Chapter 2: Qualifications to Become a CEO's Secretary?
1237 Words
Carmella’s POV
I just moved yesterday into a nice apartment in Stardust City that’s within walking distance of my newly opened bakery. Thanks to my connections, a friend told me about Aunt Martha, who supposedly has a big apartment for rent in the city. Plus, it’s close to my little bakery. So now, after unpacking and chatting with Aunt Martha yesterday, I opened my new bakery with breads straight from the province.
This is what makes me different from everyone else: not only is my food delicious, the one who made it is too! Kidding. I happily gave out free samples to everyone passing by. I don’t know — are they coming here because I’m pretty? Kidding. I wanted to do free taste tests because if they like it, they’ll keep coming back. And of course, because the baker is amazing, I got positive feedback right away. Which is, a music to my ears.
I’m making sure Stardust City will know the pastries I was so proud of back in the province. There are lots of people here, so I’m definitely going to pull them in to eat. What’s the point of this beauty if I don’t use it, right?
“Your empanada is so good, big sis!” a little boy said in awe after I gave him one of my specialties. I just ruffled his hair and teased him.
“That’s my specialty, so convince your parents, grandma and grandpa, and friends to buy from my bakery, okay? If you buy from someone else, I’ll get mad. Got it?” My threat just made him laugh.
“Yes, ma’am, pretty big sister!” I grinned and waved as he left.
Since this morning, my bakery’s been swarmed. Lots of people wanted to take a peek, so like the good person I am, I indulged them. With my charming smile, I managed to convince them to become loyal customers. Joke! I have to stay humble — it’d be bad if my business tanked.
“Natasha, once the free samples are gone, close up the bakery." I told Natasha, my assistant in baking and customer service. She’s reliable and I trust her with my money. Once I’m more stable, I’ll hire another helper, or add someone in the kitchen.
She just nodded and smiled happily when I invited her to explore the city after we closed later this afternoon. So she worked extra energetically. Truth is, I wanted to roam Stardust again too. It’s been years since I left for Poblacion to continue my studies there. Simple reason, I couldn’t afford college in Stardust even though I had the brains. Money and financial capacity will still win.
But of course, I do have a degree — Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management. And guess what? I graduated Summa c*m Laude from Haggard University, the biggest university in Poblacion, while being a working student with nightly shifts as a call center agent. All that knowledge from my OJTs helped me build my own business.
Slash, Carmella’s Bakery Shop. I wanted to think of epic names but I got lazy. I’m pretty anyway, so that’s good enough as a name.
The afternoon passed and we ran out of free samples. Plenty of people were actually disappointed and fake-cried when they found out I had no more free desserts for them. “Sorry! Come back tomorrow — it’ll be even tastier and more expensive.” Joke! That’s just my way of bonding with new customers. Tomorrow, I can already hear the cash register ringing.
I’m really bad with money because I'm literally down bad for money. Kidding.
“Enough work, let’s go explore! Let’s enjoy before we get haggard again tomorrow, Natasha.” I grabbed Natasha’s hand and we walked out of the store. I immediately covered my face from the harsh sunlight. Why does it feel hotter today — is it because I’m hot?
“What’s the heat index today?” Natasha complained while locking up the bakery. “We could fry chicken out here. Can we even go out in this?”
“Of course!” I grinned and snapped my fingers like I was expecting someone to arrive. A few seconds passed and Natasha gave me a weird look. Right, I don’t have a car. “Never mind,” I said, deflated, and hailed a taxi. “When I have lots of money, I’ll buy a limited edition Lombarghiney.”
Luckily a taxi stopped beside us, but there were already people inside. I got annoyed when a kid inside made faces at me. Rude! Is he blind to my beauty? He must live somewhere else if he can’t appreciate exotic beauty like mine. Natasha held me back, laughing, and hailed another taxi. I was still pouting when we got in.
The driver was quiet until his jaw dropped in front of us. I thought it was because of our beauty, so I subtly flipped my hair. But what he was gaping at was the massive traffic ahead. Natasha and I scowled even more and complained.
“Is there a rally? Why are there so many people?” Natasha grumbled.
“Our mayor in Poblacion is corrupt but we never had a rally like this, and it’s all women!” I added.
“Shhh.” The driver shushed us. We waited for what he’d say. He glanced behind us and looked at us sadly, like someone in his family died. “X Corporation is looking for women willing to be the CEO’s secretary. That’s why all these women are lined up in front of the company.”
What? “What? How handsome is this CEO? He’s probably fat and old! Are people’s standards that low now?!”
“Miss, do you think they’d line up if the CEO was ugly? Of course he’s handsome and has strong appeal!” Ghe driver lectured Natasha. “And besides, my daughter joined too! I’m gonna kill that CEO—”
Natasha and I just sweat-dropped and paid him even though we didn’t ride far. My bakery is pretty close to X Corporation. Screw it, we’ll just walk to the company so we can catch some gossip. Why? Because I live for gossip. And I’ll die without good gossip.
We walked toward the crowd of women in front of the huge gate, who moved aside after cars honked. Serves you right. In front stood a man — oh my… handsome, with blond hair that glinted in the sun. Then those gray eyes that look grumpy but are actually jolly. So this is the CEO? Now I understand those women lining up. They’re drooling and their eyes are basically heart-shaped. You can see they’re all beautiful, but will I lose? I don’t want to be a secretary, I just want gossip from this chaos.
I know Natasha’s a man-hater, so I knew she’d be disgusted by how these women were acting. So when I looked at her, I was shocked because even she had heart-shaped eyes. Should I slap her to wake her up?
“Beautiful ladies in front of me! There’s only one qualification to become the CEO’s secretary.” He pointed to the silent punching machine beside him and declared with a grin, “Whoever has the weakest punch on this punching machine will be the secretary.”
Everyone went silent, including me and Natasha. Until…
“WHAT?!”
- Writer
