บท 18: Something New
A week later
Belen's iron heels resounding throughout A Star Mall clicking and clacking within every floor, making her daily morning inspections. Though the difference is the fact that usually, Belen would have Noah by her side one step behind. But this time, she has Noah and Everest Fox by her right and left.
Just as she finished, they head into the elevator. As they reached the office, everyone greets Belen, and yet again, she ignores them walking straight to her office while Noah and Everest greet everyone entering the office.
Belen sits down relaxing on her chair with a stern look in her eyes, "Mr. Fox, today is your last day of training, make sure to do the best you can before Noah hands in your evaluation performance."
Everest timidly asks, "And what happens if my evaluation report is inadequate?"
She smirks, "then that's it! You won't be working for me. That was our deal remember?"
Flashback
"I'll hire you…only! If you pass my one week trial of training under Noah's instruction."
"W-what? A-A week? But don't people usually get a two week trial period?"
She laughs proudly, "You're not a regular employee, take this as a test, as you may know by now I hate waiting. One week of training, and on the 8th day, your evaluation will be handed to me by Noah. Depending on that evaluation, we will see whether you'll be working for me or not."
He stays quiet, thinking about her proposal. When she sighs, "I thought you wanted to stand on your own? Is this too difficult for you?"
He grins, "no! I accept!"
End of Flashback.
Everest stutters, "Y-Yes, I remember."
She clicks her tongue, "alright then, Noah, what is today's schedule?"
He goes on to take out his clipboard professionally while Everest takes out a small note pad for note-taking. "Today, you have no meetings scheduled, but the summer products are arriving today and need organizing in the basement. You have to review three proposals from the directors and sign a contract an investor sent over. The heads of the departments will be having their meeting today to discuss the new products that'll be out on display for the end of April. And there are three CEO's waiting for you to return their calls. I've written them all down for you on your desk."
"Yes I see, is that all for today?"
"Yes, Madam President, if something else appears, I'll make sure to inform you."
"Very well you two may leave" she begins to look over the documents on her desk amazing Everest as he left her office.
Ever since he began his training, he's stuck like glue to Noah. He is often amazed seeing her work diligently, filled with confidence, rigorous expectations for her employees, and respectfully setting a line between herself and her employees. Especially between Noah, though he saw how close they are, Everest thinks they are secretly dating or at least friends with benefits. In reality, over the past week, he can see the difference, "no wonder the employees don't suspect their secret relationship. If I hadn't seen them that day, then even I wouldn't suspect anything between them. It's as if at work they are simply Boss and secretary. She doesn't even pay him no attention, but he's very skilled with paperwork, making schedules, and his communication skills far surpass mines. It's as if he knows how to speak or what to say to make others comply to his purpose."
Somehow Everest's been quiet the past week, rarely asking or probing anything. Instead, he's been observing Belen and listening diligently to Noah because everything within A Star happens so quickly, and things move at a fast pace he does his best to keep up with their energy.
Fortunately, there are things he excels in and has been a great help to Noah when reviewing documents and contracts before sending them into Belen and writing side notes if whether the agreement, materials, and files aren't concrete. Though this past week, Belen's been in and out of A Star Mall, making it difficult for Everest to learn about what it takes to be a secretary since they've been going to studios for Belen's photoshoots.
Belen, on the other hand, has her reasons for testing Everest during the past week because this way, she could test his flexibility, communication skills, and pace. The second week is always full of office work with little to no outings. And around the third to last week is full of meetings after meetings with CEOs, public events, charity events, and more.
Surprisingly time passes by quickly when staying inside A Star Mall. As Everest finished overlooking some documents that needed reviewing, he gets up from his mini office across from Noah's and hands his reports to him, "I've finished reviewing these."
Noah busily asks, "did you label them?"
"Yes."
"make sure to place them into the divider cabinet over there" he points to the left side of the room.
Everest nods, putting them into the divider when he asks, "Noah, what do I do next?"
"hmm… why don't you take a break."
"But then what about you?"
"I don't have time to take one, so go ahead."
"Yes," Everest quietly replies, finishing his duties and walking out of the office sighing when he passes by the receptionist, "Hello."
The receptionist replies, "hi! Everest! What are you up to? Going on a break?"
"Yes…I'll most likely go to the café across the mall, do you want something?"
"Oh! Thank you! But I just came back from my break and went there already, maybe next time!"
He smiles, "okay then, see ya."
He enters the elevator, "hmm today is pretty calm compared to last week. I never knew she cared so much about details. She sure knows her good angles. Man, it been a week since I last saw Leena. I haven't had the time to talk to her since I work day and night. I get home so late that I barely see her. For some reason, today is pretty easy, but why do I feel like its too easy?"
But just as he was about to walk out the mall with ease, he glances over at the gates, noticing a crowd of paparazzi. When he makes a U-turn back inside, "Oh shit!" he runs inside before the paparazzi catch a glimpse.
He sighs, feeling troubled, "shit! I forgot since I began working here, they found out and spread the word that I'm always by her side because I'm jealous someone might steal her. Ha! What a load of bull! Though it's better than them finding out, I'm working for her damn now I can't even go out and have a proper coffee!" his eyebrows twitch, "now that I think about it I wonder why Belen and Noah only drink tea, well Noah is Asian so I guess, but Belen? And I noticed she rarely speaks Spanish. She speaks English at all times well, yet again I don't speak an inch of Spanish even though my dad is mixed, and my mom is Russian. Should I just go to the lounge?"
He enters the employee lounge noticing regular employees taking their breaks, mostly females, when he turns to stare at the door read, "Employee Lounge Strictly" and turns to see the female employees freeze as if paralyzed. Everest almost felt as if he walked into the women's bathroom by accident but noticed the coffee maker, vending machine, and refrigerator.
The reason why Everest was confused is that he usually takes his breaks in the lounge on the third floor. But he remembered Noah tell him that there is another lounge on the first floor and decided to go there instead of going to the third floor.
But to his surprise, he runs into the female employees who are enjoying their break within the first-floor lounge. He wants to leave so badly but feels embarrassed to so he decides to stay and smile awkwardly, "H-Hello…nice to meet you all, I'm Everest Fox."
He slithers by each employee's stare with an awkward, nervous smile when a female employee says, "if you're looking for the coffee cups there in the right upper cabinet, above your head."
Everest looks up to open the cabinet when he takes one out, but after he set it down on the counter, he notices three short employees behind him when he was about to move away they ask, "excuse me, can you bring down another cup for me please."
"Oh! Me too!"
"Same for me! Please!"
Everest suddenly gets bombarded by requests to give them a cup but figures that the reason they asked him was because of their height. Fortunately, they all become close after sharing a cup of hot coffee when they begin to talk to Everest nonchalantly.
"So handsome, what brings you to the first-floor lounge?"
Everest almost spits out his coffee from shocking being called, "handsome." Another woman comments, "We heard rumors that you hang out in the third-floor lounge."
"A-Ah! Y-yes well, I got curious about the first-floor lounge and thought I'd see if there were any difference," he chuckles nervously.
The women don't buy his excuse commenting one after another, "So how is it? any difference?"
"of course not you dumbass! All of the lounges are the same!"
"Thanks for bringing down the mugs from the cabinet, we usually can't reach and mainly wait for the male employees to enter the lounge so we can ask them" they all giggle.
"It's so romantic how you're always with Madam Belen!"
"Yes! When I first saw you here a week ago, I thought it was impossible!"
"How is your relationship going?"
He asks, "with who?"
They all gasp in unison, "with Madam President, of course! Who else!?"
"O-oh! Umm well…" he thinks about his answer, "we're not a couple, but the news spread, making it seem as if we're engaged. Should I spoil their illusion they have of us or…"
He answers them with a fake smile, "it's getting there; you know relationships can be a bit slow."
Though what Everest does not know is the fact that Noah is in the control room watching them. His eyebrows twist in wrath overhearing their conversation, marching out of the control room for once wearing an angry expression on his face making others avoid his gaze.
He knocks, "Enter!"
Belen looks down to notice Noah's shoes when she asks without taking a glance at him, "Yes, Noah?"
He remains quiet, trying to mouth out his words but is taken over by his fury, making him unable to utter a sound.
Belen curiously looks at him only to realize his disturbed expression. She smirks, putting her pen down on her desk. While confidently laying back to relax on her chair, "Is there something you wish to speak to me, Secretary Noah?"
He glares at her, but she stays unbothered when she asks again this time with such a demanding tone.
"If you have nothing to say, leave my office this instant!"
But he remains firm, making a fist when he calmly asks, "what are you planning to do with him?"
"What are you referring to?"
"Belen…what is going on in your mind that made you hire Everest Fox as an assistant secretary? A-Are you trying to replace me?"
Hearing this makes her roar like a fearless lion, "SHUT UP!!" she relaxes her right arm as if getting ready to claw him alive. "Whoever I hire is my problem. If you're that insecure about some nobody taking over your job, then quit now!"
He scoffs, "I-I just can't stand him!! He's stupid, rude, clueless, chatty, and indecent!! If you did not hire him to replace me, then what? Why?!"
Belen gets up from her chair, slowly walking to Noah when he firmly stares at her with an angry frown. She gently holds his hands up, intertwining her fingers with his, staring right into his fierce eyes, but her soft expression confuses him. When she says, "do you honestly think I'd give you up? Everest Fox means nothing to me. You're my best friend and secretary. Please, trust me. I'm doing him a favor, and anyways we have nothing to hide. My secret key to A Star's success is within you and me. We both hold something valuable others can't take away from us," she says confidently, smiling, breaking away Noah's frown.
He gives in sulking by turning away, "fine, I trust you. Ugh! I've been getting massive headaches lately ever since the first day he started!"
Belen pats his back, "come on! Don't be like that! Why don't we go home together today?... and I'll cook" she playfully winks at him, causing him to smile.
***
Meanwhile, in Palmdale, Edilberto Astares is in his office enjoying a cup of tea while outlining what seems to be a project plan. But at that moment he receives a call, "Hello? Missis?"
Missis is a nickname he uses when speaking to his ex-wife, "Edy? I called to ask you if it's true Azaan enters school tomorrow?"
"Ah! Yes, he does! Will you bring him home tonight?"
Ernestina replies, "I want to try taking him to school tomorrow."
"you don't have to, I know you must be tired from working."
She sighs, "I am, but I want to spend more time with him, now that I remember don't you think Iris lost weight too fast?"
His eyebrows furrow, "what do you mean?"
"Pues si! Her face looks older. I almost couldn't recognize her when she came to drop off Azaan."
"She did get thinner, but" he gets cut off.
"But nothing! She also had her eyes red and smelled like marijuana!"
His eyes widen, "NO! Iris does not do drugs! I know she doesn't!"
"Ay! Edy! Wake up and look at her! Her face is so dried up. She looks like a thirty-year-old than her true age."
"Missis, what do you know? Maybe her friends were smoking something, but she does not smell like that at all when she comes home."
"Ugh! Edy, I'm just letting you know now, there is something Iris is hiding from you."
He clears his throat, "I'll see is that all you want to say?"
"Oh! I forgot…have you heard anything about Mabel?"
He sighs, feeling annoyed, "I'm not looking for her Missis, I don't know anything. Don't forget. I only have two daughters."
Feeling offended, she shouts back, "oh yeah! That's easy for you to say! You weren't the one who gave birth to them."
He calmly replies, "Then why aren't you worried about your two daughters? Belen and Iris? You left them, and you're concerned about Mabel?"
Ernestina's voice trembles, "I'm just worried; she's our first daughter."
His serious tone calms her, "Missis don't worry about Mabel. She's not a child. When she's ready to come home, at least, she'll know that you're waiting for her."
"O si!? Y Porque tu no?"
He shakes his head sighing, trying to calmly choose his words wisely, "Mabel is not my daughter, she left. If she comes back, I won't welcome her."
But Ernestina stays silent with only the sounds of sniffing and weeping, when Edy says, "I'm busy right now, I have to go, bye."
As he hung up, he looks over his shoulder to see a picture frame, but what's missing is a picture. He looks back to his desk irritated while rubbing his forehead, "How can I forgive a daughter who betrayed me twice…and hurt me."
***
It's evening, Everest finished completing the work Noah gave him to do which took him a while but finally managed to finish. Though he glances around to notice, "hmm? Is that it?" when he gets up to hand his work to Noah.
But Noah busily without taking a second of his time to look. He simply asks him to "just place them into the right shoulder bin with the rest of them."
"Ah, Secretary Noah…what should I do now?"
Noah sighs, annoyed by having to pause his work to glance around the room, "nothing, you may go, for now, good work," he dismisses him coldly.
But Everest feels odd leaving so early in the day, especially when the mall isn't even near to closing hours. Therefore making him ask again, "um, Secretary Noah, I can do other things, simple things if you wish, I just think it's a little too early for me to leave."
Again Noah pauses his work while coldly staring at Everest with a glare, "there is nothing else for you to do. You may leave."
"M-Maybe I can help you! Or I can bring you a cup of coffee or tea, or should I ask Madam President if there is anything else I can do?"
Noah's patience wears out when he slams his hand on the desk with a dark glare, "Do not bother Madam President! She has important matters that need her complete clear attention! It is my responsibility to train you and hand you any work that needs reviewing. As your supervisor, I am dismissing you for today, there is no more work for you to do."
Everest makes a bitter expression, "then I'll take my leave" he walks out of the office, secretly mocking Noah's voice. When he stops in front of Belen's office, contemplating whether to knock or walk away.
After much consideration, he decides to knock.
Knock! Knock!
"Yes? Who is it?" Belen's cold strict tone sends chills down his spine when he replies nervously, "It's Everest Fox, Madam President."
"come in!"
As he went in, he thinks, "how did she know I was not him? Does she specifically remember his knocking pattern? Or perhaps footsteps?"
She stares at his every move making him feel like prey, but he twitches at her voice, "Mr. Fox? Why are you here?"
He regains his strength to speak firmly, "Please excuse my sudden intrusion Madam President but I wish to speak to you about an issue I have concerning Secretary Noah."
Impressed by his sudden change of communication, Belen raises an eyebrow with a grim expression, "go on."
"Ahem! Secretary Noah gave me well worth tasks to complete, and I did so. But when I asked if there is anything else I can do, he simply said I was finished for the day and dismissed me to go home."
She frustratedly nods, "Yes. Mr. Fox, we call that early dismissal. It simply means there is no more work for you to do."
"Yes! I agree! But Madam President with all due respect. I feel as I'm not being challenged. And I feel as if secretary Noah is underestimating me by giving me simple tasks when I can help with international affairs!"
Hearing this makes Belen exhausted when she clicks a button on her phone line while on speaker it rings once as Noah answers, "Yes, Madam President?"
"Noah, come to my office immediately!"
Within seconds Noah enters her office, catching a glimpse of Everest standing there makes him bite his lip out of anger but tries to hide it.
He respectively bows, "Yes, Madam?"
The office suddenly turns tense as Belen's aura turns cold, "why am I hearing from Mr. Fox that you've been giving him simple tasks this whole time? You do know today is his last day. Right?!"
He fearfully replies, "Yes, I do know, Madam."
"then I'm sure you know that in the evaluation performance, you'll be handing into me tonight must include his skills, correct?"
"Yes, that is correct, Madam."
She clicks her tongue irritated, "then test him! Must I make myself even clearer!? His training is your responsibility! Give him a difficult task that'll test his skills! Argh! I can't deal with the both of you going back and forth! You two must learn to communicate properly! This isn't kindergarten, where you're learning to introduce yourself! Both of you! Get out of my sight!!!" she yells, gesturing them to leave her office.
As they did, silence befalls them making Everest feel even more awkward around Noah than before. Though on the other hand, Noah is so mad he can't hide it anymore when they both enter his office. He gives Everest two thick yellow bins with envelops in one container while the other is empty.
Everest asks, "what is this?"
Noah coldly replies, "your test."
"Test? What do you want me to do?"
"That is up to you to figure it out. Once you do, you may leave."
"Ha?!" Everest stays dumbfounded, staring at the vast mountain of envelopes.
***
It's midnight when Belen hears a knock, "Enter."
Noah enters relaxed, "are you still working?"
She groans, "yes, but I'm tired, my head hurts" she rubs her neck, "did he leave?"
"Yes, he left an hour ago, I have his evaluation report here to turn into you."
She tiredly sighs, getting up from her chair, walking over to the sofa to grab her purse, "great, just leave it on my desk, I'll read it tomorrow morning."
"Yes…are you ready to go?"
"Yeah, oh! Aw, man! I wanted to stay up today and watch a k-drama! But I bet your tired too, huh…" she catches Noah yawning when he declines, "not at all! We can watch maybe one episode today."
"Noah…"
"Yeah?" he turns around, but she closes the door secretly when she says, "You know how we're always talking about expanding A Star, and thanks to you, we're going to be expanding A Star in New York next year. Well, I've been thinking, why don't I try to open a plaza?"
His eyes widen, "really?!"
She shushes him, "shhh! Not so loud!"
He whispers, "sorry, but it's just…it's too risky. You know Plaza's aren't that easy."
She stubbornly smiles while nudging him, "why don't we try it? We can't continue to renovate A Star. Instead, why don't we try and plan this out thoroughly?"
He sighs, giving up seeing the look in her eyes because even if he were to disagree, it'd be no use since nothing can stop her once she has her mindset on it.
Therefore he nods, "sure, why not, but how are we going to plan it out with Everest always in between us?"
"There is one place he can't follow us, duh! Home!"
"so I'll be at your house more often now?"
"Yeah! But this is a secret, alright! I don't want anyone to know about it!"
He smirks, "not even Everest? You hired him. You know that, right?"
"Ugh! There you go again! Let's just go! We'll talk about it on our way home!" she walks out, locking her office and placing the keys into her bag.
But little does she know that her father is planning the same idea of opening a small plaza with the help of her rival, Winston Mall.
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