“Emerald Bull Palace? Oh, got.” Kaze raised a brow and nodded. The area of his apprentice, Juan’s territory. Juan often organized retreats there with his disciples. His persona as a spiritual retreat leader was a deliberate deception.There was nothing meditative about Juan. Juan was greedy, lustful, and shameless. Kaze had a good understanding of Juan’s character during those few days at the hillside villa. Juan had been too busy studying the Oracle to bother Kaze back then. “Ha! You must have known about the place through reels. It’s a must-visit place for influencers. “I doubt you can afford the food in the tourist spot. “But you’re in luck today. Ms. Yemen dug deep into her connections to reserve some great vegan food for Ms. Frost. “Ms. Frost doesn’t seem like the kind to be associated with you.” Natalie went on while driving. She took out all the frustrations she had experienced with Cyan on Kaze.Natalie did not mind hurting Kaze’s feelings since he
Apart from Snow and Cyan, the courtyard was filled with other decked-out influencers. The other women lacked refinement and elegance next to Snow and Cyan. There was a certain vulgarity about them that made Snow frown, and she rarely engaged with them.Cyan, on the other hand, enjoyed the attention of her peers. The other influencers treated her like a star. A line of well-dressed men stood guard near the courtyard wall, their build and attire reflecting an air of authority. Once inside, Natalie dropped the attitude. Different from her annoyance toward Kaze, Natalie carried an ingratiating smile. Natalie went up to Cyan and said, “I have brought Ms. Frost’s bodyguard here, Cyan.” She had overheard the conversation between Cyan and Snow. Since Snow had dismissed her security detail two days ago, Kaze was likely her new hire. Kaze’s physique, though not as impressive as the professional security team Golden Scale Corporation had hired for Cyan, looked the part. The women
Cyan had a point. A sales manager at Golden Scale Corporation was likely earning millions of dollars annually with bonuses and all. If Kaze earned the position, Cyan had no reason to embarrass him in public.Though Cyan was Golden Scale Corporation’s top influencer, she would not be disrespectful toward a decent sales manager. It was no secret that Golden Scale Corporation had ties to the Viper’s Den. Many members of high management were part of the Viper’s Den network. Cyan looked at Snow and said, “I’m sure you know by now that I’ve met Kaze before, Snow.“It’s embarrassing for me to say this out loud, but he used to be one of my dad’s charity work.“He’s married, and he has taken his wife’s family name.“He’s a real moocher and a liar. “His wife kicked him out of the family, and he turned to my family for help. “One more thing. He stole his wife’s money before coming to Riverbank. He talked about buying a villa for my family to appease my dad because my dad wanted t
“The security firm sure fobbed you off by introducing Kaze to you. “He’s good for nothing. All he does is brag and show off. Are you sure you want to entrust your safety to him? “I got it. The security firm didn’t conspire with you to scam you. He had the security firm fooled too. “I know his type. He’s only good for bragging. I bet he told the security firm how great he was, so the firm sent him to protect you. “How is he supposed to protect you? Talk you to safety? “You should get rid of him, Snow. Draig is a better fit for you.“His father is a leader of our people in Uleania. The video of his heroic act gained him more than 10 million followers in three days. “Kaze has nothing on him.” Not hiding her contempt for Kaze, Cyan recommended Draig. Clearly, a lot had happened in the few days Kaze had not been in touch with Snow. Kaze still had no idea how Snow had met Cyan. Apparently, Snow had dismissed Draig away too. Draig appeared to go viral because of a heroi
A talent agency quickly approached Draig and signed him. The agency set him up with a TikTok account.In less than three days, Draig gained over ten million followers. Draig was the talk of the town. Even Golden Scale Corporation sought Draig to feature both Cyan and Draig in a live stream. At first, Cyan took a romantic interest in Draig. Draig was hot, bulky, and famous. He was the perfect man in Cyan’s books. However, Draig only had eyes for Snow. He did not fancy Cyan. Once Cyan learned of Draig’s crush, she tried to play matchmaker and get Draig back as Snow’s bodyguard. She connected with Snow through a mutual friend.While Cyan and the influencers were busy chatting, Snow approached Kaze to give him the full story. Kaze was caught in the middle. He hired Draig’s service for Snow, and Draig turned out to be unreliable. It was no surprise that Draig was attracted to Snow, considering her looks and charm. However, it was inappropriate of Draig to let his pe
Not having it, Snow turned grim. “I told you that I don’t need Draig to protect me, Cyan. Kaze is all the protection I need.” “Kaze?” Cyan chuckled and said secretively, “I have attended a social event lately, Snow. “I heard that Aiden, one of the Krad heirs will be in Riverbank in the next two days. “Everybody thinks that he’s here for your marriage to Aaron.“With Mr. Krad leading the South River Strategic Department, Aiden must be taking over his brother to sort out the wedding affairs.” Cyan shared gossip she had heard during the event. “Aiden will turn the heat on the Frosts once he gets here. “The Frosts will surely make you go through with the wedding, and they won’t hesitate to use force.“Do you think Kaze could protect you then? “You need Draig. He is strong and has connections to the Arcadian community in Uleania. He can go up against the Krads. “With Draig by your side, you can confront the Krads, and your family won’t make you do anything you don’t want t
Like Cyan, the influencers tried to convince Snow to accept Draig. Many socialites would die for a chance to meet a man like Draig. Yet, Snow had the nerve to drive him away. Kaze was invisible to them. “Are you kicking yourself for coming here, Kaze?” With Kaze becoming an outcast, Natalie stood on the sidelines and taunted him. If she had known that Kaze was a loser, she would not have wasted her time to pick him up. Natalie was seriously considering getting a full valet for her car. She felt as if Kaze had contaminated her car. Natalie’s phone rang, and she answered the call before hurrying to Cyan. She said, “Mr. Tenby is here, Cyan.” “Cyan, did you invite Draig here?” Snow’s expression turned grim. She had no idea that Cyan would invite Draig over too. Otherwise, Snow would not have joined Cyan on the trip. Picking up on Snow’s frustration, Cyan explained, “I guess I didn’t let you know that I was able to reserve a time slot at this exclusive vegan plac
“We can’t possibly do that. Dinner won’t be the same without you, Draig,” Cyan said with a smile. She glanced at Snow before uttering, “Snow is happy that you went out of your way to organize this vegan dinner.” Snow furrowed her brows. She was not pleased with Cyan’s pushiness to bring her and Draig together. “Really?” Overjoyed, Draig approached Snow and fixated on her. “I want to apologize to you for before, Ms. Frost. “Growing up in Uleania, I’ve been taught to express myself, and I had been too forthcoming.“I’ve been feeling terrible, hoping I hadn’t upset you. “I’m so glad to hear that you’ve forgiven me. You’re the greatest. You didn’t say anything bad about me.“Will you give me another chance to get to know you?” Draig extended his hand. Snow kept her hands to herself with a frown. She disliked Draig. She did not buy his story about the Uleanian culture. Still, Snow did not want to be hung up on the matter. Since Draig apologized, and Cyan would not s
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
Kaze observed as the jeep took off further off course, past the towering buildings to a run-down neighborhood. “This is where I usually reside. My home is not too far away, but I think you might have trouble adapting to this place.” Dwight did not forget to book Kaze a hotel. Kaze could not possibly stay with him. The hotel was around the area anyway. “Didn’t you say that you haven’t tried the local cuisine? I’ll take you out for a bite. “The barbecue ribs here are to die for. We’ve got the dry-rubbed and saucy kind.” Dwight parked the car and hopped out right away. Opposite the parking lot was not the cleanest food joint. Looking in from the outside, Kaze realized that the place was packed. Kaze understood that the restaurant must be known for some kind of dish. The customers were from all walks of life, so the food must be great. “There’s not much to see here, but the food is tasty. If you don’t mind, we can order something inside.” Kaze was not particularly con
Dwight was surprised and curious as to who Kaze really was. From what he gathered, Kaze was a confidante of the Butterworth Branch chief. The purpose of Kaze’s visit was to learn and share. Dwight worked on the fringes, so his access to information was limited. Nevertheless, he got the feeling that Kaze was just an ordinary guy just like him. The only difference was that Kaze was lucky to rub shoulders with important people. Dwight did not get chances like that. “Who are the most influential people in the Viper’s Den Westeros Branch?” Kaze asked in the car. Dwight was taken aback by the question. Still, he had an answer to that. “So you don’t know much about the situation?” Dwight suddenly felt important. “Well, I’m new to the city. I will be running into them soon, so I need to make sure I get my facts right,” Kaze said humbly. This was Dwight’s shot, and he needed to present his best. “Relax, Kaze. I’ll tell you everything I know.” Dwight would reveal some info
Kaze glanced at the flowers. There was a card for well-wishes too.Curious, Kaze reached out to read the card. It was written, “To my eternal lover and sweetheart.” Dwight grabbed Kaze’s bag. Since the sign in his hand was getting in the way, Dwight tossed the placard in the trash can. As Dwight turned his head back, he saw Kaze reading the card that came with the flowers. He tried to stop Kaze, but it was too late. Dwight had not attended to a guest of high importance before. The task was assigned to him at the last minute. In the past, Dwight was usually on the sidelines, never getting close to major matters. He would always get the small, insignificant jobs. Dwight often bought drinks for his superiors to build connections. However, he had always been kept out of the loop. Now that an opportunity had fallen onto his lap, Dwight was not about to let it slip. He wanted to show what he could do. When Dwight arrived at the airport for the pick-up, most people car
The incident did not sit well with Kaze, so he left them out to dry. After much searching, Kaze came across a café. Kaze bought a cup of coffee. Cupping the drink between his hands, Kaze sipped slowly. Many passengers swarmed the arrival hall in the airport, dragging along their luggage or pulling out their phones to get a pick-up. They all had a destination, a place they had to be in a rush. Intrigued, Kaze followed the crowd out. Kaze turned on his phone, and a text message from his airport pick-up came in. He glanced at the message, curious about who the person was. Nevertheless, Kaze trusted that the Westeros Branch members would not set him up out in the open. At most, they would pull little stunts to mess with him. Kaze was not the type to sweat the small stuff. However, he would not tolerate any extreme behavior. He had been keeping a low profile back in Butterworth, keeping the limelight off him. The purpose was to handle Jet without unnecessary complicati
“Alright. I will work hard to be the manager of the Northborn Group. You need to show me the ropes and teach me about management.” Leah looked at Katie with a smile. She believed Katie had not lost her mind. Katie simply had her memory mixed up. “You need to keep your people in line and reward those who deserve it. It all boils down to profits. “You need to work toward managing your people and working with rivals. You’ve got to keep the balance, and nobody loses out. “You need to build your own system when it comes to working together. Don’t be led around by the nose.” Hearing that Leah would start work soon, Katie imparted her knowledge. “Don’t worry too much about things. Joey is nice. You can go to her for help,” Katie said earnestly. Katie seemed to be herself at the moment. Leah wondered if Katie faked her insanity to escape the punishment. “What have become of you? Did they do something to you? “Did you really betray Kaze?” Leah whispered while leaning close
Leah kept working on her knowledge until late into the night. Just as she was about to hit the sack, she got a message from Snow. Learning was a hard enough process. The text message came out of the blue. Leah did not expect Snow to contact her at night. The message was strange as well. Leah could not understand why Snow would give her the address of a nursing home. Leah was determined to turn things around. She strived to become stronger instead of being a burden. She was grateful for Kaze’s help. At least, she had a job now. However, her gratitude was not extended to Snow. She believed Snow had gone too far. Snow left her feeling powerless. Leah did not think much about the message. She assumed that the text was not meant for her. Since Leah did not respond to the text, Snow put the matter aside and went to bed. Leah called Snow the next day. “Why did you send me an address?” Leah went straight to the question. She had been equipping herself with knowledge before