“We didn’t do anything. Why?” Keeble aspired to become a gangster boss one day and if he were humiliated here and now, his dream might come to an abrupt end. He might not even be able to stay in the underworld anymore. “So you guys can bully Kaze and we cannot take revenge?” Leah said, her tone upset. She was determined to avenge Kaze. Keeble wanted to argue. He even looked at Peter, seeking clarification. Peter had agreed to let him and his men go, so why would the girl hold them back? “This has nothing to do with me. If she’s okay, of course, I can let you go,” Peter said. He did not want to overly expose his intention, so it would be best to be no part of the conflict. Kaze wanted to steer away from trouble but Keeble was the one who started it and simply letting them go might send the wrong message to others. “If you guys are bold enough to come here for trouble, then you should know how to handle the situation when it backfires.” Kaze was not the type of person w
With heels clacking and a branded purse hanging in her hand, Katie walked toward her daughter. When she saw the man beside Leah, a hint of displeasure rose from her heart. Then, she noticed Peter and a sense of familiarity rose to her mind. On second thought, she seemed to have met Peter before. “Peter? What are you doing here? Here to pick someone up?” A smile appeared on Katie’s face when she spoke to Peter. Leah initially wanted to introduce Kaze to her mother and tell her how he had helped her before. However, her mother did not even look at her or Kaze and went straight to Peter to greet him. Once again, she was ignored by her mother and it upset her. Unfortunately, she could not do anything to change it because she knew it was her mother’s job. She knew from a young age to never interrupt her mother during work or else she would be beaten. Kaze had heard a lot about Katie from Leah. The girl complained to him how unfair her workaholic mother was, yet when he saw
“I’m quite busy lately but we are going to host a banquet soon. I’ll make sure the invitation reaches you and Mr. Longwind.” Katie revealed a little bit of her upcoming plan to Peter since he was Alfonso’s man. Peter was delighted by the response. “Madam, I wouldn’t want to take up any more of your time. I’ll be waiting for my guest here.” Peter saw the look in Kaze’s eyes and knew better than to reveal his identity, so he simply said he was still waiting for his guest. Katie then turned to her daughter. She had no idea what had happened earlier. The only thing she noticed was a car speeding off in her direction when she arrived. “What happened just now?” The smile on Katie’s face disappeared when she spoke to her daughter and her tone sounded strict. “You really don’t care about me, don't you? I almost got into a fight with someone.” Leah looked aggrieved. Despite her mother’s tone, she was intoxicated by the feeling of love and care. She loved being with her mothe
“Mom, what are you doing? He’s not asking for money.” Leah felt insulted and she knew her mother did it on purpose. “He didn’t say anything, so how would you know?” Katie said as she scrutinized Kaze. Peter saw the scene from the side and wanted to help but knowing Katie’s identity, he dared not interfere to offend her, so he simply stood still like a rock. “If not for Kaze, I wouldn’t even get out of trouble. Perry even sent his men after me.” Leah then told her mother what actually happened before she arrived. She told her mother the truth because she wanted her mother to know that she was almost hurt. “Thank you, Peter.” Learning that Peter had helped earlier, Katie furthermore believed Kaze had nothing to do with the matter. Peter knew her and her status well and was likely familiar with her daughter. Helping the girl should have been a gesture of respect toward her. Kaze did not say anything from the start, and it made Katie believe that he harbored ulterior mo
“Since you refused, then consider the reward forfeited. Stay away from my daughter and don’t let me see you again,” Katie said to Kaze, her words serving as a warning. Her eyes brimmed with clear wariness and disdain. Leah felt a surge of embarrassment at her mother’s reaction. “Why won’t you listen to me? Kaze really helped me! If it weren’t for him, I might have been beaten up!” She continued to argue in defense of Kaze. She felt that her mother was being unreasonable. “Open your eyes and see clearly whether he helped you out of goodwill or he has something else in mind.” Katie wanted her daughter to open her eyes and not be swept away by a moment of gratitude. Not everyone who offered help did so out of goodwill. In modern society, people worked hard just to make ends meet. Why would a stranger help another without expecting anything in return? It was every man for himself. One’s personal benefits and goals trumped others. “Madam, I really don’t expect anything. I’
Katie glared at Kaze, shifting all the blame onto him. “What does he have to do with this? It was you who made me follow your orders. You were the one who interfered with my life!” Leah did not want to lash out at her mother, but the more her mother denied her, the stronger her urge to rebel became. If she continued to be a timid girl who unconditionally accepted her mother’s orders, her life would be completely in her mother’s grasp, like a puppet to a puppeteer. “Stay away from my daughter! If I catch you seeing her, I will make you regret it!” Katie had had enough of her daughter’s defiance. She dragged her daughter by the arm to her car. She resented Kaze even more for influencing her daughter. If not for him, Leah would never have defied her in public. Leah tried to break free from her mother’s restraints. She turned to Kaze, looking at him helplessly. Suddenly, she felt like a joke—a jester whose performance was being cut short before its time. Once again, she t
Peter, in the driver’s seat, would peek at the rear mirror to catch glimpses of the rear. Kaze leaned back on the seat comfortably but his eyes were looking outside the window. There was a veil of mystery over him, preventing Peter from reading his expression. Peter was merely following orders to pick Kaze up, but arriving late left him feeling uneasy. He might be serving Alfonso as an aide but he rarely had the chance to meet prominent figures. He had followed Alfonso to a few banquets before and met quite a few people, but none of them were like Kaze. Kaze had a calm and mature demeanor. There was something strange about him—his presence felt oddly assuring, yet his gaze felt sharp and intimidating. “Mr. Lee, do you have any plans here in Butterworth? Do you need me to arrange something for you?” Peter carefully asked. Not knowing Kaze’s identity made it difficult for him to act. “Nothing in particular. You don’t need to do anything for me,” Kaze simply replied. Pet
“The person that Snow sent is on his way.” Standing beside Jet was his assistant in a black suit, Aloysius, briefing him on the situation. He had just received an update from his men a few minutes ago. Snow would not appear in Butterworth for the time being. Her mother’s condition was worsening, and although she was taken back, she might not make it. Curing the poison in May’s body was a difficult task. “Who is this person?” This time, Jet was being more cautious. He wanted to learn more about this person’s background before making a move.His previous impulsive actions had already cost him dearly. “This person seems to be Snow’s boss in Lilyrose, but he was kicked out by Perfect World Group and is no longer the chairman. He’s just a jobless wanderer.” Aloysius’ understanding of the matter was limited but it was enough for the moment. Jet had been worried at first, but it seemed his concerns were unnecessary. “Snow has only the face and not the brain. She’s gullibl
“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