A Victory Without Celebration
The engagement party had ended, but the battle was far from over.
Tokyo's elite had left the Imperial Grand Hotel, whispering about the man who had outplayed Daichi Tachibana in his own game. Ryo Kazuki's name would now be spoken in high circles with both respect and fear.
But not everyone was celebrating.
Inside the black limousine, Ayaka sat stiffly, staring out of the tinted window as the city lights blurred past. She hadn't spoken since they left the ballroom.
Ryo, seated beside her, stole a glance in her direction. He wasn't a man who second-guessed his actions, but something about her silence felt heavier than expected.
"You're quiet," he finally said, breaking the stillness.
Ayaka inhaled deeply before turning to him. Her gaze was sharp. Too sharp.
"That was reckless, Ryo," she said, voice measured but laced with frustration. "You could have lost everything."
Ryo smirked slightly. "But I didn't."
"That's not the point." Ayaka folded her arms. "My father isn't someone you can just… win against in one game and expect things to be over. He's testing you. This was just the beginning."
Ryo's smirk faded. He knew she was right. Daichi wasn't a man who let things slip from his control so easily.
But that wasn't what was really bothering Ayaka.
It was fear.
Not fear of her father. Not fear of the consequences.
Fear of losing Ryo.
Because despite everything, despite her attempts to guard her heart, she had started to fall for him.
And that terrified her.
Ryo sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Ayaka." His voice was lower now, softer. "Did you really think I'd let myself lose?"
She turned away again. "Even geniuses make mistakes."
He reached out, gently taking her hand in his. For the first time that night, she looked startled.
"Ayaka," he murmured, his thumb brushing lightly over her skin. "Trust me."
She met his gaze. And in that moment, she saw something in his eyes that made her breath hitch.
He wasn't just confident. He wasn't just playing a game.
He was serious. About her. About them.
Ayaka swallowed. This man was dangerous in more ways than one.
---
A Shadow Lurking in the Dark
Meanwhile, in a secluded office within the Tachibana estate, Daichi sat in silence.
A single chessboard was laid out before him, pieces arranged in the middle of an unfinished game.
Across from him sat a man in a charcoal suit, his presence eerily calm.
Kaito Arata.
A longtime ally of the Tachibana family. A man with his hands in both legal business and the underworld.
He studied the chessboard before speaking. "Ryo Kazuki… he's sharper than I expected."
Daichi didn't look up. "Too sharp."
Kaito smirked, swirling the whiskey in his glass. "And what will you do about him?"
Daichi's fingers tapped lightly against the table. "For now… nothing."
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Nothing?"
Daichi finally looked up, a shadow of amusement in his gaze. But there was something colder underneath.
"Nothing… but watch."
Because every man had a weakness.
And Daichi would find Ryo's.
---
Morning in the Kazuki Penthouse
The next morning, Ayaka woke to the soft glow of sunlight streaming through the enormous glass windows of Ryo's penthouse.
For a moment, she forgot where she was.
Then the memories rushed back.
The engagement party. The game. The limo ride.
And…
She turned, only to find that Ryo was already awake, standing near the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the city skyline.
Dressed in nothing but black sweatpants, he looked completely at ease—but Ayaka knew better.
She could see the tension in his shoulders, the slight furrow in his brows.
He was thinking. Calculating.
"Couldn't sleep?" she asked, pulling the blanket around herself as she sat up.
Ryo glanced at her before smirking slightly. "Too much on my mind."
Ayaka hesitated before speaking. "Do you regret it?"
He turned fully to face her. "Regret what?"
"Winning," she said quietly. "Winning against my father. Winning me."
Ryo stared at her for a long moment before walking over to the bed. He didn't sit. Instead, he leaned down, placing one hand on the mattress and the other on her chin, tilting her face up.
His voice was low. Dangerous.
"Ayaka," he murmured, his breath brushing against her lips, "I don't regret anything."
Her heart pounded.
"Then what's on your mind?" she whispered.
His expression darkened slightly. "Your father won't stop here. I need to be ready."
Ayaka frowned. "You don't have to handle this alone."
Ryo's eyes flickered with something unreadable. A ghost of a past he hadn't yet told her about.
"I do," he said simply.
She wanted to argue. But she also knew he wouldn't listen.
Instead, she reached out, placing a hand over his. "Then at least let me stand beside you."
For a second, Ryo looked caught off guard.
Then, he smiled.
Not his usual smirk. Not the playful arrogance.
A real, small smile.
"You already do," he said.
And that terrified her more than anything.
Because if she was already standing beside him…
Then there was no turning back.
---
Elsewhere… A New Threat
Meanwhile, deep within an underground bar on the outskirts of Tokyo, a phone rang.
A man in a sleek gray suit answered, his expression unreadable.
"Yes?"
A deep voice spoke on the other end.
"It's time. Move forward with the plan."
The man smiled, tapping the table lightly.
"Understood, Daichi-sama."
As the call ended, the man turned to his subordinates.
"Find out everything about Ryo Kazuki." His voice was cold. Calculated. "And… find his weakness."
A cruel
smirk spread across his lips.
Every man had one.
And when they found it…
They would break him.
---
End of Chapter 10