The eccentric COO
It was 9 in the morning at Innovare headquarters, Marie was sitting in front of her desk finishing the reports that are needed to be submitted, just like everyone in the office, she starts her day sipping a cup of coffee and typing in front of the computer.
The aura of the office was well. Some employees are talking to one another outside their respective cubicles. As the clock struck at 10 in the morning, the aura started to get gloomy and tensioned when the door opened; the employees started to look at their respective desktops computers. the dame of Innovare has arrived and walked to her office in a disgruntled manner.
"Looks like Madam Jasmine is in a bad mood today," said Sheree.
"I haven't seen her like that," Marie whispered as she returned to her desk.
"Marie!" A loud yell came from Jasmine's office, prompting the young lady to rush inside.
Jasmine was sitting in front of her desk, glaring at Marie with her hands pointing at the blank table.
"Supposedly, I am reading the reports right now?" The CEO remarked, "Where are the reports?"
Cold sweat came out of Marie's forehead as she stuttered, "I.... I am finishing all the reports when you arrived".
"My arrival is not an acceptable reason why you wouldn't finish the report Marie," Jasmine quipped "I have asked that yesterday and I am supposed to read that today."
"I'm sorry, Madam," Marie uttered in a soft tone, lowering her head.
"No, do not apologize!" Jasmine yelled. "Get your ass back to work and give me the report. You have until twelve noon to do that!"
"Yes, madam!" Marie swiftly responded, when they heard a commotion outside the office, prompting the two to go out and see what was going on.
"I want to talk to Jasmine!" An old lady demanded. Behind her was a tall man in his forties.
Without hesitation, Jasmine approached them. "The two of you are disrupting the work of my employees," she uttered, "What do you want Laura?"
"You bitch!" Laura yelled, trying to hit her daughter-in-law who managed to evade her slap
"Laura, I respect you as my mother-in-law, but disrespecting me here in front of my employees is an insult," Jasmine angrily said, fortunately Bianca rushed in and held her sister to ease the situation.
"Edmund, don't you have any decency?" Bianca asked her brother-in-law.
"Your sister forced us to do this!" Edmund reacted, prompting Bianca to hit him in the face.
"You ingrate, I knew it from the start that you only wanted our money!" Laura yelled at her daughter-in-law.
"Ain't a blonde you are?!" Jasmine exclaimed, but it was Bianca who interrupted, fuming in anger.
"Jasmine earns double than what you, your futile son and your company earns!" Bianca reminded the two "My sister worked hard to have what she wants and for her daughters and your son who is as sticky as a parasite keeps on hurdling my sister's dreams!"
"That's it Edmund, I will be sending you the divorce papers," Jasmine told her husband "I was thinking to save our marriage in the first place, but your mother! Your mother! Keeps on treating me like a parasite."
As the commotion had drawn a lot of spectators, a young girl appeared out of nowhere and stood in between Jasmine and Edmund. Just like her mother and aunt, her face can launch a thousand ships, she stands five feet and six inches tall, not to mention her physique can compete in modelling and beauty pageants..
"Mom, is it true?" Amy asked her "You and Dad are filing for divorce,"
"Just get those pieces of shit outta here" Jasmine ordered the guards as she entered her office, Amy quickly followed her
"That old hag really annoys me a lot," Bianca shared her sentiments to Marie "You should really pick a man that would really protect you"
"I do hope so," Marie murmured "You're really are a caring sister to Ms. Jasmine,"
"Jasmine and I are sisters, I am her older sister, it's my duty to look after her," Bianca said "anyway, finish what you're doing, she's really not in the mood,"
---
At the CEO's office, Jasmine was inconsolable that Bianca rushed in to comfort her sister who kept on crying in front of her daughter, the former took her sister's magic pills to calm her down, wrapping Jasmine around her arms.
"Why is this happening to me?!" asked Jasmine who kept on crying
"Aunt Bianca, what is going on with mom?" asked Amy, kneeling in front of Jasmine visibly concerned by her mother's action
"She's just having a nervous breakdown," Bianca explained to her niece "You know, when she was pregnant with you, your grandmother pushed her so far, all the mistreatment, and so our father, your grandfather, took your mom home"
"Auntie, what must I do?" Amy asked, it was a pity that reigned in her heart, rather than anger and hatred upon seeing her mother, the woman that she looked up to, helpless and broken.
"You have to be strong and be obedient to her," Bianca answered "The only thing that keeps here alive and fighting is you and your sister"
"Mom," Amy murmured, looking at her mother pitifully
"Shit Jasmine, you didn't tell me that there was a board meeting and you're sick," Bianca told her sister "Who will present those reports?"
"I still can do it, sis," Jasmine uttered "Marie can help me do it on time."
"You really trust that province girl," Bianca said, "But I wouldn't let you, so I'll teach Marie and Amy."
"Aunt Bianca," Amy reacted.
"I have no other choice, she is still dowsed with med," Bianca said, grabbing the phone and asked Marie to come in.
"Ms. Bianca, is there something I can help you with?" Marie asked.
"Yeah, you come with me and you too, Amy," Bianca told them.
"We can't leave mom here," Amy responded.
"She can handle herself; she's just asleep, she is a Marino after all," Bianca answered back "You got to double time with her report, she can just memorize it within twenty minutes."
And so Marie sat in front of her desk and speedily typed what was needed for the upcoming board meeting. Amy was just standing staring at the lass, looking at her blankly.
"Is there anything I can be of help?" Amy asked the lass,
"You can read those papers," Marie promptly answered, a thing which Amy did.
It was past one in the afternoon when the executives came one-by-one and Jasmine was still taking a rest, Bianca and the other top executives, Enrico and Madoka were talking about the commotion that happened that morning, Marie and Amy had done filing the documents for the meeting and so the former rushed into towards the meeting room when a man came out of the area and she ran over him.
"Oh my," Bianca uttered, staring at the young lady.
"Are alright?" the guy asked the Marie who stood up and picked the folders, prompting the guy to help her.
"What a clumsy girl you are," Faye remarked, standing behind the guy "And by the way, are your Jasmine's new secretary?"
"Yes, Ma'am," a soft-spoken Marie answered.
"Is there something wrong, Faye?" Bianca asked.
"Nothing, I am just amazed that someone would actually survive her demanding nature," Faye remarked.
"Well, my sister isn't a lapdog of anyone," Bianca answered back, prompting Faye to enter the executive board room.
The meeting started without Jasmine, but Enrico took the cudgels for her and presented the meeting to the board of directors lead by none other than Bianca Marino herself, beside her was Amy and Marie.
"Kinda tricky ain't it?" Bianca told the two while Enrico presented the facts; Faye on the other hand started to air her opinions regarding the financial status of the company
"Well, the company's position is different from our time" Faye remarked "The company is losing its prime"
"Well, it was different from your time because you and Reon treated it like a court of Claudius" Bianca answered back "And now we are paying the price by cleaning out the dirt"
"But we do have a broken CEO" Faye uttered
"That's what you think Faye," Jasmine said, coming inside the boardroom and stand in front of the meeting table "Everyone listen, If all of you don't like the way I handle people and you don't want me here, just tell me and I will give this position to you with matching silver platter, if you think that you're better than me then go"
"Jasmine, calm down, we are confident with your leadership" Madoka said to which Jasmine calmed down, after the meeting Jasmine, Madoka, Enrico and Bianca went into the other conference room while Amy went on to help Marie with the papers when the man whom the lass ran over approached her0
"I haven't introduced myself, the name is Brian" the guy introduced, tall, fair and those debonair looks. Brian was indeed a heartthrob, and Marie was speechless.
"I am Marie, Marie Rafara," the lass uttered
"I will be your buddy in this company," Brian told her "I was assigned at the office of the president by Ms. Bianca, so I want to meet you."
"It's my pleasure meeting you," Marie responded.
"See you later or tomorrow I guess," Brian promptly responded, leaving the board room.
"I thought you were my partner," Marie asked Amy.
"I will be auditioning as one of Auntie Kyoko's models; can you help me with it this afternoon?" Amy asked her.
"No problem," Marie uttered.
---
It was five in the afternoon and work was over, Bianca had Jasmine sent home while she prepares to anchor the evening news, Marie accompanied Amy at an audition hall for the model at the nearby Welina Hotel, seemingly there were many teenage and pre-adult models who lined up for the audition.
"Those are really pretty women," Marie uttered.
"Most of them are blondies," Amy remarked.
"Why don't you just proceed to the House of Peng directly?" Marie suggested.
"My family knows the owner and my grandfather told me not to take any shortcuts," Amy explained "So it's understandable that Innovare couldn't get near any government projects"
As the two ladies were talking, a short man with grey hair and a flamboyant personality approached them.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Maria Arisa Montevista," the guy remarked "Who could've thought that Jasmine's daughter is here."
"It's Arisa Marie Marino and I am no longer connected to the Montevistas," Amy corrected "Well, it's been a long time Mr. John."
"Yes, you know I've been working with your grandfather before he was sucked up into the political arena," Mr. John answered "Well, your father is Edmund Montevista."
"But after what he did to my mother, I am no longer using that last name," Amy frankly responded "The name Marino, though bloody as it seems, it is tough as a stone."
"Well, break a leg," Mr. John responded "And there is Vanessa Castellano over there."
While Marie and Amy are strolling down the hotel waiting for the latter's name to be called, seemingly they noticed a girl, probably has the same age as Amy walking down, nervous and alone.
"Marie, look at that girl, she looks like you in some angles," Amy remarked
"That's flattering," Marie responded, when suddenly the girl accidentally bumped into another model.
"Are you blind?!" the model yelled at the girl.
"I'm sorry," the girl said in a low pitch tone.
"Why are you here in the first place?" the woman asked "Oh, you want to be a model of the prestigious House of Peng?"
"Hey, stop picking on her!" Marie yelled "You don't have the right to yell at her."
"Well, who are you?" the irate lady asked, when a familiar face rushed in and stood behind her.
"Vanessa!" Brian called in from afar.
"Brian?" Marie uttered "What are you doing here."
"She asked me to come here," Brian answered "What brings you here Marie?"
"I'm helping Amy for the modelling," Marie responded.
"You know this hapless woman?" Vanessa asked.
"Yeah, she is Ms. Jasmine's new secretary and that girl beside her is Ms. Jasmine's daughter," Brian explained
"I see, is Jasmine Marino the step-sister of Kyoko Marino?" Vanessa asked
"Well, yeah" Amy interrupted.
"Well, nice to meet you," Vanessa offered her hand.
"I don't interact with poker-faced people, so see you," Amy responded, taking the girl and Marie with her
"See you later Brian," Marie told the lad.
----
Amy and Marie took the girl in the nearby lounge. The waiter stood in front of them, waiting to take their order.
"Will you charge it to the CEO?" Amy asked the server.
"Miss, that would be impossible" the server said "Otherwise if you are a daughter of the CEO"
"Well, that can be arranged," Amy responded, taking out a hotel club card plated in silver, much to the waiter's surprise and took it to the hotel manager
"Well, that's odd" said Amy, who wondered why her card was taken. Minutes later the server came back and this time he was with the hotel manager.
"Miss Amy, sorry for the inconvenience that we have caused you," the manager apologized about the incident.
"That's okay," Amy accepted the apology "I just want a rice cake and tea and just ask the two what they want to have."
"That's okay, I'm not hungry," the girl told them.
"Oh please, don't be shy," Amy uttered
"I'll just have a glass of orange juice," the girl ordered.
"Mine is Mango shake" Marie ordered.
"By the way, I'm Amy," Amy introduced herself to the girl "And this is my friend, Marie."
"I am Kara, Kara Almeida," the girl responded
"Almeida, kinda familiar," Amy remarked "But you really resemble like Marie from an angle, you're pretty. By the way, Marie here is a beauty queen before"
"Thank you for the compliment" Kara thanked Amy
"So you're auditioning for the House of Peng's models," Amy guessed when the announcer called their names.
"Arisa Marie Marino, Kara Almeida" the announcer called.
"Well, good luck to the two of us," Amy told Kagura as they went to the audition area. Marie stood at the side, watching the two when Brian approached her.
"I see that you're supportive of her," Brian told her "She's quite fit to be a model"
"Michelle Peng wanted a baby-faced model," Marie replied.
"Marino, Almeida" the fashion director quipped "The two of you had the looks and the body of a teenager, now walk"
"The two of you passed the auditions. See you in Hong Kong."
"Wow, that was fast," Amy remarked going near Marie "Well, that was a no sweat"
"Congratulations, Kara!" Marie said, prompting Karato approach them
"Finally, all those chills are over," Kara smiled
"I would like to invite you for a dinner at my place tomorrow," Amy offered "You can come too Brian, if your girlfriend wants to come than don't come."
"Sure," Kara positively responded
--
After the audition, Marie and Amy walked their way towards the nearest terminal, as a Marino, Amy shunned the privileges that she could have as the daughter of the CEO of one of the most diversified companies in the Philippines, she followed her grandfather's footsteps by commuting and riding public transport.
"You know, that Almeida is so familiar," Amy told Marie while waiting for the bus "And there is the bus, see you tomorrow."
After Amy has hopped inside the bus, Marie waited for another bus bound to her home. The sky was dark as it was about to rain. Suddenly, a Lamborghini Aventador parked infront of the young lady and windows rolled down.
"Hop in" Brian offered
"No, thanks," Marie told him, when suddenly it rained. Leaving her no choice but to get inside the car., taking her to her home in the suburbs, it rained so hard on the road.
"So did Vanessa pass the audition?" Marie asked,
"Yeah," Brian replied "You know what she wants is what she gets"
"She's the granddaughter of Mercedes Castellano, right?"
"Yes, you know her family, so as the Fontierras, Almeidas, Serranos, Cardenas and Almojer are the most common enemies the Marinos, the Ojedas, Ongs and their associates are fighting with.."
"Why would they hate the Marinos?"
"You know it started when the Marinos and their commission resisted the supremacy of the Almeidas and Fontierras, according to legends the Karl Marino's foster father was killed by the Almeidas and it started the war, then the story about the romance of his eldest son and the eldest daughter of the Fontierras."
"Is it a myth?"
"Nobody knows, Rafael Marino and Kanna Almeida were forcibly separated by their parents and their affair produced a daughter, but nobody knows where child is now."
"Interesting," Marie murmured.
As they are getting near the lass's house, Brian slyly gazed at Marie, clearing our his throat and asked, "Do have any boyfriend or someone courting you?"
"No, I don't have one and I am not interested in having one right now," Marie frankly answered "Isn't that offensive for Vanessa?"
"There is nothing between me and Vanessa right now," Brian responded "I've broken up with her"
"But you accompanied her in the audition"
"Because she asked"
"And still that makes you a couple"
"No, I have broken up with her just recently"
"Like what time?"
"Just after you left"
"Well, what are you planning now?"
"Looking for a woman who will really love me"
"I'm sure you'll find one soon," said Marie as she went out of the vehicle and run towards the front door of her house trying to avoid the rain.
---
Inside their humble aboade, Mang Caloy was watching television together with Ryoma and Gabo.
"I'm home!" Marie exclaimed
"Welcome home, Marie" Cynthia emerged out of the kitchen ang greeted the young lady.
"So how was work?" Ryoma asked.
"It's stressful," Marie answered, sitting in between Ryoma and Mang Caloy "The day started with Ms. Jasmine's errands and then I ended my day as a chaperone to her daughter"
"To sum the words, Ms. Jasmine is really a corporate woman."
Ryoma and Mang Caloy stared at each other, holding their laughter.
"You'll get used to her," Mang Caloy told the young lady as they continued to watch the news on television.
--