Chapter 577: Ren: Mrs. Sakurajima-san, How Much for Your Daughter? I'll Buy Her!
"Click!" The door opened. A young and beautiful woman with long, wavy black hair walked out. Her initially puzzled expression turned sharp after seeing Sakurajima Mai. "Where have you been? Why haven't you continued your work?" she immediately started with an accusation, with no sign of concern.
"…" Sakurajima Mai remained silent. The words she wanted to say were stuck in her throat. Her mother had completely forgotten that she, along with everyone else, had forgotten Mai's existence.
"And who are you?" her mother's gaze fell on Ren.
He spread his hands. "I am Mai-san's…"
Before he could finish, Mai suddenly interjected. "He is my boyfriend, Ren-kun." She said this to gain an opportunity for equal communication, rather than her mother simply ordering her around like a tool.
"?" A question mark appeared on Ren's forehead, but he very 'cooperatively' put his arm around her waist. "Hello, Oba-san. I'm Mai's boyfriend, Ren. I'm here today to ask for your blessing," he said casually, as Mai looked on in shock.
"Bless… your… relationship?" Mrs. Sakurajima was caught off guard. She was about to scold Mai for getting into a relationship so casually, but then Ren nodded emphatically. "No, not just a relationship. I'm also going to propose."
"Huh?!!!" Both women let out cries of confusion.
They went into a room to talk. Ren sat there nonchalantly drinking tea. Mrs. Sakurajima and Mai faced each other, the atmosphere heavy.
After a long silence, Mrs. Sakurajima was about to ask about their situation, but Mai spoke first. "Mom, please don't control me anymore. Even as an actress, I only want to be the person I want to be." She was taking this opportunity to express her true feelings.
At this, her mother understood her intention. Her expression turned cold. "Mai, do you know what you're saying?"
"I know. I just want to tell you my thoughts," she said, her voice unwavering. Ren had gone this far for her; she couldn't keep running. "I hate feeling controlled by you. Do you remember that time? When I was 13, you accepted a swimsuit photoshoot without my knowledge. Even though I resisted and ran away, I realized that you had changed. In your eyes, there was only money. I was no longer just your daughter; I was a tool to make money."
The more she spoke, the heavier her voice became. "I hate this kind of life! I hate you like this! So I ran away from the entertainment industry, and wished you would forget me forever!" Under her agitated emotions, her ability nearly activated.
Ren lightly patted her shoulder. "Don't get agitated, Mai. I'm here."
"!!!" She snapped back to reality. If it weren't for him, she would have messed things up.
Mrs. Sakurajima also shook her head from a momentary daze. Even after hearing so much, her only emotion was uncontrollable rage. She slammed her hands on the table. "Do you know what you're saying?! Everything you have—your celebrity status, your money—is because I was your manager! Without me, you'd have nothing! I made you! If you want to escape, then come up with ten times your value in money!"
It was a trap. She was certain Mai couldn't produce that much money.
"…" Mai's body trembled. More than the trap, it was the pain. She had held a last shred of hope that her mother could still be her mother. But at this moment, she had completely seen through it. "Sure enough, it's better to just disappear…"
Her emotions sank to rock bottom, and her ability began to run wild again.
"Tsk, I told you I'm here. Won't you ask me for help?" Ren clicked his tongue, snapped his fingers, and dispelled her ability's influence. Then he brazenly told her mother, "Mother-in-law, I'm buying Mai's future. What's ten times the price? Just tell me."
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