Blood Ties Mean Nothing
The evening had grown late, well past dinner. Taira Yukiko stepped into the lavish social hall with measured grace. These high-society gatherings had never suited her tastes, so while Taira Saburo lived she had avoided them entirely. But after his death, her position within the family had weakened. Now she had no choice but to attend, even if it meant forcing herself. This particular banquet was one she could not skip—not if she wanted to protect both herself and her newly adopted son, Taira Ryuta.
Because she held the directorship of the Taira Group’s core Human Resources Development Center, Taira Ichiro, Taira Jiro, and Taira Kokoro had launched relentless attacks against her. Each of them wanted to install their own loyalists as director in her place.
Tonight’s event was hosted by the Hiramoto family, a cadet branch of the Taira. Though the main family was infamous for keeping its side branches powerless, a few of those branches still wielded modest influence inside the Taira Group. To check the three main heirs, even that limited power was worth borrowing.
The Hiramoto family was more than just a Taira offshoot. They were a political powerhouse in the southern Chiba city of Kamogawa, known for producing influential politicians.
Their banquet had drawn prominent politicians from both Chiba and Tokyo, high-ranking Taira Group executives, and local Chiba dignitaries. Notably absent were any representatives from the three main Taira heirs. Whether that was due to the direct-line family’s characteristic arrogance or because they were simply too busy, Yukiko didn’t know. Either way, it was a relief for her.
“Miss Taira Yukiko~! Welcome to the Hiramoto family banquet. Please enjoy yourself to the fullest…!”
Hiramoto Masajiro, the heir who had taken charge of organizing the event, seized Yukiko’s hand and shook it enthusiastically. The way his fingers stroked and caressed hers made her skin crawl, but she forced a polite smile and endured it.
Hiramoto Masajiro was a man in his fifties with slightly swarthy skin and a neatly trimmed mustache. His physique was impressive, though rumors claimed he had undergone extensive cybernetic modification. His father, Hiramoto Nobuhira, was still vigorously active as family head despite being eighty-eight years old, which meant Masajiro remained only the designated successor. Gossip said he was deeply dissatisfied with that arrangement.
Perhaps that was why, even at his age, scandal after scandal clung to him. Yukiko had not wanted to attend a party hosted by such a problematic man, but recent whispers claimed he had received a 0.5 percent stake in Taira Bio from his father. She had come to confirm whether that rumor was true. Taira Bio, along with Taira Robotics, was one of the two holding companies that controlled the Taira Group’s subsidiaries. To the three heirs fighting for succession, those shares were worth more than anyone could imagine.
The Hiramoto banquet was styled as a refined garden party. Guests mingled in a beautifully maintained Japanese garden, plucking drinks and appetizers from trays carried by servers. Yukiko accepted a wine glass from a passing tray and took a sip.
It’s sake…
She had assumed it was white wine. Instead they had poured Japanese sake into elegant wine glasses. Yukiko rarely drank and found the stronger liquor unpleasant. She frowned slightly, but the people around her seemed to enjoy it without complaint.
“Good evening. I’m Takagi Iwazo, president of Chiba First Precision. And who might this beautiful young lady be…?”
A sleazy-looking man in his early forties approached her. At events like this, men with hidden motives always swarmed her. Yukiko responded with cool detachment.
“I am Taira Yukiko, Director of the Taira Group Human Resources Development Center.”
“Ah… the Taira family’s beautiful widow…!”
The words had clearly slipped out before he could stop them. Yukiko fixed him with an icy stare, uttered a curt “Excuse me,” and walked away.
She had caught the naked lust flashing in Takagi Iwazo’s eyes the moment their gazes met. That was why she left so quickly. Ever since Saburo’s death, she had seen that look far too often. The eyes of men who knew she was a widow regarded her like hyenas circling fresh meat. Her stepson Taira Ryuta sometimes gazed at her with passionate intensity, yet strangely his eyes never disgusted her. Instead they made her feel needed, even desired. She didn’t understand why her reaction to him was so different.
Behind her, Takagi Iwazo’s apologetic voice called out, but Yukiko slipped between the guests and vanished from sight.
Rather than endure more of that unwanted attention, she decided to seek out Hiramoto Masajiro and finish her business quickly. He was surrounded by guests, laughing loudly as he drank. The alcohol had turned his skin an even deeper shade of red. It was not an attractive sight.
When Yukiko approached, Masajiro’s face lit up. He immediately introduced her to the crowd.
“Hahaha! The Taira family’s own daughter-in-law, Miss Taira Yukiko, has graced our humble gathering! What an honor!”
She had hoped to speak with him privately, but this made that impossible. Hiramoto Masajiro was using her as a living advertisement for his party. Look, even the main Taira family’s daughter-in-law came to my event! He was showing her off to everyone.
“I’d like to discuss a business matter with you in private.”
“Business? Of course~! Shall we step inside?”
Unable to bear the stares any longer, Yukiko had spoken up. Hiramoto Masajiro promptly escorted her into the house.
By tomorrow, rumors would spread like wildfire that Taira Yukiko had made some kind of proposal to Hiramoto Masajiro. Anyone with sharp instincts would realize she was after his stake in Taira Bio, one of the two companies that dominated the Taira Group.
“Miss Taira Yukiko, I believe I know why you asked to speak with me. It’s because of the 0.5 percent stake I hold in Taira Bio, isn’t it?”
“Yes. I’ll pay you one-and-a-half times the current market value. Sell it to me.”
“Hmm…!”
Hiramoto Masajiro narrowed his eyes and stroked his chin at Yukiko’s offer.
“I’m afraid that offer doesn’t particularly tempt me. Once the three Taira heirs begin their succession war in earnest, I expect those shares will easily reach ten times their current value. Of course, I doubt you could offer me that kind of price, Miss Taira Yukiko.”
By openly referencing the Taira succession struggle, he was refusing her. And he wasn’t wrong. If the battle for control grew fierce, the shares would almost certainly command far more than the 1.5 times she had proposed.
Yukiko let out a quiet sigh. Seeing that, Hiramoto Masajiro’s lips curled into a sleazy smile.
“Then how about this instead? I won’t sell the shares. Instead, I’ll become your friendly shareholder. I’ll keep ownership, but until the day I decide to sell at a high price, I’ll let you wield that 0.5 percent however you wish.”
“And the price?”
Yukiko did not accept immediately. Such a sweet-sounding offer always came with a steep cost. When she asked what he wanted, Hiramoto Masajiro’s smile turned downright vulgar. He suddenly grabbed her hand.
“Spend one night with me. Just one night alone together. If you give me that, you may use my 0.5 percent of Taira Bio shares however you like.”
Without another word, Yukiko yanked her hand free and rose from her seat. She glared down at him.
“I was going to refuse politely, but now you’ll regret making such a disgusting proposal.”
“Regret? You’re the one who’ll regret this. I was only trying to help a poor widow whose husband left her all alone… Don’t complain later if I sell these shares to Ichiro or Jiro instead. Widow.”
Convinced the chance to sleep with her had already slipped away, Hiramoto Masajiro spoke without restraint. Yukiko ignored him and walked out.
She left the Hiramoto residence, ignoring the guests in the garden who whispered behind their hands as she passed. In her haste she stumbled on the steps and nearly fell. Just as she was about to lose her balance, a thick, powerful arm suddenly caught her.
“Yukiko, are you all right? You said it might take a while, so I…”
It was Taira Ryuta. The moment Yukiko saw his face, tears welled up in her eyes before she could stop them.
If the banquet had been a pleasant one instead?
