Chapter 3: The Rivals

"Rise and shine! Rise and shine! Rise and shine!"

Early in the morning, Bela was awaked by her alarm clock. Her alarm clock is unique, instead of hearing a ring, it has a voice repeating rise and shine.

Her work starts at nine o'clock but she decided to make it earlier. Also, Jacob's Group is only opposite to her condo. She did not go home because her Dad might see her there and her plan would be ruined.

She was just entering the company when a car pulled up in front of her. From there, a familiar-faced came out. She looks at the man and realized that this is the guy yesterday, the one who bumps at her. The man walks towards and approached her. She greeted the man immediately because she already know that this man is the cousin of Daryl Jacob who happened to be the COO of Jacob's Group.

"Miss..?" The man called her looking towards her identification card. It's just that, the man doesn't know her name. "Miss Isidro, can we have a moment, please?" She was surprised because she didn't expect this. But because she still had a long time, she just agreed.

They are now in a coffee shop inside the company.

"Sorry about yesterday Sir," Bela started. "I shouldn't act like that," she added.

"Oh, it's okay," the man replied.

"What's the matter Sir, do you need anything from me?" she said politely.

"Yes, I have some favor for you," the man said. "I know that you have just started from your work yesterday and you don't really know me that much." The man paused. "But can you be my date in my birthday celebration?" She was stunned by what the man said. And for a moment, she sniffed.

"Birthday celebration? Why me Sir? And date?" she asked one after another. She wondered why she, all of the girls who were better than her.

"Because I like you," the man frankly said that made her sip the coffee in front of her.

"Are you kidding Sir?" Her looks sends him the face of disbelief.

"No, I'm serious," the man said. Based on his tone, he's really serious about what he said.

"But Sir, don't you have a girlfriend?" she asked having the curiosity in mind. That question was too personal but that was what she was going to say.

"I don't have, that's why I'm here asking for your favor."

"But I'm not at your level Sir, I know that all your visitors are big time and I'm not one of them.

"You're one of them. My visitors are almost the employees of Jacob's Group." But she was still not convinced. She was worried that someone might get to know her there.

"About the dress that I'm going to wear Sir," she said hesitating.

"No worries, I will provide that," the man immediately replied.

"Really Sir?" She was stunned. "But I still feel shy," she reasoned out.

"Oh I forgot, that's a masquerade celebration so you don't need to be shy." At the same time, the man placed the invitation on the table. She looked at it having a second thought. She doesn't need to accept his offer. And she didn't even know this man completely. She just sighed at whatever decision she would make.

"I'll accept your invitation Sir." Then she took the invitation on the table.

"Can I have your number, so that I can call you."

"Sure."

Since the young man's office is also on the tenth floor, they were accompanied each other. All the employees that they encountered couldn't stop but murmuring about them. One of the reason they've heard was, why she's with the COO instead with the CEO?

Minutes later, Bela reached her boss's office so she said goodbye to the young man. Her boss is already there. She greeted her boss immediately and then she went to her table.

"Are you close with Ranz?" She look at her boss's direction and was stunned by what it said. "I saw both of you in the coffee shop." Her mouth fell open and was dumbfounded of what she heard. But she need to answer those question so she came back to her senses.

"We're not close Sir. We just happened to have a little chat in the shop," she replied.

"Ranz is a player when it comes to girls," her boss said. Suddenly, she felt being accused dating the man she talked a moment ago.

"We're not dating Sir," she defensed. Her boss just stare at her giving the expression of the doubt. Afterwards, her boss turned his gaze in his laptop.

A few moments later, she approached her boss to update it. "Sir, about your schedule today, you have a lunch meeting with Mr. Sison at eleven and three o'clock with Mr. Valle." Her eyes widened. Is that her Dad? Maybe his boss won't include her in his meeting with Mr. Valle.

"Okay," her boss replied while still busy with what he was doing. "Wait, the meeting with Mr. Valle," her boss paused at the moment.

"Sir, do I need to accompany you with your meeting with Mr. Valle?" She just preceded her boss because she was nervous about what would happen when they met her father. Her father did not know that she had returned to the Philippines.

"No, cancel it," her boss said without even looking at her.

"Okay Sir," she immediately replied. It was as if a thorn had been pulled out of her throat. But suddenly, she wonder why her boss wants to cancel the meeting with her father. "May I know the reason Sir, because as far as I know you don't have any meeting with other clients?"

"I already know what he's going to tell me and I'm not interested."

"Oh, you already know Sir?" she said with disbelief. She couldn't help but get annoyed because she already knew what her boss was referring to. And she realized that her boss was not interested about the marriage agreement between them which is supposedly her father and her boss will going to discuss with.

"Yes, why did you asked? Are you interested?" her boss said wanting to know something.

"Of course not Sir," she immediately replied. She was about to go back to her table when she heard the next question of her boss.

"Wait, are you somehow related to Mrs. Amelie Valle?"

She was suddenly statued on the stand. "She knows my mom? Did he already found out that I'm Ysabel Valle?" she said in her mind. She also did not know what to answer so she remained silent. But she suddenly thought of something to say. "I don't think so Sir, I don't even know her," she said hoping to get through with it.

"Oh, is that so. I just thought you were relatives because your surname is similar to her middle name." She fake a laugh when she heard what her boss said. All she know that she's being caught in the act. "What's funny?" her boss said.

"Ah, nothing Sir," she replied having a smile on her lips. Afterwards, she went back to her table.

"Wait, make a coffee for me," her boss said. Afterwards, she went outside the office and goes to the coffee area. She came across a female employee who was also brewing coffee.

"Hi!" she greeted the female employee.

"Hello." The female employee look towards her. "Oh you must be the new CEO's secretary?"

"Yes I am," she answered kindly.

"I'm Sheena Jean, but you can call me SJ, I am the COO's secretary," the female employee said.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Bela Isidro." Then they shake-hands.

"Oh see, you're also going to make a coffee for Mr. Jacob." She nodded.

When she returned to her boss's office, she found him talking to a young man.

"Who is she bro?" the young man with her boss said. By the looks, her boss and the man beside him have a similar features. They seem look-a-like.

He put the coffee on the table in the waiting area where the two were.

"My new secretary," her boss said while looking at her.

"What I mean is her name?" the young man clarified.

"She's Bela Isidro," her boss said.

"Bela!" the young man said having a smile on his lips. "What a nice name!" the young man added without taking off his eyes unto her.

"So, what are you going to do here?" her boss asked the young man beside him.

"Well, Dad ordered me to visit you here, to see what you're doing," the young man said. When she heard the young man said dad, she now realized that this young man is one of her boss's brothers.

"And then?" her boss said wanting to know some answer.

"Looks like he wants me to be the next CEO," the young man said while grinning.

"Sounds good," her boss said.

"Also, he wants me to be your replacement if you don't really agree with your arranged marriage with the daughter of Mr. Valle?"

"What?" Bela shouted. The two looks at her direction. "Oh I'm sorry, I just saw a shocking photos of mine, I didn't mean to interrupt you Sir." She sighed. It's not what she wanted. David is not yet a CEO, how can they strengthen their company if she will going to marry the youngest son of Jacob?

"I thought you have a girlfriend?" her boss said to his brother.

"I broke up with her, I think she's not the one for me," the young man said with a dull face. But suddenly it turns to grin. "Because I've heard that Ysabel Valle is beautiful, so I think she's the one for me," he added still grinning.

"Is that so? Then you can have her," her boss said.

Her eyebrow rose from what she heard. She is not something that can be passed on. With the habit she sees now in her boss, she's more determined to make her boss agreed to their arranged marriage.

"Thank you, bro," the young man said still keeping an eyes at her.

It was only a matter of time before the young man left as well. Afterwards, her boss called her and she sat across from him.

"What's the matter Sir?" she asked.

"Well, hmn..." Her boss seemed lacking of guts to say what he wants to say. She just stared at her boss and waited for what he would say. "Well, next next day is Ranz's birthday. Can you accompany me on that day?" She stared at her boss. She wanted to accompany him but she just said yes to Ranz.

"I'm sorry Sir but I can't."

"Why?"

She paused and thinking what would be her alibi. "We have our family dinner on that day Sir," she said.

"Oh that's okay, they are your family."

"Thank you Sir."

"Well," her boss said and then he stand. "You can have your own lunch today, no need to accompany me in my lunch meeting," her boss added.

"Okay Sir," she replied.

Daryl left the office having disappoinment, it is not obvious but he is. That's the first time he received rejection and to think that it was coming from his secretary makes him small. He can't even think that a secretary can reject a CEO like him. He also doesn't know why he invited her to join him at Ranz's party because it's not like him.

Bela was in front of the office when her phone rang. It's an unknown caller but she answered it.

"Who's this?" she interrogated.

"At your back." She looked at her back and she saw Ranz walking towards her. "Where are you going?" Ranz said .

"I'm going to have lunch Sir," she replied. Is it only her that was curious about what Ranz was doing. They only met yesterday but Ranz wants to get closer to her. Maybe Ranz likes her. But she remember what her boss said, that Ranz is a player when it comes to girl.

"Oh, I'm going to have lunch also, can I come with you?" She just nodded because she don't want to have a long conversation in front of her boss's office.

She did not go there to have a close friend, not even the cousin of the person she loved. But she won't let it mess up her plan.

A moment later, they stopped at an expensive restaurant.

"Order what you want, it's my treat," Ranz said.

"Oh it's okay Sir, you don't have to."

"No, let's say that I treat you because you accept my invitation. Let's see it that way."

"Okay, Sir." She smile at him.

"And don't call me sir if we're just the two of us together, let's just talk casual."

Their order just arrived.

"By the way, when did your worked ends? Ranz said while eating.

"It's 5:00 pm," she replied shortly.

"Then I'll pick you up at five," Ranz said.

"Why?" she asked.

"You forgot?" She was stunned. She's thinking if she forgot something that they were going to do. She remembered that Ranz's birthday is the day after tomorrow so she don't think she missed something. "We're going to boutique for you to fit your gown." That's when she realized what she missed.

"Make it 5:30, I'll send you my address," she said.

When they finished eating, they returned to Jacob's Group. Wherever she turned her gaze there were people staring at them. Imagine, that's what they do. Imagining that the two were dating.

When she was already on the tenth floor, she slowly opened the CEO's office door.

"So you're not really close with Ranz, huh?" her boss said opening that topic again. Here's what she's avoiding. Did her boss see them together again?

"No, Sir. We're not!" she defensed.

"Really? Having your lunch with him. Isn't that what you call close?"

"Are you following me Sir?" she said wondering. She thought that because her boss always knew when she and Ranz were together. "Or are you a spy or my stalker?" She's thinking of something. She didn't have to explain to her boss about that. What if they were close? Also, it have nothing to do with her work. She also did not return to the office late.

"Me?" her boss said in disbelief. "A spy? Stalker?" her boss added. "Let's say that, Mr. Sison and I ate in the same restaurant where you are." Her mouth was shut at what she heard.

"Oh, you're there too Sir," she said while smiling to hide her embarrassment. "But I haven't seen you there Sir." She act as if she was wondering. "Oh you must be in the V.I.P room with Mr. Sison, I know the person like you Sir, you are very important person," she added.

"So, you're not dating?" She suddenly cough a little to what her boss said.

"No Sir." She feels disgusted because her boss just keeps repeating that issue. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at her boss. Isn't he jealous? It's wrong to think but that's how she feels. Or does her boss likes her? "Seol-ma!" she shouted. Here's her mouth again. She couldn't stop speaking korean language sometimes. She just smile at the thought that her boss fall for her so easily.

"What are you smiling at?" her boss said irritated.

"You're cute when you're jealous Sir." She suddenly realized what she had said to her boss. Those words was supposed to be said only in her mind.

"What did you say?"

"Oh, nothing Sir. You didn't heard it right?" Then she slowly walked towards her table.

"I'm not jealous, I'm just asking," her boss said looking at her seriously. It was as if she was drenched in cold water at what she heard. She just kept quiet because of her embarrassment and at the same time annoyance with her boss.

The silence between them last until five o'clock. She said goodbye to her boss and went straight to her condo.

When she got home, she immediately changed her clothes because she and Ranz had to go somewhere. Just as she went down to the first floor, she saw that Ranz was already there. Obviously, Ranz hadn't come home yet because he wears the same suit a while ago.

"Hi!" she greeted Ranz.

"So you're staying here in condo in front of the Jacob's Group?" Ranz said in astonishment.

"You're right," she replied.

"Let's go!"

A minute later, they have arrived at the boutique. It was a small but classy.

When they got inside, the manager took care of them immediately. All the gowns that displayed there were beautiful, but only one caught her eye. That is what she chose and fit it immediately. She looks great in a white gown that Ranz could not take his eyes off of her.

"You're so beautiful," Ranz said with a wide smile.

"Thank you." She smiles at him.

After that, they went to the jewelry shop and completed the things that the she will going to use for Ranz's birthday party.