The taxi comes to a stop at the Inferno company building and Shawn gets down and pays the taxi driver before turning around and looking at the gigantic company building.
There’s a chill that runs down his spine as he looks at the building once again. Maybe it’s because Cainan threw him out of this place three months ago and his plead and cry for mercy fell on the deaf ears of the man, who now wants him back. He also doesn’t forget the fact that Cainan had kissed his girlfriend before giving him this job and even though he had punched him in the face for that, he doesn’t think that is enough for what he did or the things he said.
Shawn's not thrilled, no. He has a bad feeling about it and he knows it’s not going away soon. Although hoping for the best, he reminds himself who he’s working for and that’s Inferno.
At exactly eight o’clock, he steps into the fourth floor of the building and he remembers most of the faces that turned toward him. Some stared at him with a face filled with confusion, others stared with surprise and yet others with scepticism. An icy chill runs down his spine, but he puts himself under control and makes his way towards Jacob, the attendant's desk.
“Good morning,” Shawn says, hoping to start a smooth conversion with him.
He glances up from his desk, his brown eyes dull and lazy for the early morning. “Yes? Can I help you?”
Okay..., that was not the response he expected, at least not from him, “It’s me, Jacob.” They had been friends in the years that they had worked together. Jacob was one colleague he hoped would visit him after he got fired three months ago, but sadly enough, he never did and neither did he call.
“Again I ask, can I help you?”
Something nasty must have happened to Jacob in the last three months because he wasn’t this cranky before, or maybe he was, and he just didn’t notice.
“Um... Is Cainan already in? He called me back.” Shawn blurts out, unbelief still relevant in his tone.
Jacob glances up at Shawn and quietly stares at him for a while, “And what is he going to take, your soul? Or has he already taken it?”
Shawn’s confusion increases as a little fury sets in. “Is Cainan in?” He asks again, this time keeping the question as formal as possible.
“Yes. He is,” Jacob responds and Shawn walks away from him only to hear him mutter “wimp” under his breath.
He knocks on the door and when he hears a come in; he pushes the door and enters Cainan’s office.
Cainan is on the phone with someone who is pleasing enough to make him smile and as he sees Shawn, he beckons that he comes closer and he nods, stepping closer to the desk. Cainan's desk has many files of work on it and some look untouched, which is so unlike him, but Shawn keeps his mouth shut and says nothing while Cainan’s busy.
“Alright, talk later, mom,” he said before hanging up the phone. “That’s my mom, she wants me to get married ASAP.”
“Oh?” Shawn utters as he finds nothing more to say about the awkward situation.
He has worked here for years, but Cainan barely spoke to him about his mother. He only discussed work-related issues with him and brought assignments and works over to his table. The best he’s done had been informing him about a dinner party and asking him to tag along, nothing more, so this felt weird.
“Yeah, she thinks I’m old, god, I’m just past thirty.” He drops the phone on his desk and looks up. “Do you think I look old?”
Shawn’s brows furrow. “Why are you asking me that?” He asks instead.
“Because you’re the one here,” is his straightforward answer.
Shawn scratches his head with his eyes, looking anywhere but at Cainan. “Hey, can you at least do me the favour of looking at me? I’m right in front of you.” The tone of his voice changes rapidly as he says this and there is a grimace and snare at the end of his words.
Shawn looks at him, taking a proper look at him before shrugging. “It depends.”
It’s Cainan’s turn to frown. “It depends on what?”
“You don’t look old and you sure don’t feel old, but she birthed and raised you and watched you from age one to thirty, so yeah, you’re getting old from her view.” He responds, leaving no details out.
Cainan makes an agreeing gesture and wags his head from side to side. “Well, I’ll marry when I find the right girl,” he mutters before flipping open a file to glance through it.
It feels odd to Shawn for him to say find the right girl when he’s got a girlfriend, but then again, this is Cainan Inferno. He’s the playboy turn crazy lover, turn heart-breaker and with him, anything can happen. Relationships will not keep him grounded, he was in one all the while he was having an affair with Clara and five days ago he kissed his girlfriend.
“Right girl? Not to prude, but did you break up with Samantha?” Shawn asks out of curiosity.
“I haven’t, but I don’t think she’s the right one for me and I’m sure the feeling is mutual.” He casually says like it doesn’t matter. “We are together because we appreciate and enjoy each other’s company.”