Soooo, it's been a little while but I swear I have not forgotten you all! I've been working like crazy and spending time with a good friend of mine before she moves in a week. I promise this chapter has a little more drama and scandal for you to enjoy! Thanks again for reviewing!
After a few short seconds, Isono noticed that Seto had arrived home...and rather early. He was aware that the eldest Kaiba sibling was supposed to be at the orphanage for a few hours, but it hadn't even been a half hour. "Welcome back, Mr. Kai-,"
"Save it! I'm not in the mood!" Seto locked his car on his way back inside the mansion. The real Seto Kaiba left the building, but a man possessed by fury and contempt stormed through the mansion. How dare she have the nerve to keep his child away from him! Sure, things didn't turn out ideal from before, but he didn't think she would be that pissed off to not tell him that they have a child together. All the pieces were starting to fall in his lap. The CEO found it strange when all of a sudden Mokuba would be out late on some school nights, and always told him he had a study group.
Yeah, a bunch of bullshit! Study group my ass, he has all A's! His blood thirsty eyes were set on finding his youngest sibling so that he could suck up all the answers he wanted from him. He was seeing red. A red that may actually end up staining certain parts of his multi-billion dollar home.
"Mokuba, get your ass out here before I make you get out here!" He shouted, after throwing his keys and wallet on the coffee table in the living room.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Kaiba, but Mokuba isn't home. He's been gone for almost three hours, sir." He heard Isono say, sensing the fear in his voice.
Seto slowly craned his neck towards Isono. "Where did he go?"
"He didn't specify, sir. Only that he would return later." Isono told him, truthfully.
"I'll be in my office for the next few hours. Tell the entire staff to not disturb me, or they'll need to find employment elsewhere." Seto turned his back and walked down to his home office, viciously slamming the door shut.
For the love of everything, Mokuba, I hope he is calm before you return. Isono went back to his post, nervously hoping for the best.
xxxx
"Look, baby! Look at all the pretty fish!" Anzu pointed her fingers in the direction of the large tank surrounding the entire walkway.
After picking up Morgan from daycare hours prior, Yugi, Anzu, and Mokuba went out and took Morgan to the aquarium. They already been there for a couple hours now, taking her to see different types of fish, coral reef, sharks, and other aquatic life. She got to pet a sea turtle and push little buttons on some of the tour sites. Anzu loved to see her daughter's eyes full of wonder as she gazed at everything.
"She's having so much fun." Mokuba smiled tickling the baby's stomach.
Anzu couldn't help but continue to smile. "I know. I think she's going to be one smart cookie like her Daddy one day."
"She just may be." He agreed, continuing to look around.
Morgan suddenly began to wriggle a little bit in the stroller. By the sounds of her whining, it meant she was hungry. "We can go now if you guys are hungry. Morgan's starting to get antsy."
"That works for me. All this looking at fish makes me want seafood." Yugi could feel his stomach grumbling.
"I'm in the mood for sushi. I know this great place not too far from here." Mokuba suggested, as they walked out to Anzu's car.
She let out a sigh. "You boys and your stomachs."
As Anzu continued to push the stroller, she saw a huge crowd out front as she drew closer to her car. Some of them were from newspapers and others were paparazzi. She figured it must have been another celebrity doing a charity event.
"Oh, this is not good." Mokuba said, out the clear blue sky.
Yugi gave him a confused look. "What's wrong?"
"I think Isono might have told Seto I was here. Either that or he tracked me down on his own somehow. Let's hurry up and get in the car." Mokuba explained, rushing towards Anzu's car.
"I agree with him. You get Morgan in the car and if I need to, I'll stall for you." Yugi told her, smiling.
"You're the sweetest. Thank you." Anzu hugged him briefly before getting to her car. While Yugi was looking out, Mokuba worked rather quickly on putting the stroller in backseat while Anzu strapped Morgan safely into her booster seat. She wanted to know how the hell did Seto find out the three of them were at the aquarium.
Hopefully this doesn't become a habit. I wonder what's making him so paranoid over Mokuba? She thought, as she signaled for the two males to get in the car. She quickly started her car, driving discreetly away.
Mokuba let out a long sigh as he stuffed his "That was way too close. It's a good thing my phone is dead so now he can't look for me. Something must have happened for him to be tracking me down like this."
"What could you have done to possibly piss him off? It's not like you were home all day." Anzu pointed out, watching him cover up Morgan with her blanket.
"I hope it's not that he's catching onto me spending time with you and Morgan. I mean, I've slipped up a couple times with places I'd normally chill, but he hasn't suspected anything until now." He explained, looking out the window.
Yugi and Anzu shared a brief look at one another. "I think he just needs to calm down. You could just tell him you were hanging out with Anzu and I. It's not like you haven't in the past."
"Right. I mean, I do feel bad that I have to lie to him, but I'm trying to respect your wishes." Mokuba referred the last part to his brunette sister in law.
"I know you are. It's okay. How about we go back to my place and chill?" Anzu offered, taking her normal route home.
Mokuba smiled, letting all the worries and pressures fly out of his head. "That would be awesome."
As the last two weeks carried on, so did the chilly December weather. Seto continued on with his work, letting his younger brother continue to believe that he remained oblivious to what was transpiring. Tonight is when he would strike. Being that he's one of the richest men in the world, hiring a private investigator was everything short of a problem. Any file on Anzu he wanted, he got it. His mind shortly reminded him that he should be receiving a fax from them any second. His ears could hear his fax machine running as it continued printing the papers that would hold any small shred of facts about his hidden family.
Name: Anzu Mazaki
Date of Birth: August 18th, 1981
Residency: 4509 Fairview Drive, Yugobiya, Domino, Japan
Eye Color: Blue
Hair Color: Dark brunette, looks black.
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
Weight: 104 lbs (47 kg)
Blood Type: O
Likes: Ramen, Italian, Thai, French, and Mexican cuisines, dance, painting, art museums, photography, shopping, traveling, working out, and kickboxing.
Dislikes: Models, businessmen, bullying, and impatience.
Relations: Daughter of Amaya and Jun Mazaki. Mother of Morgan Grace Mazaki, husband's name and details has not been found. Many relatives on both sides. Friends with Yugi Motou, Katsuya and Shizuka Jonouchi, Hiroto Honda, Ryuuji Otogi, and additional people from university and various art and honors society.
Education: Valedictorian of Domino High School, graduating with high honors, Bachelor's in Fine Arts at Domino University of Fine Arts and Design, pursuing Master's of Fine Arts at the same university. A member of Phi Theta Kappa honors society, Domino Fine Artists Society, and Japan's Fine Artist Association.
Employment: Freelance artist, makeup artist, and photographer and an active board member of the Judo and Variation Studio of Fine Arts. She is represented by Kiyoko Donovan. Has worked for Lancôme and MAC Cosmetics during college.
Children: Morgan Grace Mazaki
Date of Birth: March 18th, 2003
Eye Color: Dark azure
Hair Color: Chocolate brown, similar to her mother.
Blood Type: O
Education: Marygrove Child Care Center
Relatives: Daughter of Anzu Mazaki. Paternity is not available. Granddaughter of Amaya and Jun Mazaki. Non-blood relation to Yugi Motou, Katsuya and Shizuka Jonouchi, Hiroto Honda, Ryuugi Otogi, along with others not listed...
Well, it looks like I'll be paying you a visit, Anzu. He took out his pen and wrote down the address on a sticky note for later.
"Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Kaiba?" Isono asked, quietly entering his office.
He looked up from his home office computer. "Prepare the car for me for five o' clock. I have an engagement in Yugobiya this evening."
"Yes, sir." Isono responded, shutting the door on his way out. He began his walk down the hallway casually. Ever since he found out what happened with Seto finding out about his child, the eldest sibling had been on edge and completely stressed out. Finding out that he was a father of an eight month old child brought a whirlwind of emotions for him. He knew Seto felt proud for the gift that was brought into world, but at the same time he knew that the young man was hurt badly for how long it took him to find out the existence of his own flesh and blood.
"He knows...doesn't he?"
Isono turned to see Mokuba leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, and a neutral look on his face. "I know my brother, Isono. He does extra work when he's stressed out or pissed off."
Isono let out a patient sigh. "You have to understand, Mr. Kaiba, that finding out about Morgan's existence after eight months of her life is tearing your brother apart inside. He's a father now, who's fully responsible for another being that he helped Ms. Mazaki bring into the world. He now has to find a way to make Morgan his entire focus and priority. Due to the circumstances, he has to inevitably face Ms. Mazaki whether he likes it or not."
"I know he's upset that I didn't tell him, but you have to understand that I was respecting her wishes. Anzu wanted to tell Seto on her own when she was ready, and I couldn't risk not being apart of my niece's life." Mokuba explained, sadly.
"Yes, but at what cost?" He questioned.
"I deem that as unfair. It's family vs. family, that's a null and void situation. Trust me, I attempted to convince Anzu to talk with Seto, but she's incredibly stubborn just like him." He said, rolling his eyes.
Isono cleared his throat. "Well, I do hope you are aware that your brother plans on paying Ms. Mazaki a visit this evening."
"I suppose there's no point of warning her?" Mokuba asked, raising a brow.
"Not really. He will be leaving at five sharp." He watched Isono continue his walk down the hallway, as Mokuba's irritation and stress levels went to an all time high.
Anzu, I hope you're ready. Seto's coming for you full force. Mokuba walked back into his room, hoping that things wouldn't end up being settled by the cops.
xxxx
While unpacking her newly purchased groceries, Anzu watched the snow falling from her kitchen window. Winter was her favorite time of the year since she could wear her oversized sweaters, boots, hot chocolate, and cinnamon scented candles. In addition to everything, it would be Morgan's first Christmas. Under conventional circumstances, Morgan would be able to celebrate Christmas with her entire family, which didn't include Yugi or the guys. It would include her father, her biological father who should be with her mother, celebrating as a family united and not divided.
It hurts to know what could have been, Anzu thought, setting aside cans of soup. While she was taking some vegetables out of the bag, she could hear a low rumbling approaching outside. She quickly stopped what she was doing when she heard the doorbell ring. As she approached the door, she quickly put her hair in a ponytail before hearing whomever was on her doorstep obnoxiously knocking on the door.
"I'm coming!" Anzu shouted, opening the door. She nearly fell over in shock when she realized the devil had just shown up on her doorstep.
His harsh azure eyes were staring deeply into hers. "It's about time you opened the damn door."
Just before he could take a step, Anzu abruptly slammed the door in his face and walked away from the door, going back to restocking her refrigerator. She could hear him opening the door and shutting it behind him. What the brunette wouldn't give to get the aggravating CEO out of her house.
He rolled his eyes before meeting her in the kitchen. "Would you mind acting mature for five minutes? I thought I was dealing with an adult."
"And I thought that a year ago I was dealing with a man who had some integrity and class, but look what I got." She snapped, grimacing him.
"I didn't come over here to waste time...," Seto started, letting out a long sigh.
Anzu took her butcher knife and roughly slammed it into a thick piece of salmon. "And I didn't invite you over here in the first place, so I guess we're both unhappy. By the way, you wasted money hiring a private investigator when you could have interrogated Mokuba for my number."
Seto was left baffled at her comment, but she cut him off before he could explain himself. "Just because I have hormones, Seto, doesn't mean that I let every single emotion cloud my judgment and intelligence. I knew you would eventually hire a private investigator to check up on Morgan and I, just as soon as I let Mokuba start visiting her. There's no need to be angry at him, I personally asked him to not divulge a word to you about Morgan's existence."
He fought the urge to laugh at her witty comment. "I understand that I may be many things, but why the hell would it cross your mind to hide my daughter's existence from me? Yes, our relationship ended because of my idiotic misgivings, but I didn't think that would warrant you to keep her existence away from me this long."
"If you wanted anything to do with our daughter, Seto, you would have put the pieces together and figured that after a while of not using a damn condom that I would get pregnant! Don't give me that bullshit and turn this all on me. I carried her in my stomach for nine months and not once did you have any inclination that I might be pregnant! I guess not because that disgusting, blonde bitch seemed to be all that you gave two shits about!" Anzu found herself yelling, her motherly instinct set into motion.
"Charlotte has nothing to do with me not knowing about Morgan, that's to be settled between us." He countered, viciously slamming his fist on the counter.
"She has everything to do with this because she's the reason you didn't know I was pregnant!" Anzu shouted not knowing of her slip up until it was too late.
The CEO was overwhelmed with everything being thrown his direction. "What do you mean she's the reason I had not a clue about your pregnancy?"
"Just forget I said anything. I-," Anzu started, hearing small whimpering coming from the baby monitor. The whimpers turned into soft cries, as Anzu started walking towards the stairs. Ascending the stairs, she finally reached the door to her daughter's room, slowly opening it. Her gentle hands picked up her baby and slowly began to rock her back and forth, quietly hushing her.
She hadn't known that he followed her upstairs, observing the scene of her taking care of his darling angel. He felt as if he should be in the picture, not on the outside looking in. He should be at her side, not behind her quiet as a door mouse. The feeling of regret came rushing back to him.
"She's fine. When she wakes up from her nap, I'm the first person she looks for." He heard her explain, smiling down at her. She watched her azure eyes gaze up into his as she drew closer, as if the baby somehow knew him. He watched her chubby hand reach up towards him. "Would you like to hold Morgan, Seto?"
Seto was completely baffled. He hadn't expected this when he arrived. Never ending arguments and confrontation was all he mentally prepared himself for. His large hands briefly touched hers so that he could hold the small bundle of joy in his arms. For him the difference between seeing her afar rather than close up was incredible. There was no denying that he was Morgan's father and that she was indeed his daughter. He felt her tiny hands cling to his shirt as she snuggled her head on his shoulder.
Anzu couldn't resist her urge to smile. Just to know that her darling baby loved her father already was truly breathtaking. "She actually wasn't this open when she first met Mokuba. It took her at least five days before she felt comfortable with him."
Of course, I am her father, He thought, gently kissing her forehead and brushing her cheek. "She's beautiful."
"I showed her pictures of you and I since she was at least two months old. Even if she couldn't fully understand, I showed her anyway." Anzu explained, quietly.
He was silent while he watched her fall back asleep in his arms. The soft beating of his heart was a lullaby to her sensitive ears. "Though I'm appreciative of the opportunity to hold my daughter for the first time, you are aware there are matters we have to discuss like it or not."
"If you're trying to claim full custody, then the answer is no."
He nearly had the temptation to growl at her, before putting Morgan back in her crib. "I wouldn't stoop so low as to take her from you. She needs you...she needs both of us, but that's going to be impossible if we can't manage to speak to each other without it turning into a screaming match."
"I'm just letting you know, it's going to take a lot of soul searching to sit down and be able to tolerate you for more than a few hours at a time. To be honest with you, I'm still hurting over what happened. One thing I can agree to, nevertheless, is that you're welcomed to come see Morgan whenever you'd like, as long as I'm home. I will tell you that I sincerely apologize for not telling you about my pregnancy or Morgan. There's a specific reasoning and story behind it that I'm not ready to discuss without crying. I'm sure Mokuba wouldn't have problem explaining, considering I told him what really happened." Anzu told him, biting her lip.
He turned his back to her, letting his hand gently hold onto the doorframe. "Thank you, Anzu."
Realizing that he used her name instead of her last, the young CEO was out of sight, and for the time being out of mind. It was only when he walked out of her door that she realized she still loved him.
Her loft had the perfect view of the city and the harbor. Everything in her home was handcrafted and decorated with elegance. When you were Charlotte McGowen, every aspect of your life would forever remain immaculate. She basked in the beautiful day she could see outside the glass windows while receiving a "well deserved" pedicure.
"What's my schedule for the week, Lydia?" She began to play with her lush, golden blonde locks as she closed her eyes.
A woman with a iPad came from the other room, seemingly depressed. "You're booked all week in Sicily for a photo shoot with Italian Vogue and Salvatorre Ferragamo...oh, and I've received a message from Mr. Kaiba with news that he's cancelling dinner."
"What! Why!" Her eyes grew to the size of golf balls. Didn't he know that she was going to be flying out that evening?
"He says he has a last minute meeting scheduled with his board of directors and vice president." Lydia girded her loins. She knew that Charlotte's typical tyrade was coming and fast.
Unexpectedly, the model lamented, deciding not to go insane. "It's fine. I'll just find some time to get over to his place."
"His secretary says that he won't be home all day, Ms. McGowen." She added, plainly.
She sat in her chair with her arms folded, as if she were a kid who's candy had been taken. For the last few weeks, Charlotte took notice to the fact that the CEO had began to see her less frequently. In the press, there was growing speculations that Seto planned on "breaking up" with her, like that could happen.
"Are the rumors true? And don't play dumb, I've seen what's in the tabloids." Charlotte continued to look out at the skylines in the city outside.
The secretary responded robotically. "They are only speculations. Nothing has been confirmed."
Good. I don't have to worry about him running back to that tree hugging whore or her bastard child. They were a mistake. I'm Seto's past, present, and future, She thought, focusing her attention back onto pedicure, "You may leave for the day, Lydia."
xxxx
Mokuba pulled his car into the KC parking lot. Fully aware of the awaiting engagement he had, the teenager decided to take care of some business before attending his business meeting with his sibling and the board of directors. Although he found out the truth from Anzu, there were still missing pieces to the puzzle. From what he'd been told, Mokuba knew that Anzu was under the impression that Seto cheated on her and that Charlotte is the main culprit behind what happened. Today would be the day that he figured out who was helping the blonde demon behind closed doors. His first victim, KC receptionist Marlene Martinez.
"Hi, Mr. Kaiba, your brother is already in the board room." She greeted, with a smile.
"Actually, I wanted to talk with you for a second." Mokuba motioned for her to move into the waiting area near the elevators.
"Absolutely. What can I do for you?" Upon sitting, she crossed her legs just before straightening out her skirt.
Mokuba stuck his phone on the inside pocket of his dark grey tux. "Eight and a half months ago, you encountered a pregnant woman, correct?"
Marlene looked taken back. The questioned she thought be random, but obliged with an answer. "Ummm, I guess. A lot of women come in requesting your brother's attention and he ordered me specifically to not let any fan girls beyond the desk."
"I'm aware. Nevertheless, you were familiar with this particular woman for at least a year prior, right? Because you knew that woman that was eight and a half months pregnant was and is now my sister in law, Anzu Mazaki, right?" And the final move was made. Checkmate.
"I'm not sure what this has to do with anything. Yes, I understand that Mr. Kaiba was in a previous relationship with Ms. Mazaki, but how is that relevant to now?" Marlene tried her best to be patient throughout Mokuba's interrogation.
Now he was pissed. She spoke fighting words and a fight she was going to receive in kind. "What this has to do with anything is the fact that you were paid to give information to Ms. McGowen about Ms. Mazaki right under not only my nose, but my brother's nose. You were paid to keep it a secret that my brother had impregnated Ms. Mazaki by not letting her step one foot on KC property, courtesy of Ms. McGowen herself.
"Did you know that until just three weeks ago, Ms. Martinez, that my brother didn't even know that he has a eight month old daughter? If you're not too stupid to do the math, then you would know you almost let your employer go a year without knowing his own flesh and blood for more money in your pocket. With one phone call, not only can I have you terminated, but my brother could very well ruin your life." Mokuba continued, wiggling his phone in front of her.
"It wasn't my fault! She was blackmailing me to do it! She threatened to kill my family!" Marlene was now hysterical. She officially cracked.
Mokuba bit his lip. I thought that's what happened. She knew Marlene can't work under pressure and would easily give her any secrets or information she knew about Anzu. Blackmail was the only solution to keep her from backing out. "Though I'm extremely disappointed in the amount of pain you caused an innocent mother and her daughter, and by extension a family, I will let you keep your job. However, you are suspended for two weeks without pay. I know first hand the situation that Ms. Mazaki and her child are going through more than you can imagine. You have a great day, Ms. Martinez."
After her leaving with tears down her face, the young Kaiba knew now that his employee was an indirect piece of Charlotte's game. If it weren't for Charlotte's influence on Marlene, Seto would have possibly known about Morgan before now. All the time wasted, he could have reconciled his relationship with Anzu and maybe have had a unified family. One where he would have been able to hold his daughter and calm her down when she cried.
What matters is that he has this time now. Now is the time to reconcile with Anzu before she ends up hating you forever. He let out a sigh and went up the elevator to the 20th floor. He stuck his sunglasses inside his tux as he walked directly into the board room.
"You're here early. Mind telling me why?" Seto was busy reading through some reports last minute before everyone's arrival.
"Just playing the harlot's game and finding out things I never knew." Mokuba replied, taking his seat next to him.
"Sounds intense. I'd like to hear about it, if you don't mind." Seto raised a curious brow, setting his reports down.
"It's kind of about what happened between you and Anzu." Mokuba said, looking into the harsh eyes of his sibling.
"Look, I'm doing my best to be in Morgan's life, bu-," Seto started, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
"Not about that. It's about how Anzu was telling you the truth...that day you went to her house. Seto, when Anzu was eight and a half months pregnant, there was a day that she came by HQ a couple weeks before she was due. That day in particular, she was going to tell you she was pregnant with Morgan and that you were the father...but Marlene kept it secret by banning Anzu from KC property. I hate to tell you this right before a meeting, but Charlotte was behind the entire thing. She paid Marlene to keep any information about Anzu's pregnancy away from you." Mokuba explained, letting out a huge sigh.
The CEO was at a loss for words for the second time within a few weeks. Everything made more sense. The phone call that night demanding he fly out to Sydney, and any flights afterwards were all a ploy. "Hn. Essentially, you're telling me everything that bitch did to me was a set up? That I was merely nothing but another piece of her game?"
"In every possible way yes. I can say that now I'm able to prove your innocence, but what doesn't answer my question is why she would go through all this trouble." Mokuba told him, lying his head back on the head rest.
"Isn't it obvious? She finds Anzu to be a threat because she's a psychotic bitch." Seto huffed to himself, massaging him aching temples.
"Wow, she's one of those 'If I can't have you, no one can' type girls. Nasty business for you." Mokuba winced.
"I always wonder what would happen if you weren't my brother." The CEO grumbled, playfully.
Mokuba grinned. "Uhhh, your life would be incredibly boring and lame. It's okay to admit that I keep things interesting."
"Whatever, I need to make some phone calls before this meeting. Get things started for me." He told him, walking out.
It didn't take a genius for Mokuba to know who exactly he was calling.
Sooooo, looks like our boy Mokuba isn't as stupid as he looks? Yup, Mokuba is going to be an essential part of the story, but it's going beyond the limits of just being Seto's little brother. Next time: While Seto is beginning to interact more with his daughter, Charlotte is plotting behind the scenes to have things her way. Could things end up in the wicked model's favor or will Mokuba use his mastermind tactics to prevent further damage. Also, Anzu begins to question her feelings about Seto since she sees him more frequently. Will she be able to let the past go? Until next time, happy reading and have a great summer!
Cherriez