" Just where are you going?" I asked confused.
" You wanted to know more about me so I will realize that wish for you." He replied while speeding up with the car.
We reached our destination, it was a vast forest and we kept walking in it until we found a big rock that overlooks a beautiful lake. The scenery was gorgeous that I forgot all about going back to the mansion and how it's dangerous to remain alone with someone like Shawn.
" How do you like it?" he asked fixing his position on that rock.
" It is fabulous."
" Glad you like it."
I turned my head directing my gaze at him in surprise.
" How could you be so mean at college but turn this kind now?" I wondered.
"I can't treat you freely as I wish at college to not raise suspicions so I just tease you."
" Whoa, didn't expect such a reason."
" Why did you take me here?" I added.
" Since it is my birthday, I wanted to spend it outside."
" Why didn't you celebrate it with your friends?"
" What friends?"
I didn't know how to respond to that question, I gave it a thought and he was right. Shawn did not have any friends. He sat with a bunch of kids at college but he never talk about them and never have I ever seen him with them outside of college.
" Ohh, so you are a loner." I commented nodding my head.
" I didn't have time to make friends and when finally I had the chance, I found out that they are so young and stupid. I felt too left out."
" So you are saying that I am much more mature than them?"
" No, if you asked regarding your body, you are so small." he laughed.
" Rudee." I spat out.
" I wouldn't have been attracted to you if you weren't mature enough anyway so rest assured." He said which resulted in a faint blush finding its way upon my cheeks.
" How about we talk business while contemplating this scenery." I replied trying to convert the direction of this conversation.
" I left her."
" You, what? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
" Should I?" Shawn responded sarcastically.
-" Why did you change your mind?"
" She was pestering me it has been a while. It was fated to happen eventually. I listened to her demands of becoming my girlfriend just to experience what teenagers my age go through. It wasn't as much as fun as I expected it to be though." He explained.
" I heard about your childhood story."
" From who?"
" My friends told me about it the other day, you are very famous, ya know." I stated the obvious.
" Did they tell you about my mother?" he asked.
" No, but I would like to hear about it."
" She was killed by some mafia leader who has been my dad's rival for ten consecutive years."
It seemed that he didn't want to talk about it any further so I didn't push him to but I was curious about how he felt to do business at such a young age.
“ Do you like to work?" I questioned.
" No, I am just good at work but I do not like it. No one likes to work." He answered.
" How about you give a job to someone who needs it." I said pointing out to myself.
" I know what you are trying to get at and it is cute I got to say."
" C'mon, working is better than studying if you think about it, especially that it is your own company."
" You can work by yourself, the CEO that I hired is running my company quite well and the money I take a year pushed me to reconsider inheriting my dad's wealth. I don't need his money; therefore I do not need to listen to what he wants anymore." Shawn clarified.
" Oh, why is your dad insisting that you run his business?"
" Because I am the only one who will not lead to its destruction if I took over. We have too many enemies as much as we have a lot of connections, Lily. The only thing that keeps them away from messing with our business is the consequence they will have to face if they anger us. If someone outside of the family took over, it will encourage them to make a move that we might not be able to undo."
" While we are talking now, I am exposing my dad to a potential threat, words going around that Shawn Gerald is refusing to help his dad. Do you understand?"
" I got it but it still so weird; I can't understand why would someone risk his life and fortune to seek more money and fame. They already have enough."
" Greed never gets satisfied, Lily. The more you earn, the more you would want to earn. That's life."
" You don't want to end up a workaholic like your dad wasting your life, am I right?"
" It is more of I am avenging my younger self, I blame dad for creating a childhood that is no different from my present, I blame him for being the reason of mom's death. I want him to suffer a little bit more."
I started to understand how he thinks, in my eyes; Shawn is a wise man who holds a child's spirit that he could not let go of. He is a prisoner of his own world just like how I was afraid to be a prisoner of mine. Our means are different but our goals are pretty much the same.
We would like to create our own script; I wish to not live in poverty my whole life and prove myself and he hopes to get free from the greater responsibilities his rank beholds. We fought different circumstances but we still ran in the same direction.