Swoosh! As the whip cracked, everybody could not bear to watch and closed their eyes.Darcy shivered, her skin going numb. She soon found it strange. She felt no pain. She opened her eyes and saw an arm, its grip clutched to the whip, stretching across her eyes. “Kaze!” Darcy cried. Her tone said it all. Her pent-up emotions opened the floodgate of her tears. “Kaze!” Yume gritted her teeth and said maliciously, “How dare you show your face.” “I didn’t think you’d keep digging your grave.” Kaze’s tone was icy. “You’re the one digging your grave. Now, let go!” Yume screamed while tugging the whip, but her strap remained tight in Kaze’s grip. Kaze gave a yank, and the whip handle tore out of Yume’s grasp. “Ah!” Squealing from the burning sensation in her palms, Yume threw the whip aside. A bloody cut ran through her soft palm. Kaze grabbed the handle of the whip and looked at the two men restraining Darcy. “Let her go.” Archie smirked in disdain. “Who
“Save me!” Yume yelled frantically while holding onto the whip around her neck, trying to break free. “Let go of Ms. Vinland, boy!”Her two other bodyguards ganged up on Kaze with an angry scream. Kaze released the whip around Yume’s neck with ease before cracking it again. The two bodyguards were each struck in the face. Their weight in the 100-pound range was thrown by the impact. It was a horrifying sight. Everybody looked at Kaze in horror. Was he even human? “Woah! Is the guy a pirate? He’s good with the whip.” In the crowd, a little boy clapped enthusiastically, but his parents quickly dragged him away. The gory scene was too hard to swallow. Still, the public felt that justice had been served, seeing how Yume and her party behaved earlier. “I warned you to stay away from my wife, Yume,” Kaze said curtly while snapping the whip at Yume. Yume’s mangled flesh peeked through the shreds of her clothes.“How dare you whip me, Kaze! My dad will get even with
“I think Kaze has been pretty tolerant with us in the past,” Rudy said, his lips quivering. Master Quint and the former Quints turned ashen without a word. They were startled by Kaze’s aggression and heartlessness. Compared to what Yume and her minions experienced, Kaze had been more than kind toward them. “Call the emergency line now. Get Ms. Vinland to the hospital. Hudson is going to blow up when he learns what happened to his daughter.” Master Quint sighed. “Kaze is a bastard. He is putting Hector and the others in danger.” Everybody was horrified. Before, the former Quints would gloat about the misfortune of Hector’s family. That was the last thing on their minds now. They felt uneasy. Only God knew whether Hudson would put the former Quints down when taking revenge on Darcy’s family. Yume and the others were admitted to the hospital. Close to ten of them were covered in blood and broken flesh. The individuals with the most severe injuries were the bodygu
“Alright.” Albert promised to make it happen before saying, “How do you plan to deal with Kaze, Mr. Vinland?” “Don’t use that word. The asshole isn’t worth my time dealing with.” Hudson scoffed and said maliciously, “He cares a lot about his wife. Let’s start with Darcy then. Give Dane a call. Dallas Moneylender can pave the way. I want her assets, but I will make the game long and hard for her.“I don’t care whether the idiot is a psycho or not. I want to drive him mad.” It did not seem to Hudson that Kaze was mentally ill. The mental illness was more like a cover-up for him to act recklessly. Hudson definitely had a keen eye. The injured security officers working for Quartet Group were admitted to the hospital. Business resumed as usual at the organization. A group then walked in, demanding to see Darcy. The leader of the group was a grizzle-haired man. He was Dane from Dallas Moneylender. “Ms. Quint isn’t in her office. I’m her assistant. Is there anything I can
“Ms. Quint, Mr. Rich warned that you might get burned and then some.” Dallas Moneylender’s trip to Quartet Group was quite a buzz among the community. Riley rushed to Horizon Mirror Mansion right away to convey the message from Dane. “They said they expect us to either pay up or die by tomorrow.” Darcy’s family gathered around Riley as their hearts sank. Even though Riley communicated Dane’s words weepily, the family could read the murderous intent in the message.It was hard to imagine how intimidating Dane was when he spoke. In truth, Quartet Group had ceased operation right away. All employees left the office and went home. They were afraid to get involved and get themselves killed. “Two days ago, Dallas Moneylender backed Master Quint and the others into a corner until they had to change their last name and hand over Quintessential Group to Hudson.” Agnes turned as white as a sheet. It was not a secret that Dallas Moneylender had been on the former Quints’ ass be
“Put the word out that Darcy is my best friend. Dallas Moneylender has to go through me if they want to have a say in the city.” Miru called her subordinate in front of everybody. She wanted to send a message across the board. The tone of the communication was cocky and aggressive. Since taking over Melrose, Miru had been on a different level. She carried weight when issuing an order. Her behavior was much like an underground kingpin. Darcy’s family would fear Miru if the latter were not close to Darcy. Soon, Lefteria Group spread Miru’s message to the underworld. All eyes were on Dallas Moneylender for a response. Lefteria Group was the Lilyrose and Melrose underworld kingpin.On the other hand, Dallas Moneylender’s roots ran deep in organized crime. Sparks were bound to fly between both parties. Despite the long wait, Dallas Moneylender made no comment.Members of Dallas Moneylender kept to themselves throughout. Their passive reaction raised many eyebrows.
“The injuries are recent, so you have a choice whether to get surgery or try a more conventional treatment,” Sam said in a serious tone. Albert replied, “They are Mr. Vinlands’ most trusted bodyguards, so things can get heated very fast.“We hope you’ll be the attending surgeon to ensure they will meet full recovery, Professor Whiteman. The surgery fee is not a problem for us.” Sam shook his head peevishly. “No one can guarantee if patients will bounce back 100%.” Nevertheless, Sam expressed that he would try his best. The surgery fee was not even mentioned in the conversation. “We have confidence in you, Professor Whiteman.” Albert praised Sam with a smile before asking, “I heard that you are staying in Lilyrose for a while to treat a patient by the name of Hector Quint.” “Wow. I didn’t think the news would travel so far and wide.” Sam was briefly surprised, but he responded with a nod. “You’re right.” “Mr. Vinland has a message for you.” Albert added with a smile
“Uh, Professor Whiteman, what’s the meaning of this?” The expression on Albert’s face froze. Albert was confused as his heartfelt speech did not sway Sam. Sam scoffed. “Don’t you know that Kaze invited me to Lilyrose? I know him better than you.” Albert wanted to sink into the floor at that very moment. His face was flushed as if someone had struck him. He had put a lot of effort into the act. Yet, he was made a clown instead. Sam said that Kaze invited him to Lilyrose. Albert was shocked. It was hard to believe that a loser son-in-law could convince Sam to make a trip to Lilyrose. “Just leave. I won’t treat these patients. Kaze made them break their legs for a reason. I’m sure they deserved it.” Sam waved his arm in annoyance. He did not want any more interactions with Albert. “Just because you know Kaze, it doesn’t give you the right to twist the facts and refuse treatment.” Albert scoffed with a grimace. “National hero and orthopedic authority, my ass. You a
Arthur chuckled, his smile carrying a touch of sleaziness. “Oh, I see.” A realization dawned on Kaze. “Are you with quality control?” Several individuals in dark blue suits approached. The men and women carried files and documents. Kaze nodded without a word. “We are just here to announce the results. We shouldn’t be long.” Arthur came forward to engage with them. The group was likely given the heads-up as they had the right number of people. They swaggered into Rising Sun’s building. The general manager straightened up his tie in a fluster and walked out. None of the film productions made the cut yet, and the delay was costing the company money by the day. At this rate, the project would go down under. Eli, the general manager, rushed to the entrance upon learning the news. The review team was there to do one final check. The films would get the green light if the board found that everything was up to par. The head office would stop putting pressure on
Given Kaze’s status, Alfonso knew better than to have him waiting under the hot sun. Of course, he would send his people to be on standby for Kaze’s arrival. Peter only came to the rescue when Kaze was pestered by some street gang. Alfonso’s omission of Kaze’s identity led to this hiccup. Kaze did not care one bit about the incident. Heck, he did not even bring it up. Arthur straightened his back nervously, becoming even more cautious behind the wheel. “You knew, but why didn’t you say anything, Mr. Lee? You didn’t even tell on us.” Arthur could not understand why. However, he had more respect for the man. “I didn’t see a point. You’ll learn what happens when you displease me, so I won’t bother telling you now.” Kaze was mild-mannered as ever. He spoke softly without a hint of anger. All the more Arthur revered him. “Mr. Lee, we didn’t do our jobs right. We didn’t know who you were.“But my duty is to protect you in the dark. “We saw you getting out of the train
“Rising Sun is a media company. Several of their films are about to be released. They are trying to get them approved to air due to some censorship issues.” Arthur took out a document. “Are there any issues with the films? Why aren’t they approved yet?” Kaze asked curiously. Kaze had no idea. “There are some issues. They aren’t fit to be aired. “Typically, there aren’t a lot of restrictions for film productions so long as the themes aren’t sensitive topics. “But these films featured altered history. The company has been asked multiple times to make revisions, but the films still don’t make the cut.” The Viper’s Den’s members were not privy to the information. The Frosts were insignificant. Kaze was after the Frosts. Otherwise, the Viper’s Den would not waste its resources on a mere film production company. Jet’s investment of nearly ten million bucks in Rising Sun caught the Viper’s Den’s attention. The delayed approval of the films would be catastrophic to the in
“It’s quite a bustle even when it’s late at night.” Kaze looked down from above and saw the bright lights. A street in the distance was brightly lit with many people working into the night. “The majority of people would do many things to make a living.” Arthur rarely observed these sights. “Thank you. Keep me in the loop of any progress. I’m curious as to what you’d do.” Kaze did not see a need to get involved with the minor stuff. He delegated the tasks to his people. “If you have time, why don’t you go out and have a bit of fun, Mr. Lee?” Arthur asked. The reason for Kaze’s trip was to deal with Jet. Kaze would get some satisfaction from upsetting Jet. “I don’t want to attract attention.” The last thing Kaze wanted was to blow his cover. From Kaze’s question, Arthur knew that Kaze was interested. “No. We can give you a whole new identity.” Arthur knew what to do. “I’ll leave you to it, but don’t take it too far,” Kaze replied. Still, Kaze was intrigued a
Katie was narrow-minded to spit out the unpleasant things. Her words would never harm Kaze. Kaze took the private elevator back to the penthouse for a rest. He had more important things to do. He needed to keep tabs on the Frosts. Leah’s business was none of Kaze’s concern. Sure, Leah was in a state, being manipulated by her mother and all. However, it was a family matter at the end of the day. Kaze had no rhyme or reason to get involved. Kaze soon put the whole thing behind him. Arthur was already there at the penthouse. As Kaze entered the room, Arthur jolted up from the couch. “Mr. Lee, this is the document you requested. It should have detailed information to give you a clearer idea of the situation.” Arthur put the papers in front of Kaze and grabbed him a bottle of water. Feeling hot from his walk back, Kaze took a sip and held the document up for a look. “I got to give it to the Frosts. They sure work in the shadows.” Kaze grinned. A strong opponent p
“Despite everything I’ve said, you still won’t listen! Kaze is a liar! He befriended you with a motive. Yet, you trust him. He’s a good friend to you? What do you take me for?” Katie could not put up with her daughter’s defiance. Leah must obey her because that was what a good daughter would do. “I see you as my mother. What about you? Am I a daughter to you?” Leah did not want to ask such a distressing question. However, there was no way around it. She was escaping reality. Still, she had to swallow the truth, however cruel. “What are you talking about? I wouldn’t raise you if I didn’t consider you my daughter.” Katie worked hard to keep a level head. The last thing she wanted was the whole thing to blow up into a bigger fight. She had a lot to do for the upcoming party. There was no time to lose in keeping her daughter happy. Besides, Leah was no longer a child. Yet, she was so defiant and rebellious. “Why do you plan on giving me away if I’m supposed to be your d
Katie proudly made the statement, convinced that she had done a lot for her daughter. It was only right for Leah to be grateful and understand her sacrifice. To Katie’s surprise, Leah chuckled. “What else have you done for me? You never showed me any attention. You don’t know what I like. You have no idea what I want.” Leah finally saw her mother as the person she was. This side of Katie was terrifying. “What more do you want? Am I not supposed to work? Should I be spending every waking minute of the day with you?” Katie understood Leah’s needs. However, there was no way she could make it happen. It was not easy for a woman to take hold in the Northborn Group, much less secure a high position there. Katie went through great pains to get where she was today. Alas, Leah could not understand where she was coming from. “I’m not asking you to be with me every day. I’ve tried my best to do everything you asked of me, but you can’t even be there for me during my birthdays.
“Everything I do, I do for you. Get this straight. The guy approached you because of what I could bring to the table.” Katie was pissed by her daughter’s defiance which was becoming worse with age. “I know the kind of person he is. Without Kaze’s help, I wouldn’t have escaped. Where were you then? You’re in no position to say that. “Even if there’s something he’s after, what would he want from me? I have nothing to offer.” Leah did not believe a word Katie said. Clearly, Katie was out to get Kaze. “He’s nothing but a poor kid. Why are you blowing this out of proportion? I’ve clearly stated what needed to be done. Why are you still being stubborn?”Katie believed she had not raised her daughter right. Leah turned out pretty naïve. “I told you. He has no ulterior motive. He doesn’t know who I am. He doesn’t have any other intentions. I approached him, not the other way around.” Leah kicked herself for pulling a reckless stunt. All she did was give Kaze more problems. Kat
Leah hated her mother being unreasonable. “Don’t get the wrong idea. I fed you, I gave you clothes, I put a roof over your head, I gave you life! The least you could do is to listen to me!” Katie did not expect her daughter to go so far as to defy her. Kaze remained silent, knowing that no matter what he said, it would be meaningless to someone unwilling to listen. “Kaze, I’m sorry. It was my fault that you are in this mess. I’m a jinx…” Leah blamed herself for getting Kaze in trouble with her mother. If not because of her, he would never encounter her mother. “Shut it! Why are you apologizing!? He approached you with purpose and you can’t even see that? He’s not worthy of your time!” Katie was livid. She felt her daughter was blinded by emotions, incapable of making the right decision. And to make matters worse, the girl even apologized to Kaze—what nonsense! A poor man without any background was no match for her daughter and her status. He approached the girl becaus