ALAS shook his head as he walked towards the conference room. He couldn't believe how much his childhood friend had changed. He never imagined she would turn into such a foolish woman. Based on the way she answered him, she clearly didn't remember him at all. Twenty years ago, they were practically inseparable, but that was a long time ago, and they now lived in completely different worlds.
Lydia met him on the way and opened the door for him. He entered and sat directly at his place at the head of the table.
"Lydia, please list down everything discussed." She nodded and opened her tablet. They used technology for better note-taking and easy file transfers.
The meeting was about the merger between Dela Merzcid and Domingo. The two companies would collaborate to build high-quality houses in a subdivision. Many would benefit from this project—not just tourists, but the local residents as well.
The Domingo family was one of the most prominent families in the Metro. They owned businesses like shipping lines, malls, and various others. They were among the richest families in the country, just like the Dela Merzcid and Cortes families. These three families were well-known and influential throughout the nation.
Alas stood at the center and presented his ideas. After a long discussion, everyone agreed. After an hour, the meeting concluded. "Okay, dismissed. Congratulations everyone. Job well done," Alas said, being the first to leave.
Lydia followed him. "Sir, let's talk."
"Yes, Sir." She walked beside him. "What is it about?" she asked, noticing how serious his expression was.
"Let's have a snack first. Then we'll discuss something."
They went to the company canteen and ordered food. While eating, Lydia couldn't contain her curiosity anymore. "What are we supposed to talk about? You look so serious. Is there a problem?"
"You have done a great job for our company for almost ten years. But this time, I no longer want you to be my secretary," Alas said seriously.
Lydia felt nervous and held back her tears. She wasn't dreaming; she heard him clearly, and she thought he was firing her.
"Hey, don't cry," Alas smiled. He realized his opening statement sounded harsh, which was why she started crying. "That's not what I meant. I don't want you as my secretary anymore because I want to promote you, Lydia."
Her mouth fell open in surprise. "Really, Sir? I thought you were going to fire me. I really love my work. I have two children to raise, and I'm even pregnant now. Thank you so much, Sir. It's a great privilege. I promise to work even harder."
"Thank you too, Lydia. You have been loyal since day one, so you deserve a higher position," he said, tapping her shoulder gently.
"You're welcome, Sir." She wiped her tears, feeling overjoyed. She truly deserved the promotion because she was hardworking and honest.
"You will be promoted because I hired a new secretary. Tomorrow, you will help her get settled. Maybe one week of training will be enough; she seems like a fast learner," he said, adjusting his suit. "Okay, I'll go now. See you later."
Lydia was extremely happy to hear she was being promoted; it was something she had hoped for a long time. Meanwhile, Alas returned to his office. He still had work to finish, and he also had to deal with Yna.
Alas shook his head when he saw Yna sitting at her desk, twirling a pen between her fingers. She was completely spaced out and didn't even notice him standing right beside her.
He was holding another booklet. He dropped it on her table, making her jump in shock. "What is wrong with you?" she asked angrily.
Alas smiled and looked at her intently. He leaned closer and whispered near her ear, "Well, this is another thing you need to memorize. It contains the profiles of all the staff here. Memorize every employee so you will know them whenever you meet them, okay?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "Why would I? That's not part of my job. I'm supposed to be your secretary, not get into other people's business," she hissed, rolling her eyes. It seemed like rolling her eyes had become her mannerism whenever she saw him.
Alas stood up straight and faced her. He shook his head in disbelief. "Well, call me Boss, Yna Maria Cortes."
Yna turned her back on him, pretending not to hear. "You know who I am, right? So there's no need for me to introduce myself."
"I don't care who you are. If you have nothing to say, then please leave me alone."
He laughed loudly, causing her to face him again. She felt insulted by his laughter.
"Why are you laughing? Are you really that happy?" she raised an eyebrow at him. She just couldn't bring herself to be serious in front of this man.
"Well, you still act like a child. By the way, whether you care or not, I am Alas Gabriel Dela Merzcid, your Boss. So show me some respect. If you don't want to, don't wait for me to do something to make you obey. I don't want to threaten you, but I need you to be respectful."
"I don't care. If you were Janus, then maybe I would bear with you. I would respect you. Okay?"
He was stunned by what she said. He let out a heavy breath to control the anger rising in his chest. Why did Yna have to keep looking for that worthless man? And why did she have to compare him to anyone else? He was better than everyone else. "Don't you ever mention that name again in front of me... I am so disgusted!"
He had lost his patience with her, so he just went back to his desk. He sat on his swivel chair and closed his eyes to calm down. He would surely go crazy if she continued acting like this. No wonder her father couldn't control her; she was incredibly stubborn.
He didn't want to scold or hurt the woman he had longed to see again. He couldn't do anything foolish to this stubborn creature in front of him. He still valued their past friendship.
But she truly didn't remember him anymore. The joy and excitement he felt at seeing her vanished. Instead of hugging him tightly like old friends reuniting, her very first actions gave him a headache.
"I won't allow you to stay like this, Yna. I will do my best to change you," he muttered as he opened his eyes. He looked at her, doing nothing but resting her chin on her hands and staring into space. She didn't even have the initiative to move or read the booklets he gave her.
"I want the old Yna I knew back," he whispered, shaking his head. He busied himself with the pile of documents on his desk. It was better than getting upset because of her.