Five minutes before the office hours, Daniel smoothly parked the Alphard car in front of the lobby. Recognizing the arrival, a security guard in uniform hurriedly approached and opened the car door.Niko was taken aback, his mouth slightly agape, as he gazed at the impressive company building where he would be working. It was huge and magnificent, a far cry from the restaurant where he used to work. Not a fair comparison, really.The commanding presence of Daniel made Niko close his mouth and pretend to adjust his perfectly tied tie. He was overwhelmed with nervousness."Please, Young Master," Daniel slightly bowed, gesturing for Niko to walk ahead.Taking a deep breath several times, Niko confidently stepped into the building. The air conditioning immediately hit him, making him shiver slightly. It was an unfamiliar place, but soon it might be under his leadership.Niko could feel curious glances from passing employees. As a gesture of friendliness, Niko offered a thin smile and occa
Every sentence spoken by Niko seemed to silence Elina. The marketing employee appeared helpless as Niko always hit the mark."You—" Niko didn't continue his words because Daniel suddenly arrived."Apologies, Young Master. You must return to the room immediately as Mr. Arshad is waiting."Niko was annoyed by Daniel's intrusion, but he couldn't do much because staying here longer would affect Daniel."Now?"Without hesitation, Daniel nodded. Without time to spare, Daniel would likely be less composed. No need to search for his young master."This time, you're safe. Just pray you won't cross paths with me again," Niko warned menacingly.Elina dared not respond to Niko's words. It turned out the man was quite intimidating when he was serious. Elina's significant mistake on the road had provoked Niko's anger.The two of them walked together towards the exclusive elevator used by the company's top executives. There was no conversation between the two men because they were unsure what to tal
This is much scarier than Niko expected. He did trust his job under Daniel's guidance, but now Niko's mind feels like it's on fire.Maybe being a company leader isn't his calling. It's too much for him."Daniel, can I get some coffee?" Niko asks with a forced smile.Daniel, who was about to read the next file, suddenly falls silent. He gazes at his boss with an unreadable expression. "Are you getting tired of my explanations?"Niko quickly shakes his head. "N-no, it's not that," he defends himself. "I think you also need a short break." His smile seems a bit strained.Daniel sighs deeply, then nods. "All right, then." He places the folder on the table. "I'll be right back."After Daniel's departure, Niko quickly rises from his seat. Asking Daniel to make coffee was just an excuse. Niko wants to escape from the burdensome work he can't comprehend at all. Leaving the office, he walks away.The company is vast, and Niko's footsteps wander aimlessly because he currently has no definite de
Niko gazed at Elina's receding figure until she turned and left the cafeteria. The young man then flashed a crooked smile, taking a drag from his half-finished cigarette.Having enjoyed the unexpected encounter with Elina, Niko decided to return to the room before Daniel followed him, just as he had earlier when he excused himself to the restroom. He strolled casually, one hand tucked into his pants pocket, unable to shake the habit despite knowing it could slightly rumple his attire.As Niko reached the lobby, he scanned the area, ensuring that Daniel hadn't caught up with him, like he did before. Niko then headed towards the elevator to go upstairs."What's your deal, huh? You're supposed to be part of the cleaning service, but you're not doing your job properly. Should I report you to your superiors?" Niko was startled by the scolding from a female employee standing near the elevator. A cleaning service staff member was hunched in front of her, muttering repeated apologies.Curious
After seeing Alexa being dragged away by security, Niko could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Initially, he had feared that the arrival of the woman from his past would continue to haunt him. However, Niko was grateful that security had arrived just in time.As he turned around, Niko was startled by the sudden arrival of Daniel. His assistant stood tall behind him, wearing a puzzled expression."You really startled me!" exclaimed Niko.Daniel apologized multiple times, explaining that he hadn't meant to startle him. Niko replied with a brief acknowledgment and invited Daniel back into his office. Intent on clearing his mind from the work-related stress, Niko was now faced with Alexa's unexpected presence at the company."Have you finished your break, young sir?" Daniel asked in the silence of the elevator."Somewhat," Niko replied tersely, as he couldn't possibly share all his frustrations about his encounter with Alexa earlier.The two men continued in silence until they reached th
A man walked with wide strides along the office corridor. His face appeared somewhat weary. The incident in his office had left Niko infuriated, especially with Justin suddenly barging in and hitting him."Damn, that scoundrel!" Niko muttered as he rubbed his sore cheek.Today, Niko had to go home alone as Daniel had other commitments. He didn't mind, really, but in his current mood, he needed Daniel to talk to.Niko's footsteps led him to the basement. Upon arriving there, he headed straight for his city car. Before he could grab the car door handle, his hand was grabbed by someone.Niko turned, and the man before him rolled his eyes in annoyance. Right in front of him stood a woman he didn't want to see, none other than Alexa."Let go!" Niko commanded sharply."No. I won't let go until you come with me," Alexa replied.Niko yanked his hand away from Alexa's grasp roughly. Being treated this way by his ex only made Alexa flinch. Earlier, she wasn't even allowed into the office, havin
"Where are we actually going, Young Master?" Elina asked, for who knows how many times. Her butt started to feel numb from sitting too long without doing anything meaningful, just staring ahead while nodding off.It had been more than an hour, and they had been circling around, even passing by the office building twice. Yet, there was no sign that Niko was going to stop. The only company during this journey was Niko's troubled expression.Niko's Alphard came to a halt in front of a well-lit park. He was searching for a suitable parking spot for his four-wheeled vehicle."Oh my goodness! We're just going here? In case Young Master forgot, we've passed this park twice already. Why didn't you stop earlier?" Elina complained as she stepped out of the car, slamming the door shut.Niko remained silent, not responding to Elina's scolding. He unfastened his seatbelt and got out of the car as well.Niko took broad strides, leading the way into the crowded park. Many young couples occupied ever
After dropping Elina off, Niko was left wondering where to go next. He didn't feel like going home, as it was filled with hypocritical people like Justin and his parents.As he pondered his options, Niko suddenly thought of his old apartment. He decided to drive there, hoping to find some peace compared to his current home.Arriving in front of a modest yet cozy-looking house, Niko got out of his car. The sound of the padlock on the gate didn't disturb the neighbors; this house had been empty for over a year. Niko wasn't worried about being kicked out since he had paid for five years in advance, even though he had left it empty for a year due to his imprisonment.An unpleasant smell greeted Niko as he entered the kitchen. He waved his hands to try and dispel the stench of expired food, though it was not very effective. The house looked like a wreck, covered in dust and dirt, but at least it didn't have a haunted feel despite a year of abandonment.Realizing that cleaning the house in