CHAPTER 20

“Where’s my table?” I asked my two friends in confusion while looking for my table.

It had been two days since we got back here in Manila. I started my work today.

Was I fired? 

“Girl, Sir ordered you to put your things in his office,” Serah answered.

My mouth barely opened.

“Have you guys reconciled?” Freya asked.

I gently shook my head as a no.

“Really? What about his trip?” Serah said doubtfully.

“Did he find out that you guys helped me with the files? Is that why he moved my things in his office, so he would ensure that I'm the one who finishes my job?”

They simultaneously covered their mouths with their hands and barely widened their eyes.

“No way, girl! I guess your hunch is right. He was so grumpy these past few days,” Freya agreed.

My lips twitched at her statement. “When did he approach us nicely?”

“If you only knew, Jandie. When he came back from a business project, he was three times as bipolar,” Serah whispered.

I frowned.

Business project? When did I become a business project?

"Miss Mendoza, come here to my office," he said coldly through the speaker. I accidentally bit my lip at the thought that I wasn’t expecting myself to miss his voice in just two days, though he never spoke with any emotions.

My friends looked at me worriedly.

“Just tell us if he is mistreating you. We will file a complaint to the Department of Labor,” Serah demanded as she touched my arm.

I smiled at her anxiously. “Don’t worry. I can handle this. If he is oppressing me at work, I’ll resign right away,” I assured them as I held my belly.

“We’re here for you, Jandie. You still have Fafa Fueroci, right?” Freya chuckled.

I rolled my eyes and fixed my clothes. “Stop shipping us together. We’re just friends. Break the stigma that opposite genders can’t be close without sex,” I emphasized.

Their mouth formed an O as they clapped their hands slowly in the air.

“We are just kidding, Jandie. Bitch, you’re not meant to be because he’s my destiny,” Freya exclaimed and flirted at the air.

I chucked at her and shook my head.

“Hey, move! You forgot that there’s a tiger calling,” Serah exaggerated.

My eyes went bigger, and I remembered what I had to do. “Shit!” I exclaimed and turned my back to them.

I walked fast toward Achetbir’s office. I felt a little pinch in my stomach after knocking on the door three times. I slowly turned the doorknob and entered half my body into the room. I saw him sitting seriously on his swivel chair. He raised an eyebrow when he saw me moving in slowly. I gulped past the air blocking my throat as I finally entered the office.

I roamed my eyes around the room and found my table next to the entrance. I squinted; then, suddenly, my eyes widened as I saw a rectangular-shaped object on the table.

"Secretary Jandie Mendoza." I blinked several times and snapped back to reality when Achetbir hummed. He looked at me.

“From now on, you’ll be working as my secretary,” he said.

My brows furrowed. “Am I not?” I asked, uncertain.

“A real secretary, Miss Mendoza,” he emphasized.

I remained silent and lowered my head, absorbing everything that was happening.

“You may now sit,” he commanded.

I immediately followed his order and put my bag on my desk. The piles of papers before that always awaited me first thing in the morning were now just a few files. The planner also caught my attention. It was where I would input all his upcoming meetings and appointments.

My work seemed lighter. Though I wanted to feel happy and grateful, I just couldn’t help to think that he was just doing all of this to make amends for his mistakes with me. I tried to remove the bitterness in my system and looked on the brighter side. I made myself busy adjusting to my new job as I stole quick glances at Achetbir. His attention was all on the laptop screen so I could look at him freely.

It was almost 10 a.m. when Patriza entered his office. I could see she was startled the moment our eyes met before she turned her head to Achetbir.

“What is she doing here?” she asked Achetbir in bitch mode while walking up to him.

Achetbir leaned back and lazily looked at his fiancée. “What brings you here, Patriza?” he asked instead of answering her question.

“Is that a question? I am here for my fiancé, of course,” she answered and sat on Achetbir’s desk.

Her legs were too visible because she was wearing a mini dress. I pouted and turned my attention to doing my work.

“What the fuck is that smell?” Achetbir hissed suddenly.

I turned my eyes in his direction.

What smell? I sniffed continuously to determine what he was referring to.

“What smell?” Patriza asked back and also sniffed.

Achetbir bent forward to Patriza and moved backward quickly like he found something horrible. “What awful perfume is that, Patriza?” Achetbir asked straightforwardly.

Patriza and I dropped our jaws at his rant. Patriza seemed offended, so she immediately stood up from where she was sitting.

“Excuse me?! It’s Channel!” she exclaimed.

Achetbir covered his nose and distant himself from the lady. “Fuck, perhaps you bought a fake one,” he mumbled.

I didn’t know if I should laugh at or pity Patriza because her face turned red in great embarrassment.

“Argh! I can’t believe you, Achetbir!” she complained, then walked out of the room.

She looked at me angrily before closing the door recklessly. I flinched at the impact and looked back at Achetbir, who seemed like he could now breathe peacefully.

He raised an eyebrow at me the moment he saw me looking at him. “What? I am not fucking lying. She smells like rotten meat!” he exclaimed.

I sniffed and nodded. “I am not saying anything!” I whispered.

He might have heard me, so he rolled his eyes. “Get back to work,” he said rudely.

I rolled my eyes secretly and did what he said. “You’re much worse tha—” I stiffened as I realized one thing that suddenly flashed in my mind.

“Shit!” I exclaimed and immediately covered my mouth.

“Why the heck are you cursing?” he asked coldly.

I slowly lifted my head in his direction.

Oh, my gosh! That couldn’t be!

I gulped to clear my throat. My hands started to get sweaty and shake nervously. “N-nothing, Sir. I-I just thought of something,” I stammered.

“If you are thinking of him, I am telling you, Mendoza: visitors are not allowed in my fucking office,” he spat with annoyance.

I couldn’t help but grimace, counting how many times he said "fuck" or "fucking" since I entered this room. I focused on doing my work, though I was unsure why he became so moody. On the other hand, my heart was celebrating because of the fact that he would always hate Patriza’s smell from now on.

I pouted and softly whacked my forehead as I was blown away by my thoughts.

How could I take back these maternal mood swings?

“OMG. Your baby bump’s getting bigger, Jandie,” Serah said excitedly while caressing my bump.

I smiled and nodded. “Time surely passed by very fast. Imagine—I am now 7 months pregnant,” I stated.

I was here at their tables because Achetbir was in his meeting. He told me that it would only be quick, so there was no need for me to accompany him inside the conference hall. So now, I got a chance to talk with my friends.

“Were you able to get checked up last time? Do you already know the gender of the child?” Freya asked excitedly.

“Yes, it’s a boy,” I said proudly.

“Oh, so you’re hiding the billionaire’s heir,” Serah stated. 

“Yeah,” I said and smiled bitterly.

“How does Boss feel? Is he fine now?” Freya asked.

I chuckled and shook my head, “He’s still grumpy and hates Patriza’s smell, although he’s not picky anymore when it comes to food,” I updated them.

They also both giggled and high-fived each other. 

“Good thing you leaned over him in the helicopter,” Serah said.

I winced, then leered. “Girl, it’s not good. The fiancée put all her anger on me. She thinks that it's because of me that is Achetbir pushing her away. Is it my fault that she can’t get rid of that luxurious perfume?” I ranted.

Freya chuckled. “What do you expect? She’s a bitchy witch.”

“Hey, you’re too much,” I asked.

She rolled her eyes at me and flipped her hair. “She deserves it. Duh?! Just so you know, we can see how she mistreats you whenever she’s around. Oh, God! You better stop me—I could almost stab her with this pen,” she said straightforwardly.

Serah and I just chuckled. Freya might be brutal when it came to her words, but we all knew that it would just stay as words. 

“Were you stressed, or do you feel something weird lately?” Serah asked worriedly.

I gave her an assuring smile and tapped her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I can still bear her childishness. Though it is really exhausting sometimes,” I said.

“Speaking of the devil,” Freya uttered suddenly, and then I heard a familiar voice.

“Mendoza, come here. Now.”

The three of us exchanged glances. I shrugged my shoulders and smiled at them before turning my head in Patriza’s direction. She was now standing outside Achetbir’s office.

“Coming,” I said and took my steps.

It seems like this was another batch of ‘follow the fiancée’ orders again.