His Wrath

Chapter 1: Hectic Day

Nathalie’s POV

Today is a hectic day. Maraming tinatapos na budgets to be allotted at different departments ng company. I’m working as a financial manager and my job is to direct financial planning, I supervise the review and preparation of budgets on a quarterly and yearly basis and today is the quarterly preparation of budgets. As the financial manager I always end up being the presenter of budget proposal to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), that means it’s a meeting between just the two of us and to be honest, I kind of love that idea.

Budget proposal is actually a collective proposal from different departments’ manager of the corporation. We make sure that each department has a representative to address their budget needs or voice out any recommendation that they have.

Currently, our team is double checking the funds that are allotted for each department. Tapos na namin siya kanina pa but double checking is a must, lalo na at billions of pesos ang involve. Ako lagi ang pinipili nilang reporter ng budget proposal dahil ako naman daw ang head ng financial department, I am willing to do the work because why not? I would even volunteer if it wasn’t the case. Presenting the proposal was my only ticket to meet the CEO minsan ko lang kase siya makita. Though I’m working here for years but meeting the CEO is not something anyone can do.

Anyway, after my meeting with the CEO, susunod naman ay ang formal presentation ko in front of the budget committee for the approval of the proposal sa conference room at 3 pm. It’s a company rule that before we throw the proposal to the committee, the CEO should know its content. Budget committee consists the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and other important personnel who review the proposed budget thoroughly before they approved it. Upon approval lang pwedeng magamit ang proposal for the next quarter. Masyadong matrabaho ang budgeting, because it could make or break a company’s finances if not taken seriously.

As far as my position is concerned, I did rose from a financial staff position to financial manager because of my hard work. It took me two and a half years I supposed and this year’s marks my fourth year of service in the company. I’m working at Bertareli Corporation, one of the biggest corporations here in the Philippines, owned and run by the only heir David Bertareli (CEO). Their family was able to establish Bertareli Corporation here in the Philippines even though Bertarelis’ are of Swiss kinship. Believe it or not, they are actually mixed with Filipino blood. Bertareli Corporation or what we, employees commonly referred to as Bercorp was established pa by David’s great grandfather, who was a half-Filipino/ half-Swiss. It came from a humble beginning as a small business that engages in trading goods. But look at how it prosper now, expanding its services with banking, real estate and automobile all around the world.

When the clock strikes at 12:45 pm, I made myself ready to go the CEO’s office located at the 20th, which is the highest floor in this building. Hindi matagal maghintay ng elevator kung sa CEO’s floor ang punta mo dahil may sarling elevator ang CEO, exclusively for him and for those having an appointment in his office. Our department on the other hand, finance department is located at the 8th floor of the building. Pili lang din ang nakaaakyat sa office ng CEO because of three main reasons. First of all, he doesn’t want anyone from the lower management to access his office ng walang appointment and setting an appointment with him is extremely difficult. Second, he doesn’t like people wasting his time, his time is wealth. And lastly, you just won’t like him meeting you kung wala kang importanteng sasabihin because he fires. Yes, kaya wag na wag mo siyang malapitan sa mga shunga days mo dahil masasampolan ka talaga.

When the elevator clicked open on 20th, Francine Aguilar, CEO’s secretary greeted me with a smile. “Ms. Nathalie, you may proceed to the CEO’s office now,” Francine said. “I already got notified by Mr. Bertareli to let you enter when you arrived,” she added.

“Okay, thank you.” I said with a smile. We both know each other dahil suki ako dito whenever quarterly proposals are for approval. Francine is not the type of secretary na napapanood niyo sa TV okay? walang ganon dito sa Bercorp cause if you tried, say goodbye to work. Kaya nga kahit I secretly admire our CEO, I never showed it because I can’t get fired. I refused to.

I knocked thrice before I open the door, a familiar scent of Clive christian X invaded my system, David’s perfume, paano ko nalaman yon? Well, it’s a unique fragrance at yan kasi ang amoy ko kapag kasama ko siya or rather kapag ginigisa niya ako ng mga tanong tungkol sa budgets na di na meet ng proposal namin ng team ko.

I remember that happening once at nakatanggap lang naman ako ng katakot-takot na sermon, cons of being the head. He was so mad at us dahil sobrang laki ng actual na nagastos ng company and if that happened that only means our budget proposal failed. Though, I never took that blow to my heart because I understand his part, he’s a businessman after all and my team actually learned our lesson from that.

Anyway, kaya ko alam ang pabango niya kasi nakita ko yung bottle ng Clive sa may table niya the last time I was here. Ininspect ko talaga habang naghihintay sa kanya, he was on a meeting at wala siya sa office niya noon kaya I guess it’s safe .The bottle is beautifully made, the perfume bottle has a golden head that resembles a high ranking chess piece while the body was coated all-black with an engraved logo and wordings of the manufacturer.

Pag-uwi ko sa apartment noon, kating-kati akong malaman ang presyo ng pabango niya kaya nag- research pa talaga ako. The price didn’t surprise me at all for the word expensive is not existing in the vocabulary of a Bertareli, normal lang yun sa mga mayayamang katulad niya.

I snapped on when I heard footsteps coming from the door that connects to his bedroom here in his office. Mayroon siyang sariling kwarto dito. Minsan kasi sobrang daming trabaho kaya di na siya nakauuwi man lang but that only happens during busy seasons.

Nung lumabas siya sa bedroom I am lowkie fangirling his looks. Napaka-manly lang ng tinding niya and the way he walks screams dominance and authority. While his intimidating dark orbs are focused on folding his white button-up shirt hindi ko namalayang nakatitig na pala ako sa kanya nang matagal. I unconciously scan his appearance from his jet black hair that was neatly made, to his thick eyebrows that are shaped perfectly, his high-bridged nose which I consider the most attractive one because this really defines his side profile.

I find his little mole on his left cheek so cute plus his kissable lips. Halata ring alagang gym katawan niya, the biceps and triceps says it all. Nakalulungkot lang di ko ma che-check kung ilan ang pandesal niya.

“Done checking me out?” David said. His deep voice brings me back to reality. I felt attacked! Kahit na gusto ko na malamon na ng lupa ay mamaya na lang dahil kapag ganto na ang tono ng pananalita niya dapat ayos-ayusin mo ang isasagot mo. Istrikto siya kaya mas mabuti pang mag trabaho na tapos mamaya na ang pagpapatasiya.

“Here is the comprehensive budget for the next quarter operation sir,” I said while approaching him on his table. Dahil na distract ako sa presensiya niya kanina, nakalimutan kong nasa malapit pa rin pala ako ng pintuan. I handed him the copy of the budgets and he scans them, and then asks me series of questions regarding it.

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Paglabas ng office niya, I checked my Rosefield mesh gold strap watch and it points at 2:37 pm. Which means an hour and a half niyang vinalidate at pina-justify sa akin ang mga budgets. What a life nga naman ng isang multi-billionaire. For the record, di ako ang bumili ng relo ko. Nabunot lang ako nung christmas party ng company at yan lang naman yung napanalunan ko, yayamanin talaga. Actually may mas maganda pang prize kaysa dito, gaya ng cellphones, laptops at isang tumataginting na brand new car. But don’t get too excited dahil may qualification yan each in order to enter the raffle. Usually mga matatagal na ang service sa Bercorp o kaya naman yung mga may matataas ang service performance, like employees from marketing and sales department.

Enough of that, I still need to present the budget proposal to the budget committee at 3 pm and the conference room was just a level down here. Sasabay sana ako kay David pero siyempre joke lang, ayoko pang masisante. I usually call him David at home, alam ni mama ang kahibangan ko kay David and you know what’s sweet? My mom calls David ‘manugang’, as expected, napaka-supportive ng nanay kong maganda.

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3:59 pm

The meeting with the budget committee went fast because I only conveyed important points na dapat nilang malaman tungkol sa budgets at yung mga tinanong kanina ni David sa akin nung meeting namin I added them too for they are indeed vital sa pag-examine ng proposal.

I was on my way back to our department’s office when I received a call from Francine, secretary ni David. I pick up the call on the second ring dahil alam kong urgent ito.

“Hello, Ms. Garcia? The CEO wants me to tell you that he is expecting you at his office ASAP,” Francine said.

“Copy that, thank you for informing,” I answered. As soon as I ended the call my heart beats erratically not because of excitement dahil makikita ko ulit siya pero dahil kinakabahan ako. Feeling ko tuloy nagpa-palpitate ako dahil sa sobrang bilis nang t***k ng puso ko. Dalawa lang kasi ang posibleng dahilan kaya ka pinapatawag sa CEO’s office na walang scheduled notice. Una, may nagawa kang mali sa trabaho mo at kailangan mo itong baguhin pero bago iyon makakatanggap ka muna ng hindi kanais-nais na mga salita mula kay David plus duduguin talaga ilong mo kase purong ingles ang sermon niya .At pangalawa, may nagawa kang mali ulit T.T

Hala ka diyan Nathalie, anong ginawa mo?