Chapter 7
I went to Mom's apartment that evening.
She opened the door wearing her nursing scrubs.
She looked tired.
But when she saw my face, she immediately knew something was wrong.
"Aiko?"
I stepped inside.
"Mom, I need to ask you something."
She closed the door.
"Of course."
I showed her the messages.
She read them slowly.
Then her face changed.
For several seconds, she didn't speak.
Finally, she whispered, "I hoped this would stay in the past."
My heart dropped.
"What happened the night before Dad died?"
She sat down at the kitchen table.
I sat across from her.
For a long time, she stared at her hands.
Then she began.
"Your father received a visitor that night."
I swallowed.
"Who?"
"Kenji."
My breath stopped.
"Kenji came here?"
She nodded.
"He arrived after ten. Your father didn't want him inside, but Kenji insisted they needed to talk."
I stared at her.
"What did he want?"
Mom closed her eyes.
"He offered your father money."
I felt sick.
"How much?"
"Five hundred thousand dollars."
I stared in disbelief.
"For what?"
"To sign a statement admitting he had misunderstood the financial records and had made false accusations."
I gripped the edge of the table.
Dad had lost his job.
His reputation.
His peace.
And Kenji had tried to pay him to take responsibility for something he hadn't done.
"What did Dad say?"
Mom's eyes filled.
"He refused."
I nodded slowly.
Of course he did.
That was the father I remembered.
Mom continued.
"Kenji became angry. He said your father was destroying his family over pride."
My stomach tightened.
"He threatened you?"
"He said powerful people could make life difficult for ordinary families."
I stared at her.
"Did he threaten me?"
Mom hesitated.
Then she nodded.
"He mentioned your school."
My blood ran cold.
"He knew where I went?"
"Yes."
I stood.
For a moment, I couldn't breathe.
Kenji had been watching us.
Even then.
Mom reached for my hand.
"Your father told him to leave."
I sat down again.
"What happened after?"
"Your father was upset. He couldn't sleep."
She swallowed.
"The next morning, he said he wanted to meet an attorney and submit everything he had preserved."
My heart pounded.
"Did he?"
"No."
Her voice broke.
"He collapsed before he could leave."
I stared at her.
"He had a heart attack?"
She nodded.
"The doctors said he had an underlying heart condition. The stress may have contributed, but they couldn't identify one single cause."
I looked down.
For years, I had wondered whether Kenji had somehow caused Dad's death.
Now I understood something more complicated.
The medical cause was a heart attack.
But Kenji's intimidation had added pressure to a man already carrying unbearable stress.
I couldn't claim Kenji had physically caused his death.
The evidence didn't support that.
But I could hold him responsible for his own threats and deception.
Mom began crying.
"I blamed myself."
I looked up.
"Why?"
"Because I begged your father to stop fighting."
My chest tightened.
She continued.
"I was frightened. We had no money. You were fourteen. I thought if he accepted the settlement, we could start over."
I reached for her hand.
"Mom."
She shook her head.
"He told me he couldn't teach you honesty and then sign a lie."
Tears filled my eyes.
That sounded exactly like Dad.
Mom covered her face.
"I wish I had supported him more."
I moved beside her.
"You supported him every day."
She shook her head.
"I was afraid."
"So was he."
I hugged her.
For the first time, I understood the guilt she had carried.
She had spent fifteen years wondering whether different words might have saved him.
But neither of us could rewrite that night.
We could only tell the truth about what happened.
The next morning, Rachel arranged for Mom to give a formal statement about Kenji's visit.
Mom agreed.
She provided the date, the approximate time, and the details she remembered.
She also found something important.
An old appointment card from the attorney Dad planned to meet the following morning.
On the back, Dad had written a note.
Kenji offered settlement. Refused. Submit evidence tomorrow.
I stared at the handwriting.
For years, Dad's story had existed mostly in my memories.
Now it was becoming part of an official record.
The investigation continued.
Financial regulators reviewed documents connected to the historical transfers and the proposed American partnership.
The authorities examined whether company representatives had made false statements or concealed material information.
Kenji's attorneys denied wrongdoing.
They claimed the financial documents were being misinterpreted.
They argued that my father's old allegations were irrelevant.
But more evidence emerged.
A former employee provided records supporting concerns about transfers between related companies.
Richard's firm submitted information obtained during due diligence.
Masato gave investigators his documents and a detailed account of the pressure he had faced.
And my father's files helped connect the older concerns to the newer business structure.
For the first time, Kenji's power seemed less absolute.
Then Olivia called.
"Aiko, are you sitting down?"
I looked at my phone.
"What happened?"
"The restaurant's legal review is complete."
My stomach tightened.
"Am I fired?"
"No."
I stopped breathing.
Olivia continued.
"You're being reinstated. The owners reviewed the employment issues separately from the ongoing investigation."
I closed my eyes.
Relief washed through me.
"You still have a job," she said gently.
I began crying.
Olivia paused.
"And there's something else."
I wiped my cheeks.
"What?"
"The owners want to offer you a position in guest relations and international hospitality."
I stared at the phone.
"What?"
"They know you speak Japanese fluently. They know you have experience dealing with international guests. And they believe you deserve an opportunity beyond table service."
I couldn't speak.
For years, I had worked long shifts while completing courses in business administration.
I had dreamed of moving into management.
But I never imagined it would happen like this.
Olivia laughed softly.
"Take your time deciding."
I smiled through tears.
"Thank you."
After the call, I sat quietly.
Then I looked at Dad's photograph on my desk.
He had taught me languages.
He had taught me numbers.
He had taught me that ordinary people deserved respect.
Now those lessons were opening a door.
That evening, I received another message.
This time, it came from Richard Collins.
He asked whether I could meet with him and his legal team.
I called Rachel.
She agreed to attend.
At the meeting, Richard placed a document on the table.
It was an internal memorandum recovered during the independent audit.
Several pages referred to efforts to discredit my father.
One paragraph described him as a potential threat to the company's investment strategy.
I stared at the words.
Then Richard pointed to the final page.
At the bottom was an approval signature.
Kenji Takahashi.
My hands trembled.
May you like
For fifteen years, Kenji had denied responsibility for what happened to Dad.
Now I was looking at a document connecting him directly to the campaign against my father's reputation.
