BEGINNING CHAPTER

  "Sir, please. Give the chance this time. Please..."

  My chief editor's expression did not change and remained stoic. I've been trying to plead him to give me this project for almost an hour now, but I got nothing.

  "Hazel, I said someone was already assigned for this. Just go and focus on your designated work."

  I shut my eyes tight and blew out a loud breath. I know exactly what that means, Stephanie, the chairman's daughter was already on this project. Again.

  But it's unfair, really unfair. She has been covering this project and trying to make it successful for two years now and yet she got nothing. I tried to volunteer to do this and told them that maybe if the company will send a new journalist to cover this interview, it would be successful.

  "Sir, Stephanie has been trying to win this one for two years but still, nothing. Why not try to send a new one and see what will happen?" I suggested.

  Chief editor Padilla rubbed his temple, "You know that I don't have that kind of power, especially to Stephanie. You know who she is, don't you?"

  I scoffed, "Ah, yea. I forgot. She's the daughter of the chairman, so she is privileged to do whatever she wants, to get whatever projects she wants although she doesn't have remarkable performance in this industry because she only knows how to flirt and flaunt her beauty without brain manner—"

  "Hazel, watch your words!"

  "--- she only knows how to speak flirtily but doesn't know how to speak professionally like a real journalist, and does not even know how to format a column. She couldn't write even one paragraph with right punctuations—"

  "Hazel Quin!"

  I stopped as soon as I heard him raised his voice as he called me by my full name. His eyes were wide and looked frightened when I looked at him which made me raised my brows.

  "What?"

  "I said watch your words, you are talking about the chairman's daughter."

  "So, what? What I am saying is true." I justified.

  "But still—"

  "Oh gosh, chief. Stephanie and I went to the same school, the same batch, and we were classmates so I know what I am saying. Her grades were low and won't pass even a single standard for a journalist. She just graduated because of her father's connections."

  He closed his eyes and sighed in resign.

  "I know that, but, you should still be careful with your words or else, if someone hears you, you'll be—"

  I cut him off, "I'll be what? Be fired?"

  When he didn't answer, I laughed sarcastically. This is not surprising. Knowing how unprofessional they could be, I wouldn't be surprised if I get fired just because I was telling the truth.

  "They don't have to fire me, sir. This company's unprofessional treatment to their employees is too much and I've had enough. I resign, sir."

  He looked surprised by what I said. I looked at him in the eye one last time before standing up and storming out of his office, slamming the door behind me.

  "Seriously, Hazel, you resigned?" Geraldine, my best friend, and workmate asked, her eyes were wide in surprise.

  I nodded, "Yea, I did."

  "And? What are you going to do now? Don't tell me you are going to apply to another company? After what you did and said, surely, they won't give an excellent performance as feedback for you, and instead, write something nasty about you."

  I rolled my eyes as I put my things on the box. Our co-employees were watching me as I casually cleaned my table like I'm not losing a job.

  "You think I don't know that? Of course, I do. That's just how unprofessional they are."

  Geraldine sighed, "So, what are you going to do?"

  "Find a new job," I answered casually.

  "What job? Surely, after what happened, you won't apply as a journalist again. Well, not for a while, yes?"

  I locked the box's lead and put my sling bag on and looked at her. I just smiled and walked, I could still feel her look behind me.

  Opening the glass door of our department, I saw Stephanie standing in front of the elevator. But I'm sure she's not waiting for the elevator to come up, but for me. I put on my bitch mode and walked with my chin up.

  Reaching her spot, I stretched my hand and called for the elevator. It was a bit hard because I was holding the box where my things were but I was able to press the button.

  "So, you resigned, uh?" I heard her but didn't say anything. "You resigned because CE Padilla did not let you do the interview? Aww, sorry for that."

  The elevator opened and I stepped in, she followed, still talking.

  "You know, that's what you get for being too ambitious. Don't you think I don't know the reason why you want to cover the interview with him? Of course, I do. You are one hell of an ambitious woman, trying to take the chance to flirt with him so you would marry him, be rich, and get up from that filthy life of yours."

  I looked at the red numbers where it indicates the floor where we were and it stopped on the eighth floor. Several executives came in, each one bowing at Stephanie and looking at me from head to toe.

  When the elevator closed again, I took a deep breath and put on a mocking smile, and said mockingly,

  "Stephanie, we all know that you've been trying to cover this interview for years but still not able to get even a single piece of information about Mr. Craige's personal life, even just a peek. Why is that?"

  I wasn't looking at her but I felt her looked at me surprised. Even the executives turned their heads in our direction. I smirked and resumed,

  "We both know what kind of a person you are. And we both know what you were doing. You're not up for the successful interview because you are just using this chance to flirt and have an affair with him, am I right?"

  I looked at her and smirked, even more, when I saw her eyes widening,

  "Unfortunately, you are not qualified for Mr. Craige's taste. So, sorry, shall I say?"

  The elevator pings, indicating that we reached the ground floor. Before stepping out, I looked at her once more and winked annoyingly. She was left with her mouth hanging in shock with my audacity as I walked through the corridor, my hips swinging as if I'm walking on a fashion show.

  The cab that I booked earlier was already waiting for me when I got out of the building. I checked its plate number first and when I confirmed that it was the cab that I booked, I rode in.

  Once inside, I told the driver my apartment's address and looked CBNews' building one last time. I scoffed bitterly and turned my phone on and went on my browser's history where I saved the job article I was reading last night.

  I've planned this one since last week; that if ever CE Padilla won't give me the chance I've been asking for again, I'll be resigning and apply for this job.

  APPLICANTS FLOODED AFTER CRAIGE INC. ANNOUNCED THAT THE CEO IS LOOKING FOR A SECRETARY."

  It was the headline of one of our company's columns.

  Last two days, Craige Incorporation announced through media outlets that their CEO was looking for a new secretary since his former one retired. It only took several hours before another news came saying that applicants for the position deluged after the announcement.

  Craige Inc. was one of the known companies in Sydney for its immediate success after a year of its opening and was able to acquire more than five successful companies after three years. And its carefree and kind-hearted CEO as they called him was also a reason for its well-known name.

  Their CEO, Caleb Craige was known for being kind-hearted, his good deeds, and his humble personality despite his social status. He was helpful, especially for children and women.

  And of course, when you are known, the public's eye will be on you. They will see and monitor your actions, and look for anything that they can use to attack you.

  His separating his private life from work became some kind of disadvantage. The public wants to know his reason for being helpful to children and women, doubting if his actions were sincere or just a façade. There was even an article that became viral which said that his gratifying deeds were only to hide his illegal actions such as sex trafficking. That the women he was helping were sold out to rich men in other towns or abroad.

  But even after some negative speculations, he didn't give even a single idea of his personal life and his past, making the public think and persist for an answer. That became a reason for new companies to send their best journalist or reporters to cover up an interview with him and try if they can get something.

  They have been doing those one on one interviews with him whenever he's attending to charities event, but no one was able to get even a single information. Researchers also failed to get anything, his records were protected, it was as if he did not exist before.

  I was willing to try and get a chance to talk with him because I believe in my abilities, but the company where I am working tolerates favoratism and using of connections. Hence, the unfair treatment to their employees.

  And now that I've had enough, I resigned and decided to take this chance and apply for the secretary position, with a thought in mind that this might be the key for my success, to show them that I can.

  I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

  "Wait for me, Mr. Caleb Craige, because I'm going to unravel your secrets. Your secrets that are key for my success."