There was a lot to decipher from the brief conversation between Mason and Sieg. Jackson believed his years of education were for nothing because he clearly saw nothing more to the conversation. “Hmph.” Mason scoffed, his eyes reflecting a fleeting viciousness. Despite knowing Sieg was goading him into a confrontation with Kaze, Mason had to keep up appearances and stay civil. Sieg was one of the top eligible bachelors in Geranium City after all. “What brings you to Lilyrose ahead of time, Dad?” Jackson asked. Mason replied icily, “Well, no thanks to you, idiot. The Lilyrose Quints are having a ceremony for rejoining the main family. I’m here on behalf of the Ridgesouth Quints.”“Huh?” Jackson was surprised for a moment before breaking out in joy. “Doesn’t that mean that Kaze and his wife need to act careful around you? “Hahaha! You need to get back at him for me.“I doubt I’d ever get another good night’s sleep until Kaze pays for what he did to me.” …Meanwhile,
Darcy scoffed and rolled her eyes. Kaze suddenly had a way with words. “What else are you keeping from us, Kaze?” Darcy asked, her voice a mix of annoyance and excitement.When Darcy was named the head of the Lilyrose Quints two days ago, Agnes no longer thought Kaze was good enough for her daughter. Yet now, Kaze’s position at Perfect World Group dismissed Agnes’ opinion. He was the chairman of Perfect World Group. Kaze always seemed to blow Darcy and her parents away with surprises. “Mom, truth be told, I—” Parting his mouth, Kaze was about to reveal who he really was.However, Agnes waved her arm. “Never mind. I’m not trying to criticize you. All I care about is that you and Darcy are happy together. “That reminds me. When are you planning to have a baby with Kaze?” Agnes’ question threw Darcy for a loop. Though Agnes no longer insisted that Darcy and Kaze slept in different rooms, she made sure they were safe against pregnancy. Agnes, likely bitter about the
Darcy’s family was baffled. They could not wrap their heads around the reason why Miru’s aunt and uncle would want to visit them. Their families had no prior interaction. Shocked, Kaze glanced at Agnes and said with a smile, “Maybe they want to thank us for always watching over Miru since she was all on her own in Lilyrose.” Fanny and Jared presented a gift and even wanted to visit. It appeared Miru’s cocky aunt could be finally playing nice. …The Quints’ residence was elaborately decorated by the next day.A fleet of luxury cars gridlocked outside the residence. No cars worth less than a million dollars would be found in the area. All of the most important people in Lilyrose had arrived. The event was not exclusive to the locals. Even the representatives of prominent families and businesses in neighboring cities like Sunrise and Riverbank attended the function. With the Lilyrose Quints rekindling their connection with the main family, they would rise to become a
Some local residents of Lilyrose seized the opportunity to curry favor with Mason, hoping to establish a solid relationship upon his appointment as mayor. It was their chance to ensure success in the coming years. “Mayor Quint.” “Welcome to Lilyrose. The city will only get better under your leadership.” “We have faith in you to govern the city, Mayor Quint.” The crowd greeted Mason. They acted like Mason already got the job. These people flattered Mason in the presence of Kaze, the former mayor. The reality was that Kaze was already yesterday’s news. “Hello, everybody.” Mason responded with a smile, carrying himself humbly and discreetly. No one could fault his kind manners. Passing through the crowd, Mason made his way to the Quints. The group behind Mason behaved cockily. Jackson, whose head and arm were patched up, was among the people. He looked at Kaze grimly. “Uncle Mason, I am Darcy.” Darcy, the head of the household, went up to introduce herself.
“From this day on, Darcy, Hector, Agnes, and the other 123 members are accepted back into the family. “We should always love and care for each other. “It is against our code to harm those of our own blood.” After recording the names in the booklet, the old man rose to his feet, read out the family names, and talked about the family rules. At that point, the ceremony was over. Hector and Agnes beamed. Now that they were part of the Ridgesouth Quints, no one would walk all over them. “Uncle Mason, everybody, if you could take a seat.” Darcy breathed relief and invited the guests to sit as the feast would begin. “Hang on.” Mason waved his arm. The group had been a bundle of nerves for hours. Just when they were able to loosen up, Mason’s stern face put them back on edge. Surprised, Darcy asked, “What’s the matter, Uncle Mason?” “Is someone missing from the registry?” Mason took the registry from the old man and flipped through it. “Oh?” The Quints paused an
Kaze frowned but did not make a move. He was not as naїve as Darcy and his in-laws. Not to mention that he was reluctant to be listed in the Quint family’s Golden Family Registry, when Mason mentioned it, Kaze sensed conspiracy. At first, Kaze thought Mason sided with him because of the upcoming mayoral appointment and it was to return the favor at a later date. However, when he saw the frostiness in Mason’s eyes when he looked at him, Kaze realized it was not as he thought it would be. When Mason voiced out his suggestion, Kaze knew his suspicion was right. “However, the Ridgesouth Quints have a rule. The live-in son-in-law must change his last name to be listed in the Golden Family Registry. For example, Kaze Lee’s name must be changed to Kaze Quint. “Once the name is listed, he or she will be a Quint forever, alive or dead. When the time demands it, a Quint family member must be prepared to sacrifice for the family’s greater good. “What do you say, Kaze?” Mason said
“No matter where you are, be it in Lilyrose or anywhere in the South River State, or even the whole Arcadia, you can tell others that you are my godson and I will protect you!” Kaze never showed courtesy to people who sought trouble with him. His words silenced the entire house. Guests who came for the event widened their eyes in disbelief and almost forgot to breathe. Even the local Lilyroseans looked at Kaze in shock. They expected Kaze to reject the name change since he was known to be a tough guy, a stubborn person who spoke louder with his fists. He had crossed paths with many powerful and prominent figures up until now. From the top three families to the Vinlands, Magnus, the Viper’s Den West State Branch’s leader, and Gunter, the Glowmoss Powells, he bowed to no one. Everyone laughed at him and called him useless trash just because he married into his wife’s family but he was tougher than anyone else. Therefore, such an expectation was completely reasonable. Ho
It was just that things had taken an unexpected turn. Mason thought of Kaze rejecting but not in this humiliating way. He was aggrieved. It felt like a debate where one party was carefully choosing their words not to use vulgarities to maintain composure, while the other side bluntly resorted to outright hostility and said ‘fuck you’ in the face. Mason was the one trying to maintain composure while Kaze was the one who said ‘fuck you’ in his face. Thus Mason’s face flushed with emotions. “Kaze Lee, how dare you!” Jackson was also furious and aggrieved. If his father became Kaze’s godson, then it would make him Kaze’s god-grandson! He stepped up, pointed at Kaze, and shouted, “Know your place! My father is the head and the face of the Ridgesouth Quints, he represents us all! “You are just a live-in son-in-law of one of our tiny branch families. Who gave you the confidence and the audacity to challenge and insult my father like that?” Kaze looked at him and said indif
“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