On the other hand, Lock was worried about what Kaze might face. Any long-time resident of Riverbank would know of the Ryokanians’ entrenched and extensive influence in the city. Given his business in the city, Lock had a deeper understanding of the situation. Kent may be the mayor with absolute authority, but a direct confrontation with the Ryokanians could destroy him. Consequently, Kaze would be in grave danger. “Dad, I think you’re getting to your own head.” Cyan said without a care, “I trust in Kaze. I’m sure everything is fine.“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? “We should be thinking of building a business relationship with the mayor while Kaze has Mayor Synder’s respect.“All that matters is making money; everything else is just fluff.”Cyan did not take Lock seriously. To be honest, Cyan did not care what would happen to Kaze. The only thing on her mind was to gain her family an advantage through Kaze. “Sigh…” His daugh
Kaze smiled offhandedly. “At least, I know more than you know.” “Oh, really? I’m let down by my intelligence team.” Reiko leaned forward, giving a glimpse of her long neck and beyond. Her voice softened. “I don’t know much about you, Mr. Lee. “But my curiosity grows the more I know you.“I want to know everything about you.” The dim light gave off an amorous vibe as Reiko worked her magic. Somehow or rather, Reiko’s bare foot managed to creep up Kaze’s pants. She was a vision of beauty. Every part of Reiko’s body was a fatal attraction. Her foot was a powerful weapon to a man with particular fetishes. Tension brewed as Reiko’s foot inched higher up Kaze’s pants. Kaze said, “Do you behave this way with Aiden too?” His words broke the spell. Reiko withdrew her leg. Not feeling out of place, she beamed and said, “Aiden has nothing on you, Mr. Lee. “The Krads are prestigious in the West State, and he was born into power. He’s mediocre in achieving what he has tod
“I don’t mind being a friend to you, Ms. Hara. “But I’d rather pass if it’s the kind of friendship you have with Casius. “If I can be frank, I don’t like your people.” Reiko looked hurt. “I know many Arcadians do not look at my people favorably, but I didn’t think a man of your stature carries this prejudice too.” Kaze let out a self-deprecating smile. “I’m just a moocher who nobody thinks highly of. Why are you putting me higher than other Arcadians?” As one who rejected the notion of social hierarchy, Kaze would never treat others based on their social standing. Not playing along with Reiko, Kaze said callously, “I can tell you now that unless Sanwell Finances agrees to Mayor Synder’s proposed terms, I would never be on good terms with the Ryokanians.“Just hit me with your best shot.“I can tell you now that you will pay a heavy price. “You might not be able to handle it.” Reiko kept a straight face. “Don’t be ridiculous, Mr. Lee. I’m committed to ending our confli
“I see.”Kaze nodded. He knew Welson, the police chief of Riverbank. As Lock and Welson shared some similarities, Kaze suspected their relationship. It never occurred to Kaze that Lock was one of the Yaphets. Lock waved his hand unhappily. “I’m not a member of the Yaphets. Don’t show off. I don’t deserve to be a part of the family. I’m a Yemen now.”“What’s the matter? Are things not going well with you and the Yaphets?” Kaze asked with a frown. Lock replied with a wry smile, “Things are worse than you think. My relationship with the Yaphets is similar to yours with the Lees.“You can say that the Yaphets disowned me. I looked out for you not just purely out of affection. “I felt for you because we were in the same situation.” Kaze said with a smile, “Don’t say that. Regardless of your reasons, I could feel the love and care from you.” Lock nodded with relief and uttered, “The Yaphets have always looked down on me because of my failures.” “Ha! We have suffered a lot
Lock’s expression was complicated and wry. “As expected, only my older brother cares enough to come. The other members don’t think we’re good enough. They find it beneath themselves to attend our parties.” Even so, Lock and his family went up to give a warm welcome. The car door opened, and a stern-looking middle-aged man with a square jaw stepped out. It appeared that the man drove himself there. Kaze looked at the middle-aged man with a raised brow. The man turned out to be an old friend. He was Welson, Riverbank’s deputy mayor and police chief.“Welcome, Welson.” Lock reached his hand out. Welson did not respond to the handshake. Instead, he scoffed. “Well, aren’t you eager to buy a villa and throw a party after making a bit of money? I heard that a real mixed bag of people attended. “You’re old enough to know better. Can’t you act more like a member of the family?” Faced with his brother’s criticism, Lock smiled apologetically. “You’re right, Welson, but Cyan bo
Following Welson’s arrival, Kaze’s stature rose in the eyes of the partygoers. Once again, Kaze could not care less. The world may not have high hopes for him, but he would remain unfazed. His experiences had equipped him to remain unperturbed in the face of change.Welson did not stick around for long. He had tea with Kaze before taking off. He was a public servant, so it was inappropriate for him to attend a private get-together with a mix of characters. “Kaze, Mayor Synder thinks highly of you. Thank goodness you are here. Otherwise, Welson wouldn’t play nice,” once Welson was gone, Ryna said in glee.She could not stand Kaze before, but tonight, Kaze was a star. Of all the Yaphet family members, Welson was the kindest to Lock’s family, even attending his niece’s party.It went to show how unpopular Lock’s family must be with the rest of the Yaphet family members. Ryna was overjoyed that Kaze brought honor back to Lock’s family. “You’re amazing, Kaze. You appear t
Though the representatives from the Viper’s Den were insignificant, Lock saw them as influential. These people represented the Viper’s Den, and that alone was enough. Hannah must have followed through with Kaze’s instruction to look after Lock’s business through these people. These VIPs did not seem to take Kaze seriously, though. After a round of introductions, they passed off some casual compliments.While disappointed, Lock was not overly concerned. He was just giving Kaze an opportunity, but Kaze would have to be the one to seize the chance and befriend the Viper’s Den. Lock was not against Kaze climbing the social ladder. One VIP said, “You sure are lucky, Lock.“With Ms. Delmore’s recent appointment, she’s looking to clean house and bring in her own people. Your company is listed as a partner for the South River State Branch.“Do you know that Ms. Delmore and Mr. Ettinger personally approved your company as a partner?” The other VIPs looked at Lock enviously. “
The VIP who made the first comment teased, “You have no idea what you have going for you, Lock. Tsk, tsk.“We have a little something. Do you know why Ms. Delmore won instead of Mr. Gwake?”“Was it not because Ms. Delmore was stronger?” Lock replied. Given his position, Lock would not receive firsthand information about the power struggle. All he picked up on was rumors. The person pursed his lips. “Ms. Delmore is strong, but so is Mr. Gwake. Heck, Mr. Gwake has more experience than Ms. Delmore and Mr. Ettinger combined.“Mr. Gwake has the support of Casius, one of the Riverbank Seven, and Casius is backed by Ryokanians. The Ryokanians have a strong presence in Riverbank.“Ms. Delmore, on the other hand, was kicked out of the Viper’s Den West State Branch. Mr. Ettinger is losing his family influence since the sudden death of the previous branch chief. “Ms. Delmore and Mr. Ettinger couldn’t possibly fight against Mr. Gwake without help.” Kaze nodded to himself. Though thes
“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