Alina stared at her computer screen, the same boring spreadsheet she'd been looking at for thirty minutes. The numbers were all blurry now because her mind kept wandering upstairs—to James's office on the floor above. So close, yet it might as well have been on another planet.
Two whole days. Two days since that meeting, and every single second felt like torture. Her heart would race every time she heard the elevator ding, thinking maybe, just maybe, James would step out. Every footstep in the hallway made her hold her breath. But nothing. Just this awful, deafening silence that hurt worse than if he'd actually yelled at her.
"Alina?"
Maya's voice snapped her back to reality. "Are you okay? I've been calling your name."
"Sorry." Alina rubbed her face, trying to focus. "Just tired."
Maya set down a steaming cup of coffee on her desk, looking worried. "You look like you haven't slept in days. I know the first week is rough, but don't kill yourself over it."
Alina managed a weak smile as she took the coffee. If only Maya knew her sleepless nights had nothing to do with work. It was because the ghost from her past was now her boss, wrapped up in this perfect, professional mask.
"Maya," Alina said quietly, "what's Mr. James really like? I mean, is he always so... formal with everyone?"
Maya sat on the edge of her desk and lowered her voice. "Honestly? In the two years I've worked here, I've never seen him be casual with anyone. Not even Sandra or David, and they've been with him since day one. Always business, always professional."
"Never?" Alina's chest tightened.
"Never. Some people think he's just a cold perfectionist. Others say he's too focused on work to care about personal stuff." Maya shrugged. "But one thing's for sure—he's brilliant and fair. Do good work, he'll notice. Mess up..." She left that hanging, but Alina got the message.
Around ten that morning, Alina decided she couldn't take it anymore. The uncertainty was eating her alive. She had to know—did James really not remember her, or was this all an act?
Her hands were shaking slightly as she walked up to the 26th floor executive pantry. It was usually empty since most executives had their assistants make their coffee. But Alina had been watching for two days now, and she knew James always made his own coffee around this time.
And there he was.
When she opened the pantry door, she saw that achingly familiar tall figure with his back to her, standing in front of the espresso machine. That perfect black suit hugged his broad shoulders, his dark hair styled without a single strand out of place. Even from behind, he commanded the entire room.
James was waiting for his espresso to finish, scrolling through his phone with complete focus. From where she stood, Alina could see his profile—that sharp jawline, the perfect nose, those lips pressed together in concentration.
So different from the Leon she used to know.
Alina took a deep breath and stepped inside, pretending to head for the water dispenser.
"Good morning, Mr. James," she said, trying to sound cheerful and professional.
James didn't turn around right away. He finished reading whatever was on his phone first, then put it away and picked up his espresso. Only then did he turn to face her.
When their eyes met, Alina felt like she'd been punched in the gut. Those dark brown eyes that used to look at her with so much hope now stared at her with absolutely nothing. Like she was a complete stranger he was seeing for the first time ever.
"Miss Alina," James nodded once—the bare minimum greeting he gave everyone. His voice was deep and formal, completely empty of any warmth. "Good morning."
"I'm Alina," she said again, emphasizing her name, hoping for even the tiniest flicker of recognition. "I'm really excited to be working with you at TechNova Corp."
James studied her for several long seconds, his expression never changing. Then he nodded again—the same cold acknowledgment.
"Make sure your performance meets this company's standards, Miss Alina," he said in a tone that sounded more like a threat than encouragement. "TechNova Corp doesn't tolerate mediocrity."
The words hit her like a slap. Not because of what he said—any CEO would remind new employees about expectations. But the way he said it, with that look that seemed to doubt everything about her, cut straight through her heart.
"Of course, sir," Alina replied, fighting to keep her voice steady. "I'll do my best."
James didn't respond. He took one sip of his espresso and started heading for the door. But as he passed her, he stopped for just a second. For one heart-stopping moment, Alina thought he might say something—anything—that showed he remembered her.
Instead, James looked at her one more time with those ice-cold eyes.
"Oh, and Miss Alina," he said without fully turning around, "at TechNova Corp, we value professionalism above everything else. Personal approaches won't get you anywhere here."
The message was crystal clear. Brutal, but delivered with surgical precision. James knew exactly who she was, but he was choosing to treat her like a stranger. No—worse than a stranger. Like someone who didn't even deserve his acknowledgment.
Without waiting for her to respond, James walked out of the pantry, leaving Alina standing there feeling completely destroyed.
A few minutes later, Sandra walked into the pantry and found Alina still standing in the exact same spot, staring at the door like she was in shock.
"Alina? Are you okay?" Sandra came over, looking concerned. "You're white as a sheet."
"I just..." Alina tried to find words, but her throat felt like sandpaper. "I just ran into Mr. James."
"Oh," Sandra nodded knowingly. "Let me guess—awkward first interaction? Mr. James is super formal, especially with new people. Don't take it personally."
"Formal," Alina repeated in a whisper.
"Extremely formal. Even with those of us who've worked with him for years, he keeps this professional distance. That's just how he is." Sandra poured herself coffee. "Though honestly, he seemed even colder than usual today. Maybe there's some board pressure or something."
*Even colder than usual.* Sandra's words confirmed what Alina already suspected. James was being deliberately extra cold with her. This wasn't just professional behavior—this was calculated punishment.
"Sandra," Alina asked, her voice trembling, "has Mr. James ever talked about his background? Before he started TechNova Corp?"
Sandra shook her head. "Never. Complete mystery. All we know is from public records—self-made entrepreneur, graduated with honors from ITB, continued his studies abroad, then suddenly appeared with this startup that became huge overnight. But his personal life? Nothing."
*Graduated from ITB.* Alina felt sick. Leon had also studied at ITB—the same computer science program James had graduated from. Way too much of a coincidence.
"Why do you ask?" Sandra looked at her curiously. "Something weird?"
"No," Alina shook her head quickly, way too quickly. "Just curious."
But when Sandra left and Alina went back to her desk, those questions kept spinning like a tornado in her head. Why was James doing this? Why wouldn't he just admit they knew each other? Was this the most twisted form of revenge—pretending she didn't exist while making her life hell?
That afternoon, Alina couldn't eat. That night, she couldn't sleep. She lay on her narrow bed in her tiny apartment, staring at the ceiling with burning eyes and a broken heart.
"Leon," she whispered into the darkness. A name she hadn't spoken in years felt strange on her tongue now. "Leon... why are you doing this to me?"
She closed her eyes, and all those memories came flooding back. Leon with his thick glasses and awkward smile, confessing his love to her in front of the whole class. Her laughing cruelly and rejecting him with the most hurtful words she could think of. Leon's devastated face, still trying to smile like he wasn't completely shattered.
Those words echoed in her head like a curse that would never go away. Words she'd thrown around so carelessly back then now felt like they were coming back to destroy her.
And now Leon—who used to be so awkward and plain—had become the most powerful and attractive man she'd ever seen. While she—who used to think she was so much better than him—was now struggling just to keep her dignity around him.
The cruelest irony of her entire life.
"Is this karma, Leon?" she whispered again, her voice shaking. "Is this how you're paying me back for breaking your heart all those years ago?"
But only the silence and the tears starting to roll down her cheeks answered her.
Because for the first time, Alina realized there was something more painful than losing all her money and status. There was something more devastating than having to rebuild her entire life from nothing.
It was realizing that the person you once hurt now had all the power to get revenge—and was using it in the most elegant and destructive way possible.
By pretending you had never existed at all.
Aksara