Darcy pulled a long face. “I told you a long time ago that I wasn’t interested in Kiev, Mom. Can you stop giving him false hope?”“I’m not giving him false hope.” Agnes rolled her eyes. “I’m not expecting you to do anything. You’re the head of the Ridgesouth Quints now. Kiev doesn’t deserve you. You deserve better. “But Kiev only has eyes for you.“He can be a friend to you. A friend can help with some problems.” Even Sky could not take it anymore. “Mom, where did you pick up these lines from? What kind of playbook are they from?” “What playbook?” Agnes smacked Sky. “Hurry up and pick a room. You should find yourself a wife instead of taking space in the villa.” Since Darcy’s family insisted on moving in, Kaze let them be. However, Kaze needed to sort the issue with Leron out as soon as possible. “Why aren’t you keeping yourself busy, Kaze? Do you honestly think you come from a rich family?” While Kaze was lost in his thoughts, Agnes approached with a grimace. “Go
“Thank you, Dad.” Kaze was not going to leave his father-in-law hanging. Following his father’s suit, Sky toasted Kaze as well. He was impressed with Kaze. Agnes rolled her eyes at Hector. “He’s going to get a big head if you keep on praising him.” The atmosphere was rather pleasant at the dinner table, except for when Agnes picked on Kaze. However, the lovely mood did not last long. After dinner, Emiko cleared the table and washed the dishes in the kitchen. She had not had a break since rushing from the hotel. A clang in the kitchen ensued soon after. She broke a few plates.“Goddamnit! Can’t you do anything right?” Interrupted from having her after-dinner tea, Agnes scowled. “She’s so clumsy and makes so many mistakes. I only keep her around because she’s honest and hardworking.“I’ve told her off so many times. Here she goes again, breaking more plates. “I’m docking her pay this time.” Agnes hired Emiko from the labor market. Hailing from the countryside, E
Darcy smirked angrily. “If you are the queen of the castle, why didn’t you stand up for Sky when Grandpa hit him?” Taken aback at first, Agnes quickly refuted angrily, “He’s my father and your grandfather. What’s wrong with a little bit of discipline? He can teach you some manners.“If I hit Kaze, are you going to hit me back?” The family was at wit’s end with Agnes’ unreasonable behavior. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Quint. I’m really sorry. I wasn’t paying attention when I got an urgent call.” Emiko ran out of the kitchen, her phone in hand. She was quick to apologize and looked at Agnes anxiously. “Mrs. Quint, things are not looking good for my niece. She hasn’t found a hospital yet. She has no family in Riverbank, or anyone to take care of her. I want to take a day off and find her a doctor. “Rest assured that I’ll be back tomorrow to make you dinner.” Emiko pleaded desperately. “You can forget it!” Agnes said curtly, “Remind me how many times you have taken off since working
Color drained from Emiko’s face, and she apologized, “I’m so—” “Smack!” Agnes cut Emiko off with a slap on the face. “You’re getting back at me, aren’t you?“Get out if you don’t want to work here. Don’t expect to get a penny out of your pay!” Agnes gritted her teeth and yelled, “Poor people are so petty.” “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Quint. I didn’t mean to. It was an accident.” Feeling hurt, Emiko covered her cheeks and apologized profusely. “Quit with the excuses. Get lost!” Agnes raised her hand to slap Emiko again. However, Kaze grabbed Agnes’ hand to stop her. “That’s enough!” Kaze uttered grimly, “What happened to you, Mom? You were so meek around the Otters, but you are so harsh on your family.” Reminded by Agnes’ hounding today, Kaze grew angry. “It’s bad enough that you pick on me. Why are you hitting Emiko? “She’s paid to do a job, not sold to you to be a slave.” Hector pulled a long face. “You have gone too far, Agnes. Don’t take your grievance from the
Soon, Emiko contacted her niece to get an exact location. Kaze called Conan to ask him to pick up the girl and take her to the private hospital where Bass was. The hospital's equipment and facilities were state-of-the-art. However, it was a lot more expensive than the general hospital. Fortunately, Kaze was overseeing the place and Emiko did not need to worry about the cost. It was a token of appreciation for Emiko, who took a slap from Agnes on Kaze’s behalf. Agnes hit someone without a valid reason and as the son-in-law, Kaze refused to just stay down. Even Hector and the others agreed and supported Kaze's kind gesture. Darcy even told him to find her if he had any problems with the medical fee. Of course, they would not let the honest and humble Emiko know about the kind gesture or else she would feel deeply indebted to them. “Thank you, Mr. Lee! Thank you!” Emiko poured a cup of tea for Kaze and thanked him for his kind gesture. “You’re welcome.” Kaze waved in
“Kaze? What are you doing here?” Kaze’s surprise arrival at a mansion in Rivermouth’s residential area excited Buffy. The two days she spent at Kaze’s villa were the most relaxed and comfortable time in her life. She did not need to worry about anything and had an unprecedented sense of security. When she returned to her own place, which was also a huge and expensive mansion, all she felt was loneliness and coldness. She thought she had gotten used to the solitude but just a few hours after she unpacked, she felt scared and wanted to escape. Suddenly, Kaze arrived. The moment she saw Kaze, her heart pounded wildly. “You live alone, right? So I came to check on you. What if Casius is still after you? Don’t forget that we are on the same boat now.” Kaze did not know what Buffy was thinking so he simply walked into the house. “We are merely allies?” Buffy asked instinctively, not knowing what drove her to ask the question. However, the moment the words escaped her mout
“Hi Buffy. Dayton is worried about you when he knows that you are in trouble, so he contacted us and we came as soon as we could.” “Yeah, Dayton is fully focused on training and barely pays attention to anything else. He’s so uninterested in romance that we even thought he might like men. This is the first time we’ve seen him pay so much attention to a woman.”The five men and women looked up to Dayton. When they saw Buffy and realized how beautiful she was, they understood why Dayton urged them to come to Riverbank in a hurry. They became the best wingmen that one could ask for and made sure Buffy knew Dayton cared about her. Buffy nodded indifferently and said with a smile, “Thank you, Dayton. I appreciate your kind gesture.” “Buffy, we are beyond saying thank you.” Dayton waved his hand heartily. “Your mother is my master’s junior and they have been close since they were young. Once my master received your call for help, he sent me to protect you. “I bet you know my m
“Dayton! No!” Buffy took a step back and responded with anger. Dayton was left stunned on the spot. He looked awkward. He did not expect Buffy, who he thought liked him, would reject him without any consideration. “Buffy, what’s the matter? Dayton came here right after he heard about your situation. Do you know how much he cares about you?” “Dayton is young, handsome, and is the disciple of the ex-branch chief of Butterworth Branch. He’s one of the best there is. If you reject him, you’ll regret it.” “Do you know how many women are trying to chase him in Butterworth? Yet he only cares about you. Are you really going to turn him down just like that?” The men and women behind Dayton spoke up, supporting their friend. They described Dayton as the best man in the world and if Buffy rejected his proposal, then she would be labeled ungrateful. Buffy furrowed her brows. She looked angry and wanted to argue but since Dayton came on such short notice just to help her, she did no
“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