“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
“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
“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
“Honey, this is the last time I’ll bathe you. We’ve been married for three years but we’ve never made love. I want you to pop my cherry before we divorce…” Kaze Lee sat in the bathtub with Darcy Quint behind him. Her voluptuous body was pressed against his back and her slender hands were exploring his body. The water showered the two of them, producing a bodily fragrance in the air. Darcy poured body shampoo onto Kaze’s muscular body. Her delicate hands stroked his abs and it made her blush. When she looked at Kaze, bitterness struck her and tears rolled down her cheeks. Kaze’s head was slightly tilted. His handsome face looked blank and dull while he drooled uncontrollably as if he were a mindless puppet. “Honey, what happened in the past three years? What made you like this?” Darcy sobbed. Three years ago, Darcy married Kaze but on their wedding night, he as the groom disappeared. The news of her husband’s escape spread like wildfire and the Quint family became the la
Loud noises of tables and chairs being overturned echoed from the phone. Draco’s excited voice followed, “Boss, is it really you?! Where have you been!? You’ve been missing for all this time and it almost drove us mad! “Since your identity is confidential, we are not permitted to locate you without official orders.” Kaze sighed and said, “I got into some trouble. I’m fine now. I have recovered.” “Someone tried to harm you? Who is it? Just one word, boss! Me and the guys will raze them to the ground,” Draco said angrily. “It’s okay,” Kaze replied coldly. He did not want others to be involved in his affair with the Lee family. He must end it with his own hands and his own hands alone. “I have something that I need you to do. Arrange for Sky High Investment Group to enter Lilyrose by tonight and announce an investment in the city worth ten billion.” He served in the army for three years. Not only did he lead his men to battle, but he also founded a business empire in another
“Kaze, you’ve recovered?!” Seeing the clarity in Kaze’s eyes, Darcy covered her mouth in disbelief, thrilled to see her husband looking lively. “Yes, Darcy, I have recovered.” Kaze looked at Darcy as his eyes teared up despite having gone through countless brutal fights on the battlefield himself. Darcy broke down in tears instantly. She was thrilled to see Kaze healthy. Kaze pulled her into his arms. He felt sorry for putting her through so much suffering all these years. “Hmph. So what if you’ve recovered? You are still a piece of trash,” Deborah said with a scoff. She sat down, pointed at the folded table in the corner, and said loudly, “Get over there and sit down. Contributing ten billion? What a joke!” Kaze frowned. He wanted to argue but Darcy stopped him and dragged him over to the corner. The four of them sat at the folded table. The others were having a feast whereas Darcy and her family were served four cups of ramen. Master Quint at the center seat loo
Looking at Kaze’s confident face, Darcy hesitated. She thought of her family’s current financial situation and it gave her no choice. She bit the bullet, got up, and said, “Grandfather, I’ll go and recover the debt.” “You stupid girl! Are you crazy? What if that gangster ripped your face apart? Henry wouldn’t want you then!” Agnes panicked. The others were shocked, including Master Quint. No one expected Darcy to take up the task. Samus and the others gloated at her. He then took a five-dollar bill and tossed it at Darcy. “This is for your bravery and for you to take the bus back.” Deborah crossed her arms and said with raised brows, “You agreed to go yourself. If anything happens to you, don't blame us.” Kaze glared at the few of them coldly. He did not even want to argue with them because they were simply clowns. He held Darcy’s hand and left the mansion. Meanwhile, Darcy’s parents were giddy with anxiety. Agnes gritted her teeth, “We must ask Henry to help us, he’s o
Lee? Pietro looked at Kaze, baffled. “There is a man named Kaze Lee, and I’m trying to teach him a lesson.” A loud thud could be heard from the other end of the line. Pietro asked, “Boss, are you alright?” Then, a thunderous roar from the man was blasted into Pietro’s ear through the phone. “Alright? I’m not f*cking alright! Are you trying to f*ck with me now?! I’m warning you, whatever that man tells you to do, you f*cking do it, understand? He is a God from now on!” Pietro was stunned. He had never seen Giovani this scared for as long as he worked for him. He instinctively asked, “Boss, are you mistaken? He’s just some trash who married into the Quint family.” “Pietro, are you trying to get yourself killed? You and I are like flies to him. One swat and we are all dead, crushed! You understand me?!” “Boss, I…” Pietro got nervous. “Last warning. That man is someone that not even I can mess with, you better take care of your own a*s!” The call ended abruptly. Pie
“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