At seven o’clock in the evening, night had already fallen over Tokyo, leaving just a faint touch of cobalt blue on the horizon.
In the corridor of the old apartment building, the voice-activated lights flickered on one after another with the sound of footsteps, casting a hazy, cool yellow glow.
Even after another busy and exhausting day, Aina Saiten, dressed in a suit and carrying a briefcase, couldn’t suppress the relaxed, genuine smile blooming across her face as she stood before her familiar deep-brown security door.
It was as if that smile had swept away some of the day’s fatigue.
Her mood was so bright all because of the phone call she had received during the day.
It happened during a short break at work that afternoon, when her phone screen lit up with an incoming call from “Chinatsu Ayase.”
On the other end, the mysterious Toh-Dai junior she’d met at the interview spoke in a sweet, sure voice, officially informing her that she’d been accepted by the Quansheng Group to serve as Deputy Chief Accountant.
After hanging up, Aina Saiten stood stunned in the stairwell at her office for quite some time, needing a moment to digest the overwhelming surprise, her heart beating wildly with excitement.
For her, this was nothing short of wonderful news—like a sudden beam of sunlight piercing a gloomy sky.
The Deputy Chief Accountant position at Quansheng not only offered nearly triple her current salary, completely easing her financial strain,
But it also meant a leap forward in her career, placing her in the ranks of middle management at a well-known large enterprise, with far greater opportunities and a broader future than ever before.
For Aina Saiten—who, month after month, had to scrimp and save to pay the mortgage and support their cozy little home—this job was truly a blessing, precious and timely.
She couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: Even a single penny can defeat a heroine.
Those worries that had left her anxious and powerless to change—her income plateau, career stagnation, and uncertainty about the future—
Had all suddenly been resolved by this single job offer. The dawn of hope felt so real as it poured into her life.
Because of all this, even after a long workday, she’d returned home in such high spirits, almost skipping with excitement, eager to share this life-changing news with her dearest boyfriend, Kaoru Hoshitani.
Standing at the door, she took a deep breath, as if to calm her overflowing excitement, then pulled out her keys from her bag.
The cool metal key slid into the lock with a faint scraping sound. She twisted her wrist—“clack, clack”—and the lock clicked open.
She pushed open the door, and the familiar, reassuring warmth of home enveloped her.
The motion-sensing nightlight at the entryway switched on automatically, casting a cozy orange glow.
The main warm-light in the living room was already on, its gentle illumination filling the small space and dispelling the cold and darkness from outside the door.
The air was thick with mouthwatering aromas—rich soy-braised dishes, the savory freshness of miso soup, and the toasty scent unique to grilled fish.
On the small table that doubled as their dining table, covered with a checkered cloth, several dishes were neatly arranged: soft yellow tamagoyaki, crisp green blanched spinach, saucy simmered eel, and a small pot of steaming tofu miso soup.
Everything looked just as it always did when she returned from work—warm, orderly, filled with the taste of “home.”
“Welcome back…”
Hearing the door open, Kaoru Hoshitani appeared at the kitchen doorway.
He wore an apron printed with a little bear around his waist, still holding a dish towel.
He lifted his face, forcing a smile for his girlfriend, but the smile seemed a bit strained—the curve of his lips was stiff, and the warmth and radiance that usually filled his eyes when he greeted her was missing, replaced instead by a faint, lingering haze that would not dissipate.
But Aina Saiten’s attention was first drawn to the clothes Kaoru Hoshitani was wearing.
She tilted her head, surprised, and gave him a quick once-over, her tone light and cheerful:
“Huh? Kaoru, these clothes… I haven’t seen you wear them in so long!”
Her gaze was filled with admiration,
“You look really good in them—so fresh and tidy, very stylish. Why haven’t I seen you wear this before? I remember we bought it last summer when we went shopping together, right?”
As she spoke, the color seemed to drain from Kaoru Hoshitani’s face, his already forced smile growing even paler.
He glanced down at his clothes instinctively, his fingers unconsciously tightening around the dish towel in his hand.
This was indeed one of his favorite and most comfortable outfits.
After Rika Kawasaki had brought it back today, pressed for time to prepare dinner, he’d quickly washed his face and grabbed this set from the wardrobe without thinking too much about it.
Now, with his girlfriend suddenly asking, he was jolted by the realization that he’d chosen his “best” clothes today, possibly because… because when he went out with that woman during the day, some part of him subconsciously wanted to maintain a shred of pitiful dignity—or maybe it was just a sad, habitual attempt to please.
Of course, he couldn’t tell Aina the truth.
Should he say, “I wore my best clothes today because I was taken out on a date by another woman”? The very thought made his stomach twist.
“Ah… I just… grabbed something random…”
He muttered vaguely, his voice tight, and hurried to change the subject,
“Dinner’s ready, Aina. Go wash up and eat, or it’ll get cold.”
Aina Saiten didn’t get a clear or reasonable answer from her boyfriend, but she was too consumed by the joy she was about to share to dwell on his slight awkwardness.
She responded with a cheerful “Mm,” set down her briefcase, took off her jacket, and walked briskly to the kitchen to wash her hands.
Then, skillfully, she scooped out two bowls of glossy white rice and brought them to the table.
She sat across from Kaoru Hoshitani, pressed her hands together, and softly said, “Let’s eat,” but didn’t immediately pick up her chopsticks.
Instead, she lifted her face, her eyes bright with joy, staring at her boyfriend across the table, her expression shining with barely contained excitement.
“Kaoru!”
Her voice was bright, with a lively lilt.
“I have some amazing news to tell you!”
“Good… news…”
Kaoru Hoshitani was absentmindedly poking at the rice in his bowl with his chopsticks. He looked up when he heard her, repeating the words, but his gaze was unfocused.
He was already guessing in his heart.
In truth, the answer was obvious—
Recently, the only thing that could make Aina this excited, something she’d call “amazing news,” could only be one thing: The new company where she’d sent her resume and carefully prepared for interviews had finally given her a result.
And most likely, she’d been accepted.
If it had been just a day ago, or even yesterday, upon hearing such news, Kaoru Hoshitani might have instantly put down his chopsticks, jumped up with joy, rushed over to hug his girlfriend tightly, showering her with kisses, and begun dreaming with her of a brighter future.
But now…
Now, after just learning that his girlfriend’s dream job—the one she’d worked so hard to land at the Quansheng Group—turned out to be owned by the family of that nightmarish, coercive, and terrifying woman, Rika Kawasaki, how could he possibly feel happy?
This news didn’t bring any joy. Instead, it felt like a heavy boulder pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe, a coldness settling in his chest.
At this point, Kaoru Hoshitani still wasn’t sure if Rika Kawasaki knew Aina Saiten was applying to Quansheng, or that she’d already been hired.
But based on what he knew of that woman’s awful character and his own low opinion of her, he had no doubt.
Once Rika Kawasaki found out, she would absolutely use this as a means to threaten and control him.
Work was so important to Aina, who supported their family with such effort!
It would become the sharpest blade hovering over his head, leaving him without even the slightest room for resistance.
[Should I… should I tell Aina not to take that job right now?]
A powerful thought struggled to the surface in Kaoru Hoshitani’s chaotic mind.
He fell into deep confusion and conflict.
His body had already been violated and defiled, but at least… at least he hadn’t yet been forced past his final limit by that woman.
There still seemed to be a way out, a chance to bury this nightmare for good.
If he could just resist a little longer, get through tomorrow, then convince Aina, the two of them could move out and disappear into the crowd of nearly ten million in Tokyo.
Even with all her influence, that blonde woman would have a hard time ever finding them again.
However, if Aina took a job with that woman’s family’s company…
It would be like handing his greatest weakness right into her hands.
Their twisted, dangerous relationship would never be cut off—on the contrary, it could be used to force him even deeper into the abyss.
Kaoru Hoshitani dared not think further, feeling a cold chill creep up his spine, spreading through every limb.
“Aina…”
At last, he couldn’t help but open his mouth, his voice dry, making one last, weak attempt,
“Don’t you think… your current job is pretty good? At a top financial company… I think our life now… is already enough, really…”
His words were weak, more like a lost plea.
Aina Saiten paused, then understood.
She thought Kaoru was feeling uneasy about her sudden career change, worried about future uncertainty.
So she slowed her tone, explaining patiently,
“Kaoru, although my current company is a top name in the industry, everyone there is incredibly skilled and the competition is fierce. I’ve been here for years, and I feel like I’ve hit the ceiling—there’s barely any room to move up, and the work is repetitive.”
She looked at him steadily.
“That’s why the opportunity at Quansheng is so important to me. It’s not just about the higher salary—it’s a real chance to grow and show what I can do. Do you understand?”
“Rea…lly important…”
Kaoru Hoshitani unconsciously echoed her words, every syllable like a hammer pounding on his strained nerves.
His smile became more forced, almost bleak, the curve of his lips looking pitiful.
“That’s right!”
Aina Saiten didn’t notice the struggle on his face. Her mind was already filled with bright plans for the future, and she went on with enthusiasm,
“I’ll hand in my resignation first thing tomorrow morning. Once I’ve finished my handover, in just a few days I can officially start at Quansheng!”
The more she spoke, the more excited she became, her eyes sparkling,
“Once I’m settled into my new position, in a year or two we’ll definitely save up even more! Then, we can move to a bigger, more comfortable apartment—one with a sunny balcony, so you can grow your favorite flowers! Oh, and—”
Suddenly remembering something, she made a muscle-flexing gesture, though her slender arm only showed a faint line of muscle.
“Starting tomorrow, I’m going to stick with working out! With a better financial situation, I want to get stronger too!”
If it were any other time, hearing his girlfriend lay out such detailed and hopeful plans for their future, Kaoru Hoshitani’s clear, gentle eyes would have sparkled like they’d caught the stars—he’d nod hard, agree earnestly, and start picturing all the lovely details himself.
But right now, sitting under the warm light, facing his girlfriend’s radiant face, there was only endless, inky sorrow and despair in the depths of Kaoru Hoshitani’s beautiful eyes.
That light was gone, leaving nothing but cold ashes.
His thoughts drifted to tomorrow—the final day of his devil’s pact with Rika Kawasaki.
She had said, if he could just make it through this week without begging her, she would let him go.
It was the only fragile straw he could cling to in the darkness.
He kept telling himself, if he could just last until tomorrow, maybe things would return to normal, maybe this nightmare would end.
But deep down, a cold voice asked sharply:
How can you be sure that shameless, untrustworthy woman will actually keep her word?
Kaoru Hoshitani could only give a bitter smile in his heart. Yes, if she didn’t, what could he do? What leverage did he have to fight back?
Other than despair and endurance, he had no choice.
His tangled, painful thoughts finally condensed into a frail, twisted wish.
Looking at his girlfriend, her cheeks still flushed from dinner, a thought quietly bloomed:
[As long as… as long as I can find comfort with Aina tonight… maybe tomorrow I’ll have more strength and determination to go on?]
The thought carried the self-soothing of self-deception, and a desperate longing for real warmth.
He lifted his eyelids and looked at Aina Saiten, his voice softer than usual, with a faint, unnoticeable tremble and plea as he whispered:
“Aina… shall we… take a bath together…?”