Adam’s condescending tone annoyed Darcy, but since Agatha and Agnes prepared her for this, she was ready for the worst. She said, “Uncle Adam, thank you for your advice.” Seeing how Adam talked to his junior in public, everyone revered him even more, which was what he wanted from them. He might be in his early 40s but in his field, he was considered young. The others were veterans in the field and no matter how much they tried to flatter him, they never truly respected him. Through acting like a senior to Darcy, Adam was able to erect a powerful image in their minds. Kaze then saw the glance Darcy shot him and he quickly went up to Adam. “Uncle Adam.” Adam’s smile disappeared instantly. He disregarded Kaze and then said to Darcy with a hint of annoyance, “Who let him in?” Kaze really wanted to walk away. Darcy knew his temper. She quickly tugged him and held him back. If Kaze walked, Adam would be infuriated. Even though she did not care either, she would have
Kaze’s nonchalance, however, became submission to them. “Ms. Quint, don’t sulk. Your husband isn’t all that useless either, at least he can take humiliation better than us.” “Yeah. If I were him, I would have freaked out.” “Ms. Quint, your husband is like a sponge to humiliation. He can absorb everything without showing any reaction. I admire that.” “Hahaha…” The group cackled. Darcy had a hint of anger on her face. Adam spotted it. He wanted to use Darcy to set him off and highlight his success at the party, so if she walked away due to the humiliation, he might lose the chance. “That’s enough. Kaze is still my niece’s husband. Don’t be too harsh on him. The party is starting, we shouldn’t be out here. “Darcy, you should bring Kaze inside as well. More VIPs are coming, and it’s a great chance to introduce him to them. It will do you more good than harm.” Adam spoke strictly, seemingly defending Kaze from the others. The others toned down their laughter but they s
“If she’s married, she can divorce. This Kaze Lee doesn’t look great at all. Since he married into her family, I bet he lived like a dog at her house. “I think calling him the goalkeeper is too much for him.” The young man grinned and said firmly, “From now on, Darcy Quint will be my woman!” The others were surprised by how confident the young man was. They wondered what fueled the man’s confidence. Then, they realized the man was just more than just bold words. He stepped forward and walked over to Darcy and Kaze, which further intrigued the others. They were hoping for something interesting to happen. Darcy was chatting with people who had her surrounded. Even though she had to handle a larger crowd compared to outside, she was able to chat with everyone politely and professionally. Kaze was happy for her. Making her the chairwoman of Quartet Group and Sky Ocean Corporation did not just boost her status, but it also gave her a chance to grow and improve. In ti
The man’s words silenced the entire hall. Darcy was beautiful, seductive, and extremely rich and powerful for owning two companies. She was the perfect woman for any man. Everyone believed Kaze was not worthy of Darcy, but such thoughts remained as thoughts, yet the young man made his thoughts verbal. In fact, the young man voiced his thoughts in front of a crowd and challenged Kaze in front of Darcy. Everyone looked at Kaze with interest and disdain. They wondered how the infamous trash of Lilyrose would react. Kaze was surprisingly calm. “Who are you?” he asked after shooting a glance at the man. His frivolous manner surprised the young man. The young man thought Kaze would be infuriated by his provocation. The angrier Kaze got, the more incompetent it would make him look. The man would then have a chance to stomp over him, metaphorically. Despite the strange reaction, the man believed Kaze was just acting. Darcy came over to have a look after ending her con
Those who spoke were the younger ones, who also had ulterior motives toward Darcy’s beauty and status. However, they hid their thoughts well and it sounded like they were concerned about her. Before they even knew it, they already formed a tacit union to target Kaze, trying to remove the obstacle from their goal. As for who had the chance to go for the shoot, it would depend on their respective capabilities. “Ms. Quint, you heard them. That’s what everyone thought. I am just making it verbal.” Tao believed he would be the one who got Darcy. His confidence remained sky-high. Before they even came into the banquet hall, Darcy was already annoyed and irritated. Now that Kaze was being insulted, it put a gloomy look on her face. “You people are so free that you have the time to poke your nose into someone else’s business,” Darcy said coldly. “My marriage is a private affair, my own business. It has nothing to do with you people, and I don't care about my public image or m
With Adam on his side, Tao was no longer afraid of Darcy being angry with him. He apologized and re-emphasized his words from earlier. Darcy’s expression turned grim. She said coldly, “Mr. Segore, this is my private affair. It’s none of your business!” Tao did not expect Darcy to voice her anger out in front of Adam. His expression turned gloomy as well. “Darcy, where are your manners?!” Adam was unhappy with Darcy’s response either. He said coldly, “Tao’s grandfather and your grandfather are like brothers and our families have been close for generations! Tao spoke the truth because he is concerned with you and you show him your temper?!” Kaze heard Adam and his eyes turned cold. Adam was obviously biased toward Tao, and Kaze did not mind. However, he berated Darcy in public because he was full of himself. Kaze got up and wanted to speak but Darcy quickly stopped him by shooting him a warning glance because she had promised her mother to get along with Adam. She too
Kaze spoke with utmost contempt and disdain, which surprised everyone. Where did the useless trash gain his confidence to speak up against Tao? Soon, the people realized that his source of confidence was Darcy. Darcy owned two companies that were worth billions. Only less than a handful of men were worthy of her. “Hahaha, and here I thought how capable is this useless trash to look down on Mr. Segore. It was his wife…” Everyone burst into laughter. Kaze ignored the people’s laughter and looked at Tao. With a serious look, he asked, “Tell me, what gave you the confidence that made you believe you are worthy of Darcy?” Tao was infuriated by Kaze’s disdain. He grunted coldly and said proudly, “I have to admit that Ms. Quint is indeed an amazing woman but I’m not half bad either. Do you know why I am here in Lilyrose? That’s because I am getting a billion worth of investment from Hudson Investment Firm.” Tao looked at Darcy and said confidently, “With this investment, m
Kaze’s words sparked commotion across the banquet hall. The guests were amazed not because they took him seriously but because of how ridiculous he sounded. “What is he talking about? Does he really think he can stop a billion worth of investment?” “He’s a patient in the psych ward. I bet he’s going crazy again.” “Ms. Quint, why don’t you bring your husband to the hospital, or have one of the doctors here to check on him? I’m sure there are brain specialists here…” Everyone mocked Kaze and looked at him and Darcy as if they were the biggest joke. Darcy felt embarrassed. “Kaze, stop fooling around!” Darcy tugged Kaze and angrily whispered, “You are on your first day! No one would listen to you!” She knew the call Kaze made was real because Kaze was the CEO of Hudson Investment Firm. However, Miru clearly told her that Kaze was just the nominal CEO with no authority whatsoever. A billion worth of investment was huge and it was not something Kaze could cancel with ju
It took a lot of effort for Agnes to break her daughter up with Kaze. There was no way she would allow Kaze to have a second shot with Darcy. The way Agnes saw it, her daughter was the head of the Quints in the South River State and the chairwoman of Sky Ocean Corporation. Darcy was beautiful and a great catch. Kaze did not mean squat. While Agnes danced with joy, several vehicles turned up outside the villa. These cars belonged to two different parties. The first group was in fancy cars while the other group was much more discreet. Still, nobody would dismiss government vehicles. Though surprised, Darcy quickly went up to greet the people. “Chief Yaphet, Mr. Jayne, what brings you here?” The alphas of both groups were not some big VIP to Darcy’s family. However, they had control over Sky Ocean Corporation’s future. More accurately, the entities that these people worked for held the fate of Sky Ocean Corporation in their hands. Welson, a middle-ranking official in the
“No way! Madam Quint had no reason to kill Madam Dark.” There was a bustle at Villa No. 1. Despite the statement coming from the police, the crowd was skeptical that Phoenix would kill anyone. Agnes and Darcy found the truth hard to swallow. If Phoenix were behind the evil assassination, they would be wrong about Kaze. The police officer said, “We learned that the dump truck driver received 1.2 million dollars before the accident. We tracked the money to one of Phoenix’s people in Ridgesouth. “We looked into Phoenix’s phone records and discovered that she contacted the Steelclaw Guild through the dark web. “She had no idea that we have eyes on the dark web. Though we don’t know the specifics of her deal with the Steelclaw Guild, she would only have one reason to contact an assassination organization.“The Steelclaw Guild’s killer then showed up at the funeral parlor.“We are linking these two incidents, and our prime suspect is Phoenix, who is now deceased.“We didn’t de
“Kaze, do you know how unfamiliar and frightened you’re making me feel right now?“Why was the Steelclaw Guild’s killer after you? If today didn’t happen, I wouldn’t know that you had gotten yourself in deep trouble. “I don’t know what else you are hiding from me. I even wonder if you were behind Madam Dark’s car accident. “My feelings toward you have been true, but family is equally important to me. “I’m afraid that one day, you will get my parents and brother killed.” Darcy let everything out. The storm in Kaze’s eyes quelled.He grabbed a pen and signed his name before taking his copy. Kaze placed the other copy on the table before walking away. As the people in the villa watched on in shock, Agnes dropped her jaw in joy. Agnes thought that it would take a lot of talking and crying to push Darcy in the right direction. To her surprise, Darcy filed for divorce right away. Nevertheless, she was quick to complain. “You are silly, Darcy. You should have asked for V
“Oh, don’t give me that!” Agnes said without a care, “All I know is that you stood by and got Madam Quint killed. “Why can’t you think before you act, Kaze? What are you going to do when the Quints hold you responsible?“Do you think this is the end of the matter? With Madam Quint dead, the Quints would demand answers.“Here you are, saying that you weren’t trying to get us killed. “You should set my daughter free now! I demand a divorce.” Agnes clamored. “I can’t sleep well at night, thinking I have to spend another day with a snake. “The ball is in your court, Darcy. Either he stays, or I go.” Agnes was determined to force her daughter into dumping Kaze’s sorry ass. Kaze turned to Darcy. “Let’s move out, babe. We can buy another house to live in.” He looked weary for once. Kaze felt drained. There was never a moment of peace whenever he was at home. Agnes would push Darcy into getting a divorce every time Kaze showed his face. Kaze had tried addressing the iss
Kaze said indifferently, “I don’t want to talk to you about this. Just carry on living in their own world.” “What? You have nothing to say for yourself, so you shut up?” Agnes was on full steam ahead. “Why didn’t you kneel when we were on our knees? Don’t you care whether we die?“Are you wishing we were dead?” Despite the grilling, Kaze remained indifferent. Agnes took things far and pressed on. “Were you trying to egg the killer into killing Madam Quint and Joan?“You were afraid of Madam Quint’s retaliation once the word about Madam Dark and Shadow’s accident got out, so you wanted to silence her.” Sky could not stand by anymore. “That’s extreme, Mom. K-Kaze—” “Was what?” Agnes glared at him. “The killer broke Madam Quint’s fingers, fractured her leg, and killed her and Joan. It’s clear that she was triggered by Kaze. “Once or twice might be a coincidence, but we’re talking about this happening multiple times. Isn’t it a deliberate act?” Agnes was witty to make
It had only been an hour since Phoenix met her demise. Yet the Ridgesouth Quints had already come to a decision. Even Kaze had to admit that the Ridgesouth Quints were highly efficient. The Quints’ approach was simple but highly effective. With Phoenix dead, the Quint family members in the South River State were without a leader. As the situation remained unclear and loomed with potential threats, it was best to put Darcy in charge of picking up the pieces. One thing stood out when the Quints handled business. It showed the Quints prioritized their own interest above all else. The Quints were not in a rush to investigate Phoenix’s death, avenge her, or question Hector’s family. Their aim was to cut their losses and reassure the family. The Ridgesouth Quints did not even mention Phoenix’s funeral. Different from Hector’s family’s joy, the other family members were horrified. “I’m sorry to upset you before, Darcy. Please forgive us.” “We were wrong. We are terribly so
“The head honcho made a wise choice.” South talked as if the plan benefited them all. The Steelclaw Guild did not consider the risk of sending Anzu after Kaze and his loved ones. Kaze survived the assassination and proved to the Steelclaw Guild that he was worth the risk. However, what if he had died? The Steelclaw Guild would let Phoenix know that she owed them one. Either way, the Steelclaw Guild would not be losing out on anything. The Steelclaw Guild had a collaboration with Kaze, but they were not in on it together. Kaze shook his head. The Steelclaw Guild was an assassination organization for a reason. They only worked for themselves and were not worth Kaze’s trust. He said curtly, “Tell your head honcho that I don’t owe your people anything anymore. “But you owe me one.” No one else but Kaze would demand something from the Steelclaw Guild. Anyone else in Kaze’s place would swallow the bitter pill and move on. Not Kaze, though. He was not scared of the
With Anzu dead, Kaze got rid of one major problem. Since the police would tie up loose ends at the funeral parlor, Kaze and Darcy’s family were free to leave under the escort of police officers. Other Quint family members in the South River State departed alongside Kaze and Darcy’s family. These people feared for their lives. It dawned on them that they were safe with Darcy’s family, especially since the police were determined to keep Darcy’s family safe and sound before. They followed Darcy’s family, not leaving them out of their sight. Dozens of members swarmed into Villa No. 1, leaving the residence rather cramped. “It’s such a waste of space for a small family to live in a big, luxurious place.” “I guess there are perks to kissing up to the mayor.” The Quint family members, making themselves too at home, occupied the space and made snide remarks. Darcy did not possess power or influence after losing Sky Ocean Corporation. They did not care what Darcy’s family t
Like Joan, Phoenix never would have imagined that she would die in such a humiliating way. Kaze did not even move his hands. He simply said a few words and Anzu killed her. Phoenix died with her eyes wide open, but the light quickly faded. The last image reflected upon her eyes was Kaze grinning brightly with his teeth gleaming under the light. “Bastard…” That was Phoenix’s last word. In just the blink of an eye, the respected elder of the Quint family had turned into a lifeless corpse. Every other family member at the scene gasped in shock. “Die, Kaze Lee!” Anzu’s killing spree did not stop with just two deaths. She shouted at Kaze but she dashed toward Darcy. Swoosh! Kaze had anticipated this. With a swift movement, he shifted sideways to position himself in front of Anzu, blocking her. Anzu swung her arms forward, launching multiple poisoned shurikens at him. Darcy was right behind him, so Kaze dared not dodge the shurikens. It was either him or Darcy. Howe