Chapter 72: A fight

Words : 1101 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Chapter 72: A fight Augustine ground his teeth, wishing to beat him to death. "It’s you who discarded her. Now she is mine." Denis seized Augustine by the collar, his eyes blazing with fury. "Anne belongs to me—mine to have, mine to use as I please. And you dared to take her away? You’ll pay for this." He swung his fist, aiming straight for Augustine’s face, but before the punch could land, Augustine caught it in midair. Their gazes locked, both filled with unyielding rage. Denis tried to yank his hand free, but Augustine’s grip only tightened. "When she was with you, you never valued her," Augustine snarled, his teeth clenched. "You hurt her, betrayed her. But that’s over. She is my wife now. If you so much as try to approach her, I won’t care that we share the same blood." With a forceful shove, he pushed Denis away. Denis staggered but quickly regained his footing, his lips curling into a dangerous sneer. "Who do you think you are threatening?" he thundered. "You are nothing compared to me. I can crush you in an instant." He lunged at Augustine again, but this time, Augustine sidestepped effortlessly. In a swift motion, he grabbed Denis’s arm and twisted it behind his back. "Argh..." Denis let out a pained groan, his face contorted in pain. Augustine pressed him down with controlled force, forcing him onto his knees. His grip was firm, unrelenting. Leaning in close, he warned, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper, "Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can still bully me like before. I’m not the same Augustine you once knew. Cross me, and you’ll be the one who is destroyed." Denis struggled, trying to break free, but Augustine’s hold only tightened, pressing him further down until his face nearly scraped the rough gravel. A wince of pain flashed across Denis’s face. "This is just a warning," Augustine said in a low, threatening tone. "Stay out of my way. Stop scheming behind my back, or you’ll lose everything." With that, he released him abruptly and strode toward his car without a backward glance. Climbing into the driver’s seat, he started the engine and sped off. Denis remained on the ground, his body tense with rage as he watched the car disappear beyond the gates. His jaw clenched, his hands balling into tight fists, veins bulging beneath his skin. "Augustine..." he muttered darkly. "You dared to humiliate me. I’ll make you regret this. I’ll destroy you and send you crawling back to where you came from." Augustine’s hands tightened around the steering wheel as he sped down the road, the pressure in his grip reflecting the turmoil brewing inside him. His mind swirled with memories—ones he had long pushed aside but could never truly forget. Denis had tormented him for as long as he could remember. Back in school, he had been nothing more than a shadow, forced to do Denis’s assignments. "Finish my homework, nerd," Denis had ordered, tossing his notebook onto Augustine’s desk. "And make sure it’s flawless. I don’t want Grandpa thinking I’m as useless as you." At the time, Augustine had been too afraid to defy him. He had no choice but to suppress his frustration, knowing that refusal would only lead to worse—an abrupt slap to the back of his head, a hard shove against the lockers, or even public humiliation. So, he had complied. His grandfather had never acknowledged his efforts. No matter how many times Augustine had outperformed Denis academically, it had never mattered. While he had burned the midnight oil, pushing himself to excel, Denis had slept soundly, only to receive all the recognition the next day. Because in their grandfather’s eyes, good scores weren’t enough. It meant nothing compared to athletic prowess. "Denis, you’ve done it again," Grandfather had lauded, pride shining in his gaze as he clapped Denis on the back. "Smart and talented. You truly carry the Beaumont blood." Augustine inhaled sharply, his fingers flexing over the wheel as he struggled to steady himself. The injustice still gnawed at him. Everyone had believed Denis was the best—brilliant, capable, destined for success—while Augustine had been dismissed as timid and weak. But the truth was, he had never been weak. He had simply been overlooked, underestimated. The torment hadn’t ended there. Denis had only grown crueler over the years, using his status and popularity to make Augustine’s life miserable. "Look at this little bookworm," Denis had jeered, yanking a book from Augustine’s hands in the cafeteria. "Why do you even bother? No one cares about your stupid grades." His friends had laughed as Denis dangled the book above Augustine’s head, just out of reach. And when Augustine had tried to snatch it back, Denis had shoved him, sending him sprawling onto the table, food spilling across his uniform. The cafeteria erupted in laughter. "Oops," Denis had smirked, his tone mocking. "Didn’t mean to knock over the little genius." The memory played in his mind like a scene frozen in time. The helplessness, the humiliation—it all came rushing back. But those days were over. He wasn’t that boy anymore. He had changed. He had clawed his way out of the shadows Denis had tried to keep him in. His foot pressed harder against the accelerator as his car tore down the road. "Denis," he muttered under his breath, his voice steely. "You spent years making me feel weak. Now, it’s time for you to see the truth." Augustine finally pulled into the driveway, his grip on the steering wheel still tight as if trying to hold back the storm of emotions raging within him. Stepping into the house, he was greeted by the sight of Anne waiting at the doorway. Her warm smile softened the tension in his face, though the turmoil inside him had not completely faded. "You are home," she said gently, stepping closer. "Dinner is ready." For a moment, Augustine just stood there, taking in her presence—the warmth she exuded, the silent comfort she offered without needing to ask what was wrong. Pushing aside the remnants of his anger, he managed a faint smile. "That sounds wonderful." "Go freshen up. I’ll set the table in the meantime," she urged. He nodded, reaching out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I won’t be long." Once inside his room, he let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Calm down, Augustine. The past isn’t worth dwelling on." He forced himself to push the frustration aside and walked into the bathroom to freshen up.

Chapter 72: A fight

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