Jet put on a baseball cap and some casual clothes before he went downstairs. Aloysius was already waiting for him in the living hall with a cup of fresh coffee. “Mr. Frost, I’ve talked to Madam Loren. We will meet her in an hour.” Jet took the cup of coffee and sipped on it as he nodded. “Let’s go.” He had no other options left and had to face what he had been refusing, one way or another. Despite not wanting any involvement with the Viper’s Den, he did not have a choice as all bridges were burned off. At least with the loan, he still had the confidence to turn things around. Once he did, everything else would fall into place. “But are you sure about this?” Aloysius asked out of concern. “Do we have other options?” Jet opened the door and got into the car with an expressionless face. He had to make changes. He wanted to make those who looked down on him regret it. He wanted to take revenge on those who had taken advantage of him. There was strong determination i
“Katie got smarter for once and figured that we were after the Frosts. If we are not after the Frosts, why would we even come up with such a harsh condition?” Kaze had revealed hints and clues over the course of his actions and the smart ones would have figured it out. Yet Katie only found it out now, which was a little too late. She might not be the brightest one. “But now that she figured it out, I wonder if she would reveal it to Jet,” Arthur said with concern. Katie was fond of Jet after all as she wanted him to be her son-in-law. “If she’s smart, she won’t say a thing; but even if she did, it won’t affect our plan.” Kaze was not too worried about it. Jet was left with no option. He needed the money to save his own skin. If he did not get the money, all his projects would collapse and his business partners would demand him to return their investments at once. Once that happened, he would lose everything. Even the Frosts might go bankrupt. With such stakes on the l
Soon, Joey came back with the contract. There were two copies, both signed and stamped. Jet would soon get a huge sum of money. It would be enough for him to overcome the problems at hand. After signing the contract, he looked at Katie with gratitude. “Thank you, Madam Loren. Unfortunately, I still have a lot of things to handle. When I am done, I’ll make sure to thank you again for your help.” Jet was eager to return and manage the projects as soon as possible—cutting his losses where necessary and reinforcing the areas that needed a stronger push. “No need to rush things. Since we’ve agreed on the loan, I hope that you will use it efficiently. Overcome the obstacles and you can see growth in both your business and character.” Katie was still willing to give her blessing, but she looked at Jet with a pitiful gaze as if he would meet a bitter end. Jet was thrilled and completely ignored Katie’s strange gaze. Had he noticed the unusual gaze, he would be doubtful; even
“I have to be careful with the choice I make now.” Jet was hoping to make a comeback with the projects so he could not afford to be careless. The money he got was enough for him to fund a few more projects but he was afraid of unexpected incidents, thus his careful approach. As he went through the pile of documents, he found a few promising projects. One of them was game-related, which they had invested in for a while now. The project was reaching its end and the game had started beta testing. The feedback from the first round of the beta test was positive and people liked it. Even Jet had the urge to pay for the game. If a game were so captivating that users would pay for a better experience, then it would surely make money. As an investor, he knew how profitable and how high the ROI would be; he needed the chance. However, he knew it was not that easy to launch a game. The game needed more polishing and daily maintenance. He was not particularly familiar with it
“Take a look at these. Which one do you think we should continue? We have the money now and we have to make a good investment this time. Everything will be solved once we make a profit.” Jet needed a chance to prove himself. Aloysius came over and sat down opposite his boss. He looked through the three projects carefully. The first project that he discarded was the golf course. The project no longer needed investment. They just needed to deal with the activists and things should be able to progress. However, the activists might turn on them and use their evidence against them, making them the public enemy. It would deliver a devastating blow to their reputation. Therefore, it was unwise to approach the activists. The only way to deal with them was to wait until they forgot about the matter, and then Jet could resume the project. “The game is quite promising but the graphics can be enhanced and tests must be carried out. The devs are working hard on it but it will take a
“Do you guys still know your way around construction and architecture?” Since Jet had chosen them, he ought to make sure they were qualified and maybe ask their opinion about the project. “Boss, are you suggesting that we change jobs?” Zane asked as his tone trembled in anxiety. He might just be a secretary but working for Jet yielded a handsome salary. The two of them were happy with where they were and did not want to change so fast. “There’s an idea. Have a look at this project and tell me what you think.” Jet pushed the documents on the table toward them. Lorry picked it up and went through it. The project was about developing a small island into a survival-themed adventure. It was quite surprising, but it aligned with the excitement and thrills that young people sought nowadays. “Boss, is this the new project the company is looking at?” “I want to hear your thoughts on this. If I put you two in charge of this project, how would you plan it?” Jet asked the m
The demolition project was also met with new problems. The elderly who stayed in the area refused to speak, and no matter how much they were offered, they refused to move. The project was stuck once again. The initial investment was too great for Jet to completely abandon it. On top of that, since the Frost family was facing difficulties, no one was willing to take over the project no matter how much they lowered the price. Jet eagerly needed a successful project to prove himself, yet all the projects were halted once more. He started to doubt himself as he entered an eternal loop of dilemma. Due to the other lingering problems, the island project became crucial and must succeed no matter what. The confidentiality of the project prevented unexpected changes, allowing them to be at ease for now. “This project must work. It must be kept a secret until it is ready.” Jet had matured significantly over the course of the ordeal, but with time slipping away and no quick retu
“Divulge everything here and we will arrange for you to leave on the earliest flight.” Kaze agreed to send Zane abroad to start a new life. “Thank you, Mr. Lee.” Zane had invested a lot of effort in the project and he too had a heavy heart leaving it behind but he knew staying would put his life in danger, so he had to leave. “I hope you can carry out the final task perfectly.” Kaze then hopped into the boat and left. Zane saw Kaze off with an anxious gaze. However, when he saw the money in his account, he quickly got over his guilt. No matter how hard he worked, he could never make so much money in his entire life. Zane simply took a shortcut to reach his goal. He initially thought he would feel sorry and blame himself for having no dignity but the numbers in his bank account wiped the thoughts away. Meanwhile, Lorry was still working hard on the project and was unaware that his colleague had betrayed the company. He continued to patrol the island in the cart eve
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