The Truth Is Not True (Major Editing)

Chapter 3 - Her fave

Jhoanna's POV:

I had just stepped into the office when I dumped a task onto my secretary, mostly to get her out of my way. I had an important meeting to attend, and I didn't have the patience for her today.

The meeting was supposed to happen during lunch, but I moved it earlier. I needed to go home. My parents and my Lola invited me to have lunch at our house, and they come first, always. That meant the meeting had to be finished today, no excuses.

I even canceled all my afternoon appointments. Partly because I wanted more time with my family, and partly because the tech department had once again proven how incompetent they were.

My name is Jhoanna Christine Burgos Robles. I'm twenty-two years old, and I'm the youngest CEO in the Philippines. I just graduated, and I've been running the company my parents handed down to me for almost eight months now.

Yes, I know what you're thinking, I'm too young. But I was accelerated. While I was still studying, I was already learning how the company worked. I refused to let my parents' hard work go to waste. That's why I run things the way I do.

I don't tolerate mistakes. There's no space for mediocrity in my world. I can't afford to be kind, kindness gets abused. I can't afford to be generous, generosity invites betrayal. And weakness? That's a luxury I'll never survive with.

By three in the afternoon, I was already in the company car, heading back to the office. I needed to review the letters myself. One look at my secretary's face earlier told me everything, I couldn't trust her.

Thinking about her made my jaw tighten. Out of the sixty-five secretaries I've had, she's the only one who acts like she owns the place. Too confident. Too bold. Too shameless.

All because she has connections with my Lola.

She's lucky—very lucky. Aside from having Lola on her side, I've been too busy to pay attention to her attitude. But not for long.

Humanda ka talaga, Nicolette. I'll make sure you're out of my company as soon as possible.

When I arrived back at the office, I went straight to my desk. Everything I had assigned to my secretary was already laid out neatly in front of me, as if waiting for inspection.

"Did you finish everything I ordered you?" I asked without looking up, already scanning each letter for errors I could call out.

Colet: "Yes, Boss!" She confidently stated. Kainis, wala akong mahanap na mali.

"Bring these letters kay Alexa at bumalik ka agad dito." I ordered her and she took them without a word and left.

Once she was gone, I focused on my schedule and the latest updates on the company's performance. A few minutes later, she returned, a thin stack of papers in her hand.

Colet: "Boss, pinamimigay ho ng accounting department. Need niyo daw pong pirmahan." She said, placing the papers on my desk.

"Inuutusan mo ba ako?" Raising my eyebrow at her. "I will sign these papers whenever I want dahil ako ang nasusunod sa kumpanyang ito. Sa ating dalawa, ako ang boss kaya 'wag kang feeling kung makapag-utos!" She really gets on my nerves. Just her presence is enough to irritate me—her face, her voice, even her scent. And what makes it worse is that she actually smells nice. I really hate her!

Colet: "Bakit parang kasalanan ko? Inulit ko lang naman pinauutos ng Accounting department. Dami agad ebas eh." I heard her murmured. The guts of this girl!

"What did you just say?!" Jho, kalma. Hindi niya deserve ang oras mo.

Colet: "Ang sabi ko ho, ikaw ho ang boss, ang CEO, ang kataas-taasan, iginagalang, at katipun- at may kapangyarihan po kaya dapat hindi po kayo inuutusan po, opo. Hehe balik na po ako doon, 'di ko po kayo minamadali, wala pong expiration date yung papers." I let her say whatever she wanted. There was no point in engaging. If I did, she'd only talk back anyway.  Magka-oras lang talaga ako, lagot ka sa akin.