Desmond shuddered when Kaze’s piercing gaze fell on him. His several experiences with Kaze had been rather traumatic. Nevertheless, Desmond quickly pulled himself together and sneered. “Do you really think I’m scared of you, Kaze? I dare you to hit me.” He gave Kaze a dirty look before turning to his agent, Emma. “Show the loser what I can do.” Emma nodded and waved at a staff member. Soon, a group of journalists with microphones swarmed into the hall. “You agreed to an interview, at last, Lil Dee. What are your thoughts on donating one billion dollars after the heavy storm hit the city?” “I heard many major labels are looking to make you their spokesperson. Can you share any details with us?” Desmond was popular. The press circled Desmond like sharks. As his agent handled crowd control, Desmond said out loud with a smile, “I might not be a local, but my studio is here. I donated one billion dollars to rebuild the city. “Some local businessmen or chairmen do not e
“Are you alright, Dad?” Hart’s sudden blood spill threw the Lyfes into a panic. Furrowing his brows, Kaze went up to check on him and said, “His anger got the best of him. He coughed up blood, but his chest appeared clear now. It’s probably a good idea to take him to the hospital.“Take your dad there now, Daphne.” “Alright.” Daphne wiped her tears and helped Hart to the hospital with assistance from Rove’s staff.The commotion caught the press’ attention. “Huh? Is that Mr. Hart Lyfe from Rove? Why did he spit out blood?” The cameras clicked away. It was huge news. Standing afar, Kingston scoffed and taunted. “He’s just sadfishing. Where was he when Rove set Paladia Moose up and stole our store? What’s the point of pretending to be sick now? “This is a nice story to report on. The chairman of Rove coughed out blood to gain sympathy. Hahaha.” Desmond laughed maniacally. The Lyfes were furious. “Stop with the accusations, Hacks. When did Rove ever steal your stor
Kaze pulled out his phone and called Conan to come over with backup. Kingston scoffed in disdain. “Who are you bluffing? Conan doesn’t scare me even if he arrives with his dad.” With Desmond backing him up, Kingston was not afraid of anybody. Nevertheless, Kaze’s attitude did not sit well with Kingston. “Look, Lil Dee. Lee still doesn’t take you seriously.” Kingston cocked his head back and stirred things up. Pulling a long face, Desmond said chillingly, “You’re knee-deep in trouble, but you are still clueless, Kaze. Get in your head why you are here today. You are here to save yourself and your wife’s family. “You better get on your knees now if you don’t want to die.” It had been two days since Kaze attacked him, and Desmond turned the Internet against Kaze. Even Lilyrose Commerce Guild, an institution his wife worked at, and Rove were involved. Desmond heard that the members of Lilyrose Commerce Guild caused a scene at the guild, leaving Darcy rather overwhelmed
Kaze’s words echoed across the hall. A heavy silence hung in the air, broken only by his voice. The press was stunned, their gazes fervent. That was quite an expose from Kaze. They looked at Kaze, like a dog to a bone. Some even wondered if they should contact Kaze in private to get the inside scoop. That piece of news could earn them a top spot in the media circle.Many journalists would not come across this sort of headliner in a lifetime. Desmond’s staff grimaced. Their livelihood depended on him. Desmond was very generous to his employees. If Kaze ruined Desmond, the employees might not find another generous employer like Desmond again. “Shut up, Kaze!” “It’s bold of you to say that Lil Dee made a fraudulent donation, loser. Do you have proof?” “Trust us when we say we’ll sue you for slander. I hope life sucks for you behind bars.” “Don’t listen to the loser. It’s true influencers always claim to make donations when they don’t, but not Desmond. The loser
Desmond’s staff was relieved. They started hitting Kaze with a tirade of abuse. Kingston watched the drama and mocked, “Is that all you got, Lee?“You’re a loser. Bluffing is the only thing you have up your sleeve.“Do you think you can contact the Red Foundation to send you proof? Who do you think you are? “I know Mr. Nanas of the Red Foundation. Should I call him over to hit you?” Kingston held Kaze in contempt. The Red Foundation was a nationally recognized charity. While Kaze held sway in Lilyrose, he could not possibly stand against the Red Foundation. Kaze looked askance at Kingston and said with a pretentious smile, “You probably can’t even get Greg here. You can keep asking for it. I don’t mind sending you to prison with him.” News of Greg’s arrest had not been spread yet. Kingston and Desmond had no idea that Greg was finished. “What are you saying, Lee?” Kingston was visibly upset. “Ms. Holan from the Red Foundation’s Lilyrose branch is here, Lil Dee.”
“Ugh…” Gasps filled the hall of Desmond’s workplace. The press and Desmond’s staff were shocked. The executive of the Red Foundation treated Kaze with utmost respect. Faye even delivered proof of Desmond’s fraudulent donation. Um… It was impossible. Kaze waved his arm. “I can’t be bothered to read through the file. Just distribute the document to everybody.” “Of course.” Faye nodded with respect and shared the papers with the press. The journalists took the file skeptically. Soon, a wave of emotions hit them. “Lil Dee didn’t even donate a dime.” “Why did 300 million dollars come from Lilyrose Commerce Guild’s account?” “Did he really fake a donation?” A commotion stirred among the journalists. Desmond’s staff turned ashen, and some even fell to the ground in fright. It was over. Desmond was upset. At a closer inspection, his legs were shaking too. “H-How did you get the Red Foundation to turn in the evidence, Kaze?” Desmond glared at Kaze, his
“But Mr. Hobbs, Kaze is just using the media to his advantage.” Desmond said in distress, “The press wants a headliner. They work in the media and have the resources. It will take a lot of money to settle them down.” “Then, spend a lot of money to set them straight. We are all in it for the money.” Samson said menacingly, “Just do what you are told. Make the press stand with us to crush Kaze. “If Kaze wants to dig his grave, we might as well ruin him once and for all.” As expected from a veteran in the business. Samson was able to get a grip on himself during the time crunch and figured out a way to turn the tables on Kaze. He gave Desmond careful instructions. Desmond went from being flustered to gaining confidence and composure. In the hall, some journalists pulled out their laptops to pen out an article. No one wanted to pass up reporting on the big news. They edited the headline and article, making the news piece as eye-catching as possible. Desmond put away
“Um… I need to verify Lil Dee’s donation, so I’m holding off from posting the news for now.” “That’s right. We should report the news in a neutral manner. We can’t publish the news article because we have unverified documents.” “I’ll need further checking before I can proceed to do anything.” The press took their stand. One minute, they were typing away. Now, they shut their laptops. Faye looked at Kaze’s grimacing face and said angrily, “I work for the Red Foundation. Are you saying the evidence I provide is fake? “You are all lying through your teeth. Neutral, my ass. “You call yourselves journalists, but you can change the story when it suits you.” Faye lashed out at the press. Desmond uttered coldly, “You’re just a tiny executive for the Lilyrose branch. Do you really think you’re all that? “Who are you to represent the Red Foundation? “The list of donors posted by the Red Foundation is still on Twitter this morning. It’s clear it hasn’t changed its stance.