Akio Hinode, CEO

Chapter Fifty-Eight

It was a disappointing trend of thought coming from a CEO; it's as if you don't know how to encourage your people, just putting them down was all you care.

Rielle was excited to try another career, and that was in sales. She told Phoebe that she could easily fit in as a graduate of the Marketing Course, and even if this were not her chosen career, she would like to try. Phoebe gave Rielle the name and address of her company.

"What? Your company was in another town, outside the city? But what are you doing here?"

"I told you I have a client in this city because he was considering out-of-town activities related to his job as an advertiser; so, I offered him my company's hotel resort," feeling proud.

"In that case, it was more interesting for me; new place, job, career! Isn't it fun?" Rielle commented optimistically.

"How soon will you move to the metro? I'd look for an apartment for you there if you wish," suggested Phoebe enthusiastically.

"I am excited to have you join me in my company, Rielle, and perhaps we can work together as a team. But you will undergo seminars and training before being brought to the field. Will that be okay with you, Rielle?" Rielle nodded with enthusiasm. "Send your application on our website; here is my calling card." Phoebe gave her card and smilingly bid Rielle, "See you then, friend."

"Yes, I'll talk to my mom and prepare for my leave. Let me know soonest when you find a place for me, Phoebe. Here's my number. I'll be expecting your call, okay?" Rielle yelled while the two friends were going their way.

"It is still early anyway. I can go shopping, then prepare my resume and file my application on the Hinode Group website." said Rielle with eagerness."

Rielle talked to her mom about her plan to move to another career. She suggested that her mom moves into Donna and Drew's place because she might be leaving soon. Later that afternoon, she sent her application through email.

Later that day, Rielle was helping her mom pack everything she needed for her transfer to Donna's house. Then she started packing her things too, preparing for her new place and life. She was busy preparing her items when a call came to her cellphone, and it was Phoebe.

"Rielle, I already found a place for you; it was a townhouse inside a subdivision. You'll love the place, it was serene, and the neighborhood was friendly. It was close to bus rides, too. And lastly, Rielle, you're asked to apply personally, so you must be here soon. I'll fetch you at the airport. Just let me know when okay?" Rielle was jumping with joy. She dashed to her mom's room and said she would be leaving the day after tomorrow.

Phoebe was at the airport waving at Rielle. Both were too glad to see each other again, and Phoebe led Rielle to her car.

"Wow, Phoebe, I love your brand-new car! You've been so good at driving since college, so I trust you will drive me safely to my new home, huh?" Rielle said, grinning.

"I bought this car through hard work, Rielle. And you will drive your own too when you earn well, and I am sure you can." Phoebe said encouragingly. After they got settled in Rielle's new place, Phoebe brought her to the building where the company was and dropped her off at the lobby entrance.

"I'll be seeing a client, so you're on your own now. Remember the directions I told you for going home, okay? Let me know the result of your application, Rielle. I believe in you." Phoebe said with encouragement.

Rielle was looking for the real estate office of the Hinode Group at the Wall Directory. The Hinode Group of Companies owned the building. When she found it, she was excited about coming in when she accidentally bumped into a man simultaneously opening the door for his exit. Rielle glanced at him and smiled, "excuse me, I'm sorry." apologized Rielle abruptly. The man just smiled, nodded, and left in haste.

Rielle noticed the man she bumped into as tall, handsome, lean and sexy, clean-cut, and was he Chinese? She asked herself. Maybe a client, she thought. She told the receptionist of her intention, submitted her resume, and received a small form where she would write her name and the area where she was interested in applying. In the form were different sizes of job openings like real estate, hotel resorts, administration, and more. She ticked real estate and hotel resorts, thinking whichever she was assigned would be all right for her and it would be a fun new experience.

The receptionist told her to sit a while and that the field team leader will entertain her. And while waiting to be called in, the same man she bumped into reappeared again, and the receptionist stood and bowed as a sign of respect while the man nodded and entered an office.

A few minutes later, the field team leader called her in for an interview.

"Your resume stated that you worked as an Executive Assistant to the CEO. What made you think you are suited for Sales, Miss Calma?" asked the team leader outrightly.

"Since Marketing was my course, I knew I could fit in; adding the experience of an EA, I am used to meeting important people as part of my function. I have no inhibitions when dealing with executives' men and women alike; I am confident, focused, and diplomatic. I found the field of Sales exciting and fun and new for me, so; I would like to try it." Rielle answered confidently.

"Don't you want to work as an Executive Secretary because our CEO needed an ES, too?" asked the field team leader, seemingly challenging her.

"I want to try another field, ma'am." Stressed Rielle.

"You will undergo seminars and training, and during these times, you will not earn an income yet, so do you think you can manage?" said the team leader honestly.

"Still manageable," replied Rielle with confidence and eagerness.

"Okay, since our CEO was here already, I'll introduce you to him for a final interview. I'll hand your resume, and his decision will matter here. Good luck, Miss Calma." Bid the leader.

Rielle felt a little worried, thinking her application may not be acceptable because this is a big group of companies, and maybe they needed experienced sales agents, and she was just a small fry.

Meanwhile, at the CEO's Office, the team leader was discussing with her big boss Rielle's application, making him known that Rielle was an EA previously for the CEO of KOR H&H and had no experience in sales; she is now awaiting his response if she will be given his final interview or placed in a waiting list. On the other hand, the CEO was also weighing his thoughts as he was browsing Rielle's work experiences from her first to her last job.

Then finally, "Let me talk to her, then maybe I can decide. Call her in now, please?" said the CEO. Rielle came in, and too much to her surprise, he was the man she accidentally bumped into two hours ago. The team leader spoke, "this is our CEO, Mr. Akio Hinode." Mr. Hinode intently stared at her, seemingly sizing her up, then asked her to be seated. The team leader then left his Office.

"You once worked as Mr. Han's Executive Assistant, was this during the burning incident, Ms. Calma?" asked Mr. Hinode, still staring at her intently.

Rielle felt a bit weird about his question and felt bothered. "I was, sir, during the burning incident." How did he know about Hyun-Ki? The more bothered she was.

"How was he, I want to know?" was Mr. Hinode's inquiry.

"He returned to Korea, sir, and I have no information about him to this date." Replied Rielle.

"I heard. Han Hyun-Ki was blind and paralyzed, am I correct?" continued his inquiry.

"Yes, sir. That's all I can say." Rielle replied.

"Based on your resume, you worked all your life after graduation with Marketing Course, in the secretarial field, and I am amazed that you were hired later as an Executive Assistant to Mr. Han as your CEO, and if my information was correct, Mr. Han was easily attracted to beautiful and sexy women." Mr. Hinode paused, and Rielle interfered.

"Was there something wrong about me having hired as EA to the CEO who was easily attracted to beautiful and sexy women, sir? What connected my work as EA and Mr. Han as a womanizer? What were you trying to imply?" Rielle felt weird about his question, as if he knew something to point at her.

"Well, not really, I just wondered, knowing Hyun-Ki as a womanizer, please don't be offended, Miss Calma. It was just a thought in passing." Mr. Hinode took his comment lightly, but Rielle stood up and remarked, "I felt slighted, Mr. Hinode, and if you have nothing to say but offend me or insult me, I am leaving, with my resume, too." Rielle pulled her resume from his hands, shocking Mr. Hinode of Rielle's temper.

"Miss Calma, please be at ease. I did not mean to insult you or think otherwise; it became a big question to me how you got that susceptible job, but anyway, to each his own, as I may say. It was also interesting that you are now applying as a sales agent from EA. And that makes me wonder why you chose this field when you are more adept at secretarial work. And adding to that, I would rather take you in as my Executive Secretary than work as a sales agent. It takes one to two months for the seminar-workshop, and there is also a training where still you won't be earning a big income, just a meager allowance. Do you think you can last because it is a painstaking effort in making a sale and one more thing ---" Rielle cut Mr. Hinode's narration.

"You have not yet given me that chance to prove myself, and now you are already discouraging me. You have not seen how I work yet and have already judged me. It was a disappointing trend of thought coming from a CEO; it's as if you don't know how to encourage your people, just putting them down was all you care. I have never yet met a man of the highest position to speak very lowly of those under your employ. It was good to have known you, sir. Goodbye." Rielle was walking herself to the door when Mr. Hinode grabbed her arm to stop her.

"I am sorry for having slighted you, Miss Calma; it was a misunderstanding of communication, I guess, and I would like to make up for the wrong words I used." Mr. Hinode took his hand off Rielle and asked her to sit again.

"What I mean to say is, I want to hire you as my Executive Secretary, and then okay, I'll allow you to join the seminars and give you modules to study them, have training every weekend since you are very determined to become a sales agent, while you perform your duties as my Executive Secretary. And if you come through, I'll allow you to sell houses during weekends. The problem I am having at this time was in the hiring of my secretary. My experiences with the secretaries I hired was they never considered their work seriously because they were always focused on me, wishing me to take advantage of them." Mr. Hinode felt funny about relating some of his experiences with her secretaries, and Rielle paid attention to his exaggerated explanations, which she found absurd.

"Please don't be offended when I say this, but you see, every time I approach my secretary, she thinks I mean to be provocative because I usually gaze intently at the person I talk to, and when there is this exchange of glances she becomes stupefied and well, you know what happens next. I am just a man with a weakness, and being that the usual case, I fired them later on. Was I easy prey for these women looking for a sugar daddy or a boyfriend? Because you know, I am still single, Miss Gabrielle. That is why I still cannot find one whom I can trust to work with, someone who cannot be swayed by my looks or by how I gaze at a person. I guess that habit was something I could not quickly get rid of it.