The next day, a petite lady holding a black large tote bag went to the Tan Corporation. She went straight to the receptionist's desk but the two receptionists were busy - one is on the phone and the other is helping another. She took a sit in the lobby and waited. She looked around and she can't help but be impressed. Tan Corporation lives up to its name.
According to her research, the building has 100 floors and is one of the tallest privately owned buildings. Seeing the extravagance displayed, she can't help but feel small. The concrete, steel and wood elements are prevalent. Modern yet luxurious fixtures are a sight to see. Two modern C-shaped grey couches were facing each other and in between is a large round coffee table with a wooden base and a clear resin top that has a blue tint in the middle. For a pop of colour, the couches were decorated with mustard yellow, navy blue and white pillows with geometric patterns. There are also individual chairs paired with side tables to maximize the seating space and avoid dead spaces. To balance the whole aesthetic, there are living plants scattered around the lobby. Modern chandeliers are hanging from the tall ceiling. The floor-to-ceiling windows bring in more natural light. Art pieces dotted the walls and scattered tastefully in some places. Even the receptionist's clothes seem to work with the whole aesthetic of the building. They are wearing a navy blue uniform with golden buttons that seems high quality - might be branded. Everything is just unbelievably posh in a subtle way.
Speaking of receptionists, one of them is already free. She stood up from the comfortable mustard yellow single chair that she was seated. She proceeded to approach the receptionist's desk.
"Good morning. I'm sorry for the wait. How can I help you?" A cute, 20-something receptionist greeted Maya.
"Good morning too. No, it's ok. I didn't wait that long. I'm here to drop off my model's portfolio for your company's new campaign. Mr. Rod - the president's secretary, is expecting it." The petite lady tried to be as clear as possible. She doesn't want to be mistaken as some woman chasing their president, or any of their higher-ups. Well, at least what receptionists usually do in some dramas or movies.
"Oh, are you Ms. Maya from the New Face Modelling Agency?" The receptionist asks for confirmation.
"Yes, I am. Here is my model's portfolio." Maya reached a folder from her large black work tote bag and gave it to the receptionist.
"We were already informed about you by Secretary Rod. Do you want to give it to him personally, or just let us give it to him?"
"Oh no. I don't want to bother him. Besides, I don't have an appointment to meet with him. If you could just give this to him, that would be awesome."
"Gladly." The smiling receptionist received the folder.
"Thanks. You have a good day." Maya smiled.
"Your welcome Ms. Maya. You have a good day too. I will guarantee that this will reach Secretary Rod's hand personally."
"That is great. Thanks again."
Maya walked out of the company with a sigh of relief. The receptionist seems reliable. As expected of Tan Corporation, they only hire the best of the best. Hopefully, the higher-ups will give her charge a chance to audition. She must admit that what they did is not the proper procedure. They shouldn't have directly been emailing the President's secretary with this type of thing, but... they were.. for the lack of a better word - desperate. They heard about the audition from someone their agency's president knows and took a chance to be bold and forward with their approach. Thankfully, it paid off and got themselves a few steps closer to possibly clinching the campaign.
At the president's secretary area, a phone rang. It is from the lobby. Rod answered it promptly.
"Hello, Secretary Rod. Ms. Maya from New Face Modelling Agency just dropped off a portfolio." The receptionist who helped Maya informed Rod.
"Ok. Bring it up. Thanks." Rod promptly gave an instruction. He was hoping that the manager will give the portfolio herself to him. He wanted to see what a gutsy person like her looks like. Now, it seems like she wasn't that gutsy at all.
A few minutes later, he received a black folder. He took it and knocked on the president's office door. It opened immediately and the president's handsome face bathed in sunlight greeted him. He has an angular face and black as night silky hair. Although his brows are knitted, it didn't diminish his appeal.. instead, it just enhance his charm. No matter how many years he has been serving the president, even for a straight man like him, he can't still get used to being stunned for a second. The president is the Adonis incarnate. Just by sitting there and busy reviewing contracts, he could charm anyone. He couldn't blame the women throwing themselves at him.
"President, Miss Maya from the New Face Modelling Agency just dropped off their model's portfolio. Do you want me to make a copy and give it to the marketing team for review?"
"Go ahead. Do tell them to give me a definite answer by tomorrow if they wanted her to be included in the audition, and I will also give my decision by tomorrow."
"Ok. I'll just make a quick copy and will give you the original back."
"Mm." Angelo hummed in response as he continue to read folders after folders.
Rod exited the president's office and went directly to the copy machine. After being done, he left the copy on his desk and headed back inside Angelo's office after knocking.
"President, here it is." Rod placed the folder on the president's desk.
"Thanks. Do I have meetings or appointments before 2:30 p.m today?"
"You do have a lunch appointment with your mother. Your 2:30 meeting with Mr. Alvarez is cancelled because his wife just went into labour at 4 a.m. He apologized for cancelling the meeting and asked for rescheduling."
"Tell him not to worry about it and we will reschedule it with him. Do inform me when their baby is born, so that I could congratulate him. Also, prepare a gift."
"Ok, do you want the gift delivered straight to the hospital? Or do you want it delivered here, for you to give it to them personally?"
"Deliver it here. Since we have a free schedule today, we will visit them at the hospital the moment the baby is born."
"Ok."
Lunchtime at Clover, an elegant middle-aged lady just arrived.
"Your late mother." A not-so-pleased Angelo told his mother.
"Hello to you too. So that's the first thing you say to your mother?" His mother sat down and looked at him.
"You are late. What if I wasn't the one you are meeting today?" Angelo with his usual 'facial paralysis' asked his mother calmly with an underlying meaning.
"Yes, I know. That doesn't matter since you are my son, and I am your mother. I will only be late with my family." His mom domineeringly declared.
"Good to hear that." The sarcasm in Angelo's tone is heard by his mother.
"Hmmm?" His mother raised her eyebrows and stared at Angelo's eyes.
"Since someone decided to be fashionably late, I have already ordered food to save some time." Speaking of food, a cart full of food is pushed into their private room.
"Rod, how are you? You are getting buffer lately." Angelo's mother chose to ignore her son.
"I'm good Ms. Tan. I am undergoing some strength training, so I can help with the president's security. I might say, madam, you just don't age. You look younger than your age." Said the glib-tongued secretary.
"Oh Rod, you just know what I wanted to hear. Not someone who is like a piece of a block of wood." Angelo's mother is pleased with his son's secretary. "I heard Tim's wife is still in labour."
"Yes. It has been 8 hours since his wife went into labour." Rod confirmed.
"That is too long." Angelo expressed his bewilderment.
"Well, it is normal to have long hours of labour. Just so you know, it took me close to 12 hours to give birth to you. During my labour with you, I thought I was going to die. It was painful and exhausting, but I pushed through with it because I wanted to see my son. The first time I laid my eyes on you, I cried...I thought 'wow, what an ugly baby.' You were wrinkly like an old person back then. Your dad bawled too."
Seeing her son's disbelieving look, "he did shed some tears, albeit not so obvious to others... but to me it is. I thought he was scared of your face because he turned stiff and all of a sudden he shed some tears... in which he doesn't normally do." Angelo's mom reminisced that moment with a bit of an exaggeration. "I even thought, that you can't probably be our son. With our looks, we couldn't have such an ugly son. Right Rod?"
Rod who was just listening was caught off guard. He was having fun listening to the mother and son bantering, but a curve ball was thrown at him so suddenly. "Uh.." Rod looked at the president asking for help.
"Mom let's eat before the food turns cold." Angelo gave his mom a pointed look and intermittently saved his Secretary.
"Oh. I'll let you two off... for now." His mom heeded and started eating.
Rod sighed with relief. In his mind, he was thanking the president for saving him. He got to give it to the president's mom though...for calling his handsome son ugly. She even doubted if the president is her bloodline to whom she had just given birth. A mother's critique towards their own child's physical appearance shouldn't be this harsh, right? She is really one heck of a woman.