The two cars stopped in front of the logistics park. Hector, Agnes, Agatha and her family, plus Kiev, alighted the cars. Only Sky did not follow because he was still mad at his sister for divorcing Kaze. The two families were surprised to see Kaze at the entrance as well. They did not expect to see him here, let alone be earlier than them. “Kaze? What are you doing here? Did you break out of prison?!” Agnes said coldly with an obvious sense of disgust. She had no respect for him. “Mother, my name is cleared. I did not murder Alan Cumminghamn. I heard Darcy was apprehended by the owner here, so I came to bring her out…” Kaze explained. “Don’t call me your mother! I am no longer your mother-in-law!” Agnes shouted at him and warned him with a ferocious glare. “Kaze, how dare you come here for Darcy? She’s in this trouble because of you. If not because of you, why would she come all the way to Melrose?” “You are a menace!” Kaze chose silence as a reply to Agnes’ scold
“Kiev, since the Strategic Department has already sent men over to negotiate, I believe Shane Blanc has agreed to release Darcy, right?” Agnes ignored Kaze completely as she was only concerned about her daughter’s well-being. Kiev said confidently, “Of course. The Strategic Department has intervened, and Shane would surely release Darcy now. “Let’s just go get her. I believe she’s afraid and she definitely wants to see you the most.” Agnes smiled. “Then let’s go inside and bring her back. Kiev, thank you so much for this. Tell the guard to open the gate for us,” she said with utmost gratitude. “Of course.” Kiev went over to the guard. The guard judged a book by its cover. He saw Kiev coming out of a Maybach and he knew that the young man must have a decent background, so he was more polite than before. A moment later, Kiev came back. “Aunt Agnes, we can go inside to bring Darcy out. He’s going to let us in.” “Great!” Agnes nodded happily. Everyone then went in
Shane was indeed the most well-connected informant in South River State. He knew Kiev’s name by just looking at him. Kiev was slightly surprised. He nodded and said, “I am. Darcy Quint is my friend, so you should release…” Before he could finish, Shane interrupted him again. “I will let you off the hook this time, for the sake of your father. Now take your little friends and piss off.” Shane pointed at Agnes and the others. Kiev was infuriated. “Shane Blanc, how dare…” “FUCK OFF! Hear me!?” Shane’s men went up and surrounded Kiev. One of them put his massive hand on Kiev’s shoulder. The pressure he felt on his shoulder hurt him, making him sweat profusely. A while later, under Shane’s men's angry glare, Kiev, Agnes, and the others were escorted back to the park entrance. Similar to the two majors from Melrose Strategic Department, they were thrown out of the gates. Kaze noticed Kiev could not even lift his hand and he knew Shane must have taught the young man a le
“Aunt Agnes, I’ll think of another way. There must be a solution to this…” Kiev’s words no longer felt as powerful as before. Shane did not even take the vice-commander of South River Strategic Department seriously, let alone his son. Must Kiev find someone more powerful than his father to solve this problem? Agnes was drowning in her despair but she still consoled Kiev. “Kiev, don’t blame yourself. You’ve tried your best. You’ve helped us plenty. We are grateful for your help. It’s all because of Kaze! If not for him, Darcy wouldn’t be held inside. “Kaze, if anything happens to Darcy, I will haunt you for life even after I die!” Agnes was agitated and riled up. She wished she could strangle Kaze with her own hands. Kaze said, “Nothing will happen to Darcy. I said I will bring her out and I will bring her out.” “You? Not even Kiev can settle this. What makes you think you can?” Agatha and her family looked down on Kaze. “You are nothing but blindly confident.” E
Everyone held their breath. They felt like their worlds collapsed on them. How could Kaze call in a battalion of soldiers? How? They suspected that it might be a dream or an illusion. They rubbed their eyes and pinched their cheeks, but the pain told them that what was happening before their very eyes was real. It was all real! “So it was not him who was incapable, it was us…” Rose wished she could bury herself in a hole. She was the clown, not Kaze. “Oh. My. God. W-Who is Kaze exactly?!” Agatha almost passed out from the shock. She could not even maintain the same pitch. Knowing that she insulted Kaze earlier, her face turned red. “I have no idea…” Agnes’ mind went blank. Kiev looked at Kaze in fear. How could he go after Darcy if Kaze was this powerful? What gave him the confidence to snatch Darcy away from him? He was courting death, not Darcy! Kaze did not care about the reactions. He said to the guard at the entrance, “Tell Shane Blanc to come out r
Kaze nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. “I heard you got a hundred million from Darcy. Explain that,” he asked. Shane gulped nervously and said, “Ms. Quint wanted me to find out the traitor of Lefteria Group.” “And did you?” “I did. It’s a guy named Leo Lionel.” Kaze looked at him. “Based on what I know, Leo came to you and then went back to Lilyrose. Yet the ladies are held captive. How do you do business?” Shane got so frightened that he wanted to kneel, but Kaze stopped him with a fierce glare. He shuddered and managed to keep himself standing. “Sir! I was tricked! Leo gave me one billion and I fell for it! But I never thought of hurting Ms. Quint and Ms. Scarlet! It was him! It was Leo! He wants me…” Shane exposed Leo and his schemes without a second thought. Kaze’s eyes gleamed coldly after he learned the truth. Leo went back to Lilyrose alone because he wanted to use Shane to get rid of the ladies. He wanted to kill them with a borrowed knife! He orde
Not only Darcy and Miru, even Agnes and the others glued their eyes to Kaze. “Yeah, I called them in,” Kaze admitted in front of everyone. “Uh…” Even though the armored trucks and tanks were shocking enough, they were still astonished when Kaze admitted it in front of them. How did Kaze do something even Kiev could not? Kaze suddenly became a mystery that no one knew. His real identity intrigued everyone. Could he be the secret child of some powerful officers? He had someone even more powerful than Kiev’s father?” “Sir, the chief commander of South River Strategic Department attended the practice of Armored One Battalion and he heard that you were near. He wants to meet you.” Reeve, who had been quiet since the beginning, went up to Kaze and whispered in his ears. The chief commander that he was referring to was Albert Hiden. A few days ago, Kaze had agreed to attend his inauguration ceremony that was around the corner. It was just a matter of time before they m
Amidst the discussion, Albert’s jeep stopped in front of everyone. A valiant young man in uniform with stars on his shoulders came out of the vehicle. The guard wanted to help him put on the general’s coat but Albert stopped him. He had no right to flaunt his ranks before Kaze. Albert spotted Kaze right away. His eyes were overflowing with excitement as he strode over. From the bottom of his heart, he respected the man who had completely changed his life. He stood in front of Kaze and wanted to lift his shaking hand for a salutation. “Albert Hiden! Why the hell are you here?!” Miru, who had been quiet for a while, suddenly spoke in a rude and frosty tone. The condescension in her tone was obvious. She shocked everyone when she spoke. Not only did she call Albert’s full name, but she even disrespected him, the chief commander of South River Strategic Department! If the man was angered by her rudeness, the consequences would be severe. To everyone’s surprise, Al
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