Mason made himself clear. It was unlike Sieg to suggest backing down and giving in. Sieg said earnestly, “I have crossed paths with Kaze before and admittedly been burned by him. He’s an arrogant prick, and nothing gets through to him. “It won’t be easy for you to become the mayor if you intend to exert your authority over him.” Mason frowned and took a good look at Sieg. “Thank you for the heads-up, Mr. Lyfe. Still, I am a father first. I can’t sit back and do nothing after what happened to my son.“Besides, I didn’t come to Lilyrose to become a mayor figurehead. “How am I supposed to govern Lilyrose if I let a former mayor walk all over me? “I’ve got a bone to pick with Kaze for both personal and professional reasons.” Mason spoke righteously without a hint of pretense. He was speaking from the heart. Though Mason needed to go through Kaze to become the mayor, he would not beg and plead to get his approval. Sieg replied, “I’m impressed with your devotion, May
There was a lot to decipher from the brief conversation between Mason and Sieg. Jackson believed his years of education were for nothing because he clearly saw nothing more to the conversation. “Hmph.” Mason scoffed, his eyes reflecting a fleeting viciousness. Despite knowing Sieg was goading him into a confrontation with Kaze, Mason had to keep up appearances and stay civil. Sieg was one of the top eligible bachelors in Geranium City after all. “What brings you to Lilyrose ahead of time, Dad?” Jackson asked. Mason replied icily, “Well, no thanks to you, idiot. The Lilyrose Quints are having a ceremony for rejoining the main family. I’m here on behalf of the Ridgesouth Quints.”“Huh?” Jackson was surprised for a moment before breaking out in joy. “Doesn’t that mean that Kaze and his wife need to act careful around you? “Hahaha! You need to get back at him for me.“I doubt I’d ever get another good night’s sleep until Kaze pays for what he did to me.” …Meanwhile,
Darcy scoffed and rolled her eyes. Kaze suddenly had a way with words. “What else are you keeping from us, Kaze?” Darcy asked, her voice a mix of annoyance and excitement.When Darcy was named the head of the Lilyrose Quints two days ago, Agnes no longer thought Kaze was good enough for her daughter. Yet now, Kaze’s position at Perfect World Group dismissed Agnes’ opinion. He was the chairman of Perfect World Group. Kaze always seemed to blow Darcy and her parents away with surprises. “Mom, truth be told, I—” Parting his mouth, Kaze was about to reveal who he really was.However, Agnes waved her arm. “Never mind. I’m not trying to criticize you. All I care about is that you and Darcy are happy together. “That reminds me. When are you planning to have a baby with Kaze?” Agnes’ question threw Darcy for a loop. Though Agnes no longer insisted that Darcy and Kaze slept in different rooms, she made sure they were safe against pregnancy. Agnes, likely bitter about the
Darcy’s family was baffled. They could not wrap their heads around the reason why Miru’s aunt and uncle would want to visit them. Their families had no prior interaction. Shocked, Kaze glanced at Agnes and said with a smile, “Maybe they want to thank us for always watching over Miru since she was all on her own in Lilyrose.” Fanny and Jared presented a gift and even wanted to visit. It appeared Miru’s cocky aunt could be finally playing nice. …The Quints’ residence was elaborately decorated by the next day.A fleet of luxury cars gridlocked outside the residence. No cars worth less than a million dollars would be found in the area. All of the most important people in Lilyrose had arrived. The event was not exclusive to the locals. Even the representatives of prominent families and businesses in neighboring cities like Sunrise and Riverbank attended the function. With the Lilyrose Quints rekindling their connection with the main family, they would rise to become a
Some local residents of Lilyrose seized the opportunity to curry favor with Mason, hoping to establish a solid relationship upon his appointment as mayor. It was their chance to ensure success in the coming years. “Mayor Quint.” “Welcome to Lilyrose. The city will only get better under your leadership.” “We have faith in you to govern the city, Mayor Quint.” The crowd greeted Mason. They acted like Mason already got the job. These people flattered Mason in the presence of Kaze, the former mayor. The reality was that Kaze was already yesterday’s news. “Hello, everybody.” Mason responded with a smile, carrying himself humbly and discreetly. No one could fault his kind manners. Passing through the crowd, Mason made his way to the Quints. The group behind Mason behaved cockily. Jackson, whose head and arm were patched up, was among the people. He looked at Kaze grimly. “Uncle Mason, I am Darcy.” Darcy, the head of the household, went up to introduce herself.
“From this day on, Darcy, Hector, Agnes, and the other 123 members are accepted back into the family. “We should always love and care for each other. “It is against our code to harm those of our own blood.” After recording the names in the booklet, the old man rose to his feet, read out the family names, and talked about the family rules. At that point, the ceremony was over. Hector and Agnes beamed. Now that they were part of the Ridgesouth Quints, no one would walk all over them. “Uncle Mason, everybody, if you could take a seat.” Darcy breathed relief and invited the guests to sit as the feast would begin. “Hang on.” Mason waved his arm. The group had been a bundle of nerves for hours. Just when they were able to loosen up, Mason’s stern face put them back on edge. Surprised, Darcy asked, “What’s the matter, Uncle Mason?” “Is someone missing from the registry?” Mason took the registry from the old man and flipped through it. “Oh?” The Quints paused an
Kaze frowned but did not make a move. He was not as naїve as Darcy and his in-laws. Not to mention that he was reluctant to be listed in the Quint family’s Golden Family Registry, when Mason mentioned it, Kaze sensed conspiracy. At first, Kaze thought Mason sided with him because of the upcoming mayoral appointment and it was to return the favor at a later date. However, when he saw the frostiness in Mason’s eyes when he looked at him, Kaze realized it was not as he thought it would be. When Mason voiced out his suggestion, Kaze knew his suspicion was right. “However, the Ridgesouth Quints have a rule. The live-in son-in-law must change his last name to be listed in the Golden Family Registry. For example, Kaze Lee’s name must be changed to Kaze Quint. “Once the name is listed, he or she will be a Quint forever, alive or dead. When the time demands it, a Quint family member must be prepared to sacrifice for the family’s greater good. “What do you say, Kaze?” Mason said
“No matter where you are, be it in Lilyrose or anywhere in the South River State, or even the whole Arcadia, you can tell others that you are my godson and I will protect you!” Kaze never showed courtesy to people who sought trouble with him. His words silenced the entire house. Guests who came for the event widened their eyes in disbelief and almost forgot to breathe. Even the local Lilyroseans looked at Kaze in shock. They expected Kaze to reject the name change since he was known to be a tough guy, a stubborn person who spoke louder with his fists. He had crossed paths with many powerful and prominent figures up until now. From the top three families to the Vinlands, Magnus, the Viper’s Den West State Branch’s leader, and Gunter, the Glowmoss Powells, he bowed to no one. Everyone laughed at him and called him useless trash just because he married into his wife’s family but he was tougher than anyone else. Therefore, such an expectation was completely reasonable. Ho