The Innocent Receptionist and the Ruthless Owner

Chapter 2: The Ruthless Interrogation

The leather portfolio in my hand suddenly felt incredibly heavy. Binitawan ko ang mga nakalap na papel sa carpet habang dahan-dahan akong tumatayo, trying my absolute best to maintain my professional composure kahit na sa totoo lang ay nanginginig na ang buong katawan ko sa takot.

Sean stepped out of the private lounge completely, his long, calculated strides bringing him closer and closer until he was standing right across the marble desk.

The sharp smell of his premium cedarwood perfume filled the gap between us, making the atmospheric pressure inside the room feel even more suffocating.

I am waiting for your comprehensive explanation, Miss Reyes," Sean said, his deep baritone voice dripping with a dangerous, icy edge. "Velasquez Tower has strict corporate policies regarding high level confidentiality.

Reading executive board files without proper administrative clearance is a valid ground for immediate termination and structural legal charges.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to look straight into his cold obsidian eyes. "I... I apologize, Mr. Velasquez. It was an absolute accident. Ginamit ko ang biometric access ko para i-deliver ang operational documents ni Miss Amanda.

I accidentally knocked over the manila folder on your desk, and when I was picking up the pages, I saw my father’s engineering company profile.

Your father?" Bahagyang itinaas ni Sean ang kanyang kanang kilay, his calculative expression shifting into a deep, analytical frown. He stepped around the black marble desk, looking down at the blue document file resting near my hand. "

Are you telling me that your father is the fugitive contractor listed under the Irrecoverable Liabilities section?

He is not a fugitive, Sir Sean!" matapang kong sagot, my voice shaking with deep emotional frustration. "My father was an honest subcontractor. Limang taon na ang nakakaraan nang sabihin ng Velasquez Group na nag-embezzle siya ng milyun-milyong piso mula sa BGC infrastructure project, bago siya misteryosong naglaho nang walang bakas.

Looking at this asset liquidation report, clear na may tinatago ang kompanya ninyo tungkol sa totoong nangyari sa kanya.

Sean stared at me, a long, heavy silence descending upon the penthouse suite. For a few terrifying seconds, hindi ko malaman kung ipatatawag ba niya ang security force para ipakulong ako.

His handsome face was completely unreadable, looking like a brilliant chess player evaluating his next major macro transaction.Instead of calling the legal team, Sean calmly walked back to his executive chair and sat down, crossing his long legs with absolute poise.

Sit down, Chloe," he commanded softly, gesturing to the luxury leather seat in front of his desk.Nagtataka man ay dahan-dahan akong umupo, holding my breath to stabilize my erratic heartbeat.

You are a highly intellectual woman," Sean began, tapping his fingers slowly on the smooth marble table. "Most employees in your position would be crying or begging for mercy right now. But you choose to defend a five year old corporate fraud case.

That tells me you possess extraordinary resilience and emotional control properties that are very rare in ordinary staff.

Sinisiguro ko lang na alam ninyo ang katotohanan, Sir. We lost our house, our savings, and my mother became chronically ill dahil sa paratang ng kompanya ninyo," sabi ko, maintaining my dignified posture.

Then let’s talk about your current financial reality," Sean said, sliding his tablet across the table to face me. "According to our HR administrative registry, you are single handedly funding your younger brother's college tuition in Manila.

At base naman sa medical records ng St. Luke’s BGC billing department, your mother’s advanced treatment requires a massive downpayment by next Monday, or she will be corporate evicted from the executive medical wing. Am I correct?

Naramdaman ko ang biglang paglamig ng aking mga pisngi. He literally audited my entire personal life before I even stepped into his office. He was truly a ruthless billionaire owner who used data to control people.

Yes, that's correct," pabulong kong sagot, my defensive walls slowly crumbling under the weight of my reality. "But I don't see how my family's financial burden concerns the Chief Executive Officer.

It concerns me because right now, I have an urgent operational problem, and you happen to possess the exact qualifications to solve it," Sean said, leaning forward, his intense gaze locking onto my face.

My grandfather, Don Alejandro, is forcing an arranged marriage alliance between me and Cassandra Romualdez to secure our shipping affiliate shares.

It is a hostile political move to control my board decisions. I need a respectable, educated, and believable fake fiancée to block the arrangement completely."Napatitig ako sa kanya, my mind struggling to process his words.

A... a fake fiancée? Bakit ako? Maraming high-society women and models sa Bonifacio Global City who would gladly accept that position.

Because high society women have hidden family agendas. They want insider trading, they want voting shares, and they cannot be controlled," Sean explained coldly, his baritone voice sounding incredibly professional yet terrifying. "But you?

You need massive financial funding, and you have a personal interest in our confidential past files. It's a clean corporate exchange. I need your absolute loyalty and performance; you need my wealth and protection.

He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a sleek, black leather portfolio, sliding it across the marble surface until it stopped exactly in front of my hands."Open it," Sean ordered.

Dahan-dahan kong binuklat ang folder. The title at the top of the white page read: MUTUAL NON-DISCLOSURE AND CONTRACTUAL ENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT.

My eyes immediately scanned the financial provisions listed inside the legal contract: Medical Trust Fund for Teresa Reyes: Fully Funded by Velasquez Group.Educational Trust Fund for Mark Reyes: Fully Funded by Velasquez Group.Monthly Compensation Package: Five Hundred Thousand Pesos.

Five hundred thousand..." napa-gasg kong sabi, completely overwhelmed by the numbers. Kung pipirmahan ko ito, lahat ng problema ko sa pera ay maglalaho sa isang saglit lang. Mabubuhay ang mommy ko, at makakatapos si Mark sa pag-aaral.

Those are my premium terms, Chloe," Sean said, looking at me like a hawk watching its target. "In exchange, you will resign from the reception desk immediately.

Susunduin ka ng private team ko bukas upang ilipat sa isang luxury penthouse sa Uptown Bonifacio. You will attend all high-society events by my side, look at me like you are deeply in love, and make the entire board of directors believe our relationship is authentic.

May mga rules ba?" tanong ko, pilit kong pinapatatag ang aking boses kahit na nanginginig na ang aking mga kamay habang hawak ang kontrata.

Rule number one: Absolute corporate discretion. Walang makakaalam na fake ang arrangement na ito, hindi ang kapatid mo, ang mga kaibigan mo, o kahit sino sa lobby.

Rule number two: You will follow my styling and event coordination schedule completely. And most importantly, Rule number four: No real feelings involved. This is a strictly transactional corporate deal, Miss Reyes. Capital investment and risk management lang ito. Clear?

Napalunok ako habang nakatitig sa pirmahan sa huling bahina ng dokumento. It was a dangerous game of deception. Kung papasok ako sa mundo ng mga Velasquez, alam kong wala nang balikan.

Pero tiningnan ko ang blue file ng papa ko sa tabi ko, at naalala ko ang umiiyak na mukha ni Nanay sa ospital.I took a deep breath, grabbing the premium pen from the desk organizer.

Gagawin ko ito para sa pamilya ko, Mr. Velasquez. At para sa katotohanan sa likod ng pagkawala ng papa ko."With a firm hand, inilagay ko ang aking opisyal na pirma sa ibabaw ng pangalang Chloe Reyes.

Isang tipid at seryosong ngiti ang sumilay sa gwapong mukha ni Sean Velasquez as he took the contract back.

Excellent decision, Chloe. Welcome to the upper management. From this moment on, you are no longer the innocent receptionist of Velasquez Tower. You are the future Mrs. Sean Velasquez."