Ruby's POV
Sanae has no idea that I came all the way here to Japan. And why? Because I needed to talk to her brother.
I need to know why he had to hide, why he had to fake his own death. I need answers. Because Karla was devastated, completely shattered when we found out that her fiancé was gone.
Yes, Akio and Karla were engaged. Until the day we all believed he was dead.
And now, here I am, standing outside the house where Fiasco swore he saw Akio. I need to see him with my own eyes to confirm that this isn't some cruel mistake.
Taking a deep breath, I step out of my car, lowering my sunglasses onto my face. I make my way toward the waiting shed near the house, choosing to sit there instead of marching straight to the front door. I need a moment to gather my thoughts.
"You know, you could just ring the doorbell instead of lurking out here like some stalker," a familiar voice calls out.
My body tenses. Slowly, I turn my head.
"So, you're really alive, Akio?" My voice is calm, but inside, my heart pounds.
"Alive and kicking," he answers casually, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Come inside. We can talk properly there."
He turns and walks toward the house. I hesitate for a second before following him in.
As soon as I step inside, my eyes land on a framed photograph sitting on the shelf. It's a picture of him and Karla. My throat tightens.
"Why are you hiding?" I ask, my voice is more demanding now.
Akio sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. "To protect Karla. To protect my sister and my mother." He pauses before adding, "To protect the empire. To protect you."
My stomach twists at his words. I look at him sharply. "You could've told me, Akio. We're friends. You know what I'm capable of, I could have helped you," I insist, my tone firm.
He exhales heavily and looks me dead in the eye. "It's your father, Ruby."
My blood runs cold.
"What?" I whisper, barely able to process his words.
"He ordered the hit on both of us." Akio's voice is steady but edged with something dark. "He sent a lot of moles into the company. They're planning to steal the 8G technology we've been developing."
I clench my fists. "That doesn't make sense... Why would he-?"
"In order to get rid of the moles, I had to disappear," he explains. "I had to make them believe I was dead. It wasn't easy, but I gave you my word, didn't I? I will devote myself to that empire, to protect it."
My breathing is shallow now, my mind spinning.
"You should have told me," I repeat, my voice shaking with suppressed emotions. "I would've fought alongside you."
Akio gives me a sad smile. "And that's exactly why I didn't."
I narrow my eyes. "I need to know everything, Akio. No more secrets. If my father is behind this... I need to stop him."
A tense silence settles between us before he nods. "Then let's begin."
So, my own father wants me dead, just so he can stay on top of this industry.
So that no one, not even his own daughter, can have a place in his empire.
A bitter laugh escapes my lips as the realization settles deep in my chest like a cold, heavy weight.
"He wanted a war?" I mutter under my breath, my fingers curling into fists. "Then I'll fucking give him a war. I will bring him down so completely that he'll never rise again."
Akio watches me, his expression unreadable. He knows I mean every word.
But before I can get lost in my anger.
"Wait a second," he say, narrowing his eyes at me. "I've been hearing rumors about you and my siste-"
"Yes, we are dating," I interrupted before he can even finish my sentence.
I blink in surprise. "Oh."
Akio's gaze hardens as he glares at me, his jaw tightening. "And before you start lecturing me, let me make something clear-she was the one who pursued me."
He scoff. "Really?"
"Yes. So stop looking at me like that," I muttered, clearly annoyed.
He cross his arms. "Like what?"
"Like I somehow manipulated her into this."
He smirked , leaning back slightly. "I mean, it's just hard to believe. My sister? Pursued you?"
I rolled my eyes. "She knows what she wants, and she's not afraid to go after it."
His smirk fades, and his expression turns serious. "Listen to me, Ruby," he said, his voice is firm. "If you hurt her, I will kill you. No hesitation, no second chances."
I meets his gaze, unfazed. "As if I would ever hurt her," I replied, my tone is just as firm.
A tense silence fills the room as we stare at each other, neither of us willing to back down. Finally, he nod.
"Good," he said simply.
Akio sighs, rubbing his temple. "You're really something, Ruby."
"And don't you forget it," I reply with a smirk.
But as much as I enjoy teasing him, the weight of our situation lingers in the air. My father is a threat a deadly one. And no matter what it takes, I will bring him down.
______________
Sanae's POV
I sat alone at my desk, my fingers drumming an absent-minded rhythm against the cold, polished wood. The office was eerily silent, save for the occasional hum of a printer in the far corner. It had been like this for days now, just me, drowning in my thoughts, in the absence of Ruby.
Ruby, who had left for Japan without me.
The thought gnawed at me, a slow burn in my chest. I tried to convince myself it was fine, that Ruby had her reasons, that I was being childish for feeling left behind. But the rationalizations did little to smother the bitterness. I had always been there-through the late-night conversations, the quiet fears Ruby never shared with anyone else. And yet, when it came time to leave, Ruby had gone alone. No explanations, no invitations. Just a cold departure that left me staring at the empty space beside me.
A sigh escaped my lips as I pulled my laptop closer, attempting to drown myself in work. It was better than lingering on the ache of abandonment.
Then came the sound of footsteps, confident, unhurried. I didn't need to look up to know who it was.
Karla.
"Hey," Karla's voice was casual, but there was something else hidden beneath it. "This just came in."
I barely had time to react before a thick, heavy folder landed on my desk with a dull thud. The weight of it sent an uneasy shiver up my spine.
"What's this?" I asked, my brows furrowing as I reached for it.
"Open it."
I shot Karla a questioning glance, but her expression remained unreadable. My heart pounded as I flipped open the folder.
The first thing I saw was a photograph.
A body. Lifeless. Face pale and eyes vacant, staring at nothing. Blood pooled beneath the crumpled form, dark against the concrete floor. It took me a moment to recognize the man.
Akio.
A sharp breath hitched in my throat, my fingers tightening around the paper.
Akio was dead.
My mind struggled to process it, my vision blurring slightly as I turned the page. More photographs. Different angles. The crime scene was chaotic-broken glass, scattered belongings, and then-
My breath stopped altogether.
There, in the background of one of the images, barely noticeable at first. A figure.
A woman, shrouded in the dim lighting, standing frozen near the edge of the scene. The unmistakable shape of her face, the familiar curve of her body.
Ruby.
My fingers trembled as I traced the image, disbelief mingling with something dark and ugly curling in my stomach. Questions, unspoken and jagged, clawed their way into my mind.
Why was Ruby there?
Why hadn't she told me anything?
And more importantly.
Was she involved?
The walls of the office seemed to close in, the air suddenly too thick, too suffocating. I swallowed hard, forcing down the chaos rising in my throat.
Karla leaned over my shoulder, peering at the image. I heard her sharp intake of breath before she spoke.
"Wait... is that-?"
I nodded slowly, my jaw tightening.
Karla took a step back, crossing her arms over her chest. Her face twisted into something between shock and unease. "Don't tell me..." she hesitated, as if saying it out loud would make it real. "Don't tell me she's responsible for Akio's death."
The words felt like a slap. My stomach twisted painfully at the thought. I wanted to shut it down immediately, to defend Ruby, to say that she could never-
But I didn't. Because I didn't know.
Ruby had been there. That was undeniable.
But why? How? And what did she know?
The questions circled like vultures in my mind, each one more suffocating than the last. I swallowed hard and clenched my fists, forcing myself to think logically. I couldn't jump to conclusions, not yet.
I turned the page, searching for more clues, more proof that Ruby's presence was nothing more than a coincidence. But with each picture, each report, the unease inside me grew.
"I need to talk to her," I muttered, barely aware I had spoken out loud.
Karla scoffed, shaking her head. "You think she'll tell you the truth?"
I hesitated. I wanted to believe Ruby would never lie to me. But if she had already hidden this... what else had she been keeping from me?
I inhaled shakily, closing the folder with a soft thud. "I need to hear it from her."
Karla's expression darkened. "Be careful, Sanae. If she is involved... you don't know what she's capable of."
I clenched my fists tighter.
I didn't want to believe Ruby was capable of something like this. She told me she and Akio are close friends.
But I needed to find out the truth.
And I was going to, no matter what it took.
Why now? Why now that I have been fallen for her? Why now that I stopped the plan already?