It is not my nature to cuss and shouts, but I am just very frustrated. I don’t want to cry, but the tears betray me. Look, I was absent the whole last week, and I won’t have a choice but to work this week. I won’t have a salary, right? But I am not in the mood to work, the reason why Mr. Montenegro is rumbling about my spacing out behavior and mistakes.
“Do you have to shout like that in my company?”
I turned around abruptly and expressed my fear when I saw my boss standing in front of the door where I went in just for me to get here on the rooftop. His pompadour hair was being swished softly by the cold wind, his business suit tracing every muscle of his body perfectly, and his dark virility scaring the shit out of me. It was his austere and strict eyes that are indicating that he is not happy.
“M-Mr. Montenegro…” I called and gulped.
“Where is my coffee?” he asked.
“Huh?”
“I said, where is my coffee?”
I bit my lower lip and panicked and looked around. Thankfully, I brought the plastic cup and placed it on the cemented railing. Without further ado, I went near my boss and reached out for the coffee cup. He was watching me intently as I felt the coldness of the air, but I endured it.
“I am so sorry for being late, sir. I just met convenience along the way from the coffee shop. It is my fault and I take responsibility for making mistakes. Whatever happened a while ago made me a walking disaster, and I have been reckless these past few days because I am going through something personal,” I explained nonstop with my voice breaking. “But I know that I should not bring my personal feelings at work because I should be professional. I apologize for bringing you down a while ago, for I did not understand what you and the chairman were saying, s-so I left…”
I bit my lower lip to escape embarrassment, but no matter what I do, I know I am condemned to be punished. In the middle of my trembling hand, while handing out the coffee cup, I felt a warm embrace around my shoulders. It was not a hug, of course. It was the business coat he plastered. I looked up at him, and he was still giving a stern expression as if not bothered by my drama.
“It is not my attitude to complain about your work and how a stupid inconvenience went through your way today. You know me. I don’t care about personal businesses,” he said in an authoritative voice after fixing the coat around me.
Right. I was flustered by his comment.
“Right now, I want you to have an extra job, only if you would take advantage of my offer,” he added with an eyebrow shot.
“What kind of offer?” I said slowly.
He stashed his hands in his pockets and smirked. “I want you to become my fiance and my future bride,” he revealed and finally accepted the coffee cup I was handed to him. He coolly opened its hole and sipped on it. “What do you say?”
“Huh?” was the only word I mumbled and shook my head while chuckling nervously. “I’m sorry, but what?”
“You don’t want me for you to repeat what I said.”
Oh, it’s a threat. Mr. Montenegro is not a patient man that I know.
“Why would you…” I blinked many times and tried to understand what he said in the last words of his statement. “You would want me to become your wife?”
“Yes,” he confirmed and sipped on his coffee again. “I think you are suitable for me, though.”
I cackled immediately and the sadness I felt a while ago subsided. He furrowed his eyebrows furthermore as if confused by my reaction. On the other hand, I continued laughing while pointing at his chest.
“Tell me that you are kidding, sir. Is it April Fool’s today? Hmm?” I said and grinned.
He glared at me, making me stop laughing and saying insensible. So he is deadly serious!
“But why me, sir?” I reacted impulsively and pointed my two index fingers at my chest. “I am your secretary!”
“I don’t have a choice, or the chairman will have to make me marry the old woman he is giving me,” he said and sighed aggressively. “Unless he would know that I have a girlfriend.”
“So let me get this straight. You told him a while ago that I am your girlfriend,” I said and he nodded. “And now, because he is trying to make you marry you another woman you don’t like, you want me to be your wife instead?” I asked and he nodded again. “If you don’t want to marry, you can just reject his proposal!”
“Look!” Mr. Montenegro intervened in my reaction and slightly lowered the coffee cup. “Even if I am not interested in any kind of romantic relationship, I won’t have a choice. It is the culture in our family. We marry to breed heirs and heiress.”
Just hearing the word ‘breed’ makes me want to puke. He must have noticed my distaste, so he immediately shook his head.
“Don’t worry. I am also not interested in having sex with you, Ms. Castro,” he added.
I don’t even know if I should be offended by what he said or not.
“Here it is to make it clear,” he mumbled and stared into my eyes intently. “I will make a formal contract for you to sign. You will pretend as my fiancé, marry me in a grand church if we have to, and act like a married couple in front of my family. But don’t worry, this is only temporary until I find myself a good and satisfying wife on my own.”
I sighed in relief and also placed my palm on my chest. Hoo, I thought I would die of anxiety. I thought for a while that he is interested in me.
“Ms. Castro,” my boss called me again and arched his eyebrow. “Do we understand each other now?”
I smiled and reached out my hand. “It is a deal, sir,” I said. “But I would like to know about the benefits I can have if I have to perform this pretentious scheme.”“Sure. We will talk tomorrow regarding this contract. For now, I want you to go home, fix yourself, and be more alert for your work tomorrow.”And of course, as an obedient secretary, I followed Mr. Montenegro and went home to the apartment where I am staying just near the building of company. I showered, placed my filthy and stained clothes on the washing machine behind the kitchen, and worked out the statistical data for tomorrow that I have to pass to Mr. Montenegro.Amidst my silent work, I remembered how Mr. Montenegro showed up when I was shouting and hyperventilating like a lunatic. I just really hope that he is not thinking that I am a psycho.But as his secretary of him for three years, he is not the type of boss that would judge an employee based on his or her emotional vulnerability. Unless it is about the busi
“But they know that I am your secretary. Everyone has seen us being professional with each other. How would they expect that we fell?”Oh, my goodness. How did I grasp the audacity to ask him that?!“Well, it is not like I am not good-looking. I will just have to tell them that you fancy me,” he casually suggested.And I won’t accept that suggestion, though, so I placed the folder on my lap.“That is a little bit absurd, vice chairman,” I said and shook my head. “Let me suggest an acceptable yet interesting story…”“Let me hear it, then.”I squinted my eyes when I saw a challenge in his eyes. There was even a tease in his mouth as if the sides of his lips are slowly rising. He is like this when he is testing my capability and knowledge.“Hmmm,” I hummed. “Let’s just say that you found me extraordinary. More than a secretary and an employee. As time passes by, you found yourself enjoying my company, because I am your only friend in your life.”“My friend?”“Yes, because you don’t have
Just like what the vice chairman requested, I canceled all of his appointments and cleared his disorganized things from his table in his office when he was talking to the executive director of the committee outside. When I was done, I approached my bag on one of the tables and swiftly retouched myself so we can go. I looked at my foundation’s mirror and saw that my eyebags were getting bigger, so I sighed.I wonder when I will stop crying over a jerk who does not even give a shit on me. Like, Jill, chill, okay? You have a job to do and your salary will be triple if you just get into your senses!I breathed in deeply, getting it together, so I can be prepared in going out.“Ms. Castro?”I abruptly turned my back to see the vice chairman, Mr. Darwin Montenegro, opening the door of his office. His hands were stashed on his grey slacks, looking handsome with his newly cut pompadour hair, and his business suit looking neat and tracing the muscles in the right places beneath it.“I hope you
“Do you have a boyfriend at the current time?” he asked me when we arrived in the parking lot. He has already let go of my hand, so I was back in following him behind. Just the topic of having a boyfriend made me remember what happened yesterday. I shook my head, so I cannot be fazed by its memory. Instead, I chose to give the vice chairman a practical answer.“I just newly broke up with a man for the past few weeks, sir,” I said, staying in the context. “And we did not get back together, so there will be no obstacles while we are participating in this pretentious act.”I saw him a nod and subtly looked over his shoulder, his pursed lips a little bit twisted. “Is that the reason why you were spacing out for the past few days?” he asked, even though the volume of his tone is uninterested.“Honestly, yes, sir,” I said. “So I am sorry-““You kept apologizing, especially since yesterday. I am so sick of it.”“I’m so-“I stopped myself from speaking up, zipped my lips tightly, and gulped
While thinking about the unspoken rumbles mentally, my irritation suddenly subsided when I picked a white bodycon dress. It is a long sleeve but I know it would look good on me. It is also a turtle-neck type one, too. It was color white; the texture was soft; and it is suited to a woman who has a curvy body.Well, one thing I liked about my appearance is the coca-cola shape of my body. Any kind of dress will be suited for me, which I am grateful for.“How about this one, sir? Wait.. sir?”I turned the other sides of the boutique, finding Mr. Montenegro around. Where is he? The sofa was empty and an opened magazine was on the glass table.I went out of the dressing room and decided to look for him. I was about to go to the front desk to ask the saleslady, but before I could even approach her, I bumped into someone busy holding a bag on sale.“Oh, I’m sorry –“ I almost exclaimed if I just did not look up.Grace’s eyes also widened as she looked at me. “What are you doing here?” the firs
The buildings in the city were a good sight under the light of the sun as I watched them all while riding in the backseat of Mr. Montenegro’s car. But despite my astonishment, while watching the environment of the city, I was slightly bothered by the series of gazes of Mr. Montenegro from the driver’s seat of the car he was giving me. When I was completely driven by the confusion he was giving me, I finally looked at him.“Who were they?” he asked as if that was the question he was thinking about since we left the boutique store.I was confused. He does not give a damn about the people he meets. Weird. But even though I did not expect him to ask, I still answered him with as half-life as I could. Knowing Mr. Montenegro is that he is never interested in my life, so let's just try.“Just like what I said, they are my, you know, friends,” I said tentatively and tried to smile truthfully.He made a long stare before he looked at the road with a brief sigh. “Let me guess. The lad was your
“Don’t do that again,” Mr. Montenegro said when he opened the door for me from the car. “I hate people crying.”Before I could even apologize, he had already turned his back on me, so I scratched my head, not knowing if I messed up again. I mean, he was the one who made me cry, right? After saying some stupid sentiments to me and hitting them through my heart, he would rumble about my tears? Is it my fault that he has some wisdom in his mind that he shared with me while I am having my pathetic drama?“Ms. Castro!”“Yes, coming right up, sir!” I said when he was already glaring at me and realized that I was not following him inside the company.I was able to forget what happened in the boutique for the whole day of work because I want to not disappoint my boss again. I changed the bodycon dress I am supposed to wear tonight into the corporate dress I wore last morning since I do not want to spoil the excitement I look forward to.Well, who would not be excited when I am going to the g
Before he answered me, his eyes gazed at my arm and cleared his throat. “Of course,” he said sternly and furrowed his eyebrows at me. “I see that she is also pleased to meet you.”I chuckled. “It is obvious from her eyes,” I said. “They say that you should leave a good impression to a socialite like her so she can be interested in you.”He nodded silently and moved now to walk. And like a slave, I matched his walk towards the interior of the grand mansion. I pursed my lips so that it would not be apart as my eyes ventured the entirety of the household. There were many expensive vases around, paintings that I knew would cost millions, and hallways that were too numerous I could not distinguish where they lead to.“You know all of the members of my family, right?” Mr. Montenegro asked me beside me as we walked through the living room, and I nodded. “Then make sure to leave a good impression on all of them.”It did not take long until we arrived at the dining hall where the first thing I