“Our boss sent me to give you a message, Mr. Lyfe. “Rove must only accept funding from Astral Wealth Management,” Charlotte said with a harsh tone.Hart snapped back. “Even Red Mount Capital isn’t demanding like you. I’ve never heard of Astral Wealth Management.” “That’s okay. Now you know.” Charlotte said condescendingly, “The heir of the great Glitter family, Astral Glitter built Astral Wealth Management from the ground up. “Mr. Glitter has been planning to conquer the financial market, and he needs a classic case to put Astral Wealth Management in the forefront. “It’s your honor that Mr. Glitter picked Rove.” Charlotte dumped a pile of papers on Hart. “This is Astral Wealth Management’s financing plan for Rove. You can read all about it, Mr. Lyfe.” Hart flipped through the financing plan before hurling the document to the ground in rage. “Is this even financing? This is daylight robbery. “The Glitters and Astral have no decency.” Unfazed, Charlotte said callousl
“Will that work, Mr. Glitter?” Charlotte said cautiously, “Kaze is a well-known dummy. He assaulted Mr. Gebach from the South River Group in public. “He will likely ignore your request to beg for mercy. “Maybe we should make him do it. We could get Tobias and his crew to summon his wife. “Mr. Leigh ordered for his wife’s indecent pictures to be scattered from a chopper, but his photos somehow were dumped instead. We could try that again,” Charlotte suggested wickedly. The mind of humans was a mystery. There was no feud between Charlotte and Darcy. Heck, they never even met before. Yet, Charlotte was jealous of Darcy from the moment she saw the latter’s picture. Astral said with a smile, “You have learned nothing despite working for me for a long time, Charlotte. “I sent the three titans to Lefteria Group and you to Hart, as well as put the word out, not to go after Kaze. He doesn’t deserve my attention. “I want the whole world to know that I’ve arrived in Lilyrose w
As Astral’s visit and statement went around all social circles, Darcy got the message too. “Astral is taking things too far. Does he think he’s the king? Why does he expect Kaze to kneel before him?” Filled with rage, Darcy approached Kaze. “What should we do, honey?” Leigh was pulverized, and Tank was assaulted. She knew reconciliation was not an option for Kaze and the Glitters. Hence, Darcy did not try to be a peacemaker like before. Instead, she attempted to talk to Kaze to figure a way out. “Stay out of it, babe. Just focus on your stuff. I’ll handle it.” After settling Darcy down, Kaze changed his clothes and went out. He whipped out his phone to call Conan. “I’m going to see Astral. Get ready and bring your men to clean the scene.” Conan was proving to become a nice sidekick to Kaze. “I caught wind that Astral brought along three of Gareth’s best students and other hired protection,” Conan responded. As an heir to the Butterworth Queens, he was well-inform
“Has Mr. Glitter arrived?” Kaze did not dwell on the matter regarding car ownership. Max bowed and scraped. “Yes, yes. He just arrived.” “Come on.” Kaze walked into the gate. He quickly took notice of a chopper on the landing pad. It was the same aircraft Leigh used to dump a bunch of photos in the air. Draco’s earlier briefing while on the way to Landor Residential Area came to Kaze’s mind, and he raised a brow. “Oh, whose photos are Astral planning to distribute from the chopper?” “No, no. There is no photo distribution involved. He wants to hang an individual off the chopper to take around the city.” Trailing behind Kaze, Max snuck a glance at him while talking. “Tsk, tsk. He’s wilder than his brother.” Kaze smiled and walked ahead. He took the steps into the reception area where he faced off with Leigh the last time. “Bang!” The moment Kaze set food into the reception area, the corridors leading from the front and back were swarmed with men in suits. T
“Do you want to know how your brother lost? Do you want a taste of it?” Kaze let out a faint smile. He did not mind Astral’s undisguised disdain, nor did he care to explain himself. Kaze had seen one too many snobs like Astral. Astral was not the first nor would he be last. Besides, he was born with a silver spoon. He had a head start in life that most people could ever dream of. It made sense that he was arrogant. However, Kaze believed that it was absurd for Astral to direct that attitude toward him. Sensing Kaze’s nonchalance, Astral made a face. He had always acted superior to others, except his elders. People would swallow their pride and suck up to Astral on eggshells. Yet now, Kaze acted defiantly toward him. “Who are you to take that tone with Mr. Glitter, Kaze?” Picking up on Astral’s displeasure, Tobias took a step forward. Tobias stared Kaze down and criticized, “Mr. Glitter is talking to you. Kneel and answer him. “Are people from this tiny c
Tobias blew up. “You’re going to get it!” He raised his arm for the kill. Rex and Paul inched closer in unison. Sure, they were close with the Glitters and often ran errands for them, but they did not see themselves as subservient to the family. Yet, a small-town son-in-law of some upper-middle-class family had the nerve to insult them. The man was asking for it. The three men hovered around Kaze murderously. Charlotte and the others around shuddered in fear, and their faces went white. Though not the target, they could feel chills creeping up their spine. Kaze stood unfazed in the middle of the shitstorm. Tobias, Rex, and Paul were taken aback. Anyone would be intimidated, shivering and going weak in the knees in their presence. The four titans, honed by years of training and a fearsome reputation, exuded an aura of dread.Kaze seemed unaffected. Tobias frowned before it dawned on him. He smiled. “It explains why you came to meet Mr. Glitter on your own, boy
Charlotte and the others behind Astral were shocked. Appreciating talent, Astral decided to recruit Kaze into his service. He was even willing to go as far as pardoning Kaze. All Kaze needed to do was hand over the subordinate who was with him at Landor Residential Area, and the whole thing would be forgotten. “That won’t do, Mr. Glitter!” Tobias, Rex, and Paul panicked. They wanted to destroy Kaze to avenge Lyon and reclaim their honor as the four titans. Kaze’s allegiance to Astral would impede them from reaching that goal. With Astral’s face falling, Charlotte said curtly, “Mind you, this is Mr. Glitter’s decision.” Tobias, Rex, and Paul grimaced without a word. Though they were unhappy with Astral’s decision, they were aware of where they stood with Astral. No one could change Astral’s mind once it was made up. Charlotte turned her attention to Kaze. As Kaze stood there blankly, Charlotte frowned. She said disgruntledly, “Don’t just stand there, Kaze. “H
Kaze was finally sure that Astral was not kidding. Astral was serious. Kaze was amused, to say the least. He had met a lot of deranged, presumption heirs lately. However, Astral was one of a kind. “What are you laughing about, Kaze?” Charlotte grew mad. Kaze kept dilly-dallying on getting on his knees to pledge his allegiance to Astral. If she was not afraid of Astral’s disapproval, she would have smacked some senses into Kaze. Dismissing Charlotte, Kaze met Astral’s gaze. “How about I offer you the same, Mr. Glitter?” “What do you mean?” Astral was taken aback. Kaze pointed at his feet and said indifferently, “Kneel and submit to me, and I’ll give you a life-changing opportunity too.” “How dare you!” Astral’s smiling face fell. He pulled a long face. “It’s bad enough that you aren’t grateful for what Mr. Glitter has offered you, but you have the nerve to insult him, Kaze.” In the back, Charlotte and the others were outraged. Kaze had the audacity to
As the air crackled with deadly intent, Draig’s heart pounded with dread. He was horrified that the Viper’s Den members were just as strong, if not stronger than him. Draig had no idea that these members were Viper’s Den South River State Branch’s key players. They were the elites of the elites in the South River State. “Easy there, gentlemen. Mr. Tenby is from abroad. He doesn’t know the rules of Arcadia. Please cut him some slack.” With Draig caught in a spot, Cyan came to the rescue. Since Cyan was nice about it, the leader of the pack scoffed and waved his arm. His companions quickly put away their weapons. “I don’t care where you came from, but you need to keep to the Arcadian rules since you’re here. You don’t get special favors here.” The leader stared at Draig and said icily, “This should not happen again. Now, get lost!” Draig burned with rage. The people, except for Kaze, had been bending over backward for Draig since his arrival in Arcadia. To think he
The Viper’s Den members yelled at Draig while pulling out their weapons. The air was thick with tension. Draig knew that it was not wise of him to fight during Hannah’s celebration. The Viper’s Den members would not stand by and let the commotion stew. Draig was caught between a rock and a hard place. By throwing the punch, he would be at odds with the Viper’s Den, but he could not turn the other cheek on the matter. “Just forget it, Mr. Tenby. Don’t get into it with a dropped loser. You’re only insulting yourself.” Cyan gave Draig an out. Draig retrieved his arm and scoffed. “Consider yourself lucky, Kaze.” A shadow of regret fleeted across Kaze’s eyes. If Draig were to start a fight, Kaze would have reason to finish him off and get rid of the annoyance. It was a shame that the Viper’s Den members stopped anything from happening. Cyan criticized, “Mr. Tenby is only looking out for you, Kaze. Yet, you stomped on his car key. You went too far. Hurry up and apologiz
“Nevermind. Why are we wasting our time with the likes of him? We don’t belong in the same world anyway.” Draig waved his arm. “Come on. Let’s get inside.” Dumping his car on the side of the road, Draig led Cyan and her friends into Bronze Sparrow. “Huh? How did Kaze get in? Can he get in?” one influencer exclaimed. The crowd watched in shock as Kaze stepped through the door. “Branch Leader!” The members of the Viper’s Den South River State Branch perked up when Kaze showed up. They, Hannah’s trusted aides, knew who Kaze was. Kaze acknowledged the greeting. “Is everybody here?” The head of the pack said in respect, “Many guests have arrived. Ms. Delmore and Mr. Ettinger will be here once they are done with work. Should I inform them to keep you company, sir?” “No, I’ll sit and wait.” Kaze waved his arm and made his way inside. “Hold it right there, Kaze!” Cyan’s angry voice came from behind. “Are you aware of the event at Bronze Sparrow? Do you know who the
“Kaze, I heard that your wife dumped your ass. Are you pinching pennies now? “You had a fancy car and a beautiful lady by your side just a couple of days ago, and now, you’re riding a bike.“I guess you want to do more than just a valet service.” Draig pulled out more cash to give to Kaze. “You can get my car washed too.“I’ll give you another twenty bucks. The money should be enough for you to get fried chicken or something for lunch.”“Hahaha!”Cyan and her friends laughed out loud. Twenty bucks for a fried chicken. That kind of life seemed far away for these people. Cyan suddenly scowled. “I’m warning you, Kaze. My family will not take pity on you just because your wife kicked you out.“Don’t try to leech off my family.” Cyan thought Kaze was so alpha at Emerald Bull Palace two days ago. The mayor was Kaze’s backing, and Juan was his apprentice. Yet now, Kaze was divorced and kicked out. It meant one thing. If Kaze was indeed badass, Darcy, who knew and love
Sucking up to Cyan, the influencers offered her words of comfort. Though Cyan did not have an invitation, she was close with Draig. The influencers could attend the event through Draig with Cyan’s help. Despite having other thoughts, the influencers knew better than to put Cyan down. A Mercedes G-wagon pulled up by the road. The car door opened, and Draig jumped out. He took off his sunglasses and said with a smile, “Why aren’t you going in, Cyan?” Cyan replied with a grin, “We don’t have an invite, Mr. Tenby. We’re waiting for you to take us in.“Oh, where’s your invite, Mr. Tenby?” She was confused as Draig did not seem to be holding anything. “An invite? It’s just a party for Hannah. You don’t need an invitation card.” Draig smiled confidently. “My name is basically our pass into the place. You can just say that you’re with me.” “Wow! You’re the man, Mr. Tenby.” “Mr. Tenby is so badass. You are total boyfriend material.” The influencers drooled over Draig, a
The influencers dropped their jaws in shock and looked at Cyan enviously. “Oh, my gawd! Marrying the branch leader is your gateway to super fame.” “Is it true, Cyan? Really?” The influencers hounded Cyan. Cyan rolled her eyes at Sweetpea. “Don’t take it from Sweetpea. “The VIPs from the South River State Branch did make a subtle mention. “I’m not sure whether Sponge is the branch leader since I’ve never met him before. “Just keep this between yourselves. Don’t spread the word. I’d be embarrassed if the whole thing was all a misunderstanding. “The branch leader keeps a low profile, and no one has met him in person before. “I doubt he likes to be put in the spotlight, so I’m playing it discreetly too.” Cyan spoke and acted reservedly. However, her smug look revealed her true thoughts. “Haha. Wouldn’t you meet the branch leader today?” “I see why you are so sure to take us to the celebration. We’d never get into a place like this on our own.” The influencers l
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