Chapter 223 - Forms Of Happiness (1/2)

*WARNING: The following content may contain mildly mature content that may not be suitable for younger audiences.

The crack of skin contacting skin echoed off the walls. The young man's head snapped to the side, a bright red hand mark on his cheek, displaying the extreme force of the hit.

”Kneel. And bow your head lower. Low enough to quash that pathetic sense of pride you seem to have.”

Kenji knelt before his father, head lowered. He remained there in silence under his father's glare for what felt like hours.

”Look at me.” He finally heard his father say.

When Kenji raised his head to look at him, his father's dark eyes were clouded with fury. It was a blunt, brutal, angry face.

”Do you understand what you've done?”

Kenji looked into his father's cold eyes with an unreadable expression. It was controlled.

”Yes.” He answered flatly.

”Explain.” His father's tone was thin as ice.

Kenji didn't hesitate to respond, ”I defied your orders and used the family's authority unwisely.”

Henry Hirogori's eyes narrowed. They were rigid, cold, and hard.

Kenji could feel the tension and hear the intensity in his father's tone as he spoke. ”Not just that, but you failed to complete the task you set out to achieve. You failed to capture your target. You failed to keep it away from the public eye. And you failed to recognize the consequences of your failure. While that sc.u.m sister of yours was a traitor, even she understood her own abilities. At what age will it take you to reach the extent Emily's genius took her?”

The hands by Kenji's side clenched. ”I understand my mistakes, father. And I am willing to mend them.”

Henry Hirogori laughed scornfully. ”A Hirogori does not fail. We do not make mistakes. Do you understand? Weak decisions make a weak leader.”

”…Yes.” Kenji's eyes hardened.

”Good. Remember that the next time you decide to do anything like this again. And don't forget your place, Kenji.” His voice was thick with contempt and pride.

”Yes, father.”

Henry Hirogori gave a glance to his son before coldly turning his face away.

”Kneel here for an hour. After that, I will send someone to pick you up and transport you to the company. Fix this issue.”

Without waiting for his response, Henry Hirogori walked away with a frosty expression, his footsteps echoing behind him. Kenji continued kneeling on the hard ground. While his knees were beyond numb on that point, his mind was elsewhere.

After his father ordered for people to take care of Tobias Itou – which failed, Kenji looked further into their findings. While the evidence did appear to point in Tobias's direction, something was off.

It seemed…too easy. To openly viewable.

His eyes narrowed. While he kneeled, his mind fell into deep thought.

…

For two days, Mimi sat in Tobias's office going over the latest information she picked up from Shen Jue on her sister. It was strange, the more she uncovered the more uneasy she felt.

The unknown couple that lived in the house before the old woman had a son. It was reported he died in a car accident – just like her sister. He was about to graduate at the time of his death, the same as her sister.

However, it was unusual. His family wasn't rich. They hardly had any influence in the industry besides working at a small company. Their son didn't even attend the same school as Emily let alone any of the hangouts she visited.

So how did Emily know him? And why did she visit his parent's place before he died?

After what she said to Shen Jue, she assumed her sister was having an affair with the young man. And based on his reaction, it seemed true.

Was it with someone else? Did her sister…fool around with more than one person?

The more she thought, the more it hurt. She was starting to discover; she didn't know her sister at all.

Who exactly was Emily Hirogori?

Staring at her screen deeply, Mimi hadn't even noticed when Tobias entered. For the day, he had left the office numerous times to attend meetings. Every time he returned, he only stayed for a short period before going back to another meeting.

The man was doing everything he could to keep his image and his company stable after the accident. So far, he has convinced the media to believe it was a simple car accident rather than an attempted assassination.

Two hours later, he was back with their lunch.

A Reuben sandwich with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing grilled between seeded rye bread, and crispy homemade kettle potato ch.i.p.s.

She was starving at this point.