Secret Romance

"Brian, your new secretary is coming today, and you can interview her directly," Cakra said to Brian during breakfast this morning.

"Why not just have Danisa as my secretary? You could use the new secretary, Dad," Brian replied lazily. He didn't really like the idea of having to use a new secretary who often lacked experience.

"Don't be so casual about it. I'm comfortable with Danisa, and Mom prefers the new secretary for you. Be nice to her; she's actually aunt Athalia's daughter, our friend from Samarinda. Remember, Brian?" Amanda protested, explaining who the potential new secretary was.

"Forgot, Mom. It's been such a long time. And I'm supposed to be nice to her just because she's Mom's friend's child? That's not how it works, Mom. If her performance is poor, I need to be firm!" Brian retorted, not wanting to back down. Since his old secretary resigned due to pregnancy, he needed a replacement urgently to handle all his tasks.

"Mom doesn't care. You have to accept the secretary Mom chose, period. You're going to like her; she's beautiful and certainly smart!" Amanda praised with sparkling eyes, determined to make her plan work.

"But, Mom?" Brian interjected, knowing that his mom's desires were usually unyielding.

"Both Dad and I have decided that she will be your secretary. Don't worry about her performance. She had an excellent track record at her previous company. Dad brought her into our company, so just accept it!" Cakra said firmly, not wanting to be challenged. With resignation, Brian could only finish his breakfast as quickly as possible. His mood was ruined this morning because of the new secretary. What bad luck.

"Oh my God," Brian exclaimed after cursing in his mind. He then reached for Amanda's hand and kissed her. Brian hurriedly left before witnessing his parents' intimacy. It was not uncommon for him to find his parents kissing, and sometimes Brian felt envious of their closeness, even though they weren't young anymore. Meanwhile, at nearly 24 years old, Brian himself had never had a girlfriend and had only fallen in love once. However, he had to experience heartbreak when the girl left him abruptly.

***

"Good morning, excuse me, Mr. Brian. Your new secretary has arrived," Danisa, Cakra's secretary, escorted Nadine into Brian's office for the interview.

"Good morning," Brian replied, swiveling his large chair to face Danisa, who was now in his office. Since arriving at the office, his mood had changed; he became less enthusiastic, reminded of his past failed love.

He saw a girl standing behind Danisa, looking nervous. Brian squinted his eyes, briefly wondering if his parents had made the right choice with a petite figure like that for a secretary. His previous secretary was very attractive, elegant, well-dressed, and certainly smart. Brian had some doubts about his parents' choice this time.

"Allow me to introduce Miss Nadine, your new secretary," Danisa explained. Like a bolt of lightning in the morning, that name shocked Brian. His body froze instantly, along with his rapidly beating heart. Could this Nadine that Danisa mentioned be the same Nadine from his past? Brian was curious and approached the girl. Danisa quickly stepped aside, knowing her boss was incredibly selective in choosing employees, especially for the role of his secretary. He wanted everything to be perfect.

Slowly, Nadine's face lifted, and their eyes locked. For several seconds, they simply stared at each other. Thud... they were both shocked; Brian hadn't expected to meet Nadine again, especially now that Nadine looked so different. Sensing the silence, Brian quickly switched his expression back to his usual cold and detached demeanor.

Nadine was equally shocked; it seemed that God had answered her prayers by allowing her to meet Brian again after more than five years apart. Nadine couldn't decipher her feelings, whether they were of happiness or sadness, as she worried that Brian might already have a girlfriend or perhaps even a wife. Given her past mistakes, Nadine doubted if Brian had forgiven her.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Nadine. For more details, you can refer to my CV," Nadine stated firmly, concealing her nervousness. She tried her best to control her racing heartbeats.

"I'm Brian Samudra. Call me Mr. Brian," Brian replied while extending his hand. Hesitantly, Nadine shook Brian's hand. Summoning her courage, she stole a quick glance at Brian. He had become even more handsome and attractive, vastly different from the Brian she used to know when he was her student. Nadine wondered if she could work alongside the man she still loved deeply, all while burying her feelings.

Seeing Brian's smiling expression, Danisa felt relieved. It was a sign that her boss had accepted the new secretary. If Brian had rejected Nadine, Danisa would have been in trouble as she would have to be the secretary for both bosses. Especially this young boss of hers, who could be rather fierce. Danisa had always wondered why her young boss had never had a girlfriend despite the many beautiful and attractive women who often visited the office looking for him. Not to mention the female employees who admired him. They would line up, hoping to capture his attention, but not one of them had succeeded.

Earlier, Danisa had hesitated when she saw Nadine's conservative attire. She knew her boss preferred employees who dressed elegantly and stylishly. Honestly, Nadine was stunning and graceful. Danisa had felt a bit embarrassed by the revealing outfit she had worn when she first met Nadine.

"Danisa, please teach Miss Nadine all her tasks. I expect her to have completed learning all the transferred responsibilities by tomorrow!" Brian commanded, his tone icy and firm. After saying that, he resumed his seat in his large chair and immersed himself in his work.

Danisa and Nadine quickly left Brian's office and went over all the tasks that Nadine would be taking over. Danisa was pleasantly surprised when Nadine turned out to grasp her responsibilities so quickly. Not only was Nadine beautiful, but she was also intelligent – in an instant, she absorbed all the information Danisa provided.

"You're amazing, Nadine, to have absorbed all the material I gave you this quickly. It usually takes me a week to train Mr. Brian's new secretaries," Danisa praised, stretching her body as she had been sitting for too long.

"Does Mr. Brian often change secretaries?" Nadine asked curiously.

"Yes, Nadine. Mr. Brian is strict and meticulous. He demands perfection in all tasks. The previous secretary resigned just a week ago as she's about to give birth soon, even though she was a good fit for the job," Danisa explained enthusiastically. It had only been a day since she met Nadine, but she already felt a connection with the girl.

"Just call me Nadine for a more friendly tone," Nadine said warmly.

"You can call me Danisa too. We're around the same age, just a little age gap, haha," Danisa replied with a hearty laugh. She was glad to have a friendly colleague like Nadine. She hadn't been able to form close friendships at the office since most of the female employees liked to gossip, and Danisa was often seen close to the higher-ups.

"Oh, and one more thing, Nadine! Mr. Brian is still single, you know. Who knows, you might be lucky enough to win his heart!" Danisa whispered into Nadine's ear. Nadine just stared wide-eyed, unable to respond.

***

In his office, Brian felt restless, not expecting to encounter his past infatuation again. He had to admit that Nadine had become even more beautiful, and he found himself wanting to marry her immediately.

"Marriage?" Brian's inner voice exclaimed. Could it be that Nadine still had feelings for him? Like? Nadine had never even reciprocated his expressions of love back then.

Quickly, he reached for Nadine's CV lying on his desk. He wanted to know if she was still single or already married. But before he could read the entire content of the CV, Brian was reminded of how Nadine had rejected him so callously. He threw the CV back onto his desk with force, not wanting to get entangled in his past love again.

"Here I am, her boss. So just wait for my response, Nadine!" Brian muttered to himself.

***

Brian attempted to refocus by immersing himself in the pile of work on his desk. However, his mind kept wandering back to the girl in the headscarf who was working earnestly in front of the computer alongside Danisa. Occasionally, Brian saw Nadine smiling and even laughing, which made his heart feel elated.

"Oh God, what should I do? Should I just directly ask her why she left me back then? Or should I stay silent and pretend like none of it ever happened?" Brian muttered to himself, roughly adjusting his tie in an attempt to ease his suddenly constricted emotions. Since meeting Nadine this morning, his emotions had been in turmoil. He admitted that he still loved her deeply, even after trying for more than 5 years to hate her, but failing miserably. A cunning grin suddenly adorned Brian's handsome face.

"Nadine, join me for lunch with a client now!" Brian ordered abruptly, standing in front of Danisa and Nadine's desk. The two of them stared at Brian in astonishment, especially Danisa. She was shocked by her boss's command since she knew there was no scheduled client meeting outside the office today. Nadine wasn't even supposed to start working actively until tomorrow. A foreboding feeling overwhelmed Danisa; she worried that Brian might do something to Nadine.

Brian turned and walked back to his office with a satisfied smile.

"Let's go, sir!" Nadine said, standing right in front of Brian's desk. Brian turned from his large chair and walked over to Nadine, adjusting his jacket as he gazed at her with an unreadable expression. For Brian's stature, Nadine was quite petite, with a height of only 155 cm compared to Brian's 185 cm, which meant she only reached his chest. Brian had to lower his head to look at the beautiful girl.

"You look even more beautiful!" Brian whispered into Nadine's ear, causing her heart to race instantly. Seeing Nadine's flustered expression, Brian quickly walked out of his office and headed for the elevator with his usual impassive demeanor. Brian was reminded of his high school days when he used to tease his favorite math teacher.

Flashback On...

"Brian, please bring this book to my office!" Nadine ordered the head of Class IPA-1 at Pelita Harapan High School. With enthusiasm, Brian stood up and approached the teacher's desk.

"Sure, Miss Nadine," Brian replied, then rose from his seat, picked up a book from a classmate's desk, and followed Nadine to her office, placing the book on her desk.

"Thank you, Brian!" Nadine said as usual, with her usual cold expression. Back then, Nadine was the most popular intern teacher due to her beauty and creative teaching methods. She managed to make math, a subject disliked by many students, enjoyable through various quizzes and games. However, Nadine's intimidating side would suddenly emerge if anyone disturbed her during a lesson. Her cold and distant expression would persist until the class was over.

"You're so pretty, Miss! Would you like to be my future wife?" Brian teased, causing Nadine's face to flush with anger.

"You're so childish, talking about wives at such a young age. Focus on your studies!" Nadine replied curtly, waving her hand to shoo Brian away.

"Who said I'm small, Miss?" Brian continued teasing Nadine, aligning his body in front of her. Naturally, Nadine grew even more frustrated, feeling physically bullied by her own student.

"Watch out now!" Nadine threatened, attempting to reach for Brian's ear. However, due to Nadine's petite stature, her hand couldn't reach him.

"See, Miss, you can't reach me! I promise, Nadine, you'll be my wife one day," Brian replied before quickly leaving, escaping Nadine's potential anger. As Brian ran away, Nadine smiled, watching his receding figure. She couldn't deny that Brian was indeed very handsome, with a face reminiscent of Korean oppas and a well-built body that added to his charm.

"Snap out of it, Nadine! He's your student!" Nadine scolded herself, dismissing the intrusive thoughts.

Flashback Off

Crash... Lost in her thoughts, Nadine accidentally bumped into Brian's back as he stopped in front of the elevator.

"I'm sorry, sir, it was unintentional!" Nadine stammered, fearing her new boss might get angry due to her clumsiness. Nadine herself was confused; she felt uncomfortable working for someone who had once held a place in her heart. She was afraid she wouldn't be able to maintain a professional relationship. In her previous workplace, she had been a stellar secretary, and her work had always been excellent.

Without responding, Brian entered the open elevator and was followed by Nadine from behind.

"Come here, don't stand behind me!" Without a word, Brian grabbed Nadine's hand, causing her to stumble. Slowly, Nadine released Brian's grip.

"I'm sorry, sir," Nadine said a bit sardonically. Since deciding to make a change in her life, Nadine had been keeping her distance from any non-relative men. She genuinely wanted to repent for the mistakes she had made with Brian in the past. It was due to those mistakes that Nadine couldn't bring herself to form any relationships with men.

Approaching her 27th birthday, it wasn't just once that men had wanted to court Nadine. Even her parents had tried to arrange matches for her, but Nadine always declined. For some reason, it was difficult for her to fall in love again.

As Brian sat in the driver's seat, Nadine was torn between sitting next to him or in the backseat. Finally, she decided to sit in the back.

"Why are you sitting in the back? Am I your driver?" Brian remarked without looking, observing Nadine's blushing face from the rearview mirror. Brian grinned broadly as he watched Nadine move to the front seat beside him. He was satisfied to have teased his infatuation. He had deliberately asked his driver, Ebrahim, to take a break, wanting to be alone with his new secretary, who seemed quite fun to tease. Right in front of an upscale restaurant, the car came to a stop. Just as Nadine was about to open the car door, Brian suddenly stopped her.

"Wait for me in the car," Brian ordered firmly.

"Alright, sir!" Nadine replied casually, smiling. Unconsciously, Brian moved his face closer to Nadine's.

"Don't ever smile like that in front of other men!" Brian whispered softly, then flicked his finger against Nadine's forehead as she remained frozen. After closing the car door, Brian approached a beautiful girl wearing a knee-length flowy pink patterned dress standing in front of the restaurant.

Seeing Brian kiss the girl's left and right cheeks, Nadine's heart grew uneasy. Especially when she saw Brian happily embracing the girl and the girl's arm wrapped affectionately around his waist. Nadine realized that Brian had probably forgotten about her; their love had only lasted a few days. They had spent three days together before Nadine left without a word.

While waiting for Brian to have lunch with his girlfriend, girlfriend in Nadine's perspective, she put on her earphones to comfort her heart, which suddenly felt heavy when recalling her tragic love story with Brian. Falling in love had only brought her pain.

Thirty minutes passed, and Brian still hadn't come out of the restaurant. Nadine was annoyed – instead of taking her to meet a client, Brian was now using her as his mosquito repellent while he enjoyed his date. Just as Nadine was about to step out of the car, Brian appeared, holding hands with the same girl and opening the car door for her. They shared a warm embrace right in front of Nadine.

"Remember, Nadine, he's not the same Brian from the past. He's your boss now," Nadine's inner voice scolded her to wake up.

"Here, this is for you. You probably haven't eaten yet," Brian said as he entered the car, handing Nadine a lunchbox along with a bottle of cold mineral water.

"Thank you, sir!" Nadine replied while accepting the food. In her mind, Nadine grumbled, "Sure, Mr. Brian, you're enjoying your date in there while I'm sweating in the car."

The atmosphere remained silent during the drive as neither of them initiated a conversation. Nadine felt restless, as her boss had been distant toward her since the morning.

Unconsciously, Nadine observed Brian. He was very different from the Brian of the past – the one who used to be tall and skinny, resembling a Korean oppa. Now, he had a very sexy, well-built body, and Nadine couldn't help but feel a bit melted by his appearance. His youthful executive aura radiated from his expensive suit.

***

Upon arriving at the office, Brian headed straight to his room without acknowledging Danisa, who stood there to greet him. Danisa was puzzled by the radiant expression on Brian's face after his lunch outing with Nadine. She turned to look at Nadine, who was walking behind Brian. Seeing Nadine's downcast expression, Danisa grew suspicious. Could it be that what she had been thinking had actually happened? Was Brian playing tricks on his new secretary?

Nadine made her way to her desk listlessly. She was truly hungry, as she had only had a piece of bread and a glass of milk since morning. She had arrived at the office promptly at 7 a.m., wanting to make a good impression on her new boss.

"Why do you look so down, Nid? You were out with the boss, but you seem a bit off," Danisa approached curiously.

"I'm really hungry, Danisa. I haven't eaten since morning, and then I was asked to wait around while the boss went on a date!" Nadine replied while opening the lunchbox that Brian had given her.

"Are you serious, Nadine? As far as I know, the boss has never had a girlfriend!" Danisa said, thinking hard. She knew that their young boss had never been in a relationship. Even Cakra and Amanda were puzzled by Brian's attitude of always rejecting potential matches their family proposed, despite not having a partner himself. Nadine just shrugged it off and began eating her meal eagerly.

"Turns out Brian still remembers my favorite food!" Nadine whispered to herself, paying no attention to Danisa's confusion.

"Never mind, Danisa, don't think too much about it. I'm hungry, would you like some?" Nadine offered to Danisa.

"No, thanks, Nadine. I already had lunch with the others," Danisa replied before returning her gaze to the computer screen in front of her, still puzzled. "Could it be true that Mr. Brian has a girlfriend?"

Nadine continued to eat, her mind wandering back to her interaction with Brian during lunch. She tried to shake off her conflicting emotions as she focused on her work.

The days had quickly turned into a week since Nadine started working as Brian's secretary. She had grown accustomed to Brian's teasing, although she tried to maintain a neutral stance whenever he complimented her. Despite her heart fluttering, Nadine knew Brian had a girlfriend, and she understood that she was just a fragment of his past. She considered Brian's playful behavior to be a continuation of their old dynamic, back when she was still his student. Nadine admitted to herself that her feelings for Brian hadn't changed. Not a bit.

With a heavy step, Nadine entered the office building, convinced that her handsome boss was already at his desk. She found it puzzling how Brian was so engrossed in his work. Every day, he left the office no earlier than 7 p.m. and sometimes as late as 10 p.m. The previous Saturday, they had left the office at 5 p.m., despite other employees having left at noon. As his secretary, Nadine always had to wait until Brian finished his work. Luckily, her apartment was conveniently close to the office, just about 500 meters away. It only took her 10 minutes to get there on her scooter.

Brian pretended to be engrossed in his work as he heard Nadine's footsteps approaching. His workaholic tendencies had intensified, but now he was even crazier. He deliberately lingered at the office just to spend more time with Nadine. At least this way, he could gaze at her face for an entire day.

"Good morning, Mr. Brian!" Nadine greeted him politely before taking her seat at her desk. In truth, Nadine felt uncomfortable sharing a room with her boss. It was Brian's request, and she couldn't refuse. Danisa was surprised to learn that Nadine and Brian were sharing a room, as Brian had never agreed to share his workspace with his secretaries before. Brian didn't like his privacy being disrupted.

"Good morning, Nadine!" Brian replied briefly without looking up.

"Please let me read out your schedule for today," Brian instructed after about 15 minutes of Nadine's arrival.

"Of course, Mr. Brian!" Opening her agenda book, Nadine proceeded to read out Brian's schedule for the day, which she had prepared the day before.

"Okay, thank you," Brian responded after Nadine had briefed him on his schedule. He had two client meetings lined up for the day.

"Mr. Brian, may I have your permission to take a break for lunch?" Nadine requested as her lunch break approached. But just as she was about to touch the door handle, Brian called out to her.

"Let's have lunch here. I've already placed a delivery order. We'll meet with the clients at 2 p.m. so we won't be late, and you can pray in my private room!" Brian suggested calmly.

"What? Your room?" Nadine was shocked and turned to face Brian, visibly irritated.

"Yes, my room. Is that a problem? It's more efficient for you to pray here than having to go to the third floor. We'll save time," Brian explained, pulling out a remote control from his desk drawer. Nadine was surprised as a bookshelf in the room shifted, revealing a door behind it. Curious, Nadine followed Brian into the room. She was amazed by the clean, white ambiance of the space. The room consisted of a king-sized bed, a bathroom, and a desk. Above the bed hung a large and unique abstract painting. The room brought back memories of five years ago when she had spent three nights with Brian in Bali.

The sound of the large curtains being drawn interrupted her admiration. Through the large window, Nadine could see the bustling city of Surabaya. She imagined the twinkling city lights at night, a sight that must be truly beautiful from where she stood.

"I spend a lot of time here," Brian's voice brought her back from her reverie. Nadine felt nervous as she heard Brian's gentle voice.

"Would you like to freshen up first? There's a towel in the cupboard." Brian gave Nadine a flat look before removing his jacket and shirt, leaving them on the bed. Nadine's heart raced even faster as she looked at Brian's well-defined chest beneath the sleeveless shirt. She quickly looked away, feeling her cheeks heat up, as Brian disappeared behind the bathroom door.

Under the soothing spray of the shower, Brian tried to calm the sudden turmoil inside him. He had initially intended to perform ablutions, but he found himself deciding to take a full shower due to the sudden warmth in his body. Brian wondered why being near Nadine always made him feel like this. It was a feeling he couldn't quite identify. Brian was reminded of his past love story with Nadine, one that had never really ended. He longed to ask Nadine about it directly, but his ego seemed to hold him back.

Five years ago...

"Miss Nadine?" Brian called out, rushing towards Nadine with a slightly breathless voice before bending over and holding his knees.

"Why are you here, Brian? Where are you going? And who are you with?" Nadine bombarded Brian with rapid-fire questions, her eyes focused on Brian as he caught his breath.

"Is it fate, Miss? Oh, by the way, now that I'm not Miss's student anymore, can I call you Nadine?" Brian teased, noticing Nadine's surprised expression.

"Whatever suits you!" Nadine replied casually before quickly leaving. Being her student for just a month and a half had been troublesome enough, and now she was unexpectedly running into Brian at the Ngurah Rai Bali Airport.

"I'm serious, Nadine. Will you marry me?" Brian asked, pulling Nadine's hand and embracing her.

"You're still talking about marriage, huh? Focus on your studies first!" Nadine responded while trying to break free from Brian's embrace. But Nadine's efforts to push Brian away were in vain. Unintentionally, she found herself smiling, enjoying the faint fluttering in her heart.

"Here, I'll carry this for you!" Brian took Nadine's backpack from her and placed it on the bed before guiding her towards the exit of the airport.

"Let go, Brian. Where are we even going?" Nadine squirmed, trying to free herself from Brian's grasp.

"Just come along, or should I carry you?" Brian teased with a mischievous grin, making Nadine shudder with dread as she shook her head.

They eventually arrived at a luxurious resort near Kuta Beach. As Nadine realized where they were, panic set in. Her panic subsided when Brian led her to a room and placed her backpack on the bed.

"For the next three days, you're mine, baby!" Brian's words echoed as he closed the door behind him.

Nadine had planned to spend a three-day vacation in Bali before returning to Kalimantan. Spending a vacation with her former student was a bit entertaining, she thought.

That evening, Nadine and Brian walked along the beach, watching the sunset. They held hands like a couple in love, and with Nadine's youthful appearance and Brian's tall frame, they didn't resemble a teacher and student. They looked more like lovers.

After dinner, they returned to the resort, spending time reminiscing about their school days. But as Nadine stood to say goodnight, Brian suddenly pulled her hand, causing her to fall onto his chest. They locked eyes, and before they knew it, their lips met in a soft kiss. Nadine's heart resisted, but her body succumbed to Brian's embrace, sending her spiraling into a night where something precious was taken from her by Brian.

As she stretched, Nadine felt a pain in her lower body. Suddenly, she burst into hysterical tears, realizing that she was naked beneath the blanket.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Brian was startled by Nadine's cries.

"It's okay, you can calm down. I'll take full responsibility, sweetheart. I truly love you!" Brian hugged Nadine, trying to soothe her panic. Last night, Brian had lost control, though he had intended to pursue a serious relationship with Nadine. However, he wasn't ready for marriage yet; he still had his dreams to chase.

Flashback off...

The door to the bathroom opened wide, and Nadine was momentarily stunned by Brian stepping out, clad only in a towel wrapped around his waist. She hurriedly entered the bathroom, her heart racing with nervousness.

After her prayers, Nadine rushed out of Brian's private room. Meanwhile, Brian was still engrossed in a lengthy prayer, asking for forgiveness for the sins he had committed. Was this a sign? With Nadine's presence by his side, did he have a chance to make amends for his past mistakes? Brian believed that everything was a positive omen.