“Mr. Lee, thank you for what you did. You saved Rove. But after some serious consideration, if I’m not capable of running it, then I’ll let it rot in my hands rather than sell it away.” As soon as they left Skyfort Investment, Hart held Kaze’s hand gratefully and thanked him. He also revealed his plans for the company. Kaze frowned. “Mr. Lyfe, you don’t need to feel defeated. You have been working hard to keep Rove running for all your life. Are you really just going to let it rot?” “What can I do? I’m not capable enough.” Hart chuckled helplessly and added, “Samson Hobbs might be a despicable person but he’s right. This is the trend, we can’t help it. This has been going on for many years and we are definitely not the first. “Not many companies are able to endure this hardship and make a glorious comeback.” Hart felt defeated after hearing Samson. Meaningless struggle would only attract even more aggressors like Kailan. “Samson Hobbs is talking nonsense.” Kaze scoffed.
After that, Kaze brought Hart into the office without giving Jennifer the chance to speak or deny him. “Ms. Barwise, I’m Rove’s chairman, Hart Lyfe,” Hart introduced himself. “Mr. Lyfe.” Jennifer welcomed the man with a handshake since the man was older and more experienced than her, but she quickly reverted to her upset look. “Mr. Lyfe, we are talking business here. I got news about Rove and if you are here looking for an investment, I would have to ask you to leave.” Jennifer rejected the idea without a second thought. Hart was disappointed. He chuckled bitterly and said, “I understand. It’s okay. No one dares to invest in Rove anymore.” “Mr. Lyfe, why don’t you go wait outside?” Kaze asked Hart to give him the room with Jennifer. After Hart closed the door, Kaze looked at Jennifer and asked, “I need a reason.” “I was being clear. Rove is on the brink of bankruptcy and there’s no value in them at all,” Jennifer scoffed. She continued, “Is this your so-called potential pros
“Mr. Lee, are you sure about that?” Hart was moved when he saw Kaze’s determined look. Kaze did not sound like he was joking. “If I want Rove to be popular, it will be popular.” Kaze tapped on Hart’s shoulder and said, “Go tell your manufacturer to prepare the stocks. I have to go back first.” Hart watched as Kaze strode off. He clenched his teeth and decided to trust Kaze this time. Since Rove was on the brink of bankruptcy, there was nothing else he could lose. Besides, Kaze offended Samson just because he wanted to help Rove. Jennifer also denied his request to invest in Rove. Therefore, after what Kaze had done, Hart did not want to let him down and he decided to take one last bet. “Darry, contact our manufacturer to increase the stocks!” Hart had made up his mind and he no longer hesitated. He called his elder son, Darry, and gave the order to increase output. However, he did not go all out with the numbers and chose a more conservative increase. When Kaz
“President Quint, here!” A beautiful woman at one of the VIP seats waved at Darcy. Darcy smiled and waved back before she went over with Kaze. At the seat were a bunch of young men and women. They were meticulously dressed, looking confident. At first glance, one could tell that they were all elites in their respective fields. “Kaze, they are all the executives of Red Foundation and the supercar club. They are all from different but powerful backgrounds. You should mingle with them to make more friends,” Darcy whispered in Kaze’s ears. Darcy had done her homework on their background before she came. Kaze knew Darcy was trying to help him expand his connections. He nodded with a smile and said, “Don’t worry, if we clicked, I’d like to have a new friend as well.” Darcy breathed a sigh of relief. She was afraid that Kaze would refuse to mingle with them. “Thank you for waiting.” Darcy went up to them and greeted them before she introduced Kaze to them. “This is my husb
“Faye is right. We are from two different worlds…” The other men and women agreed. They were not mad but they mocked Kaze as if he was a worthless piece of trash. “I’m sorry, Kaze,” Darcy whispered into Kaze’s ear. She did not expect Lilian to be so harsh with her words. She started regretting coming to the gathering, but it was also inappropriate for her to walk away just like that. Kaze smiled and said, “It’s okay. I won’t get mad because some people talk bad about me. You go ahead, I’ll just wait for you.” He knew this gathering would not be that simple so there was no way he would abandon Darcy and leave. However, Lilian and the others assumed that Kaze insisted on staying, which caused them to mock him even more. “Mr. Nanas is here!” Faye suddenly announced the arrival of the guest that they had been waiting for. A man in a custom-made suit, tall and handsome, came in with a group of men behind him. The man was the new person in charge of the Red Foundation
Greg was slightly disappointed but it also aroused his desire to conquer. He was not interested in easy prey. “Who might this be?” Greg switched his attention to Kaze. His gaze grew cold the moment he spotted him. In fact, he noticed Kaze’s presence the moment he stepped in and he realized Kaze was quite close with Darcy. Worrying about others diminishing Kaze, Darcy said, “Mr. Nanas, this is my husband, Kaze Lee. He’s the chairman of Shangrila Group and also has a position in Hudson Investment Firm.” “I see.” Greg barely reacted and did not extend his hand for a handshake. “I heard you are quite the topic online. You offended Samson Hobbs of Lee Investment? I’m quite close with Samson. Maybe you can just apologize to him and if he gives you a hard time, you can mention my name. I’m sure you will be fine,” Greg said condescendingly. “Woah! Mr. Nanas holds sway even in the presence of a big shot like Samson Hobbs. He’s amazing!” Lilian and others immediately showed s
Kaze’s words shocked everyone. He asked if Samson dared to show up at the gathering to confront him. He was just a useless piece of trash, what fueled his confidence? Even Greg was caught off guard by the question. One phone call to summon Samson Hobbs? Not even he could do that. “You little prick!” Greg bellowed as soon as he regained his composure. He scoffed, “Mr. Hobbs is the CEO of Lee Investment, a monumental figure in the investment world. “You are just a lousy guy who relies on your wife yet you want him to come down here to see you? What I meant was for you to go to Lee Investment, apologize on your knees, and if he doesn’t want to see you, you can mention my name. “Now you want Mr. Hobbs to see you in person here? Kaze Lee, are you out of your mind?” Lilian, Faye, and the others were struck with realization when they heard Greg. “Yeah. Mr. Hobbs is a powerful person. Why would he come here to see you?” “I think he knows there’s no way Mr. Hobbs would c
“We are just trying to help your husband, we didn’t mean anything else. If we offended you anyhow, I’ll apologize on their behalf…” Faye held onto Darcy’s hand and apologized with a smile. Not offensive? Kaze scoffed. Before he could speak, Darcy beat him to it. She said coldly, “I can differentiate between what is offensive and what is not. I know you lot look down on my husband. You even believed the rumors about his illegitimate acquisition of the Shangrila Group Chairman position. “But, you have no idea that it was he who made me the president of Lilyrose Commerce Guild.” Kaze called out to the guild members and elected her as the president. It was such an astonishing scene that Darcy would never forget. With Darcy’s revelation, everyone looked at Kaze in shock, including Greg. The shock lasted for a moment before it was replaced by disdain. They assumed Darcy was just trying to protect her husband, and thus credited her husband for that. “Oh, I see. President
As they arrived, they saw a dozen expensive cars parked outside. The customer base was relatively stable as the establishment was targeted at the upper class. The people lining up at the club were young men and women of ordinary background. All were allowed inside Absolute Zero with an entrance fee. Since this would be a chance for ordinary people to meet and interact with the upper-class elites, they cherished it and tried their best to look good. Even movie producers and scriptwriters came to the club, seeking investments or a role in movie production. It was a shortcut to reach out to the upper crust after all. Yet they were just a bunch of fresh graduates with no resources and connections, so the club was their only chance at achieving something great. Dwight would never understand how rare the opportunity was, as he was narrow-sighted. He had never experienced power and wealth before, so he lacked the understanding of how things worked in society. “I never thought
With that in mind, Dwight checked his outfit. His black leather jacket brought out his height and wild side. He then observed Kaze. The latter was dressed casually. Dwight was worried that they would not be allowed into Absolute Zero because of their attire. Nevertheless, he could not let slip that he had never been to Absolute Zero. Without a word, Dwight led Kaze down the apartment building. Kaze could pick up on Dwight’s nerves. While in the elevator, Dwight could not stop straightening out his clothes. It was clear that he was nervous. Even so, Kaze said nothing and pretended not to notice. They got into the car and drove to an alley. The area was not huge, but there were stands selling street food. “The food is great here. Since it’s early, we can grab a bite.” Dwight was not being tight with money. As their destination was a bar, there was no need to get a proper meal. “I’ll get a skewer then.” Kaze did not have much of an appetite anyway. “Okay. I’ll or
“You’re the guest. I should be hosting you, but I don’t seem to be doing a good job.” Dwight knew he had to do better. “It’s okay. I don’t have much to do. It’s just a delivery anyway.” Kaze bought a lot of stuff online. All they had to do was wait for the delivery. Once the items arrived, they could head out. Dwight talked about taking him to a bar under the Viper’s Den’s umbrella. It was a great opportunity for Kaze to check out the scene. He had heard that the Wittersons were tied to all the Viper’s Den’s business operations.Kaze would not meet Edmund and Morris in person, but he would grasp all information related to them. Then, Kaze would stir things up between them and sit back while reaping the benefits. Kaze had it all planned out. He simply had to take his time in playing the long game. Nevertheless, it was important for him to remain discreet. At the very least, he should not show them what he was made of. It was easy to execute his plan when everybody
Kaze rose to his feet and took something out of his bag. Putting on his jacket, he was on his way out. Dwight was out of his room, too. He left his room for a glass of water and waited for Kaze to get out of the room after his nap. Dwight had a drink in the kitchen. He took an apple and chomped on it. Looking at the fruit on the table, Dwight grabbed a plate to arrange it neatly.He took out his phone to pass the time while waiting for Kaze. Kaze emerged from the room and saw Dwight. “You’re up at last. You’ve slept half the day away. Are you still tired? I can wait if you need to catch some sleep.” Dwight kept Herman’s memo to look after Kaze. “A little. I didn’t get any sleep last night. I was waiting to get on the plane.” Kaze took the red-eye flight yesterday. Dwight allowed time for Kaze to rest, knowing his travel schedule. “I know. Did you manage to get some good sleep? If you haven’t, you can go back to bed. I can grab some food for you.” Dwight’s plan
“Your main responsibility is to entertain Kaze. You will be rewarded for good work,” Herman said. Dwight nodded incessantly. “Thank you for thinking of me, Herman. I won’t forget this.” “I’d be grateful so long as you stay out of trouble. “Just focus on what you should do and take good care of Kaze.” Herman worried that Dwight might get ahead of himself and forget his primary duties. Dwight’s priority was Kaze’s well-being. The whole thing would be over if Dwight kept to himself and served Kaze until he was gone. There would be a problem if something were to happen. Without Edmund’s instructions, Herman would never have assigned a job to Dwight. It could be a good thing, though. At least, a job might keep him on the straight and narrow. “Relax. You can count on me,” Dwight said with glee.That was a nice surprise. Dwight did not see it coming. It was just incredible. Herman still could not shake off his worry. However, he had said his piece. It was pointless t
Herman’s smile vanished. His red, irritated skin was playing up. Due to alcohol in his system, Herman could not see straight. He had to grit his teeth to hold back the urge to retch. Herman was not one to drink. Yet, he would have to go through Edmund’s loyalty test every time, and he was reaching a boiling point. However, he understood that he needed to suck it up to gain Edmund’s trust. “You must be Herman. Mr. Witterson. Should I take the things to your car, or should I deliver them to your home?” asked a uniformed server who approached. “Put them in the car and get me a designated driver,” Herman replied. He headed to the lobby while propping himself against the wall. “Okay. There will be a driver out front, ready for your service.” The server tried to help Herman up, but was declined. Herman saw the cartons of alcohol and cigarettes in the lobby. Edmund had always been generous in giving out stuff like this. “These are from Mr. Witterson. You’re lucky to work for
“Kaze can pull the punches for sure. I mean, he has the Butterworth branch chief’s trust for a reason. “There has to be something for him to win the branch chief’s approval.” Edmund doubted there was depth to Kaze. After all, Edmund decided whether to take on a person based on their abilities. It made no sense to pay attention to losers, as he would hold them in contempt. Edmund had been impressed with Herman, who excelled in strategies and management. That was why Edmund bumped Herman up and made sure he stayed on top. “Got it.” Herman nodded and had one foot out the door. “Don’t be in a hurry to leave. There’s one more thing.” Edmund pointed at the table. Herman approached and stood on bent knees. Pleased with Herman’s submission, Edmund passed him a wine glass. Herman took the drink humbly before looking carefully at Edmund, awaiting his orders. “The wine was just airlifted from abroad. I can vouch for the taste. If you’re looking to sip on the finest, yo
Time went by, and a towering man in a suit showed up outside the door. Picking up on the noise inside the room, he knocked on the door. It was hard to tell whether the person inside could hear the knocking, so the man waited outside. The door was opened, and a woman, her face flawless with makeup, popped her head out and saw him. She cocked her head back at Edmund. “You have a guest, Mr. Witterson.” “Let him in,” Edmund instructed. He then leaned in to take the drink from the girl next to him with his mouth. The other girls cheered him on. The group was lost in their fun. The man, who entered the room, stood by the sofa respectfully. He kept his head down, his gaze staying low at the bottles of alcohol spread across the table. It was a bit of a wait before the man approached at Edmund’s order. “Tell me about Dwight.”While listening to the girls’ singing, Edmund turned to Herman. Herman rushed over as soon as Edmund called. He won a lot of money at poker toda
In this particular circumstance, Morris had to play it safe so that things would not get out of hand. The last thing he wanted was to be dragged into the mess. At least, he finally saw the Wittersons’ true colors. Morris’ friendly advice was met with disrespect and insult. However, the Wittersons were a force of nature, and Morris was not about to take them head-on. Despite his frustration, Morris had to walk away. Well, Edmund would soon face his downfall at the height of his power, and Morris would be there to enjoy the ride. Still, it did not sit well with Morris to have a young fella walk all over him. It had crossed his mind to keep the Wittersons in check, but there was only so much he could do. Morris had to be the one to back away as the Wittersons grew haughty. Morris believed there was more to Kaze’s visit to Westeros. Nothing major happened in Westeros recently. At least, there was nothing worth the other branch’s attention. However, a representative of the