Following the security officer’s reaction, the attendees in the hall looked at Kaze in surprise.They had no idea what was with Darcy’s dimwit husband. Kaze managed to instill fear in the terrifying security personnel. “You must think highly of yourself, Kaze. They recognize you because you’re the village idiot of Lilyrose,” Samus sneered. He waved his arm. “Don’t just stand there. I’m ordering you as a member of the Vinland family to beat the idiot up and throw him out. Don’t forget to toss his wife’s family out too.” “Are you taking orders from him?” Kaze looked at the security officers with a pretentious smile. “Mr. Lee, um…” The security guards were dumbfounded. Cold sweat rolled off their foreheads. The attendees stared at Kaze in horror. Even Darcy was in disbelief. Samus was issuing a command in the name of the Vinlands. However, these security personnel dared not carry out his order.They had to wonder if Kaze possessed something more fearsome than the
“I…” Logan’s jaw dropped. Some of the guests in the hall looked at Darcy’s family in disbelief. Hudson referred to Darcy’s family as the Vinlands’ honorable guests. Rudy, Samus, and the others were infuriated. They could not understand why Darcy’s family were the Vinlands’ honorable guests. It was a fact they could not accept. The worst was yet to come. Hudson suddenly pointed at the door and told Logan curtly, “Get out now. You and your family should leave.“Don’t bother attending the party since you tried to kick my guests out.” Woah!The hall broke out in outcry. Hudson wanted Logan and his family escorted out to stick up for Darcy’s family. Darcy’s family appeared to be more important to Hudson than the former Quints. “They asked for it. They were so arrogant to kick Darcy and her family out, but Hudson doesn’t think much of them.” “They think they will enjoy the privilege of the wealthy by changing their last names, but they are only good for serving me
Darcy’s family was under the spotlight of the party. Hudson was even gracious to Hector, a cripple who had faded into the background for years. The attendees wondered if Hudson was nice to them because of Sam. That was what Darcy’s family was confused about too. “The treatment plan isn’t out yet. Professor Whiteman’s away for surgery. My leg has been broken for years, so I don’t see the rush. I’m not going anywhere anyway,” Hector responded courteously.He then asked, “Do you know him?” “Hehe. I don’t, but I have the utmost respect for Professor Whiteman. I should pay him a visit if I ever get the chance.” Hudson chatted with Agnes in a friendly manner too. Later, he turned his attention to Darcy and Sky. “Hudson,” the pair greeted him with respect. Hudson complimented Sky before turning to Darcy. “You’re doing well, Darcy. Despite your age, you are now the chairman of Quartet Group and Sky Ocean Corporation. “I heard that Tanya regarded you highly and raised you t
“My grandmother was a member of the Vinland family, so I am too. I think there’s no need to change my family name,” Darcy rejected Hudson’s request with a smile. To everybody’s surprise, Darcy turned down a tempting offer. She gave up the chance to be part of the Vinland family and to run a mega-rich family. It was clear who stood out between her and the former Quints. As Hudson’s face fell, he said solemnly, “Do you think the Vinlands aren’t good enough for you, Darcy?” Darcy’s heart dropped. Hudson did not throw a fit. However, the switch in his tone made the air heavy. The bustling hall immediately went quiet. No one forgot the confrontation between Hudson and Logan. The scowl on Hudson’s face startled Logan to the point of keeping his head down and holding his breath. Hudson seemed proficient in the art of manipulation. “So what if the Vinlands aren’t good enough?” Kaze came closer and stood next to Darcy. He looked at Hudson. “Don’t you have anything bet
Kaze made the remark with a smile before giving Hudson a defiant look. Many, Darcy included, were shocked. Kaze’s words led them to figure out Hudson’s motive. If Darcy were to agree with the last name change, the Vinlands could take over all the businesses under her name. The former Quints were a great example. The crowd was surprised that Darcy’s crazy husband saw through Hudson. They wondered if Kaze was really the loser and psycho the rumors made him out to be. Hudson was startled that Kaze would reveal the truth in public. He quickly pulled himself together. “You got the wrong idea, Kaze. We are a sentimental family. We mean no harm.” Hudson added with a smile, “Darcy is family to me. I just hope she can return to the Vinland family. That’s all.” Kaze raised a brow. Hudson was a cunning man. It was no wonder Logan was terrified. Nevertheless, Kaze had his way of dealing with his kind. “I hope you’re being honest. I will break anybody who gets any id
As the banquet began, many came to toast and flatter Hector. Their conversation always led to Darcy without exception. Hector would usually have a little drink now and then, watching the amount he drank. However, he clinked glasses with all the guests today.Later when nobody drank with him, he started pouring wine into his own glass. While shedding tears, he downed his drink. “What’s the matter with you, Hector? Don’t scare me.” Agnes pulled him back. “And he who had so loved her was not there, to trouble with bad hopes, or evil wishes…” Hector rasped, his tone miserable. The guests near Hector thought he was acting strange. Darcy’s family, on the other hand, knew what was going on. Hudson bossed Master Quint and the rest of the family around. They were kicked out of the venue in front of everybody. The former Quints were utterly humiliated. Even though Hector resented Master Quint, his father, for turning his back on him, sadness washed over him. The wh
The group of men in suits were burly. They must be trained, hired protection. These men looked aggressive and mean. They were pretty intimidating. “The VIPs wanted to shop in peace, so they reserved the entire mall. Leave now.” They were overbearing. The group of men commanded the customers to leave right away. The customers initially thought that there was a criminal on the loose or a fire in the mall. They could not believe that they were getting kicked out because some VIPs wanted to shop. Many customers were not having it, and they wanted to reason with the management staff. Those who did not have time to finish their meals were most furious. “So what if you didn’t finish eating? The VIP spends enough cash to get you free meals. What more do you want?” The hired security detail was acting like bullies. Their attitude was infuriating. “We can afford our own meals. VIP, my ass. That’s just rude. Money isn’t everything,” the hot-tempered man yelled. “Ha! M
Kaze’s voice was soft. However, the volume stood out as the public was walking out in silence. Many customers looked at Kaze in surprise. They wondered who he was. Kaze had the guts to tell Yume to get out of Lilyrose because her money was no good here. “Watch what you say, bro. It’s Yume of the Vinland family. You can tell from these bodyguards that she doesn’t mess around.” “Yeah. Just put up with it. We are just commoners. We can’t confront them, but we can walk away from them.” “Hurry. Just take your child and leave.”Many tried to persuade Kaze. Although Kaze voiced their grievance, they were more worried about Kaze getting into it with Yume’s security detail. Commoners had no business with the likes of Yume. Kaze smiled at them. “It’s okay. Just stay at the mall. Go back to shopping and eating.” He then turned to the furious hired protection. “Tell Yume to get lost. Here isn’t the place for her to flaunt her wealth.” “Who are you? How dare you tell Ms. Vinl
“Gone too far?” Phoenix said furiously, “Do you want to get it too, boy?” “Shut up, Kaze!” Not wanting the situation to escalate, Agnes charged over and said ingratiatingly, “I’m sorry, Madam Quint. We didn’t do a good job raising Sky. He simply didn’t think straight in the heat of the moment.”“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry!” Darcy apologized as well. “I’ll wipe the blood off you, Madam Quint. We don’t want to get your hands dirty.” Joan pulled out a tissue and cleaned Phoenix’s hands fawningly while uttering sarcastically, “You have no idea, Madam Quint. Some people have the money. They just don’t want to spend it.“As far as I know, our little leader is living in a villa worth several hundred million dollars in Riverbank. The villa was a gift from Mayor Synder too.“They didn’t give a bracelet that was only worth half a million because they have no money. They simply do not care enough for you, Madam Quint. “They’re just trying to fob you off since you’re only an old
“We from Chrysant City have given Madam Quint a bullet-proof Lincoln stretch from Uleania. The Lincoln will be Madam Quint’s ride in Riverbank,” a middle-aged man with glasses said smugly.Kaze glanced at the Lincoln stretch not too far away, understanding the value of the car. “Madam Quint can’t be staying in the hotel throughout her trip. We, the branch in Takeno City, are a family in politics, so we lack funding. Still, we borrowed a villa from a major corporation to accommodate Madam Quint,” a representative of the Takeno Quints said with a chuckle. The Takeno Quints talked about borrowing. Their primary focus was on politics, so they could not be honest about their net worth. However, every branch of the Quints presented Phoenix with expensive gifts. Each gift was worth at least five million dollars. The five-hundred-thousand-dollar bracelet from Darcy’s family seemed modest in comparison. Sure enough, Phoenix grew upset and raised her free arm to slap the gift box
Even Darcy did not think Phoenix would deny her. It was true that Darcy was supposed to gather all family branches in Riverbank. She would have to discipline the unruly and unite the rest. Her goal was to consolidate the family’s power and resources under her control. It was a clear and comprehensive strategy. Darcy had not anticipated such a response from her first meeting with Phoenix. It was harsh. Phoenix completely dismissed her. Darcy, though accepting fault, felt hurt. Agnes felt like her world was crumbling down. If Darcy was stripped of her leadership role, the family would go back to when things were bad. Ever since Darcy became the family head in the South River State, Agnes was treated like royalty everywhere she went. She was addicted to the privileges. Agnes never wanted to go back to those days when people would look down on her.“Darcy, where’s the gift you got for Madam Quint? Hurry up and apologize to her.” Agnes grabbed Darcy hastily. A
“You should know that Madam Quint loves flowers, and you came empty-handed. No flowers, no gifts.” “You talk about respect for Madam Quint. It’s all talk. What have you done for her?” “You are hicks from a small place like Lilyrose. Where are your manners? You’re lucky to become the head of the South River Quints, but you will always lack refinement.” “I’m starting to worry about this leader taking us to new heights. I guess we can consider ourselves lucky if she doesn’t bring us down.” “Yeah! She was late and came empty-handed. This tells us all we need to know about this family.” Taking Joan’s lead, the other family members lay into Darcy’s family thick and hard. “That’s enough!” Before Kaze said anything, Sky had a go at these people. “You tried to set my sister up, and now you’re putting the blame on us!“Only you had information of Madam Quint’s flight. You only let us know half an hour before the plane touched down. “Why didn’t we come earlier to wait in the airp
Kaze narrowed his eyes at the woman and drew close. “You’re a member of the South River Quints. Should you stand by your leader instead of stirring the pot and causing the scene? “Does family even mean anything to you? “Are you defying the family? “Who are you to disrespect Madam Quint and the family?” The woman staggered back with each question, her face draining of color.“I… You…” Flustered, she glared at Kaze. Still, she was at a loss in the face of Kaze’s questioning. “I assure you, Madam Quint. My daughter, Joan, doesn’t mean any disrespect.” A grizzled-haired middle-aged man with glasses came forward with an ashen face. “She was just trying to defend your honor, Madam Quint. She’s upset because someone disrespected you and arrived late.” This person was manipulative. While sticking up for his daughter, he also took the opportunity to belittle Darcy. “Doesn’t mean any disrespect?” Kaze snapped back, “Madam Quint hasn’t said a thing, but a nobody came out
It appeared Kaze and Darcy were not the only ones who got their hands on the special pass straight to the hangar. Five groups stood in close proximity, yet a clear divide was evident between them.Interestingly, that was as many branches as the Quints had in Ridgesouth.The smallest cluster belonged to Hector, Agnes, and Sky. They kept their heads down, hiding their distress. It looked like they were insulted. As Darcy and Kaze got out of the car, all eyes turned to them, and many sneered. “Can you even drive, Kaze? Look at the time! Are you expecting Madam Quint to wait for you? You have the nerve to show your face when you’re already late!” Agnes tore into Kaze. She threw Kaze under the bus in hopes of deflecting Phoenix’s anger from Darcy. Having seen through Agnes, Kaze did not make a fuss and explained, “Sorry, when we received word, Madam Quint’s plane was touching down in half an hour. “What? Are you blaming us for informing you late?” A tall and pretty woman
With Sasha putting the blame on herself, Kaze shook his head. He was not pointing fingers. “You can accept the pay from Herbal Spring.” Kaze said, “You’re not living at Herbal Spring for free. Your aunt is paying for you. Once you get into college, you can make more money to repay her.”“Really?” Sasha was skeptical. Besides boarding and lodging at Herbal Spring, Sasha was also taking medicine for her health. After working there for a while, Sasha had a general idea of things. Sasha’s medicine was expensive, and the medical bill was beyond the budget of most families. Kaze said, “You can ask Darcy if you don’t believe me. Your aunt even asked me if she had paid enough money when I was heading out this morning.” Despite knowing it was a lie, Darcy nodded. “Sasha, Kaze is right. Don’t feel burdened.” Sasha was naïve and gullible. Darcy’s statement gave Sasha the push. Since Kaze and Darcy were rich, Sasha assumed that her aunt must earn a lot. Her aunt could afford
Everett understood that Kaze would make a big deal out of the Golden Road at tomorrow’s auction. Of course, it was none of Everett’s business. He had no qualms about turning his back on Aiden. As one of the four underworld kingpins, Everett would give the Krads their due respect, but he did not owe Aiden anything. Aiden was an individual. He did not represent the Krads as a whole. “So that’s decided.” Kaze then said, “That reminds me. Have your people pick out a nice bracelet. I’m looking at the five-hundred-thousand-dollar range.”“Oh, consider it a gift from me. Just inform Marilyn.” Everett was quick to offer a gift. Kaze did not appreciate the gesture though. Everett was a cunning man. His generosity may seem like an olive branch. However, Kaze knew that given the chance, Everett would make him pay. Everett would never have the chance though. Kaze would fight back, and the consequences could be fatal. “Mr. Lee, Ms. Quint, are you happy with this bracelet
“I reckon that the stone might be important to someone within the Krads.“Aiden volunteered to take care of the business in Riverbank and go up against your wife. He’s not just here to suck up to his chief commander brother but to prove to the Krads that he’s better than the rest of the competition.“If he can gain that somebody’s favor, this can be bigger than his achievements in business.” Everett adopted the requirement analysis. Though Everett had no idea why the Golden Toad was important to the Krads, he understood Aiden’s needs. By grasping an individual’s core requirement, he was able to deduce something that was closer to the truth. “Has Aiden lost his head?” Kaze uttered in confusion, “He could’ve just gotten the thing from you at a better rate. Why is he getting to buy it from an auction?” Everett mentioned that the Golden Toad was worth tens of millions of dollars, but no more than a hundred million dollars. Aiden could have made a private deal with Everett.