“Alright. If Hunter starts something, I have your back, Kaze.” Kent said, “But I hope you won’t let this sidetrack you. Sanwell Finances and its network is the greater threat. “I’m pleading to you because Riverbank’s future is at stake.” Kent looked at Kaze earnestly. When Kent first became mayor, he was ambitious to do something for the public by addressing the issues with Sanwell Finances. However, he quickly realized that there was only so much he could do as mayor. Devastatingly, none of the local entities were on Kent’s side. Though the Yaphets had expressed their support, they did not do much to show it. In fact, the family was divided on the matter. Welson belonged to one of the few Yaphets who championed behind Kent. The opposing family members were indifferent to the whole thing. Kent had almost given up hope. There had been multiple assassination attempts, and Kent nearly died from poison. His daughter almost lost her life too. Kaze then showed up and
“Bring Buffy home now, Jude. Punish her in accordance with the family rules.“Spare no expenses and resources to kill Kaze too.“If you can’t do it, I’ll have the Krads do it.“I can’t stand to see him alive. He’ll be the death of me before I die of my illness.” Despite Faith’s effort to keep her composure, she got riled up at the mention of Kaze and Buffy. Since marrying Jude, Faith ran the household. Buffy would not dream of defying Faith. However, the dynamics changed the minute Kaze showed up. With Kaze’s help, Buffy had the nerve to dominate Faith. Faith was too proud to allow that to happen. Jude said with a wry smile, “Do you think I don’t want to, Faith? I spent 100 million dollars to get Alfonso here with the intention of disposing of him once he has served his purpose. No one can accuse us of anything since we didn’t do anything directly.“But we have underestimated Kaze. “He knocked Alfonso out with one hit. What am I supposed to do? “Before meeting with
Jude was cold-blooded, saying things that should not come from a father. This was Jude’s true colors. He had always been a self-serving hypocrite who would sacrifice anyone for his personal gain and power.“You’re the best, Jude. Hahaha. “Since your precious daughter loves Kaze, the lovebirds can die as a couple. “Argh…” Amused, Faith smiled smugly. However, the smile on her face became stiff as she crashed back into bed. Something was off with Faith. Her expression was as stiff as a doll’s. Her once-animated hands now moved mechanically while clawing at Jude. The arrogance disappeared in Faith’s eyes as terror washed over her. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she cried with her last bit of strength, “Save me, Jude! “Beg Kaze! Give him everything! “Do it now! I don’t want to die!” … “Kaze.” As Kaze walked out of the precinct, a Maybach pulled up, and Dayton got out to open the door for Kaze. Without another word, Kaze sat in the back and turned to Buff
“Stop the chatter!” Jude jolted back to reality as Holfman and Kaze chatted. He drew close eagerly. “Please examine Faith, Kaze. “She was sleeping fine from last night to an hour ago. Her vital signs were stable. “But she suddenly stiffened up after she woke up and had a brief conversation with me. The last time, she had control over half of her body, but she can barely speak now.“Strange enough, she had a seizure, and a smile remained plastered on her face. Her facial muscles seem paralyzed. “I’m worried that she would be brain-dead at this rate,” Jude said with bloodshot eyes.The deputy chief of the Viper’s Den South River State Branch had been through a lot. However, nothing drained him like Faith’s illness. His ex-wife, Tulip, was in a coma for over a decade. Her life was put on hold in a nursing home. Jude understood the ordeal too well. He did not want to see Faith in such a state. Most importantly, Jude would lose his tie to the Krads if Faith was brain-dea
“No, no, no. You got the wrong idea, Kaze.” Jude pulled Kaze back and groveled. “I trust you, Kaze. I trust you. Please save Faith. I’m begging you. “Buffy, help me to persuade Kaze too.” Jude turned to plead with his daughter. Nothing mattered more than saving Faith. His pride and ego were irrelevant at this point. “You don’t have to do much to save Faith.” Kaze said callously, “But like I said before, I only ask you of two things. “Buffy is to become Gwake Corporation’s president. “She deserves to know the truth behind her mother’s coma. It’s time to make things right by her mother.” Buffy clenched her fists nervously. Despite Jude’s assurance on the phone, Buffy was apprehensive about him changing his mind and turning against them. After much back and forth, Jude realized that he had no other choice but to accept Kaze’s terms. He had reconciled himself to Kaze’s demands. “You have my word.” Jude nodded solemnly. He extended his hand to Serene. “Bring it
Jude looked upset. Though Buffy was no longer a daughter to him, Jude was pissed that Kaze would put things so bluntly in front of him. However, Jude was at Kaze’s mercy, so he had to pretend he did not hear the comment. “What about the second term, Mr. Gwake?” Kaze turned to Jude and asked indifferently. Jude hid the malice in his eyes. “I am more than willing to comply with your second request, but you should know that incident happened years ago. I need proof to back some facts up.“I’d need time to sort through the evidence.” Kaze interrupted him. “How long do you need?” “I’d need ten days to two weeks,” Jude replied while suppressing his rage. “That won’t do. It’s too long.” Kaze said harshly, “Three days. That’s all you get. I want Buffy to know the truth. This is only fair to her mother. “If you can’t do it, I’ll be back after ten to fourteen days.By the time Kaze returned, Faith would be long gone.Kaze mentioned that Faith only had a day left. Jude gr
“Just do as Kaze says.”Jude gritted his teeth and told the surgeon. At this point, Jude had no other choice but to trust Kaze. With Holfman’s aid and Jude’s approval, the surgeon finally nodded and grabbed his surgical knife to cut along the acupoints as pointed out by Holfman. The blade sliced through Faith’s skin, and crimson crystals oozed out. These dark red crystals radiated an intense cold. The surgeon grabbed the crystals with his gloved hand, only to recoil from the chill. His entire arm was numb from the chilling sensation.“What are these? It’s freezing. How did these crystals end up in the human body?” the surgeon said, horrified. “It’s nothing more than her blood, or rather, the blood from her heart.” Kaze grabbed the surgeon’s wrist to place the crimson crystals into a glass vessel. The surgeon’s palm, where he had held the crystal, was covered in a thin layer of ice, over the rubber glove. “I didn’t know blood could be frozen into crystals.”The surgeon
“Great! This is good news.” Jude nodded with thrill. He felt rejuvenated and full of energy. Holfman and the team of experts were relieved. With Faith on the road to recovery, they would not be subject to any punishment. Moments later, the surgeon emerged wiping the sweat off his face. He said with a smile, “Mrs. Gwake’s vital signs are promising. You’re amazing, Dr. Lee!” The team of experts looked at Kaze in admiration. Despite their numbers, the team could not figure out what was wrong with Faith for days. Kaze tackled the issue right away, and Faith was all better now. “I’m not a doctor. I just happen to know a little more about this field. That’s all.” Kaze waved his arm, showing no sign of arrogance. “Geez, Kaze. You’re too modest. The recognition you’ve received from so many top medical professionals speaks volumes about your abilities. I want to apologize for any past disrespect on my part. I hope you can forgive me,” Jude said gleefully, his eyes sparkling
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
Leah had not had it easy these recent days. However, she had learned to be submissive and give in. It never occurred to her that Perry would do this to her. After repeated beatings, she quickly wised up. “Mr. Duncan, why is this disgusting person here? She’s an eyesore.” Dressed in a red number, a woman with wavy hair sat next to Perry. She clung to Perry intimately. She spoke in a sultry and mesmerizing voice. “Oh, she’s just a bitch. “She got on my nerves, so I punished her. I’ll dump her once I’m bored with her.” Perry had the time of his life getting back at Leah. He got a kick out of it. However, he did not feel that it was enough. Every time he looked at his injured hand, his resentment toward Leah grew. “How did she upset you, Mr. Duncan?” Another lady extended her arms to knead Perry’s shoulders while gently murmuring into his ear. With women gathering and fussing over him, Perry felt his ego thoroughly stroked. He was thrilled. “Well, she doesn’t kno
Katie thought about everybody. Kaze was the odd one out, so he had to be the suspect. It made sense that Leah would elope with Kaze. “There must be some sort of misunderstanding. We can talk it out. Don’t do anything reckless.” Snow stopped Katie from doing anything extreme. “How could there be a misunderstanding? There can be no one else but him.” Katie was stubborn. “We can help with your daughter’s disappearance. You won’t get anywhere by picking on him.” Snow tried her best to defend Kaze. She would not let Kaze be hurt on her watch. Eager to find her daughter, Katie believed her suspicion to be the truth, and Kaze must have stashed her daughter somewhere. “I don’t have time to waste, but no one could’ve taken Leah away.” Katie was naїvely convinced that Kaze was behind it. Kaze had only just learned about Leah’s disappearance. It was quite late for Katie to finally look into the matter. “I didn’t take your daughter, but we can dig deeper into this.” Leah w
The blue gem necklace around Snow’s neck brought out her elegance and class. Snow was educated well. She carried herself with ease at the social event. She exchanged pleasantries with business partners and greeted them all. Snow shared a few drinks with several prominent families. Aloysius and her secretary stayed with her and drank on her behalf.The party was a success. Kaze held a glass of wine to sip in a corner. Snow’s brilliance was the assurance he needed. He did not have to worry about her leading the Frosts now. “I guess I was worried about nothing. I didn’t even have to be here. She has gotten everything covered.” Kaze was concerned about Snow because she had always been his assistant. He was apprehensive that Snow would have no control over her staff after her promotion. He even asked the Viper’s Den to lend a hand. Nevertheless, Snow did not let him down. She had done a great job. Kaze drank wine and enjoyed the music. Soon, men and women entered the
Aloysius looked at the business venture at hand with a mix of emotions. Jet was supposed to make a comeback with the project, but the defeat was a huge slap to his face. “Can I ask whether Kaze was behind this?” Aloysius braced himself to ask the question. Even though Aloysius had an inkling, he feared receiving confirmation of his suspicion. “Chairman Lee helped me. If Jet hadn’t hurt my mother, I wouldn’t have rushed back to take his place. “He did this to himself,” Snow said blatantly. “How did you know about the island project? We have been discreet about it.” Aloysius was eager to find out. The question would burn on his mind unless he got some answers. “You can’t keep anything from the Viper’s Den, but this is the end of the matter. If you’re interested in the project, I can put you in charge of it.” Snow could not be bothered to explain herself. Aloysius played it smart. He had been carrying out Snow’s orders without a hitch. Snow was happy to honor her prom
“Tell them that the company is expecting funding, and all the projects will be launched in a few days. Everything will be back on track. It’s a good thing that the higher management is gone. We will be opening the positions for internal employees to apply.” Snow got the right solution to handle the situation. She had to give these employees hope to gain their dedication in return. Aloysius was surprised. “Who would pour money in when our finances are in a mess?” Having worked with Jet, Aloysius had a good understanding of the company’s ins and outs. Several business ventures were up in the air, and the company was bleeding money. Even with a relaunch, these projects would not bring in much of a profit. Most importantly, the relaunch had to be backed up by some funding. The business got a loan from the Viper’s Den. If payment was not made in time, the company’s shares would be used to make up for the loss. The whole thing spelled trouble. Snow just joined the company.
“This is the financial report you submitted today. Any intern can do a better job than you.” Snow mocked Jack. She was disappointed in his performance. A finance director who could not even get his basics right should not be working in finance in the first place. “Who do you think you are, doing this to us?” The others are only out to save their own asses. They did not sympathize with Jack. “I’m sure you are well aware of what you have done.” “You’re on your phone all day at work. You put your daily expenses on the company card, and we’re talking about tens of thousands of dollars a month. You only bought stuff for your personal use. “Let’s not forget about you. Your so-called business trips are to take your mistress out for expensive hotel stays and vacations.” Snow looked at each one of them while detailing their deeds. She shamed them in public, utterly humiliating them. “Why were these allowed before? Why are you stopping these practices now? If you can change