Author: It has been a crazy few months. I am moving work sites again and was busy writing awards packages and studying for my degree. I want to thank you all for your patience with my delays. It is truly appreciated. I also want to thank all of you for your reviews/favorites/follows. You all are amazing and I hope that you enjoy the chapter!

—

" I am sorry that you have to go out of your way to help us, Fujioka-san." Himawari said awkwardly as Haruhi escorted the two girls towards a different train platform.

" It's not a problem, Haga-senpai." Haruhi said matter of factly. " The train system can get kind of confusing if you don't know your way around them."

" Still, I am exceptionally grateful for your assistance, Fujioka-san." Himawari said acting very flustered that a member of Mori's club was now helping her.

Especially after the last time she had seen that member was just before she discovered her fiancée's infidelity.

" Hey, don't you go to Ouran High?" Himari asked causing Himawari to tense.

" Yeah, why do you ask?"

" Do you know a guy named Morinozuka?"

" Himari!" Himawari whispered as she felt her heart beat quicken. She didn't want her new friend to get into an argument with one of Takashi's.

" Yeah I know him." Haruhi said calmly. " Mori-senpai and I are member's of the same club. Why do you ask?"

" Did you know that Haga-san is his fiancée?"

" Himari!" Himawari said as her palms started to become sweaty. " Don't!"

" Mori-senpai is really private so I only just recently found out that she was." Haruhi said observing a worried Himawari from the corner of her brown eye. " It's not my place to say this Haga-senpai, but I know Mori-senpai has been beating himself up ever since the night of the ball. He just wants to talk to you."

The rapid beat of her heart seemed to slam to a halt at Haruhi's words. Himawari felt the breath in her lung hitch as tears began to prick her violet eyes.

" Why should she speak to him?" Himari snapped as the stepped onto the docked train. " He cheated on his deeply devoted fiancée and got caught. Now he wants to try and convince her to take him back? Haga-san isn't stupid! There's no way she'd take him back!"

" Whether they stay together or not isn't really my business. However, I do think that it would be wrong for her to break up with him and not speak to him at all about what happened." Haruhi said calmly as she observed Himawari carefully, who dropped . " I don't think I have ever seen Mori-senpai so upset before, Haga-senpai."

" Only because his big wig father is pissed that he ruined this engagement. Probably knows that it makes the family look bad that their heir is so shady and-"

" Himari!" Himawari snapped finally. " Please stopped trying to pick a fight with Fujioka-san."

" But-"

" Fujioka-san is being kind enough to show us how to get to my home. So please just stop already."

Haruhi and Himari both stared at her in shock at her sudden outburst.

" And please don't bring Akira-san into this. If he knows about what happened, the last thing he would be concerned about is how it makes the family look!"

" Haga-san, I'm s-"

" You shouldn't apologize to me, Himari-san. It's Fujioka-san that you need to apologize to."

Himari blinked in surprise before glancing over to see a similar look on Haruhi's face.

It was rare of for the heiress to reprimand someone, let alone use a harsh tone. She would never defend herself, but the character of another.

" It's fine, Haga-senpai. It's nice to see you have a friend that cares about you so much." Haruhi said as she regained her composure, the train pulling up beside them.

" Well someone has too," Himari huffed. " She's far to accommodating for her own good."

—

" That brat isn't back yet?" Yoru snapped at Kasumi who flinched under her mistress' rage. " Here I thought she was broke of this rebellious streak after what happened at the Ouran Ball!"

CRASH!

Kasumi flinched as a wine glass shattered against the wall beside her.

" WHERE IS SHE!" Yoru screeched causing Kasumi to tremble, a fleck of glass cutting her cheek.

" Reports say that she had left school on a train roughly thirty minutes ago, Mistress." Shion said calmly. When Yoru turned away she gently pulled the younger maid behind her, baring the younger maid from their mistress' wrath.

" THIS BLATANT REBELLIOUS NATURE SHOULD'VE BEEN SQUASHED AFTER THE BALL!" Yoru snarled, her hands clenching into fists.

" I am sure that Miss Himawari will return soon." Shion said calmly.

The elderly housekeeper had received word from Himari of the incident that occurred when they left the school.

Of how the Morinozuka heir had belittled himself by chasing after his fiancée. A girl who only knew how to act of her own accord.

Only how others wanted her too be.

Shion had received word that the young mistress was on a train heading their way and would most likely arrive within the next hour or so.

However, she wasn't going to tell Yoru that. She much enjoyed seeing her mistress' blood pressure rise.

After all the horrible things Yoru had done to both the Haga family and its servants, it was the least that she could experience.

The young mistress truly deserved to have her own freedom. She and Takeshi did not deserve the cruelty that Yoru on Kameko were doing to her.

Shion knew that Takeshi had cared for his fiancée. He may have been negligent lately, however, she simply passed that off to his youth.

Both the news that Kasumi had relayed along with her own observations it appeared that the young master had seemed repentant in his lack of care for Himawari.

It was reported how attentive he had become, making sure she ate, picking her up from school.

Himari had reported to her that he had even diverted the advances of one of their fellow classmates.

Proclaiming openly to her entire school that Himawari was his fiancée.

Shion knew that his proclamation must have meant the world to her young mistress. She had always been so worried that she would not meet his expectations.

That he would be ashamed to claim her as his fiancée. She constantly strived with her so called Bridal Training so that she wouldn't fail him or her family.

In reality it was just slave labor.

Himawari was a slave to her stepfamily.

Shion was able to deflect some of Yoru's ire but not all entirely. Her mistress had a deep burning desire to destroy Himawari with some kind of sick determination.

Yoru was the complete opposite of the former mistress, Ayame.

The woman was kind and gentle. She was intelligent and quick thinking.

Himawari was very similar to her late mother. That made her an easy target for people like Yoru and Kameko.

Shion only wished that the young lord Morinozuka figured out how to make the his fiancée listen and make up with her.

To get her to listen to his explanation.

If only she would just be willing.

" She had better not ruin this." Yoru snarled causing Kasumi to flinch.

Sounds from below signified someone entering the foyer.

" About time!" Yoru snarled as she stormed through the doorway. " WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, YOU SPOILED LITTLE BITCH! WHEN I AM THROUGH WITH YOU, YOU'LL THINK TWICE BEFORE Y-"

" And to whom would you be referring to, Yoru?"

The woman froze at the sound of the icy voice of Morinozuka Akira. Yoru felt her breath catch in her chest at the sight of the head of the Morinozuka family standing in the center of her foyer. His presence as cold and commanding as ever.

" Akira?" Yoru said as her voice came out as barely more than inaudible squeak. " What brings you to our lovely abode?"

" I am here to speak with Inei."

" Again?" Yoru gapped. " What about?"

" It is private." Akira said coldly. " It is none of your business. So suggest you stay in your lane."

" I must say, Akira, this is most outrageous!" Yoru snapped without thinking. " I am Inei's wife! I am the lady of this house, thereby, its mistress. Nothing happens here without my-"

" Knowledge, of course. No need to be so upset, it's not like I am hiding my intent. I just informed you of my purpose here."

" My husband-"

" Is still the head of this household. If Inei does not wish to speak with me, he will send me away of his own accord."

" How dare y-"

" Easily," Akira said as his voice became colder and colder as he approached. Leaning forward, he whispered into her ear. " I know that you are behind this problem with Takashi and Himawari. I know that you are also behind Himawari's bruises and fluctuations in weight. When I find proof, I'll have you locked away and Inei will divorce you. You'll have nothing. Everything you've been scheming for years will have all been for nothing."

Yoru's face was whiter than a ghosts at his words.

How could he know anything about Himawari's treatment in her house?

She knew that spoilt brat would never have dared to speak a word of what happened to anyone. That dull girl wouldn't even be able to process that what she experienced was abusive.

Yoru had trained her to be an obedient little tart. Himawari never questioned or talked back to her.

Until recently that was.

" Give it up, Yoru." Akira said as he strode past her, barely giving her a glance.

Takashi's recent reentry into Himawari's life had been the reason for this sudden change in Yoru's personality. With Takashi brought Akira and the rest of the Morinozuka Clan.

With The Morinozuka's head and heir sniffing around had brought out both Himawari's rebellious side as well as Inei's sudden health improvement.

All of her plans were beginning to unravel because of them and that little brat of a tea heir.

CLICK!

Yoru turned to see said brat entering the foyer.

SLAP!

Yoru hadn't even realized that she had moved. However, she had taken one look at that purple eyed little bitch and she just reacted.

" You worthless little twat!" She hissed hatefully into Himawari's ear. " What makes you think you can just go about doing as you please?"

" Stepmother, I-ah!" The heiress whimpered as she felt the older woman's nails sink into her hair, wrenching at her scalp.

" YOU WERE TOLD TO BE HERE BY A CERTAIN TIME, YOU LITTLE SLUT!" Yoru snarled and with each word uttered she twisted her hand tighter into the girl's hair. " WHEN I GIVE YOU AN ORDER Y-"

" STOP THAT!"

" GYAH!"

" Haga-senpai, are you alright?"

Yoru was suddenly shoved away from her stepdaughter. She looked up to see that small brown haired boy who had come with Takashi and Mitsukuni a few times to the mansion. The small boy and a girl that she did not recognize place themselves between she and the heiress.

" You haven't even officially broken off your engagement with Takashi and now your throwing yourself around with one of his fr-"

" Are you done?" The boy said in a bored voice. " Is the only thing you have going for you in your life bullying a teenage girl?"

" It's alright, Haga-senpai." The other girl said, hugging Himawari to her. The heiress had a shocked look plastered across her face as the girl gently smoothed her hair.

" What are you brats doing in my house?" Yoru snapped. " Who let you in without permission?"

" Do we need permission when we hear you assaulting someone for being a few minutes late from school?" Haruhi said resolutely. " What is wrong with you? Does it make you feel powerful to pick on someone who doesn't fight b-"

" THIS IS MY HOUSE, YOU LITTLE STREET URCHIN!" Yoru snarled raising her hand to strike the teen. " YOU WILL NOT SPEAK TO ME IN SUCH A M-"

" STOP IT!"

The room fell silent as Himawari stood straight, her hands shaking from the panic rushing through her.

She just spoke against her stepmother.

She had never once in her wildest of dreams did she think she would be doing such a thing.

The backlash that will come from this moment she knew, would be astronomical. Yet she couldn't let Yoru shame the family name by behaving this way in-front of outsiders.

" As the lady of the family, you disrespect our home with your behavior more so than my delay ever will." Himawari said as she raised her chin in resolution.

" Why you little-"

" That is enough, stepmother." Himawari said firmly, trying her best to calm her rippling nerves. " You are embarrassing yourself and our family."

Yoru stood shocked at the usually skittish teen standing so resolute before her. The look she had on her face was reminiscent of Ayame whenever she had made a decision.

She had seen it so many times before.

Seen that same light of determination flicker throughout those upturned eyes.

How she loathed that look.

The look only seemed to infuriate Yoru more. It took everything in her power to not rake her nails across the girl's pretty face.

But she would have to wait.

She wouldn't be able to remind Himawari of her place with those two other brats present.

She would never be able to check the girl with Akira inside the manor. She didn't even know what he was doing with Inei right now.

She would have to be all the more careful about how she corrected this behavior.

" Fine." Yoru said in a calm, rational tone in her voice that sent a shiver throughout Himawari. " You are correct, my dearest stepdaughter. What was I thinking? Of course my behavior is most inappropriate."

With that, she turned on her heels and began to walk away.

" Allow me to apologize for my atrocious behavior." Yoru said calmly, casting an icy glance between Himawari and Haruhi. " Shion, escort Himawari and her friends to the parlor and serve the with refreshments befitting those of guests to the Haga family."

" Of course, madam." Shion said as she gestured towards the parlor.

—

" We got here pretty fast, Takashi." Honey said coolly as they made their way towards the Haga estate. " Do you think we beat Hime-chan here?"

Mori was silent as his grey eyes remained fixed on the door leading inside the mansion. He needed to make sure he had arrived to the place before his fiancée did.

Not only so that he could have a chance to explain but to make sure he could be a buffer between she and Yoru.

He could make sure Himawari wouldn't be touched by that vile woman. As a member of the Morinozuka clan it was his duty to not only protect the Honinozuka clan members but the women of his own.

That includes those that were destined to enter into the clan.

Like Himawari.

She had been his fiancée since before either of them had even known what the word meant.

When he learned the meaning of that word, he had always thought of Himawari. He couldn't imagine his future without her.

He would be damned if Yoru and Kameko would ruin that future for either of them.

" Takashi?"

" I think we beat them here." He said nervously before a sudden scream burst from inside the mansion.

" Takashi!" Honey said as his cousin darted towards the building.

Mori felt as if his heart was going to burst from his chest as he jerked the front door open.

" SOMEONE CALL EMS!"

" OH GOD, IT'S THE YOUNG MISS!"

Mori felt his breath catch as he darted past the frantic staff rushing towards the sounds of the screams.

Rounding the corner he felt like his knees were going to give out below him as he saw the sight before him.

Haruhi and the girl from the train station were clutching Himawari between the two of them.

Mori felt all the color drain from his face as how saw his fiancée coughing up blood. His grey eyes locking onto her purple before he saw them roll backwards and she slumped against Haruhi.