“There’s a banquet that I need you to attend. Get dressed. If you can’t do it alone, find a place to get yourself a good dress and makeup.” Katie did not mind her daughter’s frosty tone and did not bother to sugarcoat her words when talking. She simply told the girl what she needed of her. “Why must I listen to you?” Leah was unhappy that her mother was ordering her around, trying to use her like an object. “You should know that the card you are using belongs to me. It’s just a sub-card. If you don’t listen to me, I’ll cut it off. You will have to come back to me eventually.” Katie initially felt bad about slapping her daughter and intended to hold back, but she was forced to be harsh. If Leah refused to listen to her and could not be controlled, then it would challenge her position as the CEO of the company as well. Leah thought her mother called to talk peace, to console her, but it was just to give her an order. “Why are you doing this to me? You slapped me and you did
“If she’s still a child, that would be great. I still can take care of her like I used to, but she’s growing up faster than ever. If I still can’t find a family that could protect her, things would be bad.” Katie had her reasons for doing what she did, but most of the time, her intentions for her daughter were driven by ambition—to push her daughter higher than she could reach on her own, ensuring that she as a mother would benefit from her daughter’s union with another powerful family. Unfortunately, the daughter was gradually acting out of control. “You have to take it slow. She’s just a girl and like any other girl nowadays, they tend to have unreal fantasies about love. That’s why she doesn’t understand. When she does, she will understand what you have been doing for her.” Joey could not do anything but console her boss. Katie felt uncomfortable about pressuring her daughter but she had to do it. “Check the arrangement. Don’t let her embarrass herself. I think you shoul
Leah was forced to accept her fate, doing things she did not want to. “The people you are going to meet today will benefit you. I talked to you about the higher management of Viper’s Den but we still couldn’t get in touch with them now. So your mother is getting worried and she has decided to contact someone else.” Joey felt bad seeing Leah sad and dispirited, so she wanted to help her. “So?” Leah was not interested at all. To her, meeting whoever it was did not matter because none of them were people she liked. She had given up internally and refused to believe her mother anymore. She knew once she started to compromise, she would be forced to do it again and again until the end of her life. “Come on. I’ve booked a hairstylist to get you ready.” Joey initially did not want to be naggy because time was running out and she could not afford to delay the banquet, but Leah refused to listen and gave her the silent treatment. “This is really different. The person you are m
“But he helped me again. He is not a bad person, he’s also not a liar.” Leah was deeply bothered by people accusing Kaze. She refused to believe her mother, but she also had her doubts about Kaze. However, when Kaze appeared once more to help her, she chose to fully trust Kaze. “Even if he’s not a liar, he’s not the son-in-law your mother chooses, so stop fantasizing about it.” Joey knew her boss well enough, so she did not want the girl to remain oblivious and stubborn. “I just don’t like it. It felt wrong.” Leah wanted to use this chance to resist her mother but she knew it was not easy. “You should know that there are things you cannot change. Why don’t you just follow your mother’s orders and it’s better for everyone?” Joey felt sorry for the girl but she had her duty to carry out and could not afford to be sentimental. “It’s almost time. We have to go now and get you prepared,” she said. Leah remained reluctant but she knew her mother would cut her credit car
Leah grew up surrounded by luxury brands. Be it luxurious, tailored brands or the latest designs from famous designers, every new piece of clothing came with the question of whether she wanted it or not. After she made her selection, only the other young ladies could browse through whatever she had discarded. Leah could not live a normal life. She was slightly displeased but did not argue with Joey. Maybe she was clear that she could not live without the luxury that she grew up with. Joey looked at the quiet girl and thought she had returned to her obedient self. Even an obedient girl like Leah would sometimes be rebellious. Joey brought Leah to the car and soon reached a fashion house. The fashion house was a white building with a classic architectural style. The designers here specialized in styling wealthy young ladies, sometimes providing door-to-door services. Joey had booked a slot, so they did not have to wait for the designers and stylists. After Leah had
Leah was naturally beautiful and with meticulous makeup coupled with a beautiful dress, she looked stunning. “It’s getting late. We have to leave now. Your mother is already there and she’s expecting us soon,” Joey said. Leah had planned to make a fuss by changing into a different dress, showing her unwillingness to take the dinner seriously. However, after hearing Joey’s words, she realized she was out of time. “Don’t try to defy your mother anymore. It’s over now. Just let it be in the past,” Joey said, afraid that the girl would get into a fight with her mother again. “I’ll just zip my mouth,” Leah said. That was the only thing she could do now. Katie changed into something formal for the dinner as well. The person she and her daughter would be meeting was her ideal son-in-law candidate. She wanted Leah to meet him because she wanted her daughter to develop a relationship with the man. Ever since she slapped Leah, she had been feeling sorry and she wanted to use this
Katie was a woman and it was not easy for her to become the CEO of Northborn Group and a member of the Viper’s Den all at once. Jet invited her to dinner because he wanted her to find out who was behind the malicious attacks on his projects. Leah knew her mother had brought her to this dinner for matchmaking, but the moment she saw Jet, she felt less than satisfied. Before she met Kaze, she might have been interested in Jet. Jet was a well-known figure in Butterworth and his presence could easily attract young ladies. He was a tall and handsome man; a gentleman who exuded elegance, an ideal man who could capture any young lady’s heart. In addition to his family background and his position as heir, he became the ideal candidate for husband and son-in-law to many. Leah used to fantasize about him but she had a boyfriend back then and did not want to cheat. However, when she saw Jet in person, she did not feel anything, not even the slightest excitement. Looking at Jet,
“I’m okay with anything. Thank you,” Leah said. “I’ve spoiled my daughter. Please don’t mind her,” Katie said, trying to ease the tension. The three of them entered the VIP room with dishes already served on the table. Jet came early to prepare for the dinner. “It seems like you’ve been waiting for us for a while. I should have urged the girl to be quicker just now.” Katie was happy with Jet’s attentiveness. “I don’t have anything particular today, so it’s okay that I wait. Leah is really beautiful in her dress. It’s only normal for a girl to doll up and look great,” Jet answered. His tone sounded casual and it was his attitude that won Katie’s fondness. “You are really kind. I bet you are a great boyfriend,” Katie asked, hoping to find out more. “Madam Loren, I am solely focused on my career, I do not have a girlfriend,” Jet said as he got up and poured them water. “You are young and successful, how could you be alone and single? What a waste!” “A man should alwa
“Nothing much, but I’m interested to see whether you’re going to kick yourself.” Kaze’s comment left tension thick in the air. Proficient in navigating social settings, the ladies grabbed their glasses to calm the dynamics. They did not care about the conflict. Only by pleasing the customers could their bank account grow. “I’m sure whatever it is, we can talk it out, Mr. Lee. Why are you upset? You’re not hurting yourself.” “I’ll drink with you, Mr. Lee.” “Mr. Lee, let me peel grapes for you.” These women pulled all the stops to please Kaze. Jet fell into thought, unsure of how to sort the issue. He had no idea who Kaze was, so he could not just burn the bridge. Kaze was not the least bit appreciative. Despite Jet’s humility, Kaze still gave him an attitude. Usually, Jet would be pissed by now. Yet today, he had to tuck his tail between his legs and swallow his rage. He could not let his emotions get the best of him. No matter who Kaze was, Jet did not want to b
The women had been given an order. These were questions they could usually get their hands on, but now, their efforts hit a wall. Kaze would keep his mouth shut when it came to the key questions and simply drink wine. His silence sparked the ladies’ will to win. “Mr. Lee, why aren’t you talking? Is it because you don’t hold much power?” Since their less aggressive tactic did not work, these ladies tried to rile Kaze up. “Jet, do you really want to know who I am?” Kaze suddenly turned to Jet. Jet was surprised to be brought into the picture. He was having fun with one woman while listening to the conversation. These ladies were witty, asking the right questions, but Kaze would not give a straight answer. “I was just curious. I wonder if you are happy to let me in on it.” Jet believed he could drop his act now. Since Kaze knew he was after something, there was no use hiding. “I have a question for you,” Kaze uttered while prying a woman off him. He then forcibly r
Kaze wondered what Jet would do to him. To think Jet would adopt one of the oldest tricks in the book—the honey trap. Jet was forced to take this approach as he could not get information on Kaze. “Mr. Lee, these girls have a clean bill of health. You are free to use a room next to this one.” Jet subtly hinted. Jet was confident that no man would resist a gorgeous lady, and Kaze would be lost in lust. He poured himself a glass of wine and waved at the ladies to tend to Kaze. These women were veterans in the business. Despite their lack of knowledge about the situation, they knew what to do. They approached Kaze and sat around him. “My, you’re a handsome man, Mr. Lee.” “Do you want some grapes, Mr. Lee?” “Mr. Lee, I’ll pass the wine to you, and we can do it mouth-to-mouth.” The ladies, surrounding Kaze, started caressing him. “Is that all you got, Jet?” Kaze was in disdain. Jet did not take Kaze’s comment seriously. These ladies would take any man’s breath away.
It never occurred to Aloysius that Jet’s and Kaze’s first encounter would turn out to be rather confrontational. Nevertheless, Aloysius was just an assistant. He should not be meddling anyway. Pretending like nothing ever happened, Aloysius stepped out of the room without a word. “What have you been busy with? I can’t catch you anywhere.” Jet chatted Kaze up. “Nothing much. I’ve been wandering around,” Kaze answered nonchalantly, his eyes roaming the things on the table. He looked a little disgusted. Jet was not too pleased. He displayed his best-kept wine on the table, and these bottles were priceless. Only real collectors would have this impressive collection. Yet, Kaze did not appreciate the wine at all. “You must know who I am.” “Are you talking about the Frosts? How can I not? You called for this dinner. I wouldn’t have come without doing my homework.” Kaze looked at Jet as if he were an idiot.Jet felt insulted. “I guess you do. Of course, I’m going to ha
The car pulled up in front of a high-end club in the city’s most cosmopolitan area. “This is Kurosawa Club, a members-only establishment. Non-members can be invited by members, and to be a member, you have to be a high-paying consumer. Members are expected to deposit half a million bucks. “On average, the consumption here is no less than half a million dollars each time.” Aloysius sounded proud talking about it. The private club catered exclusively to the rich. The management came up with new and diverse ideas to attract these people to spend money. The entrance to the club was not obvious. It would be an easy miss unless the person had been there before. Aloysius brought Kaze right into the place. Entry to the club required the swiping of a membership card. Once the card was swiped, the information of the member would be registered at the bar, and an attendant would approach to provide service. Though it was not Kaze’s first rodeo, the whole experience was rather i
Kaze appeared to be there just for the food. Aloysius said nothing more. He invited Kaze into the car and drove out of the Northborn Hotel. With Kaze on the move, Arthur would make sure to stay by his side in the dark. Today was a different situation. Arthur brought along a few members of the Viper’s Den. “Arthur, is this necessary?” One member was confused. Kaze had been discreet, and nobody knew who he was. The agents were just following Arthur’s orders. “Our goal is to keep Kaze safe. Jet’s invitation to dinner is just a trap. If we don’t keep a close eye on the situation, all the issues will be on us.” The young members did not seem to know any better, so Arthur had to lay it thick on them. Without another word, the young members followed the vehicle Kaze was in. However, they did not have much respect for Kaze since they knew nothing of him. Kaze was in the dark about things over at Arthur’s end. Even if he did, he would not be bothered. “Where are we headi
“I hope Jet won’t disappoint me.” Ever since Kaze arrived in Butterworth, everything had been so peaceful to the point that it started to feel boring. Now that he could finally meet Jet, he wondered what surprises awaited him. Jet had started to suspect Kaze, so a move would be made against him. Standing by the side, Aloysius was waiting for further instructions from his boss. “He said we could arrange for a meal tomorrow morning at any location.” “How generous of him. He doesn’t seem to be afraid of me,” Jet said with a chuckle. Regardless, as long as Kaze was willing to meet, Jet was confident he could uncover Kaze’s identity and expose the secrets behind the veil of mystery. “Book a room at Kurosawa Club and prepare everything necessary.” Jet looked forward to meeting Kaze. He wanted to know what secrets Kaze held. A man who was unafraid of Katie had to have a strong background, yet he carried himself like just another nameless, ordinary man—which only made him e
“Jet’s assistant, Aloysius, is waiting in the lobby. Mr. Lee, do you want to meet him? If not, I'll clear the place out,” Arthur asked. “We are going to meet one way or another. I just wonder who he thinks I am now?” Kaze had drawn too much attention at Leah’s party the other day, and that might have been when he first caught Jet’s eye. “If you don’t want to meet him, I can clear the place anytime and I can also make a move against Jet Frost.” Arthur did not want Kaze to be stuck at a crossroads. “No need to worry. I have to go take a look anyway.” Kaze smiled. What was meant to come would come; it was something he had anticipated all along. Jet had lost a lot of projects and money recently. Kaze wondered if the guy had learned his lesson. Otherwise, he could do it all over again and teach Jet another valuable lesson. “Should we do something?” Arthur asked out of concern. “It’s okay.” Kaze was not afraid of Aloysius. A mere assistant would not dare to do anything
Waylan was simply curious and not because someone was trying to buy the information from him. “Don’t poke your nose into matters that you shouldn’t. I need you to find out whether Kaze Lee is at Northborn Hotel.” Aloysius sensed danger as well but he must take the matter into his own hands. Besides, as Jet’s assistant, he could not walk away. “I understand. But he’s not back yet. If you go now, you’ll have to wait for him,” Waylan said after tapping on his keyboard to pull up the hotel’s system information. “I got it.” Aloysius was displeased but he did not say anything. “Can we talk about my payment? I’ve been digging around for days and it’s not that appropriate if you guys don’t pay me,” Waylan asked, taking the chance to urge Aloysius. “Don’t worry. You will be rewarded.” Aloysius and Waylan had worked together for many times. Other than the loose mouth, Waylan was quite professional. Since Aloysius was a regular customer, Waylan usually did not charge him for sma