"Even so, you have to be brave, Sir. It's part of the company's responsibility," Amelia said calmly.
Bima looked sharply at Rey's face. It was not an angry look, but more like a silent signal. The signal clearly told Rey not to worry too much about Amelia.
Rey, who was opening his bowl of chicken porridge, looked back at Bima. He pretended not to understand, hoping Bima would explain it openly in front of Amelia. Fortunately, Bima was in a good mood that morning.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Rey asked as he sat beside Amelia.
"You shouldn't worry too much about Amelia," Bima said seriously. "She also needs to learn how to handle her responsibilities. Not everyone can get close to Nicky, especially women. You know what kind of person Nicky is, right?"
Amelia looked confused. She did not fully understand what Bima meant. In fact, Nicky was her uncle, but she rarely interacted with him because they almost never met.
"What kind of person is my uncle, actually?" Amelia asked while lifting her tea and taking a sip.
"Your uncle is married and has two teenage children," Bima replied while picking up his spoon and opening his porridge container. "But unfortunately, he rarely opens his heart to employees here."
"Are you really going to eat that?" Rey teased him. "That porridge was bought from a street vendor in front of the office."
Bima glanced at Rey and Amelia. He smiled while breathing in the aroma of the porridge. It smelled delicious and instantly made his stomach growl.
"If I'm the owner of this company, then why should I complain about eating street food?" Bima asked casually as he took a spoonful and ate it.
The taste surprised him. It was delicious. He liked it so much that he raised his thumb. Even though he was a company owner, he was not embarrassed to eat on the roadside.
"My life is absurd," Bima said lightly. "I want to be a normal person too. Someone who can eat anything without discrimination."
Amelia's eyes widened. All this time, she thought her boss was always serious. She never expected him to be this relaxed and funny.
"So you're just realizing your boss can joke around?" Rey teased her.
Amelia nodded. "Yes. I just realized it today. I always thought Mr. Bima was very serious."
"If I stay serious all the time, I'll get old faster," Bima complained while drinking his tea.
"You're already old, Sir," Amelia joked. "Especially since you have two kids."
Rey burst out laughing. What Amelia said was true. Bima already had two children from his marriage with Martha.
That warm morning created a positive atmosphere at the office. There was nothing to hide. Everyone was open about their lives.
At home, Amelia's house felt empty. It was not like a normal home. That house was a kind of hell for Amelia. Although it looked luxurious, it carried many wounds that she silently endured.
The sound of a car engine entered the yard. The car was parked carelessly. Nilam stepped out and immediately looked around, searching for someone. But she found no one.
"Where is that ungrateful child!" Nilam growled as she stormed into the house.
She walked as if she were being chased. She went straight to the backyard. Her face was dark and full of anger.
When she reached the back area, she heard no sound of water. Something felt wrong. She looked around, searching for Amelia. At that hour, Amelia was usually washing clothes.
"How strange," Nilam muttered while checking the time. "It's eight in the morning. That ungrateful child should be washing clothes by now."
Nilam headed to Amelia's room. Her anger grew, and she began to think Amelia was lazy. Worse, dark thoughts crossed her mind, including threatening Amelia's life.
"Hey! Ungrateful child! Are you still sleeping?" Nilam shouted while banging on the door.
She still didn't realize that Amelia was not at home. She forced the door open.
Inside, the room was empty. No one was there. Small animals were scattered around the room, but Amelia was gone.
"Hahaha!" Nilam laughed happily. "Good. You're not home. Sooner or later, this house will be mine!"
It was unclear what Nilam truly meant. Even though Amelia was absent, Nilam claimed the house as her own.
She laughed in satisfaction and left the room.
Back in her room, Nilam cleaned herself and then sat in front of the mirror to apply makeup.
"If this house truly belongs to Amelia," she thought, "then where did she hide the land ownership documents?"
"I should find them," Nilam muttered.
As she stood up, she glanced at the clock and widened her eyes. She quickly grabbed a perfume she had specially ordered. It was luxurious and known to attract men. When Nilam wore it, she imagined pleasure, luxury, and wealthy men at her feet.
Meanwhile, Amelia's life was moving in a better direction. She was preparing for her trip to Singapore. Before leaving, she copied documents related to an international shipping contract.
"The most beautiful thing in life is enjoying it without forcing anything," Amelia thought.
Life is only once. Why make it full of misery?
Amelia left her office and glanced around, looking for Bima and Rey.
At the same time, the two men she was looking for were having a calm discussion. The topic was serious — a new weapon that would soon be released.
Amelia knocked on the door. Bima gave a signal, telling Rey to stop the discussion. Then he told her to enter.
"Come in!" Bima called out.
Amelia entered wearing a casual outfit. Both Bima and Rey froze for a moment.
Quickly, Bima threw a pen at Rey.
Rey caught it effortlessly and smiled. He sensed something strange about Bima's reaction when he looked at Amelia.
Amelia simply smiled, amused by the two men. She was glad to find some light-hearted entertainment. Her smile made both of them stare in silence.
"You look very beautiful," Bima said, smiling.
"Hey, remember your wife and kids!" Rey warned him.
Bima admitted that Amelia was beautiful. Even with simple clothes, her aura was strong. She was a young woman with inner strength.
"So, are we leaving?" Amelia asked, checking the time.
"I'll take you," Rey offered.
"I'll do it," Bima said firmly. "She'll be safer with me."
"Boss, you have a lot of work," Rey pointed at the documents.
"It can be postponed," Bima replied.
Rey had nothing more to say. It was rare almost impossible for Bima to personally escort an employee to the airport.
In the end, Rey allowed it. They stood up and walked toward Amelia. Bima looked at her and felt something strange stirring inside him.
"There's a strange feeling in my heart," Bima thought.
Then Amelia asked calmly, "Where will I be staying later?"