Sasaki had been driving nearly an hour before he spotted a modest looking bed and breakfast tucked between a florist and an antique shop. Warm light spilled through its windows, soft against the night. He wasn't searching for comfort, not really —but the thought of a clean bed, of four walls that weren't hostile, made his tense muscles loosen just slightly.
When he stepped inside, a brass bell jingled overhead. A woman appeared from behind the reception desk, brushing a curl of hair from her forehead.
"Good evening," she said. Her voice was gentle, brisk with the practiced rhythm of hospitality.
Sasaki blinked, caught off guard. He knew that face. It took a few moments before the recognition clicked— Eleanor. Aoi's wife. They had met twice before, at company gatherings. She had been kind then, shy almost. She looked the same now… except for the faint weariness in her eyes, the kind of fatigue that came from years with a man like Aoi.
For a heartbeat, Sasaki thought about turning around and leaving. But the warmth of the lobby, the smell of bread still lingering in the air, and the heaviness in his legs made the choice for him.
"Room for one?" she asked, pulling out a registration book.
He nodded. "Just for the night."
Her lips curved into a polite smile. "Of course. I'll give you one facing the garden. It's quieter."
If she recognized him, she gave no sign. As she led him upstairs, Sasaki felt an unexpected pang of pity. Eleanor was trapped with a monster —a man he once called his boss. She deserved better. But he doubted she'd ever have it.
The room was small but spotless. The mattress was firm, the blanket faintly scented with lavender. Sasaki sat on the edge of the bed and exhaled slowly. For the first time in days, the air around him wasn't heavy with hostility. He might have fallen asleep right then— if not for the faint vibration in his pocket.
He pulled out his phone. The screen was cracked badly, probably from when one of the thugs shoved him to the pavement. Through the web of broken glass, one notification glowed dimly.
It was from Rina.
_Meet me at the city council tomorrow by 10:00 AM to finalize the divorce._
The words were short, clinical, almost mechanical. But her name burned like salt on an open wound. His chest tightened. He could see her smile— the smile she had given Aoi without hesitation. He remembered the humiliation, the betrayal, the way she had discarded him as though his love had been nothing.
His hand tightened on the ruined phone until the jagged edges bit into his palm. She thought she had won. She thought she could strip him of everything— his home, his dignity, his life— and leave him to rot.
Sasaki swore then and there, under the soft hum of the radiator, that she would regret it.
---
The next morning, he rose early. He wasn't going to walk into that council chamber broken— not when she expected to see him weak.
After a shower, he left the B&B and headed into the heart of town. A boutique caught his eye, one of those pristine places with glass doors so clean they nearly vanished and mannequins dressed like gods of wealth. The saleswoman's smile faltered when she saw him. For a moment, she looked ready to dismiss him.
Then he pulled out the black credit card.
Her demeanor shifted instantly, her smile blooming warm and deferential.
The bank had been his first stop. Thirty million yen, deposited without question. The teller had called Mayor Okamoto directly, confirmed the legitimacy, and within the hour, Sasaki walked out with a black card heavy in his pocket.
An hour later, he stepped back onto the street transformed. A dark charcoal suit cut to perfection, crisp white shirt, polished leather shoes that gleamed with each stride. At a salon, his hair had been neatly styled, tamed into something sleek. The man in the mirror had been unrecognizable— not the janitor who once bowed his head in shame, not the broken husband who had crawled through betrayal. Someone else entirely.
Rina would see this. She would see what she had thrown away.
He didn't arrive at city hall until half past ten. Let her wait. Let her wonder.
When he entered the high-ceilinged lobby, his eyes found her immediately. Rina. Pale pink blouse, fitted skirt, hair smooth as glass. Perfect, as always. And at her side— Aoi, hand resting on her lower back like he owned her.
Sakura was there too, lounging against a pillar with a look of mild disdain, as though dragged there against her will. She worked at an upscale boutique, and the instant her gaze landed on Sasaki's suit, her eyes widened. She leaned toward Rina, whispering— loud enough for Aoi to hear.
"That's Milan. Easily five thousand dollars."
Rina's brows lifted. Her gaze lingered on Sasaki longer than she meant to. He ignored it, walking past her without pause, straight to the clerk. His pen scratched the papers with swift strokes, sealing the end of something that had once been his world. He slid them back without so much as a glance.
"Sasaki," Rina's voice dripped with false sweetness. "I heard you don't have anywhere to stay. You probably slept on the street, didn't you? If you beg— if you go down on your knees— I might let you have the house back."
Aoi smirked. Sakura's mouth curved in cruel amusement.
Sasaki turned, expression flat, voice like ice. "Keep it."
Rina blinked. "What?"
"I could never live in a place pigs like you have ruined," he said, each word sharp enough to cut.
Her lips parted in shock. She wasn't used to this tone. He had always been gentle, soft, pliant. Now, there was nothing but contempt.
"When I had nothing, I gave you everything I could," he said. His eyes locked on hers, unblinking. "If you had stayed, you could've had anything. Now that I'm rich, you could've had the world. But you threw it away." His voice dropped, steel in every word. "Now you're my enemy, Rina. And I promise you —I'll make your life a living hell."
The air between them thickened, electric. Aoi shifted, uneasy. Maybe he sensed it— the change in the man he had once treated like dirt.
Before Rina could answer, a ripple of noise swept the lobby. Voices rose, echoing across marble. A crowd clustered near the entrance, phones lifted high, people straining for a glimpse.
Sasaki frowned, turning toward the commotion.
Through the sea of bodies, he caught flashes: sunlight on jewelry, flowing hair, a grace that drew eyes without effort. People were smiling, calling her name, their awe palpable.
Recognition struck him like a blow. He whispered her name before he could stop himself.
Her gaze lifted, scanning the crowd until it found him. The moment it did, her smile bloomed —bright, unrestrained. Without hesitation, she broke away, hurrying toward him.
"Sasaki-kun!"
Her voice rang clear across the marble, cutting through the tension he had left behind with Rina and Aoi.