Empire

The Law Firm

Ashton was 15 minutes late to his first day of his training. Running a Law Firm is not easy most especially Herrera Law Firm is a big Firm. It was his first time going in the main company. His office was located at the branch near Maharlika.

Ashton entered a familiar black door at the 14th floor of the Herrera building. Inside the room, there sat Celeste with her glasses on.

Celeste looks young at her age, 48. Signs of old age isn't seen on her face. She's still flawless than ever. Some people don't believe her having a 25-year-old son.

"You're late, Ashton." She remarked at the tall man.

Ashton was a carbon copy of Clifford but his smartness, wittiness and attitude was Celeste's.

"I'm sorry, mom." The old woman just smiled at him.

"Well, your first day is just easy. You'll meet the people you are working with." Celeste stood up and opened the door.

She signed Ashton to followed her. They entered the elevator.

"You'll meet the heads of each department. The board members and even the custodians. I want you to know every part of this Law Firm." She said with a smile before exiting the elevator.

"This is the first floor. As you can see, this is merely a lobby, cafeteria and some of the employees of the Lacsarrera Empire." Celeste.

"Just ask questions if you want. Follow me." Ashton obediently followed his mother who entered a room.

It was a wide room. On the left side was a kitchen set with complete equipment. On the right side was just cubicles with decent beds and lockers.

"This is the Custodian's Area. They rest here, eat here and even live here." Celeste explained.

"Janitors and Extra Staffs are still part of the Firm. They are keeping the building function and clean. You must know them." Ashton was amused at how the Area looks like.

It looks like a sort of a hotel but with more beds and a decent place to live on. The place didn't look like a Janitor's area.

"Celeste, bakit ka andito, anak?" An old woman entered the room. She was wearing a blue overall with white t-shirt inside.

"Nay Pasing!" Celeste hugged the old woman.

"Jusko, Celeste. Pawis ako baka mamaya madumihan ka, tong batang to talaga." Nay Pasing whined that made the two chuckled.

"Ashton," Celeste called. "This is Nay Pasing. She is the oldest staff here in the firm and she is the Head of the Custodians." She spoke.

"Ashton Lacsamana, po." Ashton said before getting the old woman's hand and touching his forehead with it.

"Aba, ito na ba iyong bata na tumatakbo lang dati sa may bulwagan ng Mansion, Celeste?" The woman asked. Celeste nodded at the woman.

"Nako, anak. Ang laki mo na. Alala ko pa dati dadalhin ka ni Clifford dito para iwan ka kay Celeste." She smiled while telling the story.

They talked for a little while before proceeding for the 4th floor.

"The 2nd and 3rd are the offices of the Marketing and Finance groups. The office of the 2 heads is on the 4th. You can visit those floors later." They again exited the elevator.

A woman in an office attire and a man on jeans welcomed them to the floor. Ashton frowned looking at the man on jeans. This isn't the right uniform.

"What did I say about uniforms, Castaneda?" Celeste raised his eyebrows on the Castaneda but the man just widely smiled at her.

"Grin Castaneda." He stretched his arms on Ashton which he received.

"Ashton Lacsamana." The man just smiled at him.

"That is Grin, the head of the Marketing group. And this is Thea Alvarez, head of the Finance." Celeste explained.

The woman just nodded at him that made him secretly smile. I know she knows.

"This is Ashton Lacsamana. He'll be your next CEO." Celeste.

Their next stop was the 8th floor where the Sales and Production Heads are.

There he met Sarmiento Muhlach, Head of the Sales and Trinidad Regal for Production.

The 9th to 13th floors is the offices of the Big Lawyers under the Herrera Law Firm. Celeste didn't bother introducing the almost hundred lawyers in the main branch.

They arrived at the Conference room where 12 board members came to him and shake their hands with him. Big names are the board members of a big Firm.

Juliana Saavedra caught his eyes, not in a romantic way but in a dangerous way. Saavedra are known for being snakes in this kind of industry. He didn't know what Juliana is doing inside the room and breathing the same air as him.

"Shocked to see me, Lacsamana?" She sarcastically said.

"Not really. People like you wants to cling themselves in the richest of others. You are not called Snakes for nothing, Saavedra." He said that made the woman's blood boil. Juliana turned her back to Ashton and made her way out, that stunt made Ashton smirked.

Juliana an Ashton were enemies since pre-law in UP. Ashton ranks number 1 in their batch while Juliana ranks number 2. Never did Juliana made it to top 1 because Ashton stayed in place until their graduation.

Juliana looked down to Ashton when she passed the Bar Exam as Topnotcher while Ashton's name wasn't in it. Little did Juliana knew that Ashton excelled on his class that made him take the Exam a year before Juliana did.

Ashton graduated in Harvard University while Juliana stayed in the Philippines. Juliana did her best to take down Ashton but Ashton was too hard and witty to be take down easily. The reason why she is mad at Ashton.

'You can't take the Empire down, Saavedra. Do your best if you want to do it. Snake.' Ashton was smiling ear to ear while looking at the door where Saavedra exited.