7:00 a.m. local time. The morning in the luxurious apartment began with a petty argument that had already become part of their new routine.
“Who used my towel?!” Kirana shouted from outside her bathroom, her face scrunched up in a pout.
Aldo appeared from the kitchen carrying a cup of black coffee. He looked at his assistant with an innocent expression.
“That gray towel is mine,” Aldo replied flatly. “Yours is pink with bears on it, and it’s in the washing machine.”
Kirana let out a long sigh and slapped her own forehead. “Oh my God, Sir! I already told you, don’t mix up our personal things!”
“This is my house, so automatically everything in it falls within my territorial jurisdiction,” Aldo replied casually before taking a sip of his coffee.
Kirana snorted in annoyance and folded her arms across her chest. “Just because you own the apartment, you think you can make one-sided rules whenever you feel like it.”
“Take a quick shower. We have to leave,” Aldo ordered, ignoring Kirana’s complaints. “Or do you want us to be late for the morning meeting?”
Kirana shot him a sharp glare before slamming her bathroom door. “You ice-cube penguin!” she yelled from inside.
8:30 a.m. local time. The administration division office was as busy as usual.
Siska approached Kirana’s desk carrying a stack of document folders. Her eyes immediately narrowed with suspicion.
“Kir, be honest with me,” Siska whispered, leaning toward her. “You’ve been together with Mr. Aldo nonstop lately. What’s really going on?”
Kirana nervously straightened the papers on her desk. “What do you mean, together? He’s my boss. It’s normal for him to call me into his office all the time.”
“Excuses!” Siska shot back, unconvinced. “Yesterday, the finance division made a huge fuss when they saw him drive you home all the way to the entrance of his luxury apartment building.”
Kirana swallowed with difficulty. “It… it was just an online taxi that happened to be going the same way!”
“An online taxi that was a black Alphard with a special license plate?” Siska fired back, checkmate.
Kirana fell silent, completely at a loss. She had no idea what other excuse she could make to cover up this insane charade.
Suddenly, a firm clearing of the throat echoed from the front of the corridor. Every employee immediately sat up straight again, their faces stiff.
Aldo strode across the room in an immaculate suit. His eyes briefly flicked toward Kirana’s desk before he entered his office.
“See? Our boss is here,” Siska whispered quickly. “Be careful, Kir. He looks like he’s about to swallow someone whole.”
Kirana could only nod helplessly. Deep down, she cursed her fate for getting trapped in this dramatic contract marriage.
12:15 p.m. local time. Lunch break.
Kirana headed to the office break room to make herself a cup of instant coffee. As soon as she opened the door, she found Aldo already standing by the window, holding his phone.
“Sir? Why don’t you just have the office runner order some food?” Kirana asked, puzzled.
Aldo slowly turned toward her. “I’m bored with the office catering.”
“Then what do you want to eat? Want me to order you some instant noodles?” Kirana offered jokingly.
“Lunch out,” Aldo replied curtly. “Come with me.”
Kirana blinked. “Huh? My lunch break is only an hour, Sir!”
“That’s enough time for the ten-minute trip to the restaurant across the street,” Aldo said without compromise, then walked out of the break room ahead of Kirana.
Kirana sighed in resignation and followed behind her boss. “This is what it’s like having a CEO husband, huh? He even schedules my lunch break.”
Inside the car, the atmosphere was dead silent. Aldo focused on driving while Kirana watched the cityscape through the window.
“Do you like Japanese food?” Aldo suddenly asked, breaking the silence.
Kirana quickly turned toward him. “I love it! Why? Are you treating me to sushi?”
“Hmm,” Aldo replied flatly. “As an additional performance benefit for my assistant’s work this past week.”
The corners of Kirana’s lips lifted into a broad smile. “Wow, in that case, I’m ready to work overtime until midnight, Sir!”
Aldo glanced at Kirana, a faint smile barely visible on his lips. “Don’t overdo it. Your health still comes first.”
Kirana froze for a moment at the small gesture of concern. Her heart beat a little faster than usual.
“Oh no, this guy’s making me catch feelings again,” Kirana warned herself silently. She hurriedly turned her face toward the window.
7:00 p.m. Back at the apartment.
Kirana sprawled across the living-room sofa with her laptop, finishing the rest of her office work. Aldo sat on the sofa across from her, reading company documents.
“Don’t stay up too late,” Aldo said without taking his eyes off the papers.
Kirana looked up. “Yeah, I’m almost done. Why?”
“Tomorrow is Sunday,” Aldo replied calmly. “We need to get ready to visit my parents’ house again.”
Kirana immediately leaped off the sofa hysterically. “What?! Next Sunday was supposed to be my full day off to lie around in bed!”
“Mom called me this afternoon,” Aldo continued unconcernedly. “She said she wanted to cook a huge feast especially for her favorite daughter-in-law.”
Kirana massaged her temple, which had suddenly begun throbbing. This contract-marriage charade was truly draining her physically and mentally.
“Sir… this contract is only for 30 days, right?” Kirana asked plaintively. “Why does it already feel like it’s going to last forever?”
Aldo set down his documents and looked straight at Kirana. The corner of his mouth lifted into a faint smirk.
“Time passes slowly when you’re enjoying it, Kirana,” Aldo whispered.
Kirana angrily threw a sofa cushion at Aldo. “Enjoy it, my ass!” she yelled as she ran into her bedroom.
Aldo easily caught the cushion, then let out a quiet laugh in the silence.