5. A Bussiness Discussion

Scarlett’s POV

It was my first day at the office. The moment I stepped onto the first floor, the staff all stood up. "Good morning, ma'am," they greeted, heads hung down.

“Set up a meeting with everyone, Gabriel,” I ordered.

“Okay, ma’am,” he replied curtly, and we headed to my office.

“Were you able to schedule a meeting with Mr. Aguas and the two other men?” I asked as we entered the elevator.

“Yes, ma’am. Your first meeting will be with Mr. Aguas at The Heritage Hotel,” he responded. “Mr. James promised to meet with you tomorrow, but Mr. Cruz claimed he wasn’t interested.”

“Tsk!” I chuckled, and the elevator opened, welcoming me into my spectacular warm glow office.

It featured everything needed to make an office, except for the two abnormally large windows that serve more like my CCTV. Plus a set of speakers. My love for music isn’t negligible; I can listen to music even while asleep.

“You did a great job, Gabriel,” I praised him, heading to my desk.

“Thank you, ma’am,” he smiled proudly.

“As for Mr. James, no one says no to me. I will pay him a visit after my meeting with Mr. Aguas,” I declared.

“As you wish,” he said.

“Please get the staff ready; we must begin the meeting immediately,” I said, booting my system to start work.

“Immediately, ma’am,” he said, and hurried out.

Some minutes later. I sat in the conference room with my staff around the large, long table. I surveyed the room, making eye contact with everyone before beginning.

“Good morning, staff. I expect your undivided attention,” I began. “Our company’s success is not a suggestion; it’s a requirement. And I will accept nothing less than excellence from each and every one of you,” my words raised murmurs among them.

“Let me be clear: our goal is not to simply succeed but to dominate the market. And I expect every single one of you to work tirelessly towards achieving that objective. Any less would be unacceptable. I don’t pay you to make excuses or waste time. I pay you to deliver results. And I expect those results to be exceptional. If you’re not prepared to put in the effort, then perhaps this isn’t the right company for you,” I delivered and paused. I surveyed everyone once more.

“I demand discipline, focus, and a commitment to excellence. I expect you to take ownership of your work, to be proactive, and to continuously improve our processes and products. Anything less will be addressed swiftly. I will not tolerate mediocrity, gossip, or negativity. I will not tolerate excuses or lack of accountability. What I will tolerate is hard work, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Am I understood?” I stated.

“Yes, ma’am,” they all replied in unison.

“If you know you can’t abide by the rules or be in the boat of success with me, then you are free to hand in your resignation letter.”

That raised murmurs again.

“So, let us be clear: our mission is to dominate the market. And I expect every single one of you to be fully committed to that mission. There’s a reward for every hardship. Let us get to work,” I concluded.

The room fell silent, the staff looking at me with a mix of determination and intimidation.

“Gabriel, to my office,” I said, and stood up.

“Don’t you think that was a bit too hard, ma’am?” Gabriel questioned as we were in the elevator.

“You don’t understand my objectives, Gabriel. If they aren’t ready to work, we will hire more competent staff,” I declared. “I need to be with Mr. Aguas right now.”

“But it’s not yet time.”

“I don’t care. He has to be in the hotel in one way or another,” I declared as the elevator opened to my office.

***

“Hello, Miss Guzman,” Mr. Aguas greeted, appearing before me and Gabriel at the hotel. We were seated around a round table in a meeting room.

“Hello, Mr. Aguas. Please have a seat,” I offered him.

“Nice to finally meet you in person,” Mr. Aguas said, sitting.

“Let’s get down to business,” I began. “As you might already know, I own one of the largest companies in the whole of Metro Manila, RR Agency. When I want something, I always get it. Without further ado, Mr. Aguas. I want to buy your shares in Reyes Legacy Jewels,” I stated.

“That’s not possible, Miss Guzman. I’m not selling my shares in Reyes Legacy Jewels. That’s my investment,” he objected.

“I’m not asking for your opinion, Mr. Aguas. I want to buy your 15 percent shares in Reyes Legacy Jewels, and we are sealing the deal right here,” I declared.

“Are you trying to force me?” he groaned. “Who do you think you are to force me to sell my shares?”

“What happened in this hotel three months ago in room 244 on 13th of February, 2024?” I questioned, piercing my eyes into his.

“H… How do you know that?” he stuttered.

“Do we have a deal, Mr. Aguas? Or would you prefer I inform your family about it?” I threatened, a sinister smile lurking around my lips.

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He adjusted his tie and swallowed hard.

“It hasn’t gotten to that, Miss Guzman. I will sell my shares to you,” he lowered his voice.

“That’s why I like you, Mr. Aguas. It’s very easy to do business together,” I smiled. No one is untameable when it comes to me.

With no further argument, we signed the contract. He transferred the ownership to me, and I became a 15 percent owner of Reyes Legacy Jewels.

“Nice doing business with you, Mr. Aguas,” I said with a handshake, and we headed out.

“You are taking me to Mr. Cruz’s company right away,” I said as we entered the car.

“But he doesn’t want to meet with you yet,” Gabriel said.

“It doesn’t matter what he wants to do; what I want is more important. Off we go,” I declared and focused on my phone.

I returned home late at night. I flung my bag on the bed, exhausted. I yawned as I dragged my feet to the bathroom to freshen up. I returned to the bedroom some minutes later and sat in front of the vanity table for my nightly routine. I touched my cheeks, feeling the texture.

“32 isn’t bad on you, Scarlett,” I said, and smiled. No more birthmarks, and no more no-makeup.

Suddenly, I felt waves of heat through my veins. My body temperature increased instantly, and I started sweating profusely.

“No, not this time,” I grunted, feeling itchy all over. “My phone!” I rushed to the bed to pick up my phone. I dialed Gabriel’s number; it was not reachable.

“This can’t happen now. Gabriel.” My face got hot and red. I paced back and forth, trying to reach him. I could hear my heart throbbing loudly.

“Gabriel?” I cried out, hurrying to the door. I stumbled upon my shoe and fell to the floor. My phone slid down the floor.

“Ow!” I exclaimed. I squirmed on the floor, scratching my whole body. Sharp pain seared through my abdomen, and I pursed my lips in agony.