Chapter 1. Arizona Group

"Finally, Arizona Group," August exhaled with a wide smile on his face, his eyes looking up to the towering building of the biggest conglomerate in Alaska.

Thud! The sound of his scooter, parked in front of the building, shifted his attention to his side to find the old rickety bike on the floor, with small parts of it smashed.

"What the hell!" He rushed towards it and raised it up.

"Hey, loser! Take that bloody bike out of here! This place isn’t meant for trash like that!" A rude voice commanded.

August shifted his gaze to the man standing by the side of a BMW, the exotic car that had obviously hit his scooter while trying to park.

"Hey, you!" Enraged at how rude he was, August rushed towards him.

"Weren’t you looking?! You hit my scooter and had the guts to yell at me?!" A cocky smirk appeared on his face as he scoffed. He then closed the distance between him and August. "And who..." He started with a low, warning tone. "The hell do you think you are."

Unfazed by the angry look of the other man, August moved closer to him, facing him head-on as he spoke. "And who the hell do you think you are too?"

The serious look on the other man's face disappeared as he laughed out loud. "I love your courage, damn it!" He let out a mocking laughter. "Security!" He called out with a stern face as August watched him calmly, waiting for him to act so he could react.

Some guards dressed in grey overalls with the badge of Arizona Group on their clothes trudged towards the area. "This bastard asked who I am, teach him a lesson," he commanded, and before August knew what was happening, a series of blows began to land on his face. As he fell down, they didn’t stop, but he also didn’t give up as he tried to fight back.

"Next time, you would think before trying to go against an Arizona!" August could hear him shout. An Arizona? Was he related to the owners of the Arizona Group? August thought – the same place he had come to look for a job.

"Baby, what’s happening… who’s the…" The passenger’s seat opened as he heard a familiar voice say. Zara? Did he just hear Zara call someone a romantic pet name? He kicked the guard at his front that was hitting him relentlessly to get a view of who had just spoken. As he quickly stood up, two other guards held him back in case he wanted to attack his master.

"It’s a bloody riff-raff whom I wanted to teach a lesson. Did I scare you?" It felt like his whole world had crushed as he watched his girlfriend walk into the arms of another man. When their eyes met, she snuggled closer towards him, watching August like he was some stranger.

"Zara?" Henry called out, but she still held onto him.

"Let me go!" He pushed the guards away with all the strength he could muster and rushed towards them.

"Do you know him?"

"No…" August watched in horror as she denied him.

"Of course not. How the hell would I know a pauper? Look at how he dressed. Even when hunting for a job, he looks like a low life. Does the Arizona group employ just anybody, babe?" August watched as she looked up to him, lovingly as he smirked and narrowed his eyes at August. At this point, it felt like August's world was crashing.

"Babe? Wha….what are you doing here with….i mean….why are you like this? I came for this job because of you. You want me to work in the Arizona Group badly more than anyone else…” August quickly said, as if she might have forgotten me or maybe pretending.

“Me?” She feigned ignorance. “I didn’t tell you to do shit, August.” She continued as August's heart sank. “Your low self-esteem gave you the notion that if you get a job at Arizona Group, I will accept you.” She tutted her tongue. “Poor you. You will always be a low life to me, August. You will never be up to my level. Only people like him. Allen Arizona, the only brother to the chairman of the Arizona Group.” She rested her head on his chest as she watched August with relish in her eyes as the misery he was facing.

“No…No… you can’t do this, Zara. I love you, Zara!” He made to rush to hold her when the guards held him back. “Hit him!” Allen commanded as the guards intensified the beating on August. By now, some crowd had gathered in front of the company to watch.

August felt a tear drop in his eyes as the beating continued, memories of how Zara had encouraged him to go ahead to hunt for a job in the Arizona Group. Her promises to finally become his wife if he manages to land a job there. Throughout their college days, that has been her word. He had studied so hard to pass out at the top of his class, in order to get into the most sought Arizona Group, where only the best of the best were employed.

“Let him be. It would be a hassle if the bastard dies here.” He heard Allen speak as August lay on the floor, seemingly lifeless, but no. He was in deep thought, reeling from the shock of the betrayal.

“You…..” Allen walked out to him and squatted beside him while looking down at him. “Forget about getting a job here or in any corporation here in Alaska. I will make sure I frustrate your efforts!” He stood up and kicked him as August reacted with a groan. He spat at him and walked back to Zara who had her arms opened, waiting for his embrace. They hugged and kissed, and from the corner of his eyes, August could see everything.

Pain ripped through his heart as another tear fell off. The last time he had felt this much pain was after his dad’s death.

“Get up from there, loser! Or we would call the cops on you!” The security guard at the front gate commanded as August stood up slowly absentmindedly. It felt as if his senses had gone numb as he headed to his scooter. The tears were now flowing freely as he dragged the almost ruined bike out of the arena while onlookers gossiped as he walked away.

While walking by the passenger’s lane on the streets, pushing his scooter, August was completely lost in thought. Even though his body was covered in bruises, he didn’t feel any pain. The one Zara caused him in his heart was too much. This was it. The end of everything they’ve both shared.

When he made to cross the road without looking….

Thud! The next minute, August was hit by a car…..he fell down and lost consciousness immediately. Maybe this was truly the end of everything or maybe the beginning of something new?