The CEO's Order

Chapter 3

From a simple underground courier to a private investigator turned to a hired killer and a heartless assassin. Amber almost spilled her juice, reading on the crazy assumptions that the people have been saying on a secret platform called Hell. It is a site exclusive for the underground people.

She came across a post stating how scary Hecate is, and it made her laugh so much that Astra and Nyx ran in to check up on her.

"Amber!" they both called in panic. They came in her room to watch her tear up from crying while holding a glass of orange juice.

"Akala ko naman kung anong nangyari sa'yo," Astra said. The two sat down on the stool and looked at what she's doing on the computer. "Oh, nabasa ko na 'yan. Nakakatawa nga, takot na takot sila sa'yo!"

"To think na mga kilalang gangsters at mafia pa ang bumabanggit sa'yo, it's amazing," wika naman ni Nyx. "Paano pa kapag nalaman nila na hindi ka lang si Hecate?"

"True! Takot na sila sa'yo ngayon na Hecate lang ang alam nila. Once they learned that you're also a Mafia Princess."

"I am a what Astra?" kalmado niyang tanong.

"Mafia Princess ba o Gangster Princess? Kasi 'di ba 'yong Mama mo, Queen of Gangsters tapos 'yong Papa mo naman-"

"Again?"

"Ay bingi," natatawang sabi ni Astra. Hindi pa rin niya napapansin ang gigil na mukha ni Amber.

"Heh tama na nga 'yan Astra, nakalimutan ko tuloy 'yong bagong assignment."

Amber faced Nyx, confused with what she just stated.

"Wala pa akong approved na request 'di ba?" she asked.

"Nasilaw si Nyx sa pera-"

"Fifty million," putol ni Nyx Ann sa sinasabi ni Astra.

"Fifty million!" Amber was surprised. "Teka, baka naman kapareho lang 'yan no'ng sa spa."

"Come on Amber, don't think that only your parents will trust you so much that they'll offer this much money. Sino ka? Si Hecate, Hex the great, scratch that, Hex the greatest!" tinapik- tapik pa ni Nyx ang balikat ni Amber, "After all babes, that was four months ago, kalimutan mo na 'yon."

"'Yong secret job ba na baka parents mo ang may gawa?"

Amber rolled her eyes, Astra seems to not get it still. Pero ayaw naman niyang sabihan ito dahil hindi rin niya kaagad na maiintindihan.

"So, about the job?" she chose to focus on their topic. "Bakit ang laki ng offer?"

Nagningning ang mga mata ni Nyx, "It's an order from the CEO of Zero SVN, the biggest electronics company!" She pulled out her phone to show Amber the email that was sent to them.

"Look, in just two months-"

"Two months? Protection for two months! Ano ako? Bodyguard?" Umiiling na ibinalik ni Amber sa kaniya ang phone. Masyadong matagal ang hinihinging proteksyon. Alam ni Amber na maganda ang offer, pero hindi pa rin maalis sa loob niya ang takot na baka isa itong patibong para maibunyag ang totoo niyang katauhan.

"Come on Amber, alam niya na hindi ka nagpapakita sa mga clients mo kahit anong mangyari. Kaya naman tamang tama rin itong request," Nyx pulled Amber by the jaw to make her look at the phone screen.

"Protection lang kahit mula sa malayo, hindi niya hinihiling na magpakilala ka. Just show him that you're doing the job."

"Just send Astra, she can do that."

"Amber, alam mo naman si Astra," Nyx stated and then glanced at Astra who is now rolling on Amber's bread while playing a game on her phone. "Astra is a genius driver, designer and a good scammer. Pero she can't fight as good as you."

"Excuse me!" angal ni Astra.

"I'm just being true okay, alam naman nating lahat. Sa sobrang laki nitong bayad, top case natin 'to," madramang sabi ni Nyx habang hinahaplos ang kan'yang cellphone. "Kung ganito kalaki ang payment, sigurado na hindi madali ang protektahan siya. Astra sorry, pero pareho nating alam na si Amber ang pinakamagaling sa labanan, she can also hack and drive."

"So in short, Amber can easily do the job on her own. Pero kung isa sa ating dalawa, kailangan pa rin natin ang lahat?" tinanguan ni Nyx ang tanong ni Astra.

"Exactly! Kaya ang balak ko sana, habang si Amber ay focused dito kay Mr.Harrison guy, tayong dalawa ang mag-aasikaso sa mga minor offers."

"Sabihin niyo, gusto niyo akong mahirapan habang kayong dalawa nagliliwaliw."

"I mean, you don't have a choice. I accepted it already," Nyx said, smiling brightly. "And you can hack their database to help me develop my own devices!"

Their discussion about the new job was last Friday. Now it is Monday and in the matter of three days, Hecate's team have successfully paved a way for Amber to have a job in the Zero SVN company, as a receptionist.

Nyx threatened the former receptionist with her crazy hacking skills. She found the conversation of the poor receptionist and the middle aged man which is the CEO's secretary. Both married and with a happy family of their own, but still managed to have an affair.

She just did what she knows best and hacked their phones to send them a little surprise. A screenshot of their steamy conversation. The two were horrified. And just as how Nyx expected, they both resigned to keep distance.

Astra on the other hand, scammed people. One of her specialties! She's a professional con artist. With just her great acting and fashion style, she easily stole employees from Zero SVN, making them part of a new company. She offered an insane amount of money and their own share of stocks. It made them immediately drop everything to sign with her. Now they are excitedly waiting for the call of Chesca de Castillo, the owner of a starting electronics company called Vuvu. Of course Nyx had faked tons of online information about it. But in reality, it doesn't even exist.

As a result, Zero SVN hired a bunch of new people. Nyx made sure that Amber's resume is spotless. She got hired in a heartbeat.

Amber mentally slapped herself to wake up, she's currently inside of a meeting room for her last orientation together with a bunch of new hired personnel. A middle aged gay man with his fashionable pink suit came inside the room, introducing himself as the HR manager named Arnold. Simula palang ay halata na ni Amber ang inis na titig nito sa kan'ya.

He fetched them to give them a tour around the office. Wala sa sariling sumusunod si Amber sa kung saan sila dinadala nito. She already know each room in the whole building. Nyx got the blueprint, her talented brain memorized everything in minutes thinking it may come in handy in the future.

"Okay, now go to your stations!" matalim nanaman ang titig niya kay Amber. "Floral!" tawag nito sa kan'ya.

Amber looked down at her cute floral dress and looked back up at the manager, "Ako po ba Sir?"

"Ay hindi, kasi hindi ka naman naka-floral 'di ba?" walang ibang nasagot si Amber at pilit na ngiti ang iginanti nito.

"Ano po 'yon?"

"Bawal lumandi sa Boss!" he screamed. Amber was startled, and for a few seconds she could hear ringing in her ear. Hindi niya na narinig ang susunod na sinabi nito, at sumunod nalamang noong makita niya na itinataboy na s'ya.

"Nainggit siya sa ganda mo," said Nyx over the call which Amber heard through her special earings.

"Shush," pagbabawal naman ni Amber habang inaayos ang gamit niya sa bago niyang station. Her table is at the center of the entrance, everyone who will enter the building will be greeted by her beautiful face. She wanted a job that is easily noticeable so that she will never get any suspicions thrown at her. Kunwari ay wala s'yang itinatago.

"H-hi," she heard someone behind her. She automatically smiled sweetly as she saw one of her male colleagues standing near her station holding a tall glass of latte.

"I'm Jackson Ico, one of the programmers," nahihiyang pakilala nito. "I bought you a coffee."

"Oh no," Amber looked at her table, hidden from Jackson's view there are six cups of coffee already. "Uhm, sorry. Pero kasi mukhang balak ako lasunin sa kape dito."

Sinilip ni Jackson ang tinitignan niya at wala na itong nagawa kung hindi matawa nalang. Ever since Amber came in the office, there were six people who left her a cup of coffee with cute sticky notes and three others that were rejected.

Magsasalita pa sana si Jackson pero narinig nila ang isang bell bilang hudyat na simula na ang office hours kaya nagpaalam nalang siya kay Amber.

"See you later!"

"Ah-he-ahehe" sagot ni Amber. Narinig niya ang tawanan mula sa kabilang linya.

"Kapag talaga nag-aayos ka, nagiging beauty queen ka bigla eh 'no?" pang-aasar ni Nyx.

"You instantly became the office crush!" parang kinikiliti naman si Astra.

"Seems like the two of you forgot that I sharpened my knives last night," natahimik ang kabilang linya. Her sweet and kind appearance turns to her dark self in a snap and her duality is crazy.

Amber released a deep sigh, mabuti nalang at simple lang ang posisyon niya sa opisina. At ngayon, maliban sa mga guard sa pintuan, walang iba pa ang malapit sa kan'ya.

AMBER'S POV

"What do you mean, I don't have a new secretary?" Ano ba naman 'yan, akala ko kapag office hours na, tatahimik na ang buhay ko. Kung pwede lang akong matulog habang dilat dito, hay.

"Yes dude, may emergency daw 'yong bago. So, kumuha ka muna siguro sa ibang department." Their voices are getting louder. Based on my estimations, they're ten seconds away from the door. My hearing is quite special.

"Ikaw nalang kaya?"

"Shut up, may sarili akong department sira."

Hay, ito na. Stand up and bow, okay. The hardest job ever! I giggled slightly, how am I getting paid just by doing this?

As soon as I saw two tall figures outside the glass door, I prepared to stand up. The two guards politely bowed down as they greeted them. Ito na ba ang mysterious CEO nila? We've been checking on everything pero hindi namin mahanap ang latest picture niya, madalas ay blurred ang mukha niya.

"Find me a new secretary, now!" the taller silhouette said with full authority. I stood up and immediately bowed.

"Good Morning!" I greeted cheerfully. Huh, they didn't even respond, rude. Hindi ko naiwasan na umirap habang nag-aayos nang tayo.

"Wow! Good Morning indeed!" The other guy playfully said, siniko niya pa ang matangkad na lalaki sa tabi niya. Kung hindi ako nagkakamali siya si Harrison-

"f*ck, f*ck, f*ck," my brain wont stop.

"Have we met before?" What the f*ck? I felt my throat dry up. And I can't seem to find any words to say back so I just shook my head repeatedly.

Am I seeing things correctly? No, maybe I'm too sleepy. I blinked twice- d*mn, he's still starring at me.

Siya ba talaga 'to? He can't possibly remember me, right? I died my hair back to black, last time he saw me, I was blonde. Oh sh*t he's looking at me from head to toe. Malayo naman ito sa bihis ko noon 'di ba? Kalma ka lang Amber, baka naman kamukha lang niya. Imposible na siya si Bla-

"Hey, Blake? Alam ko maganda, pero natutulala ka. Nakakahiya," Blake?

Hindi ko na narinig ang ibang sinabi nitong kasama niya. Pero tinawag siya na Blake? So, siya nga? Harrison Blake. All these time, akala ko first name niya 'yon. Bakit umiinit ang pisngi ko?

"Ah!" I stepped back, hindi ko naman inakala na biglang dudungaw si Blake mula sa kabilang banda nitong counter. Hindi ako makatingin sa kanya habang malapitan niyang tinitignan ang mukha ko.

"Hmm, maybe I was wrong," he said before walking away.

For the first time, I felt like I was about to die because of embarrassment. I thought I would never meet him ever! Tapos ngayon...sh*t kung maalala niya 'yong ginawa ko noon. I need to call them.

"Sh*t, Astra take my place." I heard a bunch of questions from the other line.

"Hoy, napasok ka na d'yan," tutol ni Nyx. "At isa pa, baka mamukhaan si Astra d'yan na scammer."

"True, anong nangyari ba? Hindi namin narinig eh, 'yong matangkad ba ang CEO?"

"Can we cancel this one?"

"For what reason?" Oh gosh, I should never let them know, specially Nyx. Or I will never hear the end of it. "You know we already got the first part of the payment right?"

"Come on, we can totally just pay it back. Tsaka sino ba 'tong client na 'to? Paano niya ako nakilala?"

"Amber, this is not our first business man client, tsaka we need the money for our upgrades. i thought we're all clear? What happened?"

"Baka ex niya 'yong CEO." Oh gosh. Minsan talaga itong si Astra wrong timing.

"What kind of nonsense Astra-"

"Hoy floral!" oh freak, bigla naman sumusulpot itong si Sir Arnold. Mabuti nalang at mahina lang ang boses ko.

"Yes Sir?"

"Pinapatawag ka ni Mr. Collins," sino naman 'yon?

"Sino po?"

"Si Mr. Collins, head sa Programming department."

Inirapan nanaman niya ako bago tumalikod para sundan ko sa paglalakad. Tumuloy kami sa second floor at may ilang cubicle kami na nadaanan bago makarating sa office ni Mr. Collins.

Oh how I wish I never followed him. I should have stalled for forever. Dahil pagbukas nitong pintuan, ay nakaabang ang dalawang lalaki na parehong ayaw ko makita.

Blake and his friend which is Collins, I suppose. Maloko ang ngiti ni Collins habang pinanlalakihan siya ng mata ni Blake pagkakita niya sa akin.

"Sir, nandito na po si Floral, ay este ano kasi pangalan mo?" nilingon ako ni Sir. Arnold.

"Amber po,"

"Oohh, Amber!" Madiin na pag-uulit nitong si Collins habang nakatutok pa rin kay Blake.

"Yes po, ano po pala ang kailangan nin'yo?" I have to act normal during these times. Kapag bumigay ako, siguradong mapapahiya lang ako.

"Okay Blake, you can leave my office now. I found your new secretary."

"What?" napalingon sila sa malakas na tanong ni Arnold.

"Do you want to be my secretary?" I forgot how deep his voice is.

"Sir, sorry po pero I applied as a receptionist. I think if there's someone that can be your secretary, Sir. Arnorld is far more suitable." Natahimik ang lahat sa sinabi ko. Lumingon naman si Sir Arnold para palihim akong kindatan.

Nakita ko ang pagngisi ni Blake na parang may iniisip siya. The two higher ups exchanged meaningful looks before looking at me.

"You can go back to your station as a receptionist," said Blake. Nakahinga naman ako nang maluwag. Buti nalang at hindi niya ako pinilit na maging-

"But bring me coffee first." Is he talking to me? Para akong nabuhusan nang malamig na tubig sa kinatatayuan ko habang si Blake naman ay nagsimula na maglakad papunta sa kinatatayuan ako.

"Miss Amber, I'll be waiting."

F*ck, does he remember me?