Christmas Eve Secrets

“Everyone, please give a round of applause for our newly promoted, Manager Patricia!” I felt my lips form a smile as I started to hear the claps. I couldn’t even begin to explain what I was feeling. After all the years of hard work, sleepless nights, and endless pressure, everything I had poured my heart and soul into was finally being seen. I lifted my gaze and looked around the room. Everyone was smiling at me and nodding with approval. I saw admiration in their eyes. “Congratulations, Manager Patricia!” “Thank you so much,” I replied cheerfully. After the announcement of my promotion, there was a small celebration on our floor. Some came up to congratulate me and even gave me little gifts. I was smiling until my cheeks hurt. Becoming a manager in such a large company like this seemed unreachable. I used to think it was only for people who were lucky or born with connections. I wasn’t any of those. I had faced so many tough moments alone. I remembered the nights I didn’t sleep at all, sitting at my desk surrounded by piles of paperwork and proposals that needed to be finished on time. Some days, I felt like I was about to collapse from exhaustion. I had been scolded so many times for mistakes I made in my early years. There were times when I locked myself in the restroom, crying silently and doubting if I was good enough to continue. And yet, I never quit. My mother didn’t raise a quitter. I knew that wherever she was, she would be proud of having a daughter who was a survivor. I refused to give up, even with all the tears and failures. I kept reminding myself of one simple thing: no pain, no gain. Dreaming of success and imagining a future where I was successful, where I stood on my own feet, kept me going. And now… I knew it had been worth it. Every breakdown and defeat led me here, and I had no regrets. Since the celebration was only on our floor, my manager allowed me to get off work early. Before heading home, I decided to stop by a flower shop. “The white lily, please,” I said, choosing the same flowers I always bought each month. The florist smiled as she wrapped them carefully. I paid and got into my car, driving to a place I often visited, especially when I achieved something big. It felt satisfying, almost surreal, to see the dreams I once only imagined for myself slowly come true. A few minutes later, I reached the cemetery. I lit the candles I had brought and placed the flowers on my mother’s grave. She passed away when I was ten, and losing a parent was something I thought I could never survive, but somehow, I did. Perhaps because my mom had made me strong enough to face anything life threw at me. I knelt down and traced the letters of her name carved into the stone. “Hi, Mom,” I whispered. “Guess what? I got promoted! I did it.” I looked up at the sky, feeling her presence. I took a deep breath as tears filled my eyes. “Five years as an Analyst… all those sacrifices were worth it. I’m a manager now. Can you believe that? This is all for you, Mom. You’ve always been my motivation to do better. I hope you’re at peace up there. Please keep watching over me and keep me safe.” The sky grew darker, and the cold air wrapped around me. I stood up, wiped my tears, and bowed my head one last time. “I’ll come back soon,” I said my goodbyes and returned to my car. Life had always felt lonely. I had no siblings, and I never knew my father. Growing up on my own wasn’t easy, but I had no choice. I had to learn to stand on my own, to be strong and independent. Even while studying, I took on part-time jobs just to cover my tuition and daily expenses. As soon as I graduated from college, I immediately started looking for a job. By God’s grace, I was hired. That was the story of my little, unlucky life. I had gone through so much, and I was proud of what I had become. I parked my car outside my apartment and turned off the engine. For a few seconds, I just sat there, staring at nothing. I had been living here ever since I joined Maison Global Corporation. It was part of the company’s housing program for employees, and I was grateful for it. It helped me save money and eased some of my bills and loans. Without it, I didn’t know how I would’ve managed on my own. I grabbed my bag and went inside, shutting the door behind me. I set my bag down and let out a long sigh. I sank onto the couch for a while, letting my mind wander. The rest of the day passed by like most days. The next morning, I arrived at the office to whispers and murmurs among my colleagues. I went straight to my desk, and all heads turned in my direction as soon as they noticed me. I felt awkward, like I was suddenly on display. “What’s going on?” I muttered to myself. Before I could sit down, Mika, a consultant in our company and my friend, rushed toward me. “What’s with all the commotion?” I couldn’t help but ask. She had a strange, mischievous grin on her face, making me stare at her blankly. “Our new boss is so handsome!” she shrieked. “With that manly figure and face… ugh! Even if I worked 24 hours straight with no breaks, I wouldn’t complain!” I raised an eyebrow. “New boss?” “Yes!” she said excitedly. “He’s the new CEO of Maison Global. I heard he’s the grandson of the owner. Starting today, he’s officially taking over the family business.” I slowly nodded and pulled my laptop out of my bag. “That explains it.” She grinned wickedly and lowered her voice. “I swear, your panties will drop once you see him! You’re too much of a workaholic, Patricia. Time to loosen up! You need a little excitement!” My fingers froze on my laptop. My throat suddenly felt dry. I pressed my lips together and swallowed, choosing not to respond. “Okay, okay! I’ll leave you alone. Plenty of other girls are already swooning over him!” she teased before running off to join the others who were trying to steal a glimpse at him. I glanced toward the glass office near ours. From afar, all I could see was his back and broad shoulders as the curtain blinds partially covered the office, hiding his face. It must have been soundproof because he didn’t seem to notice the crowd of women fangirling outside. I shook my head and returned to work. Soon after, our former manager Clara arrived, and my colleagues hurried back to their desks. “Patricia?” she called. I stood up right away and walked toward her. “Yes, ma’am?” She chuckled and shook her head. “No need to be so formal. Have you forgotten? You’re a manager now.” I smiled awkwardly. “I’m still not used to it,” I admitted. “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it over time,” she added kindly. “By the way, if you haven’t heard, we have a new CEO. He asked to meet you personally.” My forehead creased. “Why me?” “I recommended your proposal to him,” she explained. “Just like the other board members, he was impressed and wanted to know who came up with it. I also told him that your strategies helped increase our sales tenfold this month. He wants to meet the person behind one of the company’s biggest achievements.” “Oh… I see.” I had nothing to say. I wasn’t expecting that. I simply followed her to his office. I didn’t know why I was suddenly nervous. This was just work. Still, being personally called by the CEO felt intimidating. “Go ahead,” Clara said, stopping in front of the door. “Mr. Cervantes is waiting for you.” I drew in a breath and knocked three times before slowly opening the door. The first thing I noticed was the glass nameplate on his desk. LUIGI CERVANTES Chief Executive Officer My eyes moved upward and noticed his back exposed to me. He was speaking on the phone, and I let my eyes wander, taking a moment to scan him from head to toe. His white long-sleeve shirt fit him perfectly, showing the curve of his muscles. He was tall, his dark hair slightly messy, as if he had run his fingers through it too many times. Why was I even noticing these things? I cleared my throat when he ended the call and put the phone down. I slowly stepped into his office, holding the copy of my proposal I had presented in the previous meeting. “Good day, Mr. CEO. I’m Patricia Villanueva, the newly promoted Manager. I was informed that you wanted to see me. I brought my proposal to gladly discuss it—” I stopped mid-sentence and the papers slipped from my hands when he turned to face me, and our eyes met. We both froze, staring at each other in shock. Those unforgettable brown eyes… Memories of us suddenly resurfaced, uninvited. The man standing in front of me was the same man I had tried so desperately to erase from my mind. It had been three months, but I still remembered clearly what happened between us on Christmas Eve…