"No." Inutaisho stated his eyes hardening. "I will not let you go on with this craziness."

Silence stretched in the luxurious office of Inuyasha, him sitting in his chair while his father and brother were sitting in front of him, both sending glares towards him.

"You don't understand father." He began, his eyes begging. "I love her, I need her. You cannot refuse."

Inutaisho's frown deepened, but his eyes were still cold.

"Inuyasha, you're still young and you do not know Naraku as much as I know him. I am sure that he is using this girl in order to lure you into trusting him. This girl is a spy; I bet that she is even one of his companions, his many companions. I cannot watch you fall in this trap. You are my son and I only wish your best interest. Stay away from that woman, she's not worth it."

Inuyasha bit his bottom lip. His father was repeatedly insulting the woman he loved and he didn't know how longer he could stand without snapping at him. Instead, his gaze shifted to his brother who was staring at some distant point in front of him.

"Sesshumaru…" he tried, "You know that I love her don't you?"

His brother's eyes came in contact with his. They were so empty that he felt sympathy with his older brother. He knew he was hurting because of Rin. Since they divorced, Sesshumaru was oddly quiet, reserved, and cold.

"You are infatuated with her young brother and we all know why. She looks like Kagome and for some sick reason you think that she might be able to fill the gap in your heart. I…"

"No!" Inuyasha yelled, his eyes moving between both of the men. His face cringed with frustration. "Why are you doing this to me? I thought you wanted me to be happy! I love her! I want to marry her!"

Sesshumaru snorted, his cold eyes meeting those of his father before returning to those of Inuyasha.

"Let me ask you something young brother. Do I look happy to you?"

The question caught the young businessman off guard. He eyed his brother warily before answering.

"No."

Sesshumaru smirked but the amused expression didn't reach his eyes.

"See? It has nothing to do with love. Happiness and love cannot meet. If you truly want to be happy, I recommend you to let her go. Just forget about her: trust me, she'll end up destroying you. Look at what Rin has done to me. Mercedes will do worst to you."

Inuyasha shook his head negatively. He knew that his brother was hurting, he knew that Chris, who worked for Naraku, was partially responsible for the divorce, but Naraku had helped him. He has earned his trust. Throughout the passing month, the older businessman hadn't attempted anything hostile against his company; he even shared some minimal deals with him. And Mercedes, he loved her; he simply and unconditionally loved her. His feelings had become so strong during their stay together that he was now positive that he would want to spend the rest of his life with no one but her. He wanted her to be his, to be his in front of everyone. He didn't want to hide their relationship anymore. He loved her.

"Mercedes loves me!" he yelled, glaring daggers at his brother. "She is nothing like Rin! Don't you dare think that your case will apply to me! I have suffered enough! I never expected that you will reject my demand after everything I've been through for the last three years!"

It was Inutaisho's turn to snap now, his anger boiling in his veins.

"What do you expect me to say, Inuyasha?" He retorted his eyes hardening even more, making Inuyasha drop the eye contact immediately. His father had never treated him like that before. Couldn't he understand how much he was helplessly in love? "One month ago, we learned that you two are living together after she betrayed our company by spying for Naraku! And now, you're telling us that you love her and want to marry her while you have become a friend with Naraku who is by the way, if it has slipped out of your mind, our enemy and the reason for which our company still suffers from previous injuries!"

The older man stood up, his face illustrating his ultimate rage.

"I have only one thing to say to you Inuyasha: you will not marry that slut! I will not accept her in my family! I do not tolerate treason, and you will obey me or…"

Inuyasha's eyes suddenly went to his, a fire raging in his golden orbs, forcing his father to back up a few steps.

"Or what?" He asked in a low voice. Sesshumaru stared at his brother, his eyes wide. Inuyasha had never looked at anyone like that before. His look almost sent chills down his spine. Since when could he master such a dark look?

Inutaisho stared at his son in shock.

"What are you going to do if I refuse to listen to you?" Inuyasha continued, a smirk coming to the corners of his lips, his eyes darkening with anger. "Are you going to punish me daddy?"

The last word caught the two other men by surprise. Inuyasha had never addressed his father by 'daddy' for years. Although it sounded childish and innocent, the look on Inuyasha's face showed that it was a challenge.

"Are you degrading me." His father growled his hands clenched into fists. "Are you degrading me by speaking to me like that? I think that Naraku has started rubbing on you."

He pointed a finger towards his younger son, his eyes as hard as rocks.

"Don't force me to discipline you Inuyasha!"He yelled in a trembling voice. "Because I know that this is not your fault! It is all because of that slut you've been with! Naraku is certainly playing his cards very well! Can't you see son? Can't you see the truth? He's turning you against me! He's turning you towards the dark side! Don't let him do this to you!"

"Bullshit!" Inuyasha yelled, standing tall in front of his father. His breathing was uneven as he was trying to control his rage. "You never cared about me Inutaisho; you just gave me what you assumed I needed. And now, I am telling you what I really need. I need you to give me your blessing for my marriage with Mercedes because I love her, I love her and I will love no one but her. However, if you do not agree, I will have no second thought into marrying her. She's the one for me and I don't give a shit about what you think!"

A loud slap echoed in the office. Inuyasha's cheek throbbed where his father had hit him, hard. Sesshumaru stood up.

"Father…"

"Stay out of this Sesshumaru!" Inutaisho warned, still glaring at Inuyasha whose eyes were covered by his bangs. "Inuyasha has gone too far. We all accepted the fact that he was feeling guilty for Kagome's death but now, now it is too much. I will never allow you to marry someone related to Naraku. Never. You will break up any relationship you have with her and you will cease any business she forced you to make with Naraku. Careful Inuyasha, you're walking on dangerous territory. I am not joking. If you disobey me, I will not go easy on you."

The younger son, his eyes still planted on the ground shook his head negatively.

"I love her. I will not leave her. I will marry her even if you object."

The older man took a deep breath, knowing the danger of his next words.

"If you go to that girl don't return to this company."

Both sons' eyes snapped to their father. Sesshuamru was the first to recover.

"Father…" he objected."You cannot do this to Inuyasha. He has worked too hard for this company. You cannot put him in such dilemma."

"I don't care." Inutaisho interrupted. "If you go after that girl Inuyasha, you're not my son anymore, you will have no right in this company, and I will remove your credit cards, your apartment, your car, your bank account. You will be reduced to nothing." He then smirked. "Then we will see if she wants you still, a broken man instead of the head of the Taisho's Company. She will toss you aside like an old doll and search for someone wealthier than you are. Being the kind of woman she is, it will not take her long before she finds a substitute. I bet Naraku will even lose his interest in your friendship once you're out of this company. It's finally time to start behaving like a man Inuyasha."

Inuyasha nodded once, his eyes holding a strange emotion.

"You're right." He finally agreed.

Kagome was watching TV in her old apartment. After Naraku woke up one month ago, she and Inuyaha became closer. She learned that he could be very nice when they were alone and this only helped into making her fall harder for him. She sighed loudly, snuggling into her couch, a dreamy expression on her face. She was in love with him, totally and helplessly in love with him. A giggle escaped her lips. Who would ever think that she will end up in love and in such a short time?

After two weeks of living together, Inuyasha had decided that it was better if she returned to her apartment. He told her that he only wished to prove for her that his love was not superficial, that he wanted her not as a night companion but as a life companion. His sentence remained unclear but it made her heart thunder in her chest. She eyed the ring in her finger and smiled. Would he really consider marrying her?

She bit her bottom lip, a blush forming on her cheeks. She knew that if he wanted to be wed to her, she will be the happiest person in life. But would he want that? She sighed loudly. After she moved to her apartment, their relationship had changed. They were never intimate again but she knew that Inuyasha was trying to prove his point. They went on dates which usually ended in kisses and her trying to lure him into her apartment. She blushed again. She didn't know that she had such hunger in her, hunger for him. However, he always ended it up with a single sweet kiss.

She sighed again. Naraku on the other hand was acting really weird. His relationship with Inuyasha had suddenly developed from hate to friendship. He proposed partnership with him on the occasions when they met in her apartment. Although Inuyasha always declined his offers, she could feel that each time he did, he became less and less harsh in his response, as if he was truly considering the matter.

She was brought out from her thoughts when the door bell rang. She hopped from her seat and opened the door, revealing the man who occupied her thoughts. She smiled at him and reached for a kiss, but he shoved her away and made his way inside. Kagome stared at his back, her mind trying to find a suitable explanation for his behavior. He took place on the couch and remained silent, his face tormented. Resultantly, she took a seat next to him and as time passed she felt dread consume her. Why was he so cold with her? Silence stretched for a few minutes before she finally erupted in tears.

Inuyasha, who was searching for the right words, was surprised when he saw the woman next to him begin to cry. His hands immediately went to her face, forcing her to look at him when she resisted his attempts.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his eyes searching her blue ones. She bit her bottom lip, trying to suppress her sobs.

"I knew it." She finally managed to say. His eyes widened and he brought her closer.

"What do you mean Mercedes? What did you know?"

She stared at him for a few seconds.

"The way you came in, looking so cold and distant, you got bored of him didn't you? You're going to break up with me right? Karla was right; you will eventually get bored of me!"

She tried to free herself from his hold; however, he brought her tighter, crushing her to his chest.

"Stupid girl." He murmured in her hair, his powerful arms forcing her to remain still against him. "You're never going to get rid of me so easily."

"Liar!" she whispered back half heartedly, her struggles ceasing as he caressed her back, his lips placing soft kissed on her neck.

"I love you Mercedes."

He felt her stiffen against him and he smiled. He knew that he had never told her he loved her, he knew that the moment should be very special, the moment in which he would reveal his true feelings for her.

"I don't care about what the others say." He continued, feeling her hands grip his shoulders tightly, but she made no attempt to move. "I don't care if I will lose everything just to be with you. I just have two questions for you my love."

She nodded and moved slightly so that she can see his eyes and he can see hers. She blushed under his emotional gaze. He loved her; he just said he loved her.

"If I told you that I was broke with no money at all, would that make a difference?"

She stared at him, trying to comprehend his words.

"You're broke?" she finally managed to ask.

"I have nothing. My father just kicked me out of the company with nothing else than your love. I don't even have my dignity anymore. He also gave me one week to evacuate my apartment and to find another way of transportation. He confiscated my car and all of my credit cards, he froze my bank account and I don't have any suitable amount of cash with me so, I am deadly poor."

Kagome's eyes were searching his, and she found that he was indeed serious. She gasped.

"Why did he do that?"

He looked away. He didn't want her to think it was her fault. He didn't want her to feel any kind of remorse so he lied.

"I made a bad deal that cost our company a lot of money. My father got angry and he kicked me out, for good. There's no way I am going back."

She gasped again, her eyes widening even more.

"It's not your fault the deal went wrong! You're human! How were you supposed to know that it would! He kicked you out just like that?"

He simply nodded, following her reaction. Her eyes suddenly hardened.

"You know what Taisho?"

He gulped her tone more harsh than he would like it to be. Would she refuse him now that he was poor? Would she crush him?

"I don't even care if you are the poorest man alive because I love you. And about your apartment, you can stay here with me."

She smiled, her face radiating with happiness.

"You can look at the bright side of the things."

Inuyasha, who was by now having difficulties to accept the fact that she really and unconditionally loved him frowned despite his happiness.

"And what is the bright side if I may ask?"

Mercedes smirked, her hands coming up to play with his tie.

"You're under my mercy." She responded, her eyes clashing with his. She gasped when he roughly pulled her on his lap, his lips finding hers in a searing kiss. When they broke up for air, Inuyasha placed his forehead on hers, smiling lightly.

"Would you marry me?" his second question was. She smiled, nuzzling her nose against his.

"I'll be happy to." She whispered, kissing him again.

Sesshumaru stared at his father who was pacing the office, a frown on his face.

"He never ceases surprising us does he?" he finally asked. His father murmured something unintelligible under his breath before storming out, slamming the door behind him. Sesshumaru chuckled a little, recalling what happened earlier in the office.

Inuyasha nodded once, his eyes holding a strange emotion.

"You're right." He finally agreed. "I should behave like a man father."

The young Taisho made his way towards his desk, sat down, grabbed a paper and a pen and started writing. Silence filled the air, the other two people present curious to know what he was writing. A few minutes passed before he signed what he wrote and extended the paper to his father.

"I love Mercedes. I know that you will never understand this because you never loved anything but your work father. You never loved me, never cared but she did. I choose her, I choose my heart. I don't want anything that has to do with you. You have freed me from my obligation as your son the moment you slapped me for asking you to behave as my father for once. I give you my resignation from my post."

He then looked at Sesshumaru who was standing, his eyes betraying his shock.

"I want to believe that love can bring us happiness. Can't a man at least hope?" he murmured to him before moving towards the exit, not even bothering to take his cell phone with him. Once he reached the door, he looked behind him, his eyes roaming the luxurious space one last time.

"You love her that much?" Sesshuamru asked, making his younger brother look towards him. "So much that you're ready to give up what is rightfully yours?"

Inutaisho's eyes went to his oldest son.

"What would I do with all this success if I can't share it with the woman I love the most?" Inuyasha explained, his eyes trying to meet those of his father, begging him to understand, demanding another chance in the name of love.

"Leave before I call the security for you. And don't bother coming back if you still have that girl in mind."

Inuyasha turned around and left, missing the look of hurt that crossed his father's features. Sesshumaru looked at his brother's retreating from. For some reason, he felt a tug in his heart. He felt that it was the last time he saw Inuyasha like that and the idea made him feel uncomfortable.

"I don't understand!" Chris snapped. "Why are you being so nice with Taisho? One month ago, our main objective was to destroy him. Now, we are friends with him! Why did you do that Naraku?"

The latter laughed, his eyes glowing.

"Calm down Chris and stop pacing in front of me! You're making me dizzy."

"You are the one making me dizzy with this sudden change in attitude!" The young man countered but sat down nevertheless. "Why are we friends with that man? He whined. "We hate him!"

Naraku chuckled, leaning back on his chair.

"You're so narrow minded Chris, so naive. I thought that after all your years with me you would be able to understand how things work. Inuyasha Taisho is very smart, intelligent but has only one weakness. He is in love with Mercedes. He's like an untamed tiger who only obeys a certain little and innocent girl."

Chris frowned, trying to process the extent of Naraku's analysis.

"I tried to destroy Taisho but then when I woke up after the accident, a sudden thought hit me. Why? Why was I fighting him and draining my sources when I can take him to my side, our side and make him fight himself?"

"Fight himself?" Chris repeated, suddenly interested. Naraku nodded once, smirking.

"The wild tiger will be tamed and I will be the one who he obeys. Think about it: I got his trust by allowing him to continue being with his Kagome. I know that he is grateful because he knows that their relationship still works thanks to me. You should see his eyes Chris, each time I tell him that I want him as my partner; I can sense his hesitation, his desire to accept. He will succumb, and it will be faster than I thought. He's so close to accepting, so close that it makes me want to pull him more, pull him all the way until he cannot change his mind anymore, until he becomes what he should be."

Chris snorted.

"He will never accept a partnership with you and even if he does, Inutaisho and Sesshumaru will stop him or will just kick him out of the company until he regains his senses back."

"I am not worried about that." Naraku argued. "First of all, he will never leave Kagome that I am sure of. Second of all, who said I am interested in his company?"

This question made Chris look at Naraku, his eyes wide.

"What do you mean? Of course you want his company!"

"Why would I need it?" Naraku shrugged. "I only want to destroy the Taisho's right? How do you think Inutaisho will feel when I get Inuyasha to my side? His own son fighting his own company? He will be devastated. Inuyasha is a tiger, he will rip them apart. Give me time Chris. When I am finished with him, Inuyasha will be merciless, a thousand times more merciless than me."

Chris nodded, his eyes narrowing slightly. He knew one thing, Inuyasha will never see it coming, the day he becomes a replica of what he hates the most.