Chapter 3

They said success is nothing if you don't have anyone to share it with. Eva might completely agree. In five years, Eva already handled positions such as Quality Analyst, Subject Matter Expert, Workforce and now, a Team Manager. Her team is the most envied team in the whole site. They always manage to stay on top and have been hoarding awards and recognition ever since they started. Nobod could beat them on a month to month basis. Eva already lost count on how many times a Team Manager requested for her team to be investigated and they calls to be reviewed. But each time Eva and her team will prove them wrong.

They would mock the people who wanted to drag them down by singing and dancing so loud after every time that they will be investigated. They would show how ineffective those petty issues against their team. Eva became so proud with her team and learned how to be mor fierce for them. She was the one who demanded for agents to have more compensations and incentives to motivate them even more. More and more agents started to respect and love her.

"TM Eva, Director Collins wants to see you in his office." One of Eva's agents informed her when she came back from her one hour break with Giselle. Even though confused, Eva immediately went to the Director's office. When she knocked she heard hushed voices inside. She frowned.

"Eva, what aren't you coming in?" the director suddenly peaked at the door. When she came in the room she was astounded.

She a huge banner at the end of the room saying "Congratulations to our new Operation's Manager, Eva Vergara.". There were white and black balloons and a cake carried by their current operation's manager. All the people inside the director's room was smiling at Eva. Especially her best friend Giselle who is now a training manager. 

"Congratulations, Eva!" Giselle shrieked. "Oh my God! You're an operation's manager now!"

"Congratulations, Ms. Eva. You deserve this." Eva smiled but she sae Giselle's facial expression quickly changed. The woman standing in front of them is one of the team managers who wanted to destroy Eva.

"How are you?" Giselle sarcastically asked. "How's all those rumors you guys spread about my best friend? She's the operation's manager now."

"Giselle, that's enough." Eva warned her best friend. She just simply smiled at the team manager.

The site director and their previous operation's manager had a smal celebration for her. They are and laughed for an hour to celebrate Eva's promotion. In the past years, Eva started the construction of her own house. She sold her mom's house and lot, used the money to buy a land somewhere else and build her own house. She's been preparing herself for having her own family but until now, she still don't even have a boyfried. Eva has suitors but none of them catched her attention. Sometime's she's loosing patience and would think that resting peacefull.

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Jack Dizon, architect and was worn on a decent family. They are not millionairs but he's name is known for his artistic projects and modeling career.

Jack Dizon is a rising star in the architecture industry. He already designed three famous infrastructures in the country. He is also a well-known model and a womanizer. He's been publicly seen with different women, both showbiz personality and not. But instead of people disliking him, he became more famous. Women are drawn to him no matter how much negative news has come out.

"Jack, you're an architect, too. You can't keep up with this kind of reputation." His manager voiced out his concern.

"Philip, relax. I can handle this." Jack calmly said. He is too wrapped up with his fame that he thinks it will last forever. That it will never fade.

"You've been with so many women, Jack. Haven't you found the one?" Philip is still trying to make him understand his point.

"Is there such thing?" Jack laughed. "Kidding." Jack's facial expression turned serious. "I haven't found the woman who can make say I want to get married."

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Eva's promotion became a cause for celebration for their site. After their shift, everyone went to the music lounge near their office. This time all of them are happy for Eva. And for themselves. Their operation manager, even though he was a nice person, was not a good leader. Knowing Eva, they all knew that she would be a better boss.

" Boss, you have to come. We're all going to be there." An agent said to Eva.

"Fine, fine. I'll be there. Okay?" Eva said while laughing. She's being overwhelmed with how the situation turned. Now, the number of people who like her at work is greater than the number of people who dislike her. Maybe being power has its perks. Eva accepted the challenge of being an operation manager because she wants to lead people. She wants to help them achieve their full potential.

"How's the new operation's manager doing?" Giselle asked Eva while smiling.

"And how's the new training manager doing, huh?" Giselle was also promoted as the new training manager a week before Eva.

For the two ladies, their lives are starting to turn around. Giselle already purchased land for her parents, and the construction for their house already started. At the same time, Eva plans to save more while living on the condominium unit she purchased. She wants to have a business first and save more money.

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After their shift, Eva and Giselle went straight L'Heim, the bar where her celebration will take place. It was just around the corner of their office. When they arrived, everything is already set, from the food to the beers. Eva was never used to the kind of life her colleagues were used to. She never had a "cool" outlook on life. For her, life should always be taken seriously. For it can change drastically in just a snap of a finger.

"I'll never get used to this kind of thing," Eva whispered to Giselle.

"We don't have a choice," Giselle whispered back. "We're both managers now, and sometimes, our teams and even our bosses would invite us to this kind of thing."

"I know, but I just don't like this," Eva said while pointing her finger at everything around them.

"Come on, let's appreciate their effort." Giselle dragged her to their table.

"Boss Eva! Boss Giselle!" Everybody greeted them. At least now, they wanted to be friends with the two ladies.

Eva looked around and thought of how different she is from everybody else. For when they party and get drunk, she works her ass off. She never experienced the life of a typical teenager. For her, it's always about earning extra money and studying hard to maintain her grades. She never experienced having any romantic relationship with any man.

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After a long day's work, Jack wanted to unwind and get away from his overbearing manager and the stress of being an architect. As he hops on his motorcycle, Jack was thinking of where to go. When he couldn't think of any place, he then decided to go home. While driving, Jack felt his phone vibrate inside his jacket pocket. He parked his car on the sidewalk.

"Robbie? Hey, man. What's up?"

[Bro, are you free right now? We're at the L'Heim.] Robbie said on the other line.

"Sure, man. I'm on my way." Jack responded before ending the call. He smiled at the thought.

When Jack arrives at L'Heim, he noticed that the same group occupies almost the entire bar. He wondered what the occasion was. He scanned the people on every table and corner, trying to find Robbie. After a while, he finally found him. As Jack approaches Robbie, his eyes caught a glimpse of a timid woman sitting on a long table surrounding by noisy fellows. She looks uncomfortable with the surrounding.

Jack didn't even notice Robbie standing beside him. He was shaking his head when he realized who he was looking at. Jack was captivated by the woman's beauty. Despite her uncomfortable smile, the elegance of the surrounding can't seem to match the beauty she possesses. The way she tucks her hair behind her ears. Or how she smiles so plainly. Even the way she nods. Everything about it is beautiful.

"That's our new operation manager." Robbie finally said to get Jack's attention. Jack blinked a couple of times before facing Robbie. "And she's single, man," Robbie said playfully.

"What? No, I was—I was just looking at her, that's all." Jack tried to reason even though it was apparent.

"Whatever you say, man," Robbie said playfully. "But she's single, though. Never had a boyfriend in her entire life." Jack acted not interested, but deep inside, he was thrilled. Jack thought that the woman was not just beautiful. She's also virtuous and with a good background. Robby took a chair and put it beside his new operation manager. Then he gave jack a bottle of beer.

"Hey, what are you doing, man?" Jack whispered to Robbie when he pushed him to sit down. "Hi—sorry, uhm," Jack cleared his throat. He never feels nervous.

"Are you okay?" Jack had no choice but to look at her. And he felt like he's staring at an angel.

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Eva looked at Robbie and the man he was pushing forward to sit beside her. Robbie winked at her and smiled before leaving. Even though confused, Eva tried to act normal and continued interacting with her colleagues. But the guy beside kept squirming in his seat. He looked uncomfortable for some reason, and Eva is getting uncomfortable too.

"Are you okay?" Eva finally asked him.

"Huh?" The guy answered as if he didn't notice that someone's sitting next to him.

"I said, are you okay?" Eva asked again. But the guys still looked confused.

"What?" He asked back. Then after two seconds, "Oh! Oh! Yeah, I mean yes. I'm fine." Eva almost laughed when she saw him blushed. Then out of the blue, she realized something. He was handsome, and his eyes are so sexy.

He's used to seeing handsome men, but this guy beside her is different. There's something in his eyes that can make your heart jump. He's got an incredible physique, too. Tall, fair complexion, ash-blond hair. You could say he's a model just by the way he moves and carry himself.

"I know I'm handsome, so it's okay to stare." Eva blinked rapidly when she heard him say those words. "And you're beautiful, too. That's why I was like that earlier." Now it's Eva's turn to blush. "I'm Jack, by the way." He extended his hands.

"Eva." She responded, smiling.

Since then, Eva and Jack never left each other's company. They talked about a lot of things, especially about work and work politics. Jack was sincerely amazed by her journey from being a first-timer to being an operation manager in just two years. He commended her sacrifices and perseverance.

Jack also asked her why she never had any relationship. He said that women don't know the importance of virtue anymore. Jack became honest with a woman for the first time. He told Eva about everything, including all of his affairs. Jack was never real, especially to a lady. He always maintains a supermodel persona and uses it to get the girl.

But not with Eva. Without even realizing it, Jack became an open book. He was admitting all his frustrations, his every disappointment in life. Things that scare him and what he really wanted in life. This unintentional honesty captivates Eva. Even without any experience with men, she knew that it's hard for someone to be open and honest to a stranger. And Eva is someone who knows how to appreciate.

Jack and Eva, we're so busy with each other's company that they didn't even notice that everyone's looking at them, observing. They were all smiling, feeling happy for Eva. Some of them are whispering to one another, asking everyone not to disturb them. The way they looked at each other, it's like nothing matters anymore.

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After the celebration, Jack offered to take Eva home. They agreed that she would take her car to their office's parking lot, and she will hop on Jack's motorcycle. Eva's was about to inform Giselle about Jack taking her home, but she immediately saw Giselle's mood darken

"Eva, are you sure about this?" But it seems like not everyone was happy for them.

"Giselle, what wrong?" Eva asked seriously. The moment that Giselle saw them talking, she lost her good mood. She was talking and smiling but Eva her so well.

"Do you know who that guy is?" Giselle asked in a foul mood.

"Yes, his Jack Dizon. He's a supermodel and an architect. Was that okay?" Eva said.

"Yes! Jack Dizon! Do you know who Jack Dizon is?" Giselle asked again.

"Giselle, get to the point," Eva answered. She's starting to get irritated.

"He's a womanizer, Eva!" Giselle replied with the same as Eva.

"I honestly don't care, Giselle," Eva answered. "He made mistakes, so did I, so do you. He's nice to me; why can't I be friends with him?" Giselle was shocked by her best friend's response. But Eva is a grown woman. She has the right to decide. "I'm sorry, I have to go, okay?" Giselle just nodded and watched Eva walk away with Jack. A stranger who's so famous because of his womanizing.

Giselle knew that Eva would be an easy target for men like Jack Dizon. She just hopes that her best friend will see him for who he is sooner rather than later.

"You're best friend doesn't seem to like me." Jack jokingly said before hopping onto his motorcycle. He had to purchase a new helmet from the nearby shop for Eva since he only brings one helmet every day.

"She just heard a lot of stories about you. But she'll come around. I'm sure of it." Eva said while smiling before hopping on.

"I've never been honest to anyone, Eva. I don't know about you, but it says a lot for me." Jack sincerely said.