Sherry was delighted because she knew Moses was right. She said, “But I don’t want to let the mayor win me so easily. “He won’t appreciate me if I am easy. “I want to be his secretary to build a bond. “You need to help me, Daddy. Come with me to meet the mayor and recommend me to be his secretary.” It had always been Sherry’s dream to marry for money. She could get what she wanted with her body, but the benefits were only temporary. Sherry would fight for any chance to become the new mayor’s wife instead of some shameful lover who could not be shown in public. “You must help me, Daddy. I will return the favor,” Sherry uttered coyly. Moses had been the director of the local network for more than a decade. He was a veteran with extensive connections in the system. Sherry believed the mayor would take Moses’ advice and bring her on board as a secretary. Moses fell into contemplation. Truth be told, Sherry was beautiful, but Moses had enough fun with her as it had b
“You give me a lot of credit, Mr. Hobbs. You run Lee Investment and have the Lees as your ally. Even the media outlets are subservient to you.“I can’t compare to you.” Sherry doubted the phone call from Samson was just to pay her compliments. She asked coyly, “What can I do for you, Mr. Hobbs?” “I was intrigued to learn that you were going after Kaze and his wife,” Samson said with a smile. Sherry was relieved. She knew Samson, representing the Lees, was feuding with Kaze. Danny was somehow linked to Samson too, but Kaze became Danny’s downfall. It was highly likely Samson would take Kaze’s side. With that in mind, Sherry played the victim. “You have no idea what Kaze and his wife did to me, Mr. Hobss. They made me kneel and lick the soles of their shoes. “I’m at war with this couple. “But they are too powerful for me to handle. Even at my best, I can’t destroy them. I hope to get your support, Mr. Hobbs.” Sherry knew Samson had his hands deep in the media. Sam
“Moses has been around the scene for quite some time, and he has worked in the network for many years. He is pretty reputable in the city. Do you want to see him?” Caleb asked with respect. “The director of Lilyrose TV Station?” Without looking up, Kaze replied, “He can enter.” Soon, a middle-aged man with a balding spot cautiously followed Caleb into the office. “Mr. Mayor, this is Mr. McKentucky from Lilyrose TV Station,” Caleb said. Moses realized the new mayor was exactly as rumored when he laid eyes on Kaze. The mayor was younger than he imagined. “Hello, Mr. Mayor. Just call me Moses,” Moses said while drawing close with a nod. Kaze greeted back aloofly and asked, “Caleb said you are briefing me on a business report. Is it related to the award for exemplary journalism?” “Huh?” Though taken aback, Moses quickly replied, “That’s right, Mr. Mayor. Sherry Zauer is the candidate we chose to represent Lilyrose TV Station. She’s the host of the financial channel.“A
“K-Kaze?” Sherry suspected that she was seeing things. She was hallucinating from either overindulgence or fatigue. Sherry did not expect to see Kaze there. The mayor’s office held the core power in the city, and it was also the most prestigious place.Kaze was a loser. The last place he belonged was the mayor’s office. Sherry shook his head and took a couple of steps for a closer look. She was shocked. The man standing behind the desk was indeed Kaze. Sherry was stunned. Thanks to Sherry’s great effort to spread rumors for the past two days, Kaze had become the subject of ridicule and criticism in the city. The way Sherry saw it, Kaze should be holing up at home or considering leaving the city. However, the man stood overtly in the mayor’s office. With her head spinning, Sherry pointed at Kaze and yelled angrily, “What are you doing here, loser? “This is not a place for a vile scumbag like you.” Sherry’s words echoed in the office. Caleb, Moses, and oth
Moses was frightened. Sherry was an idiot to land them both in hot water. It was clear that the mayor was not pleased with the local network. Moses wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and said awkwardly, “M-Mr. Mayor, I don’t understand Sherry’s sudden outburst.“Our network has the utmost respect for you. We don’t mean to offend you.” While talking, he glanced at Kaze, who carried a blank face, and kicked Sherry to the ground. Sherry fell on her bottom, her hair ruffled. Moses gave her a couple of boots. “Argh! It hurts, Daddy! Don’t hit me!” Sherry cried out in pain while rolling on the ground. “What are you talking about? I’m not your daddy.” Moses nearly wet his pants. He grabbed a chunk of Sherry’s hair and pulled her up to slap her face repeatedly. “I’m not related to you at all. Don’t act like we’re close.“I’ll kill you if you continue to make false claims.” Moses did not hold back from hitting Sherry. The bad blood between Kaze and Sherry was a
It hit Moses that the person Sherry had poured all means to destroy was Kaze. Despite Moses’ pleading, Kaze stood firm on his stance. Kaze said ruthlessly, “Instead of sacking her, you send your well-used plaything to me.“You sure think little of me, Mr. McKentucky.” “Thud!” Moses fell back to the ground, the sparkle in his eyes dimming. He knew he was done for. It was clear to him that Kaze would not let him get away with it. Most importantly, Moses had nothing to say about it. Kaze’s words rang true. Without looking at Moses, Kaze told Caleb indifferently, “It’s time to purge the local network from top to bottom. “Lilyrose TV Station represents Lilyrose. Yet, it is a place of corruption.” “Of course, sir.” Caleb shuddered. Since Caleb introduced Moses to Kaze, he was to blame for what had happened. He knew that he had lost trust with the mayor. Caleb needed to earn Kaze’s trust back. Hence, he summoned his employee. “Send out a circular detailing Mo
The journalists’ words sealed Zenny’s and Sherry’s fate, and not in a good way. In less than half an hour, Zenny’s attack on Sherry went viral online. That was when the truth came to light. In an attempt to acquire Shangrila Group, Sherry colluded with Zenny to paint Kaze and Winnie’s relationship as improper. It was a shameless act. The public condemned Sherry and Zenny. Utterly disgraced, Sherry and Zenny became public enemy number one. The next day, Lilyrose TV Station issued a public apology and statement to Kaze and Darcy’s family which included the termination of Moses and Sherry. Since then, Moses and Sherry disappeared from the city. Rumor had it that Sherry was spotted in a high-end club in Sunrise City, entertaining her usual clientele of the rich and powerful. A contrast to her previous inclination, Sherry had to parade around with a smile on her face now. Winnie, the victim of the very publicized scandal, came forward courageously and filed for divorc
“Four Ocean Commerce Guild is looking to procure me as their high-level member and wants to do an observation on me,” Darcy said. Lilyrose was just a tiny market to conquer. Quartet Group and Sky Ocean Corporation were bound to expand to Sunrise City and the entire nation. The businesses were bound to cross paths with Four Ocean Commerce Guild to make an entry into Sunrise City. Four Ocean Commerce Guild happened to contact Darcy to take her in as a member. Darcy wanted to grab the opportunity to establish a positive relationship with the guild. Sensing Kaze’s reluctance, Darcy said, “You’re going with me, Kaze. I have made plans with the representatives of Four Ocean Commerce Guild.“Expanding your network will help with your career.” Kaze’s high tolerance for alcohol was not the only reason Darcy was bringing him along. She wanted him to engage with the representatives of Four Ocean Commerce Guild and lay the groundwork for his networking. Picking up the concern in Da
Kaze narrowed his eyes at the woman and drew close. “You’re a member of the South River Quints. Should you stand by your leader instead of stirring the pot and causing the scene? “Does family even mean anything to you? “Are you defying the family? “Who are you to disrespect Madam Quint and the family?” The woman staggered back with each question, her face draining of color.“I… You…” Flustered, she glared at Kaze. Still, she was at a loss in the face of Kaze’s questioning. “I assure you, Madam Quint. My daughter, Joan, doesn’t mean any disrespect.” A grizzled-haired middle-aged man with glasses came forward with an ashen face. “She was just trying to defend your honor, Madam Quint. She’s upset because someone disrespected you and arrived late.” This person was manipulative. While sticking up for his daughter, he also took the opportunity to belittle Darcy. “Doesn’t mean any disrespect?” Kaze snapped back, “Madam Quint hasn’t said a thing, but a nobody came out
It appeared Kaze and Darcy were not the only ones who got their hands on the special pass straight to the hangar. Five groups stood in close proximity, yet a clear divide was evident between them.Interestingly, that was as many branches as the Quints had in Ridgesouth.The smallest cluster belonged to Hector, Agnes, and Sky. They kept their heads down, hiding their distress. It looked like they were insulted. As Darcy and Kaze got out of the car, all eyes turned to them, and many sneered. “Can you even drive, Kaze? Look at the time! Are you expecting Madam Quint to wait for you? You have the nerve to show your face when you’re already late!” Agnes tore into Kaze. She threw Kaze under the bus in hopes of deflecting Phoenix’s anger from Darcy. Having seen through Agnes, Kaze did not make a fuss and explained, “Sorry, when we received word, Madam Quint’s plane was touching down in half an hour. “What? Are you blaming us for informing you late?” A tall and pretty woman
With Sasha putting the blame on herself, Kaze shook his head. He was not pointing fingers. “You can accept the pay from Herbal Spring.” Kaze said, “You’re not living at Herbal Spring for free. Your aunt is paying for you. Once you get into college, you can make more money to repay her.”“Really?” Sasha was skeptical. Besides boarding and lodging at Herbal Spring, Sasha was also taking medicine for her health. After working there for a while, Sasha had a general idea of things. Sasha’s medicine was expensive, and the medical bill was beyond the budget of most families. Kaze said, “You can ask Darcy if you don’t believe me. Your aunt even asked me if she had paid enough money when I was heading out this morning.” Despite knowing it was a lie, Darcy nodded. “Sasha, Kaze is right. Don’t feel burdened.” Sasha was naïve and gullible. Darcy’s statement gave Sasha the push. Since Kaze and Darcy were rich, Sasha assumed that her aunt must earn a lot. Her aunt could afford
Everett understood that Kaze would make a big deal out of the Golden Road at tomorrow’s auction. Of course, it was none of Everett’s business. He had no qualms about turning his back on Aiden. As one of the four underworld kingpins, Everett would give the Krads their due respect, but he did not owe Aiden anything. Aiden was an individual. He did not represent the Krads as a whole. “So that’s decided.” Kaze then said, “That reminds me. Have your people pick out a nice bracelet. I’m looking at the five-hundred-thousand-dollar range.”“Oh, consider it a gift from me. Just inform Marilyn.” Everett was quick to offer a gift. Kaze did not appreciate the gesture though. Everett was a cunning man. His generosity may seem like an olive branch. However, Kaze knew that given the chance, Everett would make him pay. Everett would never have the chance though. Kaze would fight back, and the consequences could be fatal. “Mr. Lee, Ms. Quint, are you happy with this bracelet
“I reckon that the stone might be important to someone within the Krads.“Aiden volunteered to take care of the business in Riverbank and go up against your wife. He’s not just here to suck up to his chief commander brother but to prove to the Krads that he’s better than the rest of the competition.“If he can gain that somebody’s favor, this can be bigger than his achievements in business.” Everett adopted the requirement analysis. Though Everett had no idea why the Golden Toad was important to the Krads, he understood Aiden’s needs. By grasping an individual’s core requirement, he was able to deduce something that was closer to the truth. “Has Aiden lost his head?” Kaze uttered in confusion, “He could’ve just gotten the thing from you at a better rate. Why is he getting to buy it from an auction?” Everett mentioned that the Golden Toad was worth tens of millions of dollars, but no more than a hundred million dollars. Aiden could have made a private deal with Everett.
“You can take a closer look at our mall’s prized possession.” Marilyn was adorned in a golden ray, giving off an almost saintly vibe. Kaze brought Darcy and Sasha forward for a good look. Encased within the vacuum-sealed glass display was an emerald gemstone the size of a fist.The gemstone was crafted in the shape of a toad, and it was remarkably lifelike. The jewel displayed no visible imperfection to the naked eye. Kaze, Darcy, and Sasha could not tell what was special about the gemstone other than its shape and purity. “What’s the story about this crown jewel?” Kaze asked. Marilyn shook her head. She was unsure why the gemstone was considered a prized possession. Darcy grabbed Sasha’s arm and asked with concern, “What’s the matter, Sasha? Are you unwell?” “I-I feel a burning sensation on my back.” Sasha looked at Kaze in agony. She knew that Kaze had a better understanding of her well-being. Kaze approached Sasha from behind and gently pulled down her back coll
“I’d like to hear from you, Kaze.” Everett was interested in knowing what Kaze was after. Kaze glanced around the mall, and a thought came to him. “You know what. You have quite a nice antique collection in Marlboro, Gem City. How about that in exchange for your son’s life?” Everett felt his heart sinking. Even with Duncan’s life at stake, he could not stop the fury from building. “You’re asking for too much, Lee!” Gem City? Gem City was worth ten billion dollars at the very least. Kaze had the audacity to ask for Marlboro. “Mr. Techman, please mind your attitude.” Kaze said indifferently, “You panicked when I talked about Marlboro. I guess your son’s life doesn’t compare to Gem City. “I didn’t think you’d choose assets over family, Mr. Techman.”Everett ignored Kaze’s taunting. Once his head cooled down, Everett figured that Kaze raised the stakes just to stay in the bargaining game. That was why Kaze rejected his first two proposals. Everett believed that Kaze w
Everett was skeptical that Kaze would kill Duncan in broad daylight. As an underworld kingpin, Everett understood that Kaze had ways to make Duncan pay. After much contemplation, Everett said, “Here’s the thing, Kaze. I’ll pay you 20 million dollars for the trouble today and yesterday.” “20 million dollars? Are you kidding me, Mr. Techman?” Kaze glanced at Darcy before walking a short distance away with the phone in hand. He said emotionlessly, “Since you’re helping Aiden to go against me, you should know that he wants my wife out of the competition. He established some billion-dollar barrier to stop her.“You might not be aware but Jiro Sakamoto, a Ryokanian of the Refined Blade, died yesterday, and Reiko of the same organization gave me a villa worth hundreds of millions of dollars right away. “If you think that your son’s life is worth 20 million dollars, I can pay you that money and kill him.” Everett was lost for words. He quickly picked up on the message Kaze had s
“What do you want?” The call quickly connected, and Everett’s annoyed voice came on. Everett never had the patience for his airhead of a son. Due to Duncan’s recent involvement with Kaze, Everett was humiliated, and he still had not let things go. Duncan looked at Kaze, and the latter took the phone and said indifferently, “How are you, Mr. Techman?” “Who are you? Wait, Kaze?” On the other end of the line, Everett was flustered. However, his experience dealing with challenges anchored him down, and he said curtly, “Why do you have Duncan’s phone, Kaze?” “You should ask your son what he did.” Kaze took the phone away from his ear and gestured for Duncan to talk. “Dad, this is on me…” Duncan sobbingly recounted the whole thing. “Bastard!” Everett blew up. “Why did you get involved? Didn’t you learn your lesson?” Everett came down hard on Duncan. However, Kaze frustratedly interrupted them. “That’s enough, Mr. Techman. Don’t play dumb.“I don’t care if you kne