“What’s the matter? Are you angry, Kaze?” Cyan furrowed her brows as Kaze made a face. She assumed that Kaze was lost for words, feeling disappointed in her. Ryna was blunt. “Kaze, you should know when to move on. Cyan is the branch leader’s woman now. She’s on her way to becoming the branch leader’s wife.“I think you’re amazing among your peers. Without the branch leader in the picture, I might even encourage you to pursue Cyan. “But as you can see, you can’t compete with the branch leader. “Don’t you think so?” Ryna smiled and said, “You’re Lock’s student. When Cyan becomes the branch leader’s wife, I’m sure she’ll extend the same kindness to you since you’re like a brother to her. “You should be helping one another. The branch leader is young and talented. I’m sure there will be other women throwing themselves at him.“Cyan will need connections and help to get rid of these women.” Ryna sure had gotten ahead of herself, already imagining the drama that would come.
Kaze said with a smile, “The invitation is no big deal. I can get as many as you want.” Cyan and Ryna had no confidence in Kaze. Not wanting to put Kaze down, Lock said, “Just try your best, Kaze. Don’t bother Mayor Synder about it. You don’t want to owe too many favors.” Lock assumed that Kaze would acquire the invitation through Kent. Kaze smiled without a word. All he needed to do was say the word to get Lock’s family on the guest list. The party went on until eleven at night, and it was a blast. As the guests departed, Lock insisted that Kaze should stay for the night. Ryna and Cyan made no comments. Kaze did not mind either way, but he then received a call from Albert. “I’m at Bronze Sparrow, sir. I’ve met with Ms. Frost, and I will be responsible for her safety,” Albert said gleefully on the phone.The Harrowdale Hidens had grounded him. Bored out of his life, Albert snuck to Riverbank for some fun. It was thrilling for Albert to participate in the fighting b
The manager was a man older than Kaze, but a humble one. After all, Kaze was the owner of a mansion that was valued in the hundreds of billions. Whether Kaze spent his own money on it or received it as a gift, it guaranteed he would never face the humiliation of being stopped at the door or looked down upon. “I heard from the person who gave this to me that it’s fully furnished and I can just move in?” The estate manager nodded respectfully and said, “Yes, sir. We have servants and maids to clean the place every day. It’s squeaky clean at all times. If Mr. Lee hasn't eaten, we can also arrange for the kitchen to come up with a quick meal.” “That’s okay. I want to have a tour inside.” Kaze casually dismissed the estate manager and then walked inside. He did not notice that the others behind the manager were looking at him with envy and jealousy. Kaze started from the living room and practically scanned the entire floor. He would open the drawers and check the furniture o
“Please, Kaze… Mr. Lee, please forgive me. Don’t cancel me. I believe you have the power to cancel me entirely.” Kaze helplessly said, “I have already forgiven you. I’m not the kind of person who would take revenge just because of what you say.” “Yes! Yes! I totally understand. Thank you, Kaze! Mr. Lee! Lord Lee!” Mika crossed her arms coquettishly and approached Kaze. Her eyes slightly narrowed as she said, “But if I don’t offer anything as a token of apology, I don’t feel good. “Kaze, I am yours for the night. No matter what you want to do with me, I’m okay with it. Even my top donor doesn’t get the chance to meet me in person…” She pressed her slender body against Kaze’s. Even though he had to admit that it was a pleasure, he quickly took a step back and said, “I said I forgive you.” “Kaze, are you still green?” Mika continued to approach Kaze even though he stepped back. She chuckled and said, “It’s just a little game between a man and a woman. The man always gets t
The call got through immediately. Snow said strongly, “Mr. Alonso Anderson of Mega Dance? I am Snow Frost, the chairwoman of Perfect World Group. I used to be Mr. Lee’s secretary. “I am calling regarding a user on TikTok, Mika Suka. She’s giving Mr. Lee a hard time and is causing trouble by seducing him. Mr. Lee is not happy with it. You know what you should do.” Kaze was shocked when Snow used his name as a tool of power. Was she still the same Snow who used to be compliant and accommodating toward him? She lied in front of his face and used his name to act. “Bitch, are you done faking?” Mika scoffed. “Alonso Anderson? That’s the boss of Mega Dance, TikTok’s parent company! How dare you talk to him like that? You’re bluffing!” Snow looked askance at her and said, “If you don’t want to get slapped again, shut your mouth.” Right after that, Mika’s phone rang. “You dumb bitch, what have you done? Mr. Anderson from Mega Dance just announced to cancel you! You stupid id
“Okay, okay. I’ll be careful next time.” Kaze nodded repeatedly to conceal his awkwardness. “Speaking of which, what’s wrong with the management here in Rivername? Why are they letting people in without permission? “I mentioned your name just now and they let me in as well. I was wondering why a high-end residential area allows strangers to enter without verifying their identities. It’s so unprofessional.” Snow said with resentment, “So the management sees me as someone similar to Mika. I believe people see us this way because of how they see you. They believed women like us are brought here by you and can be simply thrown away after use.” Kaze felt helpless. “Let’s just leave that behind.” He thought of switching the topic but Snow pulled him back right away. He did not know how to answer her anymore, especially when she shot a resentful gaze at him. Back at Lilyrose, Snow would never be like this because she admired Kaze. She was a person who could differentiate priva
Conan escorted Kaze into the car as he updated him on Darcy’s schedule. Darcy was coming back to Riverbank from Lilyrose today, but since she had to meet up with the person in charge from the Seven Stars District regarding the site inspection, she took the train. When Kaze entered the car, he saw a big bouquet of roses beside him. “What’s this for?” “A little welcome gift for Darcy. It’s been a while since you saw her, right? I believe she will be happy if you give them to her,” Conan said with a smile. “You little brat. You might not be good at everything else but when it comes to a woman, you’re an expert.” Kaze playfully mocked him but nodded with approval. He, too, believed a little gift from time to time could maintain a good relationship between husband and wife. The two cars then left the villa. Kaze then asked, “How’s Patrick?” “He was discharged.” In the passenger seat, Conan said, “He’s fired up and determined to take revenge on the Weathers. I lend him so
Daniela curled her lips as she looked at Darcy, waiting for an answer. Darcy never had thoughts about the two billion shares but the Weathers called her multiple times, hinting at retaliation and threatening her, which aroused her intention to fight back. She had been through a fair share of dangerous situations and was no longer afraid of a few words from Daniela. She said, “Ms. Weather, the shares that we got from Casius Weather are through legitimate procedures. It’s part of our business plan and it’s only natural for us to possess it. “If you are here to take back the shares, then please buy them back at the market price. Of course, since the Weathers called me many times to show their ‘sincerity’ and Ms. Weather showing up here to welcome me, I’ll try to provide a more lenient purchasing option.” Her words held a hidden meaning and it allowed her to talk back without losing her stance. The Weathers wanted the shares back, and they could have them—as long as they were w
“Just tell me what you need, Arthur. You wouldn’t be calling unless you have received orders.” Philip was surprised to get a call from Arthur. Though they were acquainted, they had only communicated because of work. “We have just left Rising Sun. Don’t approve the films for now.” Arthur was blunt. “I can do that, but can I ask why?” Philip was caught in a dilemma because he had just promised Jet to release the films. Philip needed to know if the orders to delay came from a high power who could cover his ass. “Since you got a call from me, you should know that there are eyes on Jet. “You should know what you can and cannot say. Otherwise, you never know when you’re going to lose your job.” Arthur threatened. Philip was reluctant. He accepted Jet’s payment, and now he had to go back on his word. Nevertheless, Arthur was part of the Viper’s Den, and his status was rather unique. Arthur provided services to confidential individuals. These individuals were elites among t
A balanced, profitable dynamic had been developed among the ports in Butterworth. Jet spotted his chance in the lucrative port business. He covertly took out some money to invest in a dying port. The port was situated in a more remote area. Some businesspeople favored more accessible ports. This drove shippers away from the dying port. Jet snagged the steal and improved the logistics and facilities around the area. The port was up and running again. Business at the port was decent enough. As the Frosts would run their business through the port, the local economy took off too. It was a good thing. However, Jet set his sights on several residential buildings around the area. He needed space to accommodate containers. The land was required to make business at the port more profitable. This triggered a whole new thing. Jet could spend some money to buy the residents out of their homes. However, the residents preferred to stay put in their long-time homes. No a
“I’ll keep the bank cards for now. I’ll talk to our superiors and give you a decision. Since the man said that the cards are meant for us, they won’t be going anywhere.” Knox had no idea who Kaze was, but he knew Arthur was with the Viper’s Den. Arthur must be someone from high places. Eli soon put the little incident behind him. He got a call from Aloysius yesterday and was made aware of Jet’s plans. The films had been put on hold for far too long, and the people above Eli were anxious to get things moving. Though Eli was surprised by the review board’s visit, everything was still in his control. Eli left the matter at that without reporting the incident to the higher-ups. The flashy, red car sped along the road. Arthur kept looking back at Kaze, eager to find out about the next plan. Arthur brought Kaze out today to witness how Eli and his team operated. As it happened, Eli adopted such a shallow ploy. Arthur was not surprised, though. Eli’s methods were common.
Eli dined offhandedly as if he had taken hold of the group. His words were layered with threat. “What? Are you trying to replace us?” Knox asked in disbelief. “I don’t have that power, but the investor does. I heard that he enjoyed dinner with your superiors. I’m sure the project will get the green light in no time. “Even if you didn’t approach me today, my team and I would have invited you out for a get-together.” Eli knew when to back down, easing the tension in the air. It was another type of reconciliation. Eli needed to go through the review board to get the rights to air the films. The carrot-and-stick approach was the best way forward. Kaze was surprised by the sophistication of Eli’s tactics. Still, he believed he had come to the right place. Sure enough, Jet would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. Surely, he was bound to leave loose ends. Nevertheless, he probably did not care. Arthur cocked his head back to look at Kaze. Kaze grinned, unbothered
The purpose of the visit was to inform Rising Sun that the films did not make the cut. Since Rising Sun would not make the necessary amendments, the project would come to a halt. “Please, don’t. Since we are all here, we should talk it out.” It took Eli quite some effort to get the group to the hotel. Eli had plans to please the crowd, so he could not let them leave just yet. This went beyond getting the green light for the films. Eli needed to make the group happy. “There is nothing more to talk about. We can’t proceed unless you make the changes.” There was no way around it. Since Rising Sun refused to make the right amendments, and Knox had orders about putting a hold on Rising Sun’s films, that was one less problem for Knox to deal with. Eli could not let the group walk out on him. Hence, he quickly sent people in. Several thinly clad women entered, each holding a small bag. Despite the weightlessness, the bag appeared to be carrying something of substance. “You
For that reason, Rising Sun’s film productions were not cleared to be aired. “I told you the reason. The investor supplied us with the scripts, and we were told to base our productions on the scripts. Our hands are tied.”Eli would have made the amendments if he could. He knew where the problem lay. However, the company had to take the investor’s perspective into consideration. In the end, the films were yet to be approved for release. “I guess you won’t get the permission to air them then.” Knox was surprised that Rising Sun would not budge on the matter. Nevertheless, Knox and his team were not there to give the all-clear or talk some sense into Rising Sun. Knox and his team could care less about what Eli had to say. “We’re serious about getting the approval. “I’m sorry that we aren’t a better host for your visit today. Why don’t we move to the nearby hotel for a talk?” With the review board making an appearance, Eli knew there was still hope. If Eli did not grab
Arthur chuckled, his smile carrying a touch of sleaziness. “Oh, I see.” A realization dawned on Kaze. “Are you with quality control?” Several individuals in dark blue suits approached. The men and women carried files and documents. Kaze nodded without a word. “We are just here to announce the results. We shouldn’t be long.” Arthur came forward to engage with them. The group was likely given the heads-up as they had the right number of people. They swaggered into Rising Sun’s building. The general manager straightened up his tie in a fluster and walked out. None of the film productions made the cut yet, and the delay was costing the company money by the day. At this rate, the project would go down under. Eli, the general manager, rushed to the entrance upon learning the news. The review team was there to do one final check. The films would get the green light if the board found that everything was up to par. The head office would stop putting pressure on
Given Kaze’s status, Alfonso knew better than to have him waiting under the hot sun. Of course, he would send his people to be on standby for Kaze’s arrival. Peter only came to the rescue when Kaze was pestered by some street gang. Alfonso’s omission of Kaze’s identity led to this hiccup. Kaze did not care one bit about the incident. Heck, he did not even bring it up. Arthur straightened his back nervously, becoming even more cautious behind the wheel. “You knew, but why didn’t you say anything, Mr. Lee? You didn’t even tell on us.” Arthur could not understand why. However, he had more respect for the man. “I didn’t see a point. You’ll learn what happens when you displease me, so I won’t bother telling you now.” Kaze was mild-mannered as ever. He spoke softly without a hint of anger. All the more Arthur revered him. “Mr. Lee, we didn’t do our jobs right. We didn’t know who you were.“But my duty is to protect you in the dark. “We saw you getting out of the train
“Rising Sun is a media company. Several of their films are about to be released. They are trying to get them approved to air due to some censorship issues.” Arthur took out a document. “Are there any issues with the films? Why aren’t they approved yet?” Kaze asked curiously. Kaze had no idea. “There are some issues. They aren’t fit to be aired. “Typically, there aren’t a lot of restrictions for film productions so long as the themes aren’t sensitive topics. “But these films featured altered history. The company has been asked multiple times to make revisions, but the films still don’t make the cut.” The Viper’s Den’s members were not privy to the information. The Frosts were insignificant. Kaze was after the Frosts. Otherwise, the Viper’s Den would not waste its resources on a mere film production company. Jet’s investment of nearly ten million bucks in Rising Sun caught the Viper’s Den’s attention. The delayed approval of the films would be catastrophic to the in