I sat back in my chair, crossing my arms, and watched quietly as the family began to tear each other apart.
"What exactly are you implying, Uncle Jouji?" Akie frowned, her voice sharp.
"Come on, Akie. You and Tatsuo are bleeding money, aren't you?" Jouji shot back, his tone biting. "Neither of you has a job, neither of you has an income, yet you're always out partying at high-end clubs. Don't tell me you weren't waiting for Father's inheritance. If he died, you stood to inherit a massive fortune."
Akie opened her mouth to retort, but found no words. It was the truth.
"Now, Uncle Jouji, you can't just throw accusations around like that," Tatsuo interjected, a slimy smile playing on his lips. "Sure, our motivation might be money. But honestly, we could have just begged Grandfather for cash and maybe turned things around. But for some people in this room... the motive isn't as simple as just greed."
Tatsuo cast a meaningful, sideways glance at Mariko.
"Why are you looking at me?" Mariko snapped, her eyes bulging with anger. "Are you suggesting I killed my own father?"
"I didn't say it was you. Don't be so nervous." Tatsuo's eyes glinted with malice.
"Hmph. Then stop staring at us."
"Aunt Mariko, stop acting," Akie cut in, seeing an opening. "You've been vehemently opposed to Uncle Kitaro leaving the company, haven't you? Maybe Grandfather finally agreed to let him go, and you were terrified of losing your share of the assets. So, you killed him. That motive holds water."
"You're talking nonsense!" Mariko shrieked, looking like she was about to lunge across the table. "Do you think I'd kill Father for such a childish reason? Do you think I'm an idiot?"
"If not you, then maybe Uncle Kitaro did it," Akie continued relentlessly, turning her cold gaze on the timid man. "Father never agreed to let you leave the company. Maybe you killed him to finally get your freedom."
"Akie, stop biting everyone like a rabid dog!" Mariko sneered. "Everyone here is a suspect. Don't act like you're so high and mighty."
"Oh, I'm not afraid," Akie said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Because I didn't kill Grandfather."
"Who knows? Maybe you—"
"Enough! Have you all said enough?!"
Natsue's voice pierced through the room. She stood up, trembling. "Grandfather just died! He's barely cold, and you're already fighting over the inheritance? Is this how you honor him? Is the money the only thing you care about?"
Her sorrowful, sharp cry echoed in the dining hall.
Sonoko walked over to me and buried her face in my chest. "Heiji... hold me."
The Hatamoto family's behavior chilled her to the bone. She couldn't believe human nature could be this ugly.
I wrapped my arms tightly around her, resting my chin on her head. Human nature? I've seen far uglier things than this. The Hatamoto family is just amateur hour.
The room fell silent for a moment.
"Natsue," Akie broke the silence, her face twisting into a sneer. "Don't think that just because Grandfather spoiled you, you can lord it over us forever. I'm telling you now: with the old man dead, you're just an eyesore to me. Don't cross me."
"Akie...?" Natsue looked at her cousin in shock. "Is that how you really feel?"
"That's right. So do me a favor and keep that face out of my sight. It makes me sick."
Natsue swayed, looking like she might faint. Today had been a relentless assault of tragedy, each blow harder than the last.
At that moment, Kenji the butler stepped forward.
"Actually... the Master had already engaged a lawyer to draw up a will."
The butler's words were like a boulder dropped into a turbulent lake, sending massive waves crashing through the family's minds.
They suddenly had a very strong premonition.
A very bad premonition.
Every gaze locked onto Kenji.
"The Master's will states that if any misfortune were to befall him, the company and all assets are to be left entirely to Miss Natsue."
"Impossible!"
"I don't believe it!"
As soon as the words left Kenji's mouth, two pig-like squeals of horror rang out.
Akie and Mariko's faces were completely twisted.
"You're lying! You must be lying!" Mariko roared. "How could Father make a will without us knowing?!"
"Grandfather would never write a will like that! Did you conspire with Natsue to forge it?!" Akie screamed, looking feral.
"Mrs. Mariko, Miss Akie," Kenji replied calmly. "When the ship docks, a lawyer will come to verify my words. The Chairman was clear: once the company is handed to Miss Natsue, she may do with it whatever she pleases."
Mariko and Akie collapsed into their chairs, their eyes hollow and dead.
"Damn it! So you're saying I don't get a single yen?"
Crash!
Tatsuo smashed his wine glass onto the floor, sending shards flying.
"Hey, watch it," Akie said coldly.
"Don't you give me that attitude!" Tatsuo turned on her, his face red. "If I can't get the inheritance, what use do I have for a slutty shrew like you?"
"What did you say?!" Akie screeched.
"I'm done wasting breath on you. Looks like I'll have to make money my own way." A sinister glint flashed in Tatsuo's eyes. "Lucky for me, I know a secret. A secret worth a lot of money."
"Ahem. Are you all done arguing?"
I spoke up, my voice cutting through the noise. If I let them continue, we'd be here until sunrise.
Hearing my voice, they seemed to remember there were two outsiders present. They frowned, looking annoyed.
"If you're done, I have something to say." I swept my gaze over them. "Earlier, I said Chairman Hatamoto appeared to be killed by a single fatal stab wound. However, during my examination, I discovered a second cause of death."
A second cause of death?
Everyone froze, their attention snapping back to me.
"When I found the Chairman, his lips were cyanotic—purple and blue. His face was discolored, pupils dilated and dull. These are the classic signs of asphyxiation."
"Asphyxiation?" Jouji frowned. "But there were no ligature marks on Father's neck."
I smirked humorlessly. "There are many ways to suffocate a person. For example... if you bind their hands and feet, cover their face with a paper towel or cloth, and then pour water over it... that is more than enough to suffocate them."
My words exploded in their minds like a bomb. To be suffocated alive in such a manner...
"Cruel, isn't it?" I continued, my voice flat and clinical, contrasting with the horror of the details. "In fact, the Chairman's fingernails were packed with fibers from the sofa. His veins were bulging, his legs were stretched straight in a spasm, and his collar was completely soaked. All of this indicates he was restrained, covered with a cloth, and slowly suffocated."
"Mr. Heiji..." Natsue's face was paper-white. "Who could be so cruel? To make Grandfather die in such pain..."
The others looked equally pale. The thought of such a death made them shudder.