Out of the two young sidekicks, one sported a soft gray hair while the other had a buzz cut and a shaved undercut along his temple. The pair checked Sasha out, their eyes reflecting greed. Since their leader made a request, the pair played nice. Since their leader took a fancy to the girl, the two sidekicks no longer stood a chance. Maybe when their leader had enough, they would have a go with the girl too. “Are you… Talking to me?” Taken aback, Sasha looked at the leader. The man was in his thirties. Despite his good looks, his heavy eyebags and pale face were pretty off-putting. Sasha had no idea that these were symptoms of bad habits, alcoholism, overindulgence, and lack of exercise. Still, the man gave off a disgusting and fearful vibe to Sasha. The man smiled at Sasha pretentiously, lewdly, and maliciously. The customers stepped away, not wanting to get on the man’s nerves. “I won’t hit on anyone else but you.” The man thought he made a pretty badass comm
“I’m sorry, mister, but I’m not interested in becoming a star.” Sasha backed away and said firmly but politely, “I’m waiting for a friend. Please leave me alone.” While talking, she looked outside for Kaze. Rhys was surprised that Sasha would turn him down without hesitation. He said with a grimace, “You’re not interested? What are you interested in? “Why are you saying no to money?” Sasha was scared as the guy would not leave her alone. She replied, “I just want to finish school. Now isn’t the time to think about money.” She took out her phone to call Kaze. “Aren’t you rude?” Rhys commented with a fake smile. He snatched Sasha’s phone, and the latter panicked and uttered in fright, “G-Give that back!” “I offered you a shortcut in life, and you should’ve taken it.” Rhys released his grip, and the phone dropped to the floor. “Crack!” He stomped on the phone and said grimacingly, “Don’t act like you’re above all, gold digger. What’s a poor college girl doing at
“Do you know who Mr. Road is? His father is Boris Road, one of Riverbank’s four underground kingpins. “If you don’t want trouble, you better delete the video now!” The group turned white and deleted the video. They might not understand the threat that came with Great Road Group. However, Boris, one of Riverbank’s four underground kingpins, had been a menace for twenty years. No one would want to get on his bad side. Many shook their heads and sighed. No one could save Sasha now. It was a shame that the innocent and pretty girl ran into Rhys today. They knew what would happen to Sasha at the hands of Rhys. No one dared to speak up against Rhys’ indecent behavior in broad daylight. “Sasha is your name? It’s beautiful. You can use it as your stage name.” Rhys did not care what others thought about him. As Sasha shivered in fear, Rhys stood proud at his decision to slap the sales representative. He gave Sasha’s cheek a squeeze and said with a lewd smile, “Trust me. Get
Joan, a Quint member in Riverbank, walked in the front. She glared at Rhys and yelled, “Bastard! Didn’t you say that you were in Westeros attending some film festival? Why are you still in Riverbank?” Rhys looked at his girlfriend, who put him on a tight leash lately, and said awkwardly, “Well, the film festival is over. I arrived home early. I just got back.” He and Joan had been dating for six months. They were not serious, though. There were a lot more women for Rhys to explore in the world. He did not want to be held down by a ball and chain. However, his father, Boris, felt that it was time for Rhys to get married and have kids. Since Joan came from a prestigious family, Rhys got together with her. Joan had always been the one to act submissive in his presence. She would turn a blind eye to his romantic pursuits and even cover for him. Rhys understood well that Joan would be marrying up. However, Joan had been getting full of herself lately. It was not her fi
Sasha looked like a princess in the gown, and Joan’s jealousy drove her to start something. Caught in the act by his girlfriend, Rhys felt anxious. Since Joan put the blame on Sasha, Rhys said happily, “You’re right, Joan. The bitch seduced me. She wants to be a star through me. “She even talked about signing a contract with me at a hotel. She invited me to do whatever I wanted. “I know I can be a playboy, but since dating you, I have been saving myself for you. The bitch doesn’t fool me. “When she wouldn’t leave me alone, I got angry and attacked her.” Rhys turned the whole thing against Sasha. “You’re lying!“That’s not true!” Sasha wailed in fury. She would rather take a beating than be labeled the slut who stole someone’s boyfriend. “How dare you talk smack!” Livid, Joan pushed Sasha to the ground and stomped her heels on Sasha. Sasha cried out in pain. “You go, Joan!” “How dare she steal your boyfriend. We should take off her clothes and ruin her.” “Th
The helpless and despair look on Sasha’s face tugged on the crowd’s heartstrings. However, Rhys and Joan would not stop roughing her out. They were likely rich and powerful. No one had the guts to step forward and stop them. As the crowd built, Joan got a bit heavy-handed. She gritted her teeth and yelled, “Strip her! Take the dress off her!“Shame her, and she will think twice before hitting on someone else’s man.” Joan got a kick out of destroying something so beautiful. “Sasha…” Kaze elbowed through the crowd after his phone call and saw Sasha lying on the ground in despair. He grimaced hard. It never occurred to him that Sasha would endure such humiliation in the span of a phone call. A group of men and women abused her in broad daylight. The crowd watched on, some even criticizing as if things were not bad enough. Kaze was enraged. “Stop!” His angry voice silenced the crowd. Joan was stunned. She released her grip on Sasha’s hair and cocked her head ba
Joan shuddered and backed away. She said with a dreadful look, “What do you want, Kaze?” “Smack!” Kaze slapped Joan before removing his jacket to shield Sasha’s bruises. He picked her up and walked out of the store. It was not over yet. Rhys and Joan would pay heavily for what they had done. However, Sasha had gone through a lot today, so Kaze needed to take her away. Sasha needed the hospital now. As Kaze whisked Sasha away, Joan held her cheek and shouted furiously, “You’re a bastard, Kaze! How dare you hit me and my boyfriend! I’m telling on you!” Joan sure did not know when to stop. She got close to Kaze and spread her arms, preventing him from leaving. “Crack!” Keeping a blank face, Kaze fractured her arm and flung her aside. He even stomped on her scowling face. As Joan shrieked, Kaze carried Sasha out of there. The scared crowd parted to give way to Kaze and Sasha. Kaze brought Sasha into the car. “Kaze…” Sasha was placed in the front passenger sea
Conan could sense the calm before the storm over the phone. He stopped joking around and said solemnly, “Of course.” It did not take Conan and Collier long to get to Kaze. Collier took out a stack of Rhys’ photos and said, “I know this guy. He’s Rhys Road, the only son of Boris, Riverbank’s underground kingpin. “His father bankrolled him to start a business in entertainment. He doesn’t get involved in the company operations, but he loves scouting talents to trick women. He’s worse than the man I was.” At least, Collier was aware of the type of man he used to be. Still, Kaze was not amused. Collier kept it strictly business and said somberly, “He often hangs around schools and around the mall to scout beautiful women. He has slept with many women, promising them the world.“He would be forceful with those who didn’t fall for his scheme. He would isolate them or drag them to somewhere secluded and take compromising videos of them. “Dozens of women fell victim to him over t
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