Chapter 1

Saphira Green enters the office building near Central Park 30 minutes before the scheduled time. The receptionist gives her a visitor's card and directs her to the elevator that will take her to the top floor, where the CEO's office is located.

When she exits the elevator, a secretary takes her to a waiting room where several people are waiting their turn to be interviewed.

She really needed that job. She had moved from a small town in Texas to the big city of New York. She was stuck in a crappy motel until she got a job and money to rent an apartment.

Her curriculum was quite reasonable. She had an undergraduate degree in business and financial analysis from MIT, interned at a large company on Wall Street, and worked for two years at one of the largest companies in Texas.

She left the job only because she could no longer fight against the constant harassment of her director.

She sits down in a free chair and places the folder she was carrying on her lap. Looking around, all the women are better dressed and painted than she is. They don't look more professional but have that well-marked city look.

She wears a simple dress that fits her body very well. She doesn't have much makeup because her natural beauty doesn't require it, and her beautiful blond hair, almost white, falls loose to her waist, making her gray-blue eyes even more attractive.

Among those other women who looked at her with disdain, she was the one the men looked at.

She competed for the two open vacancies: Private Assistant and Private Secretary. Although she knew that one of the men present would probably fill the PA position, she hoped to get the Private Secretary position. She didn't know what the others took for granted, but the need to get a job made her confident.

Everyone present was being called one by one, and she sadly discovered that she was the last one in the room to be called. The CEO would certainly be tired, and his decision would be made.

When she is called and enters the office, the CEO does not raise his eyes to look at her. He tells her to sit down and continues to read her curriculum.

- I see here that you studied at MIT. How long did it take to finish the course?

- 4 years, sir.

- It has an excellent final grade, and your undergraduate degree is very interesting. Why didn't you go for a degree?

- My parents died when I was 20. I didn't have financial support to get a degree.

- Hmmmm!

The CEO continues to read.

- I see you applied for both vacancies. You are the only candidate who did that. Do you know that?

- No, sir. I did not know it.

- Do you think you are qualified for any of the positions?

- I do, sir.

The CEO finally looks up, expecting to see another bimbo who seems to rely more on physical assessment than CV. When he faces Saphira, his pupils dilate. He ducks his head back into the papers to regain his composure, and when he looks back at Saphira, he is stoic.

- What do you think a PA does?

- She or he manages the agendas and schedules meetings; controls the flow of information accurately and in a timely manner. Acts as a point of contact between executives, employees, customers, and other external partners…

- It's enough. – Interrupts the CEO. - Do you know that my PA has to be available 24 hours a day? Obviously, that doesn't mean a PA has to work outside office hours, but he has to be on duty whenever I need it, including traveling with me. That's why the salary is high.

- Yes, sir. My availability is total for work.

- A woman is sometimes uncomfortable traveling with her boss. She fears gossip, and her companions do not appreciate it.

- Sir, if it's a work trip, I don't see any inconvenience. If I had to spend the night away, I imagine the company would pay for my room without obliging me to share it. As for my private life, it's just that private. I have no problem saying that I am single without any relationships or plans to have one. I want a career. I don't want a family.

- Perfect. And a private secretary?

- She or he does things similar to the PA and does the PA's job when the PA is absent. She or he answers the phones, takes care of the files, and is the one who goes to get the necessary folders.

- Stop. - He interrupts again. - I expect my secretary to also lead and guide the work of the board secretaries.

- I have no problems with this issue, sir. If you look at my curriculum, you will see that I have always demonstrated leadership skills. Guiding the work of the secretariat is not complicated.

He looked at that woman. She looked fragile and shy, but she was confident and determined about her work.

He looks back at the resume.

- Why did you leave your previous job?

- I could say it was because I moved to another city, but that would not be true. I moved to another city after quitting my previous job because I worked as the secretary to the Financial Director, and he harassed me for two years.

The CEO looks at her.

- Harassment's a crime. Why didn't you report him?

- Sir, I'm only 25 years old. Even if I did, it wouldn't contribute anything to my career. I opted for the simplest solution. I always wanted to work in New York.

- What is your future goal?

- I plan to be a woman focused on her career. I have no plans for children or marriage in the future. I hope to one day be able to lead a department and even get a CEO position.

- Hmm! I will evaluate all the CVs, and you will be contacted regardless of the decision.

- Thanks for the opportunity.

Saphira bows slightly and leaves.

When she finally reaches the street, she takes a breath. She had tried. Now, it was a matter of waiting and seeing.

On the way, she buys a newspaper. She had to keep looking for a job.