THE CEO'S HIDDEN IDENTITY

Alison Carter was used to rejection.

"Sorry, Ms. Carter, we need someone with experience."

"Sorry, we already hired someone."

"Sorry, your course doesn't fit."

She had heard it all for three months. And today was her last chance. Her mother's hospital bill was already 200,000 pesos. If she didn't get a job this week, her mother would be kicked out of the hospital.

She stood in front of the tallest building in Makati - Walker & Montefalco Tower. Sixty floors of glass and gold. The company that owned half of the city. She was wearing her only white blouse, a black skirt she bought from ukay-ukay for 50 pesos, and shoes that were already peeling.

Inside her old bag was her resume. One page. No experience. Just a degree in Business Administration, cum laude.

She took a deep breath. "Alison, kaya mo 'to. Para kay Mama."

She pushed the glass door.

The lobby was cold. Too cold. Everyone looked rich. Everyone looked expensive. She felt small.

"Hi! For the interview?" The receptionist looked at her from head to toe, judging her shoes.

"Yes, for the secretary position. Alison Carter."

The receptionist smirked. "8th floor. But I think you're late. There are already twenty applicants. All beautiful."

Alison ran to the elevator. Her heart was beating fast. When the elevator opened, it was full of beautiful women. Long legs, expensive perfume, designer bags. They all looked at her old shoes and giggled.

She squeezed in, embarrassed.

On the 8th floor, the hallway was chaos. Girls were retouching makeup. Some were crying because they failed. Alison sat at the far end, hiding her peeling shoes.

"Alison Carter?" A woman in black called.

"Me!"

"You're last. Come in."

The interview room was big and cold. Three interviewers. All women. All serious and wearing expensive suits.

"Alison Carter, 23 years old, no work experience, your mother is in the hospital?" One of them read her resume with no emotion.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Why should we hire you? We have applicants from Ateneo, La Salle, with 5 years experience. You have nothing."

Alison swallowed her tears. "Because I may not have experience, ma'am, but I will work the hardest. I need this job more than anyone. I will not disappoint you. I will work 24 hours if needed."

The interviewers looked at each other. One whispered loud enough for her to hear, "She's too plain for Sir Agustin. Sir Agustin wants sexy and tall."

"And too innocent for Sir Noah. Sir Noah wants smart and experienced," the other one added.

Alison heard it. She felt her cheeks burn in shame.

"Thank you, Ms. Carter. We'll call you."

That's it. The polite rejection. She knew it. That "We'll call you" means never.

She stood up, tears already forming in her eyes. She walked out fast. She didn't want them to see her cry.

She bumped into someone hard in the hallway. Her bag fell. Papers scattered everywhere.

"Ah! Sorry!"

It was a man. Wearing a faded blue janitor uniform. He was holding a mop and a bucket. He looked young, maybe 28 or 29. Handsome, but his face had a little dirt. His uniform was too big for him.

"No, I'm sorry," Alison said, picking up her papers, crying. "I'm really sorry."

The man helped her. He picked up her resume. He saw it. "Alison Carter? Business Administration, Cum Laude? From PUP?"

"Yes," she smiled sadly while wiping her tears. "But that doesn't matter here. They only want beautiful."

"Why? You failed the interview?"

Alison laughed, but with tears. "As expected. They said I'm too plain."

The janitor looked at her. His eyes were surprisingly kind and deep blue. For a janitor, his English was perfect and his hands were clean, not like a janitor's hands.

"Maybe they are blind," he said seriously. "If I were the CEO of this building, I would hire you right away. Without interview."

Alison giggled for the first time that day. This janitor was funny and kind.

"If you were the CEO, I would be happy to be your secretary," she joked. "What's your name?"

"Noah," he said, smiling back at her. "Noah... Noah Walker."

"I'm Alison. Thank you, Noah. You made my day a little better."

From afar, the interviewers were watching and shouted, "Hoy, janitor! What are you doing talking to applicants? Go back to work! Maglinis ka!"

Noah quickly stood up and handed her bag. "I need to go. Good luck, Alison. Don't give up."

Alison walked to the elevator, defeated. She pressed G. She just wanted to go home and tell Mama she failed again.

Inside the elevator, her phone rang. Unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Alison Carter? This is HR of Walker & Montefalco. Can you go to the 60th floor now? The CEO wants to see you personally."

Alison froze. "60th floor? CEO? Bakit po? I failed po diba?"

"Just go now. He's waiting. It's urgent."

The line cut.

The girls in the waiting area heard it. They all stared at her with jealousy. "60th floor? The CEO never interviews secretaries! Who is she?"

Alison's hands were shaking. She pressed 60 with a trembling finger.

The 60th floor was different. Silent. Dark. Expensive. The air smelled like expensive perfume. One big black door. One big office.

The door was open. A man was standing with his back to her, looking at the city lights of Makati. He was wearing an expensive black suit worth maybe a million pesos. Tall. Broad shoulders. Perfect body.

And on his table, there was a faded blue janitor uniform... and a janitor cap.

Alison's mouth opened wide.

The man turned around slowly.

It was Noah.

But not the janitor Noah. This Noah was clean. Powerful. Dangerous. His blue eyes were cold now, like ice. His hair was fixed perfectly. His watch alone could pay for her mother's hospital bill for a year.

"Noah?"

Noah Walker smiled. A cold, CEO smile. A billionaire smile.

"Hi, Alison. We meet again. I'm Noah Walker. The real owner of this building. The Billionaire CEO. And the janitor you just talked to."

Alison couldn't breathe. Her heart stopped. "You... you are... the CEO? You tricked me! You lied!"

"I didn't trick you," he walked closer to her, step by step. "I was testing you. Everyone is nice to a CEO because of money. But you were nice to a janitor. That's rare. That's what I was looking for."

He handed her a black contract.

"You're hired, Alison Carter. As my personal secretary. Starting salary: 80,000 a month. All hospital bills paid. But you have one condition."

"What condition?" Alison asked, her heart pounding so loud she could hear it.

Noah leaned closer. His face was only inches from hers. His voice became low and possessive.

"You must never fall in love with me. Because if you do, Alison, I will not let you go. Ever. You will be mine."

Before Alison could answer, the office door suddenly burst open with a loud BANG!

A second man entered. Older, more dangerous, with a scar on his cheek, wearing a black mafia suit with a gold ring. He was holding Alison's resume that she left downstairs. His aura was darker and more dangerous than Noah's.

"So this is the girl you want to hide from me, cousin?" The man's voice was like ice and fire. He looked at Alison with hungry, possessive eyes. "She's beautiful. She's mine now."

Noah's face turned dark and angry. He pulled Alison behind him. "Agustin! Don't touch her! Don't you dare!"

The man - Agustin Montefalco - smiled dangerously at Alison, ignoring Noah.

"Hi, Alison Carter. I'm Agustin Montefalco. The other CEO. The Mafia Billionaire. And your future husband. You will choose me, not him."