. At least if Lily joins us at the table, I can hold my temper a bit.What exactly is this asshole doing?“You don't have to bother bringing us a lot of food like this, Charles.”I heard my aunt speak in a friendly tone that was so sincere. Charles brought two large paper bags with the logo of a famous restaurant as gifts. I saw them as useless items in this house. Aunt Merry had prepared a separate dish for dinner.I stirred the food on my plate with no intention of actually eating it. Several times Aunt Merry offered me various delicious dishes at the dining table, but I refused. Really, I didn't want to eat the food Charles had brought for dinner this time.Uncle's voice talking about the house renovation plan sounded like the buzzing of mosquitoes in my ears. I only replied as needed, one or two words that I
Thomas really made me do a shitty morning activity. I had to wake up early, missing breakfast with Aunt Merry just to pick him up at the apartment. Ridiculously, I couldn't refuse not because I didn't have the courage. I saw that Thomas was really busy with his files. So... what that man was asking for wasn't just an excuse.He needs my help.So here I am now. Choosing a suit that suits him-tie, cufflinks, watch, and shoes. It must all match, or else I will get him angry. That's also why I had to take the time to study colors. It must be because the stuff in Thomas's clothes comes in a variety of colors.“Your clothes are ready,” I half shouted. I couldn't possibly talk in front of Thomas' bathroom door. Ugh! After sorting the clothes, I glanced at the dining table where there was nothing but a slice of bread with no jam on it.“How can he have so much energy with just two slices of bread?” I said as I opened the fridge. I took out the eggs, sliced beef, lettuce, tomato, and cucumber
“Damn,” I grumbled with an annoyed step. The encounter with Charles had completely ruined my mood. I was hungry but because of the argument, my taste buds just disappeared. I had to fill my stomach immediately because my job as Helena's replacement could not be taken lightly.Along the way to Helena's room, I kept thinking about that shameless Charles. God, he showed me a very bad side. And I felt that the sadness and disappointment that my marriage had failed was not as bad as it seemed. I was indeed sad, because what I wanted and longed for had come to an abrupt end. With an affair that I never expected.But the more days I pass, the more grateful I am that the failure happened.Including the incident this afternoon.Perhaps because I was too busy with thoughts that didn't lead to work, I had unknowingly stepped closer to Helena's office. The elevator that took me to my floor destination also seemed to be moving quickly. Unfortunately... I haven't put anything in my stomach as food.