Chapter 2. It's special

**VALERIA**

That's a good option, the other subject is more delicate.

I looked at her blankly.

First of all, your salary would triple.

I opened my eyes wide.

Alejandro is... very special, he has a strong character, that's why his secretaries don't last long.

I don't understand.

He's a workaholic and he'll demand that you keep up with him, and if you fall behind at school because you're working late, he'll blame you as if it were your fault, you'll also have to accompany him to business meetings and cocktails, and put up with all the women who are after him, who instead of seeing you as his secretary, will see you as competition and will attack you all the time, with words.

I thought it would be fun.

I didn't know Alejandro Zalco.

You would stay as his secretary as many times as he decides to sleep with you, and from the experience of all the secretaries who pass through his office, the longest they last is 45 days, although the average is 20.

It is not in my plans to go out with my boss, I really need the job and I think I can take 3 of the 4 subjects I still need on Saturdays and the Chinese course, if you allow me, I can take it online, unless you have a specific place.

No, I can give you a reference, but that is up to you and we will pay for the course, this should be done immediately, there is a trip to China scheduled in 6 months, before that we have other trips, I just hope you will last as his secretary, many times you would have to go to his house to bring him documents or whatever comes up, you would even have to take care of sending to the dry cleaners the suits he leaves in his office, or rather they will be in yours, he should not be missing shirts or underwear.

I'm getting scared, but I'll try to hide it, I'll take it as a challenge.

You will be credited for any cabs you take for work purposes. Do you have cocktail dresses?

No.

We have an agreement with a boutique, the dresses you get from there are on Zalco's account, only the ones from there, anything Alejandro can think of you should get, and now yes, the latest.

He has said several times that this is the last one.

Alejandro thinks that all women belong to him and that they have to kiss the ground he steps on, actually he thinks that way about everyone, but with women in particular he thinks they are all his property, don't be afraid, he won't rape you or anything, but the first thing he will do is try to conquer you or at least invite you to spend some nights together, most of the girls agree.

I need the job and I'm really only interested in getting it.

Anyway, even though he's pedantic, he tends to melt every woman around him.

I didn't like this man enough, although I didn't know him personally, I don't think I ever met him.

Really, I've never seen him, not even through photos, I only know him through references, through the comments made about him, and you know that they are divided into two groups, the women who throw themselves at his feet and think that because he is attractive and a multimillionaire, so they say, they would do anything to spend a night at his side, and then there are the others who would never be on anyone's list, I know those women are the least, but I include myself in the last group.

I would like to be there when you tell him that you have never seen him, not even in pictures, if you have the chance, one day, in passing, tell him and be careful, I appreciate Alejandro very much, his aunt is my best friend and we have shared many family moments with him.

I sigh and take a breath.

I also want to tell you that his father is pressuring him to get married and that's why when Alejandro Zalco Sr. is in the country and occupies the next office, everything is chaotic.

He sighs deeply and continues.

Ale, at that moment he will demand more from you and you will need all your patience, there are not many days that the two of you will be together, you will also have to make sure that his father doesn't find out that Ale has a... friend in his office.

That seems impossible to me...

Yes, you won't always manage it, and above all, I hope you don't fall for her charm, your job depends on it, I offer it to you because you really have the perfect profile for her secretary, you've been vetted like all the employees before they were made effective.

It's really unpleasant to know that I've been vetted, but I suppose all companies do it.

You're right.

Confirm what I say.

I'll go with you to meet his secretary who... in two days she'll stop working for us... so she can explain how she likes her coffee, the brand of shirts she wears when it's your turn to buy them, the passwords to all the computers, etc.

The building had 9 floors.

I accompanied the Chief of Staff to the ninth floor.

The secretary was waiting.

She had only been in the job for 25 days and had been looking for a replacement for 5 days.

Not that I think I am immune to love, but I suffered so much for my exboyfriend and he humiliated me so much that I am sure I have learned my lesson.

He was my only boyfriend and the only man I had sex with and come to think of it, if we had sex once a month for the last year of our relationship, that was a lot.

I didn't realise that detail, as time went on the relationship cooled down and maybe it was because he was seeing other women.

I suffered a lot in that relationship.

Thank God I didn't get pregnant, because being tied to a man like my exboyfriend for the rest of my life would be catastrophic.

I am used to not having sex because casual sex is not my thing.

I don't want to be in a relationship, at least for now.

My experiences have not been good.

Despite all this, I think I will not be damaged by this man who will be my boss from now on.

I can deal with an arrogant and seductive man, all the more so when I know that for him women are a whim.

They say he's very attractive, but I don't know, because he doesn't mix with the staff, he doesn't think much of us.

It also has to do with the fact that I've never met him, not even by chance, I don't usually leave my office all day.

The company has a canteen for the workers, but the big boss, as they call him, does not set foot in that area, nor in many others.

Since he's so cocky, maybe he doesn't like me and doesn't make any suggestions, and if he does, it's just a matter of saying no. I don't see that it's that complicated.

I don't see that it's that complicated.

Maybe it's a bit more complicated because he's my boss, but with the number of women he's supposed to have, just saying no would be enough.

The work itself seemed more enjoyable because I would not just be doing administrative work, I know I would be doing a lot of other things.

When do you start?

the secretary asked me.

In two days.

Give her all the keys in writing, please.

said the head of personnel.

She pulls out an agenda with all the details.

This was given to me by the previous secretary, you have absolutely everything written down.

I read the diary she gave me and there are even her favourite restaurants, the ones she usually goes to during the day and the ones she usually goes to at night.

Everything was detailed, his favourite brands of shirts, ties, favourite colours, size of trousers, boxers, shirts and shoes.

Brands of coffee, tea and whisky and where to buy them.

There were flower shops and even a jewellery shop.

From what I saw, these were two of the stores where I spent the most.

The agenda with the business contacts is the blue one and the one with the personal contacts is the white one, these physical agendas are the backups, all this is in the computer and if you want, or rather, you have to download everything on your mobile phone, because you can be asked for information about anything at any time, even if it's 3 o'clock in the morning or on a Saturday or Sunday.

You get overtime without anyone's permission, so don't worry about it.

says the personnel manager.

I do the maths and it's a good business.

When you travel with him, the overtime starts from the moment you arrive at the airport and the 24 hours are counted until you return.

I opened my eyes wide: if all went well, I could buy a car in a few months and stop travelling by bus.

I didn't want to smile.

It was too easy to be like this, it couldn't be that all the secretaries didn't last this long, did they all fall for his charms?

As if reading my thoughts, Susana, the personnel manager, told me that not all of them slept with him, and that was why they had to be moved or fired as soon as Alejandro Zalco got tired, and that there were others who couldn't keep up with his work.

They also had to put up with his contemptuous treatment.

He kept telling me to be patient and not to run away with my first impressions, and that my work could last a long time if I did not succumb to Alejandro's charms.

Tomorrow you will be with his secretary all day and the day after tomorrow you will start alone.

Thank you for the opportunity.

Good luck with the idiot.

said his secretary.