Jonathan, a glass of wine in hand, approached Katie with his son. “Young Kody is a fine man himself,” Katie said courteously. “Oh, he’s the bane of my life. I think daughters are the best,” Jonathan said gleefully, his eyes running down Leah. Leah was stunning when she was put together. Her poise reflected her upbringing in a well-bred family. She would make a perfect daughter-in-law for Jonathan. Jonathan had always wanted to be a family with Katie, but the latter was against it. “The kids are still young. They will understand our pain when they grow up. My girl still has her moments too.” Katie got the hint. However, she refused to engage with Jonathan. “They are around the same age. My son just got back from abroad. He could use some showing around. If Leah isn’t too busy, she can take my son around the city.” Jonathan took his chances. “That’s up to Leah. I won’t stop her if she’s available.” Katie was not saying no or yes. “The young people have their own t
Kody had been kicking back, hanging out with friends since his return. Even though he did not get a job, he was up-to-date with the latest gossip.Jonathan glanced at Katie, who enjoyed the attention, in confusion. It was the last thing he expected. He was friendly with Katie, assuming that she wanted to marry her daughter off to one of them. It appeared now that Katie did not hold them in high regard. “What’s the point of you? If you were a great catch, you would be picked for her daughter. Don’t you know that Katie is connected to the Viper’s Den?” Jonathan whined. However, he understood that it was not that easy to get close to Katie. “What does this have to do with me? Leah’s not for me anyway. I’m taking myself elsewhere.” Kody walked away. He was not interested in marrying Leah anyway. He would not be at the party if his father had not dragged him along. Nevertheless, his friends were there. Most of them would love to approach Leah. Leah was the birthday girl,
Jet could feel the attention when he showed up. He would not shy away from the gazes, though. This was what he wanted. However, Jet did not fancy Leah. All he cared about was Katie’s connections. They had not been in touch since their last encounter. Jet had been waiting to hear from Katie. To Jet’s surprise, he heard nothing back. Instead of pushing Katie, Jet sat tight. Jet attended the party to ask about the progress and to make others think that he was pursuing Leah. One of the goals was to reach out to the veterans in the industry to see if they knew who Jet had offended. Surely, there was a motive behind the recent attacks. “What is Jet doing here? He looks good, all dressed up.” The ladies huddled together, drooling over Jet. Jet was the ideal man. He was tall, handsome, and well-connected. Most importantly, he would soon become the leader of the Frosts. The woman who married Jet would soar in social standing. For that reason, many heiresses and social
Yet, Jet’s grand entrance at the birthday bash showed where he truly stood. “Jet must be interested in you. He makes a huge gesture of it.” Katie believed Jet was the next-best thing for Leah since there were no other options. She would not be assertive, though. She would approve of the marriage if Jet could win Leah’s heart. It was not as if Jet was not good enough for Leah. Leah believed she could do better, and Jet simply did not give her butterflies. Jet was tall and handsome. He looked like a prince, holding a bouquet of flowers. Leah should be swept off her feet. However, another person came to mind as Jet approached. If only Kaze were there. Leah would be happy to see him again. Her eyes were on Jet, but she wished Kaze would show up and give his blessings to her. Jet drew close to Leah and presented the flowers as the crowd looked on. “Happy birthday, Leah!” “Thank you.” Leah took the bouquet and smiled thankfully at Jet. “You’re too kind. You don’t ha
“Jet and Katie look close. I hear wedding bells.” “Katie threw this party to pick a guy for Leah. I didn’t think it’d happen so quickly.” “I know, right? This is quick, but I guess that means we don’t stand a chance,” the crowd gossiped in amazement. Jet appeared interested in taking Leah’s hand in marriage. Everybody at the party had their own agendas. Finding their goals unattainable, they were disappointed. Still, most of them loved the drama. The event hall bustled with excitement as the guests discussed the unfolding incident. Leah was the star of the show. She engaged with some guests amid the compliments. Jet was thoughtful to stay by Leah’s side. He would hand her a drink and even answer questions for her. Approving the relationship, Katie allowed Jet to take care of her daughter. The lights flickered, and the beautiful music captured everybody’s attention. It was time to head to the dance floor. Katie was happy to leave Leah in Jet’s care. Jet, eager
The guests attended the party, not to be dragged into trouble. Most of them were ready to leave. Katie was pleased with Leah and Jet getting to know each other. However, the smile on her face vanished the moment Perry showed up. She was pleased with the Duncans’ wealth and power before. Otherwise, she would not have allowed her daughter to be with Perry. Now that Leah had broken up with Perry, there was no way they would get back together. Perry took things far by showing up at the party. Katie glanced at Joey. Joey did not expect trouble at the party. Though there were security guards stationed outside, they were tasked to maintain order, not prevent any disruptions. Without further delay, Joey radioed security to throw Perry out. “Who are you? Quit messing around.” The captain and his security team rushed to the scene. It was a dilemma. No one expected a disruption at a birthday party. It was not a wedding. The security team did not understand what the commo
Joey did not want things to turn from bad to worse. However, the party was ruined. She could not let anybody get hurt. “Don’t just stand there. Kick them out,” Katie instructed the newly arrived security team. Her mood was foul because the party came to an abrupt end. “Perry, don’t forget who you are. You don’t want to mess with us.” Katie did not think Leah would be so appealing to attract trouble. “I’m just here to deliver a gift. Is that not allowed?” Leah could not call it quits on them, not on Perry’s watch. Perry had not cleared the air with Leah. He could not let her go. The psychotic look on Perry’s face scared Leah. Sticking with Jet, Leah nervously stared at Perry. She feared that he might do something stupid. “We have split up. Why are you harassing me?” Leah refused to engage with Perry. She doubted Perry would do anything in public. “I have never agreed to a breakup, but you’re quick to find another man.” Perry looked at the pair with jealousy.
Katie watched the event unfold in horror, unable to do anything to stop it. “Don’t do anything rash. We can always talk things out. Don’t forget who you are. The Duncans will pay for what you do.” Katie gave Perry a stern warning. Not giving him a chance to interact with her daughter, Katie pulled Leah toward her. “What? Are my family wealth and connections not good enough?” Perry taunted Katie. He had always known what she was like. “Don’t do anything crazy. Let’s talk this out. This is not a very gentlemanly way to do things.” Jet did not want to be involved in the shitstorm. However, he had no way to leave. He was caught up in his own act. Jet did not think much of Leah. However, he was after the power of the Viper’s Den behind Katie. That was the reason why he was putting on a show in the first place. Perry was out to get Jet, assuming him to be a love rival. For a moment, Jet was at a loss. However, he was surrounded by weak women. He had to be the one to sto
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