Agnes was like a different person from when she was in Lilyrose. Darcy becoming the branch family’s head seemed to have brought her a lot of advantages, allowing her to be more mature. Darcy looked at Kaze. Her lips pursed and did not say a word. Sarah hesitated. Asking the other customers to leave would literally be throwing money out of the door and it would affect Rivername’s reputation. “Didn’t you hear Mrs. Quint? Go!” the chairman said strongly. The Ridgesouth Quints were a major stakeholder in his company. He would rather offend random customers than offend Darcy. Therefore, Sarah and her team went up to the customers and explained the situation to them, politely asking them to leave while giving them a small gift as a token of apology. Soon, other than the employees, only Lock, Heath, and their respective families were left. “What’s the matter? Can’t I be here?” Agnes looked at Kaze coldly. “If I am not here, you will use the money you stole from our family to
“Don’t call me that! I don’t have a son-in-law like you!” Agnes shook her hand and bellowed, “How dare you blame me? You used Darcy’s money to pretend that you are rich here in Riverbank. You even kept the daughter of some deputy chief of the Viper’s Den at your house and now meddling around with your teacher’s daughter? “Have you gotten out of your mind? Are you addicted to living off women?!” Kaze said, “It’s not like that. I…” “You! You are ridiculous!” Agnes scoffed. “Tell me what’s the matter with the woman at your villa. Agatha and Nelson saw her with their own eyes! I’ve also heard that before I even arrived here, that woman claimed to be your girlfriend and you two are inseparable! You even met her parents?! “What about your teacher’s daughter? I hope I heard it wrong but I did not! That woman called you her future son-in-law! Am I wrong?” She fired a barrage of questions at Kaze. Darcy fixed her eyes at Kaze, hoping that he could provide a satisfying answer.
Alex hummed a reply and then said with a different tone, “I heard your live-in son-in-law is in Riverbank as well?” He sounded indifferent but with a hint of contempt. It essentially reflected the Otters’ stance on Kaze. Agnes glanced at Kaze and carefully asked, “What’s the matter? Did he cause any trouble to our family?” She knew Kaze too well to know what her brother was going to ask. Kaze was a walking magnet for trouble, causing nothing but havoc everywhere he went. It was also the main reason why Agnes brought up the divorce to Darcy recently. Darcy’s status had risen significantly and her social circle would open up to powerful families and prominent figures. Kaze’s disgraceful status would only drag her down, holding her back. Not only was he a magnet for trouble, but he might mess with the wrong party one day, offending people they could not afford to. The powerful families in Riverbank were not the same as those in Lilyrose. Alex explained, “It’s not that.
“W-What should we do now?!” Agnes got nervous knowing that they had not prepared a present for her father. Her father was an old-fashioned man who adhered the strictest rules and carried an air of pride with him. Every year during his birthday, the young ones would have to prepare presents to his liking or else he would be mad. Agnes and her family were excommunicated until recently but even she had to prepare a gift for her father every year. Although her father had never accepted her gift, sometimes even throwing them out, Agnes dared not miss out. Her father could reject her gift but she could not miss his birthday. It was almost afternoon, where should Agnes get a present for her father? If she and her family attended the banquet empty-handed, Caster would be furious and her whole family would be embarrassed. Kaze then said, “It’s alright. Rose told me about this and I’ve prepared the gift. I’ll tell them to send the gift over to the Otters and you’ll just have to
“I think because Darcy became the branch head of the Ridgesouth Quints, they got so carried away that they don’t even respect Grandfather anymore!” “I believe to them, it is us who begged them to attend this banquet.” Adam’s children, Max and Maxine, sided with their father and grandfather, so they spoke harshly toward Darcy and Agnes. Master Otter’s expression darkened. He looked at his daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter in silence. He grunted heavily to express his dissatisfaction at Agnes and her family. As for Kaze, his existence was completely ignored. “Father, I am sorry. We were caught in terrible traffic and we traveled almost half the city to get here.” Agnes stepped up and apologized to her father. “I am so sorry that we are almost late.” “Caught in traffic? I guess you have to be earlier next time. It’s better to arrive than no show. Father actually misses you guys,” Agatha said, showing support to her sister. “Agatha, stop finding excuses for them. Ma
No one thought Sky would be so assertive. Kaze nearly burst into laughter. He gave the boy a playful pat on the back and adopted a mock-serious tone as he said, “Sky, where are your manners? “Maxine, right? She’s your cousin and older than you, you should show some respect. You know you can address the issue without embarrassing her right? Is this how I usually teach you?” “I’m sorry! I will never do it again!” Sky immediately bowed and apologized like a soldier in front of Kaze. Kaze’s words made things worse as Adam and his family felt embarrassed. They glared at Agnes and her family, thinking how they should retaliate. “Sky, mind your words! Where are your manners? This is no place for you to speak!” Agnes turned to Sky and shot him a warning glare. She wanted to scold Kaze too but a sudden thought entered her mind and she decided to keep her lips sealed. She shot him another glance to signal him. “Kaze, Darcy, where is the present that you prepared for your gran
Agnes glared at Kaze fiercely but could not do anything at all. Among the whole family, only Kaze, Sky, and Hector were secretly pleased. They would have to face Master Otter’s temper whether they prepared the present or not. In addition, without Master Otter’s permission, Adam and his family would not dare to give Agnes and her family a hard time. If the outcome remained the same, why waste the money? “Hmph! If more of us are like you, disrespectful and unfilial, then it’s going to be sad and bleak for Grandfather,” Maxine said scornfully. She then took out a white walking cane with a shiny dragon head and presented it to Master Otter. “Grandfather, we prepared this ivory walking cane for you. We got master craftsmen in Jairo to customize this walking cane based on your height and we also had it blessed by a renowned priest in Jairo. It cost us around three million. “You can use it in your daily routine and it can boost your blood circulation, ensuring your health and
“A villain in success!” Sky muttered, airing his grievance. Since everyone had already quieted down, his voice sounded extra loud. Master Otter was furious. “Boy, where are your manners?! Maxine is older than you, how can you talk to her like that? “Not only are you rude, but you keep making the same mistake! You are not taught properly by your parents!” He pointed at Sky and bellowed, “Slap him!” Slap! Before Sky could even react, Maxine darted forward and swung a slap at his face. A red slap mark covered his face, forcing him to stagger backward. He, too, was furious. “Maxine! I’ll hit a woman if I have to!” Slap! Maxine got carried away and slapped him once more. Sky’s anger erupted. He wanted to retaliate. “Sky! How dare you! Grandfather ordered the slap and you want to hit Maxine?!” “You are really disrespectful of Grandfather!” Max and another cousin dashed forward and held Sky’s arm back. Maxine quickly stepped away and smirked. “You little bastar
The crowd fell silent as Kaze’s criticism and blows echoed through the room. Kaze pummeled Aiden’s face at least a dozen times. He only stopped when Aiden’s face swelled up. Tension lingered in the air. Everybody stared in disbelief as Aiden struggled violently against Kaze’s attack. The crowd assumed the roles would have been reversed. By right, Aiden should be the aggressor while Kaze would suffer in silence. Come to think of it, logic did not exist when Kaze was around. Aiden narrowed his eyes at Kaze as humiliation and anger washed over him. He gritted his teeth, his lips quivering, but no words escaped his mouth. Aiden understood that adaptation was crucial for survival. He would only be getting slapped on the face by talking back. Kaze looked at his bloody palm and wiped his hand on Aiden’s suit. The insulting gesture saw the crowd shivering and Aiden shaking with rage. Aiden clenched his fists. Nevertheless, Aiden held himself together. He had come
Sensing no threat, Kaze said with a pretentious smile, “Didn’t you lecture me about being understanding? “You should lead by example. I wanted to see if you could become the bigger person. “As you can see, you want to kill me for hitting you.“You’re one to talk about grace.” Kaze’s sarcastic remark painted Boris’ face red. Boris uttered exasperatedly, “You’re not on my level, kid.” “Oh, I guess your grace and tolerance are only reserved for those higher in the social hierarchy.”Kaze put on a stern look. “I have no idea what level I’m on, but I know you’re just a lapdog to the Krads. “Do you think we were blind to your little setup with Aiden? “You’re one of Riverbank underworld kingpins. It’s embarrassing for someone your age to put on that silly show.” Kaze took a step forward, his eyes fixating on Boris. “Tell me. What level are you on?” “Woah!” The crowd broke out in an uproar. Many on scene were oblivious to Boris’ little show with Aiden. While the secret
Kaze waved his arm like a total badass. Aiden and the others wished they could rip Kaze apart. It was annoying. Kaze got under everybody’s skin. Darcy and Kaze acquired Crown Tower and its surrounding land without spending a dime. More accurately, Aiden paid the price. Darcy was speechless, to say the least. She had no idea that Kaze could be so manipulative. If she were in Aiden’s shoes, she would probably be livid. “Thank you, Mr. Krad. You’re one of the good guys.” Kaze burst out laughing while thanking Aiden. The smug look on Kaze’s face was infuriating, but Aiden could only stand there, seething. “That’s enough, young man.” An old but commanding voice boomed. The crowd was taken aback as Boris, one of the Riverbank underworld kingpins approached. “Don’t push it, young man. You have won, and I suggest you should leave it at that,” Boris said indifferently. Despite his flat tone, Boris was critical of Kaze. “Boris is right. Kaze, you got lucky this
“That’s right. The rules are clear.” Kaze grabbed a rulebook and said with a smile, “You are the highest bidder after me.“I gave Mr. Krad a chance, but he didn’t take it.” Aiden asked, “Is there really such a rule?” “There is, Mr. Krad.” The head of the committee gulped hard and said with a wry smile, “We established a rule for Crown Tower, and it must be sold regardless of the price.” The rule was reserved for Crown Tower. The Seven Star District Council had been trying to sell Crown Tower for a while now, but a suitable buyer had yet to meet the council’s requirements. Hence, the council would accept any bids above ten billion dollars. Since Kaze could not afford his bid, the land would go to Darcy, the second-highest bidder. Her bid was exactly ten billion dollars. The land fell back into Darcy’s hands. However, Kaze and Darcy were independent bidders. Darcy represented Sky Ocean Corporation while Kaze was an individual buyer. It was clear that Darcy and Ka
“You don’t have that kind of money?” Everybody looked at Kaze in shock. He did not have that kind of money. Yet, he bid fifty billion dollars. The head of the organizing committee was stunned for a moment. He quickly chuckled dryly and said, “Please don’t joke around, Mr. Lee.” “Am I? I’m not kidding.” Kaze shrugged. “I don’t have forty billion dollars. My net worth isn’t even worth that much. “I took an advance of ten billion dollars from my Centurion card. It’s only an advance. I still need to pay the money back. “I’ve never taken money out of the Centurion card because I don’t have the funds to pay it back.“All I have is ten billion dollars, and the money was from Mr. Krad.” The crowd was taken aback. Aiden was in disbelief. “Why did you bid, Lee? You went as high as fifty billion dollars. “Don’t be something you’re not!” Joan and the others rolled their eyes. “So I can’t bid when I’m broke?” Kaze said matter-of-factly, “You called me a sucker for biddi
Joan sneered. “Heh. Don’t take us all for idiots. Good luck to you.”“Mr. Lee has put in his bid. Aren’t you going to seal the deal?” Paying Kaze no heed, Aiden looked at the auctioneer. The auctioneer got the hint and shouted excitedly, “50 billion dollars, going once. “50 billion dollars, going twice. “50 billion dollars, going thrice. “Sold to Mr. Lee at 50 billion dollars.” The auctioneer turned to Kaze and said with a smile, “Congratulations, Mr. Lee. The rights to Crown Tower are yours.“I’m also pleased to announce that your 50-billion-dollar bid has set a new record for the highest bid in the history of Four Ocean Auction.“Once again, congratulations to you.” “Clap, clap.” With Aiden taking the lead, the room was filled with thundering applause. Nevertheless, the crowd simply mocked Kaze for his foolish decision. Kaze did not stop at scamming Aiden out of ten billion dollars. He took things far and shot himself in the foot. Before, the crowd was impres
“I think we can all see who the real idiot here is.” As reality sank in, Aiden and the others looked at Kaze as if he was the clown. Kaze outsmarted Aiden with the sale of the Golden Toad. However, Crown Tower and its surrounding land were not worth fifty billion dollars. It was true that the Ryokanians had their sights set on the land and enlisted the Krads’ help to acquire the sale. However, the Ryokanians would not pay more than what the land was worth. Even if Sky Ocean Corporation secured the sale, the Ryokanians had their way to steal the land from the company. As Aiden said, Darcy would not be able to keep the land for long. Crown Tower could not cripple Aiden. Aiden could just drop out of the running since the bid was way past his price point. To think Kaze would play the same strategy twice. Who was Kaze trying to fool? On stage, the auctioneer was taken aback by Kaze’s outrageous bid. She wondered if she heard it right. Moments later, she asked skeptic
Darcy’s eyes burned with rage. “Mr. Krad, I’d rather buy the land and let it rot than let you win.” “Bam!” Aiden stood up, knocking his chair over. He stared at Darcy menacingly. “You’ll be sorry, bitch!”“If you want to make a scene, you’re better off outbidding me.” Darcy taunted. With the gloves off, Darcy was no longer compelled to be civil with Aiden. “10 billion dollars, going once. Are there any other bids?” The auctioneer’s voice trembled. “10 billion dollars, going twice.” She looked at Aiden. Aiden turned ashen, mainly because Darcy pissed him off. Still, he had to stop the auctioneer from hammering the gravel and giving the land to Darcy. Aiden drew the line for thirty-five billion dollars. The competition was far from being over. He decided to go big to crush Darcy all at once. Darcy would have to cover all his losses anyway. With that in mind, Aiden gritted his teeth and said with a menacing smile, “Twenty-five—” “Can you just cut to the chase?
Darcy said indifferently, “Working in business, we want to make sure every penny counts. We can’t be as lavish as you, Mr. Krad.” It sounded like a compliment, but the sarcasm was buried within. She was implying that Aiden was flexing his financial muscles. Aiden grimaced. He did not expect Darcy to snap back at him. After a scoff, Aiden cocked his head back and said menacingly, “Six billion dollars.” Excited by the heated competition, the auctioneer cried, “Six billion dollars, going once. Are there any other bidders? “Six billion dollars, going twice.” Darcy uttered without hesitation, “Six point one billion dollars.” “Seven billion dollars!” Aiden bid on and sneered. “You’ll be sorry for taking me on, Ms. Quint.“I can tell you now that we were only going to spend five billion dollars on the land. “You’ll pay for all the losses.” Dropping his gentleman act, Aiden uttered grimacingly, “If you know any better, you should leave right now. Stop giving me problem