บท 24: Can I trust you?
Noah locks the car carrying a binder with loose files when waiting for the elevator, a woman asks, "excuse me, do you work here?"
Noah turns impressed to see a woman in her early 30's dressed casually with long black hair and a bit chubby from her upper body with thin legs. Surprisingly her facial features are pretty, but they feel similar at the same time when the elevator doors open. They both enter.
But before Noah can press the button, he asks, "Is this perhaps your first time at A Star?"
The woman surprisingly nods, "yes, um, do you happen to know if Edilberto Astares is here?"
Noah becomes bewildered, "who? Edilberto Astares? Um no. The Madam President of A Star is Belen Astares."
Her eyes widen, "really?!" but Noah's taken aback seeing the woman's pleasant reaction, "so she inherited the mall? Aww, that's great!" her sincere smile makes Noah question, "I've never seen someone so happy hearing such news…but this woman is …proud."
The woman asks, "can I meet her?!"
Noah sighs, "I'm sorry. Unfortunately, the Madam does not meet with just anyone unless they're family-related."
The woman suddenly points to herself, "I'm her sister, Mabel," her voice becomes low, "though, I'm no longer an Astares." Although, as she said this, Noah's eyes widen, knowing that she seemed familiar, if he looks closer he can see her resemblance to Belen, "I see, unfortunately, you will need to schedule an appointment to see her, as you may know, she's busy."
Mabel rejects her head slumping her shoulder, "Please, I REALLY need to talk to her! It won't take more than 10 minutes! Please! I-I just really need to see her, please, Mr!"
Noah can't ignore her desperate eyes as he gives in to them, "Very well, I can bring you to her office, but I can't promise she'll see you. If she decides to escort you out, then that is all I can do."
Mabel happily complies, "yes, that's fine! Thank you so much, Mr!" Finally, Noah pressed the button to the 7th floor. Noah takes precaution, realizing how upset Belen will react and texts the security team to clear out of the 7th floor immediately. Even though Noah knows the kind of trouble, he'll get into with Belen by allowing Mabel to enter so quickly. He's willing to take the risk because he feels Mabel's sincerity.
On the elevator, Mabel asks, "excuse me, Mr?" she tries to guess when he answers, "you may call me Noah!" he smiles gently. She reacts softly, "ah! What a nice name!" her eyes become gentle, "may I ask, what is your job in the mall?"
"I am Madam Presidents Secretary, Noah Alvares," he answers, respectively.
"Noah…so, you're my sister's secretary?" she stares at him as if examining his body when she nods with a smile, "then you know her best."
Noah pretends to cough, feeling embarrassed yet proud, "yes, I guess you can say that."
Mabel's voice weakens, "how is she? I haven't been around for some time, so I kind of don't know what's going on with who," she chuckles, trying to lighten up the mood.
Noah thoughtfully answers, "are you asking about her financial status or well-being?"
Mabel stares at his stern expression, worried when he smiles. But Noah notices her concerned reaction thinking, "what is this? Why do I feel so comfortable revealing these things to her? When we've only just met."
Mabel shakes her head, "I wish she'd be at least well."
The elevator doors open when Noah escorts her to Belen's office, but as he opened the door, he notices, "she's not here?"
"Is something the matter?" Mabel asks, concerned.
Noah reassures her with a smile, "You can wait inside. I'm sure the Madam will be right back."
A few minutes later, Noah wonders, "why isn't she picking up?"
When suddenly, his face becomes pale when he sees Belen comfortably walking out the elevator, "what's the matter, Noah? You look as if you've just seen a ghost!" she lightly chuckles, walking into her office.
Just as she entered her body freezes, her expression becomes stoic, trying to keep a calm face, but Mabel turns to greet her with a timid yet awkward smile. Belen's eyes grow wider as she becomes speechless.
Mabel quietly speaks, "Hi, Belen, it's great to see you."
The sound of her voice pulls Belen back to reality. When she replies with a cold, indifferent tone, "you're here…" glancing around, gaining life back into her body, beginning to encircle Mabel like a lion getting ready to attack while slowly cornering its prey.
This is one of Belen's methods of intimidating anyone with her sharp words, but her strict demeanor is enough to make Mabel notice that she is not welcomed when she asks, "how've you been, Belen?"
She stops her footsteps at once, "mmm, who knows, wasn't is around this month, you ran away?" she says haughtily.
Tension in the air, "I see the years haven't treated you all that well." She smirks, judging Mabel's appearance, thinking, "you used to be 'aah, she's so beautiful! You must be proud to have such a beautiful daughter!' blah blah blah!" she clicks her tongue annoyed of the past.
She annoyingly asks, "why are you here?"
Though as intimidating as she is, Mabel does not feel the slightest fear, instead she's embarrassed thinking that perhaps it was a mistake to see her after all these years. Nonetheless, Mabel feels Belen's hostility but is determined because there is something she wants from her.
"I-I came to see my family," she firmly states.
Belen bursts out in laughter, making Mabel feel awkward yet unsure if what she said sounded funny?
"You!" Belen points ridiculing Mabel, "You? Looking for your family? What kind of game are you playing? There is no family!" her expression becomes serious as she fiercely closes in, "Are you looking for the family displayed on TV? Or my dad? Iris?"
She whispers, "…or that bitch you call 'mom'?"
Mabel strongly reacts, "Don't call her that!"
Belen sarcastically asks, "why not? Am I wrong?" she gains confidence seeing Mabel react, "after all these years, you're still the same! After what you two did to my dad, you think she deserves to be called 'mom' so favorably?"
The office becomes quiet again, Belen coldly asks, "so who are you looking for?"
Mabel's eyes do not waiver, "my mom."
Belen scoffs, "I figured…" walking over to a trash bin next to her desk and picks up a piece of paper tossing it to Mabel.
She confusedly stares at the crushed paper, as Belen roughly explains, "her information is on that piece of paper. Do me a favor, will you? Keep her busy. I don't want to see her ever again."
Mabel righteously tries to correct her, "Is this how you treat us? Your family?"
Belen elegantly sways her hair back, "our family disappeared because of you! If you truly cared about us, then you wouldn't have left that day!"
Though at the same time, Belen realizes that she's lost her composure and got overly emotional when she coughs, trying to calm herself.
But Mabel looks dejected, "sorry, I'm sorry if you think it was all my fault. I guess you're close to my dad still. If you see him, let him know I've come back."
Belen stubbornly looks away, "why should I? You have a mouth, hands, and feet if you want him to know then see him yourself."
Mabel has nothing more to say, "then, I'll take my leave, umm. I have a daughter. She's five years old" she takes out a picture leaving it on the desk when Belen grabs the photo without taking a glance at it and mingling it into pieces right before her eyes.
And haughtily throws the pieces on the floor like confetti with a grin on her face, "Is that enough for you to leave me alone? I don't care about your life, so get out of mines. You were never an older sister. You're less than a stranger."
Mabel's heartaches, rather than retaliating, she chooses not to. Instead, her eyes seem sad.
Belen shouts, "Noah!"
Noah, who's been watching everything standing beside the door, rushes to her side, "Yes, Madam!"
Belen glares down at Mabel feeling powerful like a Queen, "escort her out, away from the entrance."
Noah immediately nods, "Yes, Madam!"
Mabel follows after Noah turning back to see Belen's back staring outside the window. It's as if she wanted to say more but knows that Belen's changed, or rather, "was she always like this?" she wonders.
As they entered the elevator, the tension becomes bitter as Noah makes a fist when he courageously asks, "excuse me, um Mabel?"
"Yes?"
"I don't know if this may sound out of line, but would it be appropriate to ask for your contact information?"
Mabel is taken aback, "what?"
Noah nervously gestures, "it's not like that! It's well for the Madam, or rather. Ummm," he becomes flustered, making Mabel feel at ease when she pats his back, "you care about Belen, don't you?"
"Pardon?!" his face becomes bright red making her chuckle when he denies it, "that's not it! I-I just care about her as a friend!"
"You're friends?"
"Yes…we're best friends actually, haha," he awkwardly smiles.
"So, why do you want my phone number?"
"Oh! Because! Uh, I want to know more about Belen."
Mabel sighs, "didn't you hear her earlier? I'm less than a stranger. I doubt there is anything I can help you with."
"that's not true! Ah um, you see. Every story has two sides. I want to make her happy. So, I hope you don't feel like I'm poking my nose into somewhere it doesn't belong, but I want to learn more about Belen's life."
The elevator doors open in the basement, she nods, "I feel a bit at ease now knowing that Belen is with someone who cares for her. This is my phone number and email. Call me anytime."
As she left, Noah heads back to the office, while in the elevator, he's somehow bothered by what he witnessed. And loses himself in his thoughts, "Why do I feel like this? Did I not get enough sleep last night? I-I'm so frustrated as if I'm thirsty, and a cup of water is right in front of me, but when I reach out to grab it. It continues to get further. It's not an illusion but, its, ugh! Frustrating! That's how Belen is. There are moments when I understand her actions. But this time, I can't help but strongly disagree with the way she treated her sister just now."
***
Noah enters Belen's office with a somber expression looking down when she, on the other hand, is nonchalantly reviewing files when asking, "did she leave without anyone noticing?"
"Yes, she did."
Belen stares, "great!" she sighs, "ah! Before you leave, I need you to put up a notice of hiring on our website and social media platform."
"What? Why?" Noah asks flabbergasted. She proudly answers, "I fired the heads of the departments. I want you to hire new ones by the end of this week."
Noah remains silent, she curiously glances at him wearing a blank expression, "did you hear me?"
He stands there, aloof, yet bravely makes a fist exhaling, "why did you do that?"
Belen's shaken by his sudden tone, "What?" she glares.
His robotic expression melts, showing a different side. "Why did you act that way in front of your sister?!" his voice continues to grow louder, making Belen scoff, "what gives you the right to judge my actions?"
He grips his pants, knowing that what he's about to say cannot be taken back, "She's your sister! She came here hoping to find her father, someone related to her family! And you just push her away? Why?"
"It's none of your business," she responds, coldly hurting Noah, as he frowns, "then what am I?"
"What?!"
His eyes look at her desperate for an answer "Am I not your best friend? Am I just a secretary that is supposed to do and agree with everything you say?"
"Did she say something to you? To make you come against me?"
"Unbelievable," Noah annoyingly sheds his perfect obedient image to that of a thug, "Will you stop!? These are my thoughts: what I think! She has nothing to do with how I see you!"
"then tell me, how do you see me?"
He becomes quiet but flinches when she shouts, "Well!? Are you going to tell me your thoughts or what?!"
He wants to stop but knows that if he continues to become dishonest, it'll only get worse in the future, "I-I'm tired…of this" his stern expression melts into frustration.
Though as he said this, Belen becomes so speechless, she opens her mouth, wanting to reply, but words aren't coming out. Instead, its as if the "Noah" she thought and believed in is someone else. Who is this person? Why now? She asks, "what are you tired of?" and whispers to herself with worried eyes, "me?"
"EVERYTHING! You fire anyone as you please without thinking about the difficult process of hiring and going through the paperwork! Do you ever stop to think about the person you're firing? Whether if they're working for their children, family, or because they are desperate?!"
She scoffs, "why should I care about that when they're not cut out for the job! You should know better than anyone else. Stop acting like a god with mercy when you don't have the power to do so!"
"Fine, I'll give you that, but then what about our friendship? Why can't you confide in me? What happened yesterday that made you faint? Why can't you tell me what's going on?"
Belen slams her desk, losing her patience, "Stop, just stop for today! I'm in no mood to talk about this here!"
But Noah does not comply, "If I stop now, there's no telling if there will be a next time."
"Enough!! Stop! That's it! Get out! NOW!!" her face turns red in wrath shouting at him to leave her office. He gives up nodding, responding with a forced attitude, "Yes, Madam President."
Once he left, Belen can't hold back her anger as tears of frustration begin to stroll down her cheeks, crushing everything on her desk and grunts, "Argh!!! It's all because of Mabel! She just had to show up!!! Just like before! Everyone is always on her side! What is she a fucking angel?!!"
***
At that moment, Belen decides to leave early to be alone.
On her way home, she continues to replay her conversation with Mabel. When she remembers a memory from when she was nine years old, and everyone was celebrating Mabel's Quinceanera, a Hispanic tradition celebrating a young woman's coming of age. Her Quince was privately celebrated with close friends and family. But some pictures were leaked, making the world get a glimpse of Mabel's beautiful dress and elegant mariachi party.
Nine-year-old Belen is wearing a dusty rose pink dress with a poodle hairstyle stare at Mabel wearing an ivory Cinderella ball-gown with pink crystal linen. She overhears the photographers complimenting Mabel and speaking to Ernestina, "your daughter is just so beautiful! She is great with her camera angles! Woah!"
Ernestina proudly replies, "thank you! She's in her school's soccer team, and is part of the marching band!"
"Ah! I'm jealous! No wonder she's so skinny! She takes care of herself!"
Ernestina continues to brag, "and she does boxing too!"
While on the other side, Belen overhears her father brag to his friends, "Yes, my daughter Mabel is an angel sent from God! Hahaha! You do know she plays two instruments!"
"really? Simply playing one is quite difficult enough!"
Edilberto pretentiously laughs, "ha! My daughter plays the French horn and the Trumpet! She's the ace in the soccer team! And has been getting honor roll since elementary! I feel truly blessed to have such a gifted daughter!"
"what about your other daughters?"
"who? Iris and Belen? Eh, they still need to catch up to their older sister. But I'm sure they'll follow in her steps! Haha! Fortunately, Iris is in the marching band with Mabel."
"what about Belen?"
"hmm? She's still so young. It's hard to tell whether she'll come out talented in anything yet."
A different memory recurs, where Belen is waiting for her dad in A Star Is office when Mabel and Edilberto enter along with the directors, "Edy! I have to say I'm impressed by your daughter's insight! It's great to start involving her with the company now so things won't become so difficult when she inherits it later in the future."
Edy happily responds, "Yes, I'm glad to have such a talented daughter," but the man replies, "your daughter is so impressive I almost forgot you have two other daughters, I believe?"
"ah! Yes, I do! Thank you for remembering."
"Well, at least you got a diamond as your first, so it wouldn't matter if the rest turn out to be nothing more than rocks. Hahaha!"
Mabel notices Belen sitting on the sofa, "did you not go to school?"
Belen shyly shakes her head, "I did."
Suddenly Mabel answers her phone, changing her tone, walking away from her. Just as she hung up, Edilberto called for her when she leaves her phone on the sofa. Belen overhears her phone ring and leans over to see who it is and notices a picture of her Chambelan de honor (Escort of honor). She remembers, "they kissed in the limo."
After a few days, Belen reveals to her father than she saw Mabel kiss the boy who was her chambelan in the limo and that he calls her. This infuriates Edy when he lashes out at Mabel, scolding her for having a boyfriend when he clearly warned her not to even think about having any male friends. Though the reason he did not want Mabel to have a boyfriend was that he knew that it'd only distract her and make her lose her focus in school.
But that's when it all started, Mabel rebelled against her father distancing the two.
***
Just as Belen passed the gates to her house, she informs security, "do not allow anyone entry. Not even Noah to enter tonight. Understood!"
The security team nods as she passes by.
***
She steps out of her car depleted of energy, looking down, and continuously sighing, gently massaging her head. The argument she had with Noah is bugging her more as it replays in her head.
Noah was always honest, to begin with, though after constantly staying by Belen's side, he's learned never to try to disagree with her idea of how to treat her family. It's not because he's a pushover or gives in quickly. Instead, he just prefers to go along with anything she says because it's her life, and he does not feel like fighting against every little thing he dislikes. He knows how to deal with her tantrums, anger, and grieving moments. But the reason Noah finally cracked and went off on Belen was that for once, he did not like the way she treated her sister, Mabel.
In Belen's perspective, she thinks Mabel might've brainwashed him about something making him oppose her actions. But she's reluctant to accept that what Noah said is how he feels. She thinks she knows him inside out, but what's wrong is the fact that since Noah never really relayed his opinions, thoughts, and ideas to Belen, she can't help but just feel scared and unsure.
"Who is Noah? Have I always been treating him like a secretary than a friend? We're always together, so I assumed he knew. Am I secretive? I just don't like others knowing about my family, my mom, dad, everything."
She remembers his face when he said, "then what am I?"
Belen clicks her tongue, changing into thin casual clothes, "he's not just anyone, he's my friend. Why didn't I say anything?" she walks out to the back of her house where a large pool and jacuzzi are located taking off her robe, revealing her gorgeous curves wearing short shorts and a sports bra when she dives into the pool.
An hour later, she gets out of the pool, drying her hair with a towel, staring at her phone only to notice, "no calls," her eyes turn lonesome.
When the voice of her father creeps up, "I don't need her anymore! You can take her! I wish I never had daughters!"
Her phone slips on the ground, but the voice grows louder, "I DON"T NEED HER ANYMORE!!"
She panics using her hands to block off the sound and tightly shuts her eyes close, whimpering, "s-stop! S-s-stop!! SHUT UP!!!!"
The resounding voice disappears as her body shakes like a leaf when she makes an effort to pick up her phone unknowingly clicking on Noah's phone number but hesitates to call remembering Noah's words, "I'm tired of this…" making her look away.
She whispers to herself, "n-no, I shouldn't bother him. I-I don't want him to get tired…of me," she hugs her phone shaking with anxiety. When suddenly it rings, she quickly glances at it, hoping for it to be Noah. But instead is shocked to see its Everest, somehow her body slowly stops trembling to answer in a mellow tone, "Hello?"
Everest is perplexed to hear such a calm tone that he double-checks to see if he dialed the correct number. When he asks, "Is this Belen Astares?"
She answers calmly, "Yes, Everest, is there a reason behind this call?"
"Oh! My bad, I just, ahem I mean I was calling to ask about secretary Noah's message, he wants me to come in earlier than expected? I don't have a problem, but I don't understand why, so I guess I was wondering if you knew anything about it?"
A minute of silence makes Everest internally sigh knowing what she'll say "I'm sorry for bothering you, I'll call secretary Noah. Good-"
Belen asks, "are you serious about working for me?"
"w-what?"
"Are you interested in working in this industry?"
Everest does not knowing what to say, "I…I don't know yet. There is still so much for me to learn."
Belen lightly chuckles, "Can you be honest with me? After working for me, do you plan to use the methods you've learned at A Star for Fox theaters?"
He firmly states, "No. I don't plan on returning to Fox theaters. If possible, this is just a small dream of mines, but I want to open my own business."
Belen is intrigued as her voice lightens, "in what?"
He shyly reveals, "In something I like to do, I'm not sure what that is yet, but for now, that is my goal. To find out what kind of business I want to build, start, you know, open!" he slightly laughs, feeling embarrassed when she sincerely says, "That sounds amazing…I envy your dream."
After hearing those words, Everest is moved as a smile forms on his face feeling a sense of comfort.
Hearing a familiar voice eases her mind when she stares at the starless sky, "Do you want to become a secretary at A Star?"
"h-huh? You mean like Noah?"
She smiles, "no, not like him. The same title, but you'll both have different roles, remember what I said yesterday? Be yourself."
Everest can't help but smile knowing the meaning behind her words, gripping onto his phone feeling attached to her sweet, sincere voice, wishing to continue, when she says, "Starting tomorrow morning come to my house, you'll be with me…Well, I've got to go, Goodnight."
After hanging up, she slowly puts the phone on the ground murmuring under her breath, "Sorry, Noah…" she softly closes her eyes, trying to calm herself by feeling the summer breeze dance through her hair carefully listening to the crickets of the night.
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