The first thing Amir did when he arrived at the office was head straight to Erin's room. Her computer screen looked completely off—tilted and disjointed, as if someone inexperienced had tinkered with it. Fixing it wasn't hard for Amir, but as he uncovered the source of the problem, he glared at the girl sitting in front of him.

'Did you mess up this PC on purpose?" Amir accused.


Erin's eyes blinked a bit too fast, her telltale sign of guilt that Amir had come to know well. "Says who? You must've been careless..."

"Fine, if you don't want to admit it, I'll just install a few ‘games' on Nathan's laptop," he threatened casually, 'So he has something to do other than remote-controlling office PCs."

Erin's eyes widened, confirming Amir's suspicions. She sighed deeply. "Alright, yes, I did it. It's because of you! We've been dating for two weeks, and you're always busy. Every Sunday, you head home to Tangerang. You promised we'd spend time together!"


Amir scratched his head, even though it wasn't itchy. He'd thought that spending more time together after work—waiting for each other even though she was picked up by her driver while he drove himself—would ease her neediness a bit. Or at least, that she might get a little bored.

But if anything, Erin seemed to be getting clingier. Her affectionate glances, her excitement whenever they met, her playful words—it all just seemed to increase. And now, here they were.


'I already told you, I'll be with you this Saturday night," he said.

'And Sunday too, right?" she asked, a slight pout in her voice.

'Yes. Saturday night and Sunday. Just us."

'Staycation?" she asked, perking up.

'You're really pushing it," he muttered with a smirk.

'Kidding!" Erin laughed, taking his right hand and massaging his knuckles. 'I miss you, honey. I want to stroll with you, eat with you..."

'We see each other every day. We eat together every day."

'But not freely. I can't feed you, and I can't kiss you here," she replied with a playful pout.

He chuckled. 'Just a few more days, alright? Can you be patient?"

'I am being patient!" she insisted.

'Patient? This whole setup was to get me alone with you during work hours. Don't you have actual work?"

'My job's easy, honey. No need to worry about it."

Amir noticed that she wasn't even glancing at her phone. Her full attention was on him as he worked on her PC. Fifteen minutes had passed, which he thought was a long time for someone supposedly working with data.

'Here's what I don't get," he started, his tone curious. 'You're in a secretary role, right? But your boss is on assignment, and the GM works at headquarters. Who are you even working with? What's your actual job?"

Erin swallowed, holding back the response that nearly slipped out. The truth was, her job title was just a cover. She actually helped with admin tasks for Xavier, not secretary work. Amir didn't know that Mrs. Berta was her aunt. She wasn't ready for him to know just yet—it would take too long to explain, and she wanted to keep things light between them for now.

'Well, it's a startup office, you know how that is," she said casually. 'The system's kind of unclear."

Amir raised an eyebrow. 'Really? You're saying that to me, someone who's worked here five years? The system's fine."

She looked at him, feigning innocence. 'Then what do you think of my role here? Why would I be placed in this position?"

Amir squinted, catching the subtle tension in her voice. 'Be honest—you're some kind of auditor, aren't you?"

'Oh, you think you're so clever," Erin scoffed. 'An audit that lasts months?"

'Who knows?" he teased. 'Audit people usually look like you—sharp, stylish, working in their own space, no CCTV."

'Mean! Accusing me like that!" Erin laughed. 'If I were an auditor, I'd have reported Steve ages ago for being flirtatious and the HR team for antagonizing their own employees."

'Antagonizing? Are you saying Kia has a problem with you?" Amir asked, surprised. Erin hadn't mentioned this before. Since the Family Gathering, Kia, Raya, and even Ridwan had stopped greeting him. That was a surprise—these were the people who had always been his close friends. Yet now, it seemed like Erin was enough for him.

'Yeah! She's been giving me these judgmental looks." Erin mimicked the hostile stare she'd received, rolling her eyes. 'It's practically bullying!"

'Come on, Erin, you're just imagining things," he tried to assure her, though he knew her feelings were probably valid.

'Then why are you defending her?" Erin's frustration bubbled over, and she punched his arm lightly.

He laughed, catching her hand. 'I'm not defending anyone. It's just… I hate seeing you upset."

She scoffed, though her pout softened. 'Fine. Hug me."

'Erin…"

'Oh, please?" She widened her eyes, her voice softening to a plea. And before he could protest, she was perched sideways on his lap, her arms wrapping around his shoulders.

Amir felt his heart race as he glanced toward the thin office door separating them from the hallway and the other employees. 'If anyone walks in, we're going to be the office gossip."

Erin merely snuggled closer, the soft scent of her perfume—a mix of vanilla and fresh flowers—washing over him. 'I don't care."

He sighed, giving in, wrapping his arms around her. Despite her tall, full-figured frame, her weight felt comforting and warm. Erin closed her eyes, relaxing into him with a deep sigh of contentment.

'When can I take you home to meet my family?" she murmured softly. The question hung in the air, and Amir's grip tightened. Her thoughts seemed to drift to a future he could easily picture, though her father would be a formidable hurdle.

He leaned back, looking at her. 'Erin, you know we left the door unlocked, right?"

Unfazed, Erin straightened, her gaze lingering on his face. She raised a hand to stroke his cheek, tracing the rough outline of his beard. 'Can I get this for myself too?" she teased, pressing her cheek to his, pretending as if his beard might somehow transfer.

'Cute, but it doesn't work that way," he said with a laugh, giving her waist a playful pinch.

In retaliation, she pinched his nose. Hard. 'There, satisfied?"

He nodded, pulling her close once more. In that moment, he knew that no amount of office rumors or awkward glances could make him let go of her. She was his, flaws and all.

Erin's lips pressed another playful kiss on Amir's nose. 'Ready now?"

'Not quite," he replied, leaning in slightly.

Erin chuckled, pressing another kiss to his nose, this time holding it there until a soft pink stain from her lipstick lingered on Amir's tan skin. 'How about now?"

The energy in Amir shifted, as if her cheerful spirit had filled the room. Her touch, her closeness, it all felt like a recharge he didn't realize he needed. 'One more," he whispered, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

Erin's eyes sparkled, delighted by his request. 'Oh, feeling bold now, are we?" She leaned in, hugging his face with both hands, her lips lingering on his for a second. 'Ready?"

Amir swallowed, suddenly more aware than ever. He had spent so much time in the routines of life that he sometimes forgot what it felt like to truly live in a moment. Here was Erin, her sparkling eyes and radiant smile making him feel like the luckiest man in the world.

'Honey, are you okay?"

'Hm?" Amir blinked, snapping back to the present as he held her waist a little tighter, grounding himself.

'You zoned out for a second. Do you still love me?"

Amir raised an eyebrow, surprised. 'What kind of question is that?"

'I just want to know. Do you still love me?"

'We've been together for, what, a month? What do you think?"

'Just answer me, honey!"

'Yes, of course I love you."

'Why, though?" She tilted her head, waiting for a serious answer.

'Here we go again," he sighed, but he couldn't resist her. 'Fine. I love you because… you're relentless. Because even though I tried to resist, you never gave up. It's like you cast a love spell on me. Suddenly, it's all about you. My mind is filled with you—what you're doing, where you are, if you've eaten… I'm trapped, completely under your spell."

Erin's lips pursed, her cheeks flushed, and she looked down, a bit shyly. 'Ah, that's so sweet." She ran a hand across his cheek and down to his chin. 'Did you really dream about me?"

Amir's cheeks turned a bit pink as he cleared his throat, scratching the back of his neck. 'Yea. Dry, wet. Both kinds, actually."

Erin's eyes widened in surprise, and her cheeks heated with a deeper blush. 'You're such a tease!"

Amir held her waist tighter, a quiet contentment settling over him. All those little pinches and teasing punches faded into the background. Being with Erin felt like floating, like the world outside barely mattered.

Erin wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug. 'I love you even more, Amir!"

Amir let his head rest against hers, inhaling the warm, sweet scent of her hair, letting it soothe him, grounding him in the moment. His mind wandered for a second to the empty corner of the room where he knew there was no camera. They were safe, though it felt a bit surreal. Wasn't it strange how Mrs. Berta had just let Erin use this room without any monitoring?

But he pushed that thought aside, holding Erin closer. She was here, and so was he.

Meanwhile, on the first floor, Mrs. Berta rarely had time to join meetings on busy days like this. But with a request coming from both Steve and Kia—two of the office's most influential people—she made an exception. She entered the room with her attention still on her agenda, only to pause when Kia handed her his phone, a Samsung S22 Ultra, with a video already playing.

On the screen, a recording from the recent Family Gathering played, filmed from a distance. In the flickering light of a campfire, something had caught Kia's eye, and now, as Mrs. Berta watched, she felt her confusion give way to something far more pressing.

Since he hadn't attended the family gathering, Steve hadn't seen the recording in person. Now, he watched the video footage, which zoomed in on a dimly lit area parallel to the stage. There, the image captured Erin's back, with Amir's face clearly visible in front of her.

Mrs. Berta had known Amir for years. She'd seen him at his lowest, watched him fight his way out of difficult times. And here, for the first time, she saw him wearing a wide, sincere smile—the kind that could only be meant for someone special. And that someone was Erin.

The two appeared close, their interaction intimate and natural. Their occasional touches, Erin brushing Amir's hair back or touching his cheek, hinted at a deep connection between them. The video ended, replaced by a slideshow of photos taken secretly at different moments. One showed them holding hands in the cafeteria, another as they stood close before boarding a bus, and finally, Erin resting her head on Amir's shoulder in the back seat of the bus.

It was undeniable now; there was a special bond between them.

"I think it's time we establish some strict policies on office romances, ma'am," Steve suggested, breaking the silence. Kia, beside him, adjusted her glasses nervously but nodded in agreement.

'Is it affecting their performance?" Mrs. Berta asked as she handed back Kia's phone. Though she stood calmly, her mind was already racing. She would have to report this to her brother Rudolf, and she wasn't quite sure how to frame it.

'Not yet, ma'am, at least for Amir," Steve replied. 'But it's best to address it now rather than wait until it does. As for Erin…" He trailed off, looking at Kia.

'With Erin, I'm not sure, ma'am. Erin is directly under you, so I don't have much oversight on her work. But if you'd like, I could take over her supervision as well."

'Wait." Mrs. Berta held up her hand. 'If there's no evidence of poor performance or any adverse effects, then why are you both monitoring them? Why propose a policy like this?"

Steve squared his shoulders, replying confidently, 'I'm just thinking of the future, ma'am. Erin and Amir are senior employees, and many of the others look up to them. Plus, with our upcoming office expansion and new hires, a situation like this could quickly become a bigger issue. We think it's best to prevent any complications now."

She nodded thoughtfully. 'Thank you, Steve. I appreciate your concern."

'Happy to help, ma'am," Steve said, smiling proudly, oblivious to the hint of sarcasm in her tone. She hadn't forgotten the incident from two years ago when Steve's wife had shown up at the office, accusing a receptionist of flirting with him. In truth, Steve was hardly one to talk about romance ethics, and she was glad Erin had chosen Amir over him.

'I appreciate your report as well, Kia," she added. 'But I don't think we need to enact any strict policy right now. The office is still small, and challenges like this are just part of a company's journey. Regulations can follow when and if an actual issue arises."

'Oh, but we only want to prevent one from happening, ma'am," Steve insisted.

'That won't be necessary, Steve." She dismissed his concern with a calm smile. 'Look around. We're growing rapidly, and there are far more important things to focus on. Finding new hires, for example, or preparing for the office expansion. We don't need to be worrying about two single adults dating."

'It's really not complicated, ma'am," Kia interrupted, a bit more urgently than usual. 'I even have a draft of the guidelines ready for your signature if you agree."

'No, Kia." Her tone was firm but patient. 'I suggest you direct your energy elsewhere. We need more hands on our recruitment efforts, and we're also revising the employee handbook, which will need to be printed and distributed. Plus, there's the added renovation budget." The sounds of the construction crew in the adjacent shop, hammering and drilling, seemed to echo her words. 'If, down the road, this becomes a real problem, feel free to bring it up again. But for now, let's stay focused on our main goals. Understood, Steve? Kia?"

The two glanced at each other, sensing her finality. 'Understood, ma'am," they said in unison.

'Good. Now, back to work, please."

Once they left, Mrs. Berta took her iPhone from her jacket pocket. She dialed and set the phone on the round glass table, placing it on speaker. Tapping her nails absentmindedly, she waited for a response.

'What is it, another funding issue?" Her brother Rudolf's voice came on the line, skipping any greeting.

'Hello, Rudolf. No, that's not it," she replied with a hint of exasperation. 'It's about Erin."

The voices on the other end faded, replaced by silence. It seemed her brother had moved to a quieter place to hear her more clearly.

'What is it? What's the problem?" he asked.

'Do you know Erin's seeing someone?" she ventured cautiously.

A brief pause indicated Rudolf was thinking. 'Oh, right… I did catch her cooking breakfast once. But I didn't know for whom. Why? Has she not mentioned anything to you?"

'Not yet," Berta replied. 'Listen, this guy she's seeing… he's one of my employees. His name's Amir. People have noticed they're often together. He's a good man, really—a model employee."

'So?" Rudolf's voice held a hint of impatience. 'There's an issue, isn't there?"

'There's nothing wrong with Amir. He's a respectable guy, I can vouch for that."

'Then what's the issue, Berta? Just spit it out already!" Berta's nerves got the better of her, and she found herself slapping her forehead in frustration. People often said she was strict, but her fierceness was nothing compared to her brother's. Memories of her school days flashed through her mind—Rudolf had been her fiercest protector and her biggest tormentor. She knew his overbearing attitude was his way of showing love, but still, it made her uneasy.

But now, she had to explain something sensitive without revealing too much. 'The thing is, Amir is a good person… but his family, well—"

'What? Why?" Rudolf barked.

Berta winced at his loud tone. This was exactly why she'd put him on speakerphone. 'Look, I'm sorry, but I made a promise not to share the details. Amir's family has some… complications. We all agreed to keep it confidential at work."

'What are you saying? Does this guy have a problem, or is it his family?" he demanded.

'Something like that."

'What problem? Who exactly? Why can't you just tell me?" His frustration was building.

'Sorry, but I have to keep my word. I can say this: Amir is trustworthy, and Erin is safe with him. But his background might make you uneasy. That's really all I can say."

'Fine, what's his full name? I'll find out myself." She heard him tapping his phone to jot down the details.

'Amir Winarto," Berta answered, but then added, 'I doubt you'll find much. He's very smart about keeping things off the record."

'You're making me worry, you know that?" Rudolf huffed.

'There's nothing dangerous about it," Berta assured him softly. 'I'm sure Erin will introduce him to you soon, and Amir can explain his background himself."

'How am I supposed to ask Erin about it? I'm leaving for Australia soon, and she's a pro at dodging any serious questions online."

'Just be patient, will you? Wait until you're face-to-face."

'How can I be patient after a conversation like this, Berta?"

'Trust me, Erin's safe," she emphasized. 'It's only about his background, not something criminal."

'What, then? He's an ex-convict?"

'No!" Berta quickly corrected him.

'Then what?"

'I just can't say," she answered, feeling trapped by her promise.

'Good grief, Berta! I'm your brother, and Erin's my daughter! Can't you just break that promise for her sake?"

'She's safe, I swear," Berta insisted. 'You can talk to her and Amir once you're back. Ask them to come visit; Amir can explain everything then."

Rudolf's barrage of questions was wearing her out. She could hear him trying to control his temper with deep, steady breaths. 'You nearly gave me a heart attack, Berta."

'Please, just be patient," she replied soothingly. 'I'm sorry for worrying you. When you're back, everything will be clearer, I promise. Alright?"

A heavy sigh came through the speaker. 'Fine. I'll deal with it when I return. Right now, I need to focus on business."

'Safe travels, Rudolf. Say hello to your wife for me."

'Thanks for the heads-up."

'You're welcome."

As the call ended, Berta let out a sigh of relief. At least now she'd informed him, and if anything were to happen, she wouldn't be to blame.

***