2 Chapter 2: Sereena Alfiera

Alferra Cosmetics

Sitting on an office chair, a woman could be seen reading the documents laid on the table in front of her. Even while she was sitting down, she still gave people the impression that she was tall.

Her slightly curly hair with ash blonde highlights was tied behind her head to prevent it from getting in the way of her work. Her eyebrows were structured with angle arches and her nose has a high bridge while her eyes were hazelnut brown in color. Her lips were a bright shade of red as she nibbled it from time to time.

This woman's sitting posture was proper and elegant as if she was taught high etiquette from a young age. Every move she did exudes a sense of beauty and natural sexiness.

Even the way that she adjusts her reading glass looks very tempting. She is a person that has a beauty that is not easily achievable by the masses.

Near the edge of her office table was a desk plaque. The bottom part of the table was gold in color while the upper part was black.

Engraved on this plaque was the name "Sereena Alfiera" on the top and below it was the words "CEO, Alferra Cosmetics"

This woman is precisely Sereena Alfiera, both the owner and CEO of Alferra Cosmetics, one of the rising cosmetic companies not just in the Philippines but also globally.

She is a woman of high standing and prestige and while she came from a well-off background, she started her own company on her own from a young age. At a time when people often play with friends and hang out everywhere, she was busy paving her own path and creating a successful company.

In a world where there are fewer female leaders than male leaders, Sereena beats the prejudice of the masses and founded her own company.

To achieve what she had, luck is not enough. She has to work hard every day to keep the company running and expand it further.

Knock knock

While Sereena was busy reading documents, someone knocked on her office room and without glancing at the door she simply said "Come in"

After receiving permission, the person on the other side of the door entered the room. This person is a middle-aged man wearing a full set of black suits. Even the shades and the shoes he was wearing were black in color.

In his hand was a clipboard that contains several pages of papers.

"Maam Sereena, the script draft of the new promotional video has been sent to us. They are only waiting for your input before they finalize and start shooting" the man said and only then did Sereena raise her head to look at him and the first thing she did was to knit her eyebrows.

She looked around her and after seeing that not too much sunlight is entering her office, she returned her gaze to her secretary.

"Secretary Cruz, why are you wearing shades?" She asked and the secretary adjusted his eyeglasses before answering.

"I was playing with my daughter last night and she accidentally gave me a black eye" he answered bitterly. Who would have thought that a playful time with his daughter would lead to something like this?

Sereena nodded her head in understanding as she received the clipboard that has the script for the promotional video that the company is trying to make. She didn't read the script that long before she rip it with her own hands.

"Garbage, this is garbage. How can the creative team give me this garbage? Do they still not understand the type of company that Alferra Cosmetics is?" she grumbled while removing her reading glass to rub her temples.

"My apologies, most of the members of the creative team are newly hired and they still don't know the ins and outs of the company" Secretary Cruz replied before adding in his head "You fired the previous team after the corruption scandal no matter what role they played resulting in hasty hiring of new staff"

"Tell the creative team to make a new script not another garbage if they don't want to follow in the footsteps of the previous team. Teach them the values and principles of the company"

"Alferra Cosmetics is an inclusive company, they should have known that the moment they decided to apply. How come there are no male casts for the promotional video? And don't even let me start with the cast line-up. Why are all the casts the same skinny and beautiful women?"

"Secretary Cruz, tell me again what is the motto of the company?"

The more Sereena speaks, the more she finds the script complete garbage. It did everything other than show what kind of company Alferra Cosmetics is.

"Everybody is a beauty in their own rights" Secretary Cruz answered and Sereena nodded her head.

"Exactly! Everybody is a beauty in their own right and make-up makes people shine even brighter! Skinny women are beautiful but so are plus-size women and men can also wear make-up! If the creative team doesn't fix this garbage tell them that they don't have a future in the industry that they chose. All they know is to play by the book and copy what other company does"

"Understood, Maam, I'll inform them of your input" Secretary Cruz picked up the pieces of ripped paper to throw them in their proper places before walking towards the door to inform the creative team.

However, before he can walk outside the room, he heard his boss's voice again.

"Secretary Cruz, I want you to tell the creative team what I said verbatim, word by word. Don't attempt to sugarcoat my words again" Sereena warned and the Secretary can only smile bitterly.

"I will do as you say, Maam" he replied affirmatively and left the CEO to continue what she was doing earlier.

——

Hours passed by and Sereena almost never left her seat. She either deals with the documents sent to her, researches the market, or reads the feedback of the company's customers.

Only by dealing with internal matters, researching what the market wants and needs, and listening to the customers could a company continue its success.

At this moment, Secretary Cruz knocked on the door again and after Sereena gave him permission, he entered the office.

"Maam Sereena, I'm here to inform you that based on your schedule, you are to visit your grandfather" Secretary Cruz reminded her as knowing Sereena, she will continue to work without noticing the time.

After checking the time on the small clock on her desk, Sereena nodded her head. It is indeed time to visit her grandfather again.

"Arrange the files for me. I will come back to deal with them after my visit" she ordered and her experienced Secretary immediately moved to do as she said.

The clicking sound of heels on the marble floors rang inside the room as Sereena walked to the full-body mirror on the side of her office to check herself.

She removed the hair tie from her hair, letting them fall into her shoulders.

Sereena was wearing a black inner shirt topped with a long beige blazer that reached her thighs and her pants are of the same color. Her milky white feet were slightly exposed by her black shoes with low heels.

Her clothes were casual but is also not bad in an office setting. She was able to combine casual and formal perfectly.

After retouching the light makeup on her face, Sereena grabbed her bag as she left the company to visit her grandfather.

——

Hospital

"Aigooo, what are you doing here again, Sereena? I know you're always busy with work, if you have time then you should rest! There's no need to visit me too often!"

In the hospital bed, a kind-looking old man was laying while wearing a blue hospital gown. The hair on his head already turned gray and his face also has many wrinkles on them.

However, one look is enough for people to think that this grandpa in his youth has an appearance that is not too bad.

Sitting on a chair next to the hospital bed was none other than Sereena that has her hands held by her grandfather.

Although her grandfather told her that there is no need to visit him often, he was still smiling from head to toe. He even happily held her granddaughter's hands.

"Grandpa, I'm not tired. I rested before coming here" she replied which was completely a lie.

She went straight here without any rest from work but she of course wouldn't say that. She even smiled to reassure him.

It was rare for Sereena to be seen by others smiling but it was different for her beloved grandfather. She always made sure that she is smiling when facing him.

"Aigooo, look at your face, until now, you still don't know how to smile genuinely" Sereena's grandfather; Sergio Alfierra said while shaking his head.

While Sereena was smiling on the outside, Sergio always know that it was not a genuine smile. Even in front of him, his granddaughter rarely smiled genuinely.

"Grandpa, what are you saying? I'm always smiling genuinely" Sereena tried to lie but Sergio just shook his head again.

"You brat, why do you still have to lie to me until now? I know that all of your time is devoted to your company! How can you smile genuinely when you are always busy with work?" He complained while clicking his tongue. "You are still young, don't you think that you should enjoy your life while you still can? Look at me, the only thing I could do is lie down in a hospital bed until the day I die!"

"Grandpa, don't say that! You will become strong again and you can return to our house" Sereena immediately said after hearing the pessimistic words of her grandfather.

"No need to whisper sweet nothings for me! I know my situation clearly, this old body of mine doesn't have a lot of time left!"

"Grandpa..."

"It's fine! It's fine! I'm ready for the Grim Reaper to take my soul. I only have one regret in this life" Sergio said with a sigh.

"Regret? What's your regret, grandpa? There's still time for you to do whatever you want!"

At that, Sergio snorted. "Pigs would fly before my regret is fulfilled"

"Grandpa, if it's for you, I can make even giraffes fly" Sereena said with a serious tone causing Sergio to chuckle

"Brat, I believe that you can make giraffes fly but you can't give what I want"

"Please say it first before you decide that I couldn't give it to you, grandpa"

Sergio stared at her granddaughter contemplating whether he should say it or not but after seeing the expression on Sereena's face, he has no choice but to spill the beans.

"Brat, don't you ever laugh, understood?"

"I won't"

"Alright, since you insist, I'll tell you but don't laugh, think of it as a silly dream of an old man. After seeing the life you lived, I have always wanted you to be happy. I hope for you to meet a man or a woman if that's what you like, fall in love, marry them, and have kids. I wish that you could create a happy family that your family was not able to give to you"

While speaking, Sergio has an expression on his face that screams as if he was imagining his granddaughter creating a simple but happy family. The type of loving family she never had while growing up.

"I know that a man or a woman couldn't make someone's life complete but the time I had with your grandmother are the happiest days of my life. The joy I felt in those times was something I wish to relive every single day. I hoped that you will experience the same joy that I had back then"

"I hope that you could fall in love with someone, go on dates, laugh at the silly jokes they crack, dream, and achieve great things together because while romantic love is not everything, it really was something"