The Former Furukawa Gardens was a beautiful park-like setting, with a European-style mansion located at the northern end.
The mansion had three floors, surrounded by typical European fences and walls, protecting this piece of artistic architecture.
Toru parked his car nearby. As soon as he got out, a Land Rover parked not far from the mansion wall honked its horn.
Stepping out of the Land Rover's driver's seat was a mature woman in a business suit. She wore a short, hip-hugging skirt with sheer stockings underneath, looking sharp and capable.
Her beautiful brown hair was pinned up, and glasses sat on the bridge of her nose, exuding an intellectual air. This was none other than Ms. Kisaki, the top lawyer and head of Kisaki Law Office, known as the "Queen of the Courtroom."
Seeing Eri, Toru quickly walked over and gave her a big hug.
Her mature and refined expression revealed a hint of awkwardness in response to Toru's enthusiastic greeting.
Toru could feel the soft waves pressing against his chest. He released her and smiled. "Ms. Kisaki, why didn't you go inside? Why wait for me out here?"
Eri adjusted her glasses with a professional smile. "Once the documents are signed, this place will belong to Mr. Fujiwara."
"You're the owner now. As a guest, how could I enter when the owner isn't home?"
As she spoke, she handed him a set of keys.
Toru smiled, then opened the tall iron gate leading into the garden and gestured for Eri to enter. Both of them parked their cars in the courtyard.
Many roses were planted throughout the Former Furukawa Gardens. In the past, it was a famous spot for viewing roses in both spring and autumn.
It was currently spring. Though the roses hadn't fully bloomed yet, the courtyard was already filled with a variety of beautiful roses, each vying for attention.
As they walked toward the main entrance of the mansion, Toru asked, "Have all the matters been thoroughly investigated?"
Eri's expression turned serious. Once in work mode, she was confident and composed. "It's been thoroughly investigated, Mr. Fujiwara."
A lawyer of her caliber wouldn't usually be involved in property transactions and contract signings. It would be a waste of her talent.
But this mansion was different. The situation behind it was complicated, and an average lawyer wouldn't have been able to handle it. Along with the generous commission, Eri accepted the job.
"Tell me, why would the Toyokawa Family, sell this mansion? You don't come across places like this in Tokyo often, especially ones with attached gardens."
"Most mansions of this scale have already been taken over by the government and turned into museums or tourist attractions. Privately owned ones are extremely rare."
"And the Toyokawa Group isn't bankrupt, so it shouldn't be because of financial pressure. The value of this place is higher as a collector's item than its sale price."
Once inside, they were greeted by a beautiful hall furnished with various pieces of high-end furniture, all left by the previous owner.
Toru and Eri each sat on a sofa. He asked several questions at once.
Eri carefully chose her words. "The Toyokawa Group wasn't originally planning to sell this mansion, but the deed is no longer in their hands."
"Oh? I'm listening."
Toru had commissioned Eri for this very reason. The sale of this mansion had always seemed suspicious. He was too lazy to mobilize the CIA and also used this as a reason to get closer to Eri, so he entrusted the job to her.
"The current chairman of the Toyokawa Group, who's also the head of the Toyokawa Family, had his eldest daughter marry one of the company's employees, Tsuchiya Junichi."
"Over nearly twenty years, this son-in-law, Tsuchiya Junichi, later renamed Toyokawa Shun'ichi, performed well. He was entrusted with managing one of the group's subsidiary companies, and this mansion served as their marital home."
"But just last year, Toyokawa Shun'ichi's investment failed, and that subsidiary went bankrupt. He was also kicked out of the Toyokawa Family."
Eri leaned back into the sofa, hands resting lightly on her thighs, speaking clearly and logically.
"Kicked out just because of a failed investment? He worked for the family for twenty years. That's pretty ruthless. Investments always come with risk, wins and losses."
Toru cut straight to the point.
A major family like the Toyokawas wouldn't exile someone over a single failed investment.
Such cold-blooded behavior would only dishearten loyal subordinates. No one would be willing to stick around after that.
Eri gave an approving smile. "Exactly. If it were only an investment failure, he wouldn't have been treated so harshly."
"The real issue is that he became addicted to gambling. He gambled heavily in Macau, Monaco, and Las Vegas, losing everything."
Toru nodded. "If it's gambling, that explains it. Gamblers deserve what they get."
Once someone falls into gambling, don't believe a single word out of their mouth. Especially if they ask to borrow money. Block them immediately.
That kind of thing really can destroy a family.
"This mansion was never in Toyokawa Shun'ichi's name. He used some underhanded methods to trick the Toyokawa Family's head into transferring the deed to him."
"Because of his long years of service and the trust he'd built, he managed to pull it off."
"Afterward, he used this mansion as collateral to get cash, hoping to win it back at the tables. Predictably, he lost everything."
"Once the gambling was exposed, the Toyokawa Family kicked him out and cut ties. His wife also divorced him."
As Eri spoke, her brows furrowed slightly, clearly disgusted by such behavior.
"He really deserved it."
Toru said.
"He really did."
Eri agreed without hesitation.
(To be continued.)
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