2 CHAPTER 2 - THE HEIRESS

At the corner of the room, there, sitting a prominently dashing young gorgeous woman if that is enough to describe her, silently and confidently looking and listening to her intently.

Jade was out of words, she never experiences these weird feelings at the pit of her stomach and the fast beating of her heart.

For the whole 21 years of her existence, for the first time, she feels numb, out of breath and not a single word could come out from her mouth.

"Ms. Jade……….Ms. Tanchinco!...Ms. Tanchinco!...Ms. Tanchinco!!!" Shouted her secretary Elaine, interrupting her, from staring at this unknown woman.

"Oh so......sorry.......we.....we will continue this tomorrow ( Jade is stuttering she never stutters before), and Mr. Lim? Give me the complete documents for this project, send it to my office now, I want to review it, you can all go". Jade was not even looking to the man she's still composing herself. She saw Althea standing and walking out from the room in her peripheral view. 'Jade is wondering who this woman?'

As soon as the woman was out in the room, she immediately raise her head to look at the person who caught her attention.

Still, her eyes fixed to Altheas back, she was interrupted by her secretary again.

"Ms. Jade is everything alright? You seem pale?" Concerned her secretary.

"Yes Elaine I'm okay, by the way, can I ask you a question?" Surprisingly with a calmer voice, and Jade notice it as soon as she saw the woman's eyes piercing directly to her own earlier, she became at peace.

Her secretary just nodded to her lady boss respond .

"Whos that woman?" Pointing to Althea outside the conference room near the glass window.

"Ow!" Exclaimed Elaine, you could notice her eyes changing dreamily.

"She's Althea Galura Ms., she's one of our Senior Architect here in TGC"- Elaine, with a flushed face.

"One of the Senior Architect?" Asks Jade in surprise.

"She's so young for that position. How long has been she's working here in TGC? Why I just see her now?" Questioned the young Tanchinco.

"Ms. Althea is with us for six months now Ms., your dad Mr. Tanchinco appointed her in that position." Elaine notices Jade's predicament, so she continued.

"It was a blessing in disguise, Ms. Jade." Jade nods telling her to continue with a raise brow.

"Will..........remember last October? Six months ago, we have a client from Germany and your father Mr. Tanchinco was so excited to meet this prospective investor. They are the first ranking company in their country. They came to the Philippines to invest and to branch out."- Elaine narrated.

"Wait! I thought the Guevarra's were already their tie-up here in the Philippines?"- Jade, with a more confuse look and very much surprise.

"Yes they are, but the Guevarra's introduce the TGC to them (The German's). As I have informed, Guevara's and Tanchinco's are great comrades in business. Mr.Guevarra and your dad are best of friends. They are each other's support system when they were just starting their businesses.

TGC's expand their domain in the South to West of the world while TGC is in North to East. Since the German companies are in both areas of the globe the Guevarra think it will be a good business for the TGC to have the German's account, that's why your father was so happy upon hearing this news.

Mr. Tanchinco is so grateful to Mr. Guevarra because your dad was so frustrated to get the German's account.

He's been pursuing this company for 15 years now and Mr. Guevarra just sharing the German's account just like that without any conditions or hesitation to TGC....."- Elaine long long explanation was suddenly cut by Jade.

"Sooo........what's the connection with this to Althea?" Interrupted Jade letting Althea's name slide in her mouth sends a shiver and tingling sensation in her whole being, she doesn't know why.

"Can you stop interrupting me and let me continue?" Elaine rolling her eyes by saying this, the latter understood that Jade has this attitude for being impatient.

Jade and Elaine have been best friends since childhood.

Elaine's parents are a family friend of the Tanchinco since before they were born.

That's why it's so easy for her to talk to Jade casually......nonetheless she knows where to act as a best friend or secretary, she knows her place.

Jade just chuckle and mounting sorry to Elaine.

"Now can I continue?" Asked Elaine, Jade nod walking outside the conference room to her office while Elaine following her behind.

"We'll continue this in my office and can you please order some Chinese take outs? I'm kind of famish." When she looked at her watch its already pass lunchtime.

"Ow, it's already past 12". Said Jade while opening her office door..........'that's why she's hungry', she thought and she skips breakfast this morning..........because of this dilemma they have in their company right now and she's eager to come in the office, to know the situation.

Elaine immediately dialed Jade's favorite Chinese restaurant. Jade already seated at her office couch reading the Japanese documents, Mr. Lim drops off a while ago after their meeting.

She's massaging her temple while scanning the papers. She can't believe this is happening. When her dad called her from her fashion show and informing her of the bad news, Jade was devastated.

Jade serves as the COO of TGC.

Jade has 3 elder Brothers each of them has already names on their line of work.

James 32, the eldest is a pilot and is already married to two children, 2 years old Franklin and 6 months old Abigail.

The second one, is John 29, a respected lawyer in his field, he's engaged to be married to his childhood sweetheart next year and the third one, is Jacob 25, single, and he's a businessman like his dad.

Jacob owned some businesses here in the Philippines and abroad.

Adding to Jade's list of achievements she's also a professional model, she owned a resto-bar, a boutique clothing line for men and women, and a car shop.

Cars are Jade's passion. When she was little she was so fascinated with cars, that's why when she got older and her career in modeling boomed plus the support of her parents, she invested directly her earnings to cars, after that her other businesses just followed.

Elaine set beside Jade after she ordered.

"Go ahead continue". -Jade excitedly said.

"Well.........eager much?!" Elaine with a grin on her face and Jade just shake her head.

"Now where am I? Oh, yah..............as I have said, your father was so happy hearing the great news about the German's so your dad prepared everything............he wanted the proposal to be perfect no more no less. But we can't predict what will be the outcome right? Even how prepared we are.

When the final day had come to came face to face with the Germans'................that day also was Althea's interview.......you know how TGC would recruit or scout potential fresh graduates to work with us right?" Jade just nodded.

"Althea is one of the recruits and to be interviewed that day. Your dad was touring the Germans' here, inside the building explaining and showing them how the company flows. Unfortunately one of the German Investor collapse in the middle of the tour and your dad learned that the man has a mild heart attack, it's sudden..........everyone was in panic even the German's interpreter don't know what to say he just froze. Meanwhile, at that time, Althea already finished her interview, while walking to the hallway she saw the commotion, without any time to waste, she immediately applies professional medical aid to the German investor. Your dad was shocked, of all people who could assist them. A valiant young woman was the one who responds immediately.

Althea ask what happened? Your dad explained the health condition to the said German Investor and your dad also inform Althea that he is German and he only speaks German. But to Mr. Tanchinco's surprise Althea speak fluently to the investor who is lying on the floor, in German...........could you believe that? Who guesses? Althea, instructing the German what to do to ease the pain he's feeling while waiting for the ambulance in German language.

After that predicament happened the Investor who had a heart attack has saved and to make the story short your dad get the Germans account".- Elaine narrating the whole story to Jade.

"So you mean Althea save the day?" Jade ask.

"Yup"- Elaine's short reply popping the p.

To be continued..........