“This is a statement, the flirtiest girl alive, ooh-whoa….” Caramel sang in her most coquettish style as she sashayed into the lobby of a prestigious company owned by a handsome, filthy-rich widower.
The girl’s appearance added a whole new color to the office’s formal, busy, and stiff atmosphere, so nearly every eye turned toward her. That day, Caramel was wearing a pink dress with neon-green patterns. She had also gone to the salon the night before to dye her hair blonde, then ombré the ends a bright green. To top it all off, she decorated her hair with colorful clips.
“Morninggg… beautiful ma’am, I’m Caramel Louisa, Mr. Carlo’s very special guest,” Caramel announced when she reached the reception desk.
The formally dressed woman frowned. “Caramel Louisa? Do you have an appointment with Mr. Carlo?” she asked.
“Pfft! Why would I need an appointment just to see my own babe? He already made a promise to spend his whole life with me. Allow me to introduce myself—I’m his second wife.” Caramel pointed to herself, thrusting out her chest with enough confidence to reach the afterlife.
“Second wife? Is Mr. Carlo married again?” the woman asked, equal parts confused and nosy.
‘Well, well… women. She looks like a career woman, but deep down she’s still a neighborhood mom who gets nosy the second she hears a little gossip! Hahaha, so Intan was right—Mr. Carlo really is a widower!’ Caramel hosted a private podcast in her head.
“Uhhh… I mean his future second wife. Hurry up and tell him I’m here, or should I just go straight into his office?” Caramel asked recklessly.
“Wait, don’t! Let me call Mr. Carlo first.” The receptionist, whose name was Desy according to her nametag, picked up the phone and informed the person on the other end.
“Mr. Carlo, there’s a guest here. She says she’s your future wife.”
“My future wife?” Carlo replied from the other end.
“Yes, her name is Caramel Dalgona, uh… what was it again, miss?” The receptionist grew confused.
“Dalgona, my ass! Do I look like a Korean candy to you?” Caramel immediately snatched the phone from Desy.
“Hello, handsome, my Hunny Bunny… it’s Caramel. I’m coming to your office, okay…?” Caramel greeted him flirtatiously.
“Oh, for crying out loud… you little pest! What are you doing here?!” Carlo’s frustrated voice came through the phone.
“Excuse me, you were the one who told me to come to the office if anything happened. You said it yourself in the car yesterday, remember? Mr. Didi was a witness. Do I need to bring another witness—and the officiant—so your promise can be officially recorded at the KUA?” Caramel deliberately made Carlo’s statement from the day before sound even more serious.
“Oh, my God! Fine, come in, and don’t cause any more chaos over there!”
“Aaaah… thank you, babe! Mwah… mwah!” Caramel immediately handed the phone back to Desy, who was still staring blankly at the extraordinary girl in front of her.
‘Where did Mr. Carlo even find someone like this?’ Desy wondered.
“Miss, where’s Mr. Carlo’s office?” Caramel asked as she pulled a colorful lollipop from her bag, unwrapped it, and stuck it in her mouth.
“Third floor. When the elevator doors open, there’ll be two doors right in front of you. They have signs on them, so you’ll know which one is Mr. Carlo’s office,” Desy replied stiffly, still unable to get over Caramel’s appearance.
“Okay, thank youuu.”
Caramel quickly stepped into the elevator and pressed three. When she reached the third floor, sure enough, there were two doors in front of her. One had a nameplate bearing Carlo’s name and title, so Caramel turned to the other door. She read the sign there.
Meyna Riani. CEO’s Secretary.
Both her eyebrows slowly rose.
“CEO’s Secretary?”
She moved closer until her nose was almost touching the nameplate, then tilted her head and read it again, as if hoping the letters would transform into CEO’s Security, or at least CEO’s Security Guard.
Sadly, it still said secretary.
Caramel popped the lollipop back into her mouth.
“Seriously weird. Why does his secretary have to be a woman? Why not Mr. Ujang, the security guard at my house? Mr. Ujang would be safer. His face definitely wouldn’t make Mr. Carlo lose his religion.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, then stared suspiciously at Meyna’s office door.
“What if she’s pretty?” Caramel suddenly shivered.
“What if she sits next to Mr. Carlo every day?” Her round eyes widened.
“What if she’s the one who makes his coffee?” Caramel’s face grew even tenser.
“What if she says every morning, ‘Mr. Carlo, here’s your coffee.’ Then Mr. Carlo says, ‘Thanks, Meyna.’ Then they smile at each other….”
Caramel shuddered. “Jeez! Gross!”
An employee who happened to be walking by turned to look. Caramel quickly flashed him a grin.
“I’m not saying you’re gross, sir. I was just remembering my friend’s ex, who used to fool around with an LC in a pigpen every day. That’s gross, right, sir?”
The employee merely nodded slowly, then quickened his pace with a shudder.
Caramel didn’t care and turned her attention back to the door.
“If his secretary is pretty, I need to know.” She raised her index finger with a serious expression.
“I’m not jealous. I’m just… jealous. Either way, I have to investigate.”
Once she had steeled herself for the investigation ahead—without a warrant, naturally—Caramel finally opened Carlo’s office door.
As soon as the door opened, she saw Carlo sitting behind his desk. The man was wearing a white shirt and a dark-blue suit that made him look even more imposing. Several documents were neatly arranged on the desk, while an open laptop sat in front of him.
Carlo, who had been reading something, immediately looked up. His gaze stopped not at Caramel’s face, but at her appearance as a whole.
Her outfit was as loud as a night market, and the lollipop dangling casually between her lips kept Carlo silent for quite a while.
Caramel only grew more confident. She walked in, giving her hair a little toss.
“What’s wrong, handsome? Don’t just sit there swooning over my beauty.”
Carlo continued staring at her.
“Where did you go to a Halloween party? You look like the Joker cosplaying as an ondel-ondel.”