Minutes passed. “The nerve of you, Angel. Aren’t you worried I might just kill you?” Leo stared coldly at Angel, who sat across from him. It never occurred to him that Angel would infiltrate the Lefteria Tower before calling him. Angel seemed sure that Leo would agree to a meetup. He said with a smile, “If you want to avenge Alan and win over your people in Lefteria Gang, you should kill my king.“I am only the king’s lapdog, so what’s the point of killing me?” Leo said nothing. Angel had a point. If Cronus was standing before him, Leo would kill him without hesitation. By killing Cronus, Leo could gain control over Lefteria Gang with ease. Even Jeremiah might put aside his ego and aid him. Alas, Cronus was not there. Killing Angel would achieve nothing. Leo said curtly, “Don’t think I am an idiot, and fool me to kill Jeremiah. With him gone, your king would be the one benefiting from it all.” “You would have to kill either my king or Jeremiah, Leo. Otherwise
Master Quint led the family to Skylar View District. Darcy’s family was having lunch with Agatha’s family. Agatha knew trouble had come knocking on their door because Master Quint and the rest of the family were on a warpath. “What happened, Dad?” Hector asked. “What happened? Your son-in-law did it again.” Master Quint glared at his son and said sternly, “Lefteria Group demands that we hand Kaze over and send him to River Watcher Inn to his death.” The entire family lost their appetite for lunch. Darcy jumped in. “Don’t bother with them, Grandpa. So long as Kaze remains in Skylar View District, Lefteria Group won’t send anyone here to capture him.” Master Quint was aware that twenty assassins were executed at the gate of Skylar View District. “What’s the use of hiding? Kaze can take cover, but what about the rest of us?” Master Quint shouted angrily, “Lefteria Group said the Quints will have to take Kaze’s place if he doesn’t show up.” “It’s all your husband’s
Agnes could not do anything about the shameless behavior of Master Quint and the others. She was not in the mood to waste time with the group, so she headed straight upstairs. “I wasn’t joking, Kaze. I’m going with you to River Watcher Inn. We can face everything together,” on the second-floor balcony, Darcy grabbed Kaze’s arm and said to him earnestly. Darcy’s eyes were filled with tears. With his heart going out to her, Kaze reached out and wiped away her tears. He was lucky to have a wife like her. “Alright, we’ll go together. I want to show you what Leo has coming for him.” Others believed Kaze would not leave River Watcher Inn alive. However, only Kaze knew that he would turn out fine. Since Darcy wanted to go, he could take her along. She would be glad to see that karma would finally get to Leo. “Okay.” Darcy nodded. She sighed to herself. Kaze was too optimistic. They should expect the worst for tomorrow. “If you love Darcy, you shouldn’t put her at ris
“Kaze?” Miru was shocked. Jeremiah was unsuccessful in killing Kaze at Lilyrose Detention Center. Lefteria Gang was puzzled. As it turned out, Kaze had proven his innocence at the time. Miru was curious as to what Kaze did to gain Jeremiah’s trust. Jeremiah did not respond. “Why did you bring me here?” Miru asked a different question. “Kaze told me to do so.” Jeremiah kept his answers short as always. Miru did not think she would be even more surprised. Alan alone commanded Jeremiah’s respect within Lefteria Group while everyone else was beneath his notice. Why would Kaze hold any sway over him?Miru knew the type of man Jeremiah was. He would not answer meaningless questions. Hence, she saved the questions. Instead, she said, “Jeremiah, I got proof of Leo killing Godfather during my trip to Melrose—” “Kaze has told me.” Jeremiah raised her hand to interrupt her. “Go and get some rest. We will be attending Alan’s funeral service at River Watcher Inn tomorr
Kaze had sorted out the Hansers before. Instead of being grateful to Kaze, Deborah hated his guts. Their feud went way back. Deborah was glad that Kaze was moments away from his death. She said gloatingly, “Once you’re gone, Darcy won’t take long to forget you and remarry someone else, Kaze. “Remember Kiev? He was here yesterday. “He is better-looking, wealthier, and comes from a better family than you. Darcy will have a beautiful marriage with him while you have no shoulders to cry on. I mean, you won’t have shoulders as a ghost anyway.” “Hahahaha!” The Quints burst out laughing. Kaze had no time for the group. Nevertheless, he narrowed his eyes dangerously at Deborah’s harsh words. He took strides over. “What are you trying to do, Kaze?” Samus’ eyes bulged. Kaze said with a smile, “Since I’m about to die, why don’t you and Deborah grant my wish?” “What’s the wish?” The siblings were dumbfounded. Smack! Smack! Kaze raised his hand without hesitation
There was a long line outside River Watcher Inn. They were there to offer their last respects to Alan. Many of them were criminal bosses from various places. Kaze stood in line and followed the crowd into River Watcher Inn. Alan’s funeral service was held in the lobby of the first floor. Many offered their condolences as a mournful song played in the background. Dressed in a black suit, Leo tended to those who came to mourn Alan’s death. He played the part of the grieving godson right because people believed him. His behavior since Alan’s death had won the loyalty of many members of Lefteria Gang. “Kaze is here, Leo.” A subordinate drew close and whispered to Leo. Leo was speaking to a guest when he looked up. He spotted Kaze in the line, and his gaze turned icy. After excusing himself from the guest, Leo walked over. “The nerve of you to show your face here when you were an accessory to my godfather’s murder, Kaze.” Leo raised his voice. His voice stood out
Leo could not kill Kaze with his hands. That would give the police a reason to cuff him. Nevertheless, the police would have nothing on him if Kaze committed suicide. “If you don’t want your wife’s family to live in hell, you better do as I tell you, Kaze,” Leo said with a smirk. He would not take no for an answer. He believed Kaze had no other choice than to end himself. Kaze glanced at the knife by his feet. He bent over to pick it up, rubbing his thumb along the sharp edge of the knife. “Alright, I’ll let you redeem yourself with the knife.” Leo was shocked. His gaze turned menacing as he scowled. Leo did not think Kaze would remain stubborn. “You don’t want to do this the hard way, Kaze.” Gritting his teeth, Leo added, “Fine. So you’re not going to kneel, huh? I’ll make you then!”He called out to his men, “Do it!” Lefteria Gang’s best fighters approached with aggression. They were about to lay their hands on Kaze. “These men aren’t like the group’s useless
Jeremiah’s words triggered an even bigger commotion. He was intimidating for slaughtering Gabriel and scaring Cronus to skip town. Hence, his words carried greater weight than Miru’s. “Don’t be fooled by Miru, Uncle Jeremiah.” Leo said menacingly, “My father is Bando Lionel. You and my father helped establish Lefteria Gang with my godfather. I can say that all of you raised me.“But this woman…” He pointed at Miru and said, “She’s only been with the group for a few years, and we don’t know much about her history. “Whose story is legit? I believe you can be the judge.” The key members of Lefteria Gang nodded incessantly. They trusted Leo more than Miru. “Are you doubting me?” Jeremiah snapped a chilling look at Leo. The icy gaze sent chills down Leo’s spine. Leo knew Jeremiah’s mind was made up about the true killer. He would not be able to convince Jeremiah otherwise. “I’ll give you a chance to redeem yourself because you’re Bando’s son, Leo.“The clock is tick
“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