Chapter 1 - The New Hot Boss
"This isn't just any widower. They say he's still in his thirties. At his hottest, you know."
Well, the gossip among the female staff had officially begun! Especially since it was still break time and not yet time to work.
"To be precise, 34 years old. Is it even allowed to be this hot?"
"My friend from the warehouse said someone has seen our prospective new boss in person. It's not an exaggeration to call him a hot widower. As for handsome, don't even ask. His body is proportional and would suit being a model. Totally hug-able."
"Oh, I'm curious to see him...."
"Oh, I want to hug him," chimed in another.
"This is an opportunity for those who aren't married yet. Make an effort to attract this new boss's attention. Unfortunately, I'm already married, so I won't join in."
"After years of having female bosses who were strict, finally, there's some eye candy."
"And most importantly... our new boss is a widower without kids. No hassle from kids with his ex-wife."
Eva, who had only been listening to her division colleagues' conversation and had no intention of joining in, was finally tempted to speak.
"Is he a widower because his wife passed away or because of a divorce? What if his ex-wife still causes trouble even without kids?" said Eva.
"Besides, if it's a divorce... what's the reason for it? What if it's because of a red flag from the man's side? There's always a reason for a divorce, right?" Eva continued.
"Evarha Dian Stefania! You're making us overthink things."
The others laughed.
"You're not even married yet, acting like you know it all, Ev."
"At least Eva has a boyfriend," chimed in another.
"Don't forget, her ex-brother-in-law is also trying to get her into bed. Hahaha."
"Not cool! Why bring up personal stuff?" Eva pretended to sulk.
"But seriously, Ev, you must be curious about our new boss, right? Especially since you'll be the one accompanying him most often. You must be happy, knowing the boss is such a catch, right?"
Eva just smiled. It was better than arguing. Having a new boss was like a gamble; no one ever knew if the new boss would bring good or bad news. What if he turned into a nightmare because he was so annoying?
"Is he coming here later?" Apparently, the conversation about their new boss was still ongoing.
"Wait, is our new boss coming here?" Eva asked, somewhat surprised. "Isn't he starting work tomorrow?" she continued.
"He's starting work tomorrow, but maybe he's coming here today just to stop by and have a look around."
"Oh, I can't wait even more now."
"Does anyone know his name? I want to cast a spell so he'll be instantly charmed by me," joked another.
"Ardi."
Even though she was reluctant to join in again, Eva was still listening to them.
So his name is Ardi. Why does it have to be Ardi?
How could it not be? Someone from Eva's past was also named Ardi. However, that didn't mean they were the same Ardi, as the chances were very slim. Besides, the Ardi Eva once knew would almost certainly not be here.
"What's his full name? There's no way a spell works with just a nickname."
"Definitely not Ardiansyah Kusuma Wardana," Eva thought to herself.
"His name is Ardiansyah Kusuma Wardana," replied one of Eva's coworkers.
Wait, this is crazy! How can the name be so identical to someone Eva once knew?
Could it really be a coincidence that both the full name and nickname matched?
Eva quickly shook her head. The Ardi she knew back then had moved abroad and couldn't possibly be here at a branch office on the outskirts, far from the city center!
"FYI, he lived in Australia for several years, so don't pretend to be all English and embarrass yourselves, okay? Haha."
No! Why did the coincidence point so strongly towards it being the Ardi Eva once knew?
"Good afternoon, am I interrupting your break?"
The deep voice that sounded very manly came from the entrance.
Suddenly, the room fell silent, and almost everyone turned to the source of the voice—including Eva, who found the deep voice familiar, as she used to hear it almost every day.
It turned out... it was indeed the Ardi Eva knew.
Someone who had filled Eva's days five years ago, and with whom she had once lived.
Yes, they had lived together.
Oh no, my new boss is not just a hot widower but my ex-husband.
