“Fanny, everyone now knows that to become Lilyrose’s mayor, Kaze Lee must give his approval. I believe it’s because he is related to the Lilyrose New City project. “This project is huge and it is sustainable with a bright future. That’s why the cabinet wanted the successor to align with the path that Kaze Lee had determined beforehand...” “I… I…” Fanny’s jaw dropped as she listened to her husband’s explanation. She did not listen to what Jared said after that because her mind only had one thought: the candidate for the new mayor must get Kaze’s approval. Was it purely coincidence, or did Kaze know it beforehand, hence the bet? “Fanny, are you listening to me? I remember you saying you are going to Lilyrose looking for trouble with him. Have you met him yet? Please tell me you haven’t! “I’m telling you, he’s the key to me becoming the mayor of Lilyrose. You cannot offend him in any way…” Jared sounded nervous and excited on the phone but Fanny was at a loss of words. …
“Uh…” The family members responded with a complicated look, mixed with jealousy and other emotions. They used to look down on Kaze but had since become a prominent figure who could decide the next mayor, who held the same authority as a vice governor. Even Mason, who was supported by the Ridgesouth Quints, had his appointment revoked because it had to get Kaze’s approval. No one saw that coming. “Hmph! There’s nothing to be jealous of. He’s just being lucky.” Only Deborah reacted with disdain. Her hatred for Kaze was brazen and it was no secret. Master Quint looked at Hector and Agnes. “Hector, you should talk to Kaze and tell him to approve Mason as the new mayor. Do not make any mistakes this time. “Mason is supported by the Ridgesouth Quints. If they are unhappy with us, not only us, but even your family will suffer!” Hector and Agnes felt intensely pressured when they heard about the Ridgesouth Quints. Despite originating from the same roots, they dared not mess
“Mr. Ceb.” The man was Mr. Ceb, not the dogs. Master Quint inhaled deeply and got up to meet the man. He was afraid of the man who was overflowing with wickedness. “Mr. Ceb, I would like you to follow me to Horizon Mirror Mansion,” Deborah requested politely. “Not a problem!” Mr. Ceb grinned and nodded. …Horizon Mirror Mansion. After returning from the Quints’ mansion, Agnes made a feast and asked Darcy to bring Kaze back immediately. Darcy was surprised by her mother’s unusual reaction but believed it was with good intentions, so she called Kaze. Sky and Agatha’s family were also around. Everyone sat down at the table to eat a meal. “Kaze, I have to return to Sunrise in a few days to continue my studies. Can you visit me at my grandparent’s house next time?” Rose said to Kaze. Since Nelson was working in the military, Agatha usually stayed at the Otters’ place with her children. Rose might still be young but she knew her aunt, Agnes, rarely spoke to her b
The moment Kaze’s words subsided, Darcy’s heart skipped a beat. She knew her mother’s temper. If Agnes was happy, she could be an angel; if she was unhappy, she could be worse than the devil. “Not suitable?” The smile on Agnes’ face froze at the next moment. She slammed her spoon on the table and glared at Kaze. “Tell me, why is Mason not suitable as mayor?” “Mom, I saw his profile.” Kaze did not mind the sudden shift in attitude. He patiently explained, “He’s too driven by results, impatient, and greedy for gains and credits. He’d do anything to achieve his goal. If he runs the city as mayor, it won’t be good for the people. “In fact, when I received the candidates’ profiles, he was the first one whom I rejected.” The profile that Kaze received was not the brief one released to the public, but a detailed version intended only for the city council. Through the details on the profiles, Kaze was able to see things others could not. He put a lot of effort into choosi
Agnes’ expression turned gloomy after hearing her husband. She grunted at the end and stayed quiet. Since her husband and daughter had spoken up, she realized she might have been carried away. “I knew it. It’s always Grandfather and them.” Darcy’s expression turned bitter. She had yet to tell her parents about the Quint family maliciously acquiring the shares of Sky Ocean Corporation. She did not expect them to be so shameless as well. How could they pretend nothing had happened and instigate her mother to coax Kaze? If Master Quint and the others got what they wanted, they would surely get back at Darcy and her family ten times over. “Dad, Mom, there’s something you guys…” Darcy told her parents about the Quint family’s malicious intentions and Deborah trying to force her into submission. Hector’s and Agnes’ expressions shifted when they learned what happened. “Father and the others are too much! Whenever they get the chance, they always try to hurt us! Since whe
“Mr. Ceb!” All the adults, including Darcy, got up and bowed to Mr. Ceb politely. The younger ones were so scared that they stood still like a statue. Only Kaze did not respond and continued eating at the table. “Sky, go make some tea for Mr. Ceb!” said Agnes. She then forced a smile and said, “Mr. Ceb, please have a seat and we will serve you tea shortly.” “I’ll pass on the tea.” Mr. Ceb stepped forward and spoke in a horribly hoarse voice, “I am here today for two things.” Following his words, the three hounds stepped forward as well. Their fierce eyes gave the family goosebumps. “What can we do for you, Mr. Ceb?” Hector asked. Agnes nodded in agreement. Mr. Ceb put his fingers out. “First, Deborah gave you guys the Victim Impact Statement to release Young Master Kingston. Hand it over. “Second, about Mr. Mason Quint becoming Lilyrose’s mayor… Your son-in-law, Kaze Lee, shall call the governor, Loid Farland, and give his approval. “If you can’t fulfill my re
Darcy’s face turned pale but after glancing at Kaze, she shook her head strongly. “Mason Quint becoming the mayor is a serious matter. It’s not something our family can change. I cannot agree with that. “As for releasing Kingston Hacks, unless Madam Hacks can openly promise that Kingston won’t come after our family after he is released, it won’t happen. That’s my final offer.” Darcy knew she could not just simply agree to the terms but also did not completely shut off the possibilities for negotiations. “You want Madam Hacks to openly promise you?” Deborah scoffed, “Darcy, who do you think you are? Why would you think my godmother would make an open promise? “My godmother told me this morning that not only must your husband sign the Victim Impact Statement, but you will also have to sleep with Kingston for a night upon his release—consider it a welcome-back gift! Who gave you the courage to decline it? “Do you know what the Quints of Ridgesouth represent? The family is po
“Rose! Get over here! Don’t speak when the adults are talking!” Agatha quickly dragged her teary daughter over to her side and consoled the girl. She too was afraid and dared not raise her voice at Mr. Ceb. “You guys step aside.” Kaze finally stood. He went over to Sky and Landon and tapped on their shoulders. When he saw the slap mark on Rose’s cheek, his gaze turned frosty. “Kaze, what are you doing? Sit down! Are you trying to make things worse?! This is happening because of you! I’ll deal with you later! Sit down!” Agnes bellowed when she saw Kaze showing intentions of starting a fight. She knew Kaze’s temper well and she was afraid that once Kaze spoke up, the conflict might get worse. She shot a warning gaze at Kaze and then went up to Mr. Ceb. “Mr. Ceb, back at the Quint family’s mansion, we’ve already promised Master Quint that we will handle this, but Darcy and Kaze are still thinking about it. We are still trying to work our way around things. “But don’t wor
“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
Morris suggested entertaining Kaze well. Things would not be good for the branch if Kaze got dirt on them. That was where Edmund disagreed with Morris. His idea was to send someone to sound Kaze out. Edmund was smug because Morris’ decision was wrong. “You shouldn’t do that. Kaze is here on behalf of the Butterworth branch. You don’t want tension between both branches.” Morris looked at things from a wider perspective. Edmund believed Kaze was just a doormat of little importance. “You just overthink things, and it’s not good for your age. You’re getting senile.” Edmund did not take Morris’ advice seriously. He believed he was right. “You’re not getting it. Kaze is from Butterworth. Even if he doesn’t hold a high position there, we were in the wrong. We did not keep our tracks clean either. “Now that he’s back, I’m worried that he’ll cause us harm.” Morris was only giving a heads-up because the whole branch was at stake. Edmund was young. Due to his lack of judgmen
“We should be generous to our guest from Butterworth. You can arrange as you see fit. Please don’t house him in a messy home. Hire cleaners to tidy up the place. “You can report back to me if you need more money, but it’s not a reason for you to misuse the funds.” Herman wanted to hang up. The money was now in Dwight’s bank account, so he was washing his hands off the matter. The plan was to keep Kaze happy. He was just an insignificant member of the Butterworth branch anyway. The whole thing would blow over soon enough, so long as Kaze kept to himself without taking things too far. Herman would figure out a way to get him out quickly anyway. Maybe Herman and his friends did not have to do anything to get rid of Kaze. “Got it. I’ll be a good host, Herman. I won’t let you down. I’ll keep you in the loop.” Dwight was over the moon to get the notification about the money transfer. “Just play by ear and arrange what you see best.” Herman hung up and continued playing pok
“It’s becoming a hassle now. Are you going to inform the Viper’s Den about the change of accommodation?” After much hesitation, Kaze nodded to take up the offer. Dwight was thrilled. It only hit Dwight that he had to communicate with the Viper’s Den. Kaze was booked for a hotel stay, and Dwight’s job was to take him to the destination. Yet now, Dwight took him to his home. “I’ll tell my superior and see what he has to say.” Dwight was not sure whether the change was appropriate. Nevertheless, he did not want to pass up on a great opportunity. He simply grabbed the bull by the horn. If Kaze stayed at his place, the Viper’s Den members had to respect Kaze’s request even if they had a problem with it. “But when they ask, you can say that you’re getting along well with me. Living together just makes work more convenient.” Feeling unsettled, Dwight tried to get their stories straight with Kaze. Hopefully, the Viper’s Den would not come after them. “Aren’t we friends? I k
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