Back in my office, I could not sit still.
I need to know… what is going on in the scene I saw in the garden.
There was a part of me that was denying what I saw, dismissing it as a trick of the light; my imagination.
How can they be together? And that bundle alleged Hisako was apparently holding… I must have made a mistake, right?
It cannot be.
"Erina-sama, here is the info you requested." Mizuki, my longest serving assistant since Hisako, placed a folder in front of me.
"Show me."
I was presented with any and all information that could be dug about the three of them.
Soma, as expected, was featured in quite a few articles as he travelled the world. Where were photos of him posing with chefs around the world. There are a mix of famous ones, old schoolmates, and small local restaurant chefs. The family restaurant is still operational, with Soma and his father taking turns to make overseas trips.
Tatsuo is three this year, attending a local Yochien. I studied a class photo and noted how much he looked like his father, even having the same wide toothy smile. His hair and eyes show that he is definitely my son.
As for Hisako… "We are unable to draw out any specific records about 'Arato Hisako' or any of her known aliases, not even her family members. All we managed to dig up were about the Arato family's public business records."
Odd.
"Any official records of her and Soma? Their Family Registry?"
Mizuki hesitated, "Erina-sama, gathering publicly available records is one thing, but due to strict privacy laws, official records are another. If we go further, we may risk charges of stalking and-"
"Either get me that information," a sideways glare, "or I'll get someone else to do it." I said coldly. I do not have patience for this,
There was a stunned silence, "Understood." she left without saying another word.
Alone in my office, I stared at the documents in front of me, while my mind kept replaying the scene I saw this morning:
I have not seen Soma smiled like that ever since we got married;
Nor could I imagine Tatsuo enjoying the presence of these commoners.
And Hisako… being with them.
How could they look so happy?
How dare they look as if they are a family?
That is MY child and MY husband.
What pained me most, as the presence of who I THOUGHT was my best friend.
Betrayed by three of them.
I was seething with a cold heart.
A tranquil fury brewed from deep within.
They will learn what happens when you cross a Nakiri.
And I just know the best way to go about it.
Leveraging on the Nakiri family's influence, I shall shut Soma's restaurant down, and he will not be able to cook again. The job will be done in a proper and thorough fashion: review bombing, suppllier boycott, shunning by his peers…
Only way out is if Soma came and begged me to take him back. I will draw out his pleas till I'm satisfied. Even then, when he returns to cooking, he shall devote all of his cooking to me, and only me.
Tatsuo will be raised properly with his kind, to take back his place as a successor of the Nakiri mainline.
As for Hisako, the one who betrayed me the worst: she will never get to meet Soma again. The Nakiri Holdings are vast, and I will move my husband and son to the other side of the world where we can be a family again, without her presence.
"Nakiri- "
The moment Mizuki started talking, I stood up, interrupting her, "Gather the board of directors, I have instructions for them." I had already thought through the matter for a few hours at my desk, sending out a brief and agenda for the board's attention.
No time like the present to table my motion to a group of influential people.
"I cannot do that, Nakiri-san." Mizuki said, walking to my desk to place an envelope on it. I wondered about the odd way she addressed me. "I hereby tender my resignation. Effective immediately, I have returned to the service of Senzaemon-dono, and have been instructed to escort you to the Board Room." At her words, the double doors swung open, a set of burly security staff stood at attention.
There was something about their posture that made it clear they were not under me.
What's happening? I wondered as we walked down the hall.
As I approached the Board Room, the doors were opened for me and I was met with the Nakiri family seated on one side of the long table and a single seat across from them.
"Erina." Grandfather's baritone was even and measured. The usual twinkle in his eyes was replaced with steel. "Have a seat."
It was obvious which seat was for me.
Settling in, I scanned the opposite side. Grandfather sat in the middle, flanked by Uncle Sōe on his left, and his personal secretary on his right.
Alice sat next to her father. She did not react as I thought she would: no smile and wave, ever since I confessed to her in regards to having Hisako as a surrogate mother.
On the other end, were a few members from the brunch family, the usual snivelling and fat faces, but still held the Nakiri name.
It's a family matter.
I barely sat down with a staff pouring a cup of warm water for me when the talk started.
"In front of you is a letter. A request for explanation from the Arato family." Grandfather's personal assistant said, on his behalf. "From what was gathered: your assistant ran a search for Arato Hisako, and was under your instructions to dig into her private information. This flagged their security which led to the letter you see in front of you, sent to all members of the Nakiri family."
What? What security are they talking about? Why would a check on Hisako be such a big deal?
"The board has also received mail that has raised some concern." Grandfather said, "Am I to understand you intend to carry out some vendetta against Yukihira Family Restaurant."
"I told you she was not ready." The most vocal critic of my ascension to Headmaster snorted. "How can we expect a High School graduate to run a whole school?"
Grandfather ignored the jab. We were used to him ranting away,
"Self-important, disrespectful upstart, so what if she has the God Tongue? That was a disgrace to the Nakiri name!"
I reached for my glass of water, ready to pounce-
"Hiroto." Grandfather warned firmly, which made the room tremble.
Even Uncle Hiroto visibly shivered and looked away. "And she can't even keep her own son within the Nakiri family." He muttered, wanting to get his last words in.
The room went cold with those words. A visible cringe twitched on a few faces.
With a twitch of grandfather's palm, two staff members got on either side of Uncle Hiroto, and lifted him from his seat, ignoring his protests and demands to stay in the meeting as a Nakiri. All the while, his wife and son bowed repeatedly, profusely apologised before following him out.
This was the side of Grandfather that made him known as not a man to be trifled with.
"Before we address the board, we shall have a discussion as a family first: Erina, is there anything you'd like to say? An explanation will be useful."
I looked around the room, seeing a mix of expressions from different members of the family. Some worried for me, some smug that a mainline member was getting grilled, some were simply spectating, wondering where things will go.
A deep breath, "No." I looked everyone straight in the eyes, "No. I do not need to justify my decision as the next head of the family."
A gasp ran through the table, followed by disapproving murmurs.
Without looking away, Grandfather lifted two fingers and tapped on the table, immediately silencing the room.
A few beats of silence. "I believe it was just a misunderstanding. You were just checking up on your old friend, weren't you?"
I could not understand, "This is ridiculous: Why is this a big thing? Outsiders search our name all the time, so why does a search on Arato Hisako get such a reply?"
"I don't understand either." Someone piped up, "Why do we need this family meeting anyway?"
A flash of disappointment appeared as Grandfather stood up, gave everyone a steely look before declaring, "Let it be announced that the current Headmaster is on sabbatical." My face fell at those words. "I have come out of retirement and will hold the post till the Headmaster returns." Wide eyed disbelief was cut short, "We shall reconvene for the full Totsuki board meeting to announce the change in an hour. Dismissed."
Grandfather's tone left no room for debate; Even I, the aggrieved party, dare not protest.
Everyone took his words as a cue to empty the room, as grandfather took a sip of water in the midst of all the commotion. Alice, however, stayed in the room with Grandfather and I.
"What do you know about the Arato family?" Grandfather asked, once the door closed.
"Hisako rarely talks about her family." She always deflects when I ask, "I know they have a medical hall and apparently owns the hospital where our family is usually treated."
"Have you ever wondered why she rarely talks about her family?" Grandfather watched as I shook my head, "it's because they put a lot of emphasis on privacy. What I will say is that their family has a considerable net worth that they would rather keep quiet about."
"How much?" I was curious.
Grandfather studied me for a few beats, and deadpanned, "a Considerable Amount." Seeing how confused we looked, he added, "They are as big a player in the medical industry as we are in food. And in terms of market size, the medical industry is five times the size of the food industry. When you include retail, insurance, supplies, and other related businesses, they add up."
So… Hisako… is actually… Very wealthy?
And likely more wealthy… than me?
"When it comes to security, unlike our need to be publicly seen for branding, they believe that anonymity has more value and freedom as compared to being surrounded by bodyguards. So when you ran a check on her, it raised their attention."
Grandfather paused for a moment for me to take in the information.
…before dropping the bombshell, "And because you also checked into her husband and son, they had to act."
Husband and son.
My blood ran cold. I had expected that to be the case. I even had the possibility of that fact run through my mind.
However, hearing it coming from Grandfather made it real.
It watered my eyes, and stabbed my heart. Grandfather, who seemed to have accepted their situation, understood my emotional state and waited for me to calm down.
"H-how did they know it was me?"
"Something about IB address-"
"IP address, Grandpa."
"Ah, thank you, Alice. Computer things." Grandfather's lips twitched in amusement. "IP address. And since the last time you met her in person was not very… cordial, I'm pretty sure they have their ways. Additionally, I confirmed it with your assistant Mizuki before I decided to act on it. She told me you wanted certain information that would require breaking the law to obtain?"
That traitor.
"Reminder: she was my staff before she was sent to work for you." Grandfather then lifted a copy of the letter, "They were kind enough to send us this letter, albeit sent to the whole family, instead of involving the police in what might be construed as stalking."
Oh, the scandal that would cause.
"This brings to the next matter, Erina." Grandfather continued, "Your email to the board."
Considering what I am told, that act was reckless.
Grandfather knew those words did not need to be said.
"We will handle the communication with the board. Your sabbatical will be backdated by a few days to not raise questions, and we can blame it on opportunistic hacking."
The ability and swiftness for our family to activate contingency plans always amuses me. Then again, it was not the first time we had to cover up as a family.
With the rest of the family, who have board seats backing that story, that story can be sold.
That matter settled, Grandfather gave a small nod to Alice.
Alice spoke up, "Erina, you're my cousin, know that you will always come first in my eyes. So listen when I say, you have to let it go."
"Alice…" I was getting cornered.
"Haven't Hisako done enough for you? Despite having all the right to pursue her own happiness, she placed you first."
Why did she become my secretary then? Or study in Totsuki?
Grandfather's lips tightened. "Her parents are our personal physicians. With kids the same age, naturally both of you were brought together. After I took you away from your father, her mother figured you needed a friend to help you recover. And subscribing to a philosophy of fostering competence and humility at a young age, they encouraged her to be your secretary, fulfilling two objectives in one arrangement."
All the times she called me "Erina-sama"...
"In the end, it was her choice to put you on a pedestal. Perhaps emulating her parents' way of addressing us, deferring to our titles."
Grandfather's eyes softened, "I had asked Alice if she knew what was going on when you sent that mail to the board. Alice explained the backstory of Arato Hisako and the then Yukihira Soma. I recall that girl even brought you a son; She brought you Tatsuo."
Alice, that was told to you in confidence! I shot her a look.
I am surrounded by traitors!
"Don't blame your cousin, Erina. We have to understand the root situation to help."
The room fell silent.
"What happened before is the past, we have to accept how things turned out. I would suggest don't mistake her agreeability as weakness." Grandfather concluded. "Take some time off to refocus, Erina. You are welcome to step back in your role once things have settled."
"Grandfather-"
"If this matter cannot be resolved." Grandfather looked at me sternly, "We will have to reconsider replacing the Nakiri Family mainline heir apparent with the normal line of succession."
He glanced over to Alice, making it clear that he was referring to Uncle Sōe.