The art school student turned to Scott. "Did you see how they looked? They didn't seem happy like Uncle. Uncle is very happy here because he makes a lot of money, like your dad. We really need to do something about the ambiance."
Rowan didn't break off from the lean when he turned to the reception lobby, especially toward that white wall that faced the bay area. "We really need to do something about this big-ass wall. Quick, let's go see your dad and hear what he wants to do with it!"
"Hey, Rowan, this is not the dog park! Quit running around, you dumb doggie!" Even if they should walk with the secretary, Rowan bolted toward the elevators again. Scott saw how the other went inside a car without him. "Wait for me!"
"…why do they act like kids?" The secretary murmured as he walked to follow them. However, when he got to the elevator, he realized the two had ridden it without him. A frown formed on his face before resuming his phone call with the president. "Uhm, Sir, about making sure they won't break anything? I think I already failed. I lost them just now."
…
Present time…
The glass doors opened at the entry of someone with a master keycard. The guard looked over and only greeted the person. However, the person didn't even spare the guard a glance. He just walked over to the strange contraption on the back wall of the reception area.
Someone was sitting on what seemed to be a swing that could move up and down, as well as left and right. However, since it was not automated, the person had to get off every time he wanted to make adjustments. It didn't bother the painter all that much.
What bothered him was the extra person that came. Rowan wondered if Duke was right to assume that Scott kept on chasing him instead of meeting by coincidence. He just dismissed the presence of the other person. This was Bradshaw Enterprise; Scott could appear whenever he wanted. That guy could even jump down from the roof, and Rowan wouldn't care as if it was good riddance.
"When they painted it white, it became an eye sore. It's good that you're finally working on that to make it less glaring… or not. They warned you about putting someone's death on the wall, surely." Scott only crossed his arms on his chest.
"You're fourteen years too late to make that warning." Rowan snorted, but he quickly stopped his hand movement. The brush stroke wasn't compromised, but he couldn't follow it up. He then brought his brush back into the plate where the paint was. "Sorry. That's too low for me no matter how much I hate you…"
Scott only glanced at the man on the contraption. "I'm surprised you still cared about my feelings about my father's death in this very building. Then again, it's been too long. That's nothing but a grim joke now. Moreover, his blood didn't even reach that wall."
Rowan only cast his gaze at the paint plate in his lap. He could still remember how Scott's father was assassinated right in front of them a year after Rowan met the man. Mr. Bradshaw was standing by the reception, speaking to Scott, when someone crashed their car through the bay.
Before the guards could act, the passenger took out a gun and fired in their direction. The man used his own body to cover Scott and caught four bullets in his chest. He died then and there.
That was why the company resorted to hanging ornaments rather than painting their walls. The splash of color brought nightmares to a lot of employees, what more to Scott who refused to come to the building for years following that murder. Rowan remembered well because he saw the whole course of grief Scott went through. From denial to anger to despair, and finally acceptance…
Hearing how Bradshaw Enterprise allowed someone to paint their walls again was a shock—possibly even to Scott. Then again, with everything that happened, Rowan cared too little about how Scott felt. He just refused to be that person who would casually bring up the death of a loved one.
"Are you going to put red there?" Scott asked again after a few minutes of silence. Even if the paint was making it hard to breathe for him, he stayed where he stood. That way, he could simply talk to Rowan if he wanted. He just couldn't force the other to answer.
"No." That was all Rowan said before moving to descend and move the contraption to the side again. "Are you going to watch me work all night? At least get yourself some chair. I don't want to be blamed if your knees locked or something."
Rowan didn't even spare another glance when he moved around. As if Scott was not around, he continued to work on the gold base color of the pathway he was making.
The pencil marks on the wall were hard to see if someone was not as close as Rowan was. Scott could only guess what Rowan was drawing on the white wall. He just walked to the entrance to find a detachable seat for himself. It was just that… Scott stopped right in his step.
His eyes looked around the supposed empty lobby. He took a step back before running back to the painter who was pushing his contraption to the side again. "Rowan, come here for a bit."
"What do you want? If you touch me again, I will stab you." Rowan would grab his palette knife to threaten Scott who ran to him, but he threw the paint plate in a direction.
Bang! The plate hit someone else in the face, and a gun fired in their direction. Rowan tackled Scott to the ground, and the bullet barely grazed Rowan's back. The wall in the line of fire caught the shot and had a crater in it. Before Rowan could move again, however, he saw how the lights were turned off.
Rowan growled at the blatant attack. He then went to grab Scott by the collar and dragged him while staying low on the ground. They both heard shuffling footsteps as if the gunmen were looking for them. It was just that another gunshot echoed in the lobby.
"Fuck, are they after you? Who are these people?" Scott growled as he moved faster, but he realized how Rowan didn't move just the same. When he turned to the side, he saw how Rowan trembled. "Rowan?"
The lights were switched on as well, and someone was already in Scott's line of sight. He looked at the man in a strange tactical gear. There was a wolf emblem on the left chest, but that was all Scott found. Someone knocked out the man from behind.
From behind Scott spoke another man. He was even the one hit by the paint plate. "Let's kill that other guy. He'll just bleed to death, anyway. We only need the nephew."