CHAPTER 01

[[PRESENT…]]

"WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU?"

“Because you’re hiring?” My brows furrowed. “And why not? I’m smart and willing to work 24/7—yes, even on weekends and holidays. I can be an asset to this resort… and I promise I don’t even complain that much. So? Take it or leave it—though fair warning, I’m a catch, and don’t take too long, I’ve got options.”

The gorgeous man in front of me, who sat calmly and composed on his swivel chair, raised one of his thick dark brows at my response.

He was like a living Ken in a Barbie world—only slightly darker. His face seemed harmless, like my handsome golden retriever named Buddy, yet his aura exuded confidence and authority. Even his baritone voice, although calm, carried an air of coldness. Now I wonder, paano kaya siya magalit? Nangangagat din kaya siya katulad ni Buddy? O baka naman naninira ng sapatos at ngumangatngat ng tela?

Yumuko lang siya saglit, mukhang binasa lang ang pangalan ko saka muling nagtaas ng tingin sa akin. Kahit sandaling nagulat at mukhang nairita sa sagot ko ay kalmado pa rin siyang nagsalita.

"Miss Avery Alfonzo, you don't have any work experience-"

Blangko ang ekspresyon ko nang umapela ako. "Does it matter? Kaya nga ako nag-a-apply para magkaroon ng work experience, diba?"

And I'm not hiding the fact that I don't have any work experience. Eh sa wala nga talaga anong magagawa ko? Mandaya at manghula para lang maging angat sa iba? Hell No! Wala pa naman ako sa punto na kailangan kong magpakadesperada.

"Do you know what job you are applying for? And do you have any idea about it?"

"How should I know, I'm not the one who posted the 'Urgent Hiring' outside this Resort's glass door and website, without even stating what they are looking for?"

He stared at me like he was reading my mind through my eyes. "Do you have experience in doing office work?" His expression was still calm, although his voice seemed to be slightly strained. "Any idea about paperwork? Invoicing? Payroll?"

"Na—ah," umiling ako. "But in case you need my service, puwede naman nating pag-usapan basta sa tamang presyo."

Dinig ko ang pagpapakawala niya ng malalim na paghinga at kita ko rin ang pag-igting ng kanyang panga. But above all that, he still looks kalmado sa kabila ng kagustuhang sakalin ako.

"Do you find this interview funny?" came a cold, deep voice that could make any woman shiver. "Miss Avery, I want you to understand that I'm serious, and I must say—you're not the right person for this position."

Lumamlam ang mga mata ko bago sumagot. Ang hudas na 'to! Anong karapatan niyang maliitin ang kakayahan ko?! "Pero hindi mo pa ako nasusubukan, kaya wala kang karapatang sabihin na hindi ako ang tamang tao para sa bakanteng posisyon ninyo."

"Oh... is that so? I'm sorry if I offended you—that's not what I meant." He sounded sincere, though there was a faint trace of mockery in his tone. Then he asked again, "Anyway, are you still single? O may asawa ka na ba?"

"Excuse me, alam kong maganda ako at kaakit-akit, pero hindi ako kaladkarin. Sorry kung matatapakan ko ang ego at masasaling ang fried chicken mo… pero hindi kita type!"

His jaw dropped, and then he massaged his temple. Konting push na lang talaga, masasapak na siguro niya ako. Hindi nya yata matanggap ang katotohanang hindi ko siya type.

While he was still busy calming himself down, I calmly looked around his office. Malinis ang apat na sulok ng silid, nakasinop ang gamit, ultimo kaliit-liitan tulad ng ballpen, at higit sa lahat, mabango. Parang siya lang. Mula kasi rito sa kinauupuan ko'y amoy na amoy ko ang bango ng lalaking ngayon ay iritado na yata sa akin ng husto.

Tamad na tumingin ako sa desk niya kung saan naroon ang nameplate niya. Pati iyon ay straight at mukhang hindi man lang matitinag sa kinalalagyan. Boring, parang kinasanayan ko lang. Binasa ko ang nakasulat roon na bahagyang nagpakaba sa akin ng slight.

Alessandro Vitale.

CEO / Owner

Shit! So this guy is the owner of the Vitale Hotel and Resort na pinapangarap ko lang dati na mapuntahan? Siya nga ba talaga? Bakit hindi ko kaagad nakita ito kanina? At hindi man lang sinabi sa akin ng babaeng nagpapasok sa akin sa opisinang ito na ang may-ari ang mag-i-interview sa akin. Kung alam ko lang, nakapaghanda sana ako!

"Sorry, but it seems like you misunderstood me. I'm asking whether you're single or married because, if you pass this interview and get hired, your schedule might be affected—especially if you already have a family," he said, sounding slightly out of breath. "So anyway, you don't have any idea about what you're applying for, and you have no experience at all?"

"I'm not a virgin," I said, brushing it off as if it didn't matter. "That's the only experience I've ever had. At least it happened just once, with one person—and then nothing after that... does that count?"

Napaubo siya na tila ba nasamid nang sarili niyang laway, bago kalmado pa ring nagsalita. "Sexual experience is different from work experience."

"Why? Don't you have any training or seminars for newly hired employees before deploying them? Or is experience something you expect them to figure out alone? After all, experience can be learned, gained, and earned anytime, anywhere."

Gusto kong palakpakan ang sarili ko sa puntong ito, pero halatang hindi na talaga siya natutuwa.

Muli siyang bumuntong-hininga. Hanga rin naman ako sa haba ng pisi niya. Mukhang kahit obvious na isang libo't isang bobita ang nasa harap niya'y extended pa rin ang pasensya niya. Hindi ko nga lang alam kung hanggang saan at hanggang kailan bago iyon mapatid.

"As you can see, Miss Alfonzo, we urgently need a replacement for the CEO's assistant who can start working as soon as possible. We don't have time for training, which is why we're looking for a candidate who has at least three years of experience in the position."

Parang meron na yata siyang headache dahil panay ang hilot niya sa kanyang sentido at panay rin ang pagpapakawala ng malalalim na buntong-hininga. Pero sandali... Ano raw?!

"Wait… hindi ikaw ang CEO?" gulat na tanong ko. "Sino ka at anong ganap mo dito?" dagdag ko pa.

Kunot noong napamaang siya sa akin. Para bang naguguluhan sa mga pinagsasabi ko.

"No, I'm not the CEO," baliwalang sagot niya. "I'm the COO, Red Aragon. Leon and I are friends and business partners." Mahabang paliwanag niya. Pero parang narinig ko na somewhere ang pangalang Leon… hindi ko lang matandaan.

"Ganito na lang, to make it simple, since you don't have work experience, what do you think is your edge over other applicants?" Pag-iiba niya.

Napaisip naman ako at tumingin sa ceiling, kunwari ay nag-isip kahit hindi naman talaga, bago muling tumingin sa kanya at sumagot. "Given na maganda ako, so siguro 'yong alindog ko na lang."

Hindi niya pinansin ang sagot ko at nagpatuloy siya sa pagtatanong. "What is your goal?"

"To be the CEO's Assistant."

"Where do you see yourself ten years from now?"

"Sa table, ka-sex ang CEO nyo dahil sa tagal ng paninilbihan ko bilang maganda at maalindog na assistant niya ay naakit na rin siya sa akin. And if single pa siya that time, baka asawa niya na ako. Pero kung kasal na siya… edi sugar baby niya na lang."

Napa-iling siya. "Expected salary?"

"Mahal ang talent f*e ko. So, magkano ba kaya nyo?"

"Skills?"

"Oh... I'm good at cooking. Hindi ko lang siya paglulutuan, hahainan at pakakainin pa."

Kita ko ang paggalaw ng adams apple niya ng lumunok siya. Ang sexy. Tama nga ang mga nabasa kong romance pocketbook. Na para bang nakaharap ko na rin sa wakas ang karakter na nababasa ko lang sa libro. At dahil doon, nagkaroon ako ng knowledge upang matuto kung paano lumandi kahit papaano.

I'm still waiting and ready, pero wala na siyang follow-up question at nakatitig na lang sa akin. Ang kaninang kalmado, mukhang hindi nangangagat, at mahinahon ay ngayon ay mukhang nalosyang na dahil sa mga sagot ko.

"Ganyan ka ba talaga?" malamig na tanong niya, at pabagsak na binitawan niya sa mesa ang hawak. "Do you think a face card could be your way, for us to hire you easily?"

"I didn't say that," sagot ko, saka sinalubong ang malamig niyang tingin. "I have so much to offer, and I wrote it all in my resume. Pero hindi mo binasa, ni hindi ka nga nangalahati."

Muli siyang napahilot sa kanyang sentido. "Itong resume mong mukhang diary ay hindi ko pag-aaksayahang basahin pa kung sa umpisa pa lang ay wala naman akong mapapala!"

"You're so mean! Pinaghirapan kong i-type ’yan at nag-effort pa akong maghanap ng printing press para lang ipa-book bind ’yan. And that wasn't a dictionary, you idiot! That's my resume!"

"Of course," he said calmly, even though his anger was evident. "A 30-page resume, complete with front and back covers featuring a flowery design that makes it look like a high school diary. Very impressive. But who will actually be impressed if your so-called resume has no work experience, achievements, contact information, or certifications—instead containing your hobbies, favorite flowers, foods, and travel goals? Well done, Miss Alfonzo!"

"Page 5!" galit kong sagot. "First honor ako noong Kindergarten. Valedictorian noong elementary. First honorable mention noong high school kahit na nagho-homeschooling lang. At higit sa lahat, lagi akong may star noong daycare! You freaking bastard didn't even read that! Do those karangalan not count as achievements to you?!"

He stood up instead of answering me. Mukhang wala na siyang balak na pahabain pa ang kanyang paghihirap, at i-ha-hire na rin ako sa wakas… but.

"Thank you for your time, but unfortunately, you failed the interview. Goodbye!"

Bagsak ang pangang natulala ako sa sinabi niya. I can't believe na bumagsak ako sa first-ever interview ko! Tumayo na rin ako at kaswal ko siyang tiningnan. "But I can reapply after a month right?"

"No need," baliwalang sagot niya. "Bago matapos ang araw na ito ay makakahanap na kami ng papalit sa assistant ng CEO. You may leave now."

He went to the door to open it for me.

"Puwede ko bang malaman kung bakit hindi ako pumasa sa interview mo? Am I overqualified? Natatakot ka bang baka ten years from now magkatotoo 'yong mga sinabi ko?" sunod-sunod kong tanong na hindi niya man lang pinagkaabalahang sagutin. "Nagjo-joke lang naman ako."

"Well, I'm not joking Miss Alfonzo. Hinding-hindi rin gugustuhin ni Alessandro na magkaroon ng assistant na tulad mo."

Tumalikod na rin ako, bitbit ang aking shoulder bag. Nang makalabas na ako sa p***o ay pinagsarhan niya agad ako. Akma kong tatadyakan ang p***o nang bigla ulit itong bumukas, kaya naman auto ngiti ako ng slight. Bitbit niya ang resume ko na, ayon sa kanya, ay diary ng high school student at pahagis na inabot sa akin. And then he closed the door on me again.

Mula sa blangkong ekspresyon ko at sa maliit na ngiti sa labi ay unti-unting gumuhit ang lamig. Why didn't that man hire me? Why wouldn't he give me a chance to be the CEO's assistant? Does he know me? Does he know what I am capable of?

And what made him believe that I would give up just because he said so? I would return, and when I did, that man would regret not accepting me while I was still being calm and nice.

Too bad for that fucking Alessandro Leon Vitale. Dahil kahit magkaubusan na nang lahi ay hindi ko papayagang may mapili siyang iba. Masyado niyang binubuhay ang katawang-lupa ko. At kahit bali-baliktarin niya man ang mundo, hindi niya mababago ang katotohanan, na ang isa sa mga anak ng yumaong business tycoon na naghahanap ng hustisya dahil sa kawalanghiyaan ng pamilya nila...

…ay walang iba kundi ako.

*****