The darkness within the Toyokawa family was nothing compared to the abyss of the Shinomiya household.
As the sole primary heir to the Toyokawa throne, Sakiko—or eventually, her husband—was destined to become the patriarch of the Toyokawa Group. Whether that leader would be a mere figurehead or a true ruler depended entirely on their individual strength.
Teiji Toyokawa had spent years paving the way for Sakiko's father. Sakiko herself had enjoyed a blissful childhood, unlike Karen or Kaguya, who were buried under endless private lessons and expectations with no room to breathe.
Kaguya had been suppressed into a cold, Mutsumi-like state, while Karen had been twisted into a masochist.
Compared to them, Sakiko had been blessed—allowed to pursue her passion for music and spend her holidays on the islands, where she met Hatsune and Uika.
But the price of that happiness was a total lack of the ruthlessness required to lead a global conglomerate, especially now while she was stuck in her rebellious phase.
Originally, this wouldn't have been a problem. Sakiko's father was supposed to succeed Teiji. He was young and had decades to learn the ropes and guide Sakiko.
But Sakiko's father was simply too kind.
Teiji Toyokawa was an adopted son-in-law. After his wife and daughter passed away, Sakiko was his only blood relative left. She was the person he loved most in the world.
The concerns Rin Ito raised were exactly what Teiji had been contemplating. However, the internal faction of blood-relatives was currently draining all his energy, leaving him with no time to tend to his granddaughter.
...It seemed Miss Okiura had sensed exactly where the weakness lay.
As the head of the Toyokawa Group, Teiji wasn't exactly friends with Karen's father, but they were seasoned acquaintances. Though they clashed in certain business sectors, they weren't blood enemies.
A hand reached out at this critical moment was clearly a signal of goodwill.
"Is this the will of Mr. Okiura, or his daughter?"
"It is Karen's wish," Rin answered firmly. Karen's father certainly knew who Rin was, but in his eyes, Rin was merely the boyfriend of his daughter's best friend.
Karen would never tell her father the true nature of their master-slave dynamic.
"It is a good thing for the younger generation to make more friends."
With that, Teiji Toyokawa stood up to leave, silently permitting Karen to approach Sakiko.
Teiji didn't know if Karen genuinely wanted a friendship or if she had a hidden agenda. Regardless, before any claws were bared, the Okiura Group was sending friendly signals to the Toyokawas.
That signal was enough. Even if they turned on each other later, he could use that alliance to silence the internal dissenters now. Once the internal coup was quelled, he could deal with Sakiko's future.
As he reached the door, he let out a heavy sigh as a grandfather... If only Sakiko were as capable as Karen Okiura.
"I'll leave Sakiko and Hatsune in your hands for a while."
Teiji had seen exactly how Sakiko had been living these past few months. He hadn't intervened because he wanted to "forge" her through hardship.
A naive "Ojou-sama" could never lead an empire.
But as a grandfather, it pained him to watch her suffer.
"Rest assured. Miss Karen and I will take excellent care of Miss Toyokawa."
Phew...
Rin Ito let out a long breath once Teiji had departed.
Though he had anticipated the outcome, he still felt a trace of tension and guilt... After all, he and Karen were targeting Teiji's daughter and granddaughter.
However, Karen truly didn't have any intention of "taking over" the Toyokawa Group.
If Sakiko and Karen were a man and a woman, they could bind their interests through a political marriage and an heir. But as two girls, they couldn't produce a child sharing both bloodlines.
But... while they couldn't share a child, they could both have children by the same man, creating a blood bond between the heirs.
Blood was secondary to profit, but blood made betrayal a much more difficult choice.
Combine blood relations with tied financial interests, and you have a solid foundation for a win-win alliance.
Rin pulled out his phone and messaged Karen about the meeting.
Rin: [By the way...]
Rin: [Your dad doesn't know about our real relationship, right?]
Karen: [He does.]
Rin: [????]
Rin stared at his screen in total shock, double-checking the text.
Rin: [He just knows we're 'friends', right?]
Karen: [In Papa's eyes, you are my 'fuck buddy'.]
...What the hell?
Rin's fingers froze over the keyboard.
Rin: [Does he know about you being my dog?]
Karen: [He doesn't know about that part.]
Rin let out a sigh of relief.
If word got out that he was training the Okiura heiress like a puppy, he didn't doubt for a second that he'd be fitted for a pair of cement shoes and dropped into Tokyo Bay.
Rin: [Your dad has no reaction to his high school daughter having a fuck buddy?]
Karen: [Initially, he said as long as I'm happy and don't catch any diseases, he doesn't care. If I get pregnant, we just get married.]
Rin: [....]
Rin: [Your dad is remarkably open-minded...]
As expected of the Underworld!
Karen: [Hehe, Papa loves me. He doesn't want to force me into a political marriage. He thinks it's better for me to find someone I like than to marry an equal and spend my life fighting them for power.]
Karen: [That was his initial thought.]
Karen: [Later, when he heard Kaguya's father handed her over to you, he was even more on board. He thinks you have the talent to assist me.]
Karen: [Then I told him you'd already 'conquered' the Fujiwara daughter, and he got even more curious... If I hadn't stopped him, he would have called you for an interview by now.]
Hiss...
Rin sucked in a breath of cold air.
He hadn't expected to keep it a secret forever, but to think Karen's father knew and approved... Beyond Karen's persuasion, the man clearly saw the value in allying with the political power of the Fujiwara family.
Karen: [Papa recently increased his financial support to the Fujiwara family.]
Karen: [The Fujiwaras are confused... hehe, Papa didn't tell them why.]
Chika's house didn't have many servants; as a political family, they kept a low profile. Unlike Karen's house, where the maids acted as her father's eyes. As for Rin frequently visiting Okiura hotels? Her father likely didn't sweat the small stuff.
Karen: [Papa actually wanted you to get the Fujiwara daughter pregnant as soon as possible.]
Karen: [Now he's got a Toyokawa daughter to add to the list.]
Rin: [If that actually happens, this 'Dark Hand' is going to be way darker than anything the Toyokawas have planned.]