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
“Wow! Draig, you’re amazing! The God of War extended the invite to you himself!” Cyan and the others looked at Draig in admiration. The influencers drooled over Draig. If Snow was not in the picture, the influencers would throw themselves at Draig. However, Draig was not interested in them in the first place. Even Cyan kicked herself for setting Snow and Draig up. She had no idea that the God of War favored Draig. It appeared that the God of War thought highly of Draig. The God of War did not hold many in high regard in Arcadia. A compliment from the God of War would mean the person was destined for greatness. The God of War’s words carried more weight than the president. These people had to be the best of the best. The elites existed, but Cyan did not run in those circles. However, Draig was within her reach. Draig smiled. “I will answer the God of War’s call to come all the way to Arcadia to offer protection.” Cyan and the others were starstruck by Draig
“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