“Ugh… what did I dream about to get stuck with a girl like you?” Carlo looked overwhelmed by Caramel.
“Maybe you dreamed about getting a lot of money, because getting me is called rizki, right? But getting Lesti is called Rizki Billar,” Caramel shot back, refusing to give up. She wasn’t going home until she got Carlo’s love.
Carlo ignored Caramel and turned to his secretary instead. “Meyna, wait for me in the lobby.”
“Yes, sir.” Meyna nodded. She gathered the materials for the meeting, then left Carlo’s office.
The handsome widower turned back to Caramel. “Caramel… you should go home now, okay? I have an important meeting with a client.”
“What if I don’t want to?” Caramel challenged him. “You haven’t given me compensation for my sore leg after you sideswiped me yesterday.”
Carlo exhaled, trying to gather the last scraps of patience left over from the Ming Dynasty. “What kind of compensation do you want?”
Caramel’s smile immediately spread across her face. “How about a super-romantic dinner?”
“Fine, dinner. But just a regular dinner. I’ll pick you up tomorrow at seven p.m.” Carlo agreed right away, desperate to get this Possessed Unhinged Girl to leave.
“Eee, that’s so romantic! You’re even picking me up. I love you even more!” Caramel immediately pinched Carlo’s cheek.
The handsome man was startled and quickly caught Caramel’s mischievous hand. “Don’t do that. It’s rude!”
Caramel only grinned. “Which is better, Mr.—being rude or not loving you so much?”
“Neither is better. Now go home.”
“Take meee… As a gentle and caring man, you shouldn’t let this sweet, beautiful, curvy girl wander around outside by herself. The outside world is dangerous, Mr.” Caramel wheedled sweetly while tugging on Carlo’s suit sleeve.
“The outside world is afraid to see you, too. It’s still daytime, Caramel. You came here by yourself.”
“So Mr. Carlo really is that heartless.” Caramel placed both hands against her chest. Her drama was starting up like a snail overheating.
Carlo drew another breath. Usually, he withdrew cash more often. Today, all he’d done was withdraw breaths.
“Fine, I’ll call you a taxi. I’ll take you to the lobby. Deal?”
Caramel smiled again. “All right, then. Since we’re going on a date tomorrow, I’ll let you have this one.”
At last, Carlo exhaled in relief after feeling as emotionally oppressed as a 1990s freshman-orientation participant.
Carlo got ready and led Caramel out of his office. Along the way, Caramel kept chattering, commenting on absolutely everything.
“Mr., why is there a garden inside the building?” Caramel asked, pointing to a small garden in the corner beside the third-floor lobby.
“It’s a decorative feature, to make the place look artistic.”
“That’s Japanese grass, right?” Caramel asked. Carlo only nodded.
“How long do you think that Japanese grass has been an immigrant in Indonesia? Why hasn’t it ever gone home?”
“Good grief… can’t you ask anything else?” Carlo said in frustration. He pressed the elevator button, and the doors opened.
“Mr., what kind of elevator makes people happy?” Caramel asked again as she followed Carlo into the elevator car.
“I don’t know,” Carlo replied indifferently, glancing at his watch.
“An elevator… lifing together with you until death do us part. Aaaah!” Caramel squealed happily to herself.
Carlo didn’t respond. He simply stayed quiet, hoping Caramel would stop talking if he didn’t engage. The result? Caramel kept talking.
“Are you plugged in or running on AAA batteries? Your energy never runs out.” Carlo finally couldn’t stand it anymore and commented.
“I’m actually a quiet person, you know, Mr.”
“Since when?”
“I’m serious, Mr. If you press the mute button, I’ll be quiet.”
“Where’s the button? Come here, I’ll press it so you’ll shut up,” Carlo shot back. He felt like he was slowly going insane, too.
“You really want to know?” Caramel smiled wickedly, like an actress in an Antangin commercial. She immediately puckered her lips and pointed at them. “Here’s the button. You have to press it with your lips, Mr.”
“Good grief…”
Caramel took one step toward Carlo, then rose onto her tiptoes. At the same moment, the elevator jolted violently. Caramel immediately lost her balance and kissed Carlo’s cheek, prompting him to wrap his arms around her.
At that exact second, the elevator doors opened. Standing outside were a large number of Carlo’s employees, waiting for the elevator—and they all witnessed the romantic scene!