Kaze knew what Buffy was trying to achieve, so he quickly intervened and stopped her. He knew Buffy had developed feelings for him but like she said, he was a married man; he could no longer provide for other women. If so, he should stay away and not hurt the poor lady. “Buffy, it seems like you are attending this party with Kaze for a reason, right?” Rayes was delighted and he asked Buffy. If Buffy was not here to brag about her new boyfriend, then she must be here with Kaze for another reason. It had been a while since Buffy attended any social gatherings, and now that she suddenly showed up with Kaze, there must be something she wanted to achieve. Buffy was displeased by Rayes’ arrogant attitude but he had been her friend for many years. She patiently said, “Yeah. Gwake Corporation is seeking to work with St. Mary Hospital. Kiefer is holding the party here, so I came, hoping to meet him later to talk about a potential deal.” Everyone was struck with realization.
“Rayes, Kaze is here with me. Of course, I have to bring him with me,” Buffy said with a hint of displeasure. Rayes pursed his lips. “I don’t want to sound like I’m nagging. I know you want to bring him out so he can meet people but you have to depend on the occasion. “Look at him! How can you bring him to an important party like this? While you are here to ask Kiefer for a favor? Come on.” “What’s wrong with him…” Buffy was agitated. Just as she wanted to argue, Kaze put down his plate of food and said with a smile, “It’s okay. I’m done anyway. It’s better to work on a full stomach, right?” Rayes cast a disdainful glance at Kaze. Seeing Buffy’s determination to bring Kaze along, he didn’t dare risk angering her. Reluctantly, he nodded and said, “Fine, he can come, but he’d better keep his mouth shut and just watch. Got it?” After giving Kaze a warning, Rayes brought them to a room behind the banquet hall. “We are here to see Kiefer.” Rayes seemed to be quite chummy wit
“Naix, if being shameless is what it takes to be the vice president, then you will be the most suitable candidate,” Buffy said, her tone upset. She was upset by Naix’s shamelessness. Naix said he could get the rights to St. Mary Hospital at the meeting and used it to threaten her and the executives. Yet now he shamelessly said Tiffany was the most likely recipient, and he expected Buffy and Kaze to take it from her. Naix was not bothered by the criticism. He smiled and said, “Ms. Gwake, you don’t need to tell me all that. Even if you mocked my parents or my ancestors, I won’t lose anything. “And you, Kaze Lee, if you have the nerve, go snatch the chance away from the Blue family, make sure you get the rights. “Tiffany went to Geranium City for this and now Kiefer is there. Why don’t you consider selling ass as well? If one isn’t enough, make it two. As long as you can get the rights, I’ll crawl out of the company without complaining. “If you can’t, I will be the one watch
Buffy frowned and said with displeasure, “What does this have to do with Kaze? I called Naix cheap as well.” “Buffy, you can’t keep defending him.” Rayes looked serious as he explained, “You can call Naix cheap because you are his superior. Kaze is no one, yet he treats the guy terribly. “If not because of you, he’s not even qualified to be here. He doesn't know his place and he speaks recklessly. He’s not helping and is making things worse.” Buffy was displeased by how Rayes belittled Kaze again and again. “Rayes, if you don’t want to help, just say it…” Buffy wanted to reject Rayes but then Kaze tapped her shoulder and said, “It’s okay, Buffy. Rayes sounds like he’s super capable. Why not let him help us deal with Kiefer Heartano? If he insists on helping, let’s just let him try.” Rayes was displeased because Buffy almost argued with him because of the useless live-in husband. He mistook Kaze’s words as raising the white flag and Kaze trying to curry favor with him.
Kiefer smiled and raised his hand. A glass of champagne was delivered to him. As he cocked his head backward to drain the champagne, his eyes remained glued to Buffy’s long legs and snowy white neck. He even clicked his tongue in satisfaction, clearly pleased by the sight before his eyes. “Ms. Gwake, have you heard of the saying, ‘The gifts of fate come with a price.’ “Do you know what I mean? Us working on St. Mary Hospital is totally possible—I just have to give the word. But I wonder, how much are you prepared to pay?” He narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Buffy like she was prey. Everyone in the room instantly understood his meaning. Kiefer was into Buffy and he wanted to get under her dress. “Ms. Gwake, say something. Mr. Heartano is ready to work with you, you just have to name your price.” “You have to show some sincerity.” Naix and the other executives sneered at her, gloating openly. If Buffy accepted Kiefer’s offer for the sake of the rights, then he woul
Kiefer’s grin showed confidence, especially when he spotted anger on Buffy’s face, it aroused him even more. Buffy instinctively took a step back and said coldly, “Mr. Heartano, there are people here, mind your words.” “Mind my words? What does that mean? Am I not talking about the deal? The terms you offered, I don’t like them and I don’t care. So, I made my own, it’s that simple. “Am I being rude? Aren’t you here to talk about working with St. Mary Hospital, making a lot of money? Money makes the world go round, so don’t tell me to mind my words!” He spoke arrogantly, not afraid of making Buffy mad or scaring her away. He knew she came here to ask him for a favor. He already found out about Buffy’s situation from Naix, so he was confident that he could control the woman. Even though he heard that Buffy’s fiancé was one of the Riverbank Seven, a powerful man, he believed nothing would happen even if he devoured her. It was Buffy who came to him, not the other way around.
Kiefer laughed. “Rayes, are you teaching me how to do things?” “Not to that extent.” Rayes put his hand around Kiefer’s shoulders and said with a smile, “I am just asking you not to give Buffy a hard time and give her the rights. You do this for me, I’ll show…” Thump! Before he could finish, Kiefer elbowed him in the chest. “Ugh!” Rayes groaned in pain but before he could respond, Kiefer slapped him in the face. Kiefer had been trained by the strongest fighters in his family since childhood. While he wasn’t a top-tier expert, his strength was far above average. Rayes was a tall man but the slap managed to send him to the floor. “What is the meaning of this, Kiefer?!” He covered his face as he glared at Kiefer, his eyes burning with rage and confusion. A moment ago, he was like the closest friend to Kiefer but before he knew it, he got elbowed in the chest. Bang! Kiefer raised his leg and delivered a powerful kick to Rayes’ face, slamming his head to the floor.
“Tsk. I heard Buffy is still a virgin. Not even Casius, one of the Riverbank Seven, manages to get into her pants. If Kiefer can claim her virginity, that’d be a real steal!” “Yeah! Claiming virginity from a woman like her? It’s even luckier than winning the jackpot!” “Buffy, if you are not experienced in sex, we can give you a tip or two.” Tiffany and the other young women in the room sneered at Buffy, laughing at her. They looked trampy compared to Buffy, so they gloated at her when Kiefer insulted her. Buffy’s face darkened when she heard Tiffany and the others, her eyes gleamed with icy sharpness. “Hoho? It seems like someone got Buffy angry.” Kiefer allowed Tiffany and the others to insult Buffy, trying to blunt her pride. He then grinned wickedly and said, “We haven’t even started and you can’t take it already? “Don’t you know the rules around here? If you want to do business with me, you have to sacrifice something, at least pay a price. You are already here and
“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