Collier knew Buffy had a point. Still, he said in frustration, “Fuck! I can’t just let these people make up stories about the branch leader.” Buffy sighed helplessly, not knowing what to say. Ever since Kaze’s arrest, Buffy had been keeping an eye on things. She wanted to pay a visit to the state police department. However, she dropped that thought upon learning that Darcy was there. Nothing was going on between Buffy and Kaze. However, Buffy would not face Darcy with a clear conscience. “Wow! Where did the money come from?” While the pair strategized, a cry burst out of the crowd. Collier and Buffy looked over to find some individuals clenching bags. The zippers of these bags came undone, and cash fell out as these people moved through the crowd. The banknotes were scattered far and wide. “Oh, my gawd! Uleanian dollars!” “Wow! Look at all the Uleanian dollars!” Somebody bent over to pick the money up. After a good look, the person turned flushed with thrill.
“The first villa I ever own. I haven’t stayed here for long, and now it’s a place of mourning.” Cyan had no words. Mika’s mother was Ebi Wise. She was so unreasonable and made such a scene that the Yemens had no choice but to comply.As always, Cyan shifted the blame on Kaze. “Why hasn’t Kaze admitted to his crimes? Does he think that by denying the truth, he can escape from the law?“He should just confess and conduct the funeral at his Villa No. 9.“Only then can Mika rest easy.” The police condoned Villa No. 9 off to collect evidence. Cyan believed that Kaze’s refusal to admit his crimes was why Villa No. 9 was still closed off. Hence, Ebi used the Yemens’ place to mourn instead. Ryna glared at her husband. “It’s all your fault, Lock. Cyan and I disapproved of the bastard coming to the house, but you had to uphold your duty as a mentor. “What did that get you? Look what your student did to us in return.” Annoyed, Lock shouted, “That’s enough. I won’t ever bring hi
Picking up on Lock’s worry, Snow said indifferently, “Don’t worry, Mr. Yemen. I’m not here to make her pay.“I want to make a deal with her if you could pass the message along.“She will meet with me.” … Minutes later, Snow went into Villa No. 13 on her own. The bright and cheerful villa was now a dark and gloomy funeral hall. Mika’s black-and-white portrait was placed right in the center. As her death was unexpected, an old photo was used for the memorial. Mika’s radiant smile in the photo appeared eerie against the somber atmosphere. A large flower wreath was placed beneath the portrait, and a woman in mourning kneeled next to the picture. Snow could tell that the woman was relatively young, probably in her forties from her side profile. Even without makeup, the woman was nicely put together. She had taken good care of herself. The woman was Mika’s mother, Ebi. Ebi migrated to Cousbank and became a Ryokanian citizen. Upon learning of her daughter’s death, Ebi
“Do you hear what you’re saying?“Kaze, the bastard, is the reason my daughter is dead. Yet, you expect me to prove his innocence. “You have some nerve. “What? Are you supposed to be above all because you’re a member of the Frosts?” Emotions ran high, and Ebi pulled her claws out. Snow was not surprised by her menace. She did a background check on Ebi, and the latter was always known for her hellish behavior. However, her nasty act was all for show. “Ma’am, you can drop it.” Without looking up, Snow said indifferently, “You were known to be tough back in Riverbank. You’ve got way more experience than I do. I wouldn’t tell you what to do.” Snow pulled out a few photos and printed documents from her briefcase and handed them to Ebi. Ebi glanced at the photo, her heart sinking. She said curtly, “What the hell is—” “You sure love to play dumb, ma’am.” Snow said, “These are the crime scene photos taken by the Cousbank police, showing where your ex-husband was poiso
Snow’s sarcastic remark did not get to Ebi. The latter smirked. “If that’s all you have, I doubt a deal can be made.” Ebi did not mind doing business with Snow. This was despite her resenting Kaze for killing her daughter. “If your husband’s murder doesn’t bother you, I’ll talk about other things that might.” Snow retrieved some documents that showed bank transaction records. “These are bank statements of several corporate accounts you have registered overseas.” Ebi grimaced. Snow nodded and said, “I did my homework. Before your daughter killed herself, a number of funds were transferred to these accounts through overseas channels, disguised as legitimate business transactions.“My investigation revealed these transactions to be fraudulent. “The money was laundered and transferred to your accounts. “The amount is 50 million dollars altogether. “Here’s where I was confused. Was your daughter’s life only worth 50 million dollars? “Mika was an influencer, and she co
“You and your daughter got what you wanted. After moving to Ryokan, you thrived in business thanks to connections made through the Suka political family. Your daughter even became the goddaughter of the senior Suka member. “But your greed knows no bounds. “You later realized that despite acquiring the Ryokanian citizenship, you are still known as an Arcadian. “You could do business in Ryokan, but you will never mingle with the upper crust.“So, with the Sukas’ help, you sent your daughter to entertain powerful men. “You were lucky. Your business in Ryokan has thrived due to these newfound connections. You could have been even more successful if it weren’t for your gambling addiction.“Your daughter’s career as a social media influencer took off with the help of a Ryokanian entertainment company.“But you don’t realize one thing. “You reap what you sow. “Your daughter contracted AIDS. “I’m sure you are familiar with this medical report from Cousbank University Hospital.
Snow said, “I obtained the documents through illegal means. “My source will never admit that the documents came from them. “So, it cannot be used as evidence.” Ebi smirked. “Since these documents are worthless, you can leave now. Don’t waste your breath with me.” “These documents are worthless.” Snow fixated on Ebi and said solemnly, “But you have something that will get Chairman Lee out.” Ebi said coldly, “What do you mean, Ms. Frost? “My daughter is dead, and I have evidence to prove Kaze’s innocence? “Who would believe you?” Snow said indifferently, “I don’t need anyone else to believe. I just want the government to believe.“Given that you exploited your daughter’s death for personal gain, I have no doubt that you would have made the best out of this situation.“You knew you were dealing with dangerous people, so you needed something to fall back on in case these people threw you under the bus.“I trust that you are a clever woman.“You must have hidden the evid
Ebi played hardball. She dug her heels in, refusing to budge no matter what Snow said. Still, Snow did not give up. She saw right through Ebi.Snow said calmly, “Do you really want to go there, ma’am? “You hired those elderly people to protest without a permit. “Don’t you know that an authorized protest is against the law?“Do you know that the management of the Viper’s Den is on this now? “If I expose you as the organizer of the protest, the government might want to speak with you.” Ebi scoffed. “I was wondering who would be so dumb to scatter money all across the street. So you’re the idiot, Ms. Frost. “Fair play. You stopped my plan from going forward. “But all you did was ruin my plan. So what? “What have I lost? “Once I sort out my daughter's affairs, I will return to live my life in Ryokan.“I don’t give a damn whether Kaze gets the death penalty or life in prison.“What are you going to do about it?” With nothing getting through to Ebi, Snow shook her
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