“Are you ready, Mr. Lee? We should begin.” Sherry was professional, diving straight into work mode the moment the producer kept the cameras rolling. She said with a smile, “Today, we have invited the CEO of Hudson Investment Firm, Mr. Kaze Lee. Please say hello to the cameras, Mr. Lee.” “Hello, everybody. I am Kaze Lee.” Kaze waved at the cameras. Sherry said, “As everybody knows, the role of a CEO is very demanding. Experience is one of the essential requirements major corporations look at before hiring a CEO. “But after reviewing your resume, we discovered something rather strange. “Mr. Lee, you had no experience in investment before you took up the position as Hudson Investment Firm’s CEO. “To our knowledge, you have been living off your wife’s family. Is that true?” Sherry looked at Kaze and asked with a smile, “I am curious. How did you go from an unemployed house-husband to the CEO of a well-established investment firm?” “The questions seem a little too person
The interview ended in half an hour. Sherry stood up and stretched happily, having acquired all the information she needed. The nearby male crew members ogled at her bare midriff. Sherry’s eyes flickered with delight, and she soon turned to Kaze sarcastically. “You are such a loser, Kaze. You don’t even have the guts to refute my questions.“Don’t you know how absurd you look? Should I get the cameraman to show you the footage? “You are going to be famous at the broadcast of the interview. You should thank me for the appearance. “Sure, you’re getting publicity for the wrong thing, but that’s one way for the public to remember you. “Your life is in my hands, Kaze.“If you kneel and lick the sole of my heels, I might consider editing the parts that make you look bad.” Sherry took jabs at Kaze, assuming she had him by the balls. Unfazed, Kaze said indifferently, “You’re nothing more than a gold digger, getting ahead in life with your personal assets. “You’re a little
Soon, Jennifer gave Kaze a call. “I heard that you fought with the anchor during the interview, Mr. Lee.” Kaze replied, “Oh, that’s right. What? Are you going to tear into me like your assistant?” He could spare the young, naïve assistant. However, if a deputy manager like Jennifer still did not know any better, Kaze did not mind getting a new deputy. “No. You’re the superior, Mr. Lee. I wouldn’t dare lecture you.” Jennifer said curtly, “But I hope you will show a little restraint and think more for the future of the company, Mr. Lee. No need to compete over every single thing. “What would people think if they found out the CEO of our company was fighting with a TV anchor?” Miru was not happy with Kaze’s behavior yesterday, but she let Kaze keep his job. Jennifer understood that Miru had no intention of removing Kaze from office for the time being. It was not wise to clash with Kaze on her first day. While expressing her displeasure, Jennifer made sure to address
“Sherry, I have never met the chairman,” Jennifer said in distress. Displeased, Sherry picked a fight. “Oh, I guess this is what your apology is worth, Ms. Barwise. I thought you called to apologize.” “I’ll see what I can do.” Jennifer could not handle shameless people like Sherry. She took Sherry to the headquarters of Perfect World Group and met with Snow, the chairman’s assistant. “Hello, Ms. Frost. I’m Sherry Zauer, the financial news anchor. I want to have an audience with your chairman.” After Jennifer introduced them, Sherry courteously shook Snow’s hand. Snow was not only the assistant of Perfect World Group’s chairman, but she was also appointed the chairwoman of Lilyrose Bank by the mayor’s office. Sherry would not dare think lightly of her. In fact, she felt intimidated by Snow’s presence. Snow was gorgeous. Sherry eyed Snow in secret. Her eyes quickly flickered with glee. Sherry, the experienced woman she was, determined that Snow was untainted. Snow
“It makes sense. You are a coward who won’t even retaliate. I bet you are a masochist.“You get the kick out of women looking down on you. “But do you think I will fancy a loser like you? Only a capable man like the chairman of Perfect World Group can win my favor. “Give it up, Kaze. We don’t belong to the same world.” Acting all high and mighty, Sherry took digs at Kaze. She took her frustration from being turned away by Snow out on Kaze. “The chairman of Perfect World Group?” Kaze paused and said with a pretentious grin, “My advice to you is to give it up, Sherry. The chairman of Perfect World Group will never fancy you.” “Ahem.” Standing near them, Jennifer cleared her throat to warn Kaze not to get on Sherry’s nerves. She changed the subject and asked, “What are you doing here at Perfect World Group office building, Mr. Lee?” “I have some business here,” Kaze replied before brushing past them. All the while, he did not spare another look at Sherry. “The lose
Winnie was puzzled. By right, the Food and Drug Administration’s inspection was routine. However, Winnie could not shake off the bad feeling. Not too long ago, Zenny, who had gone off the grid, sent her a text message out of the blue. “Winnie, if you don’t agree with my terms to divorce, I’m going to bankrupt your company. I don’t mind giving you a little taste of your downfall. Hahaha!” The text screamed of Zenny’s arrogance. Taking Kaze’s advice on divorce, Winnie was not going to give Zenny any attention. Nevertheless, the Food and Drug Administration performed an inspection without prior notification. Winnie got word from her employee that the inspection team was only notified about the audit upon their arrival at the facility. She doubted it was a coincidence. “Bring the car around. I’m going to the plant.” Winnie changed her clothes and rushed to the factory right away. “Your production line is not up to standard. You need to shut it down right now and bri
“Hello, Mr. Moor.” Even though Noah’s leer was repulsive, Winnie held it together and shook his hand. Noah did not want to let go of Winnie’s supple hand. With Winnie being right up his alley, he wanted to tap that ass. “I have heard good things about you, Ms. Souffle. I wasn’t expecting you to be so beautiful.“You run a huge corporation too. You have the looks and the talent. Any man is lucky to have you,” Noah said. He was determined to win Winnie over. The survival of Shangrila Group’s pharmaceutical plant rested in his clutches. Besides, Winnie was no faithful woman. Even though she was married, she disrespected Zenny by hooking up with other men. Noah believed Winnie would succumb to him if he played it right. “You flatter me, Mr. Moor.” Winnie smiled and turned to grab a box of tea from an employee. “It’s hot out today. I appreciate you making the trip to the factory. I have some tea from friends that is perfect to beat the heat.“I don’t drink tea, so I
“I didn’t know you don’t drink tea, Mr. Moor. I overstepped. I apologize.“But please reconsider ceasing the manufacturing operation.“Shangrila Group is the city’s big taxpayer. We have had great experiences working with all government departments—” Noah waved his arm to cut Winnie off. “Enough with the nonsense. We were only doing our job. You failed the inspection, and that’s the end of the story.” Noah smirked and quickened his pace to exit the place. The walkout put a lot of stress on Winnie. Standing there, Winnie drew a deep breath before chasing after Noah. With a forced smile, she said, “You’re right, Mr. Moor. We will shut down and rectify the issues.” Winnie did not want to suspend work. She merely switched her strategy. The priority was to go along with Noah and smooth things over with him. Winnie then said, “But can you give us some pointers to address the issues quickly? “I hope you can give us another chance before a complete shutdown,” Winnie pleaded
Dwight gave some suggestions. “But I’m worried about being a nuisance to your family.” Kaze remained hesitant, torn between decisions. “No, you won’t. I usually live alone. They stay somewhere else. They barely visit. I’ll just let them know not to visit for now,” Dwight replied. Dwight figured out what was in it for him. He could not let Kaze leave. “I don’t want to put your family in an awkward position.”Kaze was still considering the matter. “Relax. They don’t live with me anyway. The room I have for you is tidy. No one has stayed there before.“I’ll hire some help to freshen up the place. I can guarantee you an experience no less than at the hotel.” Dwight spoke with great confidence. “We should finish our food and doggie-bag the rest. I’ll take you to my place.” Dwight was ready to get things going. Kaze took the offer and nodded. “I’ll be in your care then.” Kaze was glad that his plan went through. Dwight had no idea that he got played. Nevertheless,
“I’m new to the place, so I don’t know much. Can you show me around when you’re available?” “No problem, but I usually have some stuff to take care of. I can’t be there 24/7. “Why don’t you propose to the branch that you want me to be your guide and attendant?” Dwight suggested. There was no telling whether Kaze would accept his proposal, but it was an opportunity to prove himself. He was never involved in the core operation. Often enough, he was the branch members’ punching bag. Though Dwight was aware that he was not good enough for the big stuff, he still wanted to succeed. Kaze was the trusted aide of the Butterworth Branch chief. He was in Westeros for a reason. By joining Kaze, Dwight would come across the major players. Kaze saw through Dwight’s plans. “Sure. I’ll do that.” Kaze did not mind the request. “Great. I’ll let them know on your behalf. I’ll be responsible for your needs while in the city.” Dwight was overjoyed at the opportunity. “So you live
“You must be rich. I often see rich people picking tabs for everybody. Talk about extravagance.” The tension in the air was lifted when Kaze offered to pay for everything. “I’m not. Consider it an apology,” Kaze explained, not wanting to cause unnecessary misunderstandings. He did not see the point of continuing the conversation. Dwight’s angry screams came from outside. “What the hell is this? I only ordered a bunch of stuff. Why am I being charged an exorbitant amount?“What do you mean my friend is paying for everybody? That’s throwing money away,” Dwight said while storming his way over. “I know you have money, but you shouldn’t do this, Mr. Lee.” Dwight did not approve of this type of generosity. “You rubbed them the wrong way. It was only right to apologize. Besides, it’s not a lot of money.” Kaze looked at the bill and handed a bank card to Dwight. “It’s my treat.” The consumption was barely a dent in Kaze’s savings. The meal did not cost more than his us
Kaze observed as the jeep took off further off course, past the towering buildings to a run-down neighborhood. “This is where I usually reside. My home is not too far away, but I think you might have trouble adapting to this place.” Dwight did not forget to book Kaze a hotel. Kaze could not possibly stay with him. The hotel was around the area anyway. “Didn’t you say that you haven’t tried the local cuisine? I’ll take you out for a bite. “The barbecue ribs here are to die for. We’ve got the dry-rubbed and saucy kind.” Dwight parked the car and hopped out right away. Opposite the parking lot was not the cleanest food joint. Looking in from the outside, Kaze realized that the place was packed. Kaze understood that the restaurant must be known for some kind of dish. The customers were from all walks of life, so the food must be great. “There’s not much to see here, but the food is tasty. If you don’t mind, we can order something inside.” Kaze was not particularly con
Dwight was surprised and curious as to who Kaze really was. From what he gathered, Kaze was a confidante of the Butterworth Branch chief. The purpose of Kaze’s visit was to learn and share. Dwight worked on the fringes, so his access to information was limited. Nevertheless, he got the feeling that Kaze was just an ordinary guy just like him. The only difference was that Kaze was lucky to rub shoulders with important people. Dwight did not get chances like that. “Who are the most influential people in the Viper’s Den Westeros Branch?” Kaze asked in the car. Dwight was taken aback by the question. Still, he had an answer to that. “So you don’t know much about the situation?” Dwight suddenly felt important. “Well, I’m new to the city. I will be running into them soon, so I need to make sure I get my facts right,” Kaze said humbly. This was Dwight’s shot, and he needed to present his best. “Relax, Kaze. I’ll tell you everything I know.” Dwight would reveal some info
Kaze glanced at the flowers. There was a card for well-wishes too.Curious, Kaze reached out to read the card. It was written, “To my eternal lover and sweetheart.” Dwight grabbed Kaze’s bag. Since the sign in his hand was getting in the way, Dwight tossed the placard in the trash can. As Dwight turned his head back, he saw Kaze reading the card that came with the flowers. He tried to stop Kaze, but it was too late. Dwight had not attended to a guest of high importance before. The task was assigned to him at the last minute. In the past, Dwight was usually on the sidelines, never getting close to major matters. He would always get the small, insignificant jobs. Dwight often bought drinks for his superiors to build connections. However, he had always been kept out of the loop. Now that an opportunity had fallen onto his lap, Dwight was not about to let it slip. He wanted to show what he could do. When Dwight arrived at the airport for the pick-up, most people car
The incident did not sit well with Kaze, so he left them out to dry. After much searching, Kaze came across a café. Kaze bought a cup of coffee. Cupping the drink between his hands, Kaze sipped slowly. Many passengers swarmed the arrival hall in the airport, dragging along their luggage or pulling out their phones to get a pick-up. They all had a destination, a place they had to be in a rush. Intrigued, Kaze followed the crowd out. Kaze turned on his phone, and a text message from his airport pick-up came in. He glanced at the message, curious about who the person was. Nevertheless, Kaze trusted that the Westeros Branch members would not set him up out in the open. At most, they would pull little stunts to mess with him. Kaze was not the type to sweat the small stuff. However, he would not tolerate any extreme behavior. He had been keeping a low profile back in Butterworth, keeping the limelight off him. The purpose was to handle Jet without unnecessary complicati
“Alright. I will work hard to be the manager of the Northborn Group. You need to show me the ropes and teach me about management.” Leah looked at Katie with a smile. She believed Katie had not lost her mind. Katie simply had her memory mixed up. “You need to keep your people in line and reward those who deserve it. It all boils down to profits. “You need to work toward managing your people and working with rivals. You’ve got to keep the balance, and nobody loses out. “You need to build your own system when it comes to working together. Don’t be led around by the nose.” Hearing that Leah would start work soon, Katie imparted her knowledge. “Don’t worry too much about things. Joey is nice. You can go to her for help,” Katie said earnestly. Katie seemed to be herself at the moment. Leah wondered if Katie faked her insanity to escape the punishment. “What have become of you? Did they do something to you? “Did you really betray Kaze?” Leah whispered while leaning close
Leah kept working on her knowledge until late into the night. Just as she was about to hit the sack, she got a message from Snow. Learning was a hard enough process. The text message came out of the blue. Leah did not expect Snow to contact her at night. The message was strange as well. Leah could not understand why Snow would give her the address of a nursing home. Leah was determined to turn things around. She strived to become stronger instead of being a burden. She was grateful for Kaze’s help. At least, she had a job now. However, her gratitude was not extended to Snow. She believed Snow had gone too far. Snow left her feeling powerless. Leah did not think much about the message. She assumed that the text was not meant for her. Since Leah did not respond to the text, Snow put the matter aside and went to bed. Leah called Snow the next day. “Why did you send me an address?” Leah went straight to the question. She had been equipping herself with knowledge before