Chapter 7: Their Paths Crossed

“What was that?” The Olivarez couldn't move on from what happened earlier at the interview. They altogether gathered in the CEO’s office and reported the profiles of the applicants that caught their interest. The team will talk about the interviewee’s potential and will choose the qualified individual for the rest of the day.

“Loki Hamsmith, his name literally caught my attention,” Kacie gazed at her sister with a frown, “This is driving me crazy.”

Khloe smirks at her and drinks the glass of wine on her grip, “If you’re in love, please be reminded that he is already engaged to someone.”

“Who could be that woman?”

“You looked so worried about that certain interviewee, did one of my cards scare you?” Kamila cracked a teasing smile to her granddaughter Khloe. The lady seemed surprised upon hearing the old woman, she gazed at her table and breathed heavily.

Khloe chuckled softly and replied, “It’s more like it captures the heart of your granddaughter, Mamita.”

“What do you mean by one of your cards?” Kacie asked, which made the old woman even grin more. Karter simply sips his coffee in the corner while listening to the two, he doesn't really care about Kamila’s people as long as they wont make any issues that will stain his name.

“I won't simply choose among the amazing applicants who are listed, I read what’s in their heart, their deepest motives for applying in our hospital. They should be aware that they're not just working to earn power, but they should also assist themselves to know their boundaries.” The old woman glanced at the three individuals who are currently puzzled by her statement.

“I am using them to increase the access of our business, their skills and loyalty must be tested.”

Kacie and Khloe seem dumbfounded after hearing the old woman’s plans, while their brother, Karter just smirks at the idea. It looks like he already understands the point of his grandmother, it would be difficult to go against her.

“Can you call Miss Canosa for me?” After hearing those words from the old woman, Karter quickly volunteered himself to do it.

“I’ll call her,” he stood up and contacted the woman whom he was always expecting to see around.

“What are you going to do with her?” Kacie asked, she can sense that something is going to happen again this time.

“I like her, she never fails to ace every task I am assigning her to do.” Mas lalo lamang nakaramdam ng kaba ang magkapatid nang makita ang ngisi ng matanda. Hindi nila gusto ang posibleng iniisip nito dahil alam nilang mahihirapan na naman silang mag adjust sa mga mangyayari.

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"Sinabi mo talaga 'yon? Anong pumasok sa utak mo?" Kouen sounds so rude while facing the camera with his straight face. His facial expression says it all, he is not surprised about Rogue's direct answers on the job interview. He knows his friend so well that he wants to punch him so bad for feeding himself into the predator's mouth.

Rogue shrugged and drank from the cup of coffee in his grip, "Honest answers can make me earn points, you see." He is currently staying in his new place and waiting for the arrival of his best bud. Kouen doesn't have plans of going back due to the unfinished works he has to deal with, however, he would like to assist his friend since he was chosen to be his secretary for the play.

"When will you be coming back? I've been waiting for days now." Masungit na tumingin ito sa screen na nakatutok sa kanya at nakita niyang nag smirk ang kaibigan sa kabilang linya.

"I told you I'm not going back unless I settle everything in here, Mr. Rio will definitely kill me."

"You're not sharing stuff with me again, ano ba talaga ang task na pinagawa niya sayo?" Curiosity poked Rogue's head again and he is dying to know more about his friend's new task. He badly wants Kouen's assistance personally to make his job even easier, now that he has finally undergone the interview, he has to wait for the result by Saturday. Rogue is quite sure that he will pass, he has to pass.

"I already told you about it, no need to repeat, okay?"

"Tss, a'ight. I'll get going, marami pa akong gagawin, I guess I'll be sleeping all day." Rogue ended the call and place his phone on the bedside, he finished his coffee and bury himself in the warm comforter. All he wants right now is rest, he badly need it. Napapansin niyang halos araw-araw na lamang siyang puyat kung kaya ay ayaw niya munang lumabas ng kanyang unit.

It was noonday and Keilah Olivarez stayed at the balcony of her unit while having a bowl of soup to hydrate herself. She made her secretary order a drink for a hangover, masakit pa rin ang ulo niya kung kaya ay kailangan niyang magpahinga. She couldn't believe she got drunk last night and failed to remember every single detail that happened. The fact that she found herself in a soothing hotel still confuses her, she comes to think of every possibility that might work with her memories. "What if I slept with a guy?" She whispered to herself and began to overthink. "No, hindi naman siguro? I'm still wearing my clothes on," she sipped from her soup and gazed at the blue sky.

"Ang ganda ng weather ngayon."

Muli na naman siyang napabuntong hininga at napatitig sa kawalan, "Oh crap, I can't believe I'm overthinking stuff." Bahagya na lamang niyang iniyuko ang ulo sa table at naiiyak na ipinikit ang mga mata, "Mababaliw na ako."

Before she could even completely cry her stress out, someone rang the doorbell. Keilah quickly got up and made her way to the doorway, she checked who's outside and figured out it was her secretary. "Good morning, doc. Here's my report for these past few days po.” The lady handed a file, she seemed uneasy that is why Keilah asked her to come inside.

“Ma’am, may sasabihin pa po ako.” Huminto si Keilah at bahagyang tiningnan ang secretary na kabadong naka-upo at hindi makatingin sa kanya ng diretso.

"What is it? May problema ba?" She began to worried. Hindi na niya alam ang nangyari sa hospital kung kaya ay kabado siyang malaman ang posibleng sasabihin ng secretary niya.

"Come on, tell me. May problema ba, Lila?"

"Babalik po si miss Tempest Canosa sa hospital, pinag uusapan na po siya ng mga tao doon." Dahil sa narinig, hindi kaagad naka-imik si Keilah. Narinig na naman niya ang pangalan ng babaeng iyon, "Pinatawag po kasi siya ni Mrs. Kamila."

"What? Kailan siya babalik?" Keilah breathes heavily and tries to calm herself, but just hearing the name of the woman makes her grit her teeth in frustration. Hindi niya gusto ang babaeng ito, nakikita niya kasing wala itong ibang gusto gawin kundi ang makipag compete sa kanya at agawin ang atensyon ni Mrs Kamila Olivarez.

“I think next week po, Doc.”

Mas lalo lamang sumasakit ang ulo ni Keilah dahil sa nalaman, mukhang marami nga talaga ang nangyari sa hospital ng hindi niya malalaman kung wala ang sekretarya niya. “I need to go back there as soon as possible,” kinuha niya ang susi ng kotse at binalik ang mga tingin sa secretary niyang nagtatakang nakamasid sa kanya.

“I’m going to talk to Mrs Kamila.”

The days went by and it is the first day of the week, Rogue Chavez will be starting his job at the Meadowview Hospital and he has to ace the new personality and character he will be carrying until the end of the day. “You look cool with that white suit,” Kouen complimented and flashes his smirk.

“It has to be good, I need to get the heart of the CEO,” and Rogue displays a grimace. He doesn't like the idea of pleasing anyone in the field, but he has to do it in any way so his father would praise him.

“This is your first day of work, dude. You have to go there as early as possible,” Kouen uttered and his buddy agreed. Rogue drove his car to his new workplace and had his entrance at the building. A lot of general practitioners looked in his direction the moment he entered the hall. Murmurs began to fill the air and he simply responded with a smile.

“Si Mr Hamsmith ba iyan? Ang cool niya.”

“Oo! I’ve heard that he is one of the newly hired surgeons.”

“Ang dami na ng mga magagaling na health professionals dito, isama mo na ang mga Olivarez.”

“Babalik nga si Miss Canosa e, may special treatment ba naman galing kay Mrs CEO.”

Rogue continued on his way and decided to go to the 6th floor to meet the CEO of the hospital; he knows he has to be regardful when facing the old lady. When he reached the elevator, he came across a woman who was wearing a silky white dress coated with a black blazer, her creamy hair was tied in a classic simple bun and her pale stern face stands out even more with tusk shells earrings which perfectly fit on her shape. She looks so elegant that it made his mouth gaped open, she just appeared so perfect in his sight that he went out of his senses for a second.

Both of them are going to the 6th floor and Rogue couldn't help but glance at the lady’s direction from time to time. The elevator stopped on the 4th floor and a familiar posture of a woman entered, her pitch black hair was tied into a high ponytail and her all black suit made her stand out even more. She wears a gold necklace which is quite visible because of her turtleneck jacket. Rogue seems stiff the moment their eyes meet, he couldn't move for a second and he knows that it became awkward all of a sudden. The woman pressed the button of which floor she will be going to, she could feel the rustical atmosphere between her and the other woman who stands on the other side of the elevator. 

“I didn’t know you're coming back so soon,” she couldn't help herself but to speak first. She couldn't take the irk angle she feels right now and she doesn't want to explode out of frustration and mess up her work later. She heard the woman chuckle and faced her, the tension between the two of them expanded even more that it made Rogue stunned at the back.

“What now, Miss Olivarez? Are you threatened by my presence?” The woman in her cold gazes replied. Keilah on the other hand clenched her fist because of annoyance.

“Not at all, Miss Canosa. I am kinda glad that you’re here again, the CEO must've missed you that she called you.” Sarcasm painted her words and Tempest Canosa smirked, she knew that seeing her rival at this moment would make her even more challenged.

Rogue simply observed the two from behind and he could say that the two ladies are counterparts in their field. When they arrived at the CEO’s office, the three of them entered and in their surprise, they saw a man sitting on the couch while facing Mrs. Kamila Olivarez. Keilah already sensed that the man is familiar to her, however, she disregarded the sudden feeling and decided to walk nearby to greet the old woman.

“Now I can see that you are all complete, please have a seat.” The CEO told them to have their seats, her heart was so pleased that she couldn't erase the smile on her face.

“I hereby announce that there will be new members who love to work with us,” the old woman began and gazed at the two men, and she felt so proud even just by thinking that they will be hers.

Napansin ng matanda na hindi mapakali ang kanyang apo at pasimple itong nakatingin sa direksyon ng dalawang lalaki, bahagya na lamang siyang ngumisi ng mapait. Hindi niya pa rin nagustuhan ang ginawa nito sa kanya noong nakaraan ngunit binigyan niya pa rin ito ng pagkakataon na pumasok sa trabaho matapos siyang kausapin nito. “Miss Keilah Olivarez, can you tour Mr Hamsmith around the hospital? It’ll be a great privilege to learn from him as well,” Dahil sa sinabi nito ay bahagyang nagulat si Rogue, napatingin naman sa direksyon ng dalaga si Torrent Perez at tila nanghihinayang na hindi niya ito masisilayan hanggang mamaya.

Walang nagawa ang dalaga at sumunod na lamang ito sa sinabi ng matanda, “Yes, Mrs Olivarez.”