[7] Arguing Women

Even so, Jolie had to be professional. She didn't want to look hesitant. She wants to look confident in front of her future boss. It looks like it will be quite difficult for her to make a good impression in front of Fred. The man doesn't seem to impress easily. But there was no harm in trying. Samuel said Fred prefers people with skills and intelligence over bullshit. Maybe Jolie could show some of her skills.

"Why should I be afraid? This is a company, not a haunted house. You're a human being like me, not an angel or God." Jolie tried to follow Fred's line of play. Now her face was set. Her expression was full of confidence. The only way to deal with a cold man was to give him the same attitude.

"That's right."

Fred was silent for a while. Jolie was starting to get annoyed, did he always have to be so mysterious? He didn't seem any cooler just by showing his arrogance. Maybe he thought being cold would attract Jolie's curiosity. But, the girl wasn't easily fooled.

"We've been sitting here for almost an hour and you've only spoken briefly. Is this actually a job interview or a silent contest?" Jolie had let go of all her fears. There was no reason for her to hang on to this job too much. If she did not fare well, she could find another job. There are still plenty of people willing to hire smart women.

Feeling offended by Jolie's words, Fred finally closed Jolie's folder and put it on the table. Now he folded his arms across his chest. "All right if that's what you want. I'll give you a more challenging question."

"I'll be happy to answer them," Jolie replied.

"How would you deal with an annoying client?"

Jolie began to explain her opinion. "Annoying can mean many things. If the client is unwilling to cooperate, then I would explain the benefits of working with this company. If he still has doubts, then I'll make his doubts disappear. If he denigrates the company's name, then I'll reply in an elegant manner."

"How will you reply in an elegant manner?" Fred was starting to get interested in Jolie's way of speaking. This woman was more intelligent than he had expected. At first he thought that Jolie was a spoilt woman who only cared about her appearance. As it turned out, she was like a panther.

"For example, you're being annoying. You underestimate my ability as a secretary. You think I'm an easy person to persuade to sleep with you. But, just because you have a lot of money doesn't mean you can buy everything. You may be rich, but you may not be happy. You may be the CEO of a big company, but you may not have a place to be yourself. You can be cold, but one day you will definitely need warmth."

Jolie's words had a deep meaning for Fred. He was instantly reminded of his divided family. He had almost forgotten what the warmth of a family felt like. His mind began to waver. His cold demeanour turned to sadness. But Fred didn't want to show his feelings in front of Jolie.

Fred decided to move on to the next question. "What if you make a mistake?"

"Everyone makes mistakes, it's humane. Mistakes are not a reflection of personality. It could be that at a certain time someone is negligent in doing their job. For example, I forgot to tell you about an important meeting today. You get angry because of my mistake. Then I will admit my mistake and apologise. I will also provide another solution to the problem I have caused. You can ask for the notes of the meeting and express your opinion through someone. Just because you didn't attend the meeting doesn't mean you are blind to the latest information. Everyone can have an opinion, but you are the only person who has the authority to make any important decisions for the company."

Fred paid attention to every word that came out of Jolie's mouth. He was impressed by the way she could think her way out of a problem under high pressure.

Jolie continued her opinion. "My mistake that day doesn't mean I'm unfit to be your secretary. You saw the results of my work in the previous days. I did a good job and that impressed you. Besides, it's the first time I've made such a mistake. Unless I repeatedly forget to inform you about important meetings. That could be one of my shortcomings. You can forgive people their mistakes, but you can get angry if they make the same mistake over and over again."

Fred thought back to the problem he had with Jacklien. Jolie's words were completely accurate, even though the girl didn't know anything about Fred's problems before this. Somehow Jolie could understand Fred's position even before they knew each other. This was the first time he had come across a woman who was so logical in her speech.

Fred did not respond to Jolie's words. He asked her the next and probably last question before deciding whether or not she should be his new secretary. "This probably has nothing to do with your job. But I wanted to ask you personally. I read from your curriculum vitae that you came from a small village. What made you decide to live here instead of settling down in the village like most country girls?"

Jolie let out a long breath. This was quite a tricky question. She couldn't afford to appear naive and overly ambitious. She just needed to be realistic without putting herself down.

"I have big dreams to change the fate of my family. But I know that my dreams may or may not come true. Regardless, I can only try, only God knows the rest. Even if I fail, at least I gained experience and knowledge about how the world works. I consider myself to have successfully challenged the world, instead of submitting like a slave," Jolie explained confidently.

Fred watched Jolie for a few moments. The girl sounded tough. She was no ordinary, narrow-minded girl. "All right then. Don't forget that tomorrow you have to be in this office by eight o'clock. I don't want my new secretary to be late on her first day."

Jolie was instantly confused by Fred's words. "You mean, I just got this job?"

***