Mr. August's sudden appearance between John and me was indeed surprising. Perhaps I had lingered here too long. If not for John, Mr. August certainly wouldn't have followed me here. However, a sudden fear arose within me.
Mr. August appeared calm, but his presence was dominating. Even John had fallen silent since Mr. August had posed his question. I was afraid any wrong move or action on my part could lead Mr. August to make unexpected decisions, such as demanding back the money I had used for Uncle Martin, perhaps.
I hoped my fears wouldn't come true. I would deeply regret ignoring John earlier. I should have left here sooner, regardless of what John said.
Finally, I heard Mr. August ask John again, "Aren't you going to answer my question?"
I could see the stress on John's face. The atmosphere dominated by Mr. August made John appear powerless. But I wouldn't be fooled by that face anymore. John surely had something to say; he was just waiting for the right moment.
"That's not it, Uncle. I just wanted to get to know Ellena. As you know, people below often take advantage of wealthy people like us." Just as I thought, John had already planned his words. He continued to disparage me in front of his uncle.
What John said was the complete opposite of reality. In truth, John had exploited me during our time together. I was always the first to follow his every command and desire. Hearing John's words, I was curious about Mr. August's response as he continued to stare at his nephew.
"You better not meddle in this matter. Or are you perhaps interested in my woman, John?" Mr. August's reply hit John hard, leaving him speechless.
I felt immense satisfaction seeing John's expression as he received Mr. August's rebuke. John seemed unable to respond and stood frozen. I thought Mr. August would wait for an answer from his nephew, but he didn't. Instead, Mr. August took my hand and led me away from John.
Mr. August's grip on my hand was firm as he led me away from the uncomfortable situation. I didn't know if he was taking me back inside or outside until we reached the same door we had entered a few hours earlier.
"Is Mr. August going to take me away from here? Is he angry with me?" I wondered about Mr. August's cold demeanor, still not saying anything to me.
As we exited the building, Mr. August's car was already waiting with the door open, held by his driver. We got into the car, and I felt a pressure that made me afraid to move.
"You almost made a mistake. If you want to act, do it without hesitation." Mr. August's sudden words made me feel guilty for appearing weak in front of John.
I didn't want any bigger problems than this, so I quickly lowered my head and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. August. I was careless. I shouldn't have acted like that in front of them."
Mr. August remained silent and ignored me. He seemed annoyed because the family meeting was so complicated. Especially since John's mother insisted on her will regarding matchmaking and a partner that must be equal to them.
Mr. August's gaze was sharp and focused straight ahead. Then I heard his phone ring, indicating an incoming message. Mr. August began fiddling with the small device in his hand. He looked so busy with his work, always serious when handling any task.
The car had been moving for a while. I noticed the direction we were heading was coincidentally towards Uncle Martin's house. Sure enough, Mr. August's driver asked where to go next. "Sir, where are we going?"
Mr. August replied without looking up, "Where do you need to go?" It seemed like a question directed at me.
It took me a few seconds to realize and answer, "Oh, I'm going to my uncle's house, Mr. August. Can you drop me off a few blocks from here? I'll walk the rest of the way."
"You heard her, didn't you?" This time the sentence was directed at the driver behind the wheel. Without a word, the driver nodded and focused back on the road.
"Mr. August is so different from his demeanor inside the building. In front of his family, he's so good at pretending, making me feel amazed and impressed. I almost got carried away. But now, he makes me reluctant to feel anything; he's back to being the cold and stiff man." I still couldn't believe Mr. August's drastic change in attitude.
Finally, we sat in silence until I asked Mr. August's driver to stop the car by the roadside not far from Uncle Martin's house. "Mr. August, I'll take my leave. Thank you for your help."
After saying that, I closed the door and walked towards Uncle Martin's house. A few moments later, Mr. August's car drove past me. It made me regret everything that happened at the family dinner.
"Hah! Why was I so stupid? How could I let John provoke me? The man who clearly betrayed and played with me all this time. If Mr. August cancels his deal with me, I'll make John pay. This is all his fault for causing trouble there." I walked, grumbling about the mistake I made at tonight's dinner.
Reaching the front door, I entered without knocking and headed straight to the room that had been mine. I placed my bag on the table and threw myself onto the bed.
Today was exhausting for me. I hoped tomorrow would be a new day without any more uncomfortable incidents. I genuinely wished for a normal day without any disruptions. I wanted to go through my day without thinking about anything that upset me.
Before deciding to rest, I changed into my pajamas. I removed my makeup first so my face would feel fresher when I closed my eyes. As I wiped off my makeup, I hummed, reflecting on everything that had happened to me in the past few days.
"Huh ... my days have been so exhausting. Troubles have been bombarding me these past few days. Can I still find peace and comfort in life after tonight's meeting? I'm really not sure, especially since I have to face Mr. August again tomorrow. What should I do when I meet him? Should I start by greeting him? Of course not, I would look like a foolish woman trying to get his attention." My mouth wouldn't stop running, especially since I had held back from saying anything wrong during dinner.
After finishing everything, I got up from the dressing table and headed to bed.