Episode 2

Daniel:

My name is Daniel Colatto, I am 28 years old. Despite being an heir, my life has never been easy. I received the Colatto construction company on the verge of bankruptcy after my father's former partner pulled a scam and used low-quality materials in the construction of a resort, which caused the main structure to collapse.

I fought for years to rebuild the company, and today it is the largest construction company in the country. There is no shortage of work, and that is all my life is about: work.

I don't have time for distractions. My only occupation is to be the best at what I do and beat all the competition. I once had a girlfriend, but we broke up because I never had time for the relationship. My focus has always been — and always will be — work. That's why I decided I won't have a family until I reach the peak of my career.

Children? I hate kids. They only create work, hinder the progress of life, and prevent us from moving forward.

Currently, we have five architects working at the company, but I still need one more. The demand is extremely high and we can't waste time. That's why I started a selection process that is leaving me extremely stressed.

The men want to show themselves as superior, as if they are doing me a favor by applying for a position at Colatto. As for the women... they seem more interested in a seduction parade than in a job interview. Most are dismissed as soon as they enter, either because of the way they dress or because of their attempt to insinuate themselves.

Dora, my secretary, tells me that it's the last candidate of the day. When the woman enters, I already prepare to dismiss her. But, to my surprise, she is dressed appropriately, hands over her resume professionally, and maintains her posture. There is only one problem — and, for me, the main one: she has a daughter. This already makes me sound the alert.

"A daughter?" I ask.

"Yes, Mr. Colatto. Her name is Melissa and she is 5 years old," she replies, firmly.

"That will interfere with your work. Children get sick, they can't be left alone. How do you intend to dedicate yourself 100% if you have a daughter?"

"I have a friend who lives with me, she is Melissa's godmother and takes care of her during the day. She is responsible for everything. My daughter will not be an impediment, except at night or on weekends, when my friend will not be able to take care of her."

"I can't waste any more time looking for other candidates. I'll give you this opportunity. But, I'll tell you in advance: since you won't be able to go to nighttime events or take trips, I want total dedication during business hours. Regarding your daughter, the company offers babysitting assistance, and you can put her in a private school."

"I will dedicate myself body and soul to the company. I thank you for the opportunity. Working at Colatto, the largest construction company in the country, is an honor."

"Leave your documents with Dora. You start tomorrow."

I said goodbye to the candidate already thinking that this child will be an impediment, but since I can't afford to continue with endless interviews, I accepted. As long as the daughter doesn't interfere, I don't see why not hire her.

After the exhausting interviews, I decide to stop by my best friend Miguel Duran's nightclub.

"Hey, brother, how are things?" he asks.

"I finally hired an architect. Now I hope to have more time to show up here."

"And the girlfriend? It's time to get into a relationship and fulfill Dona Lucia's request. Your mother wants a grandson!"

"Never. I won't have children, nor do I want commitment. I need to distract myself, yes, but only with something fleeting. And not even now, I'm swamped with work. I just stopped by to say hello."

"That's why I opened this nightclub. I combined work with pleasure," he says, laughing. "I can work and have fun in the same place."

"I'm leaving. I have some projects to review."

After the quick visit to the nightclub, I decide to sleep at my parents' house. It's been months since I visited them. I regret it as soon as I enter: as always, they start pressuring me to get a girlfriend and have children — something I will never do.

They live in the countryside, on a kind of honeymoon since my father abandoned the construction company and started running a small export company. After suffering a heart attack because of the scam he suffered, my mother demanded that I take over Colatto and he stay with a lighter job.

Even after hiring this Bruna, I'll leave her on probation. I want to see if this daughter really doesn't interfere. I'll have to keep someone on standby to cover the times when she can't be available — which, for me, is already conceding more than I like.

But since she was the only decent professional who showed up at the interviews, I preferred to hire her right away than continue wasting time analyzing resumes.

As Americans say: time is money — and that's something we can't waste.

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