Kaze looked at Rayes as if he was an idiot. It was easy to read Rayes. Kaze said indifferently, “Get out of the way!”Rayes gritted his teeth and said, “You better apologize to Mr. Heartano, Lee. You’re not going anywhere until you—” “Smack!” Kaze interrupted him with a slap. Knocked back, Rayes coughed up blood and crashed into a table. The table was smashed to bits. The crowd’s blood ran cold. The brutality of Kaze smashing a dozen fighters’ heads with wine bottles paled in comparison to this.“Since you want to show your allegiance, I can let you have your way.” Kaze took off with Buffy. … Out of the Royal Familia Hotel, Kaze and Buffy went for their lunch and returned to Gwake Corporation. “Now that we’ve burnt bridges with Kiefer, are we still running for St. Mary’s agency, Kaze?” Buffy uttered in distress. After pouring Kaze a drink, Buffy sat down and rubbed her throbbing head. She did not blame Kaze for upsetting Kiefer. Kaze had a wager with Naix, to begin
With that in mind, Kaze curled his lips. He was curious about the shareholders and senior executives’ expressions once the clock struck three. “Wham!” Naix slammed the table and came down hard on Kaze, his finger up his nose. “You ruined the deal for us. You have the nerve and audacity to smile.” He turned to Jude and the others. “Mr. Chairman and board, he is our newly appointed executive vice president. Ms. Gwake appointed him against everybody’s opinion. “Mr. Lee is something else. In this morning’s meeting, he assured me that he would have St. Mary’s agency by the end of the day. “For the interest of the company, I learned that Mr. Heartano will be at a luncheon at the Royal Familia Hotel and got my hands on two invitations to get Mr. Lee and Ms. Gwake in. “But what did they do? “You can’t believe what they have done at the Royal Familia Hotel.“Just because Mr. Heartano made a harmless joke to Ms. Gwake, Lee broke his wrist and injured his dozen bodyguards. “He ev
“I agree.” “Naix has a point. It’s time to get these pests out of Gwake Corporation.” “Gwake Corporation is not a place for cronyism.” The senior executives and board took to Naix’s side. Since Kaze broke Kiefer’s wrist, Gwake Corporation should address the situation. The first thing to do was fire Buffy and Kaze, to show Gwake Corporation’s stance. The termination should be done quickly without any delay. Kiefer was connected to the Geranium Heartanos, whose members were shareholders of St. Mary’s. Besides, the senior executives and board of directors were looking out for their interests. The motive behind Kaze’s assault did not matter. They could care less about what Kiefer did. The fact was Kaze and Buffy’s behaviors had harmed their interests and exposed them to retaliation from the Heartanos. Buffy and Kaze should be their fall guys. “I’d like to say a few words.” Jude, who had kept to himself thus far, raised his hand to silence the crowd. The Viper’s
Buffy nodded. “It’s true, but—” “Wham!” Jude slammed the table, cutting her off. “I don’t want to listen to excuses. I just want to know whether you did it. “Since you admitted to it, there’s nothing more to be said.“Both of you are fired.” Jude grabbed the termination slips to slap on Buffy’s face. Naix and the senior executives smiled gloatingly. Buffy was fired less than 24 hours after assuming her role as president. She broke the record for the shortest tenure as president at Gwake Corporation. Color drained from Buffy’s face. She did not expect Jude to be heartless, not even giving her a chance to explain. Jude simply sacked her and Kaze without a second thought. “You have come prepared, Mr. Gwake. I bet you have these termination letters ready ahead of our appointments.” As Buffy’s heart sank, Kaze stood up and flipped through the termination slip before uttering nonchalantly, “You have great foresight, Mr. Gwake. You counted on us to make a mistake that wi
Flipping out, Jude hissed through clenched teeth. “I can’t believe you would be so violent in my face, Kaze.” “What? When have I ever held back on you?” Kaze snapped back, nearly pushing Jude over the edge. Jude was wise to quiet down. His position as chairman would be compromised if Kaze were to reveal that Jude had suffered twice at his hands. “Dad?“Didn’t Mr. Gwake say that the workplace is no place for a personal relationship between a father and a daughter?“Let’s talk on a professional level.” Kaze said icily, “The question goes to you, Chairman Gwake. Buffy was still the president of Gwake Corporation when conducting business at the Royal Familia Hotel. Was she not the face of Gwake Corporation?“Kiefer publicly insulted her, demanding sexual favors in exchange for the contract.“Isn’t that a direct insult to Gwake Corporation?“Are you telling me that Gwake Corporation’s president should sleep with the client to get the business deal? “In that case, I have t
“Don’t try to change the subject, Lee!” Staying far away, Naix held his cheeks and snapped a malicious look at Kaze. He said, “Mr. Heartano is a ladies’ man. He’s always surrounded by beautiful women. “He simply fell in love with Ms. Gwake at first sight and flirted a little. It was just a joke.“Ms. Gwake was there for business. Couldn’t she take a joke? “It’s common in business and social settings. “You, on the other hand, were vile to attack Mr. Heartano over a harmless remark. “You’re more criminal than the Geranium Heartanos, the crime family, Kaze. “Couldn’t you stop Kaze, Buffy? Haven’t you thought about the consequences? “This situation could have been handled more discreetly, but your actions escalated the matter unnecessarily. It seems you haven’t given much thought to the potential consequences for Gwake Corporation. “As a result of your actions, Gwake Corporation has lost the business deal, and now, we stand to face the Geranium Heartanos’ retaliation. “T
“Please sit, Naix.” Jude pulled himself together and gestured toward Naix before uttering solemnly, “It’s quite clear what happened.” “Since you are new to the position, the board and I thought that you should have a bit of time to get on your feet. We didn’t want to criticize and deter you from getting the job done. “But I must say that you have let me down in the way you have conducted yourself.“The board and I believe that you are not qualified to assume the role. “I hope you can understand where we are coming from. Please don’t make things difficult for us as they already are or jeopardize the interests of all the executives and employees.”“Have I made myself clear?”Jude could not stress himself enough. Buffy made a wry face. It never occurred to her that Jude would go so far as to make her resign. He acted like everything was her fault. Jude seemed to think that Buffy should take the humiliation if it meant getting the business deal. Though Buffy had long kno
“Are you telling us that Mr. Heartano doesn’t mind that you attacked him and would be delivering the contract to you himself? Do you take Mr. Heartano or us for fools?“You can count yourself lucky if Mr. Heartano lets you off the hook. You should stop daydreaming about the impossible.” Naix sneered. “I nearly forgot. “Kaze even threatened Mr. Heartano at the Royal Familia Hotel, saying that he’d leave Mrs. Heartano without a son if Mr. Heartano didn’t show up outside Gwake Corporation on his knees with the contract before three. “Oh, I’m so scared.“Mr. Heartano’s family runs one of the three biggest multinational organizations in Geranium City. Yet, Kaze had the nerve to intimidate him. It’s absurd.“Does he think he’s all that just because he won a few fights?” Naix laughed maniacally while the senior executives and directors looked at Kaze as if the latter was a clown. Kaze must be out of his mind. He was delusional. Kaze sure took bragging to a whole new level.
“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