“Welcome, Leron!” St. Mary’s management team lowered their heads in respect. However, no one in the crowd answered them. Keiko gave it some time before lifting her chin in a daze. “Leron? Where’s Leron? Why aren’t you saying anything?” “Leron? Are you talking about him?” The crowd parted and gave way to a stretcher. “Uh? Is he Leron?” Feeling doubtful, Keiko came forward and looked at the person on the stretcher. It was indeed Leron. She had met him at Casius’ place.“Uh… What happened to Leron?” Keiko staggered back fearfully, her voice trembling. If not for the ointment on her face, Keiko’s discolored complexion would be noticeable. She knew what Leron was made of. He was once legendary. Yet now, Keiko could not believe that Leron was unconscious on the stretcher. “Mr. Lee incapacitated Leron,” the leader of the Viper’s Den explained. The leader nodded at Kaze. “Hello, Mr. Lee.” “Hello, Mr. Lee.” The remaining dozens followed suit. These people were
“How do we proceed with Leron, Mr. Lee?” The Viper’s Den member asked Kaze. Kaze glanced at Keiko, who was back after a phone call, and said indifferently, “You should assign a bed to Leron and get him in surgery for his broken arms.” His commanding tone did not sit well with Keiko. She scoffed but said nothing. Leron was Casius’ best fighter. Though she had no idea how Leron ended up in the hands of Kaze, she would not deny Leron any medical treatment. Keiko would have to answer to Casius if anything were to happen to Leron, considering that Leron would go back and work for Casius. “Get Leron into a ward and proceed with the surgery.” Keiko instructed her employee. She had given another shareholder a call. The individual was nearby and promised to be at the hospital soon. Keiko was filled with anticipation. Once the shareholder got to the hospital, Keiko bet Kaze would lose the attitude. Ten minutes quickly passed. Footsteps boomed outside the hospital. A you
Craig said tolerantly, “Hamlin sent me here, Mr. Libra.” “So what? Didn’t I tell you that he’s my uncle’s lapdog?” Cole scoffed in disdain. “Don’t tell me that he’s acting on my uncle’s orders. “I need to question him. He’s just my uncle’s chauffeur. Yet, he sent you to cause trouble without permission from my uncle.” Craig gritted his teeth without a word. Cole had no respect for Hamlin. Not wanting to cause Hamlin any trouble, Craig fought back the urge to slap Cole. “What? Do you want a piece of me?” Cole scoffed and yelled sternly, “Don’t just stand there, bastard! Kneel!” He then instructed one of the bodyguards in the back. “Get him. If he doesn’t kneel, just whip him until he does.”Cole’s dominance cheered Keiko up. Keiko would have thrown herself at Cole if she was a decade younger. With Cole’s help, Keiko grew a spine and cocked her head at Kaze. She said curtly, “Are you scared stiff, jerk? “Get ready to kneel. Should Mr. Libra make you, or are you g
“Uh… Yes, Mr. Lee.” It took a moment for Craig to comprehend Kaze’s instruction. Without hesitation, he rolled up his sleeves and slapped Cole in the face. “Smack!” Craig did not hold back, knocking Cole’s head to the side. Cole’s cheek quickly swelled up. However, Cole gritted his teeth and cocked his head back without a word. “Smack!”Craig kept it going, only stopping when Kaze said so. Cole was slapped again and again. He knew Cole too well. Riding on Kent’s coattails, Cole bossed people around and even disrespected Kent’s trusted chauffeur and confidante. However, Cole was terrified of Kaze. Craig had no qualms about slapping Cole under Kaze’s orders. Cole was a tyrant, but he would not dare take his anger out on Kaze. With Cole taking the hit willingly, Craig knew that revenge was not an option for Cole anyway. Craig would finally get his vengeance. Kaze finally waved his arm to stop Craig when Cole started coughing up blood. Craig put his head down
Cole was not dumb. He understood that Keiko had her motives to present the hospital shares. “I made a mistake, Kaze! I’ll give up on the shares!” Cole was scared stiff. The last thing he wanted was to cause Kent problems. He would be nothing if Kent lost his mayoral position. No one would pay Cole any more attention. “Get lost!” Kaze kicked Cole to the side and glanced at his watch. He said to Keiko, “You have around twenty minutes left. You can either make more phone calls or call it quits. Are you ready to pay the price, though?” Keiko paused to take a minute. She asked cautiously, “What is the price I have to pay, Mr. Lee?” Finally taking Kaze seriously, Keiko meant no disrespect. Despite summoning two prominent figures, Keiko was not able to dominate over Kaze. In fact, things were in Kaze’s favor instead. As arrogant as Keiko was, she knew that she had upset a VIP. Kaze said callously, “I don’t like the rules of your hospital. I plan to make my own.” “Make
The woman gave off a wealthy vibe. Keiko looked like a commoner next to the poised middle-aged woman. “Miya Heartano?” While Kaze examined the woman, Craig, who stood behind Kaze like a bodyguard, grimaced. Kaze asked curiously, “Who is that woman?” “Mr. Lee, that’s the wife of Caelus Heartano, a mogul in Geranium City.”Craig leaned forward and murmured the information. Since Kaze had no idea who Caelus was, Craig dug deep into explaining. “The Heartanos wield the reins of Novous, one of the three factions in Geranium City. The head of the household is Gilbus Heartano, and Caelus is Gilbus’ younger brother. “Unlike Gilbus, Caelus doesn’t get involved in the underworld activities. He carved out an empire in the glitzy world of entertainment. His business dabbles in movies, media, and real estate.“Caelus is highly influential in the entertainment world. He brought fame to many stars in Geranium City. “Plus, his family is connected to the underworld. Though Caelus has
Thump! Keiko knelt on the floor immediately. “I am sorry, Mrs. Heartano! I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience caused, I didn’t mean to make a scene.” She kowtowed repeatedly at Miya. She was from Geranium City and she knew first-hand how terrifying the Heartanos were. She was arrogant in front of others but not in front of Miya. “Lift up your head,” Miya said coldly and expressionlessly. Keiko lifted her head, her eyes overflowing with fear. The man behind Miya stepped up and handed Keiko a beautiful handkerchief. Keiko was slightly taken aback before she realized what the handkerchief was for. She took it, wiped her face clean, and then moved closer. Slap! Slap! Slap! Without holding back, Miya slapped Keiko ceaselessly in the face, causing the hospital director to groan in pain. After more than ten slaps, her face had gotten numb and swollen. Then, Miya got another handkerchief from her men and wiped her hands elegantly. “Causing trouble isn’t the probl
After learning what happened, Miya went up to Kaze and peered down at him. “Young Man, you come to St. Mary’s causing a scene and you don’t even falter when you see me. It’s obvious that you have a powerful support. “May I know who? Or are there any adults in your family? Maybe we know each other.” Miya asserted her status and position as a senior, aiming to intimidate and pressure Kaze, while also probing to uncover more about his background. However, Kaze was not intimidated. He said, “Mrs. Heartano, let’s just skip the nonsense. No matter what my background is, I’ve caused a scene here. “You have two options; crush me and maintain order in St. Mary’s or give me the hospital, and your order and rules will no longer exist.” Miya’s pursed lips twitched slightly. She had not anticipated such a stern reply from Kaze. Moreover, Kaze made an audacious demand right from the start, asking for the hospital as if he had no fear of biting off more than he could handle. Kaze added,
“I have pointed you in a direction. If you still can’t trust your team, you can go to the Viper’s Den.“There’s one thing, though. Don’t rely too heavily on the Viper’s Den, or your company will be left without secrets.” Kaze’s suggestion gave Snow assurance. She considered tapping into the Viper’s Den’s resources. However, Kaze warned her against excessive dependence. “Why did you say that, Chairman Lee? Will the Viper’s Den stab me in the back?” Surely, the Viper’s Den took orders from Kaze. The Viper’s Den would always be an ally so long as Kaze was the branch leader. “I just don’t want you to put too much faith in others. You find loyalty by developing your own team. Those who revere me will never trust you completely.” Kaze analyzed the situation. Snow ate her supper and looked at Kaze in confusion. “You can only count on the people you win over. You can’t trust anyone else, and that includes me.” Kaze would never hurt Snow. However, he hoped that she would fin
“As you said, all is in the past. What’s the point of dwelling on it?” Leah perked up. Such was life, but it took her too long to understand the harsh reality. She guessed things were just not meant to be. “I’ll think about what to get Kaze. Rest well. We’ll visit him in a few days.” Taking the matter seriously, Katie wanted to get gifts ready ahead of time to thank Kaze. “Alright. I’ll see what I can do too. I want to be in touch with the outside world. I don’t care what they have to say. This is not my fault. I won’t blame myself.” Leah wanted her phone back to contact her former friends. Ultimately, she needed to move forward instead of backward. She had to face and fight back the rumors with courage. It was the crucial step to kick trauma in the face. The abduction was kept hush-hush for the most part, but Katie’s frantic search for her daughter at the cocktail party did not go unnoticed. Hearing about the incident, the influential people were keen to find out
“When did Kaze start setting it all up? I get the feeling that everybody played into his hands right from the start, and he had controlled every step of the way.” Leah realized that Kaze was an amazing man. Nothing could go past his eyes. “I don’t know.” Katie feared someone like Kaze. She would not be caught dead near him. Even when grasping the situation, Katie dared not look into Kaze for fear she would be targeted. Katie was careful not to show her face around Kaze. For all she knew, Kaze might get back at her. “But he came to Butterworth alone. We met at the train station, and he helped me out of a bad situation.” Leah felt warm and cozy inside just remembering the events. They did not know each other then. Kaze was kind to help a stranger out. From then on, Kaze could do no wrong in Leah’s eyes. Leah befriended him and found him nice. Her interest in him grew. They also got along well. Her memories of Kaze were sweet. Anyone could hurt her in the world, but
Even though Katie was the CEO of the Northborn Group, many eyed her position. There were too many vying to replace her. Without dedicating herself to her work, Katie risked falling from grace. Katie had been too eager to find success to give her daughter the best life. Leah could not understand the pain Katie had to go through. “I understand it now. I explained the nature of my relationship with Kaze to you, but you just wouldn’t get it.” Leah stubbornly expressed herself in hopes her mother would understand. “I just couldn’t get it through my head that you have grown up. You make an easy target since you just graduated and have not stepped into the real world.” Katie would not always be there for Leah. Hence, Katie did her best to get rid of potential danger. Her overprotectiveness triggered Leah’s defiance. It was Katie’s fault for not realizing it sooner. “I’m not angry with you. I didn’t understand a mother’s good intentions, but I understand now. I will listen to
Leah’s face beamed, but her mother’s words threw her into a daze. In the end, she tried to squeeze a smile to assure her mother. However, Leah could not muster a smile. Those days lingered with her like a recurring bad dream. Whenever she recalled the incident, she felt trapped in that nightmare again. Leah wanted to let those memories fade away, but she just could not do it. She would get startled awake late at night and trace the scars across her skin. During moments like this, she resented Perry. Leah was rather cheerful during the day as if the past was behind her. However, it was simply a way for her to escape the pain. By the way Leah was behaving, Katie instantly regretted the question. She should not have probed. Even if they avoided the elephant in the room, they could pretend like nothing ever happened. Nevertheless, the act of asking brought up unsettling times for Leah. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have asked.” Katie gently held Leah, hoping to cast
When the ambulance door closed shut, Leah wailed once more. The reality of her rescue finally sank in, and she grasped that it was not just a dream. It was a pity that she did not have much time with Kaze. She longed to spend more time with him. “Don’t cry, young lady. You’ll get better soon enough. Don’t worry about the scars on your face. I can administer medicine to help you,” the doctor said while wiping her tears. “Thank you. I’m finally out of the hell hole.” Leah’s worst nightmare would be to be trapped in there forever. Kaze watched as the ambulance disappeared into the night. He then turned to face the villa. “Apprehend everybody in there. Perry should be punished for his crimes.” Kaze had not intended to go after the Duncans, but the family had crossed the line this time. Leah was an adorable and vulnerable woman. She was abused beyond recognition. It never occurred to Kaze that the Duncans could be so cruel. “Perry has passed out in there. Where should
With the secret out in the open, the housekeeper dropped his attitude. He pointed at the basement not too far away. “My employer is in there.” The housekeeper grimaced and kept his head down. Kaze laughed. Unaware of his impending doom, Perry was still living it up. It was absurd. Perry was playing with fire by hurting Leah. “About time you wise up.” Arthur smiled and patted the housekeeper’s face. He opened the door to the basement. Kaze walked to the bar counter and picked up the best bottle of champagne there. He fiddled with the bottle before carrying it to the basement. The other Viper’s Den members followed him. Kaze took a stride down the steps, to the basement. The noisy music was blasting before they reached the entry. Kaze was filled with a mix of emotions. Nevertheless, he said nothing. He opened the door and walked in. The light in the basement was bright, making everything perfectly clear. However, the people inside were not bothered by the
“You know him. It’s Perry Duncan, Leah’s ex-boyfriend.” Snow did not see the point of hiding the truth, so she laid everything out. “Leah must be feeling foul because she was unaware that she was being stalked. By the time she realized what was going on, she was taken into a vehicle. “We spotted the vehicle they departed in from the surveillance footage. They headed to the mountain up north.” Snow had a general idea of the location. “I got Arthur on the job. He’s putting up a team from the Viper’s Den.” Snow was uncertain of Kaze’s stance toward Leah, but now that she was made aware of the situation, the least she could do was help. Katie belonged to the Viper’s Den, so Snow was lending a hand to a friend in business. “Thank you. Please save my daughter.” Katie was nervous. The Viper’s Den was the people she could count on. “Arthur is good, but he’s slow. I’ll do it,” Kaze said. The whole thing was unrelated to him. Kaze was well within his right to stand on the si
Even so, Elsie was out to get Leah. Elsie could pick up on Perry’s delight when she took a swing at Leah. Poor Elsie was just trying to survive by catering to others. People like her learned to pick up social cues and read body language to please customers for money in return. Their income would double if their customers were happy. Leah was the obstacle. If the women could not get rid of her, they would lose their profit. They had no hard feelings for Leah, but they stood on opposing ends. “You should be fawning over Mr. Duncan, not begging me,” Elsie said while grabbing Leah’s hair to pull her up. Leah snatched Elsie’s wrist to try and break free. “Let me go. I never did anything to you.” Leah was no doormat. She did not want to cross these people or get involved with them. She still hoped that by waiting here, her prince would arrive to save her. However, all she got was a cruel beating, and she had enough. “This isn’t my fault. Blame Mr. Duncan for your cir