Chapter 342 - Something Brewing

"Homura Ryuu is Ara's husband…"

There was a pin drop silence that followed that statement. Maki Eito looked at Suzuki Daizo as if he'd gone mad.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded. He refused to believe that he had heard correctly.

"I'm saying that my niece is now the Lady of the Homura House," Daizo repeated, with the last part coming out weakly as he slumped on the sofa, seemingly exhausted.

Until now, he couldn't forget the fear he had felt when Homura Ryuu had approached him at the IBEC. He couldn't forget how those threatening cold blue gaze bored into his, letting him know how formidable of an enemy the man would be if he dared do something to Aki.

"I was even planning on getting rid of Aki's woman. But the Koutaishidenka seemed to know what I was thinking, and had warned me not to do anything." Daizo leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his thɨġhs as he buried his face in his hands.

Maki Eito who was livid and uncompromising just a while ago also found his knees weakening at the news, and sat at the opposite chair. His expression dumbfounded.

"How did that happen?"

"Was it because of that contract?"Eito asked out loud. "Did they have the contract in exchange of the girl?"

He snorted. For someone who acted so upright, Suzuki Aki still disgustingly sold his sister to the Homuras for business.

"I honestly don't know. I was as shocked as you were," Daizo told the other. "This is why my hands are tied. I have no power to go against the Cedar Palace."

Well, to be fair, there was no one who could ever go against the Homura House. Still, Eito didn't want to give up just like that. He had already given so much – energy, money, and time for this ambition. He couldn't just let go of things so easily.

If only the Suzukis didn't die, it would have been easier for him. After all, they did sign the engagement contract between their son to his daughter. Regardless of how that agreement was made, a contract was a contract.

Huh? That's right…

Remembering this, Eito looked up and glared at Daizo. "We have a contract and the dowry has been given. If you do not comply with the agreement, then return the dowry immediately!"

"What?" Suzuki Daizo was visibly shaken. "How can you be so unreasonable? You already gave the dowry, why are you taking it back?"

Eito snickered at how stupid Daizo sounded. Of course, he could take the money back since the agreement was not honored by the Suzukis. The reason why Daizo said this was because he was the one who took the money, and he couldn't give it back. To where he took the dowry, Eito didn't know and didn't care.

"Your nephew will announce his engagement to Yuuka next week, or you will return the dowry."

Five billion yen was not something to sneeze at. It was close to half a billion US dollars if converted.

"But I already said that the Homura House is backing Aki. I cannot force that boy anymore,"Daizo complained desperately.

"Then return the money,"Eito insisted, his voice final. There was nothing Suzuki Daizo could say to make him change his decision. "You're a very resourceful man. It's your problem how you do it as long as in the end I will get either of the two," he said. His voice was cold and threatening.

Unbeknownst to the two men, a figure outside the study stood with a frown on her face. Maki Yuuka had heard everything her father and Suzuki Daizo talked about, and she felt concerned. Nothing incriminating was ever mentioned such as forcing anyone, but she still felt that something bad was going to happen. After all, this was Suzuki Daizo.

Ever since she had seen him when she was a child, she had never liked him. In spite of his cowardly act in front of her father, there was a cold, shrewdness behind his dark eyes. It was a pair of gaze that bred ambition and greed. A typical snake.  Yuuka wouldn't be surprised if the man could even commit something as atrocious as murder in order to satisfy his dėsɨrės.

With a grim expression, Maku Yuuka quietly left the house and walked towards the garage. She was immediately welcomed by her bodyguards but she waved them away. She didn't need anyone today.

"But –"one tried to protest but her cold glare made the man stop.

"I can take care of my own and I will call when I need something. Alright?" Yuuka didn't need to tell the bodyguard twice before she got in her car and drove off.

As to where she was going, she had no idea. She just wanted to get as far away from her house as possible. She had always known that her father wouldn't accept her announcement about marrying for love when she told him.

Well, she surprised even herself. She had always thought that she was not the emotional type. But seeing how Chiaki and Aki seemed to get along well – how warm and sweet the feeling they gave off when they were together, she felt lacking. It made her realize how cold her world had been, and how wonderful it would be if she found something like that for herself.

"Chiaki's lucky…"

She murmured as she pulled over the side of the road. She initially didn't have any specific place she wanted to go to, but she just realized that she was already near Denenchofu, where she knew the Suzuki siblings lived.

Remembering the conversation in her father's study, Maki Yuuka let out a heavy sigh before fishing her mobile phone in her bag. She didn't think there was anything urgent to tell them, but she felt that she had to let them know what's going on to prevent something bad to happen in case Daizo planned to do something in his desperate attempt to settle his debts with her father.

She had Suzuki Aki's number in her phone, but she skipped him and decided to call Chiaki instead. She just hoped that the woman had time to see her today since she had no idea if she could still be bold enough to defy her father and tell them about the trouble brewing from her side.  After four rings, Chiaki picked up and she felt relieved.

"Hello…"