People who had the courage to travel were capable in their own way. However, not everyone could be a reliable figure. Kaze simply gave a piece of reminder but he did not want to terrorize her, so he had to make it clear so that the girl knew what she should do. “Sounds complicated. If I could travel, I would want to go on a solo adventure. Too bad my mother won’t let me do it. Besides, she has plans for me…” Leah was determined to break free from her mother’s control but she also knew that it would be difficult. The upcoming birthday party was a chance for her mother to showcase her to other families. Even if she ultimately did not marry someone from the Viper’s Den, she would marry into another powerful and wealthy family. In short, Katie would never spare her daughter, let alone allow her to travel the country alone. “Don’t think so much. Look, there’s still a stall open.” Kaze saw a well-lit signage at the alley, wondering if it was a place where they could get somet
The reason why the chief opened up a restaurant in a secluded alley was because he had stepped down from his previous position. To maintain the chance to practice his culinary skills, he set up the restaurant that targeted the wealthy and powerful. He might even meet customers who could appreciate his skills. The restaurant might not be well-known, but since it only served a selected audience, a reservation was mandatory. Walk-in customers were unlikely to get a seat at any time of the day. The signage in front of the alley served as a reminder but not many people knew it was actually a restaurant. Kaze walked inside because he saw the Viper’s Den symbol. Without the symbol, he would not walk into a secluded alley. Standing outside the opened wooden door, Kaze knocked on the brass knocker. Two knocks later, footsteps came rustling from within. He then took a step back; Leah did the same as well. The alley was secluded but the front of the restaurant was not exactl
“Here for dinner? What would you like to have?” The elderly man, Master Fuller, was surprised to see Kaze. He thought after stepping down from serving government officials, it would be difficult for him to meet powerful figures anymore. To his surprise, someone powerful arrived at his little establishment. “We’re hungry. We are just looking for something simple to eat,” Kaze said as he simply sat down at the table. The table was part of a big circular formation, surrounding a huge cooking space in the center, where hungry patrons could watch the chef cook. Kaze sat down at the outer ring of the table, granting him a clear view of the chef’s cooking station. Leah sat right beside him. The girl had been scanning the room from the moment she entered. The room was surrounded by many wooden sculptures coupled with old drawings. All the sculptures and drawings looked interesting. She wondered if they were all real. “This place feels great. I can visit whenever I have the ti
“I see. So that’s how this restaurant operates. It’s something new and interesting. I can bring my friends here next time,” Leah said specifically. She did not expect a small establishment would have such a unique way of serving customers and it was refreshing. “Just tell them what you want and they will prepare for you,” Kaze said. “I’m not particularly into anything right now. I don’t really have an appetite, so maybe something light?” Leah never had any favorite food. “If that’s the case, let’s just go with something casual,” Kaze said, with a hint of urgency as he was hungry. Master Fuller knew Kaze’s identity but he did not engage in a conversation because of Leah. He simply smiled and nodded. Then, appetizers were served. Kaze forked the cucumber and took a bite. A sweet taste filled his mouth with every crunch. “How is this cucumber made? It looks like it’s not seasoned but it's so sweet!” Leah was amazed by the taste. She got used to the exquisite cuisine
“Tell me, what do you think I added inside the tofu?” Master Fully asked confidently, assuming that the girl would never know the answer. When he made the tofu, he did not know what to add yet and simply wanted an original taste of the soybeans. Suddenly when he was grinding the soybeans, he had a spark of a thought and believed he should add something to enhance the flavor. It would save him the work to cook it when the tofu was formed. “It’s simple. Other than some salt, you also added some sauce. I believe you made the sauce yourself. It’s the sauce that makes the tofu so silky smooth. It feels like I’m eating a piece of cloud. It also has a unique fragrance when bitten.” Leah expressed her thoughts and then looked at Master Fuller with anticipation. Master Fuller was slightly surprised but on second thought, it only made sense. “You are quite a bright child. You did your homework,” he said. “When I was younger, I always messed around with the ingredients in the kitche
Due to the busy environment at the national kitchen, the chefs rarely had any time or opportunity to develop new dishes. Their focus was to get better at what they were already doing. Most of the time, creativity was not necessary. However, when Master Fuller retired, he started to enjoy life to make up for the time lost. It also allowed him to add more flavors to his current cooking as his vision broadened. He tended to his vegetables in the backyard during the day. After a day's work, he cooked something nice for himself, enjoying the fruits of his labor with a grateful heart. Whenever he cooked, he would think of the hard work behind caring for the ingredients. With a grateful heart, his food carried gratitude and appreciation for the gifts of nature. Kaze had a piece of vegetable and it was indeed fresh. “Nice. This feels extremely fresh.” He did not have much thought about it as he was here just to eat. Master Fuller prepared the simplest dish that every family wou
Leah was scared of the heat. She blew at the fish before taking a small bite. The tenderness of the fish surprised her. It was flawless. “It’s delicious!” The girl was amazed. “Eat more if it’s nice.” Master Fuller had seen his fair share of female customers pretending to be a lady while dining but ultimately finishing every dish he served. He was happy about it. “The ingredients are so fresh. Where did you get them?” Leah spent a lot of time at the hotel so she knew how the hotel kitchen kept their ingredients fresh. “Most of the vegetables are from my backyard. Our food is nice because the ingredients are fresh.” Master Fuller pointed at the backyard. Kaze was rather surprised that the ex-national chef had the time to plant his own vegetables. “How big is the backyard? Can it supply the entire restaurant?” “There are other farmers in the area where I buy from. All the vegetables I purchase are what the farmers eat, so fewer pesticides and artificial fertilizer a
Master Fuller chuckled helplessly. He then added a few more dishes for Kaze and Leah. “I’m too full. I can’t eat anymore.” Leah ate a lot. The restaurant looked plain and dull but the food it served was amazing. “If you like the food, do visit us again.” Reservation was mandatory to dine at Master Fuller’s place but he made an exception for Leah because of Kaze, trying to earn his favor. “I’m definitely coming back,” Leah said with a determined gaze. “Great. If you come often, it means my cooking skills are still up to standard.” Master Fuller glanced at Kaze as he spoke, trying to confirm the next meeting. “We will be here for a while. We are staying at the nearby hotel ten minutes away from here. We will certainly drop by more often,” Kaze said. Master Fuller nodded happily. “You guys still have space for dessert?” Dessert was made with sweet potato using the simplest method. Kaze and Leah were stuffed after the main course. Since the sweet potato was still
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
Snow could not believe her eyes. Katie suddenly went quiet and behaved like the CEO she was.However, Katie did not look like she was right in the mind earlier. “What’s going on? She seems to have gone insane.” Snow turned to the warden, still digesting the change. Katie had lost touch with reality before the Viper’s Den did anything to her. “How did this happen? She has been taking her meals. Just days earlier, she nagged about getting out because she was worried about her daughter. As usual, we didn’t respond to her requests.” The warden found the whole thing peculiar too. Just a few days ago, Katie demanded her release. Now, she kept to herself and abided by the rules. Out of the blue, Katie went nuts. Things had gotten complicated. Snow wanted to keep Katie behind bars due to her betrayal. However, Kaze decided against pursuing the matter for Leah’s sake. Katie would be let go soon enough, but she would lose her job at the Northborn Group. Katie’s presence woul
It was quiet in the office. Snow sorted the last bit of paperwork before picking her head up in exhaustion. Her initial plan was to delegate the tasks. However, Katie was controlling. Previously, she personally oversaw many matters. Snow could not distribute the responsibilities because the employees had no experience in handling them. They came to Snow for every tiny, little thing, and Snow really got her hands full. Despite her frustration, Snow could let things go as Katie was locked up. “I should pay her visit.” Snow decided to see Katie. Some things should not be left unsaid. Leah would be working for the Northborn Group soon, and the mother and daughter should meet to tie up loose ends. The truth would put Leah to shame, and her guilt would stop her from ever betraying Kaze. After a quick bite, Snow drove to the prison. Katie was furious when she was imprisoned. She was one step away from victory. She was so close to leaving Butterworth to head to Westeros
“Why do you want to sell the properties? Do you need money? Don’t you have some saved?” Joey had a good understanding of Leah’s finances since she ran all the paperwork. “My mother is being held, and I need money to ask favors. Maybe I can get her out.” Leah was not thinking much. Money could always be replaced, but not her mother’s freedom. “Don’t be silly. This is not the way to go.” Though Joey did not have the details, she observed that things were not as simple as Leah thought. Kaze was safe now, but the fact that Katie had betrayed Kaze and revealed his whereabouts remained unchanged. Katie had broken the Viper’s Den’s rules. Even if she got out, she would be a wreck. With Snow running the Northborn Group, Katie would remain a failure. Either way, Katie would not get away with it. Even if Leah offered all her assets, Katie’s situation would not change. It was a waste of money and resources for Leah to save her mother. Nothing would come out of it. “But I
“Give me an answer. Are you taking the job? If you are, you should sort out your affairs. Don’t bring your personal feelings to work.” Snow was not the type to go easy on fragile women. If Leah did not have what it took, she could be forced to leave the company. Nevertheless, Katie had left a lot of assets to Leah. Even without work, Leah could very well survive. The girl would have trouble keeping the wealth, seeing that she was without power or connections. If Leah had a job, she would have the resources to hold onto her assets. Leah had seen the best and worst of mankind. She was once the center of attention, and now, everybody avoided her. It dawned on Leah that it was over for Katie. If Leah could not even keep a job, she would lose everything. “I didn’t know things would happen.” Leah never thought that Katie was capable of stabbing Kaze and her in the back. The thought of betrayal put Leah in distress. Kaze was a great guy who helped Leah a lot. Feeling ete
Leah got dressed and was ready to leave, but she did not know who to turn to. She thought about going to her wealthy friends to see if they could uncover anything through their connections. However, Leah could not get a hold of them. It dawned on Leah that loyalty would fade when power was gone. Even though Katie was just missing, intel spread around Butterworth very quickly. These people must have found out and have chosen to stay away. Leah had always been treated like royalty. Nobody had ever avoided her like the plague. Nevertheless, she had not been in touch with these friends since her injury. Now, in her attempt to contact them, she could not reach them. “Why is this happening? My good friends have gone MIA, and I’m getting silence from those who have been trying to connect.” Sitting on the couch, Leah looked out the window in despair. She tried to seek help with her mother’s search, but her efforts were futile. She could do nothing for her mother. All al
“I have to work hard starting today. But before that, I have to get some sleep.” Snow remembered that Kaze punished her to get some sleep. He said her face looked tired and pale, signs of how hard she had been working. It felt great being cared for. It was because of his kindness, Snow fell for Kaze uncontrollably. Yet she understood not all things were meant to be. After she returned home, she went to sleep immediately without talking to anyone. She only woke up in the afternoon after a comfortable and easy sleep. Next, she would have to work on many things, first being taking over Northborn Group. Katie’s disappearance had the company shaken, but it gave many others a chance. They tried to calm their subordinates down and contact the higher-ups for more information, hoping that they could replace Katie as the new CEO. Little did they know, their preparations would eventually fall short. Snow and her secretary arrived at Northborn Group in the afternoon, and her a