“We have testament from the bodyguards that Ryan became a senior researcher at the defense technology laboratory, so it must be true.“Jesse’s connections to the military run deeper than we thought.“He seems to have access to the laboratory functioning directly under Lilyrose Strategic Department.” The three family heads expressed their horror. They regretted their actions more than ever. The family heads knew a long time ago that Jesse had influence in the military. Had they known, they would not have given instructions to Lilyrose Logistics to steal the equipment. With Howard arrested, the top three families’ businesses in freight and shipping would experience a major shakeout. They would suffer massive losses and have reduced control over the city. “It’s too late to turn back time. It’s not like Jesse will go easy on us if we choose not to go against Shangrila Group,” Belarus remarked. The other two nodded in agreement. Jesse re-established Shangrila Group to get
Did Nelson just say that the inauguration had been brought forward to tomorrow? The ceremony would be held at the Jade Estate too. Belarus was not the only one dumbfounded. The news came out of nowhere for Flint and Edward too. Just a moment ago, they were whining about Albert’s inauguration not being sooner. The next thing they knew, Albert somehow made their wish come true. Good luck could not come at a better time. The three family heads were ecstatic, to say the least. “Mr. Oceanid, please let Chief Commander Hiden know that…” Thrilled, Belarus added, “The Chapmans will get everything ready for tomorrow’s inauguration. Chief Commander Hiden will feel welcomed and right at home when he arrives at the estate tomorrow.” Jesse had the nerve to declare that he would make the Chapmans move out of the Jade Estate and repent their sins to James. Even Albert was having the inauguration at the Jade Estate. Now, the top three families were untouchable. “I need to add tha
It was all because of Kaze’s blabbermouth. Nelson had to handwrite the privacy policy two hundred times yesterday. His hand was still sore. He would be glad to see the top three families go after Kaze. He was not the least bit interested in helping at all. “You’re right. We have no right to try and make things right with the major families or ask for their forgiveness,” Agnes said with an ingratiating smile. “The top three families only invited my family. We can’t bring just anybody to such a sophisticated luncheon.” Nelson pulled a long face. Agatha felt bad to see Agatha put in a spot. “Nelson, this is for my sister. Please see what you can do. Why don’t you call and ask the top three families? They might just say yes.” “That’s right, Dad. Please help Kaze.” Rose took Nelson’s arm and snuggled up to him. “Fine, I’ll call them.” Unable to say no to his wife and daughter, Nelson gave Belarus a call. Nelson expressed his wish to bring a few relatives to the lunch
“Welcome, Mr. Oceanid.” Upon learning of the arrival of Nelson’s family, the three family heads greeted them at the entrance with their families. Nelson was given the highest honor. Flattered, Nelson said, “This is my family. They are…” He proceeded to introduce his family. The three family heads were great hosts. In the end, Nelson patiently introduced Kaze. “The last guy here is Kaze. He’s the husband of my niece—” “Kaze?” The three family heads became livid. “How dare you show your face here!” Belarus glared at Kaze with clenched teeth. It was clear in his ferocious eyes that Belarus wanted to rip Kaze apart with his bare hands. The other two family heads pretty much shared the same sentiment. Color washed off the complexions of Nelson’s family and Darcy’s family. No one would have thought that the three family heads’ resentment toward Kaze was beyond repair. Nelson shot an angry look at Kaze, regretting his decision to bring him along. He should not
“Kaze, you can’t atone your sin even if you serve my family for a lifetime.” The Chapmans became a laughingstock when Tiffany was forced to be a maid. Edward yelled, “You attacked my only son, Eliot, and now he’s in a coma. The nerve of you to seek my forgiveness.” “Let’s not forget my son, Frank. You stomped on his legs until they were broken. He’s now lying in bed, waiting for amputation. He needs constant pain medication to ease the agony. “If I could, I would unleash my fury by giving you a slow and torturous death.” Flint flipped out. The bad blood between them went way back. All could not be pardoned with Kaze simply getting down on his knees. He was delusional to think an apology would cut it. Kaze’s death could not make up for the pain and suffering their children had endured. Darcy’s family and Nelson’s family froze. Their minds went blank. They thought that Kaze was out of line to turn the Jade Estate into a graveyard. To their dismay, the three family heads r
Darcy’s and Nelson’s families were flustered by the abrupt dismissal from the Jade Estate. “You idiot! You really lost your marbles.“Now the top three families are upset with me because of you. I want to kill you!” Nelson shouted at Kaze. Smack! Snapping out of the shock, Agnes slapped Kaze. “Must you drag the whole family down with you?” For once, Agnes said nothing more. Usually, she would tear into Kaze. Now, she had no more words for him. Kaze got into some real trouble. It was pointless to lash out at him. “I didn’t think that you would hide so many things from me, Kaze. I only know that Eliot is in a coma for having lewd thoughts about me,” Darcy remarked coldly. “I’m sorry, babe. The issues with Tiffany and Frank are because of James. The incidents are irrelevant to you, so I didn’t mention them.” With Darcy’s eyes turning chilly, Kaze apologized immediately. “Irrelevant to me?” Darcy shouted angrily, “I am your lawfully wedded wife. We share everythi
“Um…” Albert broke out in a cold sweat. It was a good thing he knew Miru was best friends with Darcy. Kaze would not mind even if he heard what Miru said. Otherwise, Kaze might raise hell because of Miru’s blatant insult. “What? Is there a problem?” Miru was displeased. Albert replied, “I can’t decide what the God of War wants to do. I wouldn’t dare overstep my boundaries. I can’t do it for you.” Soon, Darcy got a call from Miru, who conveyed Albert’s response. Darcy was devastated. Feeling bad, Miru gave a suggestion. “The only way Kaze can save himself is for him to attend the inauguration tomorrow.“He should try and meet with the God of War to apologize. “The God of War might not pursue the matter if asked in public. “The top three families might not take revenge on Kaze especially after the God of War pardons him.” Darcy saw a glimmer of hope. The issue was getting an invitation to the inauguration tomorrow. Darcy had heard rumors. The invitation was o
“Who said I was begging you?” Kaze asked indifferently. It never occurred to Kaze that Darcy would take him to Mathias to ask for help. Kaze was caught between emotions. Darcy grimaced.In case Kaze got on Mathias’ nerves again, Darcy stepped on his foot under the table. “Stubborn. You’re just stubborn.” Fortunately, Mathias let it slide and assumed Kaze could not put his ego aside. “Can I take your order, mister?” A server in the café approached. “Just a pot of tea, thank you,” Mathias replied with a smile. Soon, the server carried a pot of tea over. The server placed a cup in front of each individual and picked the pot up to pour the tea. “Hold on.” Mathias stopped the server and turned to Kaze. “You should show me how much you need my help. The least you can do is fill my cup.” “You’re not worthy.” Kaze took a glance at him, not wanting to dwell further in conversation with him. “I’m unworthy? You came begging me. How am I undeserving?” Mathias saw r
“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