A valuable lesson

Ellena's POV

"August, don't talk like that. Remember, we're in public. This isn't the time to be joking around." I tried to calm Mr. August down, hoping he wouldn't overreact in his response to Maria and John. Mr. August wrapped his arm around me tightly, smiling as if he were satisfied with the distressed expressions on the couple's faces.

This time, I could see a different side of Mr. August. He truly looked intimidating when he was angry or offended by his nephew's behavior. Even though Mr. August appeared calm, he was adept at playing with the minds of those around him.

"Really? I'm not good at joking, so you should be careful because secrets can easily come to light," Mr. August said, his demeanor quickly shifting back to a cold, serious one. He wasn't joking at all.