CHAPTER 3

My phone's alarm clock, a jarring screech in the otherwise quiet morning, dragged me from sleep. Groping for it on the nightstand, I silenced the noise and squinted at the time. 7:30 AM. A jolt of panic shot through me. I was late! I was supposed to be at Golden Scenery by 7:00 AM sharp. Damn it! I shot out of bed, grabbing a towel and rushing to the bathroom for a quick shower. After throwing on the first presentable outfit I could find, I grabbed a pandesal from the kitchen table and raced out the door, frantically searching for a ride. My first day, and I was already making a terrible impression.

Arriving at the Golden Scenery company building in a breathless flurry, I was immediately recognized and ushered inside by the security guard, though not without a distinctly disapproving look. He probably remembered me from our less-than-pleasant encounter the other day. I practically hammered the elevator button, desperate to reach the top floor. How unprofessional can you be, Gianna! I mentally berated myself, cringing at the thought of the impression I was making. I sprinted down the hallway towards Mr. Locan's office, finally stopping just before his door to catch my breath and compose myself. Okay, Gianna, brace yourself. You're about to get a serious dressing down. Taking a deep breath, I steeled my nerves and opened the door, only to be greeted not by the formidable Mr. Locan, but by the stern-faced woman who had interviewed me the other day. Ms. Gada, I remembered her name was.

"Good morning," I said, offering a polite greeting, hoping to mitigate the damage of my tardiness. She simply stared at me, her expression unreadable. Slowly, deliberately, she closed the door behind me, her brow furrowed in a deep frown. "Why are you so late?" she asked, her voice a low, irritated whisper, as if we were conspiring against the company. Why was she whispering?

"Ah... well, you see--" I stammered, trying to formulate a plausible excuse.

"Just go in there," she interrupted, her voice tight with warning. "Mr. Locan is in a terrible mood today. Don't do anything to make things worse for yourself." With that cryptic advice, she left me standing there, my heart pounding in my chest, feeling a sudden chill despite the warmth of the office. I didn't know if it was her words or just the general atmosphere, but goosebumps prickled my skin as I hesitantly stepped into Mr. Locan's office.

"You're late," a cold, emotionless voice greeted me, sending a shiver down my spine. Mr. Locan was sitting behind the massive desk, his back to me, his chair positioned so that I couldn't see his face. I swallowed hard, trying to regain my composure.

"I apologize sincerely, Sir. It won't happen again," I said, my voice filled with genuine remorse. He remained silent for what felt like an eternity, the tension in the room thick enough to cut with a knife.

I stood there awkwardly, a few feet from his desk, unable to meet his gaze, my eyes darting around the opulent office. His voice was even more intimidating in person. Finally, I looked up as his chair slowly swiveled around to face me. As his features came into view, my eyes widened in shock, my mouth falling open in disbelief.

"You!?" I exclaimed, the word bursting from my lips before I could stop it, my voice barely above a whisper.

"What are you doing here?!" I demanded, my annoyance and disbelief quickly bubbling to the surface. He didn't answer, didn't even react to my outburst, his expression remaining impassive.

"Are you following me?" I asked, my voice rising with indignation. "Or..." I trailed off, a sudden, unsettling realization dawning on me. He leaned back in his swivel chair, his gaze intense and unwavering, waiting for my reaction. No way!

"You're... the boss?" I asked, my voice incredulous, barely daring to believe it. He seemed to understand my unspoken question and gave a curt nod, confirming my worst fears. Damn it! If I didn't have bad luck, I wouldn't have any luck at all. "B-but--" I started to protest, trying to make sense of this bizarre situation, but he cut me off before I could even form a coherent sentence.

"No buts. It's your first day, and you're already late. Very unprofessional," he said, shaking his head slightly, as if regretting his company's decision to hire me as his secretary.

"Well, sorry," I mumbled under my breath, unable to resist the sarcastic retort, knowing full well that he had heard me. He straightened up in his chair and slid a thick stack of papers across the desk towards me. I took them and quickly retreated to my assigned workspace, my mind reeling. "That's a list of your duties as my secretary," he said, his voice devoid of any warmth or emotion. As I flipped through the pages, my eyes widened in disbelief. Seriously? There was an impossible amount of work listed here.

"And of course, you have to obey my rules, Ms... what's your name again?" he asked, his tone dismissive, as if I were nothing more than an insignificant annoyance. Now I knew for sure that he hadn't been the one to choose me for this job; he didn't even bother to remember my name.

"Gianna Magsandingan, at your service, Sir," I said, emphasizing the word "Sir" with a deliberate sarcastic edge, hoping he would pick up on my displeasure. Tsk.

"Okay. Ms. Sagingan."

What the? Was he deliberately trying to provoke me? Did I look like a banana?

"You!" I was about to point my finger at him and give him a piece of my mind, but I quickly remembered my place. I was just his secretary, and he was the CEO. I had to be careful. Damn it! That arrogant jerk had deliberately butchered my last name, turning it into "banana."

"Third rule," he began, his voice cutting through my simmering anger. Wait, shouldn't the first rule come first? Was he even capable of following a logical order?

"You are not allowed to eat in my office; you must keep this room tidy and clean."

Okay? I was about to say something, to point out the absurdity of these arbitrary rules, but he cut me off again, not giving me a chance to speak.

"Second, you are not allowed to talk back unless I said so," he added, his eyes glinting with a hint of amusement, as if he enjoyed wielding his power over me. Seriously?

"And last but not the least. The number one rule, you are not allowed to touch me or get close to me. I have my one-meter rule."

My shoulders slumped in defeat at his last statement. How dramatic could he be? A one-meter rule? What was this, some kind of ridiculous personal space bubble?

"What if I need to whisper something to you?" I asked, unable to resist the sarcastic jab.

"You can write it on paper," he replied simply, as if it were the most logical and reasonable solution in the world.

"What if I need to hand you something?"

"Leave it, and I'll take it."

"What if--"

"I don't have to answer all of your questions," he interrupted, his patience clearly at an end.

"Well, you're being so vague and unreasonable," I retorted, my frustration finally boiling over. "What's so vague and unreasonable about it? Or maybe you just can't understand English?" he asked, his tone condescending and infuriating. I gasped in exasperation, clenching my fists in a futile attempt to control my temper. This was too much. He was deliberately trying to push my buttons.

"Hey--"

"Unprofessional," he interrupted, his voice dripping with disapproval. He'd been using that "unprofessional" line all morning, and it was starting to grate on my nerves. I was about to explode.

"Sir, I understand English perfectly well, it's just that--"

"That's good to know. Anyway, check my schedule and see if I'm free this afternoon," he cut me off again, not even letting me finish my sentence. After that, he stood up from his desk and walked out of the office, leaving me standing there, speechless and seething with anger.

I blinked several times, trying to process everything that had just happened. I stomped my foot in frustration, unable to contain my rage any longer. Was this really happening? Was this my life now? Of all the people in the world, why did it have to be him? Damn it! This was going to be a long, long day.