Everyone in the lobby was shocked when they heard the man. Shangrila Group had just gotten back on track and was developing rapidly. They were at a crucial period before launching a new product into the market. If they were forced to suspend operation for a month, the financial loss would be immeasurable. “Mr. Bowman, our company just went through a series of checks last month and we ticked all the boxes. Why are you saying that we do not meet the requirements now?” Winnie asked with a slightly anxious tone. “Ms. Souffle, please mind your words. What do you mean by that? Are you questioning our professionalism?” The man was Reedus Bowman, who was also the leader of the group. He was Blake’s cousin and had just gotten the position yesterday. Winnie said, “No, I didn’t mean that. It’s just that it is difficult for us to accept that. Mr. Bowman, we’ll cooperate and make every necessary change to remove potential harm…” “Hold it right there!” Reedus stopped her and said
“So the lab is a collaborative project with the strategic department? Then we have to inspect it carefully. We’ll take your documents back to study and we will waive your fines, for now.” Reedus quickly planned an escape route for himself after learning the truth. He then signaled his men to leave the place. A few steps later, he turned around and said, “Kaze Lee, don’t you dare disrespect me just because you are related to Lilyrose Strategic Department. “My cousin is the new mayor and he can crush you like an ant. I will spare Shangrila Group for now but I can still go after the other companies!” Reedus challenged Kaze openly and stated clearly that Blake would go after him. Kaze was not afraid at all. He said coldly, “The mayor? You tell your cousin to stay put. If he continues to mess around, I’ll make him lose his position.” If Blake crossed the line, Kaze would no longer follow the law. Reedus’ expression turned grim as he stared at Kaze. “Hmph. Who do you think
“Kaze is trapped now! The companies and the gangsters associated with him are in deep trouble. Even Mayor Brooks, who had been protecting him, was swapped out. If he can make a comeback, I’ll slap myself.” “Blake Bowman is going to run Kaze down. He wasn’t joking when he said he would crush Kaze and his family.” “Master Hudson and Master Gregory are smart. They needn’t lift a finger yet the city is in turmoil.” Those who sided with Hudson and Gregory gloated at Kaze and grew restless. When the five companies were taken down and the Lee and Vinland families were done with them, they would be able to seize more benefits for themselves. “Kaze Lee, what are you going to do now?” Hudson and Gregory were having tea at Wuthering Pavilion. They were delighted by the news they received and they believed victory was secured. “Hudson, let’s prepare for our great feast! Let’s have some tea before we feast on the main course!” Gregory proposed a toast to celebrate their victory.
“Ms. Quint, we at the Federal Trade Commission received a tip-off that Quartet Group is suspected of engaging in unfair competitive practices and market disruption. Please come with us for further investigation. “A report was filed with the Department of Public Works that there is a severe safety hazard with the unauthorized construction of a helipad on the roof of Clover Center. We will begin demolition now, and the building will be sealed off for one to three months while we carry out work.” Different authorities stepped out from behind Aaron, announcing the decision of their departments. Any of these decisions could spell doom for Quartet Group. Not to mention, these agencies were ganging up on the group. The authorities’ power abuse could threaten the survival of any company. In other words, Quartet Group was facing its biggest crisis ever. Click! Aaron lit another cigarette. He took a long drag and said nonchalantly, “Are you happy with that, Ms. Quint? If you’re
“The Federal Trade Commission mentioned our engagement in malicious competitive practices and market disruptions. Where is the proof? I can sue you for defamation without one.“As for the helipad on the roof, the Department of Public Works should know that the local military set it up for drills. Should I call Koga, the commander of the Garo Special Operation Team, over so you can question him?” Darcy had nothing to lose at that point. She challenged the agencies’ decisions. Most importantly, her reasoning was well justified, and the angry authorities had no leg to stand on. Lilyrose Bank was not due its repayment from Quartet Group yet, and the government-funded project had just begun. The claim of malicious competitive practices was unfounded. For her safety, Kaze instructed Lilyrose Strategic Department to construct the helipad on the roof for drill purposes. None of the allegations could be put on Quartet Group. Clap, clap, clap. Aaron clapped his hands and ros
“Enjoy, Mr. Bowman. We’ll wait for you outside.” The others snickered and headed out. “Let go of me, you animal!” With Aaron’s firm grip on Darcy’s wrist, she could not break free from him. She bit Aaron on the hand in a panic. “Argh!” Aaron screamed in pain and slapped Darcy in the face. Smack! Darcy tumbled back, her hair unkempt hanging loose from the blow. She bumped heavily onto the edge of the desk and hurt her waist. “Bitch! I own you!” Aaron approached her angrily. Filled with despair, Darcy grabbed the stationery on the desk and threw it in his face. While Aaron was busy dodging, Darcy sprinted to the window and cocked her head back to yell, “Don’t push me, Aaron, or I’ll jump off the window. You will go to jail for this.” “Go to jail. Why are you so naïve?” Aaron was calm. “I didn’t push you out of the window. Who can prove that I made you jump to your death? Besides, my dad is the mayor. No one will risk their lives to testify.” “You’re an animal
“You can’t do this, Kaze. You’ll go to jail!” Aaron screamed and cried. “Go to jail? Why are you so naïve?” Kaze said emotionlessly, “Don’t you know I have psychotic episodes? I’m having one now.” He looked down at the street from the window. It was hot outside, so no one was out and about on the street. “We’re on the third floor, not high in the building. It’s down to your luck whether you survive this fall, but I hope you will.” Scared stiff, Aaron wailed and shouted. He could barely string together a full sentence. The female secretary shrieked from the ground, “No! You can’t do this! His father is the ma—” Kaze released his grip without giving her the chance to finish. Thud! It sounded like something heavy hit the ground. “Psycho! You’re a psycho!” The secretary and the others screamed before getting to their feet to run downstairs. It was a mess on the ground floor. Soon, sirens were heard. The paramedics and police had arrived. Kaze watched the scene u
“I think it will be incredibly satisfying to see Kaze locked up helplessly behind bars as his wife loses the companies, and his family tears apart. It’s not like he can do anything to stop it.” Gregory laughed out loud. His bloodshot eyes looked manic. Gregory’s son was confined to the bed, and he hated Kaze for it. “Haha! I can’t wait!” Like Gregory, Hudson was eager to witness Kaze’s downfall. Meanwhile, the police had Kaze in custody for throwing Aaron out of the third floor’s window.The word traveled to Lilyrose’s upper crust. The sighting of the ambulance and police cars made it unlikely to cover up the truth. “Kaze is a loser. He knew Blake would have his head for hurting Aaron. Still, he did it anyway. He could be self-sabotaging.” “It is a pity that Aaron survived. He was taken to the ER. Blake will surely take out his anger on Kaze and his family. Some gloated, while others expressed sympathy. However, no one believed Kaze would be able to walk away a
Even though Aloysius saw it coming, he was surprised to learn the truth from Murray. “It’s not what you think. We were simply trying to find out if someone was sabotaging those projects since problems came all at once. We were also trying to gather intel.” “So what? It’s my money, but you and the Frosts don’t seem to appreciate that fact. I don’t see a point in working together.” Murray made up his mind to cut business ties with the Frosts, and nothing they said or did could change his mind. More infuriatingly, the ninety million dollars was taken out of the business account for investors. Jet sure took the investors for a ride. “I can offer an explanation for this. You don’t have to be mad about this. It was just to keep it in the books, but the money will be put back.” Aloysius was not there to upset Murray. His intention was to iron out issues in a peaceful manner. However, Aloysius just made Murray angrier, and they were nowhere close to solving anything. “I don’t
“We are facing a minor issue, but it’s no biggie. With some alterations, we will see profits in no time. No one knows what tomorrow will bring. Plus, when have the Frosts ever let anyone down when doing business together?” Aloysius continued to persuade Murray. For some reason, Murray was determined to pull out anyway. How did Murray find out about the issues regarding the projects? Jet had blocked any news from leaking out. No one would have known. “As you said, no one knows what tomorrow will bring, so you better give me back my money. I want to cut my losses.” Murray’s mind was set. Aloysius was disappointed. From the meeting, Aloysius could see that Murray had made himself clear. “That reminds me. You have five days to return the investment, or I’ll spread the news and ruin your business.” Murray understood that intimidation would get what he wanted. Integrity was important to businesspeople, but without the right strategies, it was hard to stay on top. “We have
“Anger won’t get us anywhere. We should brainstorm strategies,” Aloysius said. Jet was already struggling with injuries. The mental strain only added to his burden. However, they were bold to run multiple business ventures all at once. The Frosts were able to keep the operation going with the support of business partners. Unfortunately, when it rained, it poured. If one project had issues, Jet and the Frosts could still weather through, but the problems in various projects proved too much to handle. “Do you think I don’t want to? Our hands are tied right now.” Jet was hurt, and he could not even rest. As if things were not bad enough, the shareholders did the unthinkable. “Maybe we should give up on getting the films released. We can sell that business off. “We can abandon the piece of land near the port or offer those old people some compensation.” Aloysius believed the issues with these projects were easy fixes. Most importantly, they were able to sustain the losses.
“You are all a bunch of losers. What happened to those fighters? Didn’t I pay them to do a job?” Jet believed he had prepared for every eventuality. Yet, Kaze came on strong and fast. Before Jet could get his team to protect him, Kaze pulled the first punch. “When I took you to the hospital, these fighters were still lying on the cold, hard floor. They were all down and out.” Aloysius grimaced, recalling the incident. He was lost for words. The incident was etched in his mind forever. He could never forget the tragic scene. Jet was not too happy with the brawlers, but the news took him by surprise. “Kaze came alone. How could he fend off so many?” Jet was skeptical that Kaze could be so powerful. “I later heard that Kaze had backup. He might have had help.” Aloysius refused to believe the truth, so he asked around. Another group barged into Kurosawa Club and possibly helped Kaze. There was no way Kaze could finish the fighting crew off all by himself. Jet was re
The group shook their heads, not carrying much thought about the incident. However, the dynamics were shifting in Butterworth. Several cars fleeted across the road, not causing much notice. The pedestrians went about their ways. Life was as mundane as it ever was. Yet, behind the scenes, the city underwent a silent upheaval. Jet was a seasoned businessman with experience spanning across numerous industries. His position of power earned him the favor and flattery of many. However, the recent events surrounding the Frosts cautioned many businesspeople and potential business partners against doing business with them. Some businesspeople who had yet to secure a deal with the Frosts were not too eager anymore. They had pursued a collaboration before, but now they would think twice before engaging with the Frosts. Some of Jet’s existing business partners were concerned. Jet came from a prestigious and resourceful family. He had the guts and judgment to procure the most pr
After a series of examinations, it was determined that Jet had an open wound on his forehead. Otherwise, he was doing fine health-wise. Jet was unconscious, and it was for the better. At least he would not feel any pain. The chatter outside put Aloysius on edge. Aloysius guessed that Kaze came from power, and Jet had upset him this time. Kaze’s wrath was likely upon them. Aloysius worried about the business. However, he took a glance at his unconscious employer before realizing that Jet should be the one to feel concerned. He called the number of a private hospital, and an ambulance was dispatched right away. With the help of others, Aloysius managed to get Jet on a stretcher. He glanced at the out-cold fighters in disdain. “Get their boss here to take his useless members back. They can take care of their own injuries,” Aloysius said before promptly leaving. The news about Jet’s injuries was shut down. Kurosawa Club’s owner was close enough with Jet to know that any
Oblivious to the situation, Aloysius felt a shiver down his spine. It was as if the world had crumbled. “What happened? Did we hire protection? How did Mr. Frost get hurt?” Aloysius heard the commotion, but he did not expect his employer to be the victim. Jet was talking smack at the time, and Aloysius assumed that he had the upper hand. Kaze was on his own. How could he take the win despite being outnumbered? Aloysius was baffled and curious about what had transpired. Nevertheless, now was not the time to ask questions. Aloysius had to get Jet medical treatment for his bleeding wound. Things were the opposite of what was planned. They intended to bribe Kaze into telling the truth. If Kaze refused to cooperate, they would resort to force. The horrible conflict was the last thing Aloysius expected to see. The plan went through, but the roles were reversed. Jet lay on the ground heavily wounded, and the brawlers were down too. Kaze, who was supposed to be rest
Kaze sat by the table and dumped an unconscious man sprawling across the surface to the ground. He then opened a new bottle of liquor to take big gulps. “Sorry we’re late, Mr. Lee.” Arthur rushed to the scene, only to find such a bloody mess. He felt bad because he and his team were tasked to protect Kaze. Yet, Kaze had to get his hands dirty with these low-life scums. “Mr. Lee, why didn’t you wait for us? You didn’t have to do it yourself.” Arthur and his team came as quickly as they could when they picked up on the commotion, but it was too late. Nothing could stop Kaze when the fight started. He acted swiftly, and help could not come in time. Arthur and his crew felt sorry. The Viper’s Den’s members took in the aftermath and stared at Kaze in reverence. They had no idea that Kaze was amazing. They did not even know who he was. The only thing they were told to do was protect him. It only dawned on them now that Kaze was a terrifying force. “I could use a little
“Who the hell is he? He must be trained because he’s one hell of a fighter.” “I think he might be military.” “What do we do now? Do we still fight him?” The brawlers grew scared. “Things won’t end well for us if we cross the Frosts. You can hide and choose not to attack him, but you’re doing it at your own risk,” the head of the fighters uttered.They were not given the option to back down the moment they took the job. “How do we approach this? This is strange.” “He’s aggressive.” The fighters looked at their injuries. Despite the extent of the damage, they could not walk away from the conflict. “What do we do? Are we fighting him?” Once fear took over, the brawlers lost the will to win. Kaze let out a mocking smile as the fighters turned into cowards. “Are we doing this or what? If you’re not, I can save my energy.” Kaze sneered at the group, finding them disinteresting. Here he thought he could get a good workout with these guys. Kaze guessed he gave them t