Jackson stares at his reflection in the elevator door, fiddling with every part of his three-piece suit that he was forced into wearing just for this meeting. The jitters has him tugging at the starched collar of his pressed white shirt, looking not so pristine anymore now that he is beginning to perspire from his nervousness. Unlike the lifts in other office buildings and hotels he's been to, this one lacks any elevator music and is so quiet you can hear a pin drop. Even the engines and pulleys and gears work in absolute silence. It amplifies the rapid heartbeat ringing in his ears and only adds to his mounting nerves.

"Think of it as yet another employment interview, Jackson." He tries to peptalk himself. "It's no big deal; you can do it."

The metal doors slide open to reveal a near white lobby, company emblem emblazoned on the wall behind the receptionist's desk. He walks over and is greeted by the secretary, an elegant lady in her mid-twenties with sharp features and poised demeanour. He golden nametag ('Veronica', Jackson reads.) glints under the harsh lighting, as cold and detached as its owner's personality.

"H-hi," Jackson stutters. The lady raises a perfectly arched eyebrow while the rest of her face remain schooled and unreadable. He kicks himself in the back of his mind. He's going to be mocked by the secretary. Damn Veronica and her snooty facial expressions and intimidating blood red manicured nails.

Jackson squares his shoulders and lifts his chin. He clears his throat and tries again, this time with confidence. "I'm here to see the CEO. I have an appointment for 1pm."

The lady looks down at the e-scheduler by her work computer and nods once, curtly, when she verifies Jackson's words. "Mr. Wang, is it?" Jackson nods. "Please take a seat," Veronica gestures to the minimalistic designer armchairs tucked in the corner of the space. "while I will inform the CEO of your presence."

She returns a half minute later even before Jackson's settled into his seat. "Mr. Wang? Mr. Tuan will see you now."

Jackson jumps up at once and hurries after Veronica, who did not once turn back to see if Jackson has followed. She leads him down a curved hallway, stilettos clip-clopping against the tile, that ends at a pair of dark Mahogany doors. She nods, once again, and is gone and Jackson is left to himself.

"It's nothing much, really! You're just going to make a visit to the most important and influential person in your life, right?" He gulps. "Worse case scenario, I die. Nothing to worry about!" Jackson chuckles nervously and thumps himself on the chest twice to ease the tightness that has set in. "You will do this, Jackson Wang."

He gives the hardwood three knocks and pushes the door open and nearly falls forward at how little resistance it gives. Before he can faceplant, though, he is rammed into from the side, breath pushed from his lungs, a delighted squeal serving as his only warning. He stumbles to support the additional weight and when he re-focuses his vision, is greeted by the grinning face of the love of his life. "Jackson!"

"Hey, Mark," He replies, tension bleeding from his body. He is almost leaning down to press a greeting kiss to his fiancé's lips when a cough disrupts the moment and he stops tersely.

There, sitting in the leather board chair in the centre of the spacious, sparsely decorated office, is his soon-to-be father-in-law; impeccably suited, intense and grim-faced.

Jackson untangles himself from Mark immediately and dashes forward, proffering a hand. Once grasped, he bends a full ninety degrees in respect. "Mr. Tuan, I'm Jackson Wang! It's an honour to be in your presence!"

"Straighten up, boy," The elder Tuan commands and Jackson shoots up right away. It is too intimidating to even look him in the eye and Jackson focusses his vision on a spot on the floor-length windows behind the armchair. "You." The CEO's voice is quiet but commanding. Jackson stiffens up even more. "You're not here for a job interview so you can stop acting like I'm about to eat you up any minute. Those rumours of me being a cannibal aren't really true."

"Dad~" Mark, who has slinked back to his father's side, whines and tugs at the elder Tuan's blazer sleeve. "You said you wouldn't intimidate him! You promised!"

The elder Tuan's face breaks out into a warm, welcoming smile that bears no traces of its former hostility. "Welcome to the family, son."