Jude looked up at Kaze and Buffy in hesitation for a moment before lamenting, “I have lied to you, Kaze, Buffy. I’m afraid I can’t honor my promise to you.” “How so?” Kaze furrowed his brows. He doubted Jude would carry on playing mind games with him. Jude said with a wry smile, “I have done a lot of terrible things to get ahead in life, but I would never kill my wife.” “Oh, really?”Kaze smiled skeptically. Jude bit the bullet and uttered, “Tulip, Buffy’s mother, came from a powerful family in Midstate. “She was stronger and more talented than me when she joined the Viper’s Den. “There was no way I could’ve put her in a coma. “Besides, Faith and I just met when she fell into a coma. Though we were flirting, I wasn’t sure I was going to marry her. Heck, I haven’t learned that she was part of the Westeros Krads. I couldn’t have possibly been associated with the Krads and harmed Tulip. “Tulip didn’t turn brain-dead because of me. I just happened to find out that Fa
The rusted throwing star could not possibly still carry poison. Kaze held the weapon for a look before saying indifferently, “Since you kept this thing, you must know something about it.” “This meteor dart is the Ryokanian assassins’ typical weapon,” Jude replied with a nod. Kaze sneered. “You suspect that Buffy’s mother’s death is related to the Ryokanians. Yet, you collude with them anyway.” Buffy looked at Jude emotionlessly. She used to think Jude was just playing with fire, but he was clearly embracing the enemy as his own. Jude said embarrassedly, “I haven’t been able to find evidence to prove that Buffy’s mother is related to the Ryokanians.” “You couldn’t or you wouldn’t?” The curt question came from Buffy, stripping Jude of any dignity left. “I was reluctant to probe further.” Jude nodded with a wry smile. “Besides, if the Ryokanians have something to do with your mother, I can’t understand their motive. “I wasn’t even a deputy chief then. I doubt I had
Agnes glared at Kaze. Her attitude toward Kaze changed within a day. Agnes figured that despite Kaze’s competence, the fact that he married into the family would not change. She still wore the pants in the family. If she were to play nice because of Kaze’s little contribution, the guy’s head would swell. Agnes could not help Darcy upon learning of her issues while getting the shares. She took her anger out on Kaze. Something went wrong while the shares were being transferred to Darcy. Furrowing his brows, Kaze said, “I’ll ask Darcy.” “You better fix this, or you won’t hear the end of it!” As Kaze ascended the stairs, Agnes put her hands on her waist and tore into him. Hector shook his head. “Cut it out. Can’t you see that Kaze doesn’t want to get into it with you?” “I can’t believe you, Hector! Watch your tone! “Why didn’t you yell at him when he slapped me? Yet, you’re defending him now. “Did I marry a loser? “Do you want a divorce too?” Agnes came dow
“The deposit to enter the auction is five billion dollars. That should give you a pretty good idea,” Darcy replied. The deposit was typically 10% to 30% of the starting bid. In other words, the starting price for Crown Tower and the adjacent land must be over 10 billion dollars. The final sale price would depend on the bidders. As far as Darcy knew, many eyes were on Crown Tower and the piece of land. The final price could very well be in the twenty or thirty billion dollars. The sale would be meaningless if the price went well over thirty billion dollars. Given the risk and the need for a return on investment, any bid above 30 billion dollars would result in a net loss.Darcy poured her feelings out to Kaze, not at all putting faith in him to solve the cash flow shortage. The two-billion-dollar shares coming from Casius’ company were a nice surprise. These equity shares could not be cashed out for the time being. It never occurred to Darcy to ask Kaze to fork out te
Casius was not just one of the Riverbank Seven. He was the Weathers’ hope to remain one of the elites for years to come. While the Glitters were on a decline due to the family’s incompetent heirs, the Weathers were flourishing. The tragic end of Casius, the heir expected to bring the family to new heights, came as a shock to everyone. It was a shock not only to the Weathers but also to all the mourners. A place to pay respect to Casius was set up. The family, including Johnson, the head of the Weathers, was not in a state to receive the mourners. “Here comes Collier, the deputy chief of the Viper’s Den South River State Branch.” A high-pitched voice boomed. Several hundred people piped down. If Casius had not died, the city’s highlight would be the Viper’s Den South River State Branch fight in Drake Gym. Shockingly, the winners turned out to be Hannah and Collier. Jude, a long-standing deputy chief, was a total wipeout. Not only did Jude lose out on getting the pr
It was Casius’ head. Collier presented Casius’ head at his funeral. There was no telling whether the gesture was an insult or a respect to the Weathers. At least, Casius was able to be put to rest as a whole. He could rest in peace now. Despite knowing that Collier did not mean well, Johnson, the head of the household, fought back his rage and accepted the box. He said, “Open Casius’ coffin and stitch his head back on.” The household staff held the box and carried out the order. Johnson looked back at Collier with a complicated look before taking a deep breath. He uttered, “May I know who killed my son?” “What? Are you planning to avenge him?” Collier scoffed and said curtly, “Your son was in over his head to get involved in the South River State Branch’s internal affairs. He was killed because of it. “Ms. Delmore has a message for you. You and your family better watch your step. “Otherwise, your family will suffer the same fate as Casius.” Collier walked away f
The call connected moments later. Upon learning that Kaze was at the hospital, Snow said apologetically, “I’m sorry, Chairman Lee. I’m in Emerald Bull Palace. “I have a new friend, Ms. Yemen. She’s with Golden Scale Corporation. Her plan today is to make a reel in Emerald Bull Palace. She insisted that I came along.“I couldn’t refuse. I thought a change of scenery would help, so I accepted her invite.” Kaze raised a brow. “Ms. Yemen? Is she Golden Scale Corporation's signed influencer?” The last name and association with the company gave Kaze everything he needed to know about the person. “That’s right. Her name is Cyan. She works for Golden Scale Corporation as an influencer. She went viral lately for her sweet looks.“I’ve been bored lately, so I’ve been looking into this new live streaming sales thing. A friend then introduced me to Ms. Yemen. “Are you coming, Chairman Lee? Emerald Bull Palace is a nice place to walk around.” Snow asked in anticipation. Kaze was hes
Kaze enjoyed the live stream with intrigue for a moment. It would be nice if Cyan stayed chilled and relaxed. He generously gifted Cyan ten virtual stars to show his support.The screen lit up with a dazzling display of animations. “Thank you for your stars, Sponge.” The generous cash tip took Cyan’s attention away from calligraphy, and she beamed. “Sponge has always been my number one supporter. He is always busy with his business to be online, but when he does, he supports me with his generous gifts. “Thank you, Sponge!” Cyan was a major influencer now. Kaze could remember Cyan jumping with joy when he first sent her a virtual star. She would readily do whatever Kaze asked of her, even if it meant performing a sexy dance. Now, Cyan could remain unfazed when rewarded ten virtual stars. At least, Cyan could carry herself in a more graceful manner. Her loud and boisterous behavior would come off tacky. Cyan got up and dragged Snow over to say hello to Sponge. She j
“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