“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
The carrot came after the stick. Snow rose to her feet and approached Ebi, looking at her from high. “Don’t worry. If you hand over the evidence, we can guarantee that the Ryokanians wouldn’t suspect you of treason. “I can also transfer 100 million dollars into a Uleanian bank account. The Ryokanians can’t touch your money in Uleania. “You can remove yourself from the Ryokanians’ control with the money and sort yourself out for the rest of your life. “Don’t you want to have it all?“You have a minute to think it through. The choice is yours.” The tables turned. Snow was in control now. Ebi’s mind spun. In the end, she squeezed a smile. There was desperation in her smile. “Please give me a moment, Ms. Frost.” Ebi got up and kicked everybody out of the villa before returning to her mourning hall. As Snow watched on in surprise, Ebi picked up her daughter’s urn and smashed it to the ground. “Bam!” The urn broke to pieces. Snow backed away and covered her nose, n
The secretary brought the items to Wallace. Wallace said with a frown, “What are these?” “This is evidence relevant to the case. Please have a look,” Morgan said. “Oh?” Raising a brow, Wallace put on his glasses and took the letter for a look. His expression turned somber. He looked through the medical reports. Wallace’s expression grew grim. Reading Wallace’s face, Morgan said, “As you can see, Mika was in the late stages of AIDS. She didn’t have much time left. “To protect her mother’s livelihood, she colluded with someone else to set Kaze up. “One of her plans was to get Kaze to contract AIDS. She showed up at the Yemens’ party and got into a fight with Kaze to apologize later at his villa. “But when Kaze rejected her advances, her plan became a bust. She initiated the next phase and took Kaze down using her death. “Mika’s suicide note and the other proof we have gathered show that Kaze is framed. “He needs to be released. We owe him an apology, and it’s our
Morgan nodded, taking Wallace’s orders. However, he furrowed his brows at Wallace’s last instruction. The police had to look into the culprits who set Kaze up too. It was clear the Ryokanians were behind it. Morgan doubted he could arrest Ryokanians. Still, Morgan said nothing of the matter. “Alright, Deputy Governor Frost. If there’s nothing else, I should get going.” He saluted Wallace and excused himself. “Hang on.” Wallace waved his arm and looked up at Morgan for a moment. He asked callously, “Did Snow collect these files from the deceased’s mother?” Aware of Wallace’s relationship with Snow, Morgan held his silence for a bit before nodding. “That’s right. Ms. Frost and Mr. Lee’s wife—” Wallace cut him off with a scoff. “Just go.” Wallace waved his arm with a scowl and sighed. He was not pleased that Snow put in a lot of effort to save Kaze. However, it was not his place to say anything. Wallace was not Snow’s immediate family anyway. Snow wanted to b
“Most importantly, Ebi was greedy. “She wanted to make a scene to gain more, and Ms. Quint saw through her. “Before Ebi could succeed, Ms. Quint asked Miru to get her people in on the plan. They hired the elderly group. “Ebi doesn’t have the resources and connections in Riverbank to pull off the stunt.” Kaze was shocked. He had heard about Ebi’s little drama. Thank goodness Snow was on it. Otherwise, the commotion would have put the state police and himself in the spot. Though Kaze did not care what other people thought, the situation could be detrimental to Sky Ocean Corporation and the people around him. Kaze had witnessed too many cases of cyberbullying. As it turned out, Darcy orchestrated the whole thing to stop Ebi’s plan from going forward. Darcy’s intention was to gain leverage over Ebi. The plan was not necessary, but it did stop Ebi’s plan and shut her up. At least, Kaze did not have to spend another minute in detainment. Either way, Darcy and Snow
“The Krads and the Ryokanians aren’t really getting along, and this can be our opportunity.” Kaze said in contemplation, “The Krads sent Aiden to work together with the Ryokanians in expanding their power in Riverbank, and most importantly, to sort out the Frosts. “I didn’t quite get why the Krads were so confident in eliminating a killer who threatened the very existence of the Frosts. “Well, I have a bit of an idea now. Maybe the Frosts are on the hit list of an assassin organization linked to the Ryokanians. “Heck, the Krads and the Ryokanians probably reached a partnership because of this.” Snow scowled. Through this experience, Snow learned firsthand just how dangerous the Ryokanians were. They had the power to change the economy, extensive networks, and scheming tactics. If the Ryokanians were involved in the Frosts’ troubles, the family would be in deep water. “You mean…” Snow’s head was spinning. It was unusual for Snow to be stumped. However, the situatio
Dwight approached with a smile. He looked at Edmund earnestly. “I am Dwight McCorney. I have heard good things about you. I finally got to meet the man of the hour. “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Witterson.” Dwight was starstruck. Edmund was embarrassed by Dwight’s behavior. He could not believe that Dwight was a member of the Viper’s Den. Nevertheless, Dwight seemed genuine in expressing his thrill. Edmund became curious about him. He turned around to look at Kaze, who was the polar opposite of Dwight. Kaze stood there, holding his ground. He stood up to greet Edmund and nothing else. He appeared to be refined, unlike Dwight, who was brash. Dwight had no idea that his behavior had upset Edmund. Edmund looked at Dwight in disdain. However, Dwight was a member of the Viper’s Den. It was best for Edmund to keep his comments to himself. Without a word, Edmund stared at the pair. Ryan stepped in to smooth things over. “What are you doing? We have a guest here.
Since Kaze would not change these people’s minds, he was better off doing what he wanted to do. “This vase must be valuable. I got to give it to Mr. Witterson. A display in the living room is worth so much.” Dwight had never seen so much luxury in one room. He had been to the museum, but the displays were nothing like he had ever seen before. The rich had the means to splurge. “Do you think this is pure gold?” Dwight turned to a gold statue. The design was to die for. The purity of color made it hard to doubt its authenticity. “I’m not too sure, but I guess most of the ornaments here are real.”Kaze watched as Dwight gasped in awe. Nevertheless, his behavior would clear any suspicion on Kaze. It could be a good thing. “I knew Mr. Witterson was rich. His businesses are doing well. “But I didn’t expect this sort of lifestyle. The gold must be worth a million dollars. “If I were this wealthy, I would not spend it on decoration.” Dwight rambled on, his eyes stuck t
“I’m not familiar with the area. We’ll have to look around,” Dwight said behind the wheel. He looked for restaurants while driving. It was early, and many restaurants were not open for business. They circled the block and finally uncovered a small breakfast bar. They ordered some food, filled their bellies, and got back into the car. “Mr. Witterson said that he wouldn’t meet you. Why does he want to see you now?” Dwight was curious. Something must have happened last night. Otherwise, Edmund would not suddenly grant an audience to Kaze. “I don’t know. I had some drinks last night, and now he probably made time.” Kaze felt better after breakfast. He did not think much of the situation. Things would carry on as planned regardless of what the Wittersons or the Siegfrieds had to say.This was exactly what Kaze hoped for. Dwight remained in the dark. He drove to the city’s most exclusive area for the rich. It was all greenery in this part of town. The road was wider, an
After a brief hesitation, Kaze followed Rosie. The room turned out to be Rosie’s. Though not a big room, it was crammed with all kinds of junk. The place looked cluttered. Rosie approached the vanity table and grabbed the comb to comb her hair. She turned to look at Kaze. “You said a lot of stuff last night. Do you remember any of it?” Rosie spoke like they had been friends for years. It was just small talk. “What did I say? I don’t really remember. You made a lovely drink, but man, it really kicked in.” Kaze put a cigarette to his lips, but he did not light it. Instead, he spotted a chair to sit down on. “Well, it’s pointless to talk about it if you can’t remember.” Rosie was pleased to hear that. At least, Kaze had no idea that she had gotten him drunk. “Don’t leave me hanging.” Kaze looked peeved. “Are you off the clock?” Kaze asked. “Yes. I work odd hours. It’s time for me to sleep now.” Rosie stared at Kaze. “I shouldn’t keep you from resting.”
“Can you give me something for the pain?” Clemont had a low tolerance for pain. Standing on the stairway, Morris heard his voice and sighed. Clemont could do no good in his eyes. “Keep an eye on him. He’s not allowed to leave the house for the time being.” Morris believed the incident was more than meets the eye. Yet, Clemont was tricked into going to Absolute Zero and starting shit. There was no telling whether the Wittersons or someone else was behind it. Morris let out a sigh and returned to the study. He sent the butler to the storage room to fetch a few valuable antiques. These items were collected years ago, and they cost a fortune. Morris’ intention was to be on good terms with the Wittersons. There was no need to be at war with them. He had to do it for the interest of the Viper’s Den and his family. Morris was all about looking at the bigger picture. Otherwise, he would not have put up with all the bullshit before. Edmund would not let him off the ho
“Are you trying to kill your son?” Clara intervened. “You’re ruining him by spoiling him. If you want things to continue as they were, you can kiss him goodbye forever,” Morris said. Clara was lost for words. She knew better, but she just could not stop herself. Clemont had her heart. Clara could not stand to see him hurt. She was distressed. However, she knew that Morris would not get over the matter without beating Clemont up. She had to step in. “Hit him!” Morris was too old to do anything laborious. However, the kid would not go anywhere in life without a good beating. Despite starting trouble, he sure was arrogant to admit that he was wrong. “I see the errors of my ways.” Clemont apologized in time to avoid the punishment. He managed to escape all repercussions by doing so. Plus, his mother would plead on his behalf. The whole thing would usually get brushed aside. Though it was more serious in this instance, Clemont still believed that Morris would not hur
Morris was in his study, wiping a plaque of commandments that was covered in dust. Due to his commitment to the Viper’s Den, he had neglected his family for years and left his son in his wife’s care. Morris regretted doing so. Unaware of the impending danger, Clemont enjoyed drinks with his friends. They were having fun, playing drinking games. Losing the game, Clemont downed a glass of liquor. Things could get far and exciting in a game. It was then that the door swung open. Clemont’s driver entered the room. “Young Master Siegfried, the master is waiting for you at home,” the driver said, noting the complexity of the situation. The only thing on his mind was to take Clemont away. Tipsy from the drinks, Clemont waved his arm. “Let him wait. What’s the rush to get home?” Clemont’s friends were shocked. Nothing scared Clemont like his father. However, Clemont toughened up for once. “Young Master Siegfried, why don’t you call it a night?” “Yeah. I’m sur
“What’s that supposed to mean? When have I ever made a mistake?” Morris heard nothing of that sort. It could only mean that his people had done nothing wrong. However, Edmund could not possibly get aggressive on the phone. Something must have happened, and he simply had no idea. Morris felt unsettled like something big was about to happen. “You seem to be lax when managing your people. You don’t seem to know what goes on around your house.“Is your age getting to you? Is that why you can’t handle most of the work? If you can’t get your own house in order, how will you ever manage the Viper’s Den Westeros Branch?” Edmund called to say his piece. It was his way to make Morris step down. Though it was likely that Morris would resign, Edmund could at least make things unpleasant for him. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Morris was completely in the dark, but Edmund must hold some secret to act so cocky. Despite his troubled feelings, Morris kept his cool and calmly aske
Since it was a rare opportunity, Edmund had to settle the score with them properly. He knew opportunities like this were hard to come by so he had to seize them well. “I understand. I will take care of the guest,” Rosie said. She was glad that her information was useful to her boss. After Edmund hung up the phone, Rosie then looked at the unconscious Kaze. “You are indeed more useful than I thought. Hardly anyone has ever managed to impress Edmund.” She did not feel sorry for Kaze, believing that everything happened as it was meant to. She knew that to climb higher, she had to please her superior. With the Wittersons on the rise, now was the perfect time for her to pledge her loyalty to Edmund. When the Wittersons truly took over the Westeros Branch, she would become one of the most powerful people in the city, second only to them. She was looking forward to that day. Since Kaze was fast asleep and no arrangements could be made, Rosie went out to call her men and