Her Inconvenient Boss | Chapter 6
"You're here early."
Phakaphan, the senior who had encouraged her to apply, vouched for her hiring, and served as her direct supervisor, greeted her with a broad smile.
"P'Oum," Unakarn offered a polite wai. "The Chairman arrived early as well."
"Hmm? The Boss is in the office today?"
"He arrived with Khun Bharatee."
"Ah, the latest actress girlfriend. I wonder how long she'll last this time."
"Does he change partners often?" Unakarn followed her senior to place her belongings on her assigned desk. She felt relieved that her existing rapport with Phakaphan allowed her to ask such personal questions without feeling awkward.
"I've never seen him with the same face twice. Whether you call them girlfriends or flings, who knows?"
"Is the Boss... really that much of a womanizer?"
"Is there a difference between a womanizer and a playboy?"
"I can't tell the difference."
"In my opinion, womanizers usually don't care whose daughter or wife they're pursuing. Our Boss is more of a playboy. Khun Nat says he only dates those who accept his terms. He never touches another man's woman or his own employees. He treats the women he sees with respect but never gives them false hope if he isn't serious." Phakaphan shook her head wearily. "But I've never seen him get serious with anyone."
"Who is Khun Nat?"
"Khun Natthawara, Khun Watt's PA. She's also a distant relative of his."
Phakaphan led the new hire to a workstation at the innermost zone, adjacent to her own office.
"Prae, you'll sit here. I've already requisitioned your supplies. If anything is missing, we can request more later." Her supervisor spent nearly five minutes fluently explaining the procurement process and describing colleagues who had yet to arrive. "This morning, I'll introduce you to everyone and have you go over the JD and some preliminary documents. I'll start the actual training in the afternoon."
The JD referred to the Job Description.
"I'll learn as fast as I can. I won't let you down, P'Oum," Unakarn promised in a soft yet resolute tone.
Her supervisor-cum-senior smiled widely. "I know you can do it. Finding talented people isn't that hard, but someone as diligent, attentive, and patient as you is a rarity. I know your character; that's why I trusted you enough to call you here."
Unakarn offered another wai. "If not for your help, I wouldn't have been able to find a job at such a large firm on my own."
Phakaphan laughed. "It's not that extreme. Besides being well-mannered, you're quite the sweet talker."
"Speaking the truth isn't called being a sweet talker," the young woman smiled, her eyes crinkling.
"Let's call it being charming then. Tell me, being this attentive, do you have a boyfriend yet?"
"No, I don't."
"I heard that Khun Isara stopped pestering you."
Unakarn simply smiled, offering no further explanation. It was her nature to keep her private affairs to herself, even from close friends. However, the situation involving her, Isara, and Ginjutha was widely known on campus because the two had been a high-profile couple. When a 'third party' was involved, rumors flew, leading to misunderstandings that caused Unakarn significant trouble for a while.
"Oh, speaking of Khun Isara, let me tell you one more thing."
"Yes?"
"You probably remember Jomnaree, one of Khun Ginny's friends."
"I remember her well." She remembered both Jomnaree and Khakanang clearly. Even after Isara returned to the socialite, Ginjutha's close friends never missed an opportunity to throw barbed comments at her whenever they crossed paths, as if they harbored a deep-seated hatred for her.
"She works here. She's a Sales Department head with an impressive record, too."
Unakarn's heart sank. "She isn't in this department, is she?"
"No," her supervisor laughed. "She's in a different line of work. As for Khakanang, she works at Khun Ginny's family company."
Natthawara Rapeepasakul was a woman in her early forties, aging gracefully in both appearance and attire. The clear, experienced eyes of the PA shone with intelligence and a keen insight into people as she observed the new employee Phakaphan brought in for a formal introduction—a standard procedure for staff whose roles might interface with high-level executives.
"What a lovely, charming face. You look familiar, as if I've seen you somewhere before."
"Oh, Nong Prae doesn't have any relatives working here, Khun Nat."
"I'm not sure, but I've definitely seen this facial structure before."
"Perhaps on television?"
Natthawara examined her features one by one as if deconstructing them, specifically her beautiful, shimmering eyes that resembled those of a doe. She noted to herself that while this girl wasn't a staggering beauty, her characteristics and physiognomy were impeccable.
"Perhaps. Tell me, dear."
"I am the younger sister of Shanya Pudpitchaya."
Unakarn spoke the name of her sister, the actress famous for her villainous roles.
"That's it!" Phakaphan suddenly remembered. "Prae hasn't mentioned P'Pan in so long that I almost forgot."
"I had no idea Shanya had such a lovely younger sister." Natthawara was well-acquainted with the antagonist actress known to half the country.
"P'Pan and Nong Mai are much more beautiful. I am the most ordinary one in the house," Unakarn said brightly when mentioning her siblings.
"A trio of daughters? With everyone being this beautiful, your parents must be very protective."
"My mother is just worried because we are grown. My father is no longer with us."
"Oh, I'm so sorry, dear."
The PA felt a surge of pity as those shimmering eyes dimmed slightly.
"It's alright. It has been over ten years now," she replied politely.
But as a mother of a teenage daughter herself, Natthawara could sense the lingering longing in that soft voice and the forced smile.
"Nong Prae's mother is an exceptional cook, Khun Nat. Authentic royal court recipes."
Phakaphan was quick to boast, knowing that the Chairman's PA hailed from the Rapeepasakul line—the original royal clan of Mom Ratchawong Warinrampai—and possessed a deep interest in ancient recipes and Thai palace cuisine.
"Have you tasted it, Khun Oum?"
"I've been to their house once. But Prae always brought a pinto (tiffin carrier) for me during our tutoring sessions. Sometimes she'd cook for birthday parties. Back in our student days, I was a beneficiary of her skills. My family even ordered catering from them once; the guests couldn't stop praising it."
"Does your mother do catering, dear?" Natthawara asked with genuine interest.
"She used to. But lately, her health hasn't been great, so P'Pan strictly forbade it. She only does it when absolutely necessary—like when a producer or a close acquaintance begs her. If P'Pan asks, Mother makes excuses that she's just helping them out."
"That's a shame."
"If you ever need any help, please let me know. I've learned quite a bit from my mother," the young woman volunteered out of her natural helpfulness, not to flatter.
"What are your specialties?"
"I can manage both savory and sweet dishes, as well as crafts. I can also do international cuisine, at least the popular dishes."
"Oh, how rare. A modern girl who is still skilled in domestic arts."
Unakarn's fair face flushed with a bashful pink. "I've helped my mother in the kitchen since I was a child, so I developed a passion for it without realizing. Right after my father passed, Mother was ill for a long time. I had to look after her and my sister. When she got better, she started making food and desserts to sell so she could send us to school. I was her assistant. P'Pan helped too, while Nong Mai provided the low-level labor."
The tone in which she spoke of her all-female family broadcasted a warmth that the listener could feel.
"That sounds rather difficult."
"It was hard, but we had people who helped us." The young woman didn't mention Bancha Thanaphatwanit, not wanting to claim an association with a powerful businessman like him. "Luckily, P'Pan got work in the industry as well."
"One of these days, I must have a taste of your cooking."
"If you wouldn't mind, I could try making breakfast or lunch for you to sample."
"Who would mind? But I don't want to trouble you. Perhaps for the annual merit-making ceremony that Khun Ying attends, I might ask you to prepare something as a surprise for her."