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
However, Darcy did not fully believe Daniela’s words. Even if Daniela was telling the truth, she was not deterred. She had heard about Kaze being targeted by Casius. Casius even sent hitmen after Kaze’s life. After all that had happened, Kaze should claim some interest for compensation. Darcy was no longer the naïve and innocent girl as she, too, had grown up after experiencing many incidents. Showing mercy to the enemy was being cruel to oneself. She experienced the saying first-hand multiple times. “So, you are trying to coax me into signing this and if I don’t agree, you’ll choose to be rough?” Darcy asked calmly. “I’m glad that you are a smart person.” Daniela smiled. “I liked people who could read the air, and I am low on patience, hence I don’t like wasting time. “Ms. Quint, you are famous for your beauty and for your achievements in the business world. You are so beautiful that even I am jealous of you.” As she spoke, she stepped forward and teasingly tap
As Daniela spoke, her men surrounded Kaze and Darcy, their eyes fixated on Kaze, looking cautious. Before they came, they were told that Kaze was physically powerful. One word from Daniela and the men would jump on him without a second thought. Kaze glanced at the men and then casually pulled his attention away from them. He said, “So you are here for the two billion shares? I’ve warned the Weathers but you guys just don’t know when to quit. You just have to learn it the hard way.” Daniela frowned. “Hard way? You mean that for yourself. You said you’ve warned the Weathers? What nonsense are you talking about? “You might as well say you went to the Weathers and warned them in person. You should know that if you ever appear at the Weathers’, you won’t be able to come back alive.” It appeared that the Weathers were completely unaware that Collier was acting under Kaze’s orders to deliver Casius' head as a warning. However, it was understandable because only a few knew Kaze’s
“Break his arms and legs! Let him know what the consequences of messing with the Weathers are!” Daniela seized the chance and got up from the floor, shouting at her men as she covered her face. “Daniela, you are the one with the least power in the family, how can you represent the Weathers?” Right before the suited men could attack Kaze, a sarcastic voice came from the end of the corridor. “Thud. Thud. Thud.” A series of hurried footsteps sounded, followed by a group of suited men swarming into the corridor. The number of suited men was twice as many as Daniela’s. The moment they swarmed in, they blocked the exit. The arrival of another group of suited men scared Daniela’s men. Their expressions turned heavy, paused what they were doing, and looked at their counterpart in confusion. Daniela’s expression shifted as well and quickly calmed down. When she saw the leader of the new group of men, she was shocked. “Patrick? Were you not taken by the Ryokanians?! Why are you
With the order given, Daniela’s men charged at Kaze and Darcy. Even though Patrick had more men, the difference in physique was obvious. Daniela’s men were properly trained, buffed and tall. Patrick’s men came in all forms and sizes, some even looked like they had anorexia. “Patrick, where did you get all those goofballs? They looked like women, how can you bring them around?” Daniela scoffed. Patrick scoffed without answering. He raised his hand. “Get them.” “Bang!” Two groups of men clashed. Feeling Darcy’s hand trembling, Kaze held her tightly and said, “Just ignore them. Let’s go.” “Stop them!” Daniela shouted as she pointed at them. However, her men who charged at them were knocked down one after another with agonizing cries. Not a single one of her men could stop them. She could not do anything but watch Kaze and Darcy walk out of the corridor without the slightest hindrance. A while later, all of Daniela’s men lay sprawled on the ground, defeated. Blood poo
The switch to business talk allowed Darcy to forget the little conflict from earlier. She said, “But the resistance we see this time isn’t from the city council but from our competitor. “Other than us, the Krads of Westeros are also interested in getting that land. Back at Lilyrose, they contacted me and hinted they were determined to get the land. They even asked me to surrender it.” The Krads? Kaze frowned. Now it seemed like Aiden’s trip to Riverbank was not just about targeting him and Snow together with the Ryokanians. It was understandable since the Krads were expanding. It was unlikely for their family to make such a grand entrance to Riverbank just to work as lap dogs for the Ryokanians; expanding the business and acquiring profits for the family was the true purpose of Aiden’s trip. The fact that the land Sky Ocean Corporation intended to purchase and Snow’s predicament both intertwined with Kaze was purely coincidental. “Hmph. Those so-called big families are
At Sky Ocean Corporation back at Lilyrose, documents or parcels sent by business partners or working contractors must be checked and verified by reception first and foremost. Then, it would be sent to the chairwoman’s office for another round of checking before reaching Darcy’s hands. It was impossible for a parcel from an unknown sender to reach Darcy’s hands directly. However, the office in Riverbank was still new and the employees and receptionists were locally hired, hence they had never received proper training from the security department of the company. It explained the mistake they made. However, it was not entirely the receptionist’s fault since no sane person would send such a gory gift to the company. Darcy quickly regained her composure. She stared at the dead rabbit with the knife in it and anger brewed in her. After a few deep breaths, she said, “It’s okay. I want to see the surveillance camera, and call the police…” Ring! Before she could finish, her phone
“Haven’t I explained enough, Ms. Quint?” Aiden chuckled softly and added, “I think you should really consider my words. Having an ally is better than having another enemy. “It’s up to you whether you want to see me as an ally or an enemy. I know you’ve just joined the Ridgesouth Quints and haven’t been able to secure your position there. I heard they are sending an elder here to inspect your work. “I believe you need an ally more than you need an enemy. An ally might not be able to assist you but an enemy can surely ruin your plans.” He was well informed. Darcy was just notified about the upcoming inspection, yet Aiden already knew about it. He also made it clear that even though he might not be able to help, he was capable of ruining things, big time. “If that’s your answer, then we’ll see about it.” Darcy was angered. Her expression turned cold as she said, “I can tell you I have twenty billion ready for the upcoming auction. If you have more money than I do, then a c
“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