“Yeah, we are threatening you with our resignations. What are you gonna do about it?” Luke grinned as he looked at Darcy. “Darcy, you should know that once the three of us leave, the project will be halted. I don’t think you can find anyone to replace us in such a short notice. Maybe in two days, Mr. Quint and his son will be begging us to come back.” The two Mr. Quints were Rudy and Samus. Randal, Luke, and Edward seemed to be under the impression that they still worked for the father and son. They would not want to lose the chance to embezzle money. “Fine. Let’s go. It seems like she doesn’t need us. It’s time to type my resignation letter.” Randal whistled and signaled the other two before they walked to the door. “You…” Darcy was furious and helpless. The three of them caught her between a rock and a hard place.As the three of them were leaving, the door was kicked open and a man barged in. “Darcy, if they want to resign, then let them go. The world won’t stop spi
“Ms. Lewis! I’m Luke Kang. We met before at the Sales Society’s meeting. We even got a picture together after you were awarded.” “Mr. Peak, I admire your work…” Randal, Luke, and Edward went to their counterparts with utmost flattery. If they caught their attention, who were basically the behemoths of the industry, they might get a chance to join Perfect World Group, which could launch their new careers. “Excuse me, we are here for an interview. Please don’t stand in our way.” Randal and the other two were stunned. “Interview? I thought you three were just scouted by Perfect World Group.” “We have resigned from Perfect World Group.” Resigned from Perfect World Group, a company worth billions? What was he talking about? Andy said they were here for an interview… at Passion Fragrance District?” Andy, Fish, and Trevor walked past the three men and went up to Darcy. “Ms. Quint, I’m here to interview for the role of Project Manager at Passion Fragrance District. This
“What? You fired us and still want us to sign the NCA?!” Randal, Luke, and Edward were infuriated. They originally wanted to jump ship to their competitors. With the company secrets they possessed, not only could they take revenge on Darcy, but they could also earn favors and seize more benefits for themselves. If they signed the non-compete agreement, they would be bound by law and nothing they had in mind would materialize. “Don’t want to sign?” Kaze narrowed his eyes dangerously. “We are not signing! What are you gonna do about it?” The three of them wanted to leave. Darcy’s expression turned bitter. She saw the hatred in their eyes and she knew they would definitely take revenge on the company. Kaze pulled his phone out. “Arrest them!” As soon as his voice subsided, several police officers came into the office. “Randal Song, Luke Kang, Edward Canopy, the three of you are suspected of engaging in unlawful activities such as embezzlement of company funds and mor
They never thought that things would take an unexpected turn. “It’s over! It’s over! Once that woman gets to my men, when she fully takes control of Quintessential, our family will be pressured! We soon won’t be able to make a stand in the family!” Samus’ words devastated the whole family. To him, Darcy was just working for the family, the best employee in the company. She did all the heavy lifting but reaped no rewards or benefits. She would even have to take the blame at times. They could never accept Darcy above them once the tables had turned. Rudy had a more elaborate thought. After all the shady things they had done, once Darcy took full control of the company, she might call the police on them. He looked at Deborah in fear and said, “Deb, I think you should call Vincent now. Only he can help us now!” He would rather the Hanser family take over Passion Fragrance Project than Darcy. Deborah called Vincent immediately. After the brief call, Deborah said, “Dad,
Agnes grew agitated as she continued. She started to use her fists to chase Kaze out of the house. “Kaze, just go out for now. I’ll try to calm her down!” Darcy could not do anything effective to stop her mother. The only way to put a stop to this was to let Kaze leave temporarily. Aggrieved, Kaze left the house. He went out to call Snow. “What happened at Lily Garden Hotel? They said they got the wrong person and it wasn’t me who booked Ocean Hall.” Snow felt her soul trembling when she heard Kaze’s anger seething through the phone. “Mr. Chairman, it’s my mistake. I’ll find out what happened immediately.” Kaze hung up the phone and lit a cigarette while waiting. Five minutes later, Snow called back. “Mr. Chairman, I’ve found out what happened. After you left Lily Garden Hotel, Manager Brent tossed Mrs. Quint out of the hotel. Based on his words, it was Ren Joestar’s order.” Snow’s heart was pounding as she reported to Kaze. “You’re saying Ren Joestar is behind
“Agnes, is this boy your future son-in-law? Come on, give the boy a break. Today is a happy day.” Agnes’ friends from abroad did not know that Kaze and Darcy had been married for years. Curious, they appraised Kaze, assuming he was Darcy's boyfriend, which explained their friendly tone. Agnes grunted and said, “Don’t simply assume. He has nothing to do with our family!” “Mrs. Quint! Congratulations! You look stunning today!” Ren, in his handsome suit, came over with a flattering smile. “Ren, you are too kind. I’m too old to be stunning.” Agnes welcomed Ren with a bright smile and even eagerness to hold his arm. “Agnes, is this your future son-in-law? You seemed to like him a lot.” Agnes’ friends looked at Ren as if the presentable and wealthy young man was Darcy’s real boyfriend. “He’s Ren, a kind boy. His family owns Lily Garden Hotel.” This time around, Agnes did not provide a clear answer, she simply introduced Ren to her friends without confirming his identity.
“You’ve been badmouthing him? Tell me, other than bluffing, what else can you do?” Agnes glared at Kaze. If she had not been concerned about exacerbating the situation and let her friends know that Kaze was her legitimate son-in-law, which was embarrassing, she would have thrown Kaze out. “Mrs. Quint, it’s okay. This is a party, you should be happy. Don’t let him affect your mood.” Ren took all the credit and became the good guy while painting Kaze as evil. Agnes accepted his advice and spared Kaze for now. “Ren, the banquet is starting soon. Why don’t you go up to the stage and give a speech for me? I’m not good at speeches, I don’t want to be the laughing stock.” Ren was first surprised, then he became delighted. Agnes wanted him to speak on behalf of the Quint family. The meaning behind the decision was self-explanatory. “Mom, Ren isn’t family, how can you let him give a speech on stage? It should either be me or Kaze.” Darcy got nervous. Agnes glared at her. “Sh
Buzz heard his men and then looked at Richard. “You fat fuck! How dare you patronize me with a lousy hall? Do you want to die? Give us the Ocean Hall!” The guests were horrified and got up instantly. “What’s wrong with Agnes for hosting a party at this kind of place? We are here just to eat yet someone is threatening us…” Some of the guests started to grumble. Agnes was embarrassed when she heard the guests. She did not expect this situation.She mustered her courage and went up to the gangsters. “Sir, we are having a housewarming party and we’ve spent a lot of money. Why don’t you go have your meal somewhere else…” Slap! Buzz slapped her to the ground. “Shut the fuck up! Piss off!” Agnes immediately crawled away. “Mom!” Darcy came over to help her mother and Kaze was behind her. He glared at Buzz and tried to help Agnes up. “Don’t touch me!” Agnes angrily pushed him away. She covered her face and turned to Ren, asking, “Ren, this is your hotel, can you do so
Sasha’s lips moved once more, but Kaze’s gaze remained fierce, so she wisely zipped her mouth. “Not a problem, sir.” The storekeeper knew Kaze was a generous customer, so she nodded happily. Being a storekeeper for a luxurious brand required experience and taste. In less than ten minutes, the storekeeper selected three sets of outfits for Sasha, from top to bottom and outer to inner. “Miss, you try these.” Kaze swiped his card before Sasha had the time to regret or stop him. If the size did not fit, she could change it on the spot. Sasha looked at Kaze helplessly and then reluctantly followed the storekeeper to the changing room. A while later, Sasha came out in a new dress and with a blush on her face. Kaze was slightly surprised, looking at the brand new Sasha in a pure white dress. He had to praise the storekeeper for her sharp sense. The white dress emphasized the girl’s innocence and gentleness. “Miss, you are the first customer in our store to present su
Sasha looked troubled. She said, “The owner is paying? It’s okay! I’m wearing the clothes anyway; I should pay for them. The owner and the others took good care of me while at work, I don’t want to take advantage of them.” Kaze was left speechless. How could a little girl be as stubborn as a mule?“How are you taking advantage of them? I said, the owner wants you to wear beautiful clothes and get more business for them, so that they can earn more money. “You know the other employees actually have an allowance for shopping? Each of them has twenty thousand to buy clothes, but since you are just part-time, and you are new, you only have ten thousand.” Kaze continued to coax the girl. “Ten thousand?!” Sasha was shocked by the number. She shook her head and hands, “No! I don’t need that much! A few hundred is enough!” Ten thousand was enough for her to cover her daily expenses for two years or more. How could she spend all of them on clothes? Kaze chuckled. “Ten thousand i
Twenty minutes later, Sasha came out in fresh clothes. She wore a white T-shirt coupled with a pair of jeans, but the patches on them indicated that they were old clothes. She was holding her phone with a slight embarrassment on her face. “Sasha? What’s the matter?” Kaze asked. “Uh, it’s nothing. I-I have to call my school to inform my teacher.” Sasha then went to the corner to make the phone call. “Sasha, you should really try to be the emcee of the evening party. I always have high hopes for you but you are too shy. You blush whenever you talk to strangers. How are you going to adapt when you go out to work in the future? You should train yourself to speak up more. Try to go on stage.” The voice of a middle-aged woman came from the phone once it was connected. Sasha said shyly, “Ms. Cornell, thank you for your kindness, but I cannot afford to buy a gown. I won’t be joining the party.” “My dear, you should learn to be more open-minded. I said I would prepare the gown
Kaze gave the Golden Toad to June, wondering if she knew the origin of the artifact. Someone from one of the top ten families in Arcadia would certainly know more secrets than the ordinary. It was the greatest advantage they had over the ordinary people. “I have never seen this thing before.” June checked the Golden Toad carefully but shook her head. Surprised, she continued, “But this thing helped with Sasha’s condition? It’s crazy! It even hastened the removal of the Nine Phantom Lotus! It’s like a magical artifact! “I can go back and look at old texts in my family or maybe ask my elders about it. I might be able to get some clues.” She then gave the Golden Toad back to Kaze, having no desire to own it. She believed Kaze must have figured out her background, so she did not bother to conceal it further and decided to be honest. “Great. I’ll be waiting for your good news.” Kaze put the Golden Toad away and explained, “I’ll take this with me. The Krad family is looki
With the messy thoughts out of his head, Kaze concentrated on the treatment. In just a little over ten minutes, Sasha was freed from the pain, which had tormented her badly and drained her energy, leaving her exhausted. When the treatment was over, she was already asleep. Her lips curled into a sweet smile, seemingly dreaming about something nice. Her eyelashes had droplets of sweat hanging on the edges, a testament to her exhaustion. Looking at her exhausted look pained Kaze’s heart. He had also exhausted his energy. Performing the treatment for a full session was even more tiring than fighting a foreign martial arts expert. Noticing that the seventh petal of the Nine Phantom Lotus had almost faded, Kaze started to pull the needles out of Sasha’s body. He knew speed was not the key to curing the girl. Creek! It was then June came in through the door. She had a towel over her neck to wipe her sweat because she dared not take a shower after the treatment. Her face looked
“Mhm…” Sasha nodded. She tried her best not to make any noise. Kaze concentrated and started the treatment. Sasha’s back was covered with even more silver needles yet the pain showed no signs of subsiding. As Kaze continued the treatment, his brows furrowed and his forehead was covered in sweat. Suddenly, he felt hot around his waist and it was at that moment, Sasha felt a slight relief. Kaze asked, “Sasha, did you feel better just now?” “I-I think so. I felt like being poked by a thousand ice needles. It’s cold and painful, but now I started to feel warm…” she said timidly. While she was explaining, Kaze retrieved the hot object from his pouch; it was the Golden Toad he got from Aiden. When he first saw the Golden Toad, he was afraid it might contain radioactive materials, so he dared not touch it. However, realizing that Aiden carried it around—knowing he was not some idiot with no common sense—dispelled Kaze’s doubts. He looked at the shining Golden Toad and po
After spending some time with Sasha, Kaze had already treated her like a little sister. He felt bad when he heard her painful groans. After getting permission, he went inside the room. Sasha lay face down on the bed, her bare back exposed. Seven petals of the Nine Phantom Lotus glowed faintly on her skin. Her hair was drenched in sweat, clinging to her face. Her exposed cheek was slick with moisture, deathly pale, revealing agonizing pain. Her back was also covered with thin silver needles of different lengths, almost a dozen of them. As she shuddered due to the pain, the needles flickered with a chilling gleam. Kaze knew at first glance that the needles were an enhanced version of the Ghastly Thirteen Needles. Other than Kaze, June was the only one in Herbal Spring who could perform the technique, not even Dr. Wright, deemed one of the greatest doctors in West State, could do it. Dr. Wright was a medicine specialist, not acupuncture. June was performing the treatment o
“You are really a trouble magnet,” Miru mocked Kaze. A quick sigh later, she added, “But you are right. That man is really a problem. One of his feet is in the grave already and he’s still causing problems. He thinks everyone should respect and obey him. I’ve had it with his attitude a long time ago. “But I can’t make a move on him yet. I just got news that he actually saved some big shot’s life from West State Viper’s Den, and because of that, he got strong support.” When Miru first arrived at Riverbank, she hardly saw any progress. It was after Kaze helped her acquire Bronze Sparrow that her conquest of the underworld accelerated.Now, she had become one of the most influential and powerful kingpins in the underworld of Riverbank, rivaling the big four. Her next target would obviously be the big four kingpins. Everett Techman was a suitable target for a start, but he stepped down when things went south, using Aiden’s situation to make peace with Kaze and stop going after
“The number you have dialed is not available.” On the way back, Kaze made multiple calls to Darcy, but she did not pick up. She was obviously mad at him. “Mr. Lee, what’s the matter?” Snow asked out of concern after seeing the bitterness in his expression. Kaze did not want Snow to feel bad or guilty. “It’s nothing. You should take some rest. I might have forced the poison out of your body, but it’s still hurtful to the body. I’ll take you to Herbal Spring and let Dr. Wright’s disciple check on you.” The only thing he could do now was text Darcy, hoping to explain the situation. He then called Miru. “Kaze Lee, how dare you call me now?!” Miru’s upset voice came through the phone, but she was not exactly furious. “What’s the situation at Bronze Sparrow?” Kaze asked. “A hitman infiltrated the place. Lost a few of my men, many of them injured, and he managed to take that woman away. He even said that he will go after your life next time. “Kaze, you are really a wal