Chapter 29

Usagi was already awake with the first rays of sunshine, a habit from her old life that she found hard to shake. She looked around, realizing she was in the bedroom. Then, her gaze slid furtively over Taiki's sleeping face. He lay on his back, with some distance between them, and his soft snoring filled the room.

Gently, she slipped out of bed and put on her clothes. Fortunately, Tellu had brought some things upstairs yesterday. Then she went to the kitchen. She had noticed that Taiki drank a lot of coffee, so she immediately brewed a large pot. Sitting at the table, she reviewed the events of the previous day.

Taiki entered the room an hour later, wearing only black sweatpants. His wife's embarrassed look didn't seem to bother him as he sat down and poured himself a cup of coffee without a word.

"It got late yesterday... I tried to stay awake, but obviously, I didn't make it... Were you at least successful? Is the doctor staying?" Usagi attempted to start a conversation.

Taiki took a sharp breath before sighing. "It wasn't easy, but yes, I think I managed to convince her to stay. At least for now." Usagi gave him a small smile. "That's a relief... I know I should have told you about my mother earlier, but I needed some time. I wasn't sure if I could trust you."

The word "trust" struck Taiki a little. Even though he didn't harbor deeper feelings for his wife, he had betrayed her last night, and he was sure he would do it again.

"It's okay. You're completely new to our world, and you need time to figure out who you can trust with what. I understand, even though I wish I had known a bit sooner... It does add some pressure to the situation." He lifted his gaze and looked at her. During the past night, he had made a decision, but first, he needed to know how far Usagi was willing to go. In his next step, he would involve Amy and his brothers. Taiki had been contemplating this for a long time, and now it was time to act on it.

"Serena, forgive me if I ask you so directly, but how do you want to proceed with the child issue? I mean, hormone therapy after a year can be intense, and I'd like to spare us, or rather you, from that... I know it's surprising for you that I'm bringing this up now, but I want to confide something in you as my wife..." He paused, and Usagi saw the serious expression on his face. "Serena, I've decided that we can't continue like this with our fathers. I've been considering stripping them of their power for a long time, and now they've crossed the line. I know my plan is not fully developed yet, but maybe we can make it and be free in a few years... Of course, it won't happen overnight, and it's unlikely to succeed in a year... That's why I need to know how you feel about this. If you agree to this, we'll..." Taiki stopped, but Usagi knew exactly what he was about to say.

She swallowed, nervously holding onto her cup, and thought briefly about his words. "I... I think we should at least try," she mumbled without looking at him.

Taiki's expression was thoughtful. It was a difficult topic for both of them, but he knew it needed to be addressed. They needed clear understanding and agreement. "We don't have to rush anything. Maybe once a month around ovulation, then the chances are good." Usagi nodded and started to think. "So around New Year's?"

Taiki shook his head with a smile. "I have no idea; I'm not familiar with your cycle. So, you're the one who has control over it. I'll fully follow your lead, and if you want to skip a month, that's perfectly fine. I don't want to pressure you into anything."

Usagi pursed her lips. "Not you, but those two old gentlemen who want to call themselves fathers..."

"I know, and it's not fair that they have your siblings as leverage. But we both need to agree on how to proceed. Because if it works, we'll be parents..."

"I know, and I think you'll be a good father... Even if we don't have romantic feelings for each other, I believe this marriage can work... It just has to... Who knows what might happen to Chibiusa and Shingo... I shouldn't think about that."

Taiki reached for her hand and gently stroked it with his thumb. "Serena, everything will be fine. Yaten is on it. We will get them out, and until then, we'll continue as best as we can, okay? Once we know your siblings are safe, we can still figure out where we stand and how we want to proceed, alright?"

She lifted her head and forced a tired smile. "Yes, that sounds good."

Taiki downed his coffee and stood up. "I'll be out all day today. How about you come up with a charity project? There's a considerable amount specified in the contract for that, and since it's approaching the holidays, you can surely put it to good use..."

Usagi's eyes briefly lit up. She hadn't thought about something like that. Until now, her new daily life had been dominated by Mimete and her father, but now a whole new door opened for her. Her thoughts raced, and she felt a world of possibilities unfolding before her. Ideas swirled in her mind, and she tried to roughly sort them out.

Taiki disappeared into the bathroom, and Usagi eagerly took out a piece of paper to jot down her budding ideas. The pen almost glided on its own over the paper as new thoughts continued to come to her. Her chaotic notes were an expression of her excitement and, at the same time, a sign of the vitality this new project awakened in her.

Taiki glanced over her shoulder and smiled at the sight of the messy notes. It was a pleasant diversion from the serious topics of recent times, and he appreciated the enthusiasm he could see in Usagi's eyes.

Then, he pulled out his wallet and placed a black credit card in front of her. "Enjoy. I can tell you'll be occupied with the project for a while." His words carried a benevolent support, and he gave her an encouraging smile.

She looked up at him, a hint of disbelief in her gaze. She had never been able to freely access money. The small card in her hands symbolized an independence she was unfamiliar with. "Are you serious?" "Yes, of course. I've already ordered you your own card, but it might take a few days to arrive." "Um... okay... Thank you," she stammered, and then her gaze flew back to the paper. "I have so many ideas; I don't know where to start." Taiki ran his fingers through her hair. "You'll figure it out, and please take Makoto with you when you leave the house. See you tonight." With that, Taiki bid farewell and left Usagi alone.

Usagi continued to whirl around in her apartment before heading downstairs to be dressed by Tellu and explain her plans to Makoto. The excitement within her grew, and her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.

Fired up for her idea, Usagi bubbled with excitement. "Makoto, we have a lot to do today. I want to help the kids on the streets. It's winter and cold. We need to buy enough blankets and warm clothes for them, and we'll distribute them. I already know exactly where we'll go, and maybe we can order a large amount of soup or something. Warm food and warm clothes mean a lot," she explained passionately.

"Serena, stop. You can't just distribute blankets and clothes in the slums. Who knows what kind of people are there. Wouldn't you rather start a charity and leave it to people who know what they're doing?" Tellu asked sharply.

But Usagi wasn't deterred. "No. I know where things are needed. I want to see with my own eyes that the items reach where they are needed. So, Tellu, no dresses today. I need something practical. Pants, a sweater, and a jacket. Makoto and I will be out all day."

Tellu looked down at her again.

"Well, I think the idea is good. How long do you think you'll need to get ready?" Makoto asked, taking the wind out of Tellu's sails for further protests.

"I'll hurry. Give me 10 minutes," Usagi chirped, and her joy at finally being able to do something useful overshadowed all concerns.

The stylist reluctantly pulled out the requested clothing, and while Usagi quickly changed,

"Then we'll meet in the underground garage. I'll already choose a car," Makoto said.

Taiki cursed behind the wheel. The conversation with Usagi had taken way too long, Amy surely wouldn't want to have breakfast at 11 AM anymore, and now there was no parking space in front of the hotel. He circled the building for the third time, and finally, he found an empty parking spot.

Entering the hotel, the atmosphere was similar to the previous evening. However, the young lady behind the reception desk was different from the one last night. "Good morning," Taiki greeted breathlessly. "I'm looking for my wife, Mrs. Mizuno. We were supposed to have breakfast, but something came up."

The receptionist checked her records and then looked up again. "Mrs. Mizuno checked out about half an hour ago, Mr. Mizuno. I'm sorry." Taiki's heart raced as the receptionist informed him that Amy had left the hotel. "Where is she now?" he asked urgently. "I'm afraid I don't have any further information. I can only tell you she left the hotel," the receptionist explained apologetically.

Panicking, Taiki scanned the lobby, but there was no sign of Amy. Without hesitation, he ran out of the hotel and frantically searched the street in front of the building. Still, there was no sign of her. As he rushed back to the car, he took out his phone and desperately tried to call Amy. Each ringtone felt like an eternity, and the thought of reaching her voicemail heightened Taiki's anxiety. Then, finally, after what seemed like endless signals, Amy answered.

Her brief "Yes" was like a relief for Taiki. The relief flooded through him as he heard her voice. "Are you at the airport?" Taiki asked breathlessly. Amy hesitated for a moment; her concise "No" was finally like a sigh of relief for Taiki. A weight lifted off his chest. "Then where are you?" he asked immediately. "Home," was her monosyllabic response. The relief in Taiki's voice was evident. "I'm coming there right away. Please wait for me." Taiki started the engine and sped away with screeching tires.

After 20 nerve-wracking minutes, Taiki reached the residential complex where Amy had her apartment. His heart still raced as he approached the door and pressed the doorbell. Each second felt like an eternity until the door finally opened, and Amy wordlessly let him in. Taiki entered the apartment, and the silence between them was palpable. "I'm sorry I missed breakfast," he apologized, his voice slightly hoarse. Amy shook her head slightly and gestured towards the living room table. "I made coffee. Sit down, and now tell me calmly what happened."

They sat down, and Taiki began calmly recounting the confusing events to Amy. He told her about Usagi's revelations, his father's machinations, Zoisite, whom Yaten still had in his basement, and finally, his plan to overthrow his father and Kenji. Amy listened attentively as she poured him a cup of coffee; her hand rested on his, giving him strength.

"So, you're really going to go through with it? Depose your father? How long have you been thinking about it? How many times have you abandoned these plans? I've lost count a long time ago," Amy asked with concern.

Taiki sighed. "This time, things are different... If we overthrow him and Kenji, I'll be free, and so will Serena. As long as they're in power, I'm bound by this marriage contract, but if we succeed in this upheaval, it's the chance we've been waiting for," he said, stroking his hand along her cheek. Amy could see the fire of determination in his eyes.

"And what's the plan?" she asked.

"Phew... that's where it gets tricky. I'm still working on it... you'll be the first to know once I've thought it all through properly... But there's something you could do for me, my love."

Amy looked at him inquisitively.

"I just told you about Yaten's mistake with Chiba's confidant... Do you have a way to have him placed in a closed facility under sedation? I'll take care of the false papers, but we need a diagnosis and someone with connections."

Amy struggled with herself for a moment before nodding. "I still have contacts with a friend from my college days. He works at a clinic in Yokohama. If I'm not mistaken, we can get him there. But before that, I'll need to assess his condition."

Taiki had mixed feelings when he heard the words. Bringing Amy into Yaten's torture cellar wasn't a pleasant thought. However, he knew they had no other choice if they wanted to cover up Yaten's actions.

Together, they headed to Yaten's small house, to his basement.