Enji stared at the paternity test results for a long time, taking in how his life managed to fuck him again.
One infidelity. One.
He should have known better than to do it even once. He should have known better. And now the consequences were staring right at his face. He buried it in hands and massaged the temples.
The boy was his. All he needed now, with his everlasting family crisis, was to bring an extramarital child home. To the children that already hated him. To Rei who would either loathe the child or at least poison his mind as she had done with his other kids.
But it was his child. His home might not be the best place to raise a kid right now, but it would still be better than being raised by strangers, being raised parentless. The kid, Izuku, was still small, barely older than his Shouto, but wouldn't it scar him for life to have neither dad nor mom? Of course it would. Not to mention you couldn't know if the Bakugous could actually get custody over the child, not being related to him, so he might end up in some foster care or even in a children's home.
So, there wasn't really anything to hesitate about. There was just the grim perspective of dealing with Rei, and equally dark worry of how his other kids were going to treat Izuku. He so badly wanted his children to have a better childhood than he had, but even if it definitely was far better than the nightmare he had been through, it still was so far from happy... If only he hadn't married Rei. If only he hadn't been in such a rush and filled with a foolish dream back then.
He sighed and got up. There was no point in delaying the inevitable.
888
"Todoroki-sama, okaerinasai," smiled the old servant.
He nodded grimly while he removed the shoes and clothes. He could hear a very low noise of the tv in Shouto's room and even lower of some computer game Natsuo played, but still the house was awfully quiet for a home with three young children. Touya had always been the loudest one, despite being the oldest. His heart squeezed in pain, as it had many times before.
Fuyumi appeared in the corridor, her smile lined with badly concealed fear, as always. He felt a wave of hate towards Rei, as usual, but did his best not to let it show.
"Tadaima, Fuyumi-chan," he murmured more tiredly than he intended.
"Okaerinasai, dad. How... was the day?" She, of course, immediately picked up his foul mood; she had always been very perceptive in these things. He could see her tensing up, getting nervous.
"Not the best day in my life, but don't worry about it, sweetie." Not like any endearments ever worked on his kids, but he refused to accept the role of a bad parent Rei was trying to push onto him.
"Oh, well, I prepared you some sashimi." She looked unsure of his reaction, like he had ever got angry with her. It pained.
"Thank you, love, I love your sashimi, you know that. How was the school?"
"Got an A in Japanese."
"Of course you did. I am very proud of you."
He went to the kitchen. In his ideal vision of family they would be eating dinners together after he came back from work, but recently the atmosphere at the table was so tense, hateful and grim he had given up on that. Not without taking Rei aside and spatting what he thought about how she handled the things around here. It, of course, ended up in yet another argument; that pathetic excuse for a housewife blaming him for everything as if he was in charge of bringing up their kids. She had married a hero, she knew bloody well the household management was supposed to be on her! He noticed Fuyumi noticing his darkening mood so he forced himself to stop thinking of Rei, though it was hard not to when you hadn't been welcomed back by most of your children after a day of hard, dangerous work that provided them all the luxuries they had.
"You have done the homework for tomorrow?"
They passed the time like that, with the conversation fragile and tearing, talking meaningless subjects, both of them knowing well it was just a very bad counterfeit of a family dinner, forced and fake. He wondered sometimes if it was like that everywhere. If the idea of a happy family was only a lie seen in commercials and movies. Or was he just always an unlucky man?
After finishing his meal he sent Fuyumi back to her room and went to Rei's bedroom. He knocked, as he always had, but got no response from the room. He heard his Shouto's voice from elsewhere, though.
"Don't go, mum!"
He couldn't hear her response clearly, but she sounded placating and reassuring. Shouto's protests continued, so he headed to the boy's room to take things in his hands. This woman had no control over their children, none at all. Even Fuyumi was better at it than her.
But the shouji opened to reveal Rei, and little Shouto clinging to her leg before he could knock. The tiny boy immediately jumped in between them as if Enji was some kind of a monster he should protect his mother from. It stung so much.
"Leave mum alone!"
"Shouto," she said soothingly. "Go back to your room. It's okay."
"It's not okay!" shouted the boy. "Leave mum alone!"
"Go back to your room, Shouto," ordered Enji in a voice calm but leaving no room for discussion.
Shouto just growled while his eyes filled with tears.
"I'll take care of Shouto," he heard Fuyumi's voice as she got out of her room.
"Thank you, Fuyumi-chan," said Rei quietly. This filled him with anger. Fuyumi was only eleven, it wasn't her job to be a mother to his boys just because Rei was failing at it miserably. But he said nothing. Nothing good had ever come from his arguing with Rei.
"Come to my study."
She hesitated, but followed. He saw Natsuo's scared eyes watching them through the creak in the shouji as they were passing his older son's bedroom.
She was pale as a sheet, as always when they were talking, her fists clenched and lips drawing a tight line, her eyes watching him with hatred. Almost like his mother. Oh, how much he loathed them both. Though he had to admit Rei never became as horrible a mother as Kazue Todoroki had been. But it wasn't a particularly high bar.
She waited in silence.
He hated what was coming. He hated to give her an actual proper reason to loathe him, hated to admit he had wronged her. But then again, she deserved it, she truly did, for not saving their son. Some mother she was.
"I've slept with another woman years ago." He saw no reason to beat around the bush. "After all it's not like we're sleeping together."
She replied nothing. Not a muscle twitched, not a shadow marred her eyes. Well, no more than usual.
"She got pregnant. She died a couple of weeks ago."
Still nothing.
"The child has only me. I don't expect you to show him any kindness, but I don't want to see you riling the children up against him, is that clear?"
Her eyes narrowed. Finally, anything.
"...I understand," she finally said. Was that it? Would this really end up without another argument? It would be a small mercy in all this hell that was his life.
They stood like that for some seconds, waiting if the other had anything else to add.
"Is that all?" she finally asked.
"Yes."
She nodded almost imperceptibly and left.
He sat down heavily behind his desk and massaged his temples. He had no idea how he was supposed to provide Izuku with a happy life in this atmosphere of hostility that pervaded his home. He had no idea how he was supposed to explain the tiny child that his so far absent father had a wife, and that wife, the child's stepmother, most likely would be like one of those evil stepmothers from fairy tales. Admittedly Rei seemed to love their children; as prejudiced as he was, he couldn't deny that. She had never mistreated any of them and they loved her back. But she loathed Enji. And Izuku was Enji's son, not hers. And a fruit of cheating too.
'Well, if she mistreats him, she will be out of this house,' he decided grimly.
888
"I'm extremely sorry, Endeavor-sama, but the transaction was declined again."
Enji frowned. Did he somehow damage his card during the pursuit? It seemed perfect though.
"It's okay, I have cash." He always had some just in case of a terminal malfunction.
He paid, and flew back on the roof to eat his onigiris at peace and access his online account. He expected to find a notice about a bank system failure, but there was none. Instead...
...instead all his money was gone.
What the fuck?
Then again he was the Number Two, and coming from the Todoroki family, too. Everyone knew he was rich. Bloody goddamn thieves!
He checked his basic savings account – it was empty too. Luckily the deposits were untouched. He immediately called his bank. His diamond account meant the consultant picked up in a matter of seconds.
"Good morning, Todoroki-sama, how may we help you today?"
"All my money from the main and the savings account has been stolen."
There fell a frightened pause. Enji was not the client they wanted to lose, after all.
"I'm on that immediately, Todoroki-sama! Is it possible for you to wait for a minute or should I call you later?"
"Call me later, I'm a busy man."
"Of course, Todoroki-sama!"
The call came mere minutes later. 'That was quick,' he thought, a little surprised. As expected, they very badly did not want to lose him.
"This is Kazuya Morita from the Bank of Japan speaking. Do I have the pleasure of speaking with Todoroki-sama?"
'And who else would have my smartphone?' he rolled his eyes.
"Yes," he barked irritably.
"I am afraid to inform you, Todoroki-sama, that there was no hacking attack."
"Afraid to- what do you mean?" What?
"All the money has been withdrawn by Rei Todoroki-sama."
He paled.
"Thank you," he simply said and finished the call.
No. That bitch.
He should have known better than to give her free access to his account. Some other wives of rich men had to beg them for money, but Enji always thought it to be dishonorable and disgusting. He was working his hero job and she was working at home. It was only fair the money he was making should be considered theirs, not only his. Now it came back to bite him in the ass. He should have known better. But she had never misused his money before...
He used his Quirk to rush back to his home. He fumbled with his keys, his hands shaking for the first time since Touya- The frightened servant opened the gate for him.
"Where are the kids?!" he barked.
Her eyes widened with even more terror and she replied nothing, white as death.
"Where. Are. My. Kids," he growled menacingly.
"Todoroki-sama..." he heard Jun's voice. She was the oldest servant here, older even than his mother. "Rei-sama has left. I'm so sorry, we didn't know. She told us she is going on a trip with all of the children. We're so sorry, Todoroki-sama, we failed you."
"Didn't you see them taking their things?!" he shouted.
"They barely took anything, Todoroki-sama..." Jun whispered more sad than scared.
He reined in his anger, even though he wanted to yell at them and burn them for their neglect. But who could have expected that? She never ran away or even threatened him with a divorce before...
...but before he wasn't going to bring an extramarital child here. Before she had no way of divorce at fault.
Now she had.
Fuck.
Why didn't he think of that? He just gave her means to get divorced without his consent!
Fuck.
"Rei-sama has left a letter for you, Todoroki-sama."
He went to his office, fuming, literally too.
His children. She took away his children. He wanted to scream. He wanted to rip his hair out. He wanted to strangle her.
The letter was on his desk. It was an enormous effort not to accidently set it on fire.
It was simple and horrifying.
'Enji,
I'm leaving. I'm divorcing you. I went to my lawyer. If you're going to make this difficult, I'm going to go to the press and police and tell them all you're a monster. I'm going to ruin your career. Let us go and I'll let you see the kids and let you be the hero unscathed. But you stay away from me forever. Contact me only through my lawyer."
Beneath there was a name and a telephone number. He knew that name. It was a very expensive attorney, known for winning most of his cases, specializing in high-profile divorces that always drew public attention. And, of course, she was paying him with Enji's money.
He immediately called his own lawyer.
"Todoroki-sama."
"I need to meet you asap!"
"I am currently at your agency."
888
He slammed the letter on Mishima's desk.
"Read this." He realized his voice was shaking, his heart hammering. He hadn't felt like that since that day, the worst day in his life, when Touya's own Quirk, Enji's Quirk, devoured him.
Mishima took in the contents of the letter in seconds. His face went grim.
"Can she do it?! Can she just run away with my money and children?"
Mishima sighed heavily.
"I am so sorry to say that, but she can. Especially if she can prove having been abused."
"I never abused her!" he shouted. Mishima watched him calmly. Enji took a deep breath. "We just argued... a lot."
"Todoroki-sama, sit down."
He forced himself to sit even though all he wanted was to pace. Or to run out of here to desperately comb the city for his children.
"Have a glass of whiskey."
"No." No alcohol to solve the problems. Never.
"So at least water."
He took the glass and Mishima sat back opposite him.
"We need to keep our heads clear about it, Todoroki-sama. That is, I shall do everything that needs to be done, of course, your involvement will be kept to a minimum considering what you are going through, but I need to know everything."
"Everything?"
"Does she have any basis for a fault divorce?"
Enji clenched his teeth and fists.
"It appears I have an extramarital child. I just learned about it." He realized how this sounded.
Mishima's face became even grimmer.
"I understand. Forgive me for asking you about it, Todoroki-sama, but she calls you a monster in this letter. Does she mean only the fierce arguments?"
"I'm no monster!" If he was a monster, what would be his mother? His father who had been beating him up so badly he still had scars on his back?
"Arguments in marriages can grow very heated, even when we do not intend them to. I need to know if there ever was anything physical happening, Todoroki-sama."
"No, I-" he hesitated. "I-" He stumbled.
He did not think he ever saw Mishima so grave when he was scrutinizing Enji.
"I've never beat her up, if that's what you're asking," he finally forced himself to reply. "But- sometimes-"
He thought Mishima's eyes would burn the hole in his soul. He felt like he was being interrogated by his mother again, grilled whether he hadn't done anything 'villainous' in her eyes.
"-sometimes I'd slap her. I didn't want to, but-"
"Your anger got the better of you."
"You did not hear what she'd been saying to me."
Mishima sighed. "I can imagine, Todoroki-sama. Marriage can be a very ugly, miserable thing. Anything else?"
"I sometimes- when I knew it was too much for me- would want to leave, to calm down, and-"
Mishima waited patiently.
"Sometimes I'd push her away. I never meant to harm her, but-"
"But you're a very strong man."
"It's-" 'It's not my fault she hit her head on that table. It's not my fault she got bruises like that from merely falling on the wardrobe.' Besides Enji always, furious as he was with her, would take care of all the wounds. Deep inside he had regretted them, even. Even though it was all her fault.
Mishima sighed again.
"I am sorry I have to ask that, but what about your intimate life?"
Enji shrugged, feeling horribly uncomfortable to speak about this pathetic part of his life. "It was barely existent."
"So you have never forc..."
"No!"
"And what about the children? Have you ever lost control with them?"
Enji paled in horror. "I would never ever hit any of my kids."
"Even a slap?"
"No."
"A slight spank?"
"No!"
He was sure he'd seen the merest trace of relief on Mishima's face. So maybe not all was lost.
"And your general relations with your children?"
"She's been poisoning their minds all the time! They fear and hate me!"
Whatever relief ever had been on Mishima's face, it disappeared without a trace.
"Do they have any actual reason to?"
"No, I don't think so!"
Mishima said nothing.
"I swear to God, I never hit them, I might have gotten sometimes angry, but all parents get angry sometimes! These are kids! And, well, my training with Shouto might be harsh, but it is necessary!"
"How harsh is it?" Mishima asked with not any apparent trace of judgement in his voice, but his eyes were somber.
"Well-"
He recalled Shouto on his knees, vomiting, Rei interfering so emotionally, making him angry again.
"...it- The hero job is incredibly dangerous, Mishima. The boy has to be able to dodge on instinct! It will save his life! If he dies in the future, it will be on me! Me not preparing him well enough!"
Mishima looked downright grim.
"I always- I always did my best, Mishima, always, I swear. I... hate Rei, but I love my children, I never loved anything like I love them."
He did see genuine compassion on the older man's face, despite the serious face.
"I believe you, Todoroki-sama. I shall do the best I can. However, I don't want to lie to you. The courts are unwilling to leave the children with male spouse even in the case of normal divorce. In the case of a fault divorce... the best we can achieve is to make sure you will be able to see you children as often as possible."
"No," he whispered, his world shattering once more.
888
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Author's Notes:
Yeah, Enji IS horrible. But you would be surprised how many abusive people I unfortunately dealt with really honestly did not see what they were doing to their families. A lot of stuff I write I sadly base on actual experiences of mine.
Also, I just thought to remind you this is NOT Rei bashing fic, it's just we start this story at the point in which Enji hates her a lot (which is canon according to manga)