Hidden Admiration

Armand, as usual, always arrived on time when it came to work. He walked with a confident stride, resembling a true role model. Nearly every eye turned in his direction as the charismatic man arrived in the main lobby.

Armand might pretend not to notice, but he was aware of the attention he garnered from those around him. Sometimes, people couldn't help but gaze at him from his feet to the tip of his hair.

Standing at 187 cm tall, with a handsome face due to his Dutch heritage, and a physique that resembled that of a bodybuilder, Armand was an imposing figure.

"Good morning, sir," Arvita greeted with a loud and confident voice.

"Morning, Arvita," Armand replied, walking straight towards his office door, disappearing from Arvita's view.

"Hahh..." Arvita was lost in thought. She had been working with Armand for nearly three weeks now, and this was the first time he had responded to her greeting. Arvita even pinched her cheek.

"Is this real or just a dream? Well, I hope it continues like this."

Arvita looked at the stack of reports ready on her desk.

"Oh, I almost forgot." She reached for the stack of folders and made her way to Armand's office.

Armand, about to press the intercom button, had to change his mind when he heard a knock at the door.

"Come in!" Armand's deep voice responded, and the door opened slowly.

For the second time that day, Armand saw Arvita's face. "Mr. Armand, may I have a moment of your time?" Arvita asked politely.

"Perfect timing, I was just about to call you, Miss Vita," Armand replied.

Arvita entered Armand's office, carrying a thick stack of folders in her hand. Armand stood upright, his gaze sharp and cold as he looked at Arvita.

It seemed like this was the first time Armand had looked at Arvita since she had officially become his secretary. Arvita had an ideal body posture, tall and graceful. Her curly, wavy hair was tied high, revealing her petite and sharp jawline.

Armand observed that Arvita had changed since their high school days; now, she was better at applying makeup. She had thick, natural eyebrows and beautiful eyes. Her petite and pointed nose, along with her full lips, were typical Indonesian features that gave her a sexy appeal.

Arvita wore a long-sleeved blouse with a ruffled collar, in a soft pink color that complemented her tan skin. Her long black skirt was not too tight, allowing for easy movement.

Armand had chosen Arvita to be his secretary precisely because she didn't seem interested in him romantically. Armand, with his full name Armand Benjamin Dirk Eugenius, disliked women who were overly flirtatious, immature, childish, or lacked intelligence.

"Mr. Armand?" Arvita called out.

Armand suddenly snapped out of his thoughts about Arvita. He realized he had been staring at her for quite some time, and she was looking at him with curiosity.

Arvita even checked herself, wondering if there was something wrong with her attire. "Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing today?" she thought to herself.

Armand cleared his throat to break the awkward silence, though he felt awkward with Arvita's presence in his office.

"Yes, Vita, what did you say earlier?" Armand asked.

Arvita blinked in confusion. "I didn't say anything, sir. Are you okay?" She approached Armand, as his face suddenly turned beet red.

Arvita placed her stack of folders on the table and reached out towards her boss. Automatically, her hand landed on his forehead.

"Are you unwell? Your face is very red," she asked again, her hand still on Armand's forehead.

Armand immediately took hold of Arvita's hand with embarrassment.

"I'm fine, you don't need to do this," he said, though he didn't release her hand. He could see Arvita's face clearly.

"Oh... I'm sorry, Mr. Armand," Arvita said. "But can you let go of my hand, please?" Armand let go of Arvita's hand but still maintained his stern expression.

"Quickly! I don't have much time," Armand said in his usual commanding tone.

Arvita retrieved her stack of folders and began organizing them. She smiled confidently at her boss.

"These are from the accounting department, these are from public relations, and these are from marketing. I've already prepared your schedule for the next two weeks, which you can review. If you need any changes, please let me know, and I'll adjust accordingly, Mr. Armand," Arvita explained.

"Oh, and here's your lunch menu for the next week. If there are any sudden changes, please inform me at least two hours in advance so I can notify the kitchen staff," she continued.

"You don't have any important meetings for today, but tomorrow, after lunch, you have a crucial meeting with the board of directors. Please remember, right after lunch," Arvita explained in detail.

Armand seemed almost hypnotized by her efficiency. In just three weeks, Arvita had learned how he liked things done.

"Anything else?" Armand asked flatly, still concealing his admiration for Arvita.

"No, sir," Arvita replied. "If that's all, I'll take my leave. If you need anything, you can call me."

"Arvita," Armand called out. Arvita turned with a friendly smile.

"Yes, sir?"

"Good job. Keep it up," Armand finally praised her.

"What...?Uhmm... Yes, sir,"

Arvita nearly jumped for joy at her boss's compliment. Instead, she widened her smile in happiness and then left his office.

As Arvita walked out of the office, she couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Her diligence and attention to detail had earned her the praise of her enigmatic boss, Armand. Little did she know that this was just the beginning of a journey that would not only test her skills but also reveal surprising secrets and emotions hidden within the walls of Armand's world.

"Come on, Arvita. You have to keep working hard! It's not the time for you to have fun just because of Armand's praise. There more thing I need to do," she said, snapping herself out of her daydream.