[2] a

The beautiful woman in a black blazer paired with a striking red blouse walked confidently. Her eyes occasionally scanned the surroundings as she strolled down the corridor. She didn't want anything out of place because the boss liked perfection. Or maybe she would find an administrative staff member she had been monitoring, busy with their work, engrossed in their phone. It's not forbidden, but personal phone use had its own time.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Marta," greeted one of the administrative staff members, named Kiara.

"Good afternoon, Kiara," Marta smiled tightly.

That was it. The rest of them returned to their work, and Marta continued her steps towards the boss's office. In Marta's eyes, the head of the SAVEFUND CBD branch was quite unique. Not much talkative, rarely seen socializing with other staff members, having lunch alone, and when he did speak, it was enough to create tension and a pounding heart. His voice was firm, and he didn't want much small talk; he wanted things to be straightforward. He didn't want to hear anything that deviated too far.

Beyond that, Marta was actually quite curious about Thomas's love life.

Three years of working together in this CBD branch had not made Marta discover much about Thomas's true personality. He was too stiff and cold.

"Good afternoon, sir," Marta said after being granted entry. Earlier, she had knocked on the glass door with a small sign that read 'Branch Manager'.

Thomas glanced briefly and then returned to his reports, which already conveyed that Marta should come in and sit in the chair in front of him to explain the purpose of her visit to this room.

"Sir, this is the transfer letter for the teller at the Gajah Mada branch."

"Has Mrs. Sonia provided an email reference about her performance?" Thomas asked without lifting his eyes.

"She has, sir. You can check it."

It was the file that made Thomas decide to look up for a moment. He immediately took the folder given by Marta and started scanning and studying what his assistant branch manager had brought.

"Her name is... Olivia Charlotte?"

"Yes, sir. Olive often receives the title of best employee at the Gajah Mada branch, as well as the best teller according to the customers who visit there."

Thomas nodded briefly. His eyes were fixed on a photo with a red background where the girl named Olive was. He smiled slightly, showing a fairly sweet face. "Hopefully, she can adapt to the rhythm here. Usually, each branch has slight differences, especially the unwritten rules."

"All right, sir. I will explain later."

"When does she start working here?"

"Effective from next Monday," Marta replied straightforwardly.

"All right."

Not long after, Marta left his office, leaving Thomas to get back to his work. The file about Olive was still wide open. When he glanced at it, the photo continued to disturb him. It reminded him of a conversation with his superior, Matthew.

"Olive is good at her job, Thomas. Give her a three-month chance and promote her to head teller."

"Do you promote her directly like this because she's really good?"

Matthew laughed. "You can check for yourself later." He added a gentle pat on Thomas's shoulder. "Don't be too rigid, huh. Occasionally, you need something entertaining."

Thomas frowned.

"I've talked to Olive a few times in Gajah Mada, and I feel like this girl has a great spirit. You know, some people are gifted with an aura that makes those around them happy?"

"I don't really believe in that, sir," Thomas remarked as he took a sip of his coffee.

"That's precisely why I'm telling you this, because I feel it. Who knows, Olive's effect might have an impact on you, Thomas."

Thomas chuckled softly. "What's in it for me, sir?"

Matthew, on the other hand, laughed mysteriously.

"If the girl you're proud of causes trouble in Jakarta, I'll send her back to Gajah Mada."

"Wow, you're like a husband divorcing his wife because she cheated, Thomas." Matthew laughed even more. "Just send I back... like I did to my mother... my father," Matthew joked further. But Thomas didn't laugh at all. This made Matthew gradually stop laughing.

"Maybe you're the one who doesn't want her to leave eventually, Thomas."

"There's no such thing in my life, sir. I work according to her performance. She's good, I appreciate it. She makes a mistake and acknowledges it, then wants to learn, I'll give her a chance. But if she causes trouble and creates a fuss, I won't hesitate to remove her."