Capítulo 4: Meet and Greet
Early in the day, Belen is in the control room, staring intently into at twenty different screens. A particular screen catches her attention. She's spent a whole hour in the control room. But the employees can't hide their nervousness around her. They choose to avoid running into her as Belen is talking to Eden, the one in charge of the control room.
Noah's waiting outside the control room "taking a break" from assisting her. When a handful of the security team who were in the control room come out exhausted from the tension.
"Secretary Noah, please help us!"
"We can't take it anymore!"
"It's suffocating being in the same room as her!"
"We don't know how you do it, being next to her feels like I can get fired breathing!" "We're begging you, Secretary Noah, please make her leave so we can properly do our job."
Noah waves his hand to stop their exaggerating complaint, "I'll see what I can do, but please go back to work before she suspects something."
He confidently walks back inside the control room, staring at the screen Madam President is so focused.
She points out furiously, "what are all these people in line waiting? Are they all seriously waiting to get interviewed by the head of the departments? And the line only moves after 15-20 minutes!"
"Madam President, is something bothering you?"
"Ugh! Of course! These people are confusing my mall! Look at that line! It even leads outside the mall! I can't take this anymore!" she turns around, marching out of the control room.
Noah tries to match her pace, "Where are you heading, Madam President?"
"To the interview!"
"w-wait! But Madam President, even though your agenda is empty, you can't just."
She coldly glares, "I can't, what exactly?"
Noah cowards taking back his words, "Ah nothing, please forgive my rudeness, may I ask what are thinking of doing with the interviews?"
Her arrogant smirk sharply states, "I'm going to deal with them myself. Make the preparations, let them know I'll be there."
***
The first floor's packed with applicants as the head of the department is interviewing three people at a time.
When suddenly, one of the leaders of the departments excuses himself to answer a phone call from Secretary Noah.
A loud shout surprises everyone in the interviewing room when he returns and whispers to the rest. They all get up and start to clear a spot where she will sit, which is in the middle. The applicants are confused. The interview has suddenly come to a halt and told to wait outside for a moment. A commotion begins as rumors spread, "why did they kick you guys out?"
"what's going on?"
"Yeah, what's the matter?"
"I heard the President would be conducting the interviews!"
"No way! I thought she was out on a trip!" "I thought she was overseas!"
"Oh my goodness, I can't believe I'm going to see her!"
"At this point, I don't care if I get hired as long as I get to see her!"
On the contrary, the heads of the departments are freaking out in full panic, gathering information as if the fire alarm turned on and thinking of a way to escape the great fire.
She swiftly passes by the applicants, causing a massive commotion at her arrival, murmuring all sorts of compliments with each passing step.
"Oh my goodness, she is beautiful!"
"I know she looks better than in pictures!"
"Her curves!"
"Oh my goodness, she's grown up!"
"I remember reading about her when she was just a child!"
"You think she's going to be conducting the interviews?"
"Oh, the secretary is cute!"
"Pshh, if you're into Asians, I guess."
"He's tall and handsome! Look at his skin glowing!"
"She doesn't look anything near Hispanic, and she only talks English, right?"
"Are you kidding she speaks five languages!"
As Belen entered the interviewing room glowing with confidence like a Queen shown to her seat, carefully minding her every move, down to her fingertips.
She's looking through the applicant's profiles when she asks, "how many applicants do we have?"
The head of the departments looks to Noa for help, but he coldly ignores their gaze. Belen irritatedly shouts, slamming the stack of papers to the desk, "did you not hear me?! I asked how many applicants do we have?!"
One of the heads of the departments responds nervously, "there are fifty Madam President."
"Hmm, and how many openings do we have?"
Another head of the department responds, "We have eight openings Madam President."
"Hmm, only eight out of fifty will be recruited… how many have you hired thus far?"
The heads of the departments look at each other with anxiety, when she furiously shouts, "Well!! Are you all going to make me repeat myself twice? Don't count on Secretary Noah to answer when you're all given a mouth that can speak!"
In unison, the head of the department bow, "Please excuse our rudeness Madam President!!"
Noah coughs, trying to get rid of the tension in the air, "Madam President so far none have passed."
"Is that right?" she side-eyes a glance at the head of the departments immediately nod.
"Great, I will be processing the interviews, you five! Help! Secretary Noah inform the heads of the departments what they'll be doing once all the applicants enter."
Secretary Noah obeys, "Yes, Madam President."
As he walked away to form a small circle with the head of the departments, Belen stares at her phone, "11 am, the interview shouldn't take more than three hours."
***
In Palmdale, Edilberto and Iris have a heated one-sided argument. And his wife watching by the side-lines knowing that she cannot intervene and Azaan is upstairs in his room watching TV.
"You went and bothered Belen even after I told you countless times that nothing is her fault?! Am I not your father? Why don't you listen to me! Do you know how I felt when I heard Belen call me over the phone to tell me you even tried threatening her? You?!"
"But dad! You're always on her side! You never care about me! Ever since she was born, it's always been about Belen and never about me! Be honest, dad! She took your company away, didn't she?!"
Edilberto sighs in annoyance, "Iris it's about time you know, I gave everything to Belen, the company, everything you can think of, but that doesn't mean I side with her. I love you and her equally. I understand you're jealously towards her success, but it was for the best she inherit it."
"And me?! Huh, dad! What about me? Did you not care about how I'd feel not inheriting the company instead of that spoiled brat! She always gets everything! See! You side with her even now!"
"Iris! At the age of 14, you got pregnant! You were never the type to do good in school. Who else was there for me to rely on? Belen became our bread! Thankfully the whole world loves her! You live under my roof, and I provide food for you to eat, water to drink, a home, not everyone else can have. I don't ask for rent. You live a life of leisure, so what is it that Belen has and you don't? Why are you trying to ruin your sister? Remember what your mother-."
"No, dad! I'm done talking to you. I can tell all you have in your head is 'Belen, Belen, and Belen.' She'll always be your favorite. Do you even know who was there for me during my pregnancy? My mom! When Azaan was born I needed help, and when my mom would help me you'd tell her, 'don't help her, its not our responsibility, let her learn her lesson.'"
He's flustered at Iris, mentioning the past that hurt so deeply.
"This is my warning Iris, don't bother Belen again."
He coldly walks away, ignoring his bystander wife.
Iris furiously yet hurt runs upstairs tears trailing down her cheeks. Her tears don't represent anger. But at the fact that he did not try to deny anything. No matter how much time she spends living under the same roof, there are times of harmony. But to Iris, it never lasts because she snaps back to reality, causing her regret. Because she does not know who she is in her family or where she belongs at this point.
She curiously enters Azaan's bedroom. He mutes the TV, "Hey mom, what are you doing here?"
Iris smiles with a melancholy tone, "I was just wondering what you were up to?"
"Mmm, just watching TV, and you? Will you be going out again today?"
Iris stares at the TV as her eyes brows furrow, "You're watching the news about Belen Astares? Why?"
Azaan nervously turns off the TV realizing his mothers' reaction, "Oh! just you know, I was curious about her, that's all!"
She sighs disappointedly, "Are you really that curious about her life?"
Azaan bravely nods, "Just a little, I mean it's hard to believe she's my aunt when she's practically a celebrity! I wish I can meet her."
Iris can't hide her wrath fisting her fists at the sound of Belen's name mentioned, "You'll never get to meet her, she hates us, especially you," she says with a menacing expression.
He curiously asks, "Mom, when can I finally stop pretending to be your little brother? You're my mom. I want to be able to tell my friends that you're my mom!"
"Azaan we've talked about this before, it's for the family's sake to keep you as 'our little brother.'"
He retaliates, "I can't meet my famous aunt. I can't call you mom in public, then what about my other aunt? Where is she?"
Her expression widens, looking around when she hushes him, "Azaan, how do you know about your other aunt?"
"Grandma told me about her; she's older than you, right mom! Where is she?"
She sighs, explaining, "Azaan, listen closely to what I'm about to say, don't ever, ever! Bring her up again! Especially not in front of Abuelo!"
"Why did she die?"
"Well, yeah, I guess you can put it that way, it's a sensitive topic, so don't ever mention it again or else Abuelo will not let you revisit grandma."
"Ohh, alright, but I like going over to grandma's apartment! I want to go over."
She smiles, "very soon."
Azaan pulls on her blouse, "mom… can you tell me about my dad?"
Iris slaps his hand away surprising Azaan to release her quickly, she tries to put on a smile for his sake, "Not now Azaan I have to go, it's urgent" she walks out of his room displeased, "disgustingly he reminds me of him, it aggravates me seeing how much he resembles that bastard!"
On the other hand, Azaan turns the TV back on watching celebrity news with admiring eyes, "Aunt Belen, I want to meet you."
***
Everest is on his way to the location his father send him to meet his future bride-to-be. He walks past a tall woman dressed in designer clothes. She turns around, removing her shades, "Everest? Everest Fox? Is that you?"
He turns around confused as his eyes widen in shock, seeing the tall, fair skin woman, wearing heavy make-up, thin red lips, "Jessica?"
"Oh my gosh! Everest? I almost didn't recognize you! For the first time, you're not wearing plain suits and glasses like you used to back then."
Everest annoyingly grins, "ha! I see you're still the same, rude as always."
"You know, I'm still friends with her if you're interested."
Everest's grin disappears when he gives off a chilling expression, "I don't care about how she's doing."
Jessica comments, "I'm not sure if I'll be seeing you anytime soon since Fox Cinematic Theaters are losing their stocks more and more each passing day."
"What? How do you…"
"Come on, Everest, don't forget, we're rivals, after all, I know more than you can imagine, well then here's never to see you again oh before I forget, she's engaged."
Everest's expression turns innocent, "What?"
Jessica arrogantly checks her phone, "yep she just got engaged to a prime minister's son, how old did she say he was? I think 30? Yeah, you'll most likely see it trending later, anyways."
Everest's steps begin to slow down when reality sinks in, "She's engaged? Already?"
He looks at his phone ring, "dad…"
Everest's heart begins to ache, his stomach feels like a knot, he gets in his car, turns off his phone, and goes on the road the opposite of the location his father sent. At this point, Everest can't suppress his tears when he parks in a nearby market parking lot away from cars and begins to cry. "She's engaged, how can you do this to me…"
"I loved you! Was I not enough? Huh! Am I that pathetic? I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please forgive me!" he continues to cry heartbroken, hitting his chest, self-blaming, lowering his self-esteem. Wishing to be alone, hoping for the pain to disappear. His tears mean nothing to the one causing them. Anger is nowhere near his heart, but pure sorrow, wishing for another day or tomorrow.
***
Meanwhile, Belen is at the café, where she agreed to meet the man her father wants to arrange. But he is nowhere to be found, an hour has gone by, and Belen is losing her patience, she even finished drinking two cups of tea.
Instead of continuing to wait, she decides to leave in full rage like a bull. She storms out into her car.
***
In Beverly Hills, Everest is dispirited, entering his house with a sullen expression, closed pink eyes. His father shouts, "Everest Fox get down here immediately!!"
"What?"
Reuben Fox is so angry his forehead vein looks like it can burst at any moment, "Why did you not meet with your future fiancé? She was waiting for you, and for what? I heard through the grapevine that you did not show up at all! What do you have to say? What excuse am I going to be listening to, huh?! Answer me, Everest! Stop mopping around!"
Leena tries to calm her father, "Dad, please don't get mad; he still has another opportunity!"
Reuben freezes, "What are you talking about another opportunity?! How?! She's a very busy woman! She made time to see this dumbass! When he deliberately turned her down!"
"Dad! I know you're upset, but Everest will be attending the social gatherings as my escort, maybe we can schedule to see her there, What do you say dad? And I'll be there to make sure he meets her, so let it go for now."
Reubens persuaded by Leena's sweet words turned his back to Everest, stomping away like a giant.
Leena turns to Everest feeling sympathetic, "why are your eyes red? And your nose is pink, did, did you cry?"
He quietly turns away from her worried touch.
She quietly reveals, "You found out, didn't you?"
Everest's surprised, "you-you knew Leena?"
She feels guilty keeping it a secret, "I did not want to be the one to tell you, because I knew something like this would happen, I'm sorry Everest."
His eyes become wet, "it's not your fault; you were thinking of me this whole time, I… I understand your reason for not wanting me to find out."
Leena worriedly caresses his face, "will you be okay?"
Everest caresses her hand while sniffing silently and shedding tears, "no… I'm not okay, but hopefully, someday I will."
Leena suppresses her tears, comforting him like a gentle mother's embrace.
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
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