Chapter 4

CLAUDETTE'S POV

"Hey, Bianca. Are you sure we're still at work? And not some kind of hotel?" I asked again when we waited in line to get our food at the cafeteria.

"I'm pretty sure we're inside the Clemonte Corporation Tower still." Bianca was speechless like I am when we arrived at the cafeteria.

"This is crazy! Not even my old workplace can top this and I worked at a well known corporate office!" True that. Even the hospital has better food than the one I had in old workplace.

"I don't know if I brought enough money though. The food looks so ... expensive looking." I said to Bianca.

"Excuse me, your hot towel." A beautiful woman in maid outfit suddenly greeted us.

"I'm sorry if I'm being rude but, the food and drinks here are free for all who came here. I overheard your conversation. Once again, I apologize." The maid bow after we took the hot towel.

"Did I heard it wrong? It's free?" I asked Bianca.

"Yes, it's free. Help yourself out." To my surprise, it was Mrs. Rafaela.

"Good afternoon, ma'am." I can't believe I actually greeted the COO of this company.

"Good afternoon. Also, Claudette, after getting your food, please join us at our table, okay? You may bring your friend as well." I want to refuse but from the intensity of her eyes, I just can't say no to my superior.

"Yes, ma'am." She smiled before leaving us both.

"Okay. Serious now, how did you do it? To have THE Rafaela spoke to you was something not everyone can do if you're not at the same level as hers!" I shrugged my answer.

"I just asked for a direction, that's it." Bianca still can't believe it. After we took our food, I was searching for Mrs. Rafaela's table. At first, I wasn't nervous at all until I saw the people who sat at her table.

She waved at me but my legs just won't budge from its spot. Seeing Miss Maya, Miss Claire and four other people at the table, I'm sure they're not someone who I can just greet easily.

"Come on. She looks like she's about to yell at us for taking our sweet time." It was Bianca who pulled my arms.

"Good afternoon." We greeted everyone. They all turned their attention to us, a mere worker.

"Claudette, Bianca, join us." At least Miss Maya as bubbly as she normally does.

"Let me introduces you the others. You know Claire, she's the CEO." Oh my God! I'm at the same table with the CEO! This is crazy!

"This is Evelyn May, she's the Chief Information Officer." She offered her hand to us. We shake hands.

"I'm Claudette." She smiled.

"Bianca." Miss Maya then patted the only male on the table.

"And this handsome man is Jovanni Watson, he's the Chief Technology Officer. He's a dreamy looking man but he's married so, tough luck Bianca." We both chuckled.

"I'm Claudette." He shakes my hand.

"Bianca." He did the same with her.

"And this is Faith Andrews, the Chief Marketing Officer. She may look young but she's actually 40 years old." Her eyes widen when miss Maya introduced her that way.

"I'm Claudette." She took my hand.

"Bianca." She did the same to Bianca before glaring at Miss Maya.

"Last but not least, Keira Hay, the Chief Human Resource Officer." Miss Keira seems bubbly like Miss Maya does though.

"There's one more person that's not here. Hatsu Ayame, the Chief Administration Officer. She's in Japan for a business trip. She'll be back by next week, just before the workplace visit tour." Claire added.

Wait, workplace visit tour? What the hell is that?

"That reminds me, Claudette, Bianca, I'll be needing your help for that." Miss Maya smiled. Huh? I don't even know what workplace visit tour is! I turned to Bianca but she shakes her head.

"I'm sorry for speaking out of turn but, what is that? We never heard of it before." They all turned to Keira since she's working for the Human Resources department.

"Basically, we welcomed high school student that choose to come here for their career option. It's like a career choice way to know which path to go to after they graduate college. It's a new education policy. That our chairwoman though off." Oh, now I get it.

Instead of telling the teachers what do you want to be after graduating high school, you went to the place you think suitable for your future and start thinking of a way to make it happen. That's genius. I wish it was a thing when I was in high school.

Wait, the chairwoman thought of it?

"Why do you need our help for, Miss?" Bianca asked.

"Well, I would like you two to be the tour guide." Miss Maya smirked at us both. Say what now?

"But miss, we just started here. We don't even know what to say or do at this kind of thing." I retort. Miss Maya shake it off.

"Don't worry, Miss Ayame will be there to help you all. She can't handle it alone so she asked for our help, but, as you can see, we're busy." Yea right, you lot just don't want to deal with high school kids.

"Besides, you'll get to see the chairwoman in action. For the last visit of the tour, you'll get special access to the very top floor. Not everyone can go up there. Are you sure you want to miss the opportunity to go to the heart of this corporation?" She really knows how to reel someone in.

"If you're not a Chief Officer, you can't gain access to the top floor since it's only for the chairwoman, her personal assistant, and her maids." Miss Claire added.

In other words, they all have been there and enjoyed their time huh.

I sighed mentally.

"Alright," I said before turning to Bianca.

"It's fine with me." She smiled.

"Perfect. Each of us will email you what should say about our department later on." Miss Faith from the Marketing department said with a smile.

"Eat up before your food gets too cold." Mrs. Rafaela added. I nodded and begin to eat my food. I wonder how I'll do for the tour though.

***

"I'm so nervous I could die." Bianca started to gag again. I was rubbing her back when I heard someone chuckled behind us.

"You must be the girls from Maya's department. Hello, I'm Hatsu Ayame. Nice meeting you both." She's Japanese? She doesn't look or talk like a Japanese person.

"I just received a call from the receptionist. The students are here. Don't worry too much, usually, there are only a few people who came for this workplace tour. Kids nowadays, they hate to do office job like we do." She laughed it off before she went to the elevator.

Bianca took a couple of a deep breath before putting a smile on her face while we're in the elevator.

"Like she said, don't worry about it. There are few people right?" She laughed it off right before the elevator door opens.

We were shocked when we saw there's a lot of student waiting in the lobby. Bianca's eyes widen!

"Ah, seems like there are few people like I predicted." This is few? There's seems like there's over 20 students waiting for us!

Miss Ayame went to meet the teacher and told her that she needs to student to form a group so it would be easy to watch them over.

"Please inform every department chief that we will be coming over pretty soon." The receptionist nodded her head.

"Shall we? Are you all ready for the tour?" The students seem excited.

First, we went to the Human Resources department. Miss Keira was waiting for us with a smile on her face. Bianca took the first turn to explain to to the student what does the department's importance to a corporation.

At first, I thought she would be nervous but when she started to talk, it went smoothly.

Next, we went to the marketing department. Since Mrs. Faith were out for a meeting, Miss Ayame explained the importance herself. Most of the students were astounded by how the office's looks. Well, I was astounded myself when I first entered Miss Maya's departments

It looks too luxurious for it to be an office.

Next, we went to the technology department. This time it was me who explained to the students. Mrs. Jovanni was impressed by how I elaborate his department importance.

The tour went well until we brought them to Miss Claire's floor, the CEO office. She was having a fight with her fiancée until Miss Ayame went to put a stop to it. Miss Claire apologized and so does her fiancée.

The atmosphere was awkward from the start but the show must go on. Both Bianca and I heard that Miss Ayame told miss Claire that the chairwoman wants to see her as soon as the tours over. Miss Claire seems a bit uneasy about it.

"Do you think the chairwoman someone who likes to yell at her worker? Despite all the things she did for her workers though. You know like free daycare and cafeteria food."

"Who knows? I never even met the chairwoman. This will be my first time." I said before the elevator door open and revealed the most beautiful hallway I've ever seen. It looks so much different than the rest of the floor we went today.

This is by far the most extravagant floor we've been to for today.

"Welcome to the very top of Clemonte Tower. This is where the chairwoman of Clemonte Corporation works and I am her personal assistant, Luna Bouvier." This is the first woman I met when went for my interview!

"I'm sorry for the absence of the chairwoman. She's currently on the phone with the senator. She'll join us shortly. For now, please follow me for the tour." Luna leads the way and showed us an intersection.

"This floor has two sides for the convenient of the chairwoman's need. To my left, it's her living quarters. To my right, it's her office and waiting area." Miss Luna smiled.

We followed Luna towards the waiting area. I noticed two maids were standing guard at the door that leads to the living quarters.

"This is the waiting area?" I heard one of the students asked.

"Why, Yes. Only the best for Miss Eloise Clemonte." Miss Luna smiled. Oh, that's her name? Eloise?

"Whoa, look at the skylight roof." Bianca whispered.

"Wait, isn't this the department chief, including the CEO?" A student pointed out. He's right.

But it looks like this picture came from their college years. Even Miss Luna in the picture.

"Oh yes, Miss Eloise, Miss Claire, Miss Maya and I went to the same high school and college. We've been together since then and now we work in the same office." Oh, they were friends since high school!

I looked around the room and noticed a picture of that handsome woman who works at the daycare center with another woman. That must be the chairwoman.

"Who is this?" I decided to ask Miss Luna.

"Well, that's me." I turned around and it was the handsome woman from the daycare center and restaurant.

"Ladies and gentleman, meet Eloise Clemonte, the chairwoman of Clemonte Corporation." Miss Luna introduced us to the ... CHAIRWOMAN?!

All this time, I was talking to the chairwoman herself ... wait, hold on ... She was there when I asked Eliza about the chairwoman ... my eyes widen.

"You look like you realized something crucial." She said before shaking hands with the students.

"Welcome to Clemonte Corporation. I hope you guys had fun on the tour. If you have any questions, you can ask me personally. Immediately, many of the students raised their hand.

"You." She pointed at the female student that seems to be holding a book.

"My name is Vienna. I have several questions but I know you don't have the time but, please, can you sign my book?" The chairwoman raises both eyebrows. The chairwoman has a book?

"Sure." The student handed the book. The chairwoman signed it and gave it back.

"Are you sure that's all you want to ask me?" She smiled at the student. She nodded.

Again, a couple of the student raised their hands again.

"Is it true you were raised in an orphanage?" The male student asked.

"Mr. Lawrence! That's inappropriate!" The teacher yelled at him. They apologized to the chairwoman.

"It's fine really. And for your question, yes, I was raised in an orphanage. I was abandoned when I was only a few days old." The chairwoman replied truthfully.

"How did you manage to get the name Clemonte then?" Asked the same student.

"Mr. Lawrence!" Again the teacher warned him.

"I can answer that for you. It's true that Miss Eloise was abandoned and she grew up in an orphanage. But after seeing how she excels in both academic and sport, my parents took her in. Thus, we share the same last name, Clemonte."

Wow, that's news, even for me!

***

"Please, help yourself." The chairwoman offered after she seated at the table. Bianca and I looked at each other.

"Don't be shy. Please, enjoy yourself. I'm sure you haven't had any lunch. This will feed that hunger." As I recalled correctly, people like us aren't allowed to be here unless the chairwoman asked us too.

"Is the food not to your liking? I can ask the maid to prepare something if you like." Mrs. Luna waved for the maids. I stopped her from doing so.

"It's not like that. I was never invited to a high tea and I have no idea what should I do." The chairwoman and her assistant looked at me with a smile.

"No need to concern yourself with etiquette in front of us. It's a whole different story if you're having high tea with clients though." Mrs. Luna said as she pours a cup of tea and took 2 sugar cubes for it.

"To be honest, I never experience these high society events. It all changed when I met Luna's parents. Imagine my surprise when they said they would take me in." She chuckled.

"Eloise, I've brought Claire here." Miss Ayame walked in together with the CEO. She seems restless. Well, I am too if I screw up like she did.

"Join us." Mrs. Luna offered.

Miss Claire was reluctantly but she did as told.

"Care to explain, Claire?" The chairwoman asked. The CEO looked up, telling us that we are not needed. We wanted to excuse ourselves but the chairwoman forbids us from even leaving our seat.

"Claire." She sounds serious!

"I'm sorry. He barged in and knowing the students will be coming soon, I just want to chase him out." She apologized and explained to the chairwoman. I feel like both Bianca and I just listened to something top secret.

All these women in front of us are our bosses and we just heard something our bosses talk about!

"You could just call the security." Mrs. Luna said.

"Just because he's my legal advisor, doesn't mean he can do whatever he wants in my building. I can easily fire him if he does it again. Understand?" Wait, so she's not blaming the CEO?

"I know. Maybe I should be more like Rafaela." The CEO sigh heavily.

"We don't need more Iron Lady in the company." Miss Ayame whispered but we all heard her clear as day.

"Please, repeat that for my entertainment." Miss Claire crack her knuckles while walking towards Miss Ayame.

"Hey, don't hurt her. She's been doing a great job in Japan. She needs to be pat on the head." The chairwoman smiled.

"Anyway, Ayame, explain your finding to Claudette and Bianca. I want these two to help you out. They should have the experience we need." Huh? What does she mean by that?

"Oh? Not Maya? I was hoping to meet Maya and have fun with her." The chairwoman actually glared at Miss Ayame for saying so. She was taken aback and heave a sigh of relief when she faces us.

"What a jealous bitch." Miss Ayame mumbled. She sighed.

"Permission to use your office." The chairwoman nodded.

"Permission granted." Miss Ayame smiled at us.

"Follow me please." We both stood up and followed Miss Ayame towards the same hallway like earlier.

"This is the chairwoman's office." I was surprised to see two maids standing by the door.

"Welcome, Miss Hatsu Ayame." The maids greeted her before opening the door.

"I'm not sure Eloise's real motive for this but, she's the boss after all." She asked us to sit on the couch before turning on the LCD screen in front of us.

"This is Kawasaki Hajime, the head of Clemonte Corporation, Japan branch office. He's a turd if you ask me but, I want you two to investigate something important. I want you two to find his secret stash. You know what I mean right?" I honestly have no idea though.

We both shake our head.

"I want you two to dig his financial history. Search every nook and cranny if you may. Here's some of his personal asset that I manage to find while I was in Japan. It's not enough though. And I've read both of your files. Bianca, you were once a hacker, correct?" I was shocked!

Bianca looked down.

"And you, you have an outstanding gift searching for something we can't. You basically robbed the bank, without showing your own face. I believe it was because your daughter was born, correct?" How did she know that?!

"Basically you are both criminals but I can help you clean your name from the government's naughty list if you want me to. I'm sure it's been hard for you two to live right now correct?" Miss Ayame chuckled.

Well, it's been hard since the police casually came to the house and check out everything. Roger was embarrassed by me but, when I said it's his own fault that I did it, he let it go.

How did he expect me to buy Herminia's formula of he never even handed me some money to spare?! I was unemployed that time and all I could think about was my daughter's need.

"So, what say you? Will you help me fulfilling the chairwoman's desire?" Bianca raised her hand.

"What will the chairwoman do with the information we gathered later in the future?"

"Eh? What else? Destroying him of course. He did something to our chairwoman and the chairwoman wanted revenge. Simple as that. Why do you think all of the top brass who manage this corporation came from distinguished family?" Miss Ayame smirked.

Distinguished family?

"Luna's father is the current Vice President of this country. He will surely be the next president after the next election." Whoa! Now that she mentioned it, the Clemonte name does ring a bell.

"Claire's parents are the members of the parliament. For Maya, her father works for the ministry of defense while her mother in the parliament. So they Basically childhood friends." Those are some powerful people.

"The rest of the department chief is either the kids of a famous politician, businessmen, and influential family. I'm sure you heard their name once in your life, right?" I'm not sure though. Bianca shrugged as well.

"Well, that's okay. You have a daughter correct? Meaning you probably met Eliza." I nodded but she chuckled.

"Her father is the chairman of Legacy World Bank, one of the largest financial hub in the country. As for I, I came from the Hatsu family, one of the influential family in Japan." Miss Ayame smiled.

"I decided to work for Eloise because her ideal was far more suitable to my liking since my father decided to stick with the traditional method." Miss Ayame sigh.

"Basically She can do whatever she wants and will not get into trouble for it. That's why the saying of don't play with fire suits her well." Bianca said.

Was the chairwoman that sneaky? Or perhaps, a dangerous woman to deal with? Either way, listening to this, I better be careful from now on.

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