“Uncle Adam is in Lilyrose, and he wants to see Kaze?” Darcy frowned and looked at Kaze in shock. She never got good vibes from her mother’s side of the family. The Otters disapproved of Agnes’ marriage to Hector. Hence, both families were in low contact. Darcy had only met her mother’s side of the family a handful of times. Only when Darcy got together with Kaze, the Otters suddenly wanted to be in the Quints’ lives. Following Kaze’s accident and Agnes’ subsequent firing due to a medical mishap, Caster, the head of the household, forbade Agnes from ever returning home, believing she had brought shame to the family name. In other words, Agnes was disowned by her family. The incident haunted Agnes for life. Both families had cut ties since then. Only Agatha’s family kept in touch with the Quints secretly. Darcy recalled that her uncle, Adam Otter, was the head of a healthcare system, and that was all she knew. “Don’t look at me, babe. I don’t know what’s going on.”
“Darcy, your Uncle Adam is a proud man. You better choose some good words in front of him and make him look good,” Agatha said to Darcy and Kaze. She even revealed that even though she was the youngest, which supposedly was the beloved child, her status was nowhere near her brother. Their father loved the son more than the daughters. “Got it, Aunt Agatha. Mom, we are going out.” After assuring her mother and aunt, Darcy brought Kaze out. She and Kaze went to Sky Ocean Corporation to choose a gift for Adam. The office was filled with expensive presents, given to them by other companies who worked with them. Darcy accepted the less expensive but decent ones. In the end, Darcy picked a branded pen as a gift for her uncle. She and Kaze then headed to Noble Hotel. Adam came to Lilyrose for a business trip. Delivering the message from the Lees, demanding Kaze to release Cosmo was purely out of convenience. He was working as the vice chief of the Sunrise City’s Ministry
The people surrounding Adam recognized Darcy immediately as she caught their attention. “Isn’t that Darcy Quint of Sky Ocean Corporation? She’s here for the party as well?” “Ms. Quint, I have heard a lot about Sky Ocean Corporation lately. Even Professor Whiteman agreed to be your ambassador for Mountain Dew Estate…” Darcy’s status in the business world skyrocketed ever since she acquired both Quartet Group and Sky Ocean Corporation. Even the influential figures in the medical field dared not take her lightly, let alone the representatives from the hospitals and pharmaceutical companies. All of them wished to form a connection with Darcy, the rising star in the business field. “Thank you everyone…” Darcy smiled and nodded at everyone politely even though she did not know any of them. Bang! While the people were trying to flatter Darcy, there was a loud bang from the closing car door behind. Kaze, in a set of handsome suits, came down from the car. His presence sil
Adam’s condescending tone annoyed Darcy, but since Agatha and Agnes prepared her for this, she was ready for the worst. She said, “Uncle Adam, thank you for your advice.” Seeing how Adam talked to his junior in public, everyone revered him even more, which was what he wanted from them. He might be in his early 40s but in his field, he was considered young. The others were veterans in the field and no matter how much they tried to flatter him, they never truly respected him. Through acting like a senior to Darcy, Adam was able to erect a powerful image in their minds. Kaze then saw the glance Darcy shot him and he quickly went up to Adam. “Uncle Adam.” Adam’s smile disappeared instantly. He disregarded Kaze and then said to Darcy with a hint of annoyance, “Who let him in?” Kaze really wanted to walk away. Darcy knew his temper. She quickly tugged him and held him back. If Kaze walked, Adam would be infuriated. Even though she did not care either, she would have
Kaze’s nonchalance, however, became submission to them. “Ms. Quint, don’t sulk. Your husband isn’t all that useless either, at least he can take humiliation better than us.” “Yeah. If I were him, I would have freaked out.” “Ms. Quint, your husband is like a sponge to humiliation. He can absorb everything without showing any reaction. I admire that.” “Hahaha…” The group cackled. Darcy had a hint of anger on her face. Adam spotted it. He wanted to use Darcy to set him off and highlight his success at the party, so if she walked away due to the humiliation, he might lose the chance. “That’s enough. Kaze is still my niece’s husband. Don’t be too harsh on him. The party is starting, we shouldn’t be out here. “Darcy, you should bring Kaze inside as well. More VIPs are coming, and it’s a great chance to introduce him to them. It will do you more good than harm.” Adam spoke strictly, seemingly defending Kaze from the others. The others toned down their laughter but they s
“If she’s married, she can divorce. This Kaze Lee doesn’t look great at all. Since he married into her family, I bet he lived like a dog at her house. “I think calling him the goalkeeper is too much for him.” The young man grinned and said firmly, “From now on, Darcy Quint will be my woman!” The others were surprised by how confident the young man was. They wondered what fueled the man’s confidence. Then, they realized the man was just more than just bold words. He stepped forward and walked over to Darcy and Kaze, which further intrigued the others. They were hoping for something interesting to happen. Darcy was chatting with people who had her surrounded. Even though she had to handle a larger crowd compared to outside, she was able to chat with everyone politely and professionally. Kaze was happy for her. Making her the chairwoman of Quartet Group and Sky Ocean Corporation did not just boost her status, but it also gave her a chance to grow and improve. In ti
The man’s words silenced the entire hall. Darcy was beautiful, seductive, and extremely rich and powerful for owning two companies. She was the perfect woman for any man. Everyone believed Kaze was not worthy of Darcy, but such thoughts remained as thoughts, yet the young man made his thoughts verbal. In fact, the young man voiced his thoughts in front of a crowd and challenged Kaze in front of Darcy. Everyone looked at Kaze with interest and disdain. They wondered how the infamous trash of Lilyrose would react. Kaze was surprisingly calm. “Who are you?” he asked after shooting a glance at the man. His frivolous manner surprised the young man. The young man thought Kaze would be infuriated by his provocation. The angrier Kaze got, the more incompetent it would make him look. The man would then have a chance to stomp over him, metaphorically. Despite the strange reaction, the man believed Kaze was just acting. Darcy came over to have a look after ending her con
Those who spoke were the younger ones, who also had ulterior motives toward Darcy’s beauty and status. However, they hid their thoughts well and it sounded like they were concerned about her. Before they even knew it, they already formed a tacit union to target Kaze, trying to remove the obstacle from their goal. As for who had the chance to go for the shoot, it would depend on their respective capabilities. “Ms. Quint, you heard them. That’s what everyone thought. I am just making it verbal.” Tao believed he would be the one who got Darcy. His confidence remained sky-high. Before they even came into the banquet hall, Darcy was already annoyed and irritated. Now that Kaze was being insulted, it put a gloomy look on her face. “You people are so free that you have the time to poke your nose into someone else’s business,” Darcy said coldly. “My marriage is a private affair, my own business. It has nothing to do with you people, and I don't care about my public image or m
“Kaze can pull the punches for sure. I mean, he has the Butterworth branch chief’s trust for a reason. “There has to be something for him to win the branch chief’s approval.” Edmund doubted there was depth to Kaze. After all, Edmund decided whether to take on a person based on their abilities. It made no sense to pay attention to losers, as he would hold them in contempt. Edmund had been impressed with Herman, who excelled in strategies and management. That was why Edmund bumped Herman up and made sure he stayed on top. “Got it.” Herman nodded and had one foot out the door. “Don’t be in a hurry to leave. There’s one more thing.” Edmund pointed at the table. Herman approached and stood on bent knees. Pleased with Herman’s submission, Edmund passed him a wine glass. Herman took the drink humbly before looking carefully at Edmund, awaiting his orders. “The wine was just airlifted from abroad. I can vouch for the taste. If you’re looking to sip on the finest, yo
Time went by, and a towering man in a suit showed up outside the door. Picking up on the noise inside the room, he knocked on the door. It was hard to tell whether the person inside could hear the knocking, so the man waited outside. The door was opened, and a woman, her face flawless with makeup, popped her head out and saw him. She cocked her head back at Edmund. “You have a guest, Mr. Witterson.” “Let him in,” Edmund instructed. He then leaned in to take the drink from the girl next to him with his mouth. The other girls cheered him on. The group was lost in their fun. The man, who entered the room, stood by the sofa respectfully. He kept his head down, his gaze staying low at the bottles of alcohol spread across the table. It was a bit of a wait before the man approached at Edmund’s order. “Tell me about Dwight.”While listening to the girls’ singing, Edmund turned to Herman. Herman rushed over as soon as Edmund called. He won a lot of money at poker toda
In this particular circumstance, Morris had to play it safe so that things would not get out of hand. The last thing he wanted was to be dragged into the mess. At least, he finally saw the Wittersons’ true colors. Morris’ friendly advice was met with disrespect and insult. However, the Wittersons were a force of nature, and Morris was not about to take them head-on. Despite his frustration, Morris had to walk away. Well, Edmund would soon face his downfall at the height of his power, and Morris would be there to enjoy the ride. Still, it did not sit well with Morris to have a young fella walk all over him. It had crossed his mind to keep the Wittersons in check, but there was only so much he could do. Morris had to be the one to back away as the Wittersons grew haughty. Morris believed there was more to Kaze’s visit to Westeros. Nothing major happened in Westeros recently. At least, there was nothing worth the other branch’s attention. However, a representative of the
Morris suggested entertaining Kaze well. Things would not be good for the branch if Kaze got dirt on them. That was where Edmund disagreed with Morris. His idea was to send someone to sound Kaze out. Edmund was smug because Morris’ decision was wrong. “You shouldn’t do that. Kaze is here on behalf of the Butterworth branch. You don’t want tension between both branches.” Morris looked at things from a wider perspective. Edmund believed Kaze was just a doormat of little importance. “You just overthink things, and it’s not good for your age. You’re getting senile.” Edmund did not take Morris’ advice seriously. He believed he was right. “You’re not getting it. Kaze is from Butterworth. Even if he doesn’t hold a high position there, we were in the wrong. We did not keep our tracks clean either. “Now that he’s back, I’m worried that he’ll cause us harm.” Morris was only giving a heads-up because the whole branch was at stake. Edmund was young. Due to his lack of judgmen
“We should be generous to our guest from Butterworth. You can arrange as you see fit. Please don’t house him in a messy home. Hire cleaners to tidy up the place. “You can report back to me if you need more money, but it’s not a reason for you to misuse the funds.” Herman wanted to hang up. The money was now in Dwight’s bank account, so he was washing his hands off the matter. The plan was to keep Kaze happy. He was just an insignificant member of the Butterworth branch anyway. The whole thing would blow over soon enough, so long as Kaze kept to himself without taking things too far. Herman would figure out a way to get him out quickly anyway. Maybe Herman and his friends did not have to do anything to get rid of Kaze. “Got it. I’ll be a good host, Herman. I won’t let you down. I’ll keep you in the loop.” Dwight was over the moon to get the notification about the money transfer. “Just play by ear and arrange what you see best.” Herman hung up and continued playing pok
“It’s becoming a hassle now. Are you going to inform the Viper’s Den about the change of accommodation?” After much hesitation, Kaze nodded to take up the offer. Dwight was thrilled. It only hit Dwight that he had to communicate with the Viper’s Den. Kaze was booked for a hotel stay, and Dwight’s job was to take him to the destination. Yet now, Dwight took him to his home. “I’ll tell my superior and see what he has to say.” Dwight was not sure whether the change was appropriate. Nevertheless, he did not want to pass up on a great opportunity. He simply grabbed the bull by the horn. If Kaze stayed at his place, the Viper’s Den members had to respect Kaze’s request even if they had a problem with it. “But when they ask, you can say that you’re getting along well with me. Living together just makes work more convenient.” Feeling unsettled, Dwight tried to get their stories straight with Kaze. Hopefully, the Viper’s Den would not come after them. “Aren’t we friends? I k
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