Spoiled By The Rich Heir

CHAPTER 3 (CEO)

*ETHAN POV*

First board meeting.

"Mr. Villermoso, with all due respect, you have no experience in jewelry--"

"I don't need experience." putol ko sa kanya. "I need results. You're dismissed if you can't give me that." I said while sitting on the ceo seat, my back facing them.

The surrounding got silent.

I looked at the time on my wrist watch, it's 9:47 AM. The 3rd floor should be on break by now.

"Meeting adjourned." They bow their heads as I stand and leave the meeting room.

*JACOB POV*

"Anyare sa meeting sir?"

"Useless." sagot ni Ethan habang naglalakad pabalik sa office niya.

"Sir, yung file ni Ms. Ocampo--"

"Leave it on my desk. Don't mention her name again inside this building."

"Yes sir..."

*ZSA POV*

"Beh ang lamig sa meeting kanina no!" kwento ko kay Joanne.

""Oo! Bago na raw yung CEO natin. He's kind of quiet and cold. Yung tipong isang tingin mo lang mapapa resign kana agad."

"Edi ang sungit pala? Bat pala pinalitan yubg CEO natin? Ang bait pa naman sana ni boss Xander. Pero buti nalang di ko siya boss. Nasa 3rd floor lang tayo."

*AUTHOR'S POV - 20TH FLOOR, CEO

OFFICE*

Nakatayo si Ethan sa harap ng glass window. Hawak ang lumang picture.

May kumatok.

"Sir, Mr. Xander is on the line. Asking about your first day."

"Tell him it's fine."

"Sir, he also asked if there's any... particular reason you agreed to buy the company so fast?"

Ethan paused.

"No reason. It was a good investment."

Short. Cold. No emotion.

Pagkaalis ni Jacob, binaba ni Ethan yung picture at binalik sa drawer.

He opened his calendar.

_Tomorrow, 10 AM - Floor inspection - Marketing Dept. - 3rd floor._

He stared at it.

Then he closed it.

No smile. No monologue. Just work.

---

*ETHAN POV*

First day as CEO and I already hate it.

It's already 7:30 AM. I'm in the office, 20th floor. Glass walls. Too bright. Too quiet. My office in Villermoso Tower is darker and even better.

While observing the surrounding, Jacob knocked twice.

"Come in."

"Sir, good morning. Your schedule for today--" He placed a thick folder on my desk. "9 AM board meeting. 11 AM meeting with suppliers. 2 PM budget review. 4 PM--"

"Cancel the 2 PM."

"Sir? The budget review is important--"

"I said cancel it. I need to check the system."

Jacob paused. "The system, sir?"

"The HR system. And the CCTV."

He didn't ask again. "Yes sir."

When he left, I opened the laptop. Not to check the financial reports. Not the company revenue for 30 years either.

I typed: XND-8472

Zaria Shen Aize V. Ocampo. 24. Junior Graphic Designer. 3rd floor.

Her employee picture loaded. She was smiling. Braces? No, but her smile is crooked. Same as before.

I closed it after 3 seconds.

*AUTHOR'S POV*

9 AM. Board room. 20th floor.

12 board members, all old, all looking at Ethan like he doesn't belong.

"Mr. Villermoso, we welcome you. Mr. Xander really trusts you--" one of them started.

Ethan didn't smile. "Let's start."

"Right. So for the first quarter, Xander Company is--"

"I already read it last night." Ethan cut him off with his cold voice. "Sales dropped 3% in February because Marketing released the Valentine collection late. Why?"

Everyone is quiet.

"Ms. Gomez from Marketing said the designs were delayed--"

"Then fire the person responsible or fix the timeline. Don't give me excuses."

One of the board members swallowed. "Mr. Villermoso is quite... direct."

"I'm efficient." Ethan stood up. "Meeting adjourned. Send me the new timeline before lunch."

He walked out. No handshake. No small talk. He just left .

*JACOB POV*

Lord. Nakakatakot siya pag ganyan.

After the meeting, bumalik si Ethan sa office. Nakaupo lang. Tahimik na Nakatingin sa city view.

"Sir, coffee?" I asked.

"No."

"Sir, may tumawag po. Ms. Celine--"

"Block."

"Sir?"

"I said block her number."

I nodded. Grabe, cold na cold talaga.

"Sir, by the way, the HR said someone is asking about the new CEO sa baba... sa 3rd floor daw."

Ethan finally looked at me.

"Who?"

"Si Ms. Ocampo daw po, nagtatanong kung sino daw new CEO."

He stared for a second.

"What did HR say?"

"Wala pa sir, di pa nila sinabi na kayo--"

"Good. Don't tell them."

Then he looked back at the window.

*ZSA POV*

"Beh ano ba itsura ng bagong CEO?" tanong ko kay Joanne habang nag-drawing ako ng necklace sa tablet.

"Di ko pa nakikita! Pero sabi ng Admin, gwapo daw! Matangkad! Maputi! Tapos ang cold daw!"

"Oo! Bago na raw yung CEO natin. He's kind of quiet and cold. Yung tipong isang tingin mo lang mapapa resign kana agad." Hirit na sagot ng co-worker namin.

Natawa si Joanne. "True! Buti nalang nasa 3rd floor lang tayo no? Di tayo mapapansin!"

Sana nga di ako mapansin.

Ewan ko ba, simula nung dumating yung bagong CEO, ang weird na ng HR. Kanina may pumunta sa table ko, tinignan yung ID ko, tapos umalis agad.

--

"Ms. Ocampo?" tawag ni Ma'am Gomez.

"Po?"

"Yung draft mo for the pearl collection, tapusin mo before 3 PM. I-che-check daw ng CEO."

"WHAT? CEO!? Pero pang-Junior lang to ah!"

"Basta. Utos from 20th floor. Lahat ng Junior drafters, aakyat."

"Eh Ma'am ang dami kaya naming Junior--"

"Zsa, work, no more complain."

Hay nako. First day pa lang ng CEO, pinahihirapan na agad kami.

12:30 PM. Lunch break.

Dumaan ako sa canteen. Same table as yesterday. Wala yung dalawang lalaki kahapon. As in, yung gwapo at yung assistant niya.

Umorder ako ng adobo at rice. Habang kumakain, may narinig akong dalawang babae sa kabilang table.

"Girl, nakita mo ba si CEO kanina sa elevator? Grabe, ang tangkad!"

"Hindi! Pero sabi nila suplado daw!"

Suplado? Sabagay lahat naman ng gwapo suplado.

*ETHAN POV*

12:45 PM. Canteen CCTV.

Wala siya sa 3rd floor. Wala sa table niya.

I switched cameras. Until my eye caught the Cctv at the Canteen.

Andun siya at kumakain mag-isa.

Same table.

I smiled.

She's still a messy eater.

I watched for 2 minutes. Then I turned it off.

Jacob knocked.

"Sir, the drafts from Marketing are here. From 3rd floor."

"Place it on the table."

He placed 24 folders. I opened only one.

XND-8472.

Her draft. Pearl collection. The chain was a little crooked. But the design was good. Creative.

I took a red pen and circled the chain.

Then I wrote: _Fix the alignment. - E.V._

I closed it and put it on top of the pile.

"Return them all. Tell them to fix it by tomorrow."

"All of them sir? Even--"

"All of them." I cut him. Tsk so noisy.

*ZSA POV*

3 PM na, sakto din na binalik na yung mga draft namin. When i opened mine i saw a red mark.

"_Fix the alignment. - E.V._"

"E.V.? Ethan Villermoso? Siya mismo nag-check??" sigaw ko.

"Sshh! Oo! Siya mismo daw!" sabi ni Joanne.

"Grabe naman! Crooked lang yung chain pinansin pa! Ang arte!"

Pero inayos ko parin kasi....... Ewan. Parang nakakahiya na CEO pa mismo nag correct ng gawa ko. Isa pa nakakahiya jusqooo!

5:30 PM. uwian na.

Nagliligpit na ako ng gamit nang may announcement bigla ang speaker.

"All marketing staff, please stay for 10 minutes. CEO will be doing a quick floor inspection tomorrow at 10 AM."

"WHAT???!!! BUKAS NA AGAD?!" Sigaw na tanong ng mga staffs.

Ako naman napatulala.

Tomorrow? Makikita ko na ba yung supladong CEO na yon?

ETHAN POV

5:45 PM.

Everyone is leaving.

I am currently checking the offices thru CCTV, and lastly, i checked the 3rd floor. Most tables are empty.

Except one. XND-8472. Still fixing her draft.

She's frowning and biting her pen. She looks annoyed. Same habit as when she was 10.

I stoop up and closed the blinds.

"Jacob, schedule an inspection. Marketing. Tomorrow. 10 AM."

"YES SIR!"

He left.