That Girl On a Motorcycle

S i x

Maude wanted to scratch his eyes out and maybe bitch slap him to Mars and back, but instead, she entered his office with a smile of an angel.

The room was beautifully furnished, airy because of its size - more than half of the whole top floor. It had giant glass windows overlooking the upper Makati district, and mahogany shelves lining the other wall, filled with hardbound books about economics and business.

To soften the mood, there were yellow lamps on the side tables, indoor plants and a soft brown woven carpet from India. Just outside his door was the receiving area for the visitors and her reception table since she is his acting secretary. Beyond that area were the pantry room and then the elevators.

Basically, in this floor, there were only the two of them.

Maybe she could get away with murder after all.

She placed the requested cup of caffeine on his desk and stepped away, giving him a distance safe enough if she ever decided to launch a shoe missile. She had been working for him for three days, and so far, his attitude had only worsened. He had a knack for embarrassing employees and avoiding his work. The sheets of paper were piled like mini mountains on one of the side tables.

One week of this and the company will burn. Seriously.

"Do you need anything else, sir?"

She fervently prayed that he will dismiss her. She would run straight to the elevator, and hope to God she would never return.

Mr. Perez was not an unreasonable man. If she talked some sense into him, he would pull her out from working under this man and send her back to his department. He could not expect her to last under such a lazy pig.

"Ah, yes, of course." Mr. Sebastian was not looking at her when he said this. He appeared to be engrossed with a game on his smartphone, and both of his feet were on top of his desk. "Take your seat, secretary."

He was saying that on purpose, trying to get a rise out of her. She stomped down the urge to throttle him and obeyed him.

He did not move his attention from his phone. "So... how was I?"

She blinked back her surprise. "Excuse me?"

"What is your impression of me?" His brown eyes flickered to her for a moment, and she ignored the memories they evoked. "I will appreciate it if you'll be honest."

Was this some sort of trick question? She narrowed her gaze, trying to figure out his game. If she sugarcoat, he would likely accuse her of lying. She could get her ass fired if she tells him the truth.

Ah, hell.

He wanted honesty? She would give him honesty.

"You are possibly the largest asshole to ever walk the land of the jerks, sir." He froze, like he couldn't believe her words coming out of her mouth. "You have the personality assessment of negative infinity. You have made the worst first impression in the history of Philippine business, or any other industry that I know of. I bet my life savings that every employee in this building is gossiping about your insufferable attitude. I even bet that even the competitors now know your attitude and use you against the company morale, eventually attacking the investor and shareholder trust.

"I will ask Mr. Perez for a transfer as soon as I leave your office. In fact, I think he knows that I will be coming.

"Is that answer enough, sir?"

Maude expected him to burst into an angry fit, to yell profanities at her or at the very least, glower at her like she was a pest under the heel of his shoe.

He stood up.

Uh-oh.

She closed her eyes, trying to make herself small.

But then he started laughing. Laughing like he couldn't believe that she's real. Laughing like there was no tomorrow and he had to let all the bubbles of happiness escape him today.

He sounded like a lunatic.

"Uh, Mr. Sebastian - "

He raised a hand, but he was still laughing. He sat down, and his other hand was pounding the table top. "Ulric. Call me Ulric."

Trying to be chummy, aren't we?

She kept her mouth tightly shut until his laughter had faded to a chuckle.

"I like you, Ms. Zamora," he said with a grin, and for the tiniest moment, she found herself attracted to that grin. "I think I like you."

"I don't like you. " She remembered him as that guy from the party. He was that perverted drunkard she kneed twice in the groin. It was too traumatic to be overlooked.

He nodded, because she knew he knew that was the reality of things. "I'll let you in my secret."

Her brows furrowed. "Secret?"

"Yes. Since you are exceptionally brave. I need someone not only smart in this operation, you know? I have to trust someone, and that person has to have the guts to stay loyal. The best test for that is to know if you can be honest. I must say, you passed with flying colors. You are quite brutally frank, Ms. Zamora."

It took her three seconds to let his words sink in. "You mean, you deliberately did this. You were... acting."

"I still am, until a little while ago."

Her eyes widened in realization. The CEO would not send someone incompetent to overlook the management of the latest investment of his billion-dollar corporation. She had never met the famous Benedict Sebastian, but she had heard a lot about the Iron Clamp of Wall Street. "Since you entered the building, you were acting?"

He shook his head. She noticed that he had two dimples winking under his five o'clock shadow, and as much as she tried to ignore them, her eyes were glued.

"Much earlier, I'm afraid."

He folded his hands in front of him, and suddenly, his whole demeanor changed. He was no longer the horrible, no good boss she met and hated. He looked like a real boss, cloaked with unquestionable authority, his expression equally grave and thoughtful, like he could take on any problem or transaction. He looked... reliable.

"I will keep this short," he said, his tone serious. She immediately straightened like a soldier under an officer's scrutiny. "We have spies inside the Philippine branch. They are hampering the growth and development of the financial banking sector of Ciel's not only here in your country, but in the whole Asia and the Pacific region. The yearend report of 2013 was short of USD $1,000,000,000 from the marketing research output. Further study eventually led to the possibility of inside information leaking out."

Holy macaroons. One billion dollars?! Maude had to keep her mouth from gaping.

"I have been sent here to cause a stir and fish out those spies out. In addition to that, I have to develop a strategy to penetrate the mass market by proposing a project to the board after analyzing the segmentation, positioning and targeting of our company versus the rest of the industry.

"I have been acting shamelessly so that the enemies will lower their guards and move carelessly, since they'll take me for a bum and a fool. It's your job to collect information. This is how you will help me.

"Also, this is top secret information. I will no longer bother you with a contract. I think I can trust you."

Maude was speechless. As her brain processed this onslaught of new, surprising information, he handed her a folder.

"My CV. You can check my credentials, if you are ever doubtful I can pull something as reckless as this off. You may take the rest of the day off, and take the folder with you. Goodbye, Ms. Zamora."

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