When the guards finally took one step away from him, August turned his body to see who was the one commanding those strong guards to release him. He wanted to thank that person for helping him. His mouth was about to open as a genuine smile came out of his lips, only to drop his jaws when he saw who was in front of him.
It was Bruce and Samantha.
"So it's him…" August even heard Bruce whisper to Samantha before he licked lightly onto her earlobe. "No wonder why you wanted to dump him so badly, baby."
Samantha, as she felt slightly awkward because Bruce was doing a naughty thing in front of her boyfriend— Or ex-boyfriend because she was sure that August will break up with her this instant, only closed her eyes as she felt how good Bruce's tongue was.
For her, Bruce has everything she could ever ask for. Wealth, reputation, and oozing sex appeal that for sure could make her moan in ecstasy every night, what more she could ask for? He was totally the opposite of August whom she just used so she would be able to buy the things she couldn't afford and enter the Sandoval Corporation with August's help as well.
August couldn't speak as his lips parted, and his gaze was fixed on Bruce's hand on Samantha's waist. As Bruce noticed it, his hand gently went up to the side of Samantha's chest as a sly smile showed on his lips, trying to irritate August more.
"Nice to meet you, August Fordman." Finally, Bruce let go of Samantha for a while and extended his hand in front of August. "I'm Bruce Sandoval, the future CEO of Sandoval Corporation."
'At first sight, I already knew that this guy was a bastard who only knows how to play with women,' said August at the back of his mind.
He was even more than sure when he made that conclusion. His mischievous smirk, his choice of words, his pretension despite his approachable action, and the way he makes Samantha feel uncomfortable because of his touches make August think that the guy in front of him was no more than a money-sucker.
He was not the rich man here, but his father.
"Why won't you take my hand?" Bruce asked in a soft and gentle tone.
Despite smiling genuinely, his eye expression was telling something else. It was cold and provocative, yet no one noticed because Bruce's back was facing them. That's when August realized that Bruce was intentionally showing him his hidden side.
'This two-faced jerk,' August thought as he flickered the son of the CEO's hand in front of him, making the eyes of his bodyguards widen, including Samantha who didn't know what she'll do at that time, and including the viewers of the live broadcast as August wasn't aware that all of what he was doing were being filmed.
And the reason why Bruce went outside the restaurant even though he didn't think that August was worth his attention is because he wanted to humiliate him… and this is the perfect opportunity for his grand plan.
"Get your filthy hands off my girl," August thundered and clenched his fist, ready to attack at any time as Bruce's hand went back to Samantha's waist again after he rejected Bruce's pretension of meet and greet.
"This bastard—"
"No. It's fine." Bruce suddenly raised his other hand to stop his bodyguards from beating August. "Leave us for a while, please," he even added and his people suddenly obliged.
He told that in a kind and gentle way, although his inner demons say otherwise as this is the first time someone tried to humiliate him like this.
And Bruce couldn't accept that it happened with a pathetic commoner like him. Although he wasn't hands-on in their company, he was aware of August and his horrible nickname, which is the reason why Samantha didn't want to be associated with him in the first place.
Pathetic commoner. That's what everyone calls him.
"This woman? My fiance?" Bruce said and turned his head to Samantha. "Why would I let go of her?"
"Because she isn't yours. She's mine," August answered without hesitation.
As Bruce heard his answer, his demeaning laughter filled the entire place. His devilish smile never left his lips as he took one step forward toward August. The man didn't even flinch or blink an eye.
"Do you think he had lost his mind?" Kaylee asked Peter who was focused on watching the show. All of them were in shock as August, the outcast of their company was suddenly involved in Sandoval's live broadcast that was only meant for rich people like them.
"I think so," Peter answered as he shook his head. He couldn't believe the courage August was showing to everyone right now.
"How naïve of you, Mr. Fordman…" Bruce told August as he shook his head. "Do you think someone would believe you?"
Bruce subtly glanced at the camera behind him, informing August that he wasn't the only one who heard his ridiculous sentence. It was broadcasted worldwide, making August clench his fist and give Bruce a deadly stare.
"You're one of my employees, right?" Bruce added to ask, yet August couldn't answer him as his jaws were moving angrily. "I know who you are, and I know what you do."
August's brows furrowed as he didn't understand what Bruce was trying to say. Suddenly, it feels like he was the villain of their story, even though it was the exact opposite. Some people were already watching them, and some of their insults didn't escape his hearing.
"I was patient with you before, but because my special girl was already involved in this case, I will move without mercy."
Bruce gave his attention to Samantha who was already trembling, but when August looked at her, a mischievous smile showed on her lips.
"Samantha, baby… Don't be afraid. Tell us the truth," Bruce told him as he pretended to comfort her by caressing her back. It didn't last long as Samantha started to produce her fake tears, and saying the story the both of them had agreed to earlier.
"He— He threatened me!" she says, trembling. "He told me that he'll make my life miserable like him if I don't follow him!"
It was the most painful way to destroy August's reputation, and to be honest, she didn't care about him… although her conscience was slightly poking into her chest.
"It was back in college, he never stopped pestering me and even placed me in the company where he was working so he could watch over me!" Samantha even added, causing the people behind them to gasp in shock.
"What a jerk!"
"Poor people like him would do anything they like, wouldn't they?"
"Why is that man even alive? He should be beheaded because of what he did!"
"S-Sam…" August was startled as he wasn't able to defend himself immediately."Why are you lying? What are you saying? That's not what happened—"
"Don't come near me!" Samantha shouted when August tried to approach her. "I don't want to see you anymore!"
"Sam! Why are you doing this to me?!" His lack of sleep, and rest, and this excruciating situation in front of him made August burst out with anger. He wanted to punch Bruce right out of his face, but it would make the situation worse. He couldn't understand why both of them would twist the truth— and why Samantha was an accomplice in destroying him.
"Get out of my sight before I lose all my sanity, Mr. Fordman," Bruce muttered in a low tone as he stared at him. He knows how to avoid the camera as he was also the one who set that up.
"I won't! Not until I take Sam with me!" August shouted back with desperation this time.
"If that's what you want…" Bruce glanced at the bodyguards behind him before pointing out at August. "Drag him out of here, and I won't care what you'll do to him before you let him go."
Meaning that they could beat him up into a pulp, the bodyguards smirked in a chorus as they were finding someone to punch.
"He's all yours."