Chapter 7

We're going home now, he's driving again. I mean, I can't drive, and it's not my car.

While we were driving, he asked me questions from time to time.

"Where are you from? I remember you mentioned earlier that you're staying at your boss's son's condo?" His voice was full of curiosity.

I chuckled a little because of his furrowed brow and his eyebrows meeting.

He's really curious!

I shook my head at my thoughts. He's not a syndicate, right? Maybe he'll hide inside where I'm staying at if the NBI or PDEA is looking for him.

"I'm from Carmen, I was just assigned here. It's temporary, I'm staying with my boss's son's friend until they find their own employee." I said at length.

He nodded, as if he had just gotten an example in math.

"Thanks for accompanying me to the grocery store!" I thanked him.

It's a good thing there's no traffic.

He smiled. "You're welcome!"

"Let me help you carry your groceries. I'm going straight to my condo anyway,"

"Oh no, I can handle it! It's embarrassing for you." My face has been getting thicker and thicker.

But I couldn't do anything when he took the eco bag from me.

"You must be very friendly." I broke the silence.

We were in the elevator, and I felt a little awkward.

"No, not really. I only talk to select people. Even my friends, I don't talk to them much,"

I looked at him in disbelief.

He's so talkative!

"Are you sure? You were so chatty earlier. You were about to tell me your whole life story!" I assured him.

He chuckled softly.

"I talk a lot when I'm comfortable with someone."

Ah, that's why.

We feel the same way, I'm also comfortable with him.

"Just a question, are you half? You look like you have foreign blood, and your way of speaking is a bit slangy." I'll just be bold.

Even though my face has been bold for a long time.

What do you care? I'm curious!

Curiosity can kill you! I mean me, can kill me.

"I'm Turkish, Argentinian, Spanish, and American." He answered my question.

"No Filipino blood. But, I'm still learning the Filipino language. I understand a lot, but I don't speak much. Just familiar words, you know."

I just said "ah." So that's why he's slangy, no Filipino blood.

"You? Are you half?"

"Yes, half human, half woman," I joked.

He immediately shook his head, seemingly surprised by my answer. It's like he took my answer seriously, saying "Yes."

I thought of something silly. "Do you know? You're trespassing in the Philippines because you Spaniards colonized the Philippines before."

"Do you also know? It's tiring to study the history of our countries." He retorted.

"You're just lazy!" I insisted.

He just shook his head while laughing.

"Thank you again!" I said when we reached the front door of the condo.

________

"Good afternoon, ma'am!" the security guard greeted me outside the building. "Your I.D, please?"

I immediately handed him my I.D, which Sir gave me earlier before I got here.

"Ah, are you the temporary employee the CEO's secretary mentioned?" I immediately nodded.

It's obvious that I'm temporary, even my I.D says "temporary employee" above my picture.

I thanked him before walking into the company building.

I was amazed when I entered.

It's so spacious.

I approached the woman who was there. "Who are they, ma'am?" she asked when she saw me approaching.

I just handed her my I.D. I'm too lazy to talk.

"Just a moment, ma'am. I'll call the secretary first." She picked up the phone and pressed some buttons.

"Hello, good afternoon ma'am! The temporary employee is here, ma'am." I heard her say.

I was just looking around while she was talking to the secretary.

She turned to me, seemingly finished with her call. "Ma'am! Go to the CEO's office. The secretary said so."

I raised an eyebrow at what she said.

Right away? Meet the CEO right away? I just started, and I need to meet their boss. Can't it be next time?

I'm not a thief! Also not a scammer.

"His office is on the 50th floor."

What? Are you sure it's the 50th floor? I don't want to stay in the elevator for long!

I walked towards the elevator, then pressed the number.

I held my head when I felt a little dizzy.

This elevator really sucks! I don't like the smell inside.

There's no way! I feel like I'm anemic, my vision is getting blurry.

I saw a woman standing near the glass door, holding a cup.

"Hi! Are you the temporary employee?"

I stood up properly. It must be the secretary, based on her attire.

I looked at her intently. "Ah, yes, that's me!"

She took my I.D and looked at what was written on it.

I looked at her from head to toe. She's okay! She's not like my previous boss's secretary.

Let me explain. She's beautiful, with shoulder-length brown hair, tall but taller than me. And she dresses beautifully, very formal, unlike my previous boss's secretary who was almost wearing a swimsuit.

She smiled. "You can go in now! The boss has been waiting for you. He thought you were coming in the morning." She said, handing me the cup she was holding.

It contained black coffee. I took a step back so I wouldn't smell the black coffee.

I hate the smell of any kind of coffee!

"Can you please take this too? The boss made me black coffee. But I have a lot to do, and you're coming in anyway, so please."

An order right away!

I immediately shook my head.

I covered my nose. I felt like I was sneezing.

"You take it! I don't like the smell! I'll just go in with you!" She slumped her shoulders at what I said. It was like she had lost a game.

She mumbled something I couldn't hear before turning towards the glass door.

"You're lucky the boss likes you!"

She might be cursing me.

She knocked on the glass door.

Their glass door is different, you can't see what's inside.

"Come in!" I heard someone say from inside.

That voice sounds familiar...

She went in first. I stayed outside, but I could be seen a little because the door was slightly ajar.

"Sir, the temporary employee is here." She turned towards me and widened her eyes.

She gave me a "go in" look.

I bowed and slowly entered.

"Good afternoon, sir!" I said, still bowing.

The secretary took a step forward but sideways, because she was on my right.

"Don't bow when you talk to sir! He's easy to get mad!" she whispered as a warning.

"Well, I'm shy!" I whispered back firmly.

"Any problem, Miss Zenneth? Care to share what you two are whispering about?!" His voice was colder than a refrigerator. His voice was full of authority and command.

I raised my eyes slightly. But I felt like I was rooted to the spot.

Him!

The guy from last night! He was sitting in front of me in the swivel chair, staring intently in my direction!

"Sir, I'll go ahead..." I raised my eyes from my bow and immediately grabbed his arm.

"What the!" I heard the guy say.

Zenneth looked at me in surprise. I forced a smile at her.

"Take me outside," I said, almost stuttering. I don't care if I'm being pushy right now! I don't want to be left inside with that guy.

"You can't! Sir is going to talk to you, and he'll assign you to where you'll be working." She immediately brushed my hand away from her.

I sighed and turned to where Zach was. I wouldn't look at him if he wasn't coughing, but his cough was fake.

Attention seeker!

He just stared at me intently. He even looked me up and down.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

I leaned against the glass door behind me. It's a good thing I followed Zenneth earlier and got away from there.

I looked up and played with my fingers behind me.

He coughed again, but I ignored him. He can do whatever he wants!

"Aren't you going to sit down?" he asked, putting his feet up on the table while sipping his coffee.

"No!"

"Come here!" he ordered, but I just shook my head.

He pulled the visitor's chair in front of him.

"Don't test my patience, young lady! I will count one to three or else!" his tone was full of authority.

Or else, what?

I just ignored him and looked behind me. Why can you see outside so clearly, but when you're outside, you can't see what's inside?

"One!" he counted.

Let's play a game.

"Two," I added.

But I think I was wrong, because his aura got worse.

"Two! Young lady! Two!"

I raised my right eyebrow and rolled my eyes.

"Three-"

He didn't finish counting to three. I immediately ran towards his table.

"Oh, there you go, I came closer! What?! Are you happy now?" I said angrily.

He tapped the visitor's chair beside him. "Sit here! Sit here!"

I stomped my foot on the floor. I went there angrily.

"Oh, there!"

He raised an eyebrow at me. I rolled my eyes and sat down heavily.

He pulled my chair closer to him. Then he lowered his feet from being on the table.

Zach reached for my ID.

"Zhanielle Yildiz," he read my name.

He looked back at me, but still holding the ID.

"So, Zhanielle is your name?" I didn't answer his question. It's obvious! "Nice name, I love it! But..."

He stopped talking and observed my face. I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"But you're so sassy, so mean!" he squeezed my nose playfully.

I slapped his hand away from my nose.

My nose must be red! I couldn't help but touch and rub it.

I just looked away.

But it seems like this guy has a KSP personality! He'll do anything to get attention.

Do you want to know what he did? He just held my chin then turned my face towards him.

"Eyes on me, lady! Only to me! What's in that you're looking at that I don't have?!" he said angrily.

"Why can you be a mirror? Be a building?" I was about to say that to him, but never mind.

"Tse!" I rolled my eyes at him.

"There you go again, you're so mean!"

I couldn't move when he suddenly brought his face close to mine. It felt like the world stopped when his lips touched mine. He aggressively took over my lips and bit the lower part of it.

I was shocked by what he did. I was wide-eyed while he was closing his eyes, enjoying kissing me.

I looked at him in surprise when he pulled away from the kiss and spoke.

"That's your first punishment. You bit me last night! And you went near that Pinocchio, Lady!"