“Hey, George,” August smiled, trying to wave away the tense atmosphere that accompanied George's cold reception as he took his seat on an empty chair opposite where George sat, a huge table with different delicacies of food separating them.“What’s with the half-hearted smile? You look like you’ve been forced to come here, August,” he snorted as August still maintained his smile.“Maybe I was,” August tried to add a hint of humor as he made to serve himself, but George stopped him as he hit his hand on the table fiercely, shocking everyone in attendance.“Do I look like a joke to you, August?” George asked with a sarcastic laugh as August raised his head slowly to look at George, his patience already running out. As if Charlie, who sat beside George, noticed, he immediately chimed in. “Come on George, don’t be a killjoy. We are not college kids any longer. We are now successful people in different fields. Give August a break,” Charlie spoke softly to George, as if he didn’t want Augus
"Come on, guys, let’s not turn the reunion into a battle. We are here to meet each other after years of not seeing each other. Let’s not make it a sour event," Charles immediately chimed in, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere, but the electric gaze August and George exchanged at that point wasn’t something more words could cut off."August…" Charles tapped on August’s hand as August narrowed his gaze at him. "You were here when he was challenging me. Everyone was listening. It wouldn’t be good if I backed down now, would it?" He asked as Charles sighed in frustration and moved close to August to whisper. "Hey, I am trying to save you here, okay? We both know you don’t have a dime. Ignore that dork. He is just trying to show off since he got a raise recently. The bill in this restaurant is no joke, and I heard George is paying more part of it," Charles pleaded and straightened back on his seat while August slowly shifted his gaze back to George."He is trying to help out. Just list
"More lies!" George shrieked as if he was witnessing his worst nightmare. "How can you believe the company that was recently awarded as the best startup company of the year was founded by him? A joker?" George spat desperately."What’s your deal, George? Why do you keep refuting his claim? And to think he keeps giving proof of his claims. You sound so pained right now if you ask me," Sasha, one of the ladies from their set, spoke up as George glared at her."You are such a dumb…" George eyed her as she snorted at him."Guys!" Charles shouted abruptly as if he had just snapped from his thoughts. He quickly rushed to August. "Is that true? Was Trillion dollar company founded by you? I know Lila Kings from our junior set is the president but you? You never appear in the news…" Charles, who was also finding it hard to digest the news, asked desperately. It seemed like no news went past him but he had just missed the biggest news of all time."Look!" Everyone turned their attention towards
"Shit! What the hell…" August immediately rushed to squat beside the man, whom he recognized as Steven, a guy he had lived with in the same neighborhood in the past. "August?" Steven asked breathlessly, while August's gaze was fixed on Steven’s right leg, which was bleeding profusely. A knife was stuck into it. August quickly removed his shirt, now wearing only a singlet, as he applied pressure to the bleeding leg."What the hell are you doing here?" Steven asked, with a bewildered look."Is that important right now? You look like shit! What the hell happened?! And why the hell did you call Dave Arizona? Was that him? The man that ran past me?" August asked as he examined the wound. When he didn’t get any response from Steven, he raised his head to look at him."Fuck this. Let’s get you to a hospital first." August hurriedly brought out his cellphone as Steven watched him talk to whoever was on the other end, his mind troubled about something more than the state of his leg.A few hour
"You must have so many questions going through your mind, like why did he suddenly attack me and stuff?" Steven's voice cut into August’s thoughts as he blinked rapidly, trying to pretend he hadn’t drifted into a world of his own for a while."Ah…" Steven scoffed. "It’s none of your business. I forgot for a while that I am reaping what I sow.""No..No…I am very much interested," August immediately sat by his bedside, surprising Steven with his sudden interest."What is that? Aren’t you going to report him to the police or something?" He eyed August suspiciously as August feigned ignorance. "For what?"Steven let out a stiff laugh. "You have become a big shot, August. Your company, Trillion-dollar company, is creating waves," Steven said with a teasing tone. "I heard you opened a new department." He paused and stared at August almost mockingly. "I saw your eyes, the way they glittered when you talked about Trillion-dollar media at the interview." Steven forced himself to sit up as Augu
“This server…” Dan said while putting on his glasses, the ones he usually wore whenever he worked on his system, as he peered into the laptop screen. After minutes of tapping on his keyboard with August pacing to and fro the room, they had finally found an answer. "This is exclusive to Arizona Group. No other…""Shit!" August slammed his fist on the desk."Is anything wrong, August?" Lila immediately asked with a worried expression on her face."Everything is damn wrong, Lila. How could you be so gullible? Did you even authenticate that news?" August scolded as she moved back a little.“August…” Dan tried to calm him down, but August wasn’t having it. “Stay out of this, Dan. You saw it yourself. That bastard Dave is targeting us again. One mistake, just one mistake and we go down. We are now in the bloody limelight!”August hissed angrily. His meeting with Steven last night had opened his eyes to the possibility of fake news. Those juicy news that enticed you the most were what one sh
“You have gone nuts,” Steven chuckled incredulously as the shocked expression immediately shifted to a nervous light.“Do I look like I am joking?” August asked as Steven opened his mouth to speak, but words failed him.“You don’t know Dave Arizona. He will never let it happen and…”“I know him,” August cut him short. “I don’t know if I have told you this before, but he is my biggest rival.”It took a while for Steven to reply when August said that. “I know. You said that in the bloody interview,” Steven scoffed. “My rival is the biggest conglomerate in the country.” He said it exactly as August had said in the interview, with a mocking face as he raised his gaze to August. “You literally declared war on Arizona Group. Anyone with eyes would see it.”“And Dave knows that,” August replied almost immediately. “That’s why I can’t let my guard down nor wait for him to attack.”“He already did?” Steven asked with curiosity as August hesitated. He didn’t want to sound like he was desperate
August watched as the presenter asked Steven questions related to the Arizona Group from the other room where everything was viewed on a TV. The producer, who was also newly employed, had his gaze fixed on the screen, while Dan sat beside him, looking at another screen monitoring the statistics of the active listeners.“What is this?” Dan asked after a long while, shifting uncomfortably in his seat as August turned to look at him. “What is it, Dan?” he asked as Dan pointed to the screen. “There are no real-time viewers. Isn’t that strange?” August peered more into the screen as if he would see more if he did that.“That’s impossible,” August breathed, trying to look calm even when it seemed like they were on the verge of ruin.He raised his head to look at the new rooms that were separated from them by a see-through glass. As if Steven already sensed what was going on, he raised a brow at August, who immediately forced a smile and mouthed, “Good job,” to him as Steven nodded with a sm
“I think you’re mistaken, Miss. I hope you can check through again in case you missed something….”“Are you trying to teach me my job?” The receptionist snapped, shocking Aliya with her abrupt outburst.A mere receptionist was talking to her rudely, and there was nothing she could do. They weren't in the same league, but if she caused a scene with this secretary here, what would the trillion-dollar company think of her?She pressed her lips together for a while, trying to suppress the growing anger within her.“I am not trying to teach you anything, Miss. I only want a chance to meet the chairman,” Aliya managed to muster in a calm tone.“And I am telling you right now that there is no room for you, Miss. Please leave, or I will have security drag you out,” she hissed impatiently and shifted her attention to the system in front of her.Aliya wasn’t sure how to behave afterward. Even from the beginning, this whole thing had worn her out. Pushing through was something she was barely cop
“I can’t believe you agreed to it just like that, Grandfather.” Simon walked into Pa West’s study room later that evening to vent. Even though he had looked calm when everything was concluded earlier, deep down he was pissed.“Don’t be such a fool. Didn’t you realize the stunt that loser was trying to pull? He is trying to delay the vote to take down his wife.” Pa West took a gulp of his liquor while seated on the luxurious leather seat in the room. He relaxed backward and gave a satisfied groan as the liquid went down his throat.“If we had dismissed his suggestion like that, the shareholders might start to think we only want to remove Aliya due to personal reasons. These people don’t give a fuck about sentiments. All they care about is profits. And Allen, that weird pauper, knew that and played his card well.” He placed his hand on his chin, a thoughtful look on his face. “I wonder how he got the idea to bring in the trillion-dollar company into this. He talks about the company like
“The both of you could compete for who could bag the contract with the trillion-dollar company,” August suggested with a confident look. “I am sure the owners won’t mind if they see that the West Corporation is enthusiastic to work with them.”“Don’t be ridiculous,” Simon chuckled as he tried to wave off the suggestion. “They would think the company is divided if my sister and I submit different proposals to them for the same company.”“And who said you would be the next chairman if it isn’t Aliya? What do you take me for?” Landon immediately cut in as Simon shifted his gaze slowly to meet his enraged brother.“Shut up and stop embarrassing yourself, Landon.” Pa West seemed to be pissed too as a deep frown formed on his face.Landon gritted his teeth as he tried to hold himself from speaking again. But he knew better. His grandfather, who was his only backer, was solidly behind Simon. It felt like all he had been working hard for was a waste. He had been fighting Aliya all this while
“This is why I keep talking about the importance of marrying people with brains. How could you just suggest something like that?” Landon spoke up, immediately seizing the opportunity to humiliate August again while August maintained his calm and composed look.He stared straight ahead without sparing Landon a look. He knew Landon was dying to see him crumble. Too bad he was done being a punching bag to them. This would be the beginning of their sorrows.“You always end up saying nonsense whenever you open that mouth of yours. What the hell do you know about business, huh?” Pa West asked.“Do you truly care about my sister? Do you actually want her to lose her position deep down?” Simon asked with a cocky grin. As always, he was the only one who made a point.Normally, they were supposed to just agree to it and watch Aliya fail because bagging a deal with a trillion-dollar company is like an ant trying to move a mountain. The West Corporation is a small company and not among the top th
Simon noticed how Aliya entwined her fingers together. He could already see how tense she was, and he would definitely use that to his advantage. He was always like this—watching with sharp eyes like an eagle and pouncing on his prey when they let their guard slightly down.“Are you tense, sister? If you’re uncomfortable about the whole arrangement and would prefer not to go through with it, you can just step down willingly. Everyone would understand that you’ve grown wary over the years and would like to focus on your family now,” Simon said with a cool gaze, making a face as if he was truly looking out for her.“Don’t be ridiculous, brother. Just because I am a married woman doesn’t make my career hopeless. Forget about stepping down—I dare you to say you are capable of handling West Corporation half as well as I have,” Aliya said in a cocky tone, causing Simon to clench his fist, which was placed on the table.It wasn’t always easy to get her brother to lose his composure, but when
“Did the beating affect your head? What the hell are you saying?” Aliya laughed, not taking his words seriously. He didn’t blame her. He is a pauper with nothing to his name. How could he possibly help her?“You will see how I will make everything easy for you.” August sat up, brushed away the hair covering her face, and placed a peck on her forehead. Aliya watched him, unsure how to react.She pressed her lips and watched him in silence as he lay back. “Could you get me an apple, please?” he asked politely.Aliya, who was deep in thought, shook her head as she came back to reality. She flashed him a smile and nodded. “Sure,” she said and started to walk out of the room.“Babe,” he called when she grabbed the doorknob and was about to open the door. “Make sure to take your time,” he said with a calm smile.Aliya gave him a half-suspicious look before nodding.Immediately after she left, August located his phone by the bed stand and dialed Lila.“That was quick,” she commented the mome
“I will do neither, and none of you has the right to make me do any of it if I don’t want to,” Aliya said stubbornly.“You are testing my patience, girl,” Pa West gritted his teeth. As Aliya made to say something, August held her hand. She turned to look at him, an almost helpless look on her face. August shook his head.“I don’t care,” Aliya still turned around to say. “You all should go to hell for all I care!” she blurted in annoyance and made to leave when Landon rushed after her and grabbed her other hand.Aliya swung around to find Landon staring deadly at her. He raised his hand to slap her. “How dare you speak to Grandfather like that!” he berated.August couldn’t believe what had just happened. He stared wide-eyed at his wife’s now reddened face. He grabbed Landon by the collar. “How dare you!” he fired at him.Landon had never seen August like this. August rarely spoke, but now he looked like an enraged lion about to pounce on its prey.“You crazy psycho. Get your hands off
“What! No!” Aliya blurted out almost immediately, glaring at anyone who dared to look at her.“Are you glaring at me right now because of this piece of trash?” Pa West asked, a disgusted look on his face as August's fist clenched. This wasn’t him. He wasn’t used to people treating him like trash. In the past, he would usually put whoever tried to cross him in their place. Dave's case was a perfect example. At that moment, he felt a sudden urge to reincarnate that part of him that he killed years ago.But he couldn’t do that. He had managed through all this while. Besides, he barely cared about insults as long as Aliya was still very much in love with him. But what he wouldn’t tolerate was anyone trying to take her away from him.“She is feeling like a big shot because Dad made her the CEO, Grandfather. Uncultured people like her, who are raised by nobodies, will always act like they want. It’s so disappointing,” Landon chipped in, indirectly insulting her mother.“How dare you insult
August walked into the room that seemed as quiet as a graveyard. It was the exotic living room of the Wests. They were among the wealthy people in the country, more like among the second tier when it comes to ranking from top to bottom. But theirs was the best of the second tier. They were not to be trifled with at all. With the kind of achievements Aliya had made for the company, it had grown significantly over the last five years. Besides that, August used his secret connections with influential people he had worked with in the past to help Aliya secretly.“Babe, you’re here,” Aliya said, walking toward him the moment she noticed August standing in the doorway.August was carried away by the sight of the familiar yet unfamiliar man sitting on the single-seat couch in the middle of the room. He suddenly realized why nobody bothered to use that particular seat in the room. It was reserved for someone.Pa West. The head of the West family who had been away from the family for the past