42: Ideally

“Just wow! You look gorgeous, princess!”

“I hate being called that way,” Talia let out a small laugh and stared at herself in front of the mirror. She sighed to herself, realizing how beautiful she is and she is like a princess, more than a princess. She look so perfect just by wearing a simple shirt and high-waisted pants. Simple yet arrogant.

Eman caresses her hair while he is standing before her. “Are you sure you just want a low quality of work in our company? You know, you own the company.”

“Nah,” Talia shakes her head. “I am good, Eman. I just want simple.”

“Yeah, okay.” Eman smiled at her. Axel is already waiting for them in the garage so they prepared themselves to take off. Their parents was not around since they have work to do. And about Ysiah, he and Talia might be already cool but for Ysiah, that is just to shut himself and not mind Talia anytime. It was like Talia does not exist to him. And Talia understand that. She will always understand.

“You ready?” Axel asked as they went inside the car. Talia heaved a deep sigh first and buckled her belt. She then nodded her head, motioning him that everything is fine. Then, Axel started the engine and drove away from the mansion.

They just waited for fifteen minutes before they got to arrive their company. The Zanea’s company. It is good and huge, obvious that it is rich and their business is luxury. Talia scanned het eyes through the building and convinced herself that she can get through this. She is kind of nervous because of the people she is going to interact with. She does not know what their attitude is and who are they. Or are they even welcoming?

“Wait, you will go with me?” Talia asked her two brothers when they followed her in the elevator. “You should not, Eman, Axel. Remember, I will not enter this job because you are my family. I just want everything simple.”

“You want us to just leave you?” Eman creased his brows. “You has not been here yet. You don’t know where to go.”

“Maybe you call for a tutor?”

“All right,” Axel hissed. “I will call the chief so she can guide you. You sure you are fine? We don’t want to leave you behind —”

“I am fine,” Talia said and tapped both of their shoulders. “I will wait for that chief you are talking about. You can now go.”

And just like that, they apart ways. It just took Talia to wait for the chief in a minute. She is Gaile Laurent, an operator and the chief of the employees in the company. Their business are luxuries, cars, house furniture etcetera.

“Hello,” Gaile greeted and extended her arms towards Talia. “I am Gaile Laurent, the head chief of the company. I am glad to assist you, Miss Talia Zanea.”

Talia smiled back. She feels odd hearing herself with a different last name now. “You can just call me Talia, Miss Gaile Laurent. Pleased to meet you.”

They smiled at each other before Gaile motioned her the way. They went inside the elevator to go in the floor where she will be working. Gaile is explaining to Talia everything she should know about the company and she is keeping them in mind. As the elevator stopped, they went off and Talia roamed her eyes around the floor.

“Wow,” she uttered in amazement of how big the floor is. Gaile started to walk around and Talia followed her. Some employees that are focus to what they are doing looked to the two who just came inside. They were confused about Talia’s presence.

And just like what Talia wants, Gaile introduced Talia as their co-workers and she will start to work now. Gaile did not told them that she is a Zanea because as of Talia, she does not want to work here with her last name ahead. She want it cool and simple just like what she is used to. She live in simplicity. Because if people know that she is a Zanea, for sure they will serve her like a goddess and she does not want that. She was not born and lived that way.

“Hi,” Talia greeted everyone with a small smile. “I am Talia and I hope to have a good relationship with you.”

After Gaile did her work, she left Talia since she has another work to do. As soon as she left, an employee stood up and headed to Talia. The woman is looking at Talia with a teasing look and she can sense a hate in her eyes.

“So, new here, huh?” The woman scanned her wholeness and chuckled. “Look at yourself. I am Ynara, the leader. I need coffee and you should buy me one.”

Talia smiled. “Sure. Money?”

Most of the employees chuckled when Talia asked for money. Ynara looked at her with a greeted teeth. “You use your money. Treat us all.”

Her lips parted in disbelief. “H-Hey, I didn’t have –”

“Find ways,” Ynara cut her off. “I am the leader here and you should follow me. Treat us a coffee and use your own money. That is my rule here that you should follow.”

Talia shook her head and turned her back against Ynara. She was about to leave when Ynara grabbed her hair to stop her from getting away. “Where are you going, hmm?”

“I will buy your coffee,” Talia answered casually. “Coffee for everyone.”

“Good.” Ynara let Talia go. As she walked towards the elevator to get under and buy coffee for everyone, the employees chuckled. “I guess we have a new puppet, huh? What an obeying woman.”

Everyone cheered because of what Ynara said. That just means that they will use Talia to buy foods for them and serve them. Talia was not expecting this. She thought that her co-workers are good and is great to befriend with. They are just immature and Talia is disappointed.

“Hey, where are you going?” Axel and Talia cross paths. Talia looked at him and smiled. “You should interact with your co and work there.”

“I just have to buy coffee,” Talia said. “Where are you going, though? Are you fine?”

“Yes, I am heading to Ysiah. So, we should keep going? See you later.”

Talia waved her hands to Axel and they continued to walk in opposite way. Talia went to the café for her to buy bunch of coffees. She does not bring too much money since she is not expecting this. She just used the money she should use for lunch and snack. And when she get back, two staffs of the café is with her to carry the coffees she bought.

“Cool,” Ynara said when everyone already had their coffee. “You are a great one, Talia. You are a nice friend. Keep up the good job.”

Talia just nodded her head and headed to her area. Ynara’s lips rose before she sipped on her coffee, staring at Talia. If Talia could just kick the ass of this woman, she would. She is annoyed but she does not want to show it to them because she is just new and she does not want to get fired.

In the whole floor, there are all one hundred employees working in their respective table including Talia. She is focus doing her job in front of the computer and since she has experience, she did not struggle.

“Lunch time!” Ynara yelled and pressed the bell which thundered the whole floor. “Talia, buy lunch for us.”

Talia’s lips parted and looked at the woman that is grinning. “Are you kidding me?”

“You talking at me like that?” Ynara raised a brow and shot her a glare. “You are just new here and you does not have the right to disrespect me, Talia. Go and buy us lunch.”

Talia gritted her teeth. “You are too much.”

“What? Too much? I just made you buy us coffee and now, lunch. This is just for the second time. How come too much? Don’t tell me you don’t have a money? That you are too poor ass?”

Everyone laughed because of what Ynara said. All Talia could do is to shake her head in disappointment. She stood up and walk pass through Ynara. But then, Ynara held her pulse tightly.

“Don’t you ever disrespect me again, understood?” Ynara uttered, looking at Talia thoroughly. “Because if you will, I will –“

“You will?”

Everyone looked to where the voice came from and they just saw Ysiah, he just went out of the elevator. They all froze when they saw him roaming his eyes around and his eyes were raging in anger. Ynara gulped but did not let go of Talia while Talia on the other hand looked at Ysiah with furrowed brows.

“What are you doing here?” Talia asked in monotone.

“Shut up, dumb. He is our boss!” Ynara yelled at Talia and pushed her, making Talia to bump against a table. She groaned in pain as her back hit the metal. “Don’t ever talk to him like that –“

Ynara stopped from talking when Ysiah walked towards their area. He guided Talia to stand up and looked at Ynara after. “Who do you think you are?” Ysiah talked to the woman, voice were cold and angry.

“S-Sir…” Ynara stood up, shaking. “I am just teaching her a lesson –“

“By hurting?” Ysiah raised a brow. “Hurt your boss again and I will kill you.”

Ynara’s eyes widened. “I did not hurt you, Sir!”

“It was just Talia who is dumb,” another employee added. “She should not have talk to you –“

“Shut up, can you?” Ysiah also cut the man off. “Don’t call my sister a dumb. Leave this place. You are fired!”

Everyone scoffed in horror when Ysiah said that. Ynara found herself dumb-founded. “W-We didn’t know…”

“Leave before I sue you,” Ysiah said in a harsh tone.

“Hey,” Talia gulped. “Don’t fire them. They did nothing –“

“After making you buy coffee for them? Now they want you to buy their lunch? And they called you a poor ass. Why don’t you slap them your golds?”

They all gulped. “They don’t know that I am a Zanea, okay? Just don’t fire them! They are just doing their job –“

“Amazing job,” a voice appeared in the floor. Eman walked towards Talia and hissed. “So, if someone works here they don’t recognize, they will do the same thing they did to you?”

“I told you, Talia,” Axel also came. “You can just go with us in the office and not with these bitches. Why would not you kick their face off the world?”

“Why are you even here?” Talia looked at her three brothers while the employees were just watching them. “You should mind your own business, you know. I have my own work here.”

“Your work for this day is to fire her,” Eman said and pointed his index finger to Ynara who stepped back in fear.

“S-Sir, please, no…” her voice were pleading. “I… I have to work! My family needs me, Sir! I can’t… I am sorry.”

“Then you should be polite next time, hmm?” Eman grinned and walked near her. “We aren’t angels to just forgive. We are not good as you think. Especially how you treat our princess.”

Ynara looked down, tearing up out of fear. “I am so sorry, Talia…”

“Don’t call her that way,” Axel hissed. “She is Miss Talia, understood? One another mistake and we will fire you.”

Ynara nodded her head multiple times. “Y-Yes, Sir! I… I am sorry again, Miss Talia…”

“It’s fine.” Talia said and sighed. “It’s just fine.”

After what happened in that floor, the three men brought Talia to their office. Ynara has no face to show up anymore because she is ashamed publicly, in front of the people she is seeing as her puppet.

Talia sat on the couch and leaned against the backrest. She then clicks her tongue. “I can’t believe you.”

Eman chuckled. “That girl deserve it.”

“You do not have to embarrass her there, you know?” Talia shake her head. “We can talk to her privately. For sure, Ynara will get mad at me –“

“Then fire her,” Ysiah said and sat on his seat. “You are not an angel to just say that it was fine, Talia. We know you are mad. Don’t pretend that everything is all right.”

“Wow,” Talia chuckled. “Coming from you, huh? You really are an evil, Ysiah. Why did you came, though? You should have just let me handle her. I was so close of punching her face off. I am pissed of because of her annoying face.”

Axel and Eman laughed. “See? You are also one of us who does not have enough patience. So, should we fire her now? It’s on you, princess.”

Talia rolled her eyes at Eman. “Don’t. She is a leader and the employees needs her. And also, we might make a ruckus if we fire her.”

“She is not even a leader,” Eman disagreed. “But up to you. You just stay here and we will give you a better job that will suit to you.”

“What will be it?” Talia asked, curious.

“CEO?” Axel said, shrugging. Talia moved a little because of shock. “You should expect that, Talia. You are the eldest Zanea and you will be following Mom’s step.”

Talia could not talk. She just cannot believe it. She will be the next CEO after her mother? She is just new here and not everyone is familiar with her. “Prepare yourself next month,” Ysiah said. “The crown will be yours.”

“Is that really you, Ysiah?” Talia teased him. He rolled his eyes before he leaned against his seat. “I am seeing different Ysiah, you see. You are being nice now. I mean, getting nice.”

“Look,” Ysiah sighed. “I am sorry if I offended you or annoyed you. I am sorry, okay? I know my mistake. We are cool now, remember?”

“You being cool is like someone never exists.”

“Yo, guys,” Eman interfered. “You can continue to tease each other or talk later, okay? We have work to do. And the news spread real quick. Now, we were being called terrors.”

“We aren’t angels,” said Axel. “I can’t believe Talia wasted money for that employees. And hey, they called you poor!”

Talia laughed. “Are the Zanea’s ego being hit?”

“Obviously.”

***

“I have heard you made a ruckus.”

The four siblings went silent when Vionna Zanea talked while they were having their dinner in their dinner table. Trist and Ysmael shakes their head in amusement, not expecting that Talia’s first day in the company is fun.

“We made the right thing,” Axel defended. “Ynara just made Talia as her puppet, Granny.”

“How?” Ysmael asked, chewing his food.

Eman hissed. “As princess arrive, she ordered to buy coffee, not just for her but for everyone. Lunch time came, she dared Talia again to buy their food. She called our sister poor, dumb, and she even pushed her and her back hit on a metal!” Eman story tell like a kid, not letting any details to be missing.

Trist’s lips parted. “What?”

“Yes, Mom!” Axel nodded his head multiple times. Talia just looked down, feeling ashamed for making her parents to worry about her.

“How are you, Talia?” Ysmael asked worriedly. Talia smiled and motioned him that she is just fine, nothing is damaged. “Have you fire her? Sue her as soon as possible. I want that woman rot in jail.”

“Yes,” Trist agreed.

“Mom! Dad!” Talia opposed. They all stopped when they heard her say that kind of word. She first called them that way just now and it feels so odd. It has been years and months when Talia stopped to utter that word, since the parents she recognized died. “I mean… let’s g-give her a chance. She need her work because of her family… Don’t fire and sue her, please?”

“You are too good, princess,” Eman sounded disappointed. “Second chance doesn’t deserve to those who is not deserving. You should know that.”

“Yeah, I know. I just don’t want you to fire them just because of me. I will take care of her. I will make everything right.”

They all nodded their head in approval. Yet, they can’t believe that they have a family member who has a good and understanding heart.

Talia is ideal. She is everything, really.