RADDIX FAJARDO.
“DO you really want to interview the applicants alone?” Rafael, ang kanyang secretary ay nakasunod lamang sa kanya habang tinatahak nila ang daan papuntang elevator. Ngayon kasi gaganapin ang interview and it will be held in the sixteenth floor where the interview room is located.
“Why? Do I look unsure?” he questioned in a deadpan manner, looking straight on his way while fixing the cufflink on the left sleeve of his suit.
Napatikhim ang secretary nito dahil sa pabalik nitong tanong. “N-No, of course not. But I just want to clarify if you’re really sure.”
“Yes. I want to find a consistent employee. A person who isn’t just good at first,” he replied professionally. His voice is deep as usual.
Rafael then nodded. “I see. But please, make sure na aayusin mo ang attitude mo doon,” he reminded causing Raddix to stop walking and sternly shift his gaze at his secretary. Muntikan pang mabunggo ng sekretaryo ang boss nito dahil sa biglang paghinto. 
“Are you commanding me?” he asked with a threat in his voice, brows were arched.
Bahagyang umiling si Rafael. “No. I’m just reminding you,” kalmado lang nitong sagot.
Arrogant, short-tempered, and time-conscious. That’s what the employees see their chief-executive-officer, Raddix Fajardo. He is fond of yelling and scolding his employees for their small mistakes dahil naniniwala ito na malaki man o maliit ang pagkakamali nilang nagawa, they deserve to be scolded for them not to do it again. And aside from being short-tempered, they also hate him for not responding to their greetings and sometimes questions. Arrogant, indeed. Kahit kaunting ngiti lang sana ang nais nila galing sa kanya o pagtango lang ay hindi nito magawa. He also wants to finish their tasks in instant. Lalo na kapag malapit na ang mga deadlines at masyado silang madaming gagawin, he wants his employees to work overtime and if one doesn’t want to do so, it’s always overtime or resign. 
Inirapan nito ang sekretaryo saka nagpatuloy na ulit sa paglalakad. “I know what I’m doing, Rafael. You don’t need to always remind me. Besides, I’m your boss and you’re just my employee.” He even emphasized the last word.
“I’m not merely your employee. I’m your secretary and it’s my duty to remind you always,” paliwanag ni Rafael.
“For how I will behave? As far as I know you’re not my parents. Unless my father asked you to do that,” turan nito.
Tumango si Rafael. “Mismo, and I’m just doing what he asked me to do,” sagot nito.
“And who’s your boss again?” Raddix stopped once again to glare at his secretary and there, Rafael bumped into him because of his sudden stop. “Is it my father?”
Rafael shook his head hesitantly. “I-Ikaw, but he is your father so I sh—” Rafael was cut off.
“Then just remain silent and just speak when I told you to do so,” he ordered in an austere manner and then continued to walk.
Tumango ang secretary at hindi na muling nagsalita pa. Nasanay na ito sa ugali ng kanyang boss dahil tatlong taon na rin siyang nagta-trabaho dito. Though, anim na taon siyang nagtatrabaho sa kumpanya dahil siya rin ang secretary ng daddy ni Raddix noon kaya kahit anong utos sa kanya ng ama ng binata ay hindi ito nakakatanggi.
And when Raddix turned twenty, his father gave up his position for him and that was how he got Rafael as his secretary now. Mas mabuti na rin iyon tulad ng sabi ng kanyang ama dahil mas maalam na ang sekretaryo tungkol sa kumpanya. They no longer need to hire another one and train.
Raddix studied college in New York with a business course kaya bihasa na ito at kaya nang magpatakbo ng kumpanya at his young age. He actually doesn’t want to take that course but his father is just authoritative that he has no choice but to take it. 
“Huwag mo naman akong hilain. Saglit lang. Hindi ako masyadong makalakad.”
A familiar voice suddenly caught his attention which caused him to stopped walking unconsciously and turned his gaze to the direction where the voice came from.
“What’s the matter?” Rafael asked, puckering his brows due to confusion. Lumingon-lingon pa ito na tila hinahanap ang kung sino.
“Did you heard that?” Inilibot ni Raddix ang paningin sa buong corridor sakaling mahanap ang nagsalita.
“Ang alin?”
“The woman who just spoke,” tipid nitong sagot, still wandering her eyes around. The voice he heard seemed familiar to him. A one that he never heard for a long time and wanting to hear again even though he knows that it will cause him pain and anger.
“Ah, that two girls who just turned at the left corner?” Bahagyang itinaas ni Rafael ang kilay.
“What are they wearing?” walang pag-aalinlangan na tanong ng binata.
“I don’t know. Bakit ba?” tanong ni Rafael, puno ng pagtataka ang mukha dahil sa inaasta ng kanyang amo.
Napasinghap si Raddix saka madiing ipinikit saglit ang mga mata. “Just tell me what they are wearing!” Napalakas ang boses nito kaya namilog ang mga mata ni Rafael sa gulat. He started wondering what’d just happened to his boss.
“I-I don’t know. I haven’t seen their clothes,” nauutal na sagot ng sekretaryo.
“Tsk. What did I expected,” sarkastikong turan ni Raddix. “Nevermind. Let’s just hurry,” dagdag pa nito kaya naglakad na sila ulit at lumiko rin sa kaliwang daan para sumakay ng elevator.
Everyone is greeting them as they arrived at the sixteenth floor but as expected, only Rafael smiles back to the employees. Kailan pa nga ba bumati o ngumiti pabalik sa kanila si Raddix?
Dinatnan ng dalawa ang mga aplikante na abalang nag-uusap-usap and when they saw them making their way towards them, agad silang tumayo at inayos ang sarili bago binati ang dalawa. “Good morning, sir!” they greeted in chorus.
Rafael nodded and smiled at them, whereas, Raddix just ignored them and scanned the applicants instead, one by one as if he is looking for someone. Kahit man gano’n na arogante ang inasta ng CEO ay tila kinikilig parin ang ibang aplikante dahil sa linis at ayos ng hitsura nito. He is indeed charismatic that people can instantly turn their heads towards him and admire him, setting aside his red flags.
Nang hindi niya nahanap sa kanila ang hinahanap ay pumasok na ito sa loob ng silid. Ms. Javier ushered him to his seat and as soon as he seated, he instantly loosened his necktie an unbutton his collar.
“Ano bang ginagawa mo? Are you going to face the applicants with that messy look?” tila pangangaral na tanong ni Rafael sa boss. Nakatayo ito sa likod ng binata at tila naging isang body guard.
Hindi iyon pinansin ni Raddix sa halip ay agad na kinuha ang tatlong resumé saka binuklat ang mga iyon upang makapagsimula na sila.
“I think we will squander our time on this interview again. Can we really find a consistent one from these?” he asked haughtily as he continuously flipping through the pages of the three resumés. He is indeed fussy when it comes to hiring an employee. And who wouldn’t be? Sino nga ba ang kukuha ng tao na hindi magaling at consistent? It is for the sake of his company that is why no one can blame him.
Habang tinitignan niya ang mga resumé ng tatlong aplikante ay bigla nalang itong napahinto sa isa.
Maude Reine Valera. Napakunot-noo ito at nanatiling nakatitig sa papel. His eyes hardened and narrowed into slit as he stares intensely at the resumé. “So, it’s really her,” bulong nito sa sarili.
Mahina ang pagkakasabi ng binata doon pero narinig parin iyon ng secretary niya kaya ikiniling niyon kaunti ang ulo upang tignan din ang papel na kanina pa tinititigan ni Raddix. “Ang alin, sir? Who’s here?” tsismoso nitong tanong pero hindi umimik ang boss.
Napabuntong-hininga ang sekretaryo. “What did I expected,” he whispered, imitating the CEO on how he say those words earlier. Hindi na kasi mabilang ang mga pagkakataon na iniignora ito ng boss.
Ilang minutong nakatitig si Raddix sa resume kaya muling nagsalita si Rafael. “Sir? Hindi pa ba tayo magsisimula? I think staring at that resumé is a waste of time. As what you said, ayaw mo nang nasasayang ang oras mo. Is there something wrong with her resumé?” mahaba nitong litanya pero tulad ng inaasahan niya ay dinedma ulit siya nito.
Walang ibang pagpipilian ang sekretaryo kun‘di ang tapikin ang balikat ng CEO. Ilang minuto na rin kasi ang nakalipas mula nang pumasok sila ng interview room kaya madaming oras na ang nasayang at kapag hindi na naman natapos sa tamang oras ang interview ay sila lang rin naman ang papagalitan niya.
“Sir,” muling usal ni Rafael pagkatapik ng balikat ni Raddix. He finally regained his sense afterwards.
He let out a deep sigh before answering, “Let’s start. Call the first three applicants now.”
Agad na sumilip sa labas si Ms. Javier, the manager of human resources department, to call the first three applicants. Just after a seconds, the door finally opened and the three applicants entered.
As Raddix lifted his head to look at them, napahinto ito nang makita si Maude. Sinipat niya iyon mula ulo hanggang paa saka biglang umismir saktong tumingin din sa kanya ang dalaga.
“She didn’t even change,” he sniggered. “It’s been a while.”