Jackson lit a cigar and puffed a mouthful of smoke onto Vance’s face before looking up at Miranda with a smile. “You better do a good job. “Make sure to find out.”It happened before three minutes were up. Heck, Miranda’s phone rang in less than two minutes. “Just give it to me.” Miranda put the call on loudspeaker and dumped the phone on the table. “Jackson is a member of the Ridgesouth Quints, one of the five families with lordship from the South State. “His father, Mason Quint, will be appointed as the mayor of Lilyrose, a rank equivalent to the deputy governor of the South River State. The appointment letter has reached the Ministry of Personnel Management.” The menacing look on Miranda’s face stiffened as the information came through the phone. Lying on the ground, Vance stopped clamoring and stared blankly at Jackson. The mayor of Lilyrose? The deputy governor of the South River State? The Presleys might be among the ten most influential families in Riverb
Snow was incredibly headstrong. Vance put his ego aside and got down on his knees. Yet, Snow had the audacity to tell all of them to get out. Jackson rose to his feet, his smile frozen, and strode toward Snow. He said with a pretentious smile, “You are testing my patience, woman. “Do you think I wouldn’t do anything to you?” He reached out and clutched Snow by the chin. “Touch her, and I promise you can kiss your hand goodbye.” A chilling voice resounded. Everybody in the office turned to the source of the voice. “Mr. Chairman!” Snow exclaimed with joy.She was relieved. Kaze, though delayed by traffic, had arrived. He took leisurely steps into the space, his eyes browsing the mess in the office. He took a breath and frowned. “So you’re the chairman of Perfect World Group?” Raising his brow, Jackson checked Kaze out. Unimpressed, he sneered. “I heard that the chairman of Perfect World Group stays behind the scenes. Even though he has been a public figure for ye
“Apologize on your knees for the earlier disrespect. “An apology won’t cut it, though. I expect some substance behind the apology.“I’m not asking for much. Just ten percent Perfect World Group shares. Oh, and doll your assistant up and send her to my bed before I consider pardoning you. “That’s all I’m asking for. Tick, tock. The choice is yours. “You can choose not to go along with my request, but when I go for you, I’ll be expecting a lot more than this.” Jackson grinned ruthlessly, bringing to life the character of a cocky rich boy. Apart from Snow, Jackson’s minions, Miranda, and Vance gloated over Kaze’s predicament. A single insult toward Jackson demanded a hefty ten percent stake in Perfect World Group.Kaze had to pay for his insolence. It was a huge price to pay. Nevertheless, no one took pity on Kaze because he deserved it. That was the punishment for getting sassy with Jackson, who was part of the Ridgesouth Quints and the son of a deputy governor.
“I’ll leave you unharmed if you get down on your knees and use yourself to wipe my office down like a rag. “Otherwise, even your dad can’t save you.” Kaze’s flat yet arrogant statement hung heavy in the air, leaving the office silent. That remark could only come from a madman. Jackson was taken aback at first, but he quickly burst out laughing. “You expect me to wipe your office down like a rag before you consider sparing me?“Am I dreaming, boys?” “Hahaha!” Jackson’s followers started snickering. Miranda and Vance held back from laughing, but their eyes reflected their disdain for Kaze. Kaze sure had the nerve. Miranda and Vance could not believe the audacity of Kaze. “Do you think I’m joking with you?” With a smirk playing on his lips, Kaze did not waste his breath and went up to swing his arm. “Smack!” Jackson fell back, his head hitting the ground with a loud wham. The wooden floor cracked. Blood seeped out of Jackson’s head. “Ow!” Jackson let out a h
After a brief shock, Jackson’s bodyguards snapped out of their trance. “Let Mr. Quint go.” “You’re asking for it, boy!” They growled menacingly. The bodyguards were in for it if anything were to happen to Jackson. Without hesitation, they pounced on Kaze. Kaze raised his hand to slap Jackson, never looking away from him. “Come and get me if you don’t want me to kill him.” “Argh!” The extinguished cigar was slapped out of his mouth as Jackson shrieked in horror. “Ugh…” Jackson sat up, his hand holding onto his neck distraughtly. His mouth was covered in blisters from the scalding. He was in agony. “Are you alright, Mr. Quint?” his sidekicks and security team asked. With his hands still on his neck, Jackson lifted his head and looked at Kaze. “You’re going to get it, Lee.” Jackson’s voice became hoarse from the scorching cigar. “Smack!” Kaze responded with a slap. “I’m going to get it? “Well, come and give it to me.“I’m still waiting, though. It coul
Though Jackson did not hail directly from the Ridgesouth Quints, his family was recognized as a branch of the main family.Besides, his father, Mason, served as a mayor of a major city in the South State for a while, a rank equivalent to a deputy governor. That sort of connection would put Jackson on par with other rich and powerful heirs. Hence, Jackson had people eating out of his palm in the South State. He would crush and insult any member of the upper society who rubbed him the wrong way. No one scared Jackson. However, a country bumpkin in Lilyrose was his downfall.The torture did not stop with Jackson having a lit cigar stuffed in his mouth. Kaze even sat there, telling Jackson to call anyone for help. Rage overtook Jackson’s every being. Jackson would never live down the humiliation unless Kaze was dead. He whipped out his phone and started dialing numbers. “Call all the heads of Lilyrose’s governing bodies for me. Tell them I want Lee and Perfect World Gro
“Don’t be mad, Mr. Quint. I called the deputies of the Commerce Administration and Health Authority, and they are on their way.”“The leaders of the Audit Office and Urban Management are driving here as we speak.” “Once the leaders of these governing bodies get here, they can point out and make a big deal out of a tiny issue in Perfect World Group, forcing the corporation to shut down.” “That’s right. He doesn’t take you seriously now, but he’ll be begging for his life in tears later.” Jackson’s sidekicks consoled him. Their families had a long history of government service, granting insight into the system. These departmental heads might have a huge influence on their own, but together, they could shake down an entire corporation. Within ten minutes, a motorcade of high-ranking officials’ cars had converged on Perfect World Group, clogging the area in front of the building. They were Elijah Howden, the deputy of the Commerce Administration; Houdini Creek, deputy of the
In the end, all eyes were on Kaze. It was hard to look away from Kaze when he sat on the couch, his legs sprawled out. To add shock value, Snow stood subserviently behind the mysterious young man. The group could not presume that the young man was the chairman of Perfect World Group. “You can stop making your assumptions. He is the elusive chairman of Perfect World Group.” Jackson sneered. “You have the nerve to defy me just because you’re loaded. Why don’t you ask around and get the number of rich fools my father put behind bars? “The Ridgesouth Quints are mega-rich. Your wealth doesn’t give you an edge.” The handprint on Jackson’s face gave the leaders all they needed to know. Jackson had just been insulted. The leaders were there to stick up for Jackson. The group was put in the spot. On one end, Jackson, belonging to the Ridgesouth Quints, was the son of the upcoming mayor.On the other end, the chairman of Perfect World Group was rumored to be associated wi
“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