Kaze frowned. “We can talk somewhere private.” Usually, Darcy was not the type to have an outburst in public. Darcy was not as composed as she made herself out to be when it came to the divorce. “Why should we talk in private? Can’t you admit to what you’re doing?” Reading Kaze’s intention wrong, Darcy said furiously, “You must have been waiting for this day for so long. Now that we’re divorced, you can screw around with other women without fear of letting me know.” Buffy and Snow grimaced. Sure, they had feelings for Kaze. Unlike Snow, Buffy had only met Darcy a handful of times. Buffy said curtly, “Ms. Quint, don’t push it. “I’ll be honest. I fancy Kaze. I had feelings for him before you were divorced. “I can only dream about marrying a responsible and competent man like him. “But Kaze and I have always hung out as friends before your divorce. We have never crossed any boundaries. “I had my moments of weakness, but even then, I would never stoop to stealing anot
Buffy was surprised that Snow was not backing down either. She had no advantage over this rival. Buffy and Snow stood by Kaze and professed their love openly at the risk of ruining their names. Darcy was overcome with a mix of emotions. She was angry, indignant, and jealous. Kaze was still her ex at the end of the day. These two women were eager to steal Kaze away in less than 24 hours after the divorce. Darcy felt disrespected. “Kaze, you expect me to believe that nothing happened?” Darcy snapped an angry look at Kaze. “If you didn’t do anything, why would they fall for you? Did they fall in love with you out of the blue? “I trusted you. I thought you were a dependable man. I thought you would never betray me.“I guess I was wrong.” Livid, Darcy lashed out. Her emotions got the best of her. The guests widened their eyes, intrigued by the drama. To think Hannah’s celebration would turn into a soap opera. The man standing next to Darcy spoke up, “Don’t be ma
Many had not met Hunter before. Perhaps they only knew him by reputation. However, Casius, Jet, and South were pretty well known among the Riverbank Seven. Their fame extended far beyond Riverbank and the South River State, reaching the neighboring states. Hunter, who commanded the respect of these brilliant young men, was certainly no Average Joe. The guests from out of state stared at Hunter with intrigue. Some even looked cautious. Kaze raised a brow. It explained why Hunter expressed his intention to Darcy so openly. The mysterious one out of the Riverbank Seven had the right stuff. If Kaze remembered correctly, he had crossed paths with the man before. They once had a showdown, just not in person. Kaze came out on top of the fight. Madam Hacks of the Hackses, one of the top four families in Geranium City, sought Hunter’s help to put the squeeze on Kaze. Hunter did not show up. All he did was give Madam Hacks a writing to present to Kaze. The incident was
“You and Darcy were married. Heck, you even took Darcy’s family name. “I learned that no one took much of you when you were in Lilyrose. “Even then, Darcy did not dump you. She stuck by you regardless of what others thought of you. “Despite what was going on, she had her own battles to fight in her career.“She dropped you out of her life because of your cheating. It’s only less than 24 hours, and you’re here riling her up with these other women. “Do you think your behavior is appropriate?” Hunter spoke composedly, but his words packed a punch. He painted Kaze as an ungrateful and petty jerk. Instead of feeling blessed to have Darcy in his life, Kaze wanted to get back at her. This kind of guy got no respect anywhere. Many guests nodded, seeing that Hunter had a point. Kaze seemed badass before. Now, Kaze was the very person everybody wanted to avoid. Hunter, on the other hand, earned considerable approval from the crowd. Not wanting to waste time with Hunter,
“Tsk!” Many guests scoffed. Kaze was just dumped. Yet, he threatened Hunter with death. He sure did not know his place. Darcy was furious. “Are you a serial killer, Kaze? Do you think killing Madam Quint and Joan makes you invincible? Do you think you can do whatever you want?“Mind your own business. I know the type of person Mr. Yaphet is more than you. “Who are you to lecture him?” Hunter said tenderly, “Don’t be mad, Darcy. Though Kaze has no right to tell me what to do, I think he has a valid point.” He turned to Kaze and grinned. “Don’t worry, Kaze. I’ve always conducted myself with integrity. I find it beneath me to play games, especially with the ones I love.“I will be a gentleman in courting Darcy until she accepts me. “As for you, Darcy is right. Don’t talk as if you can take another one’s life so easily. “We live in a society with rules. Don’t get yourself in trouble. “I believe Darcy is too kind to see you go down the wrong path even though you’re s
Some people gave Hunter props for being generous to win the lady while seizing the right opportunity. While Darcy was thrown off the loop by Snow and Buffy’s love confession toward Kaze, Hunter presented her with a diamond. Any woman would have fallen for Hunter in a heartbeat. Kaze narrowed his eyes. Hunter was playing with fire to present Darcy with a diamond right in his face. Kaze went up and snatched the pink diamond for a look. He said, “Why are you confusing my wife with a dupe, Mr. Yaphet? “I have never heard about this pink diamond.“It looks like a pink knockout you get out of a gumball machine.” Hunter furrowed his brows. “Bastard! This doesn’t belong to you!” “Don’t stain the Maiden’s Heart with your dirty hands.” “Who do you think you are to question its authenticity? It has been appraised.” Before Hunter could say anything, his companions jumped at Kaze’s throat. Darcy uttered in displeasure, “Cut it out, Kaze. Mr. Yaphet isn’t that kind of person
Draig sat on a couch in a corner and eagerly waited for Kaze to fall flat on his face, only to be dumbfounded. He tensed up and looked at Kaze in shock when the latter crushed the diamond. Jesus. It took great strength to pull that off. Draig wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him. The Maiden’s Heart, the toughest diamond from the south, was worth ten million dollars, and Kaze pulverized it in one grip. Even Draig could not do so. He questioned the authenticity of the diamond. Hunter grimaced and looked at Kaze in shock and wariness. As a fighter, he knew better than anyone that it took a lot to grind the diamond. He was on the losing end during his last fight with Kaze. However, Hunter reserved his strength, so he did not think Kaze was strong. He had a better idea of Kaze’s competence now. Kaze tightened his grip and crushed the diamond into powder right before everybody’s eyes. “Fuu—”Kaze blew the powder off his palm and clapped his hands. He
Darcy lost her judgment to rage, and Kaze could not be more disappointed. Unable to stand it anymore, Buffy said coldly, “Ms. Quint, if Kaze has no shame, I must say that you don’t have a good eye. “Anyone but you can mock Mr. Lee, Ms. Quint.” Snow jumped in. “Mr. Lee has done a lot for you, from Lilyrose to Riverbank. “Who came forward to save you when Aiden put a squeeze on Sky Ocean Corporation that nearly bankrupted the company? “Was it Mr. Yaphet who gave you a ten-million-dollar diamond? “It was Mr. Lee. He gathered tens of millions from Perfect World Group to close the financial gap and help you acquire the piece of land. “I don’t know how you are together at home, but I have heard things. “Your mother has it out for Mr. Lee. Still, he puts up with her yelling and criticism.“You should know that things would have escalated if Mr. Lee hadn’t kept his composure.“Just think about it. Who was Mr. Lee doing all this for?” As Darcy grew upset, Snow showed no sig
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