Chapter 2. Under His Command
1224 Words
She hadn’t even officially started yet, but she could already feel the intense pressure.
Not just from his words—but from his gaze, his movements, his presence.
She took a deep breath. Quietly.
She saw him place a tablet on the desk.
“Memorize my schedule,” he said after setting it down.
“Now, sir?” she asked.
“Do I look like I’m joking?” he replied sarcastically, his voice cold and serious.
“No, sir.”
“You have ten minutes.”
Her eyes widened for a second, but she quickly grabbed the tablet. She hurriedly started memorizing everything.
It was packed—meetings, calls, briefings, interviews.
And barely any breaks.
She couldn’t help but wonder… does he even get tired?
“Time’s running,” Dino reminded coldly.
She immediately continued reading.
She forced herself to memorize everything—time, names, locations, details. Everything.
Her heart was racing, but she had to focus.
She had no choice.
“Stop.”
She looked up.
“Recite.”
She straightened her posture and began—
“8:00 AM—marketing meeting. 9:30—conference call with international partners. 10:45—internal review…”
She didn’t stop. She couldn’t afford to make a mistake.
When she finished, Dino was silent for a moment.
Then—
“You hesitated,” he said flatly.
Her knees felt weak.
“Sir—”
“You paused before 11:00.”
“I was just—”
“You weren’t sure,” he cut her off.
“I’m sorry, sir,” she said softly.
“I don’t need apologies,” he replied coldly.
“Again.”
“From the top.”
“Yes, sir.”
Her emotions were mixed—nervous, pressured… and slightly annoyed.
Still, she repeated everything, more careful this time.
“Prepare my 8:00 AM documents,” he said after.
She glanced at the desk—there wasn’t a single file.
“Sir… there are no files yet.”
“I didn’t say they would be given to you.”
She froze.
“You find them. Marketing, finance, and production. Fifteen minutes.”
“Sir, I just started—”
“And you think that gives you an excuse?”
She stayed silent.
“Move.”
“Yes, sir.”
She rushed out of the office.
—
At the marketing department…
“Marketing files for Mr. Octavio, please—”
—
At the finance department…
“Second floor.”
“Finance documents—urgent, please.”
“Just wait—”
“Please, I need them now,” she almost pleaded.
—
At the production department…
“Production files—”
“They’re not done yet.”
“I need them now, please—”
She was almost out of breath.
—
When she returned, she was panting.
“Sir… here are the files,” she said, trying to hide it.
Dino took the documents.
Reviewed them one by one.
“Wrong.”
Her knees almost gave out again.
“Sir?”
“Page 6. Outdated data.”
“It came from finance—”
“And you trusted it blindly?”
She froze.
“I—”
“Careless.”
Just one word—but it crushed her.
“I’ll fix it, sir.”
“You have five minutes.”
“Yes, sir.”
—
She came back even more breathless.
“Corrected file, sir.”
He checked it briefly… then handed it back.
“Still slow.”
She felt nervous again.
No “okay.”
No acknowledgment.
—
8:00 AM meeting.
The conference room was full.
Executives. Managers. Department heads.
And Crystal stood quietly at the side.
Her first time in this setting.
And Dino—
“This proposal is inefficient.”
“Sir, we—”
“I don’t pay you to justify failure.”
Silence filled the room.
She could feel everyone looking at her.
“Next slide.”
She stepped forward and clicked.
Wrong slide.
“Stop.”
It felt like the world froze.
“I said next slide,” he said sharply.
“S-sorry, sir—”
“Focus. Or leave.”
She wanted to cry.
Wanted to disappear.
But she fixed it anyway, her cheeks burning.
—
Lunch time.
But she didn’t eat.
She had no appetite.
“Ms. Almonte.”
She turned. Dino was standing there.
“Why are you still underperforming?”
She froze.
“Sir, I’m trying my best—”
“Your best isn’t enough.”
The words hit hard.
“If you can’t keep up, resign.”
It felt like something stabbed her chest.
“I won’t, sir,” she answered firmly.
He paused.
Looked at her coldly.
“Then prove it.”
—
That night, it got worse.
Emails—revised again and again.
Reports—sent back.
Calls—handled by her.
Every mistake—
“Redo this.”
“Unacceptable.”
“Fix it.”
“Again.”
It felt like nothing she did was right.
“Can I still do this?” she whispered.
“I can,” she answered herself firmly.
—
Later that night.
The office was quiet.
But she was still there.
Standing in front of his desk.
“Anything else, sir?”
No answer.
After a few seconds—
“Why are you still here?” he asked coldly.
“Sir? You asked me to stay—”
“I didn’t say stand there doing nothing.”
She swallowed.
“I’m waiting for instructions, sir.”
Dino looked up.
“Then listen carefully.”
He stepped closer.
Closer than before.
She felt the tension.
“Don’t expect anything from me.”
“Because you won’t get it.”
Her chest tightened.
“And don’t expect me to treat you like the others.”
She didn’t understand.
“What do you mean, sir?”
Silence.
Then—
“Figure it out.”
He went back to work.
As if nothing happened.
But in her mind—
Her boss didn’t like her.
And it didn’t seem like that would change.
But—
She wouldn’t give up.
Not yet.
—
The next morning wasn’t easy.
Her body still felt exhausted.
Like she never slept.
Like she could still hear his voice—
“Careless.”
“Unacceptable.”
“Your best isn’t enough.”
She closed her eyes.
Took a deep breath.
“You just started… you don’t quit now.”
She slowly got up.
Even if it was hard.
She had to.
—
She arrived earlier than usual.
The office floor was still quiet.
She went straight to her desk.
Opened her computer.
Checked emails.
Organized documents.
Wrote Dino’s schedule in her notebook—and memorized it.
“8:00 AM—marketing meeting… 9:30—conference call…”
She repeated softly.
As if proving something to herself.
She could do this.
She was more careful now.
More alert.
More afraid of making mistakes.
But she told herself—
No matter how her boss treats her…
She won’t give up.
She never does.
She will prove herself.
—
The question is…
How long can she endure all of this?
Is Dino just testing her…
Or is there something deeper behind it?
—
If you felt Crystal’s pain and pressure, tap the ❤️
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