“Mr. Krad, you shouldn’t be that shameless…” Kaze did not even need to speak and the other senior executives started to mock and sneer at Naix. Mock after mock, Naix’s expression grew darker. Everyone at the table knew the circumstances clearly. If they did not band together to overthrow Naix, they would either face even worse oppression or suffer retaliation afterward. Therefore, they might as well take their bets with Kaze and Buffy. Seeing his influence fade, Naix stood stiffly as he stared at Kaze and Buffy, his gaze gleaming with mixed emotions. A while later, he took a deep breath and bowed. “I am sorry, Mr. Lee, Ms. Gwake. I was wrong. I was incompetent. It was all my fault. I hereby apologize.” An unprecedented insult drowned him as he apologized. His mind was not filled with apology but the thought of ripping Kaze and Buffy apart. The meeting today was prepared for Buffy. He was confident that she would step into the trap, thus suppressing her. Yet Kaze j
Manipulating the situation with ease. That was the only phrase Buffy could think of when she looked at Kaze. Kaze’s method was straightforward and effective. However, not everyone could execute it as perfectly as he did. Only Kaze, who had skills and the right mental state, could overpower his opponent in every aspect. When he used those methods on people, it worked naturally. It was why Naix was overthrown so easily and could not make a comeback anymore. The executives quickly forgot about teaming up with Naix to oppose Buffy. No one would stand against money. Compared to the vampire, Naix, Buffy and Kaze were generous. If the executives could perform, they would be rewarded. Even though nothing had been carried out yet and those were mere words from Kaze’s mouth, they did it better than Naix. The tides had changed. Naix was humiliated and even the executives who saw him as a king sneered at him scornfully. The anger in him almost erupted like a volcano. He t
“Hmph! Kaze Lee, you talk big. Let’s see how you are going to settle the deal with St. Mary’s today. “If you can get the rights before midnight, I’ll crawl out of the building even if it takes me a day! Every executive here can be a witness!” Kaze smiled. “It’s a deal.” As the conflict between Kaze and Naix escalated, the executives simply nodded and stayed back to watch the show. Before the dust settled, none of them dared to take sides. “The meeting is adjourned.” Buffy got up and announced the end of the meeting before she left. Back at the office, Buffy made a cup of tea for Kaze knowing that he disliked coffee. She said with a smile, “Thank you for what you did just now. If you didn’t argue with Naix, my first day might be my last.” She was glad that Kaze was here with her because she could not handle someone as pushy as Naix. “There’s no need for courtesy.” Kaze sipped on his tea and said with a smile, “You don’t need to worry about Naix either. After today,
Buffy raised her brows. “Let him in.” A moment later, Naix, whose face was covered in cream and iodine, came in. He shot a resentful glare at Kaze before he tossed two invitation cards to Buffy. “Royal Familia Hotel, 12 P.M., a drinking party?” Buffy glanced at the invitation card and then looked at Naix indifferently. “What is the meaning of this, Mr. Krad? You’re inviting me and Kaze to a drinking party? I don’t think we are that close yet.” Naix scrutinized Buffy from top to bottom with a strange look and it made her sick. “If there’s nothing else, you know where the exit is. I have work to do,” Buffy said coldly. Naix then put his disgusting gaze away and smiled. “Ms. Gwake, you sound so distant and cold. We are colleagues, aren’t we? “I know we are having a bet but I am a generous and magnanimous man. I asked Mr. Kiefer Heartano of the Heartanos for two invitations to his drinking party. “He is hosting the party later in the afternoon and many influential people wi
“Kaze, are we really going to attend the drinking party? Is there going to be a trap? Why not let me make some calls first.” Buffy picked up her phone, looking worried. She had many friends in Riveria and if Naix said there would be many influential figures there, then some of her friends might be there too. A while later, Buffy put her phone down. “I’ve asked some of my friends who got invited. It seems like it’s a legit drinking party, not a trap for us. “I’ve also asked around about this Kiefer Heartano. He’s the youngest son of the head of the family and he has an older brother named Khan. “He’s capable and he has been contributing to the family business in Geranium. He lived a high-profile life and is known to be impatient.“He just arrived at Riverbank yesterday and found out what happened to St. Mary’s. That’s why he is hosting the drinking party to build connections with the folks in the upper circle…” “An impatient person?” Kaze pondered for a moment and then sa
Naix was not in the mood to argue with Kaze because, to him, Kaze was already a dead man. He knew Kiefer back in Geranium City, where they used to hang out and drink. In addition to his excessive flattery, Kiefer had already viewed him as a good friend. On top of that, Naix also knew that Kiefer was the favorite child in the Heartano family and his parents always gave him what he wanted. If he could just make Kiefer happy, then getting the rights to St. Mary Hospital would be a piece of cake. It was the reason Naix was overflowing with confidence. The only thing he needed to think about was how to make Kiefer happy. He used to do the same to earn favors but always felt something was missing. Kiefer was a cautious man. He would not act before seeing what he would gain. He always remained ambiguous, so he never fully agreed to give Naix the rights to the hospital. However, Naix came up with an idea that he believed could work. With that, he had another glance at Buffy a
Back at Bronze Sparrow, Kaze beat Buffy in a game of cards, which got him a night with her. The news spread like wildfire in the circle and sparked a heated debate. It was no secret that Casius saw Buffy as his future playtoy. Anyone who had the nerve to go after her would end up dead. It was said that Buffy’s parents already agreed for them to get married. Just when everyone expected things to end badly for Kaze, a few days later, they saw Buffy and Kaze together, attending a party hosted by Kiefer. Were they making a statement to Casius, telling him that his little plaything was no more? The young men and women surrounded Kaze, scrutinizing him. They wanted to know what was so special with the bumpkin that Buffy fell for him. However, no matter how they looked, they found nothing stellar about him; he was just another man. Maybe he was brave and meticulous, two aspects men could use to win most women’s hearts. However, Buffy was not just any ordinary woman and she
Hearing Buffy said she wanted to date Kaze but the circumstances could not allow it, Rayes automatically thought she did not want to hurt Kaze. He was jealous while feeling happy inwardly—jealous because Buffy had never expressed romantic intentions for a man verbally and happy because, with Casius in the picture, Kaze was destined to be a loser. Despite this, Rayes was forced to take Kaze seriously. He scrutinized Kaze, wondering what made the bumpkin so attractive that Buffy would fall for him. “It has nothing to do with Casius. Who I date is none of his business and he has no right to interfere.” Buffy’s tone was cold when she talked about Casius. She then looked at Kaze again and said with slight regret, “It’s because Kaze is married and his wife is an amazing woman. They love each other.” “Ooooh.” The crowd gasped in realization. Buffy could not date Kaze because he was a married man! Kaze widened his eyes at Buffy, gesturing and signaling her to stop messing aroun
“You piece of shit! How dare you tease the woman I brought here!” Smash! The long-haired young man smashed Max in the head again with another beer bottle. Max collapsed on the floor, twitching uncontrollably as life exited his body. “Patrick, save Max! That guy is beating him to death!” Maxine tugged Patrick’s arm as her face turned pale. She noticed his face was also pale and he did not respond at all. Anxious, she turned to the long-haired young man and shouted, “Stop it! My boyfriend is from the Weather family! One of the Riverbank Seven, Casius Weather, is his cousin! “Even if you are not afraid of Casius, my boyfriend’s other cousin is in charge of Tiger’s Cave office here in Riverbank! Her name is Genesis Weather! “Judging from your looks, I know you are from the upper circle too. Aren’t you afraid of the Tiger’s Cave? And, my boyfriend’s cousin is on her way here now!” She got carried away by the anxiety and spilled the beans, revealing that Genesis was on her
“Smash!” The beer bottle smashed into Blackie’s jaw. With a resounding crack, his jaw split open and he let out an agonizing scream. “You fuck!” Blackie shook his head strongly to keep himself conscious. As rage took over, he extended his arms to seize the long-haired young man once more. An ordinary man would be smashed unconscious by the bottle but Blackie was still standing strong and was able to retaliate. His body was as strong as a beast. However, his towering physique did not overwhelm the long-haired young man. The long-haired young man, who looked rather scrawny, did not move or dodge. Instead, he threw punches forward to counter Blackie’s grab. “Crack!” Another loud crack sounded. Surprisingly, it was Blackie’s hand that was broken. He cried in pain once more. The long-haired young man did not even flinch. He went along with the momentum to grab Blackie’s wrist and then twisted it. “Crack!” Both Blackie’s arms were snapped just like that. The lon
“If you don’t give me an explanation, this won’t end well for you! “What’s the matter? Playing dumb?” The young man with the long hair grinned. “You did it but you don’t have the balls to stand up for it? “Who was it?” He glanced at the woman covering her face. The woman stepped up and pointed at Max standing in the crowd. Her expression darkened as she said, “It’s him! He teased me and slapped me twice in the face!” Everyone looked at Max with a strange look. He teased the woman and then slapped her twice? What a jerk! Maxine and Patrick’s expressions turned ashen as embarrassment rose. Max was family, so all they could do was stare at him. “Nonsense! She slapped me first!” Max flushed with emotions. He knew it was embarrassing but he did it already, so his plan was to shift the blame. “You pretended to be drunk and teased her, you should be slapped.” The young man with the long hair looked at Blackie. “So you’re Blackie, Everett Techman’s man and also th
“Which asshole threw the bottle?!” Blackie scanned around the place to look for the culprit. His anger erupted as he bellowed, “Get the hell out here and kneel before me! Don’t let me find you, or else you won’t even know how you’ll meet your end!” His shouts echoed across the lobby. “Who was it?!” “How dare you do this in front of Blackie?! I am Patrick Weather and this is my party! You’re dead when I catch you!” Patrick and the others were also looking for the culprit. Patrick was infuriated. He booked the place for his party and he saw himself as the master of the event, yet someone threw a bottle at them, splashing beer all over him and his friends. “Hmph. Patrick Weather? Are you from the Weathers? The same family with Casius Weather? Bunch of losers! No wonder you have the balls to tease the woman I brought in.” Just as the atmosphere grew tense, a calm and lazy voice came from behind. Then, a group of men and women, dressed in hip-hop style, swaggered over. A f
“Kaze?!” Surprised, Rose turned around and realized it was Kaze who snatched her bottle. “Don’t you even try. I don’t need a little girl to drink on my behalf just so we can walk out,” Kaze said, and then he tossed the bottle away. “Crash!” The bottle shattered and the beer splashed onto Blackie’s pants. His expression turned dark. Meeting Blackie’s frosty gaze, Kaze said, “I said, I am not drinking and no one can make me. “Blackie, was it? A piece of advice, don’t fall for the distorted facts and pressure someone you don’t even know. It will get you into trouble, and it might even drag your boss into this mess. “And, I said I didn’t know Everett Techman, not because I don’t respect him, it’s because before today, I didn't even know his name at all. “Don’t tell me everyone in Riverbank must know his name. Your boss is from the underworld and if he’s doing illegal stuff, then keep a low profile. You can't expect to profit from illegal dealings and still demand respect an
“Hmph!” Blackie was slightly taken aback. As his gaze turned colder, he scoffed. “Interesting. I did not expect defiance in Buckridge Lounge. It seems like you Otters are not afraid of death.” His lips curled into a dangerous grin as he glanced at Maxine, his expression frosty and ruthless. Maxine shivered instantly. Her face paled as she shouted, “Kaze Lee! Blackie is ordering you to drink! Drink them or you will die! “You are the one who disrespects Mr. Techman! You started this! Shouldn’t you deal with the matter? Mr. Techman is merciful enough not to teach you a lesson himself, or else you will be beaten to death, if not crippled for life, before being thrown out of this place!” She was furious as she shouted, eagerly pressuring Kaze to apologize. She was afraid that Blackie might hold her family responsible. Technically speaking, Kaze was part of the Otters despite not being well-received internally, but others might not share the same opinion. “You guys talk it out
As he spoke, Blackie went up closer and grabbed a bottle of beer from the table. Usually, the beer bottle looked huge in a normal person’s hand but in his hand, it felt like a little torchlight. “Flick!” With a flick of his thumb, the cap was flung out. “If you finish every bottle of beer here, down to the last drop, you can walk,” Blackie said coldly as he shoved the bottle of beer forward. Rose gasped in shock. She glanced at the long table in front of the booth and saw the row of beer, whiskey, and all kinds of other alcoholic beverages. There were fifty bottles of beer. She knew how good of a drinker Kaze was. He was a lot stronger than the ordinary, but if he had to drink every bottle to the last drop, he might suffer from alcohol poisoning. Patrick, Maxine, and the others were initially disappointed when they thought Blackie was not going to teach Kaze a lesson. Now, they gloated at Kaze happily. If Kaze drank all the beers, he would certainly end up in the
Noticing Blackie’s displeasure toward Kaze, the men and women gloated at him. Patrick and Maxine were delighted. Aside from Blackie’s position and status, his towering physique and intimidating aura alone were pressuring enough. Kaze was tall as well but he looked like a child beside the giant. He looked emotionless but others assumed that he was trembling inside. “Kaze, Blackie is asking you a question! Speak!” Maxine said scornfully. Kaze glanced at Blackie and said, “I’ve never heard of the man’s name until today before I stepped into this lounge.” Everyone gasped in shock at his words. No one expected him to be so bold with his words in front of Blackie. Had he lost his mind? Could he not tell that Blackie was displeased that he had never heard of Everett? Anyone with a sane mind would start bowing and apologizing, flattering Blackie by saying good things about Everett. Was he really bold enough to think that he could fight Blackie with that massive, muscula
Maxine looked at Rose as if she was a baby. She teased. “How are we not respecting each other? Not uniting? “It’s him who’s acting all powerful and stuff, he disrespects us! That’s why we’ve decided that before we see him as a family member, we have to blunt his arrogance and fix his damn temper! “What’s the problem with that?” Rose was frustrated by Maxine’s unreasonable excuses. She breathed heavily, trying to calm herself down. “Blackie is here!” someone exclaimed. Then, a group of men swaggered into the lobby. The man at the center, their leader, stood at an imposing two meters tall. His muscular frame was complemented by tanned skin, and his bald head gleamed like polished obsidian under the light. His eyes were frosty, the aura that he exuded was as intimidating as a tiger and his appearance silenced the noisy lobby instantly. As the man walked, the crowd moved to the side, making way for him. “Kaze Lee, that’s Blackie, the general manager of Buckridge Lounge! T