Due to the busy environment at the national kitchen, the chefs rarely had any time or opportunity to develop new dishes. Their focus was to get better at what they were already doing. Most of the time, creativity was not necessary. However, when Master Fuller retired, he started to enjoy life to make up for the time lost. It also allowed him to add more flavors to his current cooking as his vision broadened. He tended to his vegetables in the backyard during the day. After a day's work, he cooked something nice for himself, enjoying the fruits of his labor with a grateful heart. Whenever he cooked, he would think of the hard work behind caring for the ingredients. With a grateful heart, his food carried gratitude and appreciation for the gifts of nature. Kaze had a piece of vegetable and it was indeed fresh. “Nice. This feels extremely fresh.” He did not have much thought about it as he was here just to eat. Master Fuller prepared the simplest dish that every family wou
Leah was scared of the heat. She blew at the fish before taking a small bite. The tenderness of the fish surprised her. It was flawless. “It’s delicious!” The girl was amazed. “Eat more if it’s nice.” Master Fuller had seen his fair share of female customers pretending to be a lady while dining but ultimately finishing every dish he served. He was happy about it. “The ingredients are so fresh. Where did you get them?” Leah spent a lot of time at the hotel so she knew how the hotel kitchen kept their ingredients fresh. “Most of the vegetables are from my backyard. Our food is nice because the ingredients are fresh.” Master Fuller pointed at the backyard. Kaze was rather surprised that the ex-national chef had the time to plant his own vegetables. “How big is the backyard? Can it supply the entire restaurant?” “There are other farmers in the area where I buy from. All the vegetables I purchase are what the farmers eat, so fewer pesticides and artificial fertilizer a
Master Fuller chuckled helplessly. He then added a few more dishes for Kaze and Leah. “I’m too full. I can’t eat anymore.” Leah ate a lot. The restaurant looked plain and dull but the food it served was amazing. “If you like the food, do visit us again.” Reservation was mandatory to dine at Master Fuller’s place but he made an exception for Leah because of Kaze, trying to earn his favor. “I’m definitely coming back,” Leah said with a determined gaze. “Great. If you come often, it means my cooking skills are still up to standard.” Master Fuller glanced at Kaze as he spoke, trying to confirm the next meeting. “We will be here for a while. We are staying at the nearby hotel ten minutes away from here. We will certainly drop by more often,” Kaze said. Master Fuller nodded happily. “You guys still have space for dessert?” Dessert was made with sweet potato using the simplest method. Kaze and Leah were stuffed after the main course. Since the sweet potato was still
The woman frowned. There were no reservations left for the day as it was already late. However, after Kaze and Leah dined in, someone else knocked on the door. She looked at Master Fuller. Master Fuller looked at Kaze and then shook his head at her. She then headed outside and opened the door while the knocks echoed. “Hi, do you have a reservation?” she asked politely. “I don’t have a reservation, but I’m here to see Master Fuller.” After the meeting, Katie dragged her exhausted body back to the hotel, hoping to rest while overseeing the preparation for the birthday event. However, after having a simple dinner, she realized she should prepare something special, as her daughter's birthday banquet was a significant occasion. She quickly found out about a retired chef who used to serve government officials at the national kitchen and there was a small restaurant of his nearby. Even though the restaurant currently only served the wealthy, if one paid enough, the chef wo
Katie got angry. She already had a bad day for not being able to meet the guest at the penthouse. She was already embarrassed but due to that person’s identity, she was forced to endure the resentment and dared not voice her disagreement. Here, however, she did not need to hold back. Master Fuller was a member of the Viper’s Den but he used to be a normal agent, not someone extremely powerful. Katie was the CEO of Northborn Group. Her status and identity were far higher than Master Fuller’s, yet she was rejected by a mere waitress working at the restaurant. Master Fuller was simply being foolish. “I am the CEO of Northborn Group. Master Fuller is considered a subordinate to me. If I will it, you will go down with this entire place.” Katie thought that by revealing her identity, the waitress would be deterred and let her in. She quickly wore a smirk on her face and was ready to set foot in the establishment, but the woman refused to budge. “I’m sorry, we are not accept
Katie did not want to give up just yet. She lost her temper over her daughter’s matter but in order to prepare the perfect banquet, she had to get Master Fuller’s help. She knew how good Master Fuller was. The man used to be a chef at the national kitchen, serving high-ranking government officials, and also a member of the Viper’s Den, which explained his prestigious status. He always used his identity of the Viper’s Den to reject a certain job. However, being a great chef, the VIP customers he served fell in love with his food, which earned him more connections to many prominent figures. Therefore, making acquaintance with Master Fuller would also be making connections with his social network. Master Fuller retired from the national kitchen and settled down in Butterworth, and he was able to stay hidden in a small establishment because of his unusual dual identity. Most of the customers never knew his true identity. Katie knew because she was also backed by the Viper’s
“He was having a meal on the balcony earlier but the room is empty now.” Joey knew her boss’ temper, so she did her homework and provided every possible update she could get her hands on. At the same time, she also knew that her own value was impacted by this matter, and if she couldn't use it to appeal to her boss, she could easily be replaced. “So he’s not in the penthouse right now?” Katie asked, her tone doubtful. “Yes, Madam. The VIP is not in the penthouse. Only his personal belongings are inside but they are just clothes. I believe he’s a single man.” Joey knew exactly what answer would satisfy her boss, so she bribed the waiter who had delivered the room service earlier to get the information. Since she had no intention of leaking it to anyone other than her boss, the hotel staff would remain unaffected. “I see. Find out about his schedule. If there’s a chance, we’ll use it and orchestrate an encounter.” Katie refused to let this opportunity slip, especially after
“You might be able to fool others, but not me. When I arrived earlier today, I saw you bring a girl into the room,” Kody said. Since he already knew what Katie was planning, he was displeased by how he was treated. His family was indeed after Katie’s influence in the Viper’s Den but her actions were simply a disrespect toward the Leed family. Kody traveled all the way to Butterworth just to meet Leah, yet Katie sent her assistant to patronize him. On top of that, how could Katie simply send her assistant to handle the guests? It was inconsiderate and arrogant of her. “Mr. Leed, you might have been mistaken. Leah never came to the hotel today; she has been resting at home all day.” Joey believed as long as she denied it, Kody and the others could not do anything to her. “Stop fooling around and tell us what you want. We intended to proceed with the marriage but your attitude is simply disrespectful.” “Yeah. It’s too much.” The others echoed in agreement. However, som
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
“It’s quite a bustle even when it’s late at night.” Kaze looked down from above and saw the bright lights. A street in the distance was brightly lit with many people working into the night. “The majority of people would do many things to make a living.” Arthur rarely observed these sights. “Thank you. Keep me in the loop of any progress. I’m curious as to what you’d do.” Kaze did not see a need to get involved with the minor stuff. He delegated the tasks to his people. “If you have time, why don’t you go out and have a bit of fun, Mr. Lee?” Arthur asked. The reason for Kaze’s trip was to deal with Jet. Kaze would get some satisfaction from upsetting Jet. “I don’t want to attract attention.” The last thing Kaze wanted was to blow his cover. From Kaze’s question, Arthur knew that Kaze was interested. “No. We can give you a whole new identity.” Arthur knew what to do. “I’ll leave you to it, but don’t take it too far,” Kaze replied. Still, Kaze was intrigued a
Katie was narrow-minded to spit out the unpleasant things. Her words would never harm Kaze. Kaze took the private elevator back to the penthouse for a rest. He had more important things to do. He needed to keep tabs on the Frosts. Leah’s business was none of Kaze’s concern. Sure, Leah was in a state, being manipulated by her mother and all. However, it was a family matter at the end of the day. Kaze had no rhyme or reason to get involved. Kaze soon put the whole thing behind him. Arthur was already there at the penthouse. As Kaze entered the room, Arthur jolted up from the couch. “Mr. Lee, this is the document you requested. It should have detailed information to give you a clearer idea of the situation.” Arthur put the papers in front of Kaze and grabbed him a bottle of water. Feeling hot from his walk back, Kaze took a sip and held the document up for a look. “I got to give it to the Frosts. They sure work in the shadows.” Kaze grinned. A strong opponent p
“Despite everything I’ve said, you still won’t listen! Kaze is a liar! He befriended you with a motive. Yet, you trust him. He’s a good friend to you? What do you take me for?” Katie could not put up with her daughter’s defiance. Leah must obey her because that was what a good daughter would do. “I see you as my mother. What about you? Am I a daughter to you?” Leah did not want to ask such a distressing question. However, there was no way around it. She was escaping reality. Still, she had to swallow the truth, however cruel. “What are you talking about? I wouldn’t raise you if I didn’t consider you my daughter.” Katie worked hard to keep a level head. The last thing she wanted was the whole thing to blow up into a bigger fight. She had a lot to do for the upcoming party. There was no time to lose in keeping her daughter happy. Besides, Leah was no longer a child. Yet, she was so defiant and rebellious. “Why do you plan on giving me away if I’m supposed to be your d
Katie proudly made the statement, convinced that she had done a lot for her daughter. It was only right for Leah to be grateful and understand her sacrifice. To Katie’s surprise, Leah chuckled. “What else have you done for me? You never showed me any attention. You don’t know what I like. You have no idea what I want.” Leah finally saw her mother as the person she was. This side of Katie was terrifying. “What more do you want? Am I not supposed to work? Should I be spending every waking minute of the day with you?” Katie understood Leah’s needs. However, there was no way she could make it happen. It was not easy for a woman to take hold in the Northborn Group, much less secure a high position there. Katie went through great pains to get where she was today. Alas, Leah could not understand where she was coming from. “I’m not asking you to be with me every day. I’ve tried my best to do everything you asked of me, but you can’t even be there for me during my birthdays.
“Everything I do, I do for you. Get this straight. The guy approached you because of what I could bring to the table.” Katie was pissed by her daughter’s defiance which was becoming worse with age. “I know the kind of person he is. Without Kaze’s help, I wouldn’t have escaped. Where were you then? You’re in no position to say that. “Even if there’s something he’s after, what would he want from me? I have nothing to offer.” Leah did not believe a word Katie said. Clearly, Katie was out to get Kaze. “He’s nothing but a poor kid. Why are you blowing this out of proportion? I’ve clearly stated what needed to be done. Why are you still being stubborn?”Katie believed she had not raised her daughter right. Leah turned out pretty naïve. “I told you. He has no ulterior motive. He doesn’t know who I am. He doesn’t have any other intentions. I approached him, not the other way around.” Leah kicked herself for pulling a reckless stunt. All she did was give Kaze more problems. Kat
Leah hated her mother being unreasonable. “Don’t get the wrong idea. I fed you, I gave you clothes, I put a roof over your head, I gave you life! The least you could do is to listen to me!” Katie did not expect her daughter to go so far as to defy her. Kaze remained silent, knowing that no matter what he said, it would be meaningless to someone unwilling to listen. “Kaze, I’m sorry. It was my fault that you are in this mess. I’m a jinx…” Leah blamed herself for getting Kaze in trouble with her mother. If not because of her, he would never encounter her mother. “Shut it! Why are you apologizing!? He approached you with purpose and you can’t even see that? He’s not worthy of your time!” Katie was livid. She felt her daughter was blinded by emotions, incapable of making the right decision. And to make matters worse, the girl even apologized to Kaze—what nonsense! A poor man without any background was no match for her daughter and her status. He approached the girl becaus