Other members of the Quint family admitted their mistake too. To think the high and mighty would genuinely acknowledge their fault to Darcy. Darcy’s eyes welled up. The burden of the past lifted at last as she finally found closure. As the Quints suspected, Darcy had a weak spot for them. Darcy pulled out her phone. “I’ll give Miru a call. Maybe she can get through to Dallas Moneylender.” “Hang on.” Kaze held her hand down. With Kaze threatening to foil their plans again, the Quints gnashed their teeth. “Kaze, Grandfather and the others have admitted their mistake, and they are welcoming us back with open arms,” Darcy told Kaze. “Come with me, babe.” Kaze pulled Darcy to the side and whispered, “Just pretend you can’t do anything for them. Test the waters. If they are genuinely apologetic, I’ll support you in getting the Quints out of the mess. But if they’re only doing it to trick you—” “I’ll go along with it.” Getting the message, Darcy nodded. She pretend
“The Vinlands? That’s the mega-rich family.” “Oh, Tanya’s family. Technically, we are related to the Vinlands.” “The Chrysant Vinlands are wealthier than the Sunrise Lees.” The older members of the Quints were ecstatic. They knew the history between the Quints and the Vinlands. Master Quint was the son-in-law of the Vinlands, taking their family name when marrying Tanya. Tanya, who passed away more than a decade ago, was the heiress of the Vinlands. Subsequently, Tanya had a falling out with her family. She walked away from her family with Master Quint and started a business in Lilyrose. That was how the Quints came to be. Over the years, the Quints and the Vinlands never kept in touch. The young members of the family like Samus had hazy memories of the Vinlands. They only learned the truth from their elders. “Don’t you remember me, Master Quint? I’m Hudson,” the middle-aged man standing before Master Quint said with a pretentious smile.Surprised, Logan exam
“Oh, please, Hudson. Please sort the problem out for us,” the other Quint family members pleaded. Even Master Quint stared fervently at Hudson. So much for the Quints being done for. The Quints were not destined for failure. Hudson showed what he was made of with one phone call. The Quints saw him as their savior. Hudson smiled. “The issues you’re facing are nothing to my family, but our help doesn’t come for free. We have one condition,” he said unhurriedly. “What is it?” Master Quint asked eagerly. He was willing to say yes to anything. With a grin, Hudson responded, “It’s not something major. The Quints are to take my family name.” Everybody, including Master Quint, made faces. A last name change was not something small. The concept of family history was strong in Arcadia. The change of family name was a huge deal. A family’s last name carried both its cultural heritage and bloodline.Since ancient times, only those who either needed a way out, sold t
Hudson was not kidding about making the Quints change their last name. Soon, the Quints, with paperwork in hand, lined up outside city hall to file a last name change petition with the court. Following the procedure, word about the Quints’ request to change their last name got out. The news caused a stir in Lilyrose. The public was skeptical at first. It was highly unlikely that the Quints would change their last name together. Just two days ago, the Quints said Darcy was not worthy of the family name. They disowned her and stripped her family name. That did not happen long ago, and the Quints now ditched the family name themselves. A public servant at city hall snapped a photo of the document and shared it. The public had no reason not to trust a legal form. Everybody exchanged looks when they read the new names on the record. The Quints had become complete jokes. They were the laughingstocks in the community. “Agnes! Hector! Have I got news for you!” Agath
“Grandfather and the rest of them are the worst. The joke’s on them, but they can’t stand to see us doing well for ourselves either.” Darcy put down her phone in frustration. “It’s alright. We don’t have to care. We’re not members of the Vinland family anyway.” Trying not to laugh, Kaze consoled her.The incident was not something to brag about. Darcy’s family quickly put the matter aside. They doubted the Quints’ last name change would affect them. Soon, the Vinlands held a press conference. They announced their commercial expansion into Lilyrose. The Vinlands stated that they would take over Quintessential Group. The family would also resolve and improve the myriad of issues with the online lending platform and delayed payment.Multiple financial issues arose with the assets acquired by the Quints from the top three families.The Quints’ inability to straighten things out made matters worse. The Vinlands’ statement calmed all parties’ fears. Many companies’ pro
“Hm.” Kaze nodded indifferently. He disapproved of Zenny. Kaze once rescued Brenda from being trafficked. Yet, Zenny made a false accusation about him. Kaze turned to Don for help, and Don was the reason Zenny lost his cushy job from pulling strings at the Traffic Department. Zenny had been unemployed since. Later, Zenny and his mother, Lyla, got into several rows with Kaze. Zenny’s family and Kaze went way back but not in a good way. Benedict, Zenny’s father, was a superior at Lilyrose Wholeness Medical Center. The medical incident five years ago was an elaborate plot to frame Agnes, and Benedict played a role in the conspiracy. Benedict was held in detention, waiting for trial now. Knowing that Kaze was not keen to see him, Zenny made a quick exit after saying hello. “Don’t let Zenny come here anymore. I suspect he might have something to do with Brenda’s abduction.” Kaze’s intention was not to talk bad about Zenny. Zenny’s behavior was rather suspicious b
The woman talking was Lyn Bluenid. She was part of the group of youngsters. Even though her companion knocked Brenda over, Lyn lashed out at Brenda and Winnie instead.“I’m sorry. My child didn’t mean to. She was bumped into. I’m so sorry.” Despite her rage, Winnie did not want to cause any trouble and apologized. “Your words mean nothing. Do you know the cost of Yume’s dress? It was 200 thousand dollars! Don’t try to run away from this. It’s not over.” Lyn glared at Winnie and Brenda. Her gaze darted back to the woman, catching the creamy smudge on her dress. Lyn reached for a napkin and attempted to wipe the stain off Yume’s dress. “Are you alright, Yume? Do you want the brat to compensate you?” the other men and women asked. Like a beacon in the crowd, the woman’s radiant presence drew everyone’s attention.Her long, beautiful hair framed her face. The strappy, long dress exposed her shoulders and complimented her flawless skin. She was slender in build, her w
“Hear that? 200 thousand dollars means squat, but your brat ruined Yume’s mood.” Lyn glared at Winnie. She asked with a smirk, “Why don’t I slap the general manager of whatchamacallit to make you feel better, Yume?” Yume would not even look at Winnie. “I heard that your late husband was close to Darcy’s family?” Winnie was taken aback by the question. She later nodded. Yume gave Lyn a nod and stopped talking. “Alright. Yume has agreed to move past the matter if I get to slap you.” Reading Yume’s mind, Lyn told Winnie. Eek. The onlookers gasped sharply. Yume’s group was a cocky bunch. Lyn wanted to get physical with Winnie just because Brenda accidentally ruined a dress. As the general manager of Shangrila Group, Winnie was a respectable figure in Lilyrose. If the offending party did not come from power or wealth, the consequences might be worse for all they knew. “Just forget it, Ms. Vinland. The child didn’t do it on purpose. She’s a good kid. She got
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