The wisest choice was to take a step back. The very public love declaration at Bronze Sparrow was just to make Kaze look good. Without the opportunity, Snow would never admit to her feelings so openly. However, Buffy was ahead of Snow in making the romantic gesture. Sure enough, Buffy was more aggressive in showing love. Snow was on high alert. Relieved, Kaze chuckled dryly and said, “Alright. Don’t let me keep you, but no work is more important than having your dinner. I’ll talk to you soon.” “Alright. Got it. You act like my mother.“Bye.” Buffy waved at Kaze and Snow goodbye before heading to the car that pulled up. She entered the car and took off. “Where are we heading, Mr. Lee?” Snow looked at Kaze and murmured. Kaze shied away from her gaze uneasily. He was planning to take Snow to Bourbon when a call came in. He pulled out his phone and realized Alfonso, the former branch chief of Butterworth and Buffy’s family friend, was calling. To make up for his mi
The other underworld kingpin in Riverbank was Miru, Darcy’s best friend, who owned Bronze Sparrow. Thanks to Kaze’s support, Miru was killing it in the world, pushing the former criminal boss out and taking his place. Everett and Kaze used to have beef, and they had called a truce for now. They were keeping their distance at the moment. Kaze annihilated Boris and his family. Nile, the owner of Serenity 37, was the only one left who had not met Kaze. “That’s right. It’s Nile.” Alfonso said, “Jet is one of the Riverbank Seven. Before he went back to Butterworth to fight over the family’s authority, he was pretty close with Nile during his stay in Riverbank. “They are allies, but Jet is the leader between the two.” Nile, one of the four underworld kingpins, was old enough to be Jet’s father. Yet, he partnered up with Jet, serving under him. There were reasons why Jet was named one of the Riverbank Seven. Otherwise, Nile, who held influence in the underworld, would not
When Alfonso reported the poisoning incident, Kaze figured the Frosts must have framed Venom.On second thought, Kaze believed Venom could poison May enough that the Frosts had no choice but to send her to Riverbank. No one knew poison like Venom in Arcadia. “You must know the situation with the Frosts.” Venom replied, “That’s right. I poisoned May, but I did it to separate her from the Frosts. At least she has left Butterworth for Riverbank.” “Why did you separate her from the Frosts?” Kaze asked. Venom responded, “My whereabouts have been compromised. Hades’ Hand dispatched killers after me.“The assassins are on my tail as we speak. “I needed to flee, so I couldn’t protect May as you instructed. That was why I poisoned her, which, in turn, pushed Jet into transferring her to Riverbank. “That way, you can save her.” Venom explained why she did what she did. Even Kaze was pretty impressed by Venom’s wit. He asked, “I can bring May to safety, but I can’t neutralize
“You might want to figure out what’s going on with your family for Jet to make such a drastic move. He must have learned something.” By the absent-minded look on Snow’s face, Kaze knew that she was not in the mood to eat. He was better off leaving her with some questions to think about. It was only the start of something big. “I’ll get right on it.” Despite sticking close to Kaze, Snow got her ear to the ground with the Frosts. She had eyes and ears on the family. She would not put up with anyone hurting her mother. After wolfing down his food and downing the drink, Kaze felt better. He had to leave the celebration before he could enjoy a sip of water. It was sad that Kaze needed to sort out some problems now. With Snow falling into contemplation, Kaze knew that she had a finding. “Why would Hades' Hand know Jet? There must be something that connects them.” Snow came across a key piece of information. They might have overlooked this clue if it were not for Venom.
Serenity 37 targeted rich clientele. Even though it cost a fortune to get treatment at the place, the patients received the best care while enjoying VIP service. Aircraft shuttled patients from other regions to the institution daily. A silver sedan raced toward Serenity 37. The driver seemed to be in a hurry, putting the pedal to the metal. However, the car was stopped at the gate. A security officer in a black uniform stepped forward. “What’s the meaning of this? This is reckless behavior,” the security officer grilled unfriendlily. “My child is badly hurt. This is an emergency. My child needs urgent medical attention.” The mother in the car shouted, hoping the guards would open the gate for them.“Don’t you know the rules of Serenity 37?” the security officer asked callously. “We’ve called in advance, but there’s no time.” “So long as you know the rules.” The security officer hit the button with his electronic key to open the gate. The car drove in. The
“It takes guts for these underworld kingpins to build their own empire in the criminal world.” Kaze doubted that these individuals were able to get to where they were today solely through their ruthless ways. Nile had a knack for doing business, but people like him were vile. “But will they leave my mother alone?” This was Snow’s primary concern. “I’ll make sure they will,” Kaze said confidently while cocking his head back to give Snow a look of reassurance. There was no need for Snow to get in over her head. “Afontre is up ahead. That’s Nile’s territory. “Nile must be notified of our presence by now.” Snow felt uneasy. “The issue is if he doesn’t know that we’re here. It’s not easy to meet the guy.” Kaze had no fear. The rescue mission was a simple task. He would have given it more time if Snow had not urged him so insistently. Venom knew what she was doing after all. Though May was in critical condition, she could still hang on, and her organs were unharme
“You wish to see Mr. Clayton?” Esme found the request strange as most people were there to seek medical treatment. Kaze and Snow looked wealthy enough to afford the medical care. Even if they were not sick, they could opt for medical examinations. It was weird that they would ask for Nile. “Where is he?” “Can I have your names? Do you have an appointment?” Esme, the nurse, took out her tablet to seek her superior’s advice. “We don’t have an appointment. We are with the Frosts.” Kaze used Snow’s name. “I’ll need to see if Mr. Clayton is available.” Esme was hesitant to give a straight answer. Kaze and Snow would have to wait. Bored, Kaze looked around and saw a man with his hands over his head in a corner. The man looked defeated. “What’s wrong with the guy?” With nothing better to do, Kaze asked. Esme glanced at the man and expressed her disdain. “His child is ill and was brought here for treatment. The man can’t afford the medical bill, so someone in
Esme turned her attention to Snow. Snow and Kaze looked good together. He was big and burly while she was petite and sweet. They were a match made in heaven.Still, they did not seem to be together because Esme did not get romantic vibes from them. With the number of people Esme greeted and sent off daily, she became great at reading people. While she was lost in her thoughts, the elevator door opened. “Mr. Clayton is waiting for you in the conference room.” Esme was not cleared to enter the room as a receptionist. Once Kaze and Snow stepped off the elevator, Esme took the elevator down on her own. Kaze walked onto the floor, his shoes sinking into the soft carpet. The bright space was decked out in tidy ornaments. Serenity 37 was fancier than he had imagined. “The chandelier costs hundreds of thousands of dollars each. I’d say that the place is furnished lavishly,” Snow sneered.Serenity 37 sucked their patients dry and put their funds into making the place extrava
“I have pointed you in a direction. If you still can’t trust your team, you can go to the Viper’s Den.“There’s one thing, though. Don’t rely too heavily on the Viper’s Den, or your company will be left without secrets.” Kaze’s suggestion gave Snow assurance. She considered tapping into the Viper’s Den’s resources. However, Kaze warned her against excessive dependence. “Why did you say that, Chairman Lee? Will the Viper’s Den stab me in the back?” Surely, the Viper’s Den took orders from Kaze. The Viper’s Den would always be an ally so long as Kaze was the branch leader. “I just don’t want you to put too much faith in others. You find loyalty by developing your own team. Those who revere me will never trust you completely.” Kaze analyzed the situation. Snow ate her supper and looked at Kaze in confusion. “You can only count on the people you win over. You can’t trust anyone else, and that includes me.” Kaze would never hurt Snow. However, he hoped that she would fin
“As you said, all is in the past. What’s the point of dwelling on it?” Leah perked up. Such was life, but it took her too long to understand the harsh reality. She guessed things were just not meant to be. “I’ll think about what to get Kaze. Rest well. We’ll visit him in a few days.” Taking the matter seriously, Katie wanted to get gifts ready ahead of time to thank Kaze. “Alright. I’ll see what I can do too. I want to be in touch with the outside world. I don’t care what they have to say. This is not my fault. I won’t blame myself.” Leah wanted her phone back to contact her former friends. Ultimately, she needed to move forward instead of backward. She had to face and fight back the rumors with courage. It was the crucial step to kick trauma in the face. The abduction was kept hush-hush for the most part, but Katie’s frantic search for her daughter at the cocktail party did not go unnoticed. Hearing about the incident, the influential people were keen to find out
“When did Kaze start setting it all up? I get the feeling that everybody played into his hands right from the start, and he had controlled every step of the way.” Leah realized that Kaze was an amazing man. Nothing could go past his eyes. “I don’t know.” Katie feared someone like Kaze. She would not be caught dead near him. Even when grasping the situation, Katie dared not look into Kaze for fear she would be targeted. Katie was careful not to show her face around Kaze. For all she knew, Kaze might get back at her. “But he came to Butterworth alone. We met at the train station, and he helped me out of a bad situation.” Leah felt warm and cozy inside just remembering the events. They did not know each other then. Kaze was kind to help a stranger out. From then on, Kaze could do no wrong in Leah’s eyes. Leah befriended him and found him nice. Her interest in him grew. They also got along well. Her memories of Kaze were sweet. Anyone could hurt her in the world, but
Even though Katie was the CEO of the Northborn Group, many eyed her position. There were too many vying to replace her. Without dedicating herself to her work, Katie risked falling from grace. Katie had been too eager to find success to give her daughter the best life. Leah could not understand the pain Katie had to go through. “I understand it now. I explained the nature of my relationship with Kaze to you, but you just wouldn’t get it.” Leah stubbornly expressed herself in hopes her mother would understand. “I just couldn’t get it through my head that you have grown up. You make an easy target since you just graduated and have not stepped into the real world.” Katie would not always be there for Leah. Hence, Katie did her best to get rid of potential danger. Her overprotectiveness triggered Leah’s defiance. It was Katie’s fault for not realizing it sooner. “I’m not angry with you. I didn’t understand a mother’s good intentions, but I understand now. I will listen to
Leah’s face beamed, but her mother’s words threw her into a daze. In the end, she tried to squeeze a smile to assure her mother. However, Leah could not muster a smile. Those days lingered with her like a recurring bad dream. Whenever she recalled the incident, she felt trapped in that nightmare again. Leah wanted to let those memories fade away, but she just could not do it. She would get startled awake late at night and trace the scars across her skin. During moments like this, she resented Perry. Leah was rather cheerful during the day as if the past was behind her. However, it was simply a way for her to escape the pain. By the way Leah was behaving, Katie instantly regretted the question. She should not have probed. Even if they avoided the elephant in the room, they could pretend like nothing ever happened. Nevertheless, the act of asking brought up unsettling times for Leah. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have asked.” Katie gently held Leah, hoping to cast
When the ambulance door closed shut, Leah wailed once more. The reality of her rescue finally sank in, and she grasped that it was not just a dream. It was a pity that she did not have much time with Kaze. She longed to spend more time with him. “Don’t cry, young lady. You’ll get better soon enough. Don’t worry about the scars on your face. I can administer medicine to help you,” the doctor said while wiping her tears. “Thank you. I’m finally out of the hell hole.” Leah’s worst nightmare would be to be trapped in there forever. Kaze watched as the ambulance disappeared into the night. He then turned to face the villa. “Apprehend everybody in there. Perry should be punished for his crimes.” Kaze had not intended to go after the Duncans, but the family had crossed the line this time. Leah was an adorable and vulnerable woman. She was abused beyond recognition. It never occurred to Kaze that the Duncans could be so cruel. “Perry has passed out in there. Where should
With the secret out in the open, the housekeeper dropped his attitude. He pointed at the basement not too far away. “My employer is in there.” The housekeeper grimaced and kept his head down. Kaze laughed. Unaware of his impending doom, Perry was still living it up. It was absurd. Perry was playing with fire by hurting Leah. “About time you wise up.” Arthur smiled and patted the housekeeper’s face. He opened the door to the basement. Kaze walked to the bar counter and picked up the best bottle of champagne there. He fiddled with the bottle before carrying it to the basement. The other Viper’s Den members followed him. Kaze took a stride down the steps, to the basement. The noisy music was blasting before they reached the entry. Kaze was filled with a mix of emotions. Nevertheless, he said nothing. He opened the door and walked in. The light in the basement was bright, making everything perfectly clear. However, the people inside were not bothered by the
“You know him. It’s Perry Duncan, Leah’s ex-boyfriend.” Snow did not see the point of hiding the truth, so she laid everything out. “Leah must be feeling foul because she was unaware that she was being stalked. By the time she realized what was going on, she was taken into a vehicle. “We spotted the vehicle they departed in from the surveillance footage. They headed to the mountain up north.” Snow had a general idea of the location. “I got Arthur on the job. He’s putting up a team from the Viper’s Den.” Snow was uncertain of Kaze’s stance toward Leah, but now that she was made aware of the situation, the least she could do was help. Katie belonged to the Viper’s Den, so Snow was lending a hand to a friend in business. “Thank you. Please save my daughter.” Katie was nervous. The Viper’s Den was the people she could count on. “Arthur is good, but he’s slow. I’ll do it,” Kaze said. The whole thing was unrelated to him. Kaze was well within his right to stand on the si
Even so, Elsie was out to get Leah. Elsie could pick up on Perry’s delight when she took a swing at Leah. Poor Elsie was just trying to survive by catering to others. People like her learned to pick up social cues and read body language to please customers for money in return. Their income would double if their customers were happy. Leah was the obstacle. If the women could not get rid of her, they would lose their profit. They had no hard feelings for Leah, but they stood on opposing ends. “You should be fawning over Mr. Duncan, not begging me,” Elsie said while grabbing Leah’s hair to pull her up. Leah snatched Elsie’s wrist to try and break free. “Let me go. I never did anything to you.” Leah was no doormat. She did not want to cross these people or get involved with them. She still hoped that by waiting here, her prince would arrive to save her. However, all she got was a cruel beating, and she had enough. “This isn’t my fault. Blame Mr. Duncan for your cir