“That’s a new car! What the hell?!” Peter felt immense heartache looking at the dent. He had always taken good care of the car and given its luxurious brand, one dent would cost him tens of thousands to fix. More importantly, the car was imported and he had to send it overseas for repair, which would increase the cost. Peter initially did not want any trouble but Otto and his men crossed the line when they damaged the car. “I don’t care if the car is new or old, that guy is coming with us. Why don’t you do us a favor and walk away? You are not part of this.” Otto knew the value of the Maybach as well, but he had no qualms about damaging it as it was not his. Peter was frustrated and aggrieved. The damaged car made him feel worse. “Can’t we just talk this out? Why must you damage my car? We are all working for someone else. Why are you doing this?” he said, attempting to reason with Otto. “Cut the crap, or we’ll beat you together.” Otto signaled one of his men to attac
“You don’t need to know who I am but you will soon find out what will happen to yourself.” Kaze gazed into the distant horizon. A red supercar tore across the horizon, its engine roaring fiercely even from afar.The thunderous roar of the engine was enough to ignite excitement in any man’s heart. “So, there’s someone stupid enough to interfere? They must have a death wish!” Otto was displeased by the engine roars further away. He shot a gaze at his men. A few of his men nodded and headed in the direction of the incoming car with their bats. Whether the car was merely passing or intended to be here, Otto would not allow them to interfere with his plan. “I see you people are ruthless. Don’t tell me you are going to attack some innocent people,” Kaze said casually. If the car was just passing, it would certainly turn away when they saw the situation; if not, it would stop. Kaze watched as the red Ferrari slowed down to a stop in front of him. He initially thought the
The others were surprised by the situation as well, but they understood their roles and dared not back down. They grabbed their weapons and charged toward the man. After a brief fight, all of Otto’s men collapsed. Arthur continued to stroll toward Kaze, like nothing could stand in his way. One of his hands remained pocketed, and the cigar remained hung from his mouth, setting off a rugged and manly demeanor. “Mr. Lee, I am sorry for being late.” His strong and deep voice sounded from behind Otto. Otto was stunned as if struck by lightning, unable to believe the voice he had just heard. He stood frozen in place. His bat was still pointing at Kaze but his legs started to shake. An uncontrollable fear spread from the bottom of his heart. “What’s Alfonso doing?” Kaze was displeased by the arrangement. He should be resting at the hotel by now had Alfonso made better arrangements, not standing in the middle of the road because some thugs got in the way. “The boss was worr
“That won’t be necessary. I’ll just take it as a forgettable show. They are nothing, just expendable pawns to the employer.” Kaze already knew who sent Otto, so an investigation was not necessary. He came to Butterworth to deal with Jet, so it would be normal for the man to come after him. It was just surprising that Jet would resort to such a cheap tactic. On second thought, it was understandable because Jet never took Snow seriously. With that, it would only be natural that he assumed Kaze was a nameless lowlife, thus sending street thugs to humiliate him and then abduct him to threaten Snow. Kaze would never underestimate his enemies but Jet did not seem to share the same understanding. “You are just letting them go? Isn’t it a little dangerous? People might think that they can jump on us at any time without consequences,” Arthur asked while looking at Kaze with a serious look. He wanted to find out what plans Kaze had for the thugs. Kaze looked at the men crying on
“I’m okay for now.” “Mr. Lee, are you sure you don’t want to investigate the matter and find out who the mastermind is? I’m sure they are after you for a reason and it’s anything but good,” Arthur said, voicing his concerns. Even if no investigation was launched, he wanted to figure out what happened, or else it would be difficult to fend off potential attacks. “The Frost family won’t let me go this easily, but I have to say they underestimated me this time,” Kaze said nonchalantly, revealing a bit of information to Arthur. Arthur’s eyes narrowed into a serious look. He then gazed into the distance and softly sighed. This little incident might be out of his expectation but it was nothing serious as well. He knew Kaze’s identity, so there was nothing to be worried about. Kaze was the branch leader of the West State Viper’s Den, commanding multiple branches in the state. If he wanted to, he could deal with a lot of matters quietly. He must have had a reason for not using
This also meant that the upcoming schedule would be met with obstacles. Regardless, Arthur felt he needed to be with Kaze to keep him safe. “Let’s go to the hotel first.” Kaze was not in the mood to think about anything else. The car drove into the parking lot. They went up using the executive elevator instead of going in from the lobby. When Northborn Hotel was built, it was accustomed to the guests’ privacy and confidentiality, so an executive elevator was installed for convenience and safety. Due to that, many tycoons in the business world or famous celebrities chose Northborn Hotel when they visited Butterworth, allowing them to conduct business in private and not worry about being exposed. People with certain needs would also choose the hotel for special occasions, such as having an affair. Arthur guided Kaze to the elevator. Kaze scanned around the elevator box and realized there was no surveillance camera. “They did this on purpose?” Kaze said as he pointed u
“Mr. Lee, since you’ve just arrived, do you want to get a shower or get something to eat first?” Arthur picked up the phone to call the front desk and was ready to ask for room service.“I’ll have a shower first. I’m travel-battered.” Kaze might not be a clean freak but he was tired from all the traveling. Taking a shower would be a good way to relax. Arthur then told the front desk to deliver some food. Meanwhile, at Northborn Emerald Residence, Leah was forcefully brought back home by her mother. She was displeased with her mother’s attitude, but she could not defy her and had no choice but to accept her fate. Still, regret and guilt lingered over what had happened. Kaze helped her a lot but her mother misunderstood him and insulted him. Leah was aggrieved but could not do anything. Her mother had absolute control over her life. “Stay at home and don’t wander outside anymore. I’ll call someone to make you some dresses for the upcoming birthday party.” Katie loved
Katie watched as tears streamed down Leah’s face. She reached out to dry her tears. Looking at Leah’s beautiful face, Katie could not be any prouder of her daughter. Her daughter was her pride and joy. Katie wanted only the best for Leah, providing her with the new seasonal fashion collection or the latest tech. She ensured that Leah had an abundance of material things, so she would never go without. Nothing in the world would stray Leah away. Katie’s confidence came from the love she had for Leah. “Trust me. I’m not wrong on the matter. I’d never hurt you. Anything I do is for your own good. “I’ll invite Kaze to your birthday party if I see him again.” Knowing Leah, Katie decided to assure her. “Really? Are you really going to invite him to my party?” Despite feeling uneasy, Leah tried to have faith in her mother. “If I do see him again, I will apologize to him. I came off rude because I was worried about you. You should understand where I was coming from.” Ka
“What do you want to eat?” Since Leah already understood the situation, explanation was no longer necessary. Kaze asked her another question instead. “I always had steak but I’ve grown tired of it. Why don’t we go somewhere else?” Leah was not a fan of the restaurant despite the menu frequently changing. She no longer enjoyed dining at the place because she had been eating there for as long as she could remember. “Then let’s go have a stroll. Maybe we can stumble upon a new restaurant or something.” Kaze liked strolling around the city. The dishes prepared by a grand restaurant were nothing short of delicious but they lacked sentimental value. Whenever he was away on a trip, he preferred to visit stalls or smaller restaurants operated by individual owners to enjoy the warmth and hospitality that one could never experience in a large establishment. The emotional value he felt when dining would certainly make the food taste better. “Sure. I have never really been outside
“That’s perfectly fine too. So long as you’re happy, you should have a say in the kind of life you want to live.” Kaze would not tell Leah what to do because it was her life. Leah was the master of her own destiny. “You’re the best. I feel relaxed around you. You won’t judge me.” Maybe Leah had lost her sense of self, being controlled by her mother. She would fall back to her usual habits when confronted with challenges. Eventually, she would lose her identity and the will to change everything. Every little thing would become an obstacle to her, but she would want to break free. “To be honest, we just met. I don’t have the right to tell you what to do. This is the way it should be. I’d be overstepping to ask more of you.” Kaze felt that Leah was being too strict with herself. “You’re right. My experiences shaped my personality.” Leah believed she should not be trivial. Kaze had a point about enjoying life. She should learn to say no. Leah was too afraid of hurt
“No, but thank you for the reminder.” Kaze was not afraid of Katie. Leah had no reason to panic. “Do you really not blame me? But if you work here, there are some things you must avoid.”Leah wished the incident never happened. Without Kaze’s help, she would not have escaped Perry’s harassment. If she had not introduced Kaze to her mother, a misunderstanding between them would not have occurred. Sometimes, Leah wondered if she was cursed to bring the people around her bad luck. “It’s nothing. The minor issue can be resolved.” Kaze did not care if Katie was out to get him. If Katie knew who he was, she would be all over him to get in his good graces. Leah was simply oblivious to the situation. She would know what to do once she figured everything out. “Have you had dinner?” Kaze’s stomach was empty. He did not have an appetite while in the room. He left the penthouse seeking food. His question took Leah by surprise. “I didn’t feel like having anything earlier.
Leah was filled with joy, talking about her experiences at the hotel. It must be a worry-free past. Kaze looked at the garden shrouded in the dark, not finding anything different. The surroundings were a blur at night. The view must be beautiful during the day. However, there was nothing to see right now. “You must have a good memory of the place.” Kaze ran into Leah bawling her eyes out. Kaze could have walked away, but Leah was met with trouble. The incident was linked to Kaze too. Nevertheless, everything was good with Leah now. It was time for Kaze to excuse himself. “I was often on my own during my childhood. I don’t have close friends. My favorite thing to do was admire the view.” The time passed quickly when Leah talked about herself. “You have a nice life.” Kaze did not have to worry about her. Despite her innocence, Leah was a witty kid. “Not really. I keep myself entertained.” Bitterness overcame Leah. However, she was hesitant to whine a lot, especi
“Don’t get yourself worked up. Everything will be fine.” Kaze stressed. Leah wiped her tears and stared at Kaze through her blurry vision. Though there was no telling whether Kaze was right, Leah wanted to give it a go. “Really? Is he not going to be on board with the idea?” Leah did not know where else to turn to. Kaze was surprised by the coincidence. If Katie wanted to give Leah’s hand-in-marriage to Kaze, he would definitely say no. There was no way that would happen. Kaze could not turn his back on Leah’s puppy-dog eyes. “Certain things aren’t so complicated. If you make things clear, I believe the VIP from the Viper’s Den will keep his distance. I doubt he will force a young lady.” This was his way of convincing Leah without exposing his identity. “I see. I will give it a shot then.” Putting faith in Kaze, Leah felt relaxed. She turned to Kaze. “What are you doing here? Are you working here?” Leah asked curiously. The Northborn Hotel’s clientele was th
Kaze found Leah adorable and energetic. She was an innocent cutie pie too. Leah was a rare gem of a girl. Since they were acquainted, it was only right Kaze helped her out. “I don’t know whether it’s true, but my mother’s assistant told me that she planned to marry me off to an old man.” It was unclear to Leah who the man from the Viper’s Den was, but he must rank higher and be older than Katie. Leah imagined the worst-case scenario, wondering if her mother would abandon her. “Why would she do that? Who is the man?” Kaze was taken aback. It was said that Katie adored her daughter and cared for her deeply. Surely, she would not choose her career over her daughter. “Joey told me that my mother went to the penthouse to visit the supposed guest from the Viper’s Den.” Leah recounted everything she knew. Kaze thought it was strange because he was the only one living on the top floor. There was no one else on the floor. To think Katie even paid a visit. Kaze had no i
Leah hopped off the chair and approached Kaze. “It’s me. You helped me on the train today.” Leah held Kaze’s arm in glee. She thought they would never meet again. Leah did not even get his number, so she could not get in touch with him. By sheer luck, they ran into each other tonight. “It’s you.” Kaze thought the girl was quite a character. To think he would bump into her at the hotel. “Aren’t you upset with me? My mother was harsh today.” Though Leah was glad to see Kaze, Kaze’s friendly attitude shocked her. She assumed he would be mad, but he did not seem to care in the slightest. “Your mother and you are two separate people. Her behavior is not on you.” Kaze would not take out his anger toward Katie on Leah. They were mother and daughter, but they were their own persons. Katie’s statement did not represent Leah. “You’re such a great guy. I thought you’d be upset. A lot of people distanced themselves from me because of my mother. “But you don’t.” Leah was
Kaze had to do everything himself. The walk along the path offered a nice view of the hotel’s garden in the back. Even at night, the streetlight illuminated the path and highlighted the lush greens. Not in a hurry to fill his belly, Kaze entered the garden. He planned to wander around and come for a swim tomorrow. The hotel was packed with guests, and no one knew who he was. Kaze could indulge himself a little. Kaze walked along the path and admired the blossoming flowers. Even at night, Kaze was impressed with the view. He looked up at the sky. The starry stars covered the night sky. It was not something he could see every day. Stars were rare in a concrete jungle. The clear weather tonight probably welcomed a myriad of stars. “The scenery here is great,” Kaze commented. He took a detour around the garden to head back to the lobby.On his way to the lobby, he saw a girl sitting in the gazebo. It was late. Yet, someone found time to rest in a gazebo. Kaze w
Joey believed that there was a chance to turn things around since nothing was set in stone yet. Most importantly, the high-ranking member of the Viper’s Den did not show any respect to Katie. Perhaps the VIP thought little of Katie. Even if Katie tried to curry his favor, she likely would not succeed. It was just hypothetical, though. If the VIP were interested in Leah’s hand-in-marriage, the whole thing would be a done deal. It would not matter if the VIP were married or promised to another woman. Leah would become a pawn. Leah relaxed. So long as there was room for changes, Leah would put in the effort. If the VIP were after her looks, Leah would give up her appearance in exchange for her freedom. Her mother may be very upset, but no one had the right to decide her happiness. Leah would not make such a drastic decision unless she had to. She could not back down now. Joey patted Leah’s shoulder to offer comfort. “Don’t worry too much about it. Your mother loves y