Chapter 3
1127 Words
Lucy was floating in dreamland, moments away from a kiss with her mystery guy, when the heavens crashed down in the form of her mother’s voice.
“Lucresia! The roosters have been crowing for hours, and you’re still in bed! Get up, you’re not a pensioner!”
Lucy bolted upright, heart racing. “Momsie! I was just about to hit first base, and you ruined it!”
The door flew open. WHACK! A pillow smacked the side of her head before she could duck.
“First base, my foot!” Momsie glared, hands on her hips. “It’s almost nine-thirty! Don’t you have an interview today?”
Lucy scratched her messy hair and sighed. “I don’t feel like it today, Momsie. Can’t I just go tomorrow?”
Her mother gasped in outrage. “Tomorrow? Sweetie, your laziness will be the death of me! You’ll give me gray hair before my time!”
Lucy smirked, peeking at her mother through her bangs. “Careful, Momsie. At your age, gray hair is natural. How old are you again?”
Another whack, this time with the pillow straight into her face. “Don’t you dare!”
Knowing her mother was seconds away from grabbing a bucket of water, Lucy yelped, jumped out of bed like a soldier under inspection, and dashed to the bathroom with her towel. “Fine! I’m up! Don’t flood me!”
Half an hour later, she emerged in neatly pressed jeans and a collared blouse, her bag stuffed with documents, nerves, and Momsie’s homemade rice cakes “for strength.” After planting quick kisses on her parents’ cheeks, she hopped onto a tricycle bound for the bus terminal.
By the time she settled into a seat on the Manila-bound bus, the hum of the engine had already lulled her back into a light sleep.
Meanwhile, across the city, Drake Anderson was having the opposite of a peaceful morning.
His office door slammed open, and in stormed Leandro, face pale, eyes wild.
“Bro, we’re going to my uncle's. The wedding is today.”
Drake blinked in disbelief. “What? That fast? Are you out of your mind?”
Leandro tugged at his collar. “I don’t have a choice. The old man is breathing down my neck. Maureen said yes this time. You’re my witness. Let’s go.”
Drake groaned, sweeping the papers on his desk into a folder. He picked up the phone and called Mr. Caballero, his father’s trusted aide. “Gary, you handle the secretary interviews today. Something urgent came up.”
“Of course, Bossing,” came the cheerful reply.
Drake hung up, grabbed his coat, and followed Leandro.
Minutes later, they were at the judge’s office. The old man greeted them warmly. “So, where’s your bride, hijo?”
“She’s on her way,” Leandro said, trying to sound calm, though his constant glances at his watch betrayed him.
An hour passed. Then another. Still no bride.
Drake leaned back in his chair, arms folded. “Face it, bro. She’s not coming.”
Leandro slammed his fist on the table. “She will come. She has to!”
The door creaked open. Leandro’s face lit up—then fell.
It wasn’t Maureen. It was her best friend.
She swallowed nervously before speaking. “Leandro… Maureen asked me to tell you… she’s not coming. She’s calling it off.”
Drake’s jaw dropped. The judge frowned. Leandro, however, looked ready to combust.
“She wouldn’t dare!” he growled.
The girl turned to leave, but Leandro caught her wrist. His eyes burned with determination and a hint of madness.
“Then you’ll take her place.”
Drake nearly choked. “Have you lost your damn mind?”
But before anyone could stop him, Leandro dragged the poor girl toward the judge. For all reasons, the ceremony proceeded.
Just like that, Leandro was married. Not to Maureen. To a complete stranger.
That same afternoon, Lucy arrived at the glass tower of The Anderson Group. The building loomed like a palace of mirrors, its polished walls reflecting her nervous figure back at her.
“Did I come to the right place?” she whispered, glancing at the surrounding applicants. They looked like models fresh off the runway, strutting in designer suits and killer heels. Lucy glanced at her simple blouse and jeans. “Oh Lord. Why do I look like a saleslady at the wet market?”
She plopped onto a chair in the lobby, pulled out Momsie’s rice cakes, and nibbled as if it were her only shield.
When her name was called, she stood quickly. Too quickly. She stumbled, nearly tripping over her own foot. “Oh my gosh,” she whispered, steadying herself. “Please tell me no one saw that.”
Inside the office, a warm smile greeted her. “Good afternoon, Ms. Cordova. I’m Mr. Gary Caballero, Executive Director. Please, sit.”
Lucy returned the smile with a bright one of her own. “Nice to meet you, Sir!” She even gave a tiny bow that made the man chuckle.
He studied her résumé, then looked up. “Since this will be your first job, how do you think you’ll handle the challenges?”
Lucy took a deep breath. “Honestly, Sir, I know I have a lot to learn. But that just means I won’t pretend to know everything. I’m ready to listen, adjust, and work hard. I treat challenges like puzzles. I may not solve them right away, but I’ll keep trying until I do. And if I get stuck, I’ll ask for help instead of faking it.”
Mr. Caballero smiled, amused.
“And if you’re wondering about stamina,” Lucy added quickly, “just think of me as a phone. You just need to charge me with knowledge, and I’ll run smoothly.”
The director laughed. “So you’re fast, efficient, and battery-powered?”
Lucy grinned. “Yes, but don’t worry. I don’t run out of energy as fast as a phone. Just feed me snacks once in a while and I’ll last all day.”
Her humor was effortless, her sincerity disarming.
Caballero leaned back, clearly charmed. “You know, Ms. Cordova, I think you might just be the kind of fresh air this company needs. Our boss can be… strict. A bit stiff. Maybe someone like you could lighten things up.”
Lucy beamed. “If you give me a chance, Sir, I’ll do my best. I believe hard work matters, but a little humor makes the load lighter for everyone.”
As she left the office, Lucy’s heart soared. For the first time in weeks, she felt it, hoping that maybe, just maybe, this was the start of something.
- Writer
