Chapter 134: CEO Augustine is gay!
Charles and Freda stood by the entrance, where guests flowed in and out, heading toward their assigned seats.
From that very spot, Charles caught a clear glimpse of the giant screen—his breath hitched.
There it was. The image of him and Augustine locked in a kiss, displayed for all to see.
His body froze.
Around him, voices swirled—sharp, confused, mocking.
"Is that a guy?"
"Wait... is that the CEO?"
"Disgusting."
The words pierced Charles chest like ice.
Freda turned to him, alarm flickering in her eyes, but Charles couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. His world was suddenly, terrifyingly, on display.
Charles’s grip tightened around the sweeping brush in his hands, his knuckles turning white.
Beside him, Freda was seething, her eyes blazing with fury.
"How dare someone try to ruin CEO Augustine like that?" she hissed under her breath, clenching her fists. "After everything he’s worked for?"
Freda was upset as to why someone had tried to damage the image and reputation of Augustine.
"CEO Augustine isn’t gay," Freda seethed through clenched teeth. "He can’t be gay! Besides, he likes me, so what the hell... what the hell is going on?"
Her voice cracked as tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill.
Freda clenched her fists at her sides, her eyes locked on the image of Augustine and the mysterious young man still flickering faintly on the projector. "Why... why is this happening?" she whispered, her voice shaky with disbelief.
She watched as Secretary Reginald approached Augustine, leaning in to whisper words meant for his ears alone, leaving her to stew in confusion and heartbreak.
Meanwhile, though Freda simmered with anger over the unfolding drama, Charles’s heart was quietly shattering into fragments.
A storm of thoughts raged in his mind.
’What if the person who uploaded that image decides to reveal my face next?’
’What if the public finds out about Augustine and me? Is this the kind of hate that’ll come crashing down on me too?’
His grip on the brush tightened, knuckles paling as fear crept into his chest like a slow, choking tide.
’Could this be the handiwork of Mrs. Wales? Aubrey? Or even Derrick—Augustine’s ex-lover?’
The questions spun in Charles’s head like a whirlwind, but no answer came to settle the storm.
His chest tightened with dread, and as the whispers in the hall grew louder, so did his fear—fear of what might come next, fear of how his world could unravel before his very eyes.
As Charles watched Reginald walk out of the stage, his gaze intensely became focused on Augustine who pulled the microphone in his hands close to his mouth.
’Sigh!’
Augustine sighed into the microphone, his breath echoing through the speakers, silencing the crowd once again.
"As you all saw... that was a picture of me and a young man," he began, his voice steady but low.
He paused, taking a slow step forward on the stage.
The spotlight followed him as he inhaled deeply, his chest rising with the weight of the moment.
Another breath. A shaky exhale. And then—he continued.
"In the minds of you all, I know you’re assuming that I was kissing a man," Augustine said, his voice calm yet firm. "But before you jump to conclusions, I want you to understand why that image was shown tonight."
He paused, scanning the crowd, measuring their expressions—curious, skeptical, silent.
"That image... was meant to show you something deeper. It shows that even ordinary clothes can transform a person. That confidence, elegance, and boldness are drawn not just from fabric—but from how well the clothes align with one’s aesthetic."
His voice grew a little stronger and with a smile, Augustine proceeded with his explanation.
"The image that appeared minutes ago was a photo shoot of me and a male model. I intended to use that image on the designer’s launch page to show you all that fashion has no boundaries—no gender, no limits."
It was meant to highlight how powerful styling can be, regardless of who wears it. The focus wasn’t the pose or the moment—it was the outfit, the confidence, the message behind the design.
Sometimes, bold imagery is the best way to make a statement in the fashion world."
"And no..." Augustine continued, his voice calm but firm, "I wasn’t kissing the model."
He paused, allowing his words to settle in the minds of the audience.
"You can style clothes in a way that—even from a mile away—people might assume you’re gay, lesbian, bisexual, or something else entirely."
Another brief pause.
"Clothing defines our day-to-day life. It speaks to who we are, how we present ourselves to the world."
Augustine took a slow breath, meeting the gaze of the audience."When you choose to invest in clothes from a respected brand, no matter what you wear, it becomes harder for people to make assumptions about your sexuality."
He let his words settle before finishing.
"Like this image. Despite how it may have appeared, with me seemingly in a romantic position with the model, the clothes I wore made it clear that I am not what people might assume."
Augustine smile, walking from one end of the stage to another. "While clothes can sometimes reflect aspects of a person’s identity, such as style, culture, or personal expression, they do not inherently define one’s sexuality."
The audience nod their heads in agreement to his phrase.
"People may choose clothing that aligns with their personality, interests, or trends, but it doesn’t necessarily indicate their sexual orientation. But however, some individuals may wear clothes that reflect their sexuality or gender identity as a form of self-expression or to make a statement, but this is a personal choice and varies from person to person... and that’s why Gyapm Corporation is launching designs for all kinds of people in the world."
The audience gasped in surprise, nodding in understanding as bright smiles spread across their faces.
’So, it was all part of the event?’
’CEO Augustine is indeed clever.’
’Wow! I was scared for a moment.’
’With Augustine’s unique mindset, he’s definitely going places.’
’I knew he wasn’t gay.’
What was once skepticism now turned into admiration as the crowd, who had initially been shocked by the image of Augustine with a man, began to praise his creativity and poise.
Charles, on the other hand, gasped in surprise, his eyes widening as tears began to prick at the corners, dampening his cheeks.
Freda, standing beside him, could hardly contain herself.
She was jumping and squirming in excitement, her joy radiating as she watched the turn of events unfold.
’So... once again, the person I’ve fallen for has rejected me,’ Charles thought to himself, the weight of the realization sinking in.
When Charles had fallen for Anna, she had rejected him after he discovered her cheating.
Now, even though Charles hadn’t openly admitted his feelings for Augustine, he knew, deep down, that he cared for Augustine—perhaps more than he had realized.
The connection, the bond, it was undeniable.
Charles had known for a while that he was falling for Augustine—his heart would race whenever Augustine was near, and he couldn’t deny the romantic attraction he felt.
But Charles hadn’t admitted his feelings, not even to himself.
He was terrified of being cast aside, especially when the person he was drawn to was already entangled in such chaos.
The fear of rejection, of being left behind have made Charles to always deny his feelings for Augustine.
Sigh!
Charles sniffed, wiping the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand.
Without saying a word, he turned and walked out of the event room.
Augustine, still standing on the stage, caught a glimpse of Charles as he left, his heart sinking at the sight of the man he had unintentionally hurt walking away.
’What have I done?’ He inwardly asked himself, his heart shattering.