A week had passed since that torrential downpour, and the city finally seemed to breathe under the clarity of the sunny morning skies. Sunlight shone through the massive glass windows of Niramai Holdings, reflecting shine on the polished floors and glasses, making the entire office gleam in comforting brightness. Yet, inside, the tension was palpable – the air was thick with whispers, hurried footsteps, and the hum of office equipment.
Phasuk adjusted her ID badge and glanced around, quietly observing the subtle chaos on the office floor she's working in. She had been working for Niramai Holdings for quite some time now, and she is not unfamiliar with the day-to-day struggles her colleagues and she face here. She gave her surroundings a quick scanning glance. She knew where office gossip started, who wielded power like a show of superiority, and who could make or break a co-worker with a single look and a single heated move.
Yet today, a different kind of tension had settled over Phasuk. She had been summoned to the chief of staff's office first thing in the morning. To what honor does she owe to be called by the CEO's right-hand man? Through piqued curiosity, albeit nervous, she maintained her usual calm exterior. She had always been diligent, hands-on with her work, and quietly excelling without demanding praise and attention. These traits had earned her small nods of approval from her superiors and awe from the inexperienced newcomers.
"Come in," said the chief of staff without looking up from a mountain of files.
Phasuk, with her head slightly bowed, swiftly steps into the office and closes the door behind her. She stands before the mahogany desk while secretly smoothing her skirt.
"Good morning, sir," she greeted with unabashed professionalism.
"You are here. Phasuk Woratanakul, 25 years old and from the secretarial department, has been with the company for over 2 years. Quiet, efficient… good. Miss Phasuk, I've read your files, and you've been performing well, and…" the secretary suddenly uttered a string of lines before his voice faltered slightly as if he were choosing his next words carefully.
"You've been assigned to a new role and responsibility. Effective today, you will become Miss Thira's personal secretary."
"Miss Thira?" Phasuk blinked, confused, but her exterior remained neutral since the very beginning.
"The new intern – Surithae Simueang. The CEO personally requested that she be assisted directly. Consider this an opportunity to prove yourself further. Not all are given the chance to work closely with the people related to the CEO. Your ability landed you this opportunity," he added, placing a thick brown folder in front of Phasuk.
Phasuk picked up the folder, flipping through the pages, her fingers brushing over the crisp edges of the documents inside. She was quick; the contents of this folder would have been very helpful for her future role. The file contained detailed information about the new intern.
'Surithae Simueang' Phasuk heard this name countless times already. A name deeply attached to the CEO. The uncrowned princess of Niramai Holdings. The one who is the substance of office gossip for her strange detachment and quiet intensity – and the cause of the CEO's headache.
'Well, I hope she and I can work well together.' Phasuk thought.
There's no point in angering and getting on the bad side of the miss.
The first time she met Surithae in the office, Phasuk had already expected an icy reception. She heard from another secretary that you cannot fathom Surithae's character. One moment, you're dealing with a sweet exterior, the next with an icy glamor. It's like threading on ice shards; one wrong move, and you could offend her. However, nothing could have prepared her for the intensity of the young woman's presence.
Surithae stood before her new desk, her posture immaculate, her tailored suit neatly pressed from a brand Phasuk had never heard of. Today, her straight, long brown hair nestled perfectly on her back.
"Good morning, ma'am." Phasuk greeted softly, taking a cautious step forward.
Surithae's eyes flicked, a small spark hidden from the sharp and intense gaze. Small lips curved in a subtle smile.
"I suppose that's you. The one assigned to follow me around," she said, in an expressionless voice with a tinge of curiosity.
"Yes, Miss Simueang. My name is Phasuk Woratanakul from the secretarial department. I've been assigned to work closely with you starting today. I'll do my best to make sure your work goes smoothly and that your schedule is managed efficiently." Phasuk briefly introduced herself.
After a momentary pause, Surithae tilted her head to the side. She looked at her new secretary as if assessing her worth, before her smile widened slightly.
"Miss secretary, I hope you don't disappoint."
"Ma'am, I'll strive to exceed your expectations." Phasuk nodded without flinching, though deep inside she felt a sudden pressure from a woman five years her junior.
Over the next few days, Phasuk adjusted herself to the demands of her new role. She couldn't help but wonder back to her previous role. Working side by side with Surithae is more taxing than she could imagine. Surithae, as she had observed, remained cold when faced with others in the office. Though cold and distant, no one could nitpick because she was always polite. Her actions seemed measured and deliberate. After a day of working together, Phasuk seemed to earn the occasional tilt of her head or the softest hum of acknowledgment from Surithae. She's happy to be able to see a crack in Surithae's cold exterior.
Another thing Phasuk noticed from her interaction with Surithae is that she always donned her hair in two different hairstyles at different times. Phasuk had noticed the subtle cues in each hairstyle. It was like a visible signal for Phasuk what the interaction for the day would be. She is grateful that she is observant enough to notice this after a short period of time.
One afternoon, an incident offered a new perspective on Surithae from Phasuk's point of view. A minor electrical accident in one of the office storage rooms triggered the fire alarm. In the chaos, Phasuk hurriedly ran back to Surithae's office against the rushing crowd. She knew that Surithae was still inside as she just stepped aside for a quick office break. She asked Surithae if she wanted to bring her something to snack on, but she refused. Knowing that Surithae will never go to the break room, she readied herself to prepare a suitable snack for her.
Before she could go back, a blaring fire alarm made her stand frozen for a minute. With quick reflexes, she hurried down the corridor towards Surithae's office. As she slammed the door open, the small figure was missing from the desk. There's no shadow of someone sitting behind a large desk. Phasuk gave the office a quick, thorough glance, searching for Surithae's figure. She even went to the connecting toilet to search for her.
'She's not here.'
Knowing Surithae's absence in her office, Phasuk strided quickly towards the rushing crowd. As she hurried along, avoiding collisions with others, she saw something that made her stop.
From one of the stairs' landing tread, she saw Surithae helping a limping elderly sanitation worker down the stairs. As if noticing her gaze, Surithae locked her eyes with her. Phasuk could see an emotion looming from Surithae's eyes – a mixture of worry and softness.
"Miss Simueang!" As if struck by reality, she hurriedly went over them to also help.
Freeing herself from further thought, Surithae and she quickly went their separate ways to safety.
That evening, Phasuk returned home, her thoughts still tangled in the day's incident. The chaos earlier was ruled as a false alarm; there was no fire, it was just a stubborn employee taking a cigarette break in a storage room. The employee failed to notice a smoke detector in the room, causing the alarm to ring. He was then quickly singled out and reprimanded by management, and he will be sanctioned for his actions.
Thinking back, it was the first time that Phasuk saw a different emotion in Surithae's eyes. Unlike her usual cold and distant eyes, Phasuk saw a pure, raw emotion at that moment. What she saw at the stairs is like a new version of Surithae – one that is closely hidden and not seen by the public. That incident was like a hammer that smashed the cracks from Surithae's exterior.
Her curiosity about Surithae instantly grew. The uncrowned princess of Hiramai Holdings. A pearl in the hands of the CEO. Cold, distant, and unpredictable. Behind all these labels – she could see a pure young girl hidden inside. For the first time, she saw vulnerability hidden deeply beneath her usual icy demeanor.
The next morning, the office was buzzing as usual. Word spread that yesterday's culprit was suddenly terminated. He was not given another chance after that blunder. The company would not joke around with its rules, especially those concerning employee safety.
The buzz from the crowd instantly stopped the moment Surithae arrived. She walked with steadied footsteps towards her office, her soft waves swaying as she walked. Phasuk observed as she maintained a respectful distance following her.
Examining the frail young woman's back, Phasuk wondered what might be hidden beneath her persona. Was everything specifically crafted for show, or is its true self just waiting for someone to help it walk from the shadows?
And a question lingered in Phasuk's mind all day, be it from curiosity and interest.
'Who is truly Surithae?'