“A villain in success!” Sky muttered, airing his grievance. Since everyone had already quieted down, his voice sounded extra loud. Master Otter was furious. “Boy, where are your manners?! Maxine is older than you, how can you talk to her like that? “Not only are you rude, but you keep making the same mistake! You are not taught properly by your parents!” He pointed at Sky and bellowed, “Slap him!” Slap! Before Sky could even react, Maxine darted forward and swung a slap at his face. A red slap mark covered his face, forcing him to stagger backward. He, too, was furious. “Maxine! I’ll hit a woman if I have to!” Slap! Maxine got carried away and slapped him once more. Sky’s anger erupted. He wanted to retaliate. “Sky! How dare you! Grandfather ordered the slap and you want to hit Maxine?!” “You are really disrespectful of Grandfather!” Max and another cousin dashed forward and held Sky’s arm back. Maxine quickly stepped away and smirked. “You little bastar
Darcy tried to argue but Agnes knew her father’s temper well, so she stepped up with tears trickling down her face, bowing and apologizing, “Father, Darcy and Sky are still young. Please don’t mind them! “It’s our fault for not teaching them well. Punish us instead. We accept whatever punishment you have for us!” Hector took a deep breath and bowed as well. “Father, today is your family banquet, please don’t get mad or it might affect your health. We apologize. It’s our fault.” Sky saw his sister and parents lowering their stance and apologized to his grandfather. He was aggrieved. He was shaking with anger but he no longer dared to make a noise. He knew speaking up would only make things worse for his family. “Grandfather, this bastard kicked us when we tried to hold Sky down!” Max went up to Master Otter and pointed at Kaze, calling him out. He even lifted his pants to reveal the bruise on his calf. It was messy a moment ago and they had no idea who kicked them. When
“Is this how your family teaches you to talk to people?” Master Otter bellowed angrily. Disappointment and anger were clearly written on his face. Hector quickly got into the role of a father-in-law and scolded Kaze. “Kaze! Where are your manners? How dare you talk to your grandfather-in-law like that! Apologize right away!” At the same time, he was signaling Kaze subtly. Kaze’s brave and outstanding reaction moved him as it was something he dared not do. Hector decided to step in because if it was Agnes, she would have scolded Kaze, or worse, hit him, for dragging the family down. Kaze spotted the signals but he did not respond. He looked at Master Otter and said, “Apologize? To you?” The questioning tone and disdain were obvious and they silenced everyone, including Darcy’s family and Master Otter’s family. It was no secret that Kaze was bold and with a temper. He was fearless and had the nerve to challenge everyone. Yet when he made his thoughts verbal, it shocke
Maxine’s hair was messed up and her legs opened up due to the fall. Since she was wearing a skirt, everyone could see what color panty she was wearing. “Using age as a means to act superior, lacking the respect expected of an elder, being self-righteous, and unable to distinguish right from wrong…” As Maxine continued to cry in disbelief and everyone widened their eyes in disbelief, Kaze looked up coldly at the elderly man on the stairs. “A man like you demands my apology? You want me to call you Grandfather?” Maxine heard Kaze and she cried even louder, “Grandfather, Kaze Lee slapped me and insulted you! He is not respecting you at all. Teach him a lesson…” She fluttered her legs, screaming like a little girl throwing a tantrum. She was the favorite child in the family where the excessive love and care spoiled her. No one had ever hit her in her life, not even her parents. Yet Kaze slapped her twice in front of everyone. The urge to strangle Kaze with her own hands gre
Clank! Kaze tossed the bony cane in front of Master Otter. He then wiped his hand with alcohol and wet tissue. While everyone remained stunned and shocked, Kaze looked at Master Otter, whose face had darkened, and said, “You scolded us because we didn’t prepare a gift for you, right? So why not take this as a gift? Me saving your life. It’s the best gift you can ask for.” Master Otter stared at Kaze fiercely. He clenched his teeth tightly, his body shaking. To everyone’s surprise, he did not have the words to argue back, let alone scold him. The entire family was at a loss for words and actions. Thump! Maxine suddenly knelt in front of Master Otter and cried, “Grandfather, don’t believe this bastard! The antique shop said this was an ivory cane from Jairo! It cost me tens of thousands! How can it be the bones of a dead person…” The expression on everyone’s faces changed, a sense of unease creeping in on Maxine’s explanation. Earlier, she said it was custom-made by a
“I don’t know. I just heard that someone in the Viper’s Den South River Branch got sick and many doctors can’t seem to help. That’s why Dr. Wright is here.” “But our family is also well-known for doctors, especially Grandfather. He’s also the president of Riverbank Guild of Doctors. So I think that’s why Dr. Wright is here to visit.” The family members engaged in a heated discussion about why Holfman came. Agnes was also excited. She said to her husband and daughter, “When I was still in the medical field, I admired Dr. Wright a lot. No matter what the condition is, he can cure it! I never thought I would be meeting him in person today…” Suddenly, she noticed everything quieted down and the entire Otter family was looking at her. Master Otter’s expression remained darkened. “Uh… I mean…” Agnes quickly corrected her words and said, “I admired Dr. Wright the second. The person I admire the most is still my father!” Everyone else breathed a sigh of relief. Master Otter’s
Darcy did not want to disappoint her mother, so she said, “Kaze, please stay and meet Dr. Wright. It’s not a big deal.” Since Darcy had spoken, Kaze could not just walk off. He turned around and said, “Fine. For Darcy’s sake, I’ll stay and meet the Whatever Doctor.” In other words, he stayed because of Darcy and Holfman, not Master Otter. Master Otter grunted coldly but did not berate him this time. He, too, was afraid that Kaze might walk away again. The other family members were speechless. They looked at Kaze strangely, feeling amazed by his boldness. Master Otter had always been the absolute existence in the family. No one dared to defy his words, let alone embarrass him. Yet, despite feeling aggrieved after he argued with Kaze, he dared not scold him further and resolved to swallow his grievances—twice in a single day. Everyone got into position behind Master Otter, waiting patiently for Holfman’s arrival. “Kaze, you’re the bomb just now!” Someone poked Kaze
“Come, let me introduce.” Holfman then gestured at his students to come forward. He then pointed at the young man and said, “Sebastian Wright, my nephew. He’s been following me since he was young, learning any medical skills he can. He’s still a rookie in the medical world and he still has a lot to learn.” “Dr. Wright, you are simply being too humble. If your nephew can be by your side for so long, I bet he’s a talented one.” Master Otter dared not look down upon Holfman’s student whom he kept by his side. Holfman then pointed at the young lady. His usual gentle face showed an unconcealable trace of pride. “June Bishop. She became my student three years ago and she’s a talented one. I brought her into this field and I think she’s going to take my place in the future.” “Oh?” Master Otter instinctively furrowed his brows. He was a traditional man who favored males over females. He inwardly disagreed with Holfman passing down his title to a female student. However, Holfm
Dwight approached with a smile. He looked at Edmund earnestly. “I am Dwight McCorney. I have heard good things about you. I finally got to meet the man of the hour. “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Witterson.” Dwight was starstruck. Edmund was embarrassed by Dwight’s behavior. He could not believe that Dwight was a member of the Viper’s Den. Nevertheless, Dwight seemed genuine in expressing his thrill. Edmund became curious about him. He turned around to look at Kaze, who was the polar opposite of Dwight. Kaze stood there, holding his ground. He stood up to greet Edmund and nothing else. He appeared to be refined, unlike Dwight, who was brash. Dwight had no idea that his behavior had upset Edmund. Edmund looked at Dwight in disdain. However, Dwight was a member of the Viper’s Den. It was best for Edmund to keep his comments to himself. Without a word, Edmund stared at the pair. Ryan stepped in to smooth things over. “What are you doing? We have a guest here.
Since Kaze would not change these people’s minds, he was better off doing what he wanted to do. “This vase must be valuable. I got to give it to Mr. Witterson. A display in the living room is worth so much.” Dwight had never seen so much luxury in one room. He had been to the museum, but the displays were nothing like he had ever seen before. The rich had the means to splurge. “Do you think this is pure gold?” Dwight turned to a gold statue. The design was to die for. The purity of color made it hard to doubt its authenticity. “I’m not too sure, but I guess most of the ornaments here are real.”Kaze watched as Dwight gasped in awe. Nevertheless, his behavior would clear any suspicion on Kaze. It could be a good thing. “I knew Mr. Witterson was rich. His businesses are doing well. “But I didn’t expect this sort of lifestyle. The gold must be worth a million dollars. “If I were this wealthy, I would not spend it on decoration.” Dwight rambled on, his eyes stuck t
“I’m not familiar with the area. We’ll have to look around,” Dwight said behind the wheel. He looked for restaurants while driving. It was early, and many restaurants were not open for business. They circled the block and finally uncovered a small breakfast bar. They ordered some food, filled their bellies, and got back into the car. “Mr. Witterson said that he wouldn’t meet you. Why does he want to see you now?” Dwight was curious. Something must have happened last night. Otherwise, Edmund would not suddenly grant an audience to Kaze. “I don’t know. I had some drinks last night, and now he probably made time.” Kaze felt better after breakfast. He did not think much of the situation. Things would carry on as planned regardless of what the Wittersons or the Siegfrieds had to say.This was exactly what Kaze hoped for. Dwight remained in the dark. He drove to the city’s most exclusive area for the rich. It was all greenery in this part of town. The road was wider, an
After a brief hesitation, Kaze followed Rosie. The room turned out to be Rosie’s. Though not a big room, it was crammed with all kinds of junk. The place looked cluttered. Rosie approached the vanity table and grabbed the comb to comb her hair. She turned to look at Kaze. “You said a lot of stuff last night. Do you remember any of it?” Rosie spoke like they had been friends for years. It was just small talk. “What did I say? I don’t really remember. You made a lovely drink, but man, it really kicked in.” Kaze put a cigarette to his lips, but he did not light it. Instead, he spotted a chair to sit down on. “Well, it’s pointless to talk about it if you can’t remember.” Rosie was pleased to hear that. At least, Kaze had no idea that she had gotten him drunk. “Don’t leave me hanging.” Kaze looked peeved. “Are you off the clock?” Kaze asked. “Yes. I work odd hours. It’s time for me to sleep now.” Rosie stared at Kaze. “I shouldn’t keep you from resting.”
“Can you give me something for the pain?” Clemont had a low tolerance for pain. Standing on the stairway, Morris heard his voice and sighed. Clemont could do no good in his eyes. “Keep an eye on him. He’s not allowed to leave the house for the time being.” Morris believed the incident was more than meets the eye. Yet, Clemont was tricked into going to Absolute Zero and starting shit. There was no telling whether the Wittersons or someone else was behind it. Morris let out a sigh and returned to the study. He sent the butler to the storage room to fetch a few valuable antiques. These items were collected years ago, and they cost a fortune. Morris’ intention was to be on good terms with the Wittersons. There was no need to be at war with them. He had to do it for the interest of the Viper’s Den and his family. Morris was all about looking at the bigger picture. Otherwise, he would not have put up with all the bullshit before. Edmund would not let him off the ho
“Are you trying to kill your son?” Clara intervened. “You’re ruining him by spoiling him. If you want things to continue as they were, you can kiss him goodbye forever,” Morris said. Clara was lost for words. She knew better, but she just could not stop herself. Clemont had her heart. Clara could not stand to see him hurt. She was distressed. However, she knew that Morris would not get over the matter without beating Clemont up. She had to step in. “Hit him!” Morris was too old to do anything laborious. However, the kid would not go anywhere in life without a good beating. Despite starting trouble, he sure was arrogant to admit that he was wrong. “I see the errors of my ways.” Clemont apologized in time to avoid the punishment. He managed to escape all repercussions by doing so. Plus, his mother would plead on his behalf. The whole thing would usually get brushed aside. Though it was more serious in this instance, Clemont still believed that Morris would not hur
Morris was in his study, wiping a plaque of commandments that was covered in dust. Due to his commitment to the Viper’s Den, he had neglected his family for years and left his son in his wife’s care. Morris regretted doing so. Unaware of the impending danger, Clemont enjoyed drinks with his friends. They were having fun, playing drinking games. Losing the game, Clemont downed a glass of liquor. Things could get far and exciting in a game. It was then that the door swung open. Clemont’s driver entered the room. “Young Master Siegfried, the master is waiting for you at home,” the driver said, noting the complexity of the situation. The only thing on his mind was to take Clemont away. Tipsy from the drinks, Clemont waved his arm. “Let him wait. What’s the rush to get home?” Clemont’s friends were shocked. Nothing scared Clemont like his father. However, Clemont toughened up for once. “Young Master Siegfried, why don’t you call it a night?” “Yeah. I’m sur
“What’s that supposed to mean? When have I ever made a mistake?” Morris heard nothing of that sort. It could only mean that his people had done nothing wrong. However, Edmund could not possibly get aggressive on the phone. Something must have happened, and he simply had no idea. Morris felt unsettled like something big was about to happen. “You seem to be lax when managing your people. You don’t seem to know what goes on around your house.“Is your age getting to you? Is that why you can’t handle most of the work? If you can’t get your own house in order, how will you ever manage the Viper’s Den Westeros Branch?” Edmund called to say his piece. It was his way to make Morris step down. Though it was likely that Morris would resign, Edmund could at least make things unpleasant for him. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Morris was completely in the dark, but Edmund must hold some secret to act so cocky. Despite his troubled feelings, Morris kept his cool and calmly aske
Since it was a rare opportunity, Edmund had to settle the score with them properly. He knew opportunities like this were hard to come by so he had to seize them well. “I understand. I will take care of the guest,” Rosie said. She was glad that her information was useful to her boss. After Edmund hung up the phone, Rosie then looked at the unconscious Kaze. “You are indeed more useful than I thought. Hardly anyone has ever managed to impress Edmund.” She did not feel sorry for Kaze, believing that everything happened as it was meant to. She knew that to climb higher, she had to please her superior. With the Wittersons on the rise, now was the perfect time for her to pledge her loyalty to Edmund. When the Wittersons truly took over the Westeros Branch, she would become one of the most powerful people in the city, second only to them. She was looking forward to that day. Since Kaze was fast asleep and no arrangements could be made, Rosie went out to call her men and