THE HEARTBREAK SOCIETY

➶ 15

SEVEN HOURS LATER, and thankfully, with the help of motion sickness medication, I miraculously survived. Although, hunching over and spewing my guts out the moment I stepped out of the jet was not something I wanted to remember. And instead of checking up on me, August had looked horrified at the mess and told me how lucky I was that I held it in until we landed.

And I had learned that August was a bit of a mysophobic. When a man greeted him as I hurled my guts, August had tugged me by the wrist without flinching. The man in the suit had gasped, staring at me as if I was a Goddess. He had even fumbled with his phone, claiming to inform Mr. Laurent of a potential wife that August was yet to bring home. In return, August had called me temporary.

What offended me wasn't that I was called temporary, but the fact he seemed to think he had a chance in the first place.

But somehow, things worked out rather well. August offered to get dinner, and I certainly had no reason to refuse, especially after a petty man had put my credit card on hold for shits and giggles. And when he said we would go to a small place, I didn't expect to show up to a five-star restaurant—not one where you had to book several months in advance. It also didn't come as a surprise when the owner graciously sucked up, spewing as many compliments as he could muster.

And when the owner briefly skimmed over to me, he nodded. The staff followed with piercing stares, almost in a pitying manner. Setting the two of us in the VIP lounge as a waiter poured a glass of champagne for me and wine for August. And it was when I heard the hushed whispers, talking of how I was another naive girl, trailing August as if I mattered. The words hadn't bothered me until I realized how this must have looked. Glancing toward him, August returned a prideful smile that seemed to mock me.

He was embarrassing me, purposefully drawing attention toward me. Attention may have been nothing to him, but there was a reason I'd been sheltered away from society. Despite an urge to punch August, he didn't know my situation, nor was he ever going to get close enough to find out.

I twirled the glass of champagne, observing how nervous the waiter was when he returned with our plates. "You're doing this on purpose, right?" I narrowed my eyes, sipping slowly. If the tabloids—no, if my father caught wind, he would lose his mind.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he shrugged, feigning innocence. "Besides, shouldn't you feel elated to be having dinner with me?"

Smiling tightly, I placed my glass down and ignored his comment. Taking a bite of pasta, I hummed in delight. "I also want dessert, by the way," I remarked, watching August raise his eyebrows as though he was asking me if that was all I wanted. "And a pink Lamborgini, please."

"Am I only an ATM in your eyes?" He pitifully pouted. "Baby pink?" Nodding enthusiastically, I mischievously clapped. Part of me wanted him to be joking, and the other half wanted him to be deadly serious.  "In all seriousness, what were you thinking making a bet with Daniel like that?"

I sent a dismissive gesture, "I wasn't," I truthfully stated. "The least you can do is put some faith in me."

"We're talking about the Caeden Storm," he emphasized with a frown. "My family has close ties with them, but he rarely attends any gala's or charity events."

Although the topic wasn't news to me, I played along anyway, "By the rumours, he keeps family-related issues discreet?"

"Is this your way of digging for information?" I pouted at his words. "To an extent. The only person who has never been in the media is his oldest daughter. He has kept her from being in the limelight. I've only met her a handful of times as children."

Tilting my head, I teasingly said, "Good, you would have scared her away with your arrogance."

"It's painful being this good-looking," he stuck out his tongue. And I found that on rare occasions such as this, August was bearable to be around, and it was also enjoyable. Though, perhaps I had spoken too soon and expected far too much.