All Chapters of Secrets in the CEO's Office: Chapter 1 - Chapter 6

"Miss Alya, your grandmother’s surgery has to be performed tomorrow morning as we agreed yesterday. The cost is one hundred and fifty million rupiahs.”The doctor’s words from earlier that afternoon kept replaying in Alya Paramita’s head like a broken record.Alya stared at the glass of dark red liquid in her hand, her vision already beginning to blur. The ballroom of the five-star hotel was deafening tonight, filled with the laughter and cheers of hundreds of employees from PT Rasa Nusantara Food celebrating the huge success of their newest product. Yet Alya’s chest felt unbearably tight.One hundred and fifty million... Where am I supposed to get a loan that big overnight? Alya lamented inwardly as she drained the contents of her glass.“Alya! Come on, have another drink! You’re the hero of the research team this month!” Sinta exclaimed as she poured more into Alya’s glass.“Ah, yeah. Thanks, Sin,” Alya replied with a forced smile.Alya did not refuse the next glass her friend offer

“Are you threatening me with my grandmother’s life?” Alya asked, clenching her fists tightly in her lap.Arga did not answer immediately. He simply stared at Alya with an unwavering, unnervingly calm gaze.“I’m not threatening you, Alya. I’m offering a mutually beneficial business partnership.”What kind of business partnership comes with a trap like this? Damn it, he’s really abusing his position as the big boss, Alya raged inwardly.Her chest rose and fell as she struggled to contain her overwhelming emotions, which had completely eclipsed the lingering awkwardness from what had happened in the hotel room that night.“That recipe belongs to my family, sir. It has nothing to do with my work in the company’s R&D division,” Alya said, her voice trembling but firm.“It does now, because the company paid the hospital bills of the recipe’s owner,” Arga replied, leaning forward across the black marble desk. “Grandma Aminah’s legendary mi nyemek stall in the corner of the old town. Did you

“If you don’t even remember what happened that night, then I’m canceling the contract! I want my grandmother’s recipe back right now!” Alya shouted, her breath coming in ragged gasps as the anger exploding in her chest became impossible to contain.Arga didn’t move from his position, but his sharp, hawk-like eyes grew even colder, locking onto Alya as she stood trapped between the doors of his luxury car.“The partnership contract is legally binding, Alya. You can’t simply take it back just because you’re emotional.”How convenient for him to say that! So the repayment of that one hundred and fifty million rupiah debt was nothing but a trap to make me hand over the only valuable inheritance my family has? Alya cursed inwardly. Tears nearly spilled from her eyes as she felt her dignity and her grandmother’s legacy being treated like cheap merchandise.“I don’t care! You deliberately took advantage of me when I was at my lowest just for your own business interests!” Alya accused, turnin