Chapter 1

I had no idea that accomplishments, no matter how great or tiny, could provide so much joy. I had no idea till now. My father's smile while looking at me, my mother's unexpected tears with a smile on her face, and Cassia's loudest voice that filled our house. 

I wish I can go back time and win all the time so that I could see their faces like this. The moment I ended that call after the HR. Manager called me , didn’t knew they were also awake that time and barged my room as they heard me ended the call with a smile. They even bought a lot of food and was delivered right after.

This is my first day on the job as a secretary for the biggest company, and my first call comes at seven a.m. My family stopped the celebration at quarter to twelve. Cassia kissed me so many times, and she keeps talking about that CEO, which makes me envious. I awoke at four a.m. with one hour to drive there and another hour or minutes to wait to be on time. 

I don’t want to be late, and I couldn't even get a good night's sleep because I'm so thrilled. 

This is my first formal employment, and it's the first time I've been employed without considering my schooling and accomplishments, as well as something they require that I lack.

I was dressed completely in a suit, which my mother ironed for me. I drove the car and can honestly say it was the nicest driving I've ever done, with no traffic and even a pleasant breeze as I open the window. 

The Stell. Falcon Entertainment is the only open and bright building on the road, while the other mall I passed was closed. I greeted the security guard and I can say that we were the person who’s present at the building. I tried to room around as I search for people but only quiet and empty room and offices are the only one who greeted me. I went to the fifteenth room, the room of the youngest and wealthiest CEO of the Philippines. 

I noticed a pregnant woman dressed in formal attire on the fifteenth floor. She noticed me and approached me as I made my way to her.

“I used to be the secretary, and I filed a leave because it’s my due next month. Don’t worry you will be the permanent secretary since I want to be hands-on with my family I built."

She smiled as she guided me to the CEO’s office. I just followed her around. She’s pregnant and even woke up so early and I’m glad she wore flat sandals.

“Since you’re here so early. What time is it? Five or six?”

She asked so I looked to my watched and stated it was five am and fifty-eight minutes. I arrived so early because on my way here, the road was so smooth because there’s no traffic and it was too early. 

“You are even earlier than the call time. That’s good. Mr. Stephony is here, he just went outside to buy coffee. After your contract signing maybe you’ll start tomorrow or it depends to the CEO. But rest assured that I am the one who will assist and guide you.  “

I nodded as a patiently listening to her. It’s strange that the boss bough coffee on her own but when I looked to the secretary that’s why. She’s pregnant. What a thoughtful and gentle man he is as boss. 

“Are you sure you’re applying for secretary? Or maybe you just mistaken. You looked rich, handsome, masculine and even passed as model. You can be seated below this floor for models. You even looked so kind, obedient.”

She said as she stared at me from toe to head like she didn’t believe me.

“I came to with the right floor and office Ma’am. I am hired as a secretary.”

I smiled politely to her.

“My name is Lett-lett. I am a 40 years old. Do you have a girlfriend? What’s your name? If you don’t have a girlfriend, text me. I will introduce you to her.”

She smiled while looking to my face closer.

“I’m Daniel Sirius Maleia Ma’am and I’m sing-

She went closed to my face that I stopped from talking and even caught off guard. I didn’t expect her to push her face in front of me. It's like to nose to nose with her that the shock on my face is shown at my face and she smiled and blushed. 

“Maybe there’s still time. My due date is next month if I will complete looked at your face too long for conception maybe my son would look Iike yo-

“What are you doing?”

We both looked to the strong and manly voice behind us. The pregnant secretary even startled and almost lost her balance that I quickly put my hands to her waist to support her for falling. 

“N-nothing Sir.”

She sheepishly replied and now she moved away to me and tried to stand with a poise. When my attention darted to the CEO.

This is the second time I saw him. He looks still the same simple and manly dashing.

. 

He didn’t looked at me and that’s something off if he did. He is your boos and you are only his employee. He went near to his table.

“Sir do I have to call the reporters?”

The pregnant secretary asked permission while she’s now holding her phone. Ready as always.

“Since you are here we will start the signing of contract. There’s no need to bring media to report or show this to signing o contract. His my secretary and no one’s secretary. There’s no need for that.”

He seriously said as he get a bunch of paper on is drawer and we sat next to the chairs in front of him. I put my signature to all the pages because of the excitement. I only read the first page and the last page.

I gave it to him while he’s now staring at me seriously. 

“You won’t read the contracts?”

He asked. I simply decline. I won’t read all the contracts and they had the best and successful person and I think from there background, it was understandable already. And beside this is the first company who accepts me without questioning my background and I’m still wandering why I am fit to this job. 

Maybe this job was meant for me. If it won’t then someone should sit her in front of the boss and not me. 

“Since you’re here early than the call time. We will start tomorrow and then you should be here eight in the morning. You will have one week training with Mrs. Lettee-lette and discuss everything.”

I nodded countless times. Mr. Stephony stared to the pregnant secretary lovingly. 

“Mrs. Lette-lette you can now go. Your husband is waiting for you. Thank you for service. I wanted to keep you but I know family always comes first.”

“Thank you for taking care of me and also my family Sir. Our life changed because of you. Thank you for the gifts for my children and to us. You can call us anytime and eat in our humble house. And expected you'll be the one of the godfather Sir. "

"I would love to.." 

The pregnant woman is now teary-eyed while looking to his boss. I’ve heard that she’s working for two decades now with this industry. 

As the pregnant secretary left. He turned his attention to me. 

“You don’t have to learn them all in just one week. You’re new to this and don’t force yourself to overworked. I only need a secretary that I will call every time I have an urgent work or meetings. As long as you can read, you can speak, you can jot down notes in your head. You remember them not all but only the important matters then you’re good.”

I nodded at him. Everything I did was to nod. 

He’s talking at me so patiently but every last words he said he took a deep breath.

“Is this your only job? Do you have any experienced related to this?”

The CEO is now asking me and I can say that I’m already hired!

I have a work now. This is the first company who hired me without looking and digging about my failures.

“I have only experienced through intern and immersion, Sir”

I simply replied. He nodded.

“ah.. so this is your first time you applied for a job?”

“No, Sir. This is the first time I've been hired”

Because of him, I am no longer sad about my previous interviews and experiences with the boss at 

other companies. 

He hired me without interrogating my background, instead putting my abilities to the test.

“Why? Maybe they should look for the capabilities and your strength as a person. What’s your worst rejections of applying the job?

He inquired now, his tone solemn, as if he could read my gaze. I believe that every job I applied for was the worst, but one legal firm stood out above 

the rest as the worst: my friend's law firm.

"It's my friend's law firm but everything is on the past so it's not important anymore." 

I gave him an awkward expression but he becomes so serious now. 

"It's important to me" 

He remarked and I sense sincerity of his words ofcourse he should know your background about your past job if you have Daniel! 

" It just a simple embarrassment. That's all." 

I looked at him and his eyes showing darkness that my heart felt the pang that I will surely cry that I never felt before. I was so strong to stand in front of them and him, staring at me I think I couldn't hold the pain and it will surely limpid. 

" I want to know more. So, talk about it." 

So I started talking remembering the familiar pain and I didn't even tell it to my family because I know they will feel bad and they would surely report my friend for that. Surely, they will went to that law firm right at the moment and pull their hairs down, especially mom and Cassia. 

I took a deep breath and tried to smile. 

"It was my friend law firm.. I also have two friends there. Pauleen and Ricko. The HR said I w-was hired so they would like to see me in the evening and have our mini-celebration. They gathered all their people, and the food was already there, too." 

I paused trying to get some air. He still there patiently waiting for my story and I don't know what's my expression anymore. 

" They were gathered while my Friend Ricko went in front and announced me to come beside him which I surely agreed. He announced like this 

" Hello, my dear lawyers this is Daniel Maleia is applying for a job he is not even capable of. Since I am a good friend of him instead of rejecting him,  crumpled his resume to the trash can then I hired instead as a janitor since we were looking for one" 

They laughed. They mocked on me and I feel like a laughing stock to them. 

I didn't know how strongly I am to leave that door behind all the lawyers and even my friends are still laughing and looking at me. 

I tried to hurt my hands and when I looked to my boss face he just become more serious like bring Hades trying to get ruled and anger is very readable. 

"What else? 

He asked and now so serious maybe he's hungry or mad of my story. 

"That's all. There's no need about it. Everything has a reason and that's mayne we're still young at the time." 

I said trying to defend about no one anymore. I'd like to leave it behind and forget and let the waves washed that memories but never imagine that it kept on coming back at me. 

Maybe because I didn't deserve that kind of treatment in the first place. I formally apply the job and they should formally with respect to reject it. They don't have to announced it in front, it's okay to announce but putting it some humor and with insult were never okay, but for me it is okay anymore cause I don't have any choice and I couldn't stop the time at the moment. 

"What else?" 

He replied again. 

So I decided to tell him all, after I have graduated and applying for job formally but ended up they're putting some insult and mockery and no respect. I arrive two hours early every job interview that I had and got rejected but those who were three hours late got already hired.

The pain of the past is like a big boulder stone in Attack on Titan. I feel like a stone that was carried by Eren during the titan's strike feels light now that I'm sayingt this to someone. It's been years I've kept this. 

I was loooking down now and couldn't have strength to dace him and now I realized, how painful that was were. Those insults, those painful experienced and traumatic experienced to those immatured employer.

I heard my boss get something from his drawer. I out my head because I don't want to look to his eyes and everyone's eyes right now. I was just keeping in tack myself here. 

I saw him pushed something and his stand stopped by pushing the blank paper to me. I was looking down and I don't know why he gave this paper to me. I don't want to look at him. I feel like I don't want to see his mercy look if ever he will.

"List down all the company and the firms to which you've been applied."

I don't why he had to ask that. I was confused,too.

"List all of them, from the oldest and the recent and that's part of the company protocols. Then after that you're dismissed. You can start tomorrow."

When he said that I was dismissed. . 

I gather my shaky hands to jot down the names of all the companies to which I've applied. He stood up and I also stand up without looking at him. 

He offer his hand and I'm glad to accept it and after. 

" T-thank you so much Sir. For giving me a chance." 

That's the only thing I could say my tear began to fall as soon as I walked through the door.

I had no idea that after so many years, these tears would only come out of recalling how much I'd

suffered as a result of those situations.