Everything in his path seems to stop moving and so does she. She doesn't want to but she knows she has to admit that he is handsome maybe even beautiful in this case. Mixed, rich olives and skin, thick black hair, well-sculpted nose, chiselled and hard jaw, green eyes and swollen red lips and she think she can guess what he's been doing in the last few minutes.
"Hey, everyone!" Cainan calls out, bringing the attention of everyone on the floor to him. "Say hello to Shawn," he says, pulling the young man Neriah had seen outside earlier when coming in by the arm.
"Hello, Shawn," everyone says in unison.
The twenty-something-year-old, brown eyes, dark skin, black hair man who looks like he's about to pass out head drops and he stares at the floor.
"Shawn is late again and everyone knows the first one is a...?" He pauses after asking.
"Warning," the staffs reply again like automatic answering robots.
"So everyone says goodbye to Shawn," the young man's eyes widen in sorrow and looks like he's about to break down in tears.
"Goodbye, Shawn."
Cainan pats his shoulder, "Go and clear your table, Mr Ola."
"Sir, please give me one more chance." Shawn ramble helplessly, "My mom's admitted at the hospital I need this job so we're not thrown out." he says in tears.
Not showing any bit of sympathy, Cainan says, "Not my business, Shawn, go clear your table or I'll call the security to throw your things out."
Unable to say anything else Shawn bows his head and walk away from him in sorrow.
Cainan who doesn't seem to be done yet continues to speak, "Let this be a warning to every one of you, if you do your best, you'll be rewarded, if not, you'll be fired. Carry on people."
Neriah saw her opportunity and she decides to take it. She begins to approach him only to be blocked by two men out of nowhere.
"Let me through!" She says, after being unable to make them move even as she pushes at them.
"Who are you and what do you want?" One of the tall heavily built men asks.
She tiptoes to make sure Cainan isn't completely gone yet. "I just want to speak to your boss."
He folds his arms, "He doesn't want to talk to you."
"Can you go ask him at least?" Neriah knows she's sounding desperate but she can't help it, she really needs more time in her apartment and the only way to get it is by talking to Cainan.
"Who's that?" Cainan demands, his voice deep and commanding attention.
"This Lady here want to talk to you," one of the men replies.
He walks over to where the three are, "Let's hear it then," he pauses and folds his hands
Neriah is taken off guard, not expecting it to be that easy and so she asks, "What?"
He rolls his eyes, "You're not deaf are you?"
She shakes her head, "I'm not, I stay at the mainland, 17th street avenue." She begins to say.
He growls and Neriah is sure he's losing his patience, "You're inviting me to your house now? Cause I have better offers."
The guards chuckle and he glares at them, and once again Neriah dismisses his rude and arrogant response. "N-no... No" she stutters, shaking her head even as her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. "You're the new owner of the property and you're are asking us to leave because you're hoping to tear it down tomorrow."
"I believe I gave you all extension and also gave a double refund of your rents."
She nods, "Yes you did, but finding a house in the city is not as easy as you think it is," she explains, her frustration dawning on her
He shrugs casually, "Then move back to your home town, young lady."
Her eyes widen and she scoffs, "Thanks; I just need a little more time and I'll leave that's all."
"Twenty four hours is my most generous offer to you young lady." He says with no trace of pity in his tone as he walks away from her.
Her eyes widen and she follows him out of his office, "But that's unfair."
"Unfair is demolishing the house on you while you're still inside and believe me that's what I'm going to do if you don't get lost in twenty-four hours."
She scoff, not knowing if the man she's talking to is a man or metal. How can he not sympathise with those in difficult situations? Sure things might come easy for him, but that wasn't the case for a lot of other people.
This man was the complete opposite of what the news and sources said about him. He didn't have a good heart, he had the heart of stone and he may help the less privileged, but he seems to do that for the attention that brought him. She thought.
"You're unbelievable." She shook her head.
"Being unbelievable is what has brought me here today." He agrees with a nod.
"And being an idiot is what will take you to where you will be tomorrow, cause you might be a billionaire, but you sure are an idiotic one." She does not realize she'd said that out loud until she finds the whole room quiet and the eyes of all the staffs in the room on her, including the murderous eyes of the one she just called an idiot.
He looks like he's about to unleash all hell down on her after what she said about him and she didn't think she would make it if he did that.
She doesn't say another word before walking away, more of running.
She meets Shawn as she walks outside and he's still holding the box that contains his personal belongings, "Hey, I saw what happened to you inside and I must say no one deserves to go through that."
He smiles a little and he looks down, "Thanks and I heard what you told him inside, thank you for saying it to his face, most of us wish we had that much courage. So on behalf of all of us who didn't have enough guts to speak, thank you."
She can't help smiling even though her day is already messed up and not going to get better, "No problem."
She was unable to do what she came to do, but at least she was able to bring a smile to the face of someone.
The two begin to walk down the road, "So what are you going to do now?"
She shakes her head, "Going home and pack my bags and look for where I can move to before tomorrow comes."
"There's a house on lease close to where I live, you can come and check it out today if you're not very busy." He casually suggested.
Her face lightens up, as she turns to him, "Really?"
He nods, "Definitely. I know it isn't luxurious but it's something."
"Okay sure."
"The idiotic billionaire, I hope someone writes something my mean ex-boss someday."
...
There comes a knock on the door and Cainan drops the pen and closes the file he's reading through, "Come in," he says.
The tall, forty-three years old wearing a black suit named, Ben, who is Cainan head of security enters the office, crossing his hands behind his back as he comes to a halt. "I was told you needed me."
He nods and lay his back against his seat, "I have a job for you."
"What is it, boss?"
He rubs his jaw slowly, "I want you to keep an eye out for someone and feed me back everything you find out about them."
"Okay, sir, who's it?"
"Her name is Neriah Gomez."