Chapter 2 It's Special
By Valeria
"That's a good option, the other topic is more delicate."
I looked at her, not understanding. "What other topic?"
"First of all, your salary would be tripled."
I opened my eyes wide.
"Alejandro is... quite special, he has a strong personality, that's why his secretaries don't last."
"I don't understand."
"He's a workaholic and he'll demand you keep up with his pace. If you fall behind in college because you're working late, he'll blame you as if it's your fault. You'll also have to accompany him to business meetings and cocktail parties and put up with all the women who chase after him. Instead of seeing you as his secretary, they'll see you as competition and will verbally attack you all the time."
I thought it would be fun.
I didn't know Alejandro Zalco.
"Lastly, you'll have to be careful not to fall for his charms... you'll last as his secretary as long as he decides to sleep with you. Based on the experience of all the secretaries who pass through his office, the maximum they last is 45 days, though the average is 20 days."
"Dating my boss isn't in my plans. I really need the job, and I think I can take three of the four courses I need on Saturdays, and if allowed, I can take the Chinese course online, unless you have a specific place for it."
"No, I can give you a reference, but it's up to you, and we'll pay for the course. That needs to be immediate; there's a trip to China planned in six months. We have other trips before that. I just hope you last as his secretary. You'll often have to go to his house to deliver documents or whatever comes up. You'll also have to make sure his suits go to the dry cleaners, or rather, they'll be in your office. He should never be without shirts or underwear."
I'm getting scared, but I try to hide it. I'll take it as a challenge.
"All work-related taxi fares will be reimbursed. Do you have cocktail dresses?"
"No."
"We have a deal with a boutique. Dresses you take from there will be on Zalco's tab, only from there. Anything Alejandro thinks of, you'll have to get. And now, the last thing."
She has said "the last thing" several times.
"Alejandro thinks all women belong to him and that they should kiss the ground he walks on. He thinks this about everyone, but particularly about women. He believes they all are his property. Don't worry, he won't assault you, but the first thing he'll do is try to seduce you, or at least invite you to spend some nights together. Most of the girls agree."
"I need the job and really, I'm only interested in graduating."
"Anyway, although he's arrogant, he tends to melt any woman by his side."
I already disliked this man, even though I didn't know him personally. I think I've never seen him.
"Really, I've never seen him, not even in photos. I only know him by reference, by the comments about him, which you know are divided into two groups: the women who fall at his feet and think that because he's attractive and a multimillionaire, they would do anything to spend a night with him, and then there are the others who would never be on anyone's list. I know those women are fewer, but I include myself in the latter group."
"I'd love to be there when you tell him you've never seen him, not even in photos. If you get the chance, at some point, casually mention it. And mind you, I appreciate Alejandro a lot. His aunt is my best friend, and we've shared many family moments with him."
She sighed, taking a breath.
"I also want to tell you that his father pressures him to get married, and when Alejandro Zalco Sr. is in the country and occupies the adjoining office, everything is chaotic."
She sighed deeply and continued speaking.
"Ale will demand more from you then, and that's when you'll need to use all your patience. The days they are together aren't many. You'll also have to make sure his father doesn't find out if Ale has any... friend in his office."
"That seems impossible..."
"Yes, you won't always succeed, and above all, I hope you don't fall for his charms. Your job depends on it. I'm offering it to you because you really fit the perfect profile for his secretary. You've been investigated, like all employees, before making them permanent."
"It's really uncomfortable knowing I've been investigated, but I suppose that's what all companies do."
"You're right."
She confirmed what I said.
"I'll go with you so you can meet his secretary who... in two days will stop working with us... she'll explain how he likes his coffee, the brand of shirts he uses, for when you have to buy them, the passwords for all the computers, etc."
The building had 9 floors.
I accompanied the HR manager to the ninth floor.
The secretary was waiting for us.
She had only been in that position for 25 days and they had been looking for a replacement for 5 days already.
It's not that I consider myself immune to love, but I suffered so much because of my ex-boyfriend and he humiliated me so much, that I'm sure I learned my lesson.
He was my only boyfriend and the only man I had sex with, and thinking about it, in the last year of our relationship, if we had sex once a month, it was a lot.
I didn't notice that detail, as time went by, the relationship cooled off and it probably happened because he was out there with other women.
I suffered a lot with that relationship.
Thank God I didn't get pregnant, because being tied to a man like my ex-boyfriend for life would be catastrophic.
I'm used to not having sex, as casual sex isn't for me.
I don't want, at least for now, to have a relationship.
My experience wasn't good.
For all these reasons, I don't think this man who would now be my boss would affect me.
I can handle an arrogant and seductive man, especially knowing that women, for him, are just a whim.
They say he's very attractive, I don't know, because he doesn't mingle with the staff, he considers us insignificant.
It also has to do with the fact that I never ran into him by chance, I usually don't leave my office all day.
The company has a cafeteria for the employees, but the big boss, as they call him, doesn't step foot in that area, nor many others.
Being so conceited, maybe he won't like me and won't propose anything, and if he does, it's just a matter of saying no.
I don't see it as that complicated.
Maybe it's a bit more complicated because he's my boss, but with the number of women he supposedly has, just saying no should be enough.
The job itself seemed more entertaining, because it wasn't just administrative work, I knew I would be overseeing many other matters.
"When do you start?"
The secretary asked me.
"In two days."
"Leave her all the passwords in writing, please."
The HR manager said.
She took out a planner where everything was detailed.
"This was passed on to me by the previous secretary, you have absolutely everything noted down."
I read the planner she gave me and it even included his favorite restaurants, the ones he usually goes to during the day, and the ones he goes to at night.
Everything was detailed, his preferred shirt brands, ties, favorite colors, pants size, boxers, shirts, and shoes.
Brand of coffee, tea, and whiskey and where to buy them.
There were notes on florists and even a jewelry store.
From what I saw, those were two of the places where he spent the most money.
"The planner with the business contacts is the blue one and the one with the personal contacts is the white one, these physical planners are the backups, all of this is on the computer and if you want or rather, you have to download everything to your phone, because he might ask for information at any moment, even if it's 3 in the morning or on a Saturday or Sunday."
"Overtime hours are paid without needing anyone's authorization, so don't worry about that."
The HR manager indicated.
I did the math and financially it was a great deal.
"When you travel with him, overtime starts from the moment you show up at the airport and counts for 24 hours until you return."
I opened my eyes wide, at that rate, if everything went well, I could buy a car in a few months and stop taking the bus.
I didn't want to smile.
It was all too easy, if that were the case, how come all the secretaries lasted so little? Did they all fall for his charms?
As if reading my thoughts, Susana, the HR manager, clarified that not all of them slept with him and that's why they had to be moved to another department or fired as soon as Alejandro Zalco got tired of them, and there were others who couldn't keep up with the work pace.
You also had to endure his condescending attitude.
She repeated endlessly that I should be patient and not run away based on my first impressions and that my job could last if I didn't succumb to Alejandro's charms.
"Tomorrow you stay all day with his secretary and the day after you start alone."
"Thank you very much for the opportunity."
"Good luck with the idiot."
His secretary said to me.