Chapter 53
Yaten snapped out of his trance when another shot rang out. His weapon was quickly unholstered and ready to fire. Taiki, releasing his grip on Kenji, also scanned the room. Yaten swiftly passed him in the direction of the gunfire, and Taiki followed closely behind.
At the staircase leading to the cellar vaults, Yaten came to a halt. With his gun raised, he nodded at his brother. The pulses of both brothers had escalated rapidly as they cautiously descended. Yaten peered around the corner, and upon seeing Seiya on the floor, he rushed forward.
Within seconds, he was crouched by Seiya's side, hurriedly inspecting him for injuries. Seiya had pressed his hands onto his thighs, gritting his teeth in pain. "Seiya, damn it, what happened?" Yaten inquired.
"Rubeus, that miserable piece of filth, shot me in the leg... Go after him, Yaten. I heard more shots just now; maybe Ren needs help. I'll manage," Seiya grunted.
Yaten gave a terse nod and rushed on. He knew there was no time to waste. Yaten was familiar with these cellar vaults from his teenage years, often using them to secretly meet with Mina. Therefore, he knew precisely that two of these passages led outside the estate. The security measures here were laughable to Yaten, and he never thought Kenji would even acknowledge their existence. Rubeus fleeing in this direction played into Yaten's hands, but the challenge was determining which path Rubeus had chosen.
Yaten hurried through the dim passages of the cellar vaults, senses heightened as he sought to locate and catch up with Rubeus. The sound of his own footsteps echoed through the empty halls, accompanied by the frantic thud of his heart. At each fork, he briefly paused to listen, but there was nothing to be heard except for his own breath.
Meanwhile, Taiki had improvised a makeshift bandage around Seiya's leg. Since the projectile was still embedded, Seiya couldn't avoid a visit to the doctor. Some of Yaten's men, drawn by the sound of gunfire, had also arrived. Taiki assigned two of them to escort Seiya to the car. "I'll manage; go after Yaten. Usagi is the top priority," Seiya panted, gripping the railing.
"Out of the question. The two of them will take you to the car. You can't do anything right now. They're already chasing Rubeus with at least 15 men. You get yourself checked, and I'll see if I can still catch Kenji somewhere," Taiki declared decisively
Usagi regained consciousness in a dimly lit room. It was dark, and she felt dizzy as she sat up. She was on a mat on the floor, covered with a tattered blanket. A feeble fire burned in a dilapidated fireplace, casting a faint glow and providing minimal warmth.
"Oh, look who's finally awake," a woman's voice intruded into Usagi's ears, freezing her in place. She turned her head to find Mimete sitting casually on a sturdy wooden table in the shadows. Her feigned friendliness mirrored precisely what she had continuously tried to instill in Usagi.
"Where am I?" Usagi asked, scanning the dim room again. Besides the table, a chair, and her mat, there was nothing else.
"That doesn't matter, and it's entirely irrelevant to you. Once Rubeus is back, we'll take you out of Tokyo, and once your child is born, we'll have achieved our goals. I wonder what Kenji plans to do with you afterward," Mimete said sharply.
A shiver ran down Usagi's spine. She didn't know what awaited her, so she decided to be more cautious. "What have I done to you? Why are you doing this to me?" she murmured, intimidated.
Mimete sprang up and approached a few steps closer. With a rough grip, she seized Usagi's chin and pulled it upward. "You're still so innocent and clueless; it's almost cute," Mimete sneered. Usagi wrested herself from Mimete's claws and slid frantically backward against the wall. Her heart pounded with fear, and a flutter of panic stirred in her upper abdomen. Usagi decided that she needed more information. What had happened after she entered Kenji's office? She could barely remember anything.
"What do you mean? What is my father planning?" she asked, hoping Mimete's penchant for explaining things would yield some information.
"Oh, Serena, you haven't developed at all. Didn't you read the marriage contract back then when you signed it? How naive you are... signing everything put in front of you," Mimete scoffed condescendingly.
Usagi's thoughts raced and tumbled. She truly didn't understand what Mimete was getting at. She had only been presented with that contract on the day of her engagement, and she hadn't seen it since. Additionally, that day was so hectic that she could only remember the pregnancy clause, which was now fulfilled.
Mimete waited for a moment. Only when she saw the puzzled expression on Usagi's face did she resume her lecturing tone. "Serena, with your help, Kenji will soon control all of Tokyo. It was only a matter of time until you got pregnant, and you seem to have fulfilled that part faster than expected. The rest is just a formality. Kenji has probably already submitted the divorce papers, and with that, the Kou family is on the brink of collapse." A malicious laughter escaped her before she continued. "Once the child, the heir of all three major families, is born, you will be useless to us. All we need for the control of Tokyo is the brat in your belly."
Usagi protectively placed her hand on her stomach. She had to protect her children; they must not fall into Kenji's clutches. Then she realized the second part of Mimete's revelation - divorce. This couldn't be serious. First, she was forcibly married to Taiki, and now divorce?
"Why divorce papers?" Her mind was spinning, and she tried to understand what was happening. "Are you playing the clueless act, or do you really have no idea that your husband has had a lover for years? It's an open secret. And that allows your father, according to Paragraph 8 of the marriage contract, to file for an immediate divorce, transferring all Kou family possessions to the deceived party, in this case, the Tsukino family."
Mimete strolled around the room and glanced at the clock. "Rubeus is taking his time. He should have been back here an hour ago. I have so much to do. You can't even imagine how much work awaits me once we've taken over the Kou business."
Usagi's heart raced as she tried to comprehend the significance of these words. Divorce, control over the Kou family, her children as political pawns - everything seemed to be spiraling out of control.
Usagi's pulse continued to soar. This couldn't possibly be true.
She knew one thing: She had to get out of here quickly before Rubeus dragged her further. While she hadn't married Taiki out of love, she definitely didn't want a divorce from him. She felt safe with him or at least by his side.
Usagi struggled to her feet. Although a bit unsteady, she managed to stand. She considered it a step in the right direction. She was in a small hut; the view from the window suggested they were somewhere in the woods.
Mimete hopped back onto the table, crossing her legs. "You're not particularly talkative today. Well, I'll call Rubeus. I can't babysit you forever," Mimete said more to herself than to Usagi, tapping away on her phone.
Usagi pulled a chair a bit away from the table and sat by the fireplace to warm herself. The poker next to her had not escaped her notice. It was the only object that had caught her attention, which could be useful for an escape. Anxiously, she looked around; her thoughts were racing. She knew she had to act quickly to find her own way out of this threatening situation.
Restlessly, Mimete jumped up again and stood by the window, with her back to Usagi. The ringing of her phone was clearly audible. "Why isn't he answering again? I don't have forever," Mimete continued her monologue.
Now or never, thought Usagi, clutching the poker, pulling back, and striking with all her strength on Mimete's head. With a loud crash, Mimete fell to the ground, and within seconds, a pool of blood formed at Usagi's feet. Her heart pounded wildly with excitement. With trembling hands, she grabbed her phone and ended the call. Then she threw the phone against the wall so that no one could trace her. The room was filled with tense silence, only interrupted by the crackling of the fireplace in the darkness.
Then she closed her coat, grabbed the blanket, and ran. She had no destination in mind; she only knew that she had to get away. Her steps echoed through the dark forest, branches cracking, and leaves rustling under her feet. Her lungs burned, and her legs ached as she finally reached the edge of the woods.
Usagi nervously glanced around, camouflaged in the darkness. She knew she was in a race against time. Panicking, she looked around again; there was no one behind her. Quickly seeking refuge between the rows of houses, she helplessly sank behind a garbage container. She couldn't stand or run anymore; she needed a break. She shivered all over, and she still didn't know where she was.
Here she was again, penniless on the street, hunted by her father, and separated from her siblings. A biting gust of wind whistled through the narrow alley, and Usagi wrapped the blanket around herself. She buried her face in her hands, trying to comprehend and process everything that had happened. She couldn't show weakness now; somehow, she had to get back to Seiya. In that moment, she cursed herself for destroying the phone.
Her hands searched the pockets of her coat. Inventory: She had a pack of tissues, some loose change that wouldn't get her far, a hair tie, and two sticks of gum. Absolutely nothing useful, but she hadn't started with more last time. Once again, she fought her way up. Giving up was not an option, she told herself. Last time, she had to be strong for Chibiusa and Shingo, and now for her children.
First, she had to figure out where she was, and then somehow navigate her way to the tower. Usagi pulled the thin blanket over her head to avoid being recognized and pulled it down over her face. Moving almost invisibly on the fringes of society was something she had learned during her time on the street. Additionally, the darkness played in her favor. Tonight, she wouldn't be able to accomplish much more. She had to look for a protected shelter, dry, and preferably warm.
She wandered aimlessly through the area for a while, and then suddenly she knew where she was. Near the bridges, where she had spent several cold nights before. The people there were closed off and introspective, but anyone in need was allowed to warm themselves by their fires. That seemed like a good place for tonight, especially since the Kou Tower was at the other end of Tokyo and was no longer reachable for her tonight. Also, Kenji would surely look for her there first.
Determined, Usagi headed towards the bridges. However, her thoughts were dominated by the pressing reality. From a distance, she could already see the fires of the trash cans illuminating the murky night. Initially, she stayed in the shadows, keeping to the edge, but gradually, she moved closer to the warming flames. No one said anything to her, but willingly, a few stepped back to allow Usagi to warm herself.
Her gaze was fixed on the flames, and then she made a decision. She would put an end to her father's control once and for all. She was not his property, and her children certainly were not. She would not agree to the divorce either.
She jolted in surprise as she felt a hand on her shoulder. A wave of panic surged through her as she turned around slowly, holding her breath.