Chapter 1

"KAYONG dalawang mag-ama! Alam kong andiyan kayo sa loob!!!" sigaw ni Mrs. Domingo mula sa kabila. "Meron pa kayong utang na 4 months sa renta! Hindi ko na ito kayang tiisin! Dapat may deposit ka na bukas o tatawagin ko na ang police!"

Sa loob ng maliit na apartment, pinigilan ni Ashley ang kanyang hininga at nagpasya na lang na huwag gumawa ng ingay. Para sa nakaraang buwan, dalawang beses na dumaan si Mrs. Domingo—once in the morning at once sa evening—para sa overdue rent. Kung meron lang siyang pera, hindi siya sana umiwas, pero yun na nga, wala talaga siyang pera at wala na siyang ibang mapupuntahan.

Ngayon, halos katapusan na ng buwan.

Nang marinig niyang unti-unting nawawala ang footsteps ay nagbigay ito kay Ashley ng pagkakataong makabawi. Sa wakas, nailabas niya ang isang malalim na buntong hininga. 

Nakatayo pa rin Ashley sa pintuan ng maliit nilang apartment, watching her dad throw another betting slip sa basura. Ulila na siya sa kanyang ina na namatay sa kidney failure, at ang kasama niya na lang sa buhay ay ang kanyang ama na walang ginawa kundi magsugal. Ngayon ay Twenty-one years old na siya at fresh graduate ng Business Administration. 

Dati, sobrang energetic ng kanyang ama, pero ngayon, parang nawawala na siya sa mundo dahil sa sugal. Ashley clenched her fists, trying hard to keep her cool.

"Papa, pwede bang tumigil ka na sa pagsusugal? Wala na tayong pambayad ng rent, and four months overdue na tayo," sabi ni Ashley.

Her dad, Mr. Fernandez, slouched on their worn-out sofa, avoiding her gaze. Nahihiya, but clearly still hooked sa false hope na mananalo siya one day.

"Anak, ito na lang talaga 'yung paraan para makabawi tayo. Malay mo, next time, manalo na ako."

"Next time? Papa, ilang 'next time' na ba? Ilang beses mo na akong pinahamak dahil diyan sa sugal mo. Wala na tayong pambayad sa rent, at 'yung utang mo—sobrang laki na!" galit na sabi ni Ashley.

Her voice broke, a mix of frustration and helplessness. Sobrang bigat ng gambling debt ng Tatay niya, at 'yung overdue rent ay parang mabigat na bagahe na nasa balikat niya. Hindi na siya pwedeng magpabaya.

"Kung hindi ka titigil, Papa, sa kalsada tayo pupulutin," dagdag pa ni Ashley.

Niyuko na lamang ng kanyang ama ang kanyang ulo, tila nahihiya at walang masabi. Matagal na niyang alam ang sitwasyon, pero hindi pa rin niya kayang harapin ang katotohanan na nagugutom na sila at nasa bingit na ng eviction, pero hindi pa rin kayang totally i-let go ang bisyo. Ashley could only sigh, shaking her head as she stepped away.

Her phone suddenly vibrated. She pulled it out, hoping for some good news. It was Wencel, her best friend.

"Ash! May opening sa Jimenez Corporation. And guess what? Libre na ang stay plus may choice ka pa ng salary package. Perfect, diba?" sabi ni Wencel.

A flicker of hope sparked in Ashley’s chest.

"Seryoso ka ba? Wencel, this is exactly what I need right now. Anong oras 'yung interview?" tanong ni Ashley.

"ASAP daw! Punta ka na agad, girl," excited na sabi ni Wencel.

Without a second thought, Ashley grabbed her bag. This job at Jimenez Corporation could be her way out, para maayos 'yung lahat ng gulo sa buhay nila.

She glanced back at her dad, whispering to herself, "Kailangan ko 'tong gawin, para sa atin."

And with that, Ashley hurried out of their cramped apartment, her heart racing with both nerves and determination. Jimenez Corporation was her chance to fix everything—she just had to get there in time.

As Ashley stood outside the towering Jimenez Corporation building, she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. Malaki ang company, at marami rin ang applicants! Halos mawalan siya ng pag-asa, pero she reminded herself why she was there. This wasn’t just for her; it was for her dad, for their future.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. Kaya mo 'to, Ash. This is your chance.

Approaching the front desk, the receptionist smiled at her. "Good morning, how can I help you?"

"Hi, I'm here for the job interview," she said, trying to sound confident kahit super kinakabahan na siya.

The receptionist nodded and handed her a form. "Please fill this out and wait in the lounge. Good luck."

Ashley took the form and found a seat in the lounge area, surrounded by other applicants. Her anxiety grew, and she could feel her hands getting sweaty as she quickly filled out the form.

"Focus, girl," she told herself. This is her chance to fix everything.

After a few minutes, narinig na niya ang pangalan niya. Ashley stood up, trying to hide the intense kabado vibes inside her, and walked toward the interview room. As she entered, she was greeted by two people—an older woman na mukhang head of HR, and a younger woman taking notes.

"Good morning, Ms. Fernandez," the woman greeted. "Please, have a seat."

Ashley smiled nervously as she sat down. This is it, she thought. This is where everything could change.

As Ashley settled into the chair, she could feel her heart racing, parang sobrang daming butterflies sa stomach niya. Ang bright ng lights sa room, and the vibe was so professional. A woman in her mid-thirties, wearing a chic blazer and glasses, smiled at her. 

“Good morning, Ms. Fernandez! I’m Ms. Reyes, the HR manager. Let’s start with a little bit about yourself,” she said, her voice warm but authoritative.

Ashley cleared her throat, trying to sound confident kahit na ang dami niyang iniisip. “Um, I just graduated with a degree in Business Administration, and I’m super excited about this opportunity. I’ve been looking for a chance to apply what I’ve learned and make a difference.” Parang ang bawat salita niya ay may pressure, pero kailangan niyang ipaglaban 'to.

“That’s great to hear!” Ms. Reyes replied, leaning back in her chair. “What interests you most about Jimenez Company?”

Ashley took a deep breath. “Kasi ayon sa kaibigan ko, committed sila sa innovation and community support. Gusto kong maging part ng team na hindi lang nag-a-aim for success, kundi tumutulong din sa iba.” She felt a little more at ease habang sinasabi niya 'to, like she was really getting into it.

Ms. Reyes nodded, taking notes. “Wonderful. Can you tell us about a time when you faced a challenge and how you overcame it?”

Ashley thought back to a project from college. “So, during my college year, I worked on this group project where ang daming conflicting ideas. I decided to set up a meeting para lahat makapag-share ng thoughts. We ended up combining our ideas, and mas malakas yung proposal namin kaysa sa kung ano man ang naiisip ng isa’t isa.” She smiled, remembering how teamwork led to their success.

“Excellent example! How do you handle stress, especially in a fast-paced environment like ours?” Ms. Reyes asked.

Ashley felt a rush of confidence. “I believe in staying organized and prioritizing tasks. Plus, I always make sure to take breaks para ma-clear yung mind ko. And of course, I’m open to asking for help if things get too overwhelming.” Sobrang genuine ng boses niya, parang mantra na rin.

“Good to know. Lastly, do you have any questions for us?” Ms. Reyes prompted.

Ashley’s heart raced again, but she took a breath to steady herself. “Yes, what’s the company culture like dito? And how does Jimenez Corporation support the growth of its employees?” The question felt powerful, and she knew it was important.

Ms. Reyes smiled, clearly impressed. “We prioritize a collaborative and inclusive environment. We believe in investing in our employees through training programs and mentorship opportunities. Kailangan mag-grow tayo together as a team.” 

Ashley nodded, feeling hopeful. “That sounds like the environment I want to be in.”

“Thank you for your time today, Ashley. We’ll be in touch soon, Tatawagan ka na lang namin." Ms. Reyes concluded.

Ashley stood up, feeling a mix of relief and excitement. As she walked out of the interview room.