After feeding her eyes to the brim on the architectural design of the company, impressed by the unique style it was built, one of the ways of selling one's skill as a construction company is showcasing the architectural design and uniqueness of your firm, Vanessa was impressed. With her keen eyes and appreciation for a good structure, she observed the building as she went in.
She admired the texture, layout and colour scheme of the exterior and interior, she didn't just appreciate with her eyes, she loved feeling it as well. Ignoring the curious glances as she passed by, she made way to the receptionist.
"I'm Vanessa Sloan, I have an appointment with Roarke Stone" with a polite smile, she informed the receptionist. She imagined how the CEO would look like, pretty much like his brothers, she bet.
The Stones are common topic in the engineering world, since two of the five brothers are engineers from her Alma Mater. Although they were some years ahead of her, but once, she had been among the audience who listened to Ronald Stone when he was invited for a talk by the faculty.
It was a phenomenal day because the ladies wouldn't stop hooting and whistling while the men were in awe and full of admiration, the next is when they had exchange correspondence on contracting her to spearhead one of the largest project she had ever embarked on. Unfortunately for her, when Roarke was invited she was out on the field assisting her professor, so she wasn't able to get a glimpse of him. Besides, she didn't think he's the media type which explained why he didn't appear on the media unlike some of his brothers.
She knew of the five Stone brothers with a cleft, their reputation precedes them, they are the rich playboys with looks and reputation, well not all of them though, and how each brother has division he manages. The little she knew about her new boss is that he's a polite man and has a daughter, he's the private type.
She had already stated her conditions about the project to Ronald but needs to meet Roarke to finalise everything.
"You can go in" she heard the assistant mentioned, she gave a quick nod and thanked her. Vanessa lightly knocked on the door and stepped in.
Roarke who had been looking forward to meeting the competent Vanessa Sloan looked up. He had gone through her profile, seen her contribution and assistance with renowned engineers in the country, her dedication and achievements had been seen and read in the engineering journal. She seemed like a serious and hardworking person who is capable of executing the plan.
You've got to be kidding me!
Roarke was dumbfounded, seeing the pervert from earlier in his office, this can't definitely be the Vannesa Sloan he had been waiting for, could she?
He stared at the golden maned woman, striding towards him with a polite smile on her face.
"I'm Vanessa Sloan" she stretched her hand, plastering a smile on her face. Roarke mood literarily turned cold, he detest that the woman face didn't show remorse for the shameful act that she displayed at the cafe. She couldn't have thought that he didn't catch her ogling, could she?
He briskly shook her hand, feeling irritated that she kept smiling like she hadn't almost swallow him whole moments ago.
He was having a hard time picturing this woman as the Vanessa Sloan he was expecting. Her long manicured hands didnt look like something that could bear the hard heat on site. She looks so young to even be an engineer with that many experiences and accomplishments.
Roarke went straight to the point immediately when Vannesa sat down, not caring to prolong pleasantries. Not even after what he witnessed at the cafe.
"I understand you have some conditions you want us to meet before signing the contract" he asked curtly, "Care to explain the reason behind your condition?" Curious to hear it directly from her even though he had been informed.
Internally, Vanessa was in turmoil when she discovered that her 10/10 guy was actually her boss, screw me! So it was my boss I was gawking at, at the cafe?
To calm her nerves, she paste a pleasant smile on her face, Tori would have a field day when she hears it.
Not appreciating the condescending tone he used to ask the question she knew he was aware of, because Ronald had told her in his previous mail that he knew, she gave a mental shrug and spoke anyway, "I would like to handpick my team members myself"
"Why? All our employees are capable and competent, I don't think it's necessary"
"I'm not doubting your employees or your capabilities of hiring competent workers, I'll just like to choose people who are more open minded and professional. From my experience, I found out that being competent is not the same as being professional"
Roarke scoff, this double faced woman who was stripping men with her eyes is talking about professionalism!
"Care to enlighten me further on this professionalism over competency which you've garnered from experience?" He mocked, not caring to hide his mockery
Trying to hide her irritation which had started to brew with the tone Roarke was using to converse,
"some people find it difficult to put gender aside and follow order coming from a woman. It usually sets a draw back in the project if there's no smooth and cordial relationship between the team lead and the members, the efficiency of the project might suffer"
She calmly explained, suppressing the anger she felt when she caught his mockery glance.
She added, "being in a male dominated industry and surrounded by chauvinistic male who can't take order from the opposite gender, I would like to bypass the ugly encounter that might occur due to that and handpick those that I think would be focused and give unbiased opinions, irrespective of the teamlead's gender".
Roarke was no fool, he was aware of how tough it is for female to survive and compete with their male counterparts in a sector full of males. He was impressed by her logical thought and how far she had gone on the accomplishment ladder, being a young and attractive female. But that still didn't erase the fact that she wasn't any better than those people who looked at female any less, she's also guilty of viewing men as sexual objects.
"And how do you intend to do that?" With a curious gaze direct to her.
"I'll know who I want on my team at the first presentation of the project"
"Speaking about professionalism, how would you handle a team member who stared sexually at other team member or a team leader who kept harassing their members sexually, isn't that unprofessional?" He spoke with disgust, looking directly at her.
Vannesa knew right there that Roarke caught her ogling him at the cafe, her eyes widen, "I believe that's the job of the H.R" she deadpanned.
"So, should I report you to the H.R?"
Vanessa was lost for words and angry at the same time, "first of, I wouldn't go so far as call it harassment, it was an admiration, an act which isn't illegal the last time I checked, besides, it happened at the cafe, not in the company and we don't have any affiliation yet, if I may add" she responded with a clenched teeth.
"So, stripping me naked with your eyes isn't harassment but admiration?" Roarke incredulously asked.
"No, it isn't. Trust me, if I had known you were my boss, I wouldn't have done that because I would maintain professionalism"
Feeling more infuriated, "shouldn't it occur to you that I could be anyone from the company, seeing that the cafe is close by and many people from the company might patronise them?" Roarke shook his head in disbelief.
"I'm finding it difficult to believe that you're really the Vannesa Sloan we had been expecting. You've shown nothing so far of being professional. Gawking at men without an iota of shame made me doubt if you're really capable of doing what we expected from you!" With anger dripping from his voice.
Vanessa had never witnessed this kind of outburst from anybody in her life before, one would think she committed murder and she wanted to scream and punch this son of a bitch for questioning her competence.
Feeling hurt and wanting to put this arrogant bastard in his place, she reigned in her temper, she breathed out to dissipate the fury she felt, "I'm sure I'm not that first woman who appreciates men and won't be the last. Men admire women and women do the same. Your ridiculous anger towards what I did was what I don't understand." Feeling the need to clobber him with the golf stick adjacent the table.
She narrowed her eyes and shot him a deadly glare, "and I won't sit by and allow you insult me and question my qualification like a fool. If you're no longer in need of my service, let me know and stop this absurd accusations!"