The CEO's poor Secretary

Episode 04

LIORA NARRANTIG

The next morning, I woke up with my alarm clock. After all, today I have a job interview, and with God's help, I have faith that I will get it, and if I don't, that's okay. At least I tried and didn't give up along the way. After getting out of bed, I went to my wardrobe and picked out a black outfit: high-waisted pants and a long-sleeved black shirt, both made of cotton, so soft to wear. But before I could get ready, I went to the bathroom, did my business, and then took care of my personal hygiene. After finishing, I left the bathroom and went to the bed where I had placed my clothes. I took my moisturizing cream and started to hydrate my body. When I was done, I put on my lingerie and finally my clothes. It took me a few minutes to get ready, but as soon as I was done, I went to the bathroom mirror and did a basic makeup. After finishing, I left the bathroom ready, put my cell phone in my bag, and went to the living room. As I was leaving, my mother appeared behind me, and I was quite surprised because in my mind she was still sleeping, and I hadn't even mentioned that I was going for an interview.

"Where are you going, dear?" she asked.

"Oh, Mom, I'm sorry, I forgot to talk to you about a job opportunity that came up, and it's a bit far from here, but the position is good," I said, and she smiled.

"My beautiful girl, go there and knock them dead. May God bless and protect you, may He open your paths," my mother said, making the sign of the cross over me. "I'm sure you'll succeed," she said, leaving me feeling encouraged.

"Thank you for your support, Mom," I say, touching her face. She smiles and hugs me briefly. "Well, I have to go now. I need to take two buses to get there," I inform her, and she smiles.

"Why not take the subway?" she asks.

"The station that gets closer leaves me a bit far, and I still need to take another bus, so it's better to take the two buses and get to my final destination sooner," I say, and she laughs.

"That's true, my love. Go with God, my princess, and good luck," she gives me a kiss on the forehead. I then go to the door, leave the house, lock it, and start walking along the sidewalks. My thoughts were silent until I started praying mentally, relying on my faith, asking God to help me get this job because I can't keep chasing opportunities that make me move around every few weeks.

When I reached the first bus stop, I waited for a few minutes until the bus arrived. I got on the first one. There weren't many people inside, but some seats were already taken. Before heading to one of the seats, I paid the fare at the entrance. Then I found an empty seat, sat down, and the bus started moving. I stayed in my seat, observing the busy streets of Manhattan, which are bustling even in the early morning, something I didn't expect. It took about 30 minutes to reach my stop. When I got off, another bus stopped shortly after, for which I thanked God. However, this one was almost full, with only about three seats left. Fortunately, I managed to secure one. As I sat down, I waited for about 15 more minutes to reach my final destination, and I was arriving right on time. If I get this job, I'll always have to take these two buses and arrive on time because I don't like being late. I aim to arrive a few minutes before my scheduled time. When the bus stopped, I got off, adjusted my clothes, and headed towards the huge building. Passing through the glass doors, I knew I had to give it my all to get this job. There were already other candidates waiting. Before joining them, I went to the reception, spoke with the receptionist, and she informed me that the interview was about to begin, which was great as I arrived on time. I gave her my name, and she wrote it down. My name was the last on the list. I then joined the others, quietly taking my place and waiting for the interview to start. When it began, each person was called in one by one for their interview, and I was the last. The nervousness was overwhelming, but I managed to contain it. Finally, it was my turn. A woman named Lucia started interviewing me, asking various questions, all of which I answered with total honesty. When it was over, I left the room and joined the others who were waiting nervously, just like me.

"Good luck to everyone," I say to them, but they remained silent, probably due to nervousness.

"I'm back, ladies," Miss Lucia informs, and everyone stands up. "I want to congratulate you all on your interviews. It was a bit difficult to decide who will be hired to start immediately, but after carefully analyzing everything with great attention, I have decided that today, the best fit for our company's standards is Miss Liora." As soon as she said that, my heart skipped a beat, and it felt like everything suddenly stopped.

"Me... me, Miss?" I ask to make sure, and she kindly nods with a smile on her lips.

"Congratulations," she said. I could barely contain my emotions; I started thanking God for this great opportunity. Some of the girls congratulated me, while others left feeling frustrated, and I understand them. I would have felt the same way. After they all left, Miss Lucia approached me.

"Well, come with me. The boss must have arrived at the company by now. I'll take you to your desk. You'll be his secretary and personal assistant," she informed me. She spoke as we walked, and I paid close attention to everything.

"I'll do whatever is necessary," I tell her, and she smiles. As we arrive at the elevator, she presses the button, and it opens after a few people exit. We step in together, and she presses the button for the top floor. At that moment, I take out my phone and send a message to my mom, letting her know I got the job and will start immediately.

"Just a heads-up, please refrain from using your phone during work hours. Our boss is very strict about many things within the company," she informs me. "I'll arrange for your access card so you can enter and exit all permitted areas, as well as your contract to sign by the end of your shift."

"Sorry about the phone," I apologize to her.

"Don't worry, just avoid using it in front of Mr. Bukovski. Only use it during your breaks," she advises. "Oh, and regarding the hours you provided, it's all in order for us because sometimes Mr. Bukovski leaves early, and other times he leaves exactly at the same time as you do. That's why you fit perfectly into the role," she says with a smile. At that moment, the elevator doors open, and she steps out, with me following closely behind, attentive to everything.

"I'm so happy to finally have a job with the right hours for me that the other issues don't bother me much," I say, smiling.

"I'm really happy for you," she replies. As we exit the elevator together, we walk toward a large door. As we approach, she knocks, and we hear a gruff but firm voice granting entry. When she opens the door, I avoid looking directly at the man in the suit before me.

"Good morning, Mr. Bukovski. I'd like to introduce you to Liora, your new secretary," she says, introducing me. It's at that moment I finally glance directly at the man before me, and my God, he's indeed a very handsome man. I've seen some pictures of him on the internet since he's one of the wealthiest in Manhattan and quite famous.

"Fine, now leave my office," he says sternly, without saying anything more. We promptly exit his office, and I'm a bit taken aback by the way he treated us.

"He's always like that; you'll get used to it," she says. "Well, here's your desk. Everything you need is at your disposal on this floor," she informs me. "Oh, and before I forget, in that little room over there," she points to a door, "that's where you'll find the coffee machine, tea, all kinds of cookies and biscuits to serve when requested," she adds. I nod.

"Alright, I'll adjust," I say, and she smiles.

"That's what I'm counting on," she said, turning back toward the elevator. She paused and turned to me. "Be kind, even if he's rude. He's not very friendly. The last girl he fired was for being late," she warned me, sending a chill down my spine.

Once she left, I familiarized myself with my desk, grabbing the agenda from the drawer. I reviewed all the scheduled meetings and some notes, presumably from the previous secretary, which contained shocking remarks about the CEO of the company. I let go of the agenda, a bit horrified by what was written on some pages. Taking a deep breath, I began organizing some papers on the desk. Before I could decide what to do with them, the phone rang. I greeted the person on the other end with a good morning and referred them to Mr. Bukovski's office, but it was him. He requested a cup of coffee with some biscuits, so I assured him I would bring it right away. I went to the room Miss Lucia had pointed out, feeling anxious about not knowing his preferences. After making the coffee, I placed it on a tray with a beautiful glass jar of biscuits. I took a deep breath and went to his office door, knocking before entering. Once inside, I brought the coffee to him, explaining how I made it and apologizing for not being familiar with his preferences. However, he disliked the coffee, expressing his dissatisfaction quite harshly and instructing me on how he likes it. I apologized profusely and offered to bring a new one, but he refused, insisting that next time it must be as he explained. I took the tray and left, feeling a lump in my throat, knowing how much it hurt, but I should have asked about his coffee preferences.