3 Hired

06:15 A.M.

Margo Monteverde's Residence.

June 4th, the year 2018. Monday.

"Carmela?" Margo can't control her lips to say the woman's name in front of her, sitting down across the coffee table.

Carmela realized that everyone who idolizes her said the truth. She was witnessing her undeniable beauty. Margo Monteverde's beautiful face, without a doubt.

She's like an angel from heaven. Her sense of fashion was simple but elegant for Carmela. She's idolized for being a wonderful singer too.

She had this angelic face, lambent eyes, a prominent nose, and white as radish skin. 

'Is this the life of a popular actress? She can do whatever she wants for her body? Even if you're not that beautiful, you can do plastic surgery? Or if you have dark skin, you can bleach it to be fair?' Countless questions popped into Carmela's mind. Carmela built a desire in her mind for this kind of life. She didn't notice that Margo was calling her name.

'How did she know my name? Is she a stalker?' Carmela questioned herself, scared at the thought that Margo was one.

Carmela realized she was still holding her resume close to her chest. She didn't bother placing it on the coffee table.

"Carmela? Is that you?" Margo wondered.

"How did you know me?" Carmela faltered straight away, curious about what Margo had said. Carmela felt nervous.

She had the instinct that Margo knew her well.

She didn't know Margo, but in her name, yes. She was freaking popular in the country's acting industry. And Carmela was her number one supporter. She always watched Margo's ongoing drama every night.

'When You Left.' Starring Margo Monteverde as Rochelle Catacutan and Ellis Smith as Alan Salazar.

She always bawled her eyes out when watching Margo's drama.

Carmela woke up to reality as she glanced at Margo. She saw that she's staring out into space, and the entire living room's silent.

She's still, and she closed her eyes for a moment. She even shook her head. Carmela got bewildered by her actions.

How could Margo know her when this is the first time they met?

"Don't get too attentive to what I say. Don't mind it," Margo blabbered out.

Carmela nodded and gave Margo her resume without a doubt. She picked it up and scanned it rapidly with her eyes. Carmela felt the nervousness rising on her nerves. She was so scared that she might not get hired, because of---

"You have a child?" Margo questioned, still looking at Carmela's resume.

"Yes, madam," Carmela denoted. She's ashamed at the thought of hearing that from another stranger. She was holding her hands tight on her lap.

'I'm not ashamed of the thought of having a child, it's that--' Carmela's thoughts dispersed as Margo spoke.

"You're a single mom?" Margo lilted while still looking at her resume.

"Yes, ma'am," Carmela answered while stooping down her head.

She didn't want to say it, but this was the truth. Carmela loved the wrong man. He didn't want to supply the needs of their beloved child. But for now, she didn't want to talk about the guy, what's important was that her child was in her custody.

"Carmela?" Margo called Carmela. She stared up while her shoulders were down, and she saw Margo's precious smile.

"I found the right personal assistant for me," Margo added while grinning.

'What did she say? It's genuine news! Did I get hired?!' Carmela's surprised at the thought of being an assistant.

Carmela pinched her cheeks to test whether it was true. And it hurts! It was not a dream! She got hired!

"I said, you're hired," Margo professed to Carmela while smiling. She stood up from the sofa. 

"But ma'am, I didn't get to introduce myself first," Carmela stuttered.

"It doesn't matter right now. The first time you walked through that door, I know you're the one," Margo explained.

"Another thing, I want to know more about your daughter," Margo added. Carmela felt the happiness forming in her heart. Margo was kind, she's awesome and cool. Even if Carmela doesn't know her for the time being, she knew Margo had a golden heart.

"But ma'am, how about---" she was resisting the fact that she's hired.

Margo cut it off by saying, "No buts, Carmela. You're gorgeous by the way, not kidding."

'Did she praise me?' Carmela thought, her eyes were gleaming with delight.

It's the first time an actress praised her for being beautiful. Carmela stood up from the sofa while smiling. Margo offered her hand, and Carmela gave hers. They shook their hands while beaming at each other. 

"Thank you so much, Miss Margo." Carmela's happy eyes were synchronizing with her grateful words.

"Don't call me Miss or Madame. Call me by my name, Margo. You're my assistant now," Margo reminded her.

"Plus, we're the same age. It would be good if we treated each other as friends," she added.

'She's one of a kind, beautiful inside and out,' Carmela thought.

"Thank you so much, you're like an angel from heaven, Margo," Carmela blurted out while bowing her head down.

"Okay, I need you first thing in the morning. I need your help for my taping," Margo requested.

'Tomorrow is the first day?! But it's fine, I can drool over Ellis Smith's hotness!' Carmela thought of it and couldn't help but smile. Carmela realized that her career as Margo Monteverde's assistant had begun.

"Yeah, sure," Carmela agreed.

"You can go now. Tell the news to your daughter. I'm sure she will be happy," Margo acknowledged.

"Okay. See you tomorrow," Carmela confirmed.

"See you, Carmela," Margo dismissed. Carmela waved and walked towards the entrance door.

"Congratulations, madam," the maid said.

Carmela said thank you, nodded, and smiled. When she was finally outside the house, Mina and Zoey came up to her. 

"How is it, Carmela?" Mina bragged. DoMINAdor in short terms. Carmela smiled and hummed a tune. Zoey and Mina waited for her to say anything that their eyes came upon bulging out of their sockets. Carmela laughed out loud at how the two reacted.

"Hey, you are like hell crazy laughing out loud like that," Mina barked at her. Zoey nodded her head, as if agreeing with what Mina said. Carmela recovered from that one hell of a laugh before answering them.

"I got hired," Carmela declared to the two. They're surprised at what she revealed.

Carmela's smile vanished. Their faces lacked emotions. She tilted her head on one side as Zoey opened her mouth to say something. 

"Can you be fine?" Zoey weighed in, concerned. Zoey got that bitchy attitude written all over her face, but from what Carmela knew, she has a pure heart.

"I'm fine. I can do it, don't you worry about me," Carmela whispered, dead serious.

"Hey, your body's tearing apart by what you are doing right now. You currently have two jobs, let me remind you that," Mina lectured Carmela.

"Mina, I can do it. Don't be so anxious about it, it's for Hannah," Carmela said in despair. It's so hard to think that she's the only one who would raise Hannah.

Carmela worked for Kelly's Diner every Wednesday and Thursday as a server. She thought it could also help pay their bills and other expenses in the house. Carmela lost her parents when she was a kid.

She needed to pursue doing countless jobs for them to eat three times a day. Wear some decent clothes, and also for their financial stability.

Torres Productions was one of the richest companies in the Philippines. It produced daily food supplies, especially dairy products, all over the country. Their company, which was held by her late parents, was facing bankruptcy. She can't deny that she's one of the Torres clan.

If she's on a day off, she would guard her small place in the market that can also help them gain some money. Carmela finished a degree course in Mass Communication. She can't apply to different television stations, because she gave birth to Hannah.

"If I found that guy, I'm sure I would call the police immediately, Marcus, he's the police!" Zoey shrieked, clenching her jaw.

"Hey, don't be too rash about your actions. Isn't it right if we found the guy, we would throw several punches at him before handing him over to Marcus?" Mina interjected while rolling his eyes.

"Yes, because I pity Hannah. She will grow up without her father by her side," Zoey sniffled at a moment's reflection. "I suffered from that," Zoey added. Carmela felt the grief overhauled her ecstatic feeling earlier.

Carmela also experienced that. She suffered from labeling herself as a kid without parents. Carmela can't explain why her aunt Martha Torres wouldn't say anything. She wanted to know what happened the day her parents died.

She always said and lectured Carmela that she would know at the right time. Zoey and Mina also have the same fate as Carmela. The group of friends did. Marcus, Matthew, and Katrina too. Abbey was the only outcast in their group. She grew up with her parents by her side.

The seven of them had their paths crossed. That's because they will understand and love each other forever.

"Enough of the drama. You two can be ugly in no time," Mina joked. The other two laughed while holding their tears back down.

"So now? Where are we going?" Zoey quavered to the two.

"Let's have some breakfast. My gay self is super hungry, with the entire group, game?" Mina proposed, giddy about eating. He even massaged his abdomen.

"Game!" Carmela exclaimed. She thought that this occasion was worth celebrating.

"Why not Kingston Restaurant? It's open 24/7. The news is that the delicacies there are so appetizing," Zoey suggested.

"Sure, sure. Let's go," Carmela grinned, then the three of them left Margo's mansion.

...

Meanwhile, Margo picked up her cellphone right after Carmela got outside the door. She made sure that Nanny came back to her work in the kitchen. She dialed a number. 

She heard several rings at sight, and then the line clicked.

"Hello... I found what you are looking for," Margo murmured through the phone as she smirked. 

'Let's see what I can do to you,' Margo thought while her eyes squinted.