“Who is it?” Since the ringing would not leave him alone, Kaze took the call peevishly. “Well, someone has a temper this morning.” Cyan’s annoyed and peevish voice came on the other line. “You sure sleep a lot.“You’re getting cocky over a tiny achievement. “Can’t you strive for higher and better? “I doubt you’ll ever meet my standards even if I give you a head start.” Cyan tore into Kaze, leaving him speechless. Kaze interrupted her. “What’s the matter, Cyan? Does Mr. Yemen want to meet me for lunch?” “Is that all you think about? Food?” Cyan said angrily, “Get out of bed and get yourself cleaned up. “Consider yourself lucky, Kaze. Dad said you somehow became the sales manager of Golden Scale Corporation. He’s taking you out to get a house.“Ha! Aren’t you amazing, Kaze? You are getting yourself a place just less than two weeks since you arrived in Riverbank,” Cyan said sarcastically, her opinion apparent on the matter.It made sense why she was upset, though.
Ryna had always thought little of Kaze, even when the latter became the manager at Golden Scale Corporation. Cyan glanced at her phone and nodded. “I told him, so he should be here by now. We all know that he doesn’t have money. He may be the manager now, but his wages are due next month. For all we know, he’s taking the subway. “But Mom, why did you drag Dad here? The properties in this area are in a higher range. “Dad doesn’t have to get Kaze an expensive one.” Cyan was frustrated. It was Ryna who suggested looking at the properties in Rivername. Ryna scoffed. “Your dad has to get one anyway. “I only brought your dad here to show Kaze the property prices. This sales office sells premium accommodation. “I want the boy to take a hike. That way, we won’t have to spend a penny. “He’s always talking about how good Lock is to him. If he had any decency, he wouldn’t drain us financially.” So that was Ryna’s plan. Cyan stuck her tongue out. “I think you’ll be shooting y
Those who sneered at Kaze earlier felt a burn in their cheeks. They walked away embarrassedly. Ryna was not having it. “Have you lost your mind, Lock? “Kaze only became the sales manager because of Cyan. “I can’t believe you’re getting him a place!” Ryna jolted to her feet and yelled at her husband. Lock patted Kaze’s shoulder, his expression proud. “I don’t believe that Kaze got the promotion because of Cyan. He knows what he is doing. He was a chairman back in Lilyrose.” “Chairman, my ass.” Ryna scoffed and remarked, “He leeches off his wife to get that position. His wife kicked him out in the end.”“Hmph!”Lock’s fell face. “I said I’d get Kaze a house, and I will. I’m a man of my word. “Come on, Kaze. I found a nice place. “See if you like it. We can get the paperwork going.” Without looking at his wife, Lock grabbed Kaze’s arm and pulled him away. Ryna was about to blow up, but there was nothing more she could do about the situation. She marched over ther
Both of them could not see anything stellar in Kaze, especially when compared to their daughter’s wealthy boyfriend. Despite the mundane appearance, they came up with a word of praise. “Wait…” Cyan wanted to argue but Lock smiled and beat her to it, saying, “This is Kaze, a student of mine when I was a teacher. He’s not Cyan’s boyfriend but I am hoping that he can be my son-in-law. “We are in no hurry after all. Letting the young ones know each other better is a good start.” “Oh? Son-in-law?” Heath and his family scrutinized Kaze carefully. Claudia glanced at Ryna and noticed a reluctant look. Based on her understanding of Ryna, Kaze must have done something to displease her. She looked at Ryna and asked, “Ryna, your son-in-law seems to be doing well. He even brought you guys here to look at houses. I wonder where he works?” Ryna’s expression stiffened. As she carefully arranged her words, Lock said proudly, “Kaze just became the sales manager of Golden Scale Corp
As for Kaze, he simply smiled it off. Making tea for Anthony? It might be the other way around. Given Kaze’s standards and level, he would not waste his time to be calculative with Heath and his family. However, people took his silence as an embarrassed acknowledgment. Heath and his family felt proud and great. Ryna and Cyan rolled their eyes at Kaze. Kaze had always been the loudest in the room, yet he said nothing in front of Heath and his family. He must have been afraid of Nadia’s boyfriend or afraid that he might lose his job, so he tried to be inconspicuous. Deep down, he was just an incompetent coward! “Alright, let’s just move on.” Since Heath had gotten on top of this old rival, he decided to act humble. He asked, “Lock, which unit are you guys looking at?” “This one. On the eighth floor.” Lock pointed at the unit without looking or feeling concerned about what Heath said. He had confidence in Kaze and he strongly believed his student could make it
When the saleslady went off to do the paperwork, Claudia looked at Lock and his family scornfully. “You guys, if you don’t have the money, stop pretending. We’ve known each other for so many years, and we all know Lock needs the cash flow for his company. Forking out five million at one go is pressuring. “But you guys should really think this over. If your future son-in-law isn’t good enough, change him. Why are you guys buying him a new house? Does it mean you guys will pay for his future son? “Unlike Nadia. When she heard we wanted a new house, her boyfriend gave her a card with ten million inside. “The house cost five million. One million to cover all the other expenses and the remaining four million are for us to spend! This is proof how we raised our daughter right! She brings us money! “Unlike you, who raised your daughter but you have to spend so much money without seeing any return.” Claudia was ceaseless. Her voice was so loud that it attracted people’s attention,
“Cyan, your little boyfriend is quite the actor.” Nadia curled her lips and said, “At least he reacts quickly. I believe he’s going to do well in the company.” Cyan’s face turned as red as an apple. Her eyes burned with anger as she said, “He’s not my boyfriend…” Nadia and her family chuckled. They thought Cyan simply wanted to save face, hence she disowned him in front of everyone. No one took her words seriously. “Kaze, take your stupid card back! Haven’t you embarrassed us enough?” Ryna grew anxious. Kaze ignored them and pointed at the miniature building. “Who said I want this unit? I want that one.” “That one?” The saleslady looked in the direction that Kaze pointed. “Sir, you mean that mansion? Sir, that one is Rivername’s most expensive mansion. It cost fifty million!” Being a realtor was entitled to commissions for every sale made, but the saleslady refused to believe that she could earn that much in a single day. Heath and his family burst into laught
Not only Heath and his family, but even other people in the sales gallery looked at Kaze with disdain and scorn. Someone even took the video and spread it online, hoping that it would go viral for making fun of a fool. “Kaze, you bastard! Haven’t you embarrassed us enough?!” Ryna wanted to give Kaze a slap for embarrassing them in front of the public. “Dad, look at him. This is the student that you held high hopes for!” Cyan said with utmost disappointment. Lock pursed his lips and furrowed his brows. He did not know what to say. “No, wait. It’s a misunderstanding. Madam, it’s not that.” The saleslady quickly explained, “It’s not that Mr. Lee doesn’t have the money, but when we tried to do a background check on him using the bank card, we found out that he already has a property at Wyomspring. “Based on Riverbank’s local policy on property purchasing, he has been refrained from purchasing a second unit.” Heath and his family were shocked. Their smiles froze. Lock an
“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