Chapter 9 Pretty Punishment

SHAWN DONNELLY

~~

He hated to get up this early. It was no doubt that the Shawn of his childhood was more mature now. He had shed a lot of his recklessness but somehow, old habits don't entirely die.

If at all they'd entirely elude him, it takes time and process. And - he had been working a lot on that. Lots of processes have been yielding fruits in all sincerity.

He was able to make it to the top with a little sprinkle of his old bad-boy attitude and a lot of his newly found reserve and knowledge. He knew he had to change - not after his family nearly disowned him after that incident six years ago.

That incident took a lot of his spirit away. He almost committed suicide out of guilt. He has had sleepless nights and restless days for more than a year.

Once, he went for confession at the chapel and the priest told him this...

"You have committed the sin, brother but you have suffered for it with guilt. Your Punishment is the memories that linger to haunt you but your salvation lies in them also. That you are conscious enough to feel guilty about what you did shows how sorry and repentant that you are. You are already on the path to salvation, brethren, what remains is your willingness to allow Christ in your heart and set you back on the right path that you've swayed from."

Now that he thought of it, Shawn chuckled bitterly. Of course, he didn't give a shit about all the Christ talks that day but one thing the priest said remained with him.

His guilt was his punishment but also his salvation for that is the beacon that his heart is human enough to feel regret.

Regret - he felt it every day. And Calista?

He searched for her. He contacted her friend when he couldn't get in touch with her four months after the scandal but she never replied to any of his texts or took his calls.

Not to mention how hard it was for him to get a hold of her contact info. Fiora – yes, that was her name.

She eventually blocked him and he was left to confront her physically but the ugly four eyes never gave him attention too.

Yet, Calista was nowhere to be found. There was no way he was going to her parents for information too. They almost sued him but thankfully, his parents had enough influence.

Oh, he went through hell back then. His friends did too especially Gabriel who released the tapes. They suffered scorn from the community too as some blamed them and called them names.

It was all well-deserved. They messed up but more importantly, he fucked the hell up. Most of the girls in class were all sleeping around and he never thought Calista would be a virgin.

She was so inexperienced although Gabriel bet that she was a Virgin since her crooked nose disfigured her face and she was somehow – ugly.

Argh!

All of that was supposed to be in the past. He was a changed man, striving to be better. He was getting better. He had so much money now. His relationship with his family was improving too.

He was a damn billionaire now. He had the women too. Oh, they flock around him like he was sugar and them, ants. Life was good.

He had paid for his sins. Cut off all of his old friends, and made no friends in college. He was a contrast to his High School self in college because as he was so famous in High House School was as unknown as he was in college.

He didn't want to make any more mistakes. He lived a boring and private life ever since and the only compensation he had was all the women. This time, he never kissed and told.

Everything about his personal life remained what they were – private.

Except for some journalists and reporters who print some shitty gossip about him. Those bloody poke nosers would not just leave him the hell ALONE!

He liked his women and he liked to keep his sexual life private too but privacy was barely a thing when you're the CEO of an international corporation in your country.

As he got dressed, Shawn made sure his Colognes were well sprayed and his suit, intact and as clean as they could be.

For some reason, he wanted to appear very nice and computed in front of that woman. She was the first to make his heart jump ever since that incident.

Shawn gripped his chest once again. His heart had begun to race fast once more. He almost tasted his heart in his mouth when he first saw that face.

Why on earth did the architect have that face?

Even though he knew she wasn't Calista, being in her presence felt like he was under Calista's gaze. Hence, he felt the need to prove that he was changed and a lot more responsible now.

Although she wasn't Calista, he wanted to be this way still. The priest's voice echoed in his mind again.

"Your punishment is the guilt you carry..."

This female architect - she was one of his punishments. A pretty one at that. And her frame - oh, her frame sure was toned. She looked fit, well fitted. She was like the more feminine version of those Olympic female players.

She just had to have that face. That face that haunts him, she looks almost like it. He would recognize it anywhere but considering most factors, he knew she wasn't Calista.

Yet, his interest in her was piqued right from the moment he saw her.

"Let's go tease this pretty punishment." He said to his reflection in the mirror as he checked out his attire for the umpteenth time and slid his designer glasses on.

.

"Good morning, Mr. Donnelly." His Secretary who had come to meet him at home since they weren't going to the office curtseyed as he climbed down the stairs into his living room.

With an acknowledging nod, "Morning, Gina. Did you remember to adjourn my meetings till late noon?" He asked the petite Auburn-haired girl who should be about the same age as Serenity.

Now - why was he comparing even Gina to her? Why did it seem like she was flying to his mind at every slight chance? Anyway, he was always this excited whenever he met a new woman who had successfully gained his interest.

All of his sexual escapades never move beyond the Platonic though. If he ever pursued the architect, it'd be for pleasure and nothing more than that.

"Yes, sir, I already have. We have up to four hours to spend at the site after which we have to return to the office for the meeting with the shipping team." She explained as they both moved outside.

He had four hours to tease his punishment; Shawn's face broke into a discreet sinister grin.