"It's nice to meet you, Sir Allen. I'm Andrew Garcia, your new secretary."
Andrew's heart drummed as he greeted his new boss. He stood by the doorway, cowering, as snoopy co-workers zipped behind him to steal glances of the new unfortunate secretary. His cheeks felt hot as he felt conscious of the baggy suit he wore and the way he chewed on his lower lip.
Sir Allen sat behind his desk and eyed Andrew from head to toe with piercing eyes. He laid back in his seat and heaved out a sigh.
"I requested for a secretary that was different," he drawled. "Different from those peppy honor-roll graduates from business schools that couldn't stomach doing secretarial work for their first job. I need someone who can keep up with my team composed of senior more players in this industry. I told them I needed someone different. Is that you?"
As far as Andrew knew they were only two years apart, but they couldn't be more different from each other. Andrew didn't have a sliver of knowledge about the corporate world. He didn't even know how to use a spreadsheet.
Andrew uttered three words that would permanently change his life forever.
"Yes, I am," he said like the fool he was.
"You graduated with a Hotel Management Degree. You already have a clear disadvantage, what can you bring to the table?"
"What's more important to you? Someone who knows their way on a spreadsheet or someone who can cater to your needs while mustering up a smile?"
The man leaned back on his seat. A pleased smirk on his face. "The latter."
"Then there you go." Andrew flashed a professional smile. "Smiling in the face of adversity is the greatest asset of a hotelier."
The two held each other's gazes. There was power and ambition in the other man's eyes. Andrew's knees threatened to buckle but he held out. He needed this job, so he refused the urge to run away from this unfamiliar corporate world.
"You're hired."
Andrew's heart jumped with happiness. Now, if he could just keep this job for a year or two he would be all set. He knew nothing about working in an office, and his dirty mouth wouldn't help at all, but he has to do his best. Just fake it.