Compared to Lou, Kaze sounded a lot calmer. Since Kaze was showing his back, Lou was not able to see his face at first glance. “You? Who the hell are you?” Lou’s fierce gaze landed on Kaze and he bellowed, “Turn around. Show yourself! I want to have a look at the person who slapped my son!” “Father is indeed fierce for being one of the deputy mayors. I bet Kaze Lee is horrified right now!” Noah was impressed by his father’s fierce and loud voice. Kaze casually and calmly turned around to Lou and said, “I am the chairman of Shangrila Group. What is the matter here, Deputy Mayor Moor?” “Y-You…” The moment he got a clear look at Kaze, Lou’s mind went black as if he was struck by lightning. How could it be Kaze?! Kaze was also the chairman of Shangrila Group? He just had lunch with the young man in the afternoon and even proposed a toast. How could he forget his face? Lou’s mind went blank. He could not wrap his head around the situation. He only recovered his com
Thump! Noah knelt before Kaze, tearing and snorting. “M-Mr. Lee, I am so sorry! Please forgive me…” As he cried and apologized, he had a peek at Kaze’s expression. Noah’s colleagues were also looking at Kaze carefully. At this point, even if they were idiots, they would have figured out that Kaze was more than just the chairman of Shangrila Group. Otherwise, given Lou’s status as deputy mayor of the city, he would never hit his son just because of a few words from Kaze. He even bowed and lowered his tone the moment he saw Kaze. Who exactly was Kaze Lee? “That’s not what I want to hear.” Kaze stood in front of Noah and peered down at him. “Where is Zenny Soup?” Noah was surprised. He quickly shook his head and said, “Mr. Lee, I don’t know. I haven’t seen that bastard for a long time. When his father, Benedict Soup, was taken down, he had gone into hiding. “I only know that he is still in Lilyrose!” Kaze had already forgotten about Benedict if not for Noah mention
“M-Mayor?!” Other than Lou, Noah, and his colleagues, the directors that Caleb brought over were stunned. The young man before their eyes was the new mayor of Lilyrose?! Winnie was stunned as well. Since when did Kaze become the mayor? It was unbelievable but based on Lou’s and Caleb’s reaction, no one dared to doubt Kaze’s identity. “Mayor Lee!” The directors behind Caleb bowed immediately. Despite the shock that stunned them, they had to perform well before the new mayor. Thump! Noah’s colleagues who mocked Kaze earlier fell on their knees immediately. “Mayor! We’re sorry!” Knowing what they had just done to the new mayor, the two of them slapped themselves repeatedly to show their apology. Noah also did the same out of fear. “Mayor, we really have no idea that you are the new mayor!” “Enough!” Kaze bellowed. He disliked seeing men crying like babies. He said coldly, “You people are government officers, look at yourselves!” He then looked at the depa
Slap! Kaze grabbed Zenny and slapped him in the face. Zenny cried in pain. He tried to run but was unable to break free. Pow! Kaze punched him a few times, making him bleed. After one final blow that made the loudest thump, Kaze tossed Zenny on the floor like a pile of meat. Zenny tried to crawl away from Kaze. “Deputy Mayor Leed, Deputy Mayor Moor, directors, I’m Zenny Soup! Benedict Soup’s son! This retard hit me! Help me! Arrest him and put him behind bars!” He crawled toward Lou, Caleb, and the others, requesting help. However, everyone looked at him coldly, saying nothing. Zenny did not understand why they would not help. He then cried at Winnie, “Winnie, I was wrong! I was blinded! I am sorry! Tell him to stop! He’s going to kill me! Winnie, we used to be married, please! Help me!” Winnie looked as cold as ice and was unfazed by Zenny’s plea. She lost all hope for Zenny. She gave him a lot of chances to make it right but he wasted them all and got worse.
Darcy stopped when she heard Tao. Tao’s Segore Pharmaceutical had been in operation for two years and underwent rapid expansion. Surely he was not alone. If Tao could share a dinner table with Adam and the deputy mayor, he must have more resources other than Adam’s support. “What are the terms?” Darcy asked coldly. Tao smiled. He did not mind Darcy’s tone. He believed after tonight, Darcy would be deeply disappointed in Kaze. Therefore, even though he had thoughts for Darcy, he was in no hurry. “Then let’s talk business.” He explained, “I heard you were classmates with the late James White of Shangrila Group. Now that Shangrila is back, they are releasing a new medicine to expand their market influence. “Segore Pharmaceutical is looking to get the distribution rights beyond Lilyrose City. Therefore, I would like Ms. Quint to help arrange a meeting with the current chairman of Shangrila. “If you can help me with this matter, I will do more than just say something nic
“What are you talking about? Are you cursing me??” Tao’s expression turned grim. Kaze ruined his chance of getting a billion-dollar investment from Hudson Investment Firm. Now, Kaze cursed him when he tried to get the distribution rights from Shangrila Group. Together with the previous grudges, they fueled Tao’s anger. “I’m not cursing you. I’m just stating a fact.” Kaze scoffed and wanted to walk away. He did not want to waste time on Tao. “Stop right there! Explain yourself!” Tao shouted, stopping Kaze. Adam saw how fierce Kaze could fight last night and he was afraid that Tao might get hurt. He quickly said, “Tao, enough. Don’t waste your time on useless trash. If cursing works, your company would have been bankrupted a hundred times. “Don’t stoop to his level, widen your vision. He and you are not from the same world.” He did not hold back in insulting Kaze. Or rather, he was venting his grievance at Kaze over helping Tao. “Uncle Adam, you’re right. I do not
“No! No! Of course not!” Lou shook his head vehemently. Not only Shangrila Group, but every other entity or business that was related to Kaze including Darcy’s companies must be protected. Otherwise, if anything went wrong, he and his son would be the primary suspects. Everyone was shocked by the unusual attitude Lou and Noah showed. Baffled, Adam asked, “Lou, what does Kaze have to do with Shangrila?” “Mr. Lee is the chairman of Shangrila,” Lou said after a careful glance at Kaze. What?! Kaze was the chairman of Shangrila Group? Adam’s expression froze. Kaze could have become the CEO of Hudson Investment Firm through nepotism, but was he also the chairman of Shangrila Group? Adam felt embarrassed for what he said to Kaze earlier. Tao was also stunned on the spot. He tried his best not to break down in tears. It seemed like whatever companies he wanted to work with belonged to Kaze. “Kaze, since when are you the chairman of Shangrila? What about Jesse Whit
Agnes could not stop praising Kaze from the moment she found out that he was the chairman of Shangrila Group. “New mayor? Stop dreaming. I heard from Nelson that the new mayor might also be a young man and he might be a chief commander, or even a regional commander. It’s not something Kaze can become,” Agatha said, trying to diminish her sister’s confidence. “Hmph. We’ll see about that,” Agnes said with an annoyed grunt. “Mayor Lee, the city council is holding a city-wide press conference to commemorate distinctive media outlets, do you have the time to attend?” Caleb asked Kaze. It was one of the bigger events in recent days, so he had to ask Kaze for instructions. Usually, trivial matters did not need to go through Kaze. “I’ll check my schedule. If I have the time, I’ll attend. What else?” Kaze said. “There’s also the matter about your new secretary.” Caleb explained, “What requirements do you have for a secretary? We dared not decide on our own.” Johnson’s secretary
It never occurred to Kaze that Cyan and her influencer friends would attend Hannah’s celebration too. Before Cyan said anything, one influencer put her hand over her lips and said with a smile, “Get with the times, Anna. Cyan’s family isn’t just close with the senior members of the Viper’s Den. She’s going to be part of the organization soon.” “Huh?” Stunned, the other influencers asked, “What’s going on? Just tell us, Sweetpea!” Sweetpea was the influencer who just spilled the beans. She was Cyan’s closest friend and biggest ass-kisser. Taking Cyan by the shoulder, Sweetpea said, “Remember Cyan’s number one fan?” “Yeah!”“Sponge has been a fan of Cyan even before she signed with Golden Scale Corporation. Sponge tipped her tens of millions.”“That was how Cyan caught the eye of Golden Scale Corporation, and she became a hit.” The influencers chattered among themselves, all familiar with Sponge. They came from nothing and clawed their way up online.Their beginnings
The next afternoon, Kaze arrived at the parking lot outside Bronze Sparrow. It was packed with fancy cars. Needless to say, the underground garage must be filled with cars too. Hannah’s celebration was held in Bronze Sparrow. Just a few days ago, Siberian infiltrated Bronze Sparrow and abducted Anzu. The incident caused quite a stir in the upper crust of Riverbank. At the same time, the underground powerhouses were eager to get involved. As Miru, the up-and-coming underworld boss, seemed to be all bark and no bite, they wanted to see what she was made of. Bronze Sparrow, a place where troublemakers once ceased to exist, had to deal with incidents daily. Despite Miru getting tough on these troublemakers, business at Bronze Sparrow took a nosedive anyway. Miru was frustrated with the situation. Siberian had been a threat to the Viper’s Den for many years. It was no surprise that Miru’s crew could not defeat him. This time, Siberian’s death at the hands of the Viper’s
Kaze was taken aback. “How did you know?” “How?” June’s lips curled. “It’s all over town by now. Darcy is the chairwoman of Sky Ocean Corporation. Have you any idea how many eyes are on a rich and beautiful girl like her? “Her divorce has caught the attention of men, and they are going to try their luck with her.” It did not take Kaze much to know that the Quint family members had nothing better to do. Agnes had been hoping to marry her daughter up. However, Darcy had the power, money, and connections to be playing with the big leagues herself. Agnes’ expectations for her future son-in-law would only go higher. Despite her lack of brain cells, Agnes would not do something degrading like circulating the news of her daughter’s divorce. “Hey! Why do you seem indifferent about this?” June elbowed Kaze. “How do you think I should react?” Kaze found June baffling. June looked disappointed. “You don’t seem upset that you were dumped.” “Get a life.” Kaze did not hav
Sasha regained consciousness through sheer willpower. She had made a full recovery from her external injuries, but she simply could not wake up from her mental trauma. However, Sasha seemed to be in a better place than before the incident. Before, Sasha would avert her gaze, not meeting the eyes of the person she was talking to. Yet now, Kaze realized that Sasha looked at him straight in the eyes. There had to be some sort of experience to bring about the change in her. “Did something bad happen, Kaze?” Sasha asked, her eyes reflecting concern. Kaze pulled himself together and reached out to shuffle her hair. “No. Let’s not get into it. You just got up. You should rest well.” “No, I’ve been awake for a while now.” Sasha, one to be meek in Kaze’s presence, refuted him for once. She shook her head and said, “I was just afraid. I was scared that the nightmare would come back when I opened my eyes, so I pretended to be asleep. “But now that you’re here, I have no reason
Agnes settled down. “That’s right. We are better off without the parasite. “We will live comfortably thanks to our precious daughter—” “Darcy! Darcy!” Before Agnes could finish, an individual barged into the villa. Maxine, her hair disheveled and her body in bruises, rushed into the living room and grabbed hold of Darcy while wailing, “Darcy! I was wrong! I was a snob to target you! It’s all my fault. I’m the worst!” She gave herself a couple of slaps before pleading, “Darcy, I need Kaze’s help. Please, can you get him to tell Patrick to get back together with me?“Ever since I broke up with Patrick, he befriended Kaze and became successful. He calls the shots in his family now.“I’m being made fun of for not cherishing him. My parents, brother, and grandmother are on my case, telling me off for missing out on a good catch. “Darcy, we’re family. Please, can you talk to Kaze for me? Patrick doesn’t listen to anyone else but him.” Maxine, who always fancied herself to be
The Quint quickly realized they were so close to digging their own grave. Thankfully, they did not upset Darcy too much. They had a lot of ass-kissing to make up for now. Smug, Agnes went up and said, “Thank you for working together with Darcy. I know that you put the project on pause because you were tight with Kaze. “But my daughter and Kaze have separated. Don’t listen to him if he tries to get involved with Sky Ocean Corporation. “Kaze gets nothing out of the divorce, so he can’t offer you anything. You are free to collaborate with my daughter.” Perfect World Group and the Riverbank council were responsive to put the project on hold because of Kaze. However, Agnes was not the least bit grateful. In fact, she tried to acquire Kaze’s network. In her opinion, Kaze had lost everything. A wise person would choose to make the most out of the situation and make a business deal with Darcy. Blue from Perfect World Group put on a straight face. “Mrs. Quint, I have one more th
It took a lot of effort for Agnes to break her daughter up with Kaze. There was no way she would allow Kaze to have a second shot with Darcy. The way Agnes saw it, her daughter was the head of the Quints in the South River State and the chairwoman of Sky Ocean Corporation. Darcy was beautiful and a great catch. Kaze did not mean squat. While Agnes danced with joy, several vehicles turned up outside the villa. These cars belonged to two different parties. The first group was in fancy cars while the other group was much more discreet. Still, nobody would dismiss government vehicles. Though surprised, Darcy quickly went up to greet the people. “Chief Yaphet, Mr. Jayne, what brings you here?” The alphas of both groups were not some big VIP to Darcy’s family. However, they had control over Sky Ocean Corporation’s future. More accurately, the entities that these people worked for held the fate of Sky Ocean Corporation in their hands. Welson, a middle-ranking official in the
“No way! Madam Quint had no reason to kill Madam Dark.” There was a bustle at Villa No. 1. Despite the statement coming from the police, the crowd was skeptical that Phoenix would kill anyone. Agnes and Darcy found the truth hard to swallow. If Phoenix were behind the evil assassination, they would be wrong about Kaze. The police officer said, “We learned that the dump truck driver received 1.2 million dollars before the accident. We tracked the money to one of Phoenix’s people in Ridgesouth. “We looked into Phoenix’s phone records and discovered that she contacted the Steelclaw Guild through the dark web. “She had no idea that we have eyes on the dark web. Though we don’t know the specifics of her deal with the Steelclaw Guild, she would only have one reason to contact an assassination organization.“The Steelclaw Guild’s killer then showed up at the funeral parlor.“We are linking these two incidents, and our prime suspect is Phoenix, who is now deceased.“We didn’t de
“Kaze, do you know how unfamiliar and frightened you’re making me feel right now?“Why was the Steelclaw Guild’s killer after you? If today didn’t happen, I wouldn’t know that you had gotten yourself in deep trouble. “I don’t know what else you are hiding from me. I even wonder if you were behind Madam Dark’s car accident. “My feelings toward you have been true, but family is equally important to me. “I’m afraid that one day, you will get my parents and brother killed.” Darcy let everything out. The storm in Kaze’s eyes quelled.He grabbed a pen and signed his name before taking his copy. Kaze placed the other copy on the table before walking away. As the people in the villa watched on in shock, Agnes dropped her jaw in joy. Agnes thought that it would take a lot of talking and crying to push Darcy in the right direction. To her surprise, Darcy filed for divorce right away. Nevertheless, she was quick to complain. “You are silly, Darcy. You should have asked for V