CHAPTER EIGHT | FROM THE PAST

UNTIL now, Sierra still can't believe what she heard from her boss. First, he picked her up at home, and the two of them had breakfast together before jumping into many jobs. Sierra wondered what happened to her monster boss during her sick leave days. Did he dream and have a one-on-one talk with God, so he was kind to her? She bore those questions in her head while heading to the HR Department.

She has a meeting with Ms. Bernadette regarding the satisfaction rate of the entire company she works for. Sierra knew the problem, and that concerned their boss' inhumane attitude. Sierra believes that if anything needs to change, it's Aidan Fritzgibbons' attitude.

"Good afternoon!" She greets everyone she meets energetically, but they only give her a weak smile.

She wondered what the problem was. Given that she's working at Fritzgibbons Corporation for four days, minus her absence of two days due to the medical examination, she is supposed to have friends now. Are they also afraid of her? What could be the reason? Was working with the company's CEO a taboo for them?

"They are aloof because you might report everything you see down here to someone higher up," said the voice that woke her up. The owner of the sweet and little soothing voice was walking with her towards the HR Department. "I'm Rafi Ledesma, assistant HR director. You can call me Rafi. You're Sierra, right?"

"Yeah, that's my name. It's nice to meet a human in an AI den." She heard Rafi laugh after hearing what she said. "Why? Am I wrong? The only human here that I know is Ms. Ruiz and you. Also, Sir Martin."

Rafi groaned. "Those guys, Martin, and your boss, are more than a monster. They are a different breed."

"Sir Martin is nice,"

Rafi stopped walking, which she did too. She looked at her from head to toe which was strange for Sierra. She tried to dodge her stare but failed in the end.

"You're Aidan's kind of girl, not Martin's. Maybe that's why we think the same."

At that point, she remembered the scene when Sir Martin drove her to their house. Her other boss had a conversation with Zeke! Did Sir Martin notice?

I hope not, she said in her mind.

Her two friends say that Zeke looks a lot like her boss and how he speaks, including hand gestures and mannerisms.

"Are you okay, Sierra?" Rafi asked her provocatively. She seemed to go blank for a moment because of the memory. What if he tells her boss what he found out? "Eric! We will go this way,"

"Sierra?" Sierra was even more stunned when she saw Eric, her ex-boyfriend. That guy who traded her for her best friend. "Hi! It's been a while since -"

What is the man from his past doing in the place where Sierra is? She thought Eric was dead. Why does someone she presumes has died arising from the past look so fine and kinda bright right now? Do all zombies look like Eric?

Why?

"I have a meeting to attend too. It's nice meeting you again, Rafi, and hi to you too."

She quickly walked to the office of Ms. Bernadette, and her chest was almost bare when she got inside. Her heart was still beating but stopped when she thought she hadn't knocked. Only then did she notice that Sir Martin was inside the office she entered.

"I'm sorry. I'll go out again,"

Why can't I knock? she asked in her mind. Sierra was about to leave, but before she could, Ms. Ruiz speak up.

"We are done, and Sir Martin is leaving now." There is an emphasis on the word sir pronounced by Ms. Bernadette. "Shall we start our meeting, Sierra?"

"Um, yes!"

She followed Sir Martin's gaze and couldn't help but notice the frown on his face. Rafi was right about Sir Martin sharing the vibes with Mr. Fritzgibbons. They were just as scary when frowning as she'd seen.

I guess it's in their blood and the wrinkles on their forehead are also the default, she said in her mind.

AFTER the meeting between Sierra and Ms. Bernadette, she immediately prepared the final proposal that was sent to her boss's email. He had seen the draft before and didn't like some of what she had written, so Sierra had to be changed. Sierra's only wish is that her proposal will pass her boss's impeccable taste buds, which she and Ms. Bernadette have tackled earlier.

She was about to return to her station but was stopped by someone who suddenly blocked her way. When she looked up, she immediately saw the face of her ex-boyfriend.

"Hey, are you going home?" he asked her.

"Not yet," she replied sparingly. "I have a lot of work to do, Eric." Another thing she couldn't believe was the kindness of Mr. Fritzgibbons to her. She felt that the boss was holding up a bit because she just got back to work. And she's not even allowed to get sick!

How will she gonna do that?

"Can I invite you out for coffee?"

"I don't drink coffee anymore, Eric."

That was her way of saying she didn't want it. Sierra hopes that will resonate with the person she's talking to. When he didn't answer, she continued walking. She didn't even know why he was in the company and talking to Rafi earlier. She didn't want to think that his ex-boyfriend might be working at the company she was working for.

Is that why he added her to his social media account? Why is the world so small for the two of them?

"Ms. Jimenez, I need you to photocopy these and bring them to the conference room. We have a meeting in twenty, and oh, you're here now." She turned around when his boss suddenly spoke to her. Sierra was stunned upon seeing Eric, standing behind her. "This is Eric, our company's new AE. Eric, this is Ms. Jimenez, my new assistant."

Mr. Fritzgibbons ordered and asked Eric to leave. Sierra suspected that she and Eric would work for the same company. They are different in departments because she is direct with the owner. While Eric still has a senior AE to go through before reaching her boss.

But the only question was why there?

There are so many companies in Metro Manila, so why where else did he go?

She stopped thinking and did what Mr. Fritzgibbons asked her to do. There is a note attached as to how many copies the demon needs. Her boss is busy, so even a few hours before going home, they still have a meeting. Sierra thinks her boss will get sick if he can't work for a day. He is a workaholic, and he even overpowered her.

"Here are the copies, sir," she announced upon entering the conference room. She handed the other person he was talking to some copies made while returning the original to her boss.

"As you can, Fritzgibbons Corporation can handle your shipping needs in and out of the country. We also have a state-of-the-art storage facility that can accommodate your stocks."

Sierra knows the proposal that her boss is explaining to their potential investors. The people they are talking to are Japanese, but they understand a word of English. She can see in their faces that they like the readable offer of Mr. Fritzgibbons among them. Eric stepped up and showed a presentation using their flat-screen TV. She listened to them while writing in her notebook to make a summary of their meeting today.

"This is all good, and we're satisfied, but how will an average wage earner comment on this? Not everyone can afford a storage unit in a facility. What can you say, Ms..."

"Jimenez. Sierra Jimenez."

"Ms. Jimenez, tell us your thoughts," said the Japanese investor.

She looked at her boss and Eric. She hesitated to answer at first and then remembered that every second is essential to the Japanese, so she answered.

"We can offer discounted monthly rent and flexible plans for the average wage earners. In that matter, everyone can afford it and enjoy the benefits of storage facilities such as ours."

Sierra had no idea if what she said was right, but it seemed to be okay with the person they were talking to.

"You have a well-balanced company, Mr. Fritzgibbons. You have the authority, a business-wise assistant, and an articulate AE. I'm impressed, and I want to do business with you." The Japanese investor said happily and asked for the contract to be signed.

That's when everyone started signing, which ended with them shaking hands.

"I want a meeting summary on my email, Ms. Jimenez. As well as the draft plans that we can offer to all." Sierra seems to be back at school and has a terror professor. "You can now go home after this. Asked Dickie to drive you," he ordered, then left them immediately.

She didn't even have a chance to say thank you. He didn't even thank her, which is very unlikely to happen. She quickly moved aside and followed Mr. Fritzgibbons into his office.

"You should go home too. You don't want to get sick either, do you?"

Mr. Fritzgibbons looked at her after she spoke, "stop being sassy, ​​Ms. Jimenez. I will go home if I want to, okay?" The wind suddenly changed. "What's with you and my new AE? I sensed the tension in between,"

She didn't expect that her boss was also a gossiper. There was tension because of the annoyance she had thought had disappeared in the past six years.

"I just saw him today. I believe I'm in my usual state, just like when we met."

"I bet to disagree, but it's your life, not mine. Go home now before my mind changes."

She acted quickly before her boss changed his mind. It saved a lot of money in her favor. It's very favorable, and she hopes it continues.

I hope so, she said in her mind.