Tens of thousands in assets were lost as every second passed. Jet, as powerful as he was, could not let that happen. “Look into any prominent figures who have come to Butterworth lately.” Driven by fury, Jet had no qualms about attacking his people. Jet would compensate him with money anyway. Aloysius was used to the treatment. He kept his mouth shut and cleared up the mess before taking off. Jet’s nerves were on edge. After all, he had never encountered such a situation before. It was a mystery as to who would resent him so much as to take action. After much thought, Jet gave his previous business partners a call. He either could not get through to them or was transferred to their assistants. As it turned out, he could not reach anyone. Jet realized that he may have upset the wrong person. Otherwise, this would not happen in the first place. “That’s strange. I’ve been staying in Butterworth. I doubt I have upset anyone.” Jet just could not figure it out.
Aloysius entered the room. He was in a sorry state with a bandage on his head. “Mr. Lyfe can’t make it today, sir.” “Didn’t he say he was coming?” Jet asked without a second thought. “Mr. Lyfe’s son is apparently pursuing Leah.“Katie is planning to throw her daughter a birthday party here.” It was old news. The Frosts had always received an invitation to the celebration. “Katie sure put a lot of thought into the party. She must be trying to reach out to more powerful people.” Jet saw through Katie’s little plan. “What do we do now, sir? These people are saying they can’t make it now.” Aloysius had long understood that he would lose friends when he lost power. However, things had not progressed to that state yet. Yet, Jet’s previous business partners ignored him. “The Frosts are still in power. Where are they getting their intel from?” Jet could not put up with the humiliation. “What do we do now, sir?” Aloysius did not expect these people to be so disrespect
“We are happy to have dinner with you, but it’s only been a few days since we last saw you.” Though confused, the group took their seats. Jet invited them out to see if they knew anything about the mastermind behind the halted projects. However, the group behaved no differently from before. “Friends should always stay connected. I’m looking to take on a few business ventures. I was wondering if any of you are interested.” Jet was not in the mood to start new business dealings. He was simply trying to extract information from the group. Jet’s business ventures were stalled, and if the group had an inkling, they would not do business with him.If they were in the dark, they would jump at the opportunity to close the deal. They could not possibly say no, especially since they had been begging for Jet to throw a lifeline. “What kind of business are we talking about?” “Yeah. Can we be a part of it?” “I’ve been wanting to do business with you, Jet. It’s a pity we never
Jet did not look worried. His companions were confused. Anyone else in Jet’s position would panic. Each day the business ventures were on hold, and he faced continuous losses.However, Jet remained composed. It proved that Jet was competent to face problems. Despite the obstacles, Jet was able to overcome it in no time. “I see. Do tell if you need any help. We are happy to lend a hand.” “Yeah. I’m sure the problems will go away soon enough.” The group uttered, not taking the incident to heart. Seeing that the group was gullible, Jet was relieved. After dinner, Jet sent his drunk guests away. Jet grimaced. “None of them know anything. Those who do won’t see me.” Jet was curious as to who he had upset to deserve the attack. There was still wiggle room in regard to his business ventures, and Jet could still afford the wait. Nevertheless, it was frustrating to be targeted. “Is there anything you need, sir?” Aloysius asked. “Keep an eye on these people. Check
Aloysius came to have lunch and he picked up a piece of information during his meal. He wondered if it was real. When he first heard it, he thought it was ridiculous, but on second thought, it somehow made sense. Katie usually looked like a caring but overprotective mother but who would know for sure that she would not do something so outrageous? Once a person was driven by benefits and gains, sentiments and emotions ought to be sacrificed. “She’s ruthless but only a woman with her personality is fit to be the CEO of the Northborn Group,” Jet said with an approving nod. When a person discarded all sentiments and emotions, he or she would be invincible. “Are we attending the party?” “Of course we are. I still have to find the mastermind.” Jet refused to just step back. Someone ought to pay for halting his business ventures. “I understand. I’ll prepare a gift.” Aloysius nodded and turned around to leave the room. Jet remained in his seat, sipping on his glass of win
While Kaze was staying in the hotel, he kept having a feeling that he was being watched. It made him uncomfortable. His worry resulted in extra caution but he had never met anyone unfamiliar at the penthouse level. He did not want to have excessive contact with the hotel staff and tried his very best to stay away from Katie. He was not afraid of the woman but he simply did not want to get himself in trouble. The Northborn Hotel was the biggest hotel in Butterworth. It was the house of many, probably almost all, important banquets and events in its grand ballroom. Being able to host a banquet at the grand ballroom was considered a prestigious honor. Although the reservation process was tedious and the fee was exorbitant, many people still wanted to host their events or banquets at the hotel. The Northborn Hotel was also decorated lavishly, equipped with many convenient infrastructures. Other than banquets and events, companies would also rent the place for business meeti
As the CEO of the Northborn Group, Katie was extremely busy. Despite her busy schedule, she still had to take care of her daughter’s birthday party. Katie could have assigned the task to her assistant but worrying that a slight mistake might embarrass herself, she decided to take matters into her own hands. “Why is the girl so stubborn? I just slapped her in the face and she’s not answering my calls,” she said, her tone upset. She never knew her daughter could be so stubborn. She believed she did the right thing because she wanted Leah to be better, yet the girl did not appreciate her gesture and insisted on blaming her. “Leah is a smart girl, but this is too much. Regardless, she can be mad all she wants. As long as she’s still within our turf, things won’t spiral out of control.” Joey then came back with a cup of coffee and put it in front of her boss. She said softly, “If she’s a smart girl, she would know what to do and not just make you mad every time.” Katie sta
Kaze continued chewing on his watermelon while listening to Arthur’s update. “It’s interesting. Jet is like a God here. If he’s interested in any project, he gets involved and makes a fortune out of it. “Slowly, people gathered around him and started to trust him. This isn’t anything worth noting but he does resort to dirty tricks to snatch projects at times.” Arthur chuckled as he continued. The more arrogant Jet had been, the more pathetic he looked now. “He got what he deserved. I guess he’s simply unlucky.” Kaze found it amusing. It was also the outcome that he expected. He had been making moves with a clear objective in mind, not merely out of revenge against Jet. “He is. The project owners who were forced to sell their work to him at a lower price are now celebrating.” Arthur had seen a fair share of things recently and he understood why the Frosts became who they were now. He looked down at them. For a family to grow, it must take careful steps one by one,
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
Kaze observed as the jeep took off further off course, past the towering buildings to a run-down neighborhood. “This is where I usually reside. My home is not too far away, but I think you might have trouble adapting to this place.” Dwight did not forget to book Kaze a hotel. Kaze could not possibly stay with him. The hotel was around the area anyway. “Didn’t you say that you haven’t tried the local cuisine? I’ll take you out for a bite. “The barbecue ribs here are to die for. We’ve got the dry-rubbed and saucy kind.” Dwight parked the car and hopped out right away. Opposite the parking lot was not the cleanest food joint. Looking in from the outside, Kaze realized that the place was packed. Kaze understood that the restaurant must be known for some kind of dish. The customers were from all walks of life, so the food must be great. “There’s not much to see here, but the food is tasty. If you don’t mind, we can order something inside.” Kaze was not particularly con
Dwight was surprised and curious as to who Kaze really was. From what he gathered, Kaze was a confidante of the Butterworth Branch chief. The purpose of Kaze’s visit was to learn and share. Dwight worked on the fringes, so his access to information was limited. Nevertheless, he got the feeling that Kaze was just an ordinary guy just like him. The only difference was that Kaze was lucky to rub shoulders with important people. Dwight did not get chances like that. “Who are the most influential people in the Viper’s Den Westeros Branch?” Kaze asked in the car. Dwight was taken aback by the question. Still, he had an answer to that. “So you don’t know much about the situation?” Dwight suddenly felt important. “Well, I’m new to the city. I will be running into them soon, so I need to make sure I get my facts right,” Kaze said humbly. This was Dwight’s shot, and he needed to present his best. “Relax, Kaze. I’ll tell you everything I know.” Dwight would reveal some info
Kaze glanced at the flowers. There was a card for well-wishes too.Curious, Kaze reached out to read the card. It was written, “To my eternal lover and sweetheart.” Dwight grabbed Kaze’s bag. Since the sign in his hand was getting in the way, Dwight tossed the placard in the trash can. As Dwight turned his head back, he saw Kaze reading the card that came with the flowers. He tried to stop Kaze, but it was too late. Dwight had not attended to a guest of high importance before. The task was assigned to him at the last minute. In the past, Dwight was usually on the sidelines, never getting close to major matters. He would always get the small, insignificant jobs. Dwight often bought drinks for his superiors to build connections. However, he had always been kept out of the loop. Now that an opportunity had fallen onto his lap, Dwight was not about to let it slip. He wanted to show what he could do. When Dwight arrived at the airport for the pick-up, most people car
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