“Alright. Thank you.” Darcy gave a nod. Kiev soon drove his car over. It was a Maybach with a Sunrise City license plate. He got out of the car and opened the door to the front passenger seat for Darcy. Darcy hesitated for a moment. Since it was rude to sit in the back seat, she accepted the gesture and took a seat. The Maybach drove away. Behind the willow tree by the lake, Kaze watched the Maybach kick the dust behind it while clenching his fists. He was filled with a mix of emotions. Kaze had witnessed the sweet moment Darcy and Kiev shared in front of his home entrance. “Mr. Lee, Kiev’s father is the vice commander of the South River Strategic Department. When you were taken away to the holding cell, he asked his father to stop Lefteria Group’s retaliation against Ms. Quint’s family.” Don cautiously reported to Kaze his knowledge of the situation. “I don’t need him to butt in on my family affairs,” Kaze said curtly. Kiev’s feelings were apparent at the Lily
“Renew your vows? As if that’s going to happen. “Haven’t you given us enough problems, Kaze? “Remind me how many times we have been in trouble since you married into our family? “You’re a train wreck and a curse. The nerve of you to say you’d renew your vows with Darcy. Get lost now!” Agnes glared at Kaze in disdain. If Don was not there, Agnes would have gotten in Kaze’s face and hit him. “Come on, Don.” Without another word, Kaze took off. He planned to stay at the residence next door which Draco bought. Unless Darcy said the word, he would never give up on her. “Leave now and never step foot on Horizon Mirror Mansion again.” Not done with Kaze, Agnes shouted at his back. “Cut it out, Agnes. Kaze has done everything for you before this happened. When you and Sky were forced to kneel yesterday, he was the one who came to your rescue. “The child was fooled and led astray,” feeling bad, Hector said. Agnes felt awkward as yesterday’s incident came to mind. She
Darcy looked her best friend in the eye nervously. She knew that Miru must hate Kaze after losing her godfather. Her words might anger her. Darcy did not want to lose her best friend. Nevertheless, she needed to seek the truth and find out whether Kaze was framed. To her surprise, Miru displayed no anger. She stared into Darcy’s eyes and asked, “What if we find evidence that Kaze killed my godfather?” Darcy clenched her teeth. “Then I have nothing to say. He deserves it.” “Alright. Let’s check it out.” Darcy was not expecting Miru to be on board and rather quickly too. “After clearing my head, I realized something wasn’t right about my godfather’s death,” Miru explained indifferently. She put on her sunglasses and drove away. The car soon hit the highway. Darcy asked in confusion, “Where are you taking me, Miru?” She had the utmost trust in Miru, so she doubted Miru had sinister motives to take her out of Lilyrose. “How are we going to work the case with just
“100 million dollars is too much.” Miru frowned. Even Darcy was shocked. 100 million dollars for a piece of intelligence was daylight robbery. Shane shook his head and said with a smile, “I’m not asking for a lot. Mr. Cummingham is the underworld kingpin whose influence extended to the South River state. His passing is more than meets the eye. I’m putting my people at risk to investigate his death.” Miru was without a word. The key players of Lefteria Group stripped her of power, so she had no access to funds. “If you find the price expensive, you’re welcome to leave, Ms. Scarlet. I won’t charge you for the drinks. We are all friends. There’s no telling if we will have business deals in the future.” While talking, Shane showed them the door. The man may seem friendly and approachable, but he was a seasoned professional who knew what he was doing. “100 million dollars, it is, Mr. Blanc,” Darcy got up and said. She believed 100 million dollars was worth confirming w
Leo soon arrived in Melrose. He met Shane who had been waiting at the logistics park. “Business has been booming here in the past two days. I have met two successors of Lefteria Gang now.” Shane said with a smile, “I’m sure you’re here to see me about investigating a mole.” “Do you know who the mole of Lefteria Gang is?” Leo asked emotionlessly. “Yes, but you should follow my rules in business. My services don’t come free.” Shane carried a drink over. Leo held the drink in his hand without taking a sip. He asked, “How much did Miru spend?” “Her companion, Ms. Quint, spent 100 million dollars. She has paid half up front.” Shane revealed without holding back. Leo scoffed. “These women are sure willing to pay a lot.” He glanced at Shane. Shane was a classic businessman. If it were a regular transaction, Shane would not disclose as much as he did. For Shane to divulge the amount Miru spent, Shane must have discovered that Leo was the mole at Lefteria Group. Leo
“Let’s head back to Lilyrose now, Miru,” with her eyes welled up, Darcy said eagerly. Since Leo was the mole, it was clear that Kaze was framed. Darcy beat herself up. Nobody, including her of all people, believed Kaze at the Lily Garden Hotel. Driven by rage, she even slapped Kaze. Darcy wished she could teleport to Lilyrose and bail Kaze out now. She was desperate to apologize to Kaze. “Come on.” Miru nodded and walked off with Darcy. “Hang on, Ms. Quint. I have not received the final payment.” Shane’s friendly voice came from behind. If it were not for the remaining 50 million dollars, Shane would not be so patient to waste his breath with these two women. Despite her distraught, Darcy stopped and called Riley to wire the money. The remaining 50 million dollars was converted into Bitcoins before reaching Shane’s account. Darcy said, “You got the money, Mr. Blanc. We should leave now.” “You mean business, Ms. Quint.” Shane gave the thumbs up and said gl
Miru felt better because Darcy did not blame her. She started to figure out ways to address the issues. “Leo bought Shane off to make it seem like I’m the mole. He probably wants me to take the fall, so Jeremiah would come after me instead.” Miru analyzed the situation she was in. “You can clear the air with Jeremiah when he goes after you. At least, you can show him the evidence.” Darcy had no idea who Jeremiah was. Nevertheless, she could tell from Miru’s words that the person took a neutral stance. Miru shook her head. “Jeremiah’s loyalty lies with my godfather. I have never met him before. I don’t even know if I can trust him because he has been through thick and thin with my godfather and Leo’s late father. “Besides, my sources in Lilyrose told me that Jeremiah didn’t kill Kaze for some reason. “Jeremiah went to Azure Estate. Cronus would have died had he not fled in time. “I doubt Jeremiah will give me a chance to talk if he determines that I am the mole.” D
“Darcy, where are you? I went to Clover Center to pick you up earlier but you weren’t there.” Kiev was in Horizon Mirror with Agnes and the others when he received the call from Darcy. “I’m in Melrose…” Darcy briefly talked about what happened. Kiev frowned. He knew Darcy went to Melrose overnight because of Kaze. She had already announced her divorce with Kaze, yet she was still thinking about him. Kiev was overwhelmed by jealousy. Darcy was still obsessed with Kaze and even asked him for help. He understood that Darcy had lingering feelings for Kaze but what about in the future? What would happen after he helped Darcy this time or another time? Kiev told himself the feelings would die off soon, so he took a deep breath and said, “Darcy, just hold on. I’m coming to Melrose now. My family has some connections there. I assure you Shane Blanc won’t give you a hard time!” “Thank you, Kiev. I’ll make it up to you when this is over.” Darcy was delighted and embarrass
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