“So what do you think?” Shawn asks when he sees Neriah walk out of the apartment with a broad smile on her face.
They had both checked out the apartment and when Cecilia, his mother’s friend and owner of the place, came by, they both discussed while Shawn waited outside. It’s been close to fifteen minutes since the two women had talked.
“It’s okay, I like it!” she squeals and hugs him, “and according to Cecilia I can move in if I have six months’ payment down.” She couldn’t have been happier to say those words.
“That’s great news then?” He asks as he stared into her eyes.
She may not have known Shawn for so long, but he’s helped her out, and she’s grateful for that. “Yes. Thank you, Shawn, you’re a lifesaver.” She says as they begin to walk on.
His smile dies down as he mutters, “If only that were true.”
Neriah doesn’t need to think twice to know what he’s referring to because she’d heard him talk about his mom being in the hospital when Cainan fired him in the morning. How cold that man was to ignore the reasonable excuse presented to him.
“How is she?” She asks, looking up at him, and she sees his face drop.
He sighs, “Hanging on.”
“That’s good though, right?”
He takes a deep laboured breath, “She doesn’t see the point of holding on and according to her, she’s becoming more of a burden than she’s ever wanted to be. I had to tell her to keep the faith before leaving this morning.”
Neriah is quiet for a while before blurting out the obvious, “That was why you were late.”
He silently nods, “I can’t tell her I got fired, it’ll crush her.”
“What are you going to tell her?” Her brow raises, “Lying would only last for a while.”
And she understands first-hand what lying is like. Every time her family from home calls, she tells them she’s doing alright even though she knows that’s so far from the truth. She couldn’t tell them she wasn’t alright, and that all wasn’t going well with her because she knew that would only make them worry and she didn’t want that.
“It’ll be long enough for me to find another job.”
“I believe you’ll find a good job soon.” She pats his shoulder than she reassuringly says this.
***
“You’re thinking,” Clara quietly points out, her fingers lightly drumming on Cainan’s chest as she stares at Cainan, whose eyes fixed on the ceiling in deep concentration. Having known him for a long time, she knows he only looks this way when something is bothering him. She’s seen this look when she first walked in an hour ago and this is the first time sex didn’t help improve his mood.
He shakes his head, but he knows she knows better. “What’s wrong? Someone giving you a hard time at work?” She prob, becoming more interested than she should be.
He turns so his eyes fixated on hers, “Even if they are, there’s really nothing you can do because the last time I checked, you are married and it’s not to me.”
She groans and pulls the bedsheets up with her as she sits down, “Cainan, please tell me you’re not going back to point fingers at my marriage again.”
He shrugs and sits down as well. “I’ve never been a liar, won’t start now. You left me and married Hugo and now you’re cheating on him with me and don’t forget that I also have a girlfriend.”
When they started this a few months ago, he told himself it was the last time, but there was something about Clara that made him always come back.
She rolls her eyes, “You want this too, don’t pin it all on me.”
He would never do that. It was much of his fault as it was hers. “I’m not. I want this because I still have powerful feelings for you but I hope to get over that, but that day isn’t today.” He pulls her closer and kisses her lips as he pushes her back down on the bed.
Cainan’s phone rings and they both growl and pull apart. Cainan reaches for it when Clara speaks up. “Ignore it.”
His mouth pauses a little and lets the phone ring. After muting it the phone soon stops vibrating and they kiss again. Cainan is about to roll on top of Clara when the phone rings again.
He pulls away from her and reaches for the phone. “Could be important,” he explains, giving her apologetic eyes.
“The last time I checked, I’m still very important,” Clara argues the obvious, and he won’t argue with her about that.
He glances at his phone and sees the caller ID is Ben and he figures he’s probably calling to give information about the assignment he’d given him earlier. “Sorry, I’ve got to pick it.” He says, getting up from the bed and walking to the bathroom.
“Yes?” He asks, before going quiet to hear what Ben is saying.
“Sir, I have followed up with Neriah Gomez, just like you asked.” Came Ben’s report.
“So you have all the information?” He further enquires, awaiting the response.
“Yes sir,” he explained what he had found before adding, “I will have them over to you once you’re in the office.”
“Good then, monitor her.” He says before ending the call.
When he turns around, he sees Clara staring at him with folded arms. She’s already in her black gown and he realises the call might not be as brief as he realised that the call wasn’t as brief as he thought it would be.
The look on her face is unreadable, which was and still is one thing he doesn’t like about her. That she can shut her emotions and he could not know what’s going on in her head.
He taps on the phone in his hand, before saying the only reasonable thing he can think of. “I’m sorry about that.”
At this, she gives him a smile filled with unsureness. “Do I get to be angry? At least I know why the call was so important. Is she pretty?”
He makes a grunting sound, his eyes lowering to the phone in his hands. “It’s not what you think?”
“What do you think I think?” She asks with her brow arching.
“That we are screwing, but this is different.” He defends himself.
She places a hand on her hips and holds her head up. “And if it isn’t, do I have the right to be mad?”
“Yes!” He instantly replies.
She shakes her head and steps towards him, her brown eyes not once deflecting, “No I don’t and you know why because I’m not your girlfriend nor are you, my husband.”
“Don’t go there please,” he pleads and back away from her.
“But it’s true! And you’re right.” She replies, making him stop in his movement. “We are just horrible people who are too fucked up to move on and so we settle for screw each brain out.”
His breath is heavy and laboured as he boils with rage and he wishes he can do something that’ll hurt her in return for the way she has hurt him, but he can’t, no, not really.
“Is that what you tell yourself? That we are fucked up?” His voice is pained and angry.
She nods remorsefully, “Yes and we are so going to hell for it and the way you make me feel isn’t enough to change that reality.”
“What are you trying to say?” He asks, still forcing himself to stay calm.
She walks towards him and all he wants to do is tell her not to come any closer, but he wants her close; he wants her to hold him and never let go. “I made the greatest mistake of my life when I left you and married Hugo and as much as what we are doing feels so good, it’s wrong on so many levels.” She reaches out a hand and stroke his cheeks tenderly.
He takes hold of her hand, trying to stop the reaction her touch brings out of her body. “I don’t know where all this is coming from cause the Clara in bed with me less than ten minutes ago couldn’t have cared less.”
She pulled her hand away from his. “Well, she wouldn’t have if you hadn’t received that phone call and if she didn’t hear you sound so determined over the phone. She probably would not have realised how selfish she has been for trying to keep you as hers even when she knows it is no longer possible.”
He takes her hand, “I love you and you love me and that’s all that matters to me.”
She smiles slowly and runs her free hand through the small stubble on his face. “I think you deserve better.”
His jaw clenches and he shoves her hand off his face. “You don’t get to tell me what you think I deserve!” He snaps and walks away from her, into the room. “You lost that privilege when you ripped out my heart by calling me a boy who was too young to be with you and so couldn’t wait for me!”
She follows behind him, “You’re right, I don’t, but Hugo deserves better and so does Samantha and we can’t keep doing this to them.”
“And just like five years ago, you’re ending things again, Clara.” His eyes squeeze shut on their own, feeling the sting of tears coming on as he remembers their break up five years ago and the pain feels so real every time he thinks about it like it was yesterday.
“Yes,” she picks up her purse, “only this time I won’t be coming back.”
Two weeks later——> There comes a knock on Cainan’s door and his head lifted from the pillow and a low moan erupted from his throat. Thinking he’s probably still dreaming, he drops his head down on the pillow and his eyes close, but the knock comes again, this time louder than the first and he groans aloud in frustrations he shouldn’t be feeling so early. “Go away!” He growls and shoves his head into the pillow. The knock comes the third time and Cainan knows the only solution there is getting up, going to the door and knocking out whoever is at the door, but there’s a familiar voice, “I’m not leaving until I see you, Cainan Inferno.” The voice caused a stir in him and it wasn’t in a good way; it was most horrifyingly. “Samantha?” His voice comes out surprised and sceptical as it comes out. His eyes finally pulling apart, causing him to wince at the presence of the already bright day. “Yes, and I think you’ve avoided me enough, so you’re gonna face me and tell me why you’ve reject
One month later------ “There’s an invitation for us,” Samantha announces as she makes her way towards the bedroom. “The maid just brought it in,” she further adds. Cainan sits up in bed and turns to her, running his face. “Who is it from?” He can’t remember any of his closest friends having any party today. He had no such notification on his calendar. “From the Attah family.” She turns the card around and reads out the name on it. Hearing the name unpleasantly makes his stomach curl. “What’s the event for?” He lowly groans out. She opens the envelope and reads the message on it, “It’s the fifth wedding anniversary of Mr Hugo Attah and his wife Clara Hugo and they officially invited us.” Five years ago today, Clara married the asshole named Hugo and that day and the weeks that followed were the darkest times of Cainan’s life and though it’s been five years since then, it hasn’t healed the wound left by Clara's betrayal. The entire world knew he and Clara were soulmates and he had
“Will you wait and let’s talk about this!” Shawn calls out after Neriah as she storms out of Cecilia's house without an utterance of a word. She stops and turns to him, her eyes blazing and red all at the same time. Shawn has never since he started dating her seen this side of her, but more than anything, he wants to comfort her, wrap his arms around her and tell her everything is okay, but he knows her enough to know, that would be the last thing she’d want. There was something in comfort hugs that didn’t sit well with her. Shawn has argued about their effective power, but she laughed it off in the past and said she’d rather not get one when on a rollercoaster of emotions. “What else is there to talk about? It’s no coincidence that the buyer of the house I live in is Cainan Inferno. The same Cainan Inferno that bought and kicked me out of the previous house I was in and let’s not forget that he’s the same person I confronted seven weeks ago and called an idiotic billionaire.” She w
“I don’t want to be here,” Cainan grumbles, holding onto Samantha’s hand as they stroll through the guest present at the party. Some faces are familiar and some aren’t, but they all seem to have one thing in common, they are all old, just like Hugo. Everyone here would probably be dead in ten years, including Hugo, and if wishes came true, Hugo’s ten years would be tonight. He knew that is a horrible thing to wish someone but he can’t help it. A few grandpas here had young ladies in their arms, and he wondered which poor bastards they had snatched them from. He would bet all his money that most of these women weren't here because they loved these men. Their riches probably enticed them. Clara is a thirty-five-year-old woman married to a sixty-six-year-old man and if that doesn’t irk Cainan’s skin, nothing else would. It’s probably obvious to the world, and him she married him for his money, but he knows he wouldn’t have complained if she had waited and married him for his own money.
“Neriah?” Shawn calls, stepping into the bathroom where Cainan just left. It is quiet as the graveyard and his heart feels as though about to explode. He sees Neriah by the basin washing her hands. “Neriah?” He calls again and this time she looks up at him. “Shawn, hey,” she warmly smiles at him as she pulls the tissue and wipes her hands before tossing it into the dustbin. “What’s going on and why the hell is Cainan leaving the ladies’ bathroom.” Shawn's tone is hard and demanding answer. “I got you your job back?” There’s no victory in her words and for someone who just did something good, she doesn’t look good and this draws him in weirdly. The news is indeed good news, but stupidity would rejoice before knowing how the good news came about. He stares at her for an unending moment before requesting, “Can I at least ask how you could do that? The Cainan I know does not negotiate or changes his mind Neriah, what did he ask for in return?” “Nothing,” she answers with a mild shrug
“Move in with me,” Shawn says, after a long while of watching Neriah go through the vacancy spot available in the newspaper. It’s been four days since they got the eviction notice and so far there has been no luck in finding a new place for Neriah to move to. Most of the apartments are too expensive or too poor to even consider or have already rented out to others. Shawn bought and brought in the newspaper earlier today and Neriah has spent all her hours on it calling the numbers on the houses that are available and Shawn has tried to be the most supporting boyfriend around her. She immediately looks up at him. “What?” He gets up from his chair and moves to sit close to her, making their bodies touch. “Move in with me,” he says again. “You live with your mom,” she points out to him without even bothering to look up. “And let’s not forget she’s still recovering.” He laughs, but shakes his head, “My mom lives with me, there’s a huge difference and yes, but she’s improved faster than
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 to him and some stare at him with a face filled with co
Just like the previous day, Shawn knocks on Neriah’s door at exactly seven forty-five a.m. and she opens it before smiling brightly at him. She’s wearing black skinny jeans and a white T-shirt. Her thick curly hair is packed into a neat bun and there’s a little trace of make-up on her face. She has always been pleasant and mind-blowing with her looks and beholding it makes his day even better. “Good morning, Mr Ola,” she greets, pulling closer to him. He’s wearing a strong, but real nice Cologne and all she wants to do is bury her face in his chest and leave it there. “Good morning, princess.” He says before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to himself. “Did you sleep well?” She bites her lips and nod still smiling brightly at him, “Did you?” “Hmm, of course I did.” He takes her lips between his for a deep and sensual morning kiss. “It was the best because I dreamt of you.” Her eyes spark with excitement. “Really? What was I doing?” He wraps his arms around her w