Rise of Power: Return of The Pathetic CommonerEN

IT was almost midnight, yet someone was still sitting in front of the computer and working late. That employee was determined to finish some tasks before going home. His name is Augustus Fordman. A passionate and hardworking guy working as a strategy developer at Sandoval Corporation. It’s one of the most influential companies in the gaming industry despite its family ranking being in the top fifty only. “Crap,” August complained as he stretched his arms, followed by a sound of a fabric splitting into half. August only sighed because of the unlucky situation. His black polo shirt that seemed to be worn out was torn now. No wonder that it was torn easily. He had been using that shirt and his black slacks for a long amount of time— The same as his black and thick eyeglasses. That nerdy look of him made his co-workers give him a nickname that suits him well. Pathetic commoner. “Hey, aren’t you going home? Are you planning to sleep here?” said Kaylee, one of August’s co-employees. “

AUGUST WASN'T able to move at first. His lips parted, and his eyes widened as he realized how Samantha betrayed him. Based on Peter and his other co-employees, Samantha and Bruce had known each other for a very long time. Which means that Samantha was also cheating on him for a long time as well. 'Is this the reason why you've been acting cold at me for all this time?' August breathed heavily. Every realization hit him right now—On how she wanted to make their relationship a secret. On top of that, she doesn't even want to acknowledge August as a colleague in the Sandoval Corporation. What Samantha asked was difficult for him, but because he loved her so much, and he wanted to make her stay, he never questioned everything she asked for. He promised to understand her, no matter how hard it was. 'And yet, this is what I got?' August clenched his fist tightly as he continued to watch the live broadcast. Bruce was still kissing Samantha passionately. His hands traveled onto her waist

WITH JUST one command, the bodyguards let go of him and took one step away from him. August turned his body to see who ordered them, only to see Samantha and Bruce. “So, it’s him…” whispered Bruce to Samantha before he leaned towards her, licking lightly onto her earlobe. "No wonder why you wanted to dump him so badly, baby." “B-Bruce…” said Samantha, feeling awkward as Bruce was doing naughty things in front of her ex-boyfriend. However, Bruce didn’t even budge. All she could do was close her eyes and feel how good Bruce’s tongue was. August suddenly clenched his fists at the sight. Bruce has everything everyone could ask for. Wealth, a good reputation, oozing sex appeal, and stamina that could make her moan in ecstasy every night, what more could she ask for? Everything Bruce has was the exact opposite of August. She never loved him, not even a bit. She just used him to buy the things she wanted, and to enter the Sandoval Corporation so she could execute her plan. ‘Samantha…’

"DO you think you've learned your lesson yet?" one of the bodyguards sneered, yanking August's hair and forcing him to meet the intense gaze of the three men towering over him. One of them stood with crossed arms, biting his lower lip in anticipation. Another lazily dragged on his cigarette, exuding an air of indifference. The third squatted before August and delivered another blow, snapping August out of his thoughts. After Bruce told them that they could do anything about him, one of the bodyguards made a powerful punch to August’s gut, causing August to cry in agonizing pain. Paralyzed and helpless, he was mercilessly dragged to the parking lot by the bodyguards. The other people didn’t care about what they would do to him, even though it would be something horrible. Once there, the bodyguards, bored and callous, unleashed their fury on him, treating him like a human punching bag. August could hear their sadistic laughter and gleeful chuckles as he coughed up blood, gaspi

A WEEK later and August was already healed. The medicine worked its magic, fastening his recovery. He suddenly felt relieved as his body became lighter, and the swelling in his knee receded. Although the pain was still there, it was more tolerable than the last time. What the nurse told him before wasn’t a joke. The hospital, the famous Remington Medical Hospital owned by the multi-billionaire Charles Remington, hadn't demanded a single dime for his stay in the VIP room. Someone had taken care of his medical bills, an act of kindness he should be grateful for. Yet, Samantha's betrayal had left him jaded, eroding his trust not just in her, but in the world as a whole. "Is there truly no ulterior motive?" he asked, slightly suspicious of the nurse who handed him a document to sign. "Can I truly walk away unscathed?" The nurse retorted with a hint of sarcasm, shaking her head. "If we had malicious intentions, would we bother curing you?" August's mouth opened slightly, his senses

THE next day, August found himself fixated on his phone screen, clad in a worn-out white t-shirt, faded pants, and carrying an old black bag on his back. He contemplated how to handle the unexpected money that had miraculously appeared in his bank account. It had been quite some time since August last set foot in the Sandoval Corporation. Uncertain of his current employment status there, he decided to take a risk and approach the management, determined to explain the reasons behind his absence from work. "I'm not sure if I should use this…” said August, his finger tapping on the screen as he proceeded to pay his monthly expenses. "But well, at least now I have the means to cover my expenses, or maybe even take a taxi." With this newfound fortune, August realized he not only had enough to cover his basic needs but also to indulge in some wants, a luxury he hadn't experienced before, given his modest paycheck. August didn’t know who sent him the money. Despite his efforts to uncover

AFTER the intense earlier scene in the room, Bruce, reluctantly but driven by necessity, hoisted August onto his back and hurriedly made his way to the hospital. The Remington Medical Hospital wasn’t the nearest hospital to the Sandoval Corporation, but Bruce saw it as an opportunity to leave a positive impression on Charles by assisting one of his employees. Due to the Remington family’s standing, everyone who wanted to propose a partnership between them found it challenging to cross paths with them. The Sandoval family wasn’t an exemption. However, Bruce refused to give up. The Remington family’s heir died long ago, and Sapphire Remington, Charles’ second child, would ascend as the heir. Once he seduced Sapphire, everything would be easy for him. He was willing to dispose of Samantha, driven by his insatiable greed. ‘With this, I can secure the support of the highest-ranking family!’ Bruce exclaimed inwardly. Little did he know, Charles was already aware of dirty tactics just

“THIS is the crucial evidence Samantha had given to Bruce, proving that you abused her and forced her into a relationship with you,” Henry's words echoed in August's mind as he stared at the Polaroid pictures he held. It was Samantha’s pictures— where she had bruises on her skin and a selfie with her face swollen as if someone had slapped her. August had seen these images before, not because he was the one who did this, but because he had been the one to tend to Samantha's wounds whenever she sought comfort in him. He remembered it all—the moments he questioned his girlfriend about what had happened, only to be met with her silence every time. Samantha never opened up to him, not even once. ‘Yet, Sir Henry claims this as evidence against me,"’ August thought, feeling a surge of madness at the accusation. As he played the footage from the mini-camcorder that came with the brown envelope, anxiety gripped August, and he gasped when he realized where the scene in the video took pla

"BREAKING NEWS! Bruce Sandoval, the eldest son of the Sandoval Family, has been honored with an award by the Brooklyn Nominations for his recently launched virtual game within their company…” August's fists tightened, desperately attempting to ignore the newscaster’s words. The news reached his ears loud and clear, yet it felt muffled within his mind. He was the one who poured his heart and soul into crafting the proposal for the new video game, dedicating his entire life to the company. Yet, someone else reaped all the glory. “What a fortunate man he is.” “Rich keep getting richer, while the poor suffer more.” It was a conversation between two customers at the restaurant where August worked as a waiter and dishwasher. When Bruce and Samantha tarnished his reputation, they didn’t just destroy his life, but they took everything he ever had. August lost his job, and in the days that followed, people who had watched the live show began hurling insults, belittling him. Some even w

AS August slowly opened his eyes, a room engulfed in suffocating darkness greeted him. A chilling shiver ran down his spine as he realized he was seated on a cold, steel chair. The moment he attempted to move his hands, excruciating pain coursed through his body. His hands were tightly bound behind him. The rope strangling his hands was mercilessly tight to the point that he couldn’t feel his fingers even if he moved them. Surveying his surroundings, August noticed that the only light in the room came through a small window at the top of the wall. The place looked like an abandoned building, leaving him perplexed as to why he had become the target of this kidnapping. “No one but Bruce could be behind this,” August muttered to himself. “That despicable bastard,” August gritted his teeth. His gaze fixated on the partially open door not too far away, his eyes widening in astonishment as an old man wielding a cane entered the room. He casually kept one hand in his pocket, trailed