“Thump!” June collapsed to the floor, her breathing labored. Even her hair turned white as if she aged in an instant. Aghast filled the room. Holfman jolted to his feet, approached June, and bent over to save the student he had so much hope for. “Dr. Wright, this is a fair match between me and your student. Surely, you won’t get involved,” Kaze said emotionlessly. Holfman paused and sighed before looking up at Kaze. “I’m throwing in the towel for my student.” “Woah!” The crowd broke out in an uproar. Holfman considered his student beneath Kaze. That was quite a bombshell to drop. Even Darcy’s family widened their eyes. “I don’t recognize him anymore,” Agnes mumbled in disbelief. Most of the people there shared the same sentiment. It was hard to link Kaze to the moocher. Ignoring everybody else, Kaze pushed June’s poison ahead and said to Holfman indifferently, “I want to hear it from her.” “Just admit defeat, June.” Holfman cocked his head back and urged J
The others could not believe their ears. They would think that Kaze had an accomplice if the words did not come from Holfman himself. Without another word, Holfman got up and grabbed the remaining poison that Kaze made for June. “No, Dr. Wright!” As Holfman brought the jar to his mouth, the crowd shouted to stop him. The Otters panicked. June’s horrific reaction to the poison was still vivid in everybody’s minds. The Otters would be held responsible if anything were to happen to Holfman. Disregarding the public’s concern, Holfman gulped down the poison. Soon, Holfman grimaced in pain. As fear gripped the crowd, Holfman approached Kaze and drank a little of June’s leftover poison. It did not take long for everybody to realize that Holfman’s complexion was restored to its pink. Holfman was as good as new. “W-What’s going on?” The crowd was in a daze. Holfman took Kaze’s poison, consumed June’s poison, and miraculously got better. Faced with disbelieving look
“I admit defeat!” Despite her reluctance, June bit the bullet and spat out the words that she never wanted to. There was no point in denying it. Even Holfman acknowledged her defeat. She would only be lying to herself to carry on with the match. Kaze pointed at June’s poison. “She can drink this to remove the toxin.” Holfman nodded and fed the last bit of poison to June. “Argh!” June felt the churning in her gut spreading up to her esophagus. After throwing up a large amount of black, foul-smelling liquid, June’s complexion improved right away. It did not take long for June to recover. She did not show any signs of poisoning. However, she was covered in a murky, sticky substance, leaving her smelling bad. For a young woman in her twenties, June could not stand her present hygiene. “I-I need the bathroom!” June covered her face and ran off. “Don’t forget that I own your ass.” Kaze’s teasing tone in the back made June want to find a hole to die in. Holfm
Holfman knew of Sam, seeing that the latter had quite the reputation. Despite their different fields of expertise, Sam and Holfman were renowned figures in medicine. Holfman knew who Sam was.“That’s right. It’s Professor Whiteman.” Kaze pointed at Hector. “Professor Whiteman was the surgeon for my father-in-law’s leg surgery.” Holfman glanced at Hector’s leg and got the message. “You are close with Professor Whiteman.” The answer came to Holfman. Still, Holfman was a little puzzled. He had no idea that Sam was proficient in toxins too. On second thought, Sam could have sought help from a poison expert to teach Kaze. It was impolite to pry into Kaze’s privacy more than he already did. Kaze nodded without a smile. He brought Sam up because no one would believe what he had gone through. Plus, Kaze did not want to give the Otters a reason to ride on his coattails. Caster’s change of attitude did not slip Kaze’s eyes. Kaze could read Caster’s mind. Sam would no
In Holfman’s eyes, the Otters were not as important as Kaze. The Otters were resentful and envious. Even Caster was jealous. Just moments ago, Caster was grateful to Holfman. Now, the gratitude turned into resentment. “Thank you, Dr. Wright.” Kaze put away the pills and said, “Still, I need to tell you that you have no means to treat Faith.” Holfman let out a wry smile before nodding solemnly. “Thank you for the heads-up, Kaze, but I need to try. A doctor’s duty is to treat patients. I should at least give it a go and leave no regrets.” “That’s your choice.” Kaze remained indifferent. Once Holfman was gone, Kaze and Darcy’s family were asked to stay for the family banquet. Darcy’s family were seated at the back at first. The Otters’ plan was to show Darcy’s family who was boss. No one expected Kaze to humiliate them instead. Darcy’s family did not mind the seating arrangement anyway. They were about to take a seat when Caster approached with a straight face. H
Alex scoffed. “We have the power to open medical centers everywhere. We also have friends in the government body, so setting up a clinic is an easy feat.“It so happens that the person-in-charge of one clinic will be stepping down for their personal reason. If you’re interested, I can leave the clinic in your hands. “How about it?” Darcy frowned and said, “Thank you, Uncle Alex. My family will need some time to think it over since it’s been years since Mom left the hospital. She might not be ready to return to work.” She believed the Otters would not give a clinic to them for no reason. The Otters must have something they wanted. There was no need to rush into things. “That’s right. We’ll have a think about it.” Hector nodded in agreement with his daughter. There was no such thing as a free lunch. Hector understood that there was a hidden price in everything. “What’s there to think about? I’ve been wanting to open a clinic in Lilyrose. I just hadn’t had a chance.”
Alex paused before revealing more. “Besides, Darcy runs a big business. Shouldn’t she split some of the profits with us since she’s part of the family too? “Some of their assets should belong to us too.” Alex spoke grimly. It was clear that he had his eyes on Darcy’s business. Caster and the others pondered for a moment before finding that Alex had a point. “You’re right, Alex. We need to look at the bigger picture.“Free up the clinic for the Quints to take over.” Caster gave the final word on the matter. … Meanwhile, Kaze and Darcy’s family left the Otters’ residence. “I heard from Agatha that you’ve been staying in some villa on a hilltop since you came here. Apparently, it’s on the high end?” After going separate ways with Rose’s family, Agnes turned to stare at Kaze. Surprised, Kaze blurted, “Yeah. What about it?” “What about it? We can go back there now.” Agnes scoffed and lifted her chin. “Don’t just stand there. Go and bring the car around.“We can c
Darcy’s family got into the car and headed straight for Wyomspring. Half an hour later, they arrived at Villa No. 1. “Tsk, tsk. Agatha was right that this is the fanciest neighborhood in Riverbank. The place looks grander than Horizon Mirror Mansion.” They were still in the car when Agnes’ eyes lit up at the sight of Villa No. 1. “If I find anything suspicious going on in the villa, you’re done, Kaze!” Agnes glared at Kaze and jumped out of the car. She raced into the villa ahead of Kaze. With a clear conscience, Kaze had no fear. He walked slowly with Hector, who was still recuperating from surgery.“Huh? Why is it empty?” Soon, Agnes checked the top and bottom floors and found nothing. The villa was empty. Kaze furrowed his brows. When he left this morning, Buffy was still asleep, and Juan was making breakfast. They were both gone. Nevertheless, something had not happened to them since the villa looked neat and tidy. Juan and Buffy must have left on their ow
“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