Still, Fanny had the means and power from the Harrowdale Hidens to behave in such a way. After all, she was born into privilege. She believed she was doing Kaze a favor just by talking to him. Kaze gripped the check and glanced at the number before letting out a faint smile. “Ma’am, this money isn’t enough for me to cut ties with Miru.” “Haha. Is the amount too little?” Fanny sneered, “I’m telling you now, boy. If Miru wasn’t here, you would have no right to talk to me, much less bargain for more. “I’m paying you 100 million dollars for playing the part of Miru’s boyfriend.“It’s hush money. Don’t go spreading rumors around. It’s embarrassing for the public to get the wrong idea that Miru is with a moocher like you. “I have said enough. “Take the check and get lost! I don’t ever want to see you. “Now!”Fanny pointed at the door without looking at Kaze. Kaze tore the check to bits and jeered, “Shutting me up with 100 million dollars? Aren’t you wealthy? “Does havi
Still holding the card against her face, Fanny shuddered in rage, her face ashen. Kaze had a point. Fanny was dead set on setting Miru up with Jerome to secure the mayoral position for her husband. Her husband, Jared Styles, was third in command at a governor’s office in some state down south. Yet, Jared wanted to join the race to become Lilyrose’s mayor. By right, Jared could get the position through his marriage to a member of the Harrowdale Hidens. Reality was a slap in the face, though. There were too many eyeing the mayoral position. The other competitors had just as impressive a resume as Jared. They were well-established, having friends in high places. Even Jared could not secure the position of mayor for sure. Meanwhile, the Fowlers expressed interest in uniting with the Hidens through marriage. Isabelle was on board with the idea too. Hence, Fanny came up with a way to gain the Fowlers’ support through the marriage. She believed Miru and Jerome were mad
“My loyalty is with the Hidens. “I won’t tolerate you since you’re an enemy to the Hidens.” Agar took a step forward. “No!” Startled, Miru exclaimed. The Hidens hired the best of the best as protection. Miru was familiar with Agar’s strength. “Get out of the way, Miru.” Fanny yanked Miru back from getting any closer to the conflict and looked indifferently at Kaze. “Agar, killing him will make your hands dirty. Just give him something to think about.” The way Fanny saw it, Kaze was too tactless to interfere in the Hidens’ affairs. He deserved some punishment. Agar got close to Kaze in a blink of an eye. “Yes, ma’am,” Agar responded emotionlessly. From their first encounter at the auction, Agar never took Kaze seriously. If Kaze had not gotten involved in the Hidens’ affairs again, Agar would not have wasted his talent on the likes of him. Wham! At the fling of his arm, Agar delivered a tumultuous blow to Kaze’s chest. Kaze would need to be bedridde
The Hidens only hired the best of the best for their protection. Agar might be advanced in age, but he once ruled the streets of Harrowdale back in the day. He remained unchallenged. Yet, Kaze delivered a slap so powerful that Agar crashed into the filing cabinet. If the Hidens had not witnessed the incident with their eyes, they would not have believed it either. Fanny grimaced harder. Kaze’s snob comment was meant for Agar and her. She had just signed a 100-million-dollar check for Kaze, only for Kaze to throw a centurion card worth 10 billion dollars at her face. “I was wondering where you got your cocky attitude from. So you can fight. You have some nerve interfering in my family’s matters.” Fanny said menacingly, “Still, I need to ask. Who are you to fight back?” Kaze replied callously, “What? Are the Harrowdale Hidens so entitled that I’m not allowed to fight back?” “Kaze is right, Aunt Fanny. This is not a fair match.” Unable to stand by anymore, Miru we
Agar pulled a punch, the blow rolling in the wind, toward Kaze’s cheek. “It has been years since I was hit in the face. “For that reason, I’m going to pulverize yours!” “Oh, really?” Kaze chuckled and took a step forward while launching his hand. Agar’s eyes widened. He realized that Kaze’s attack came on stronger than before. More devastatingly, he could not dodge the attack either. “Smack!” Agar was dumbstruck. Without time to unpack, he flew back and crashed into the wall with a loud thud. “I guess you have not learned your lesson, old fart. You’re still not taking this fight seriously. “Maybe you should put more effort next time.” Looking at the handprint on Agar’s other cheek, Kaze said with a sarcastic smile. “You!” Agar struggled to get back on his feet, his hand reaching his hot cheek. Kaze’s taunting only turned the shock in Agar’s eyes into rage. Why? Why could he not evade Kaze’s blow? He was on the Hidens’ payroll, once undefeated on th
“Smack!” Agar was sent flying in less than three seconds. “Smack!” “Smack!” The scene was on repeat. Agar kept getting back on his feet and charging toward Kaze, only to be knocked back. He tried every angle possible and heightened his speed of attack. Kaze remained unchanged, always one step ahead at hitting Agar in the face. That one maneuver was all Kaze needed to defeat his rivals. Reuniting with the floor once more, Agar was bloodied all over. His white beard was stained in red. Even Miru had enough. She said, “Stop Agar, Aunt Fanny. If you keep sulking about it, Kaze might kill him.” Fanny was outraged. Sulking? The word struck a nerve in her. Embarrassed and furious, Agar wanted to sink into the ground. He knew that today’s incident would ruin him. “Kaze…” Agar struggled to get up, his expression complicated. Kaze raised his hand, ready to whip another slap. “Stop!” Agar shouted and put both hands up in surrender. “I won’t fight you anym
Fanny snapped a menacing look at Agar. The humiliation faced by Agar gave Fanny ammo to run her mouth. Agar expressed his shame without a word. Kaze beat him up to the point of doubting himself. After pouring out her grievance, Fanny finally settled down. She understood that Kaze beat Agar into submission. In other words, Fanny was unlikely to force Miru to go with her. “Do you have any idea what I am capable of now, lady?” Kaze’s words rang in Fanny’s ear. “Like I said, tell Isabelle that I will take the lives of a hundred Hiden members if Alan is harmed. “Miru is a friend. I won’t allow her to do anything against her wishes. “If she doesn’t wish to marry Jerome, no one can take her away from Lilyrose.” Kaze’s promise extended beyond the confines of the office and Lefteria Group. He would not allow Miru to be taken out of the city against her wish. His tone carried confidence. Even Miru gave Kaze a complicated look. For once, she noticed that there was an
Fanny could mean well, or her heart could be in the right place. Either way, her intentions meant nothing to Kaze. Kaze smiled indifferently and said, “Don’t get ahead of yourself, lady. “You took my poverty in contempt until I flashed a Dallas Centurion. “You told Agar to set me straight, but I beat him into submission. “These two incidents prove that I’m not as weak as you put me out to be. “Come to think of it, how can you be so sure that coming from a small city, I don’t have the means to crush the Harrowdale Hidens and the Westeros Fowlers?Kaze used the term “crush” instead of “challenge”. Everybody was surprised. They could not understand where Kaze’s confidence stemmed from. He made a bold claim to pulverize two elite families. Who did he think he was? It was not as if he was one of the five cabinet senior ministers. Even the veteran members of the military and the Ministry of Justice would not say that they could crush two elite families. Fanny smirk
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