I raise an eyebrow. Zaibatsu are powerful conglomerate families in Japan, and I met a couple of people from one once when they came to Nesovia to negotiate a shipping contract with Grandpa. Based on how sweet and unassuming Akiko is, Ithought she was an ordinary Japanese woman who happened to fall in love with Prescott.
“Why does she need to defect or go anywhere, including Japan? She’s married to Ares now.” Josh shrugs. “So just say bye-bye to Nesovia.”
“The point isn’t the backwardness of the country, although it’s an important part of the discussion. But what I want to know is… Is there any hard evidence of deliberate poisoning by your aunt? Or anything else she’s done to harm or coerce you?” Catalina says.
“She’s an arrogant woman, and she used some of the maids at the house to buy the poison she used on me. But I can’t be sure if anybody would testify. They might not want appear like they’re betraying their employer. Although my aunt technically uses my money, she’s ‘the one who pays them.’”
“Anything else?” Catalina asks patiently.
“The doctors she had me see… And maybe the ER doctors who treated me when she fed me too much poison? I’m not sure if anybody would be able to help you build a case. It was a while ago, and the doctors didn’t see fit to report the problem to the authorities.” They were glad to take the money, but didn’t want to do more than the bare minimum they were legally required to do.
“I know what it takes to build a criminal case,” Catalina says. “I was a state prosecutor, after all. It bothers me that some people get away with the most horrible deeds because they get lucky, while their victims are left to suffer and cope with the trauma.”
“If I could get some revenge, that’d be great. But right now, all I want is to be free of their control.”
“You have me,” Ares says, lifting our linked hands and kissing my knuckles. “I’ll not only free you from their control, but we—the family—will avenge you. You’re a Huxley.”
Chapter Nineteen
Ares
My wife’s eyes are swollen like a goldfish’s from crying, although she doesn’t seem to realize. But she couldn’t look more beautiful to me. There’s a glow to her now, like the dark clouds hanging over her have vanished.
The strength and steel nerves it must’ve taken to survive her horrific childhood—and after—awe me. I remember how I nearly went mad in the cabin with its tainted food and water and my mother telling me how much she loved me, as though to imprint my malleable young mind with the idea.
It still shocks me that nobody around Lareina tried to help or report the wrongdoings to the authorities. My estimation of mankind drops several more notches.
Once the truth of her past is revealed, she eats and drinks more freely. My family is solicitous. Instead of serving the usual saké, Akiko brings out a sealed jar, opens it and pours a cup for Lareina. Then, holding up a hand, she dips a clean chopstick into the saké and tastes it, then smiles. “All good.”
“Thank you.” Lareina flushes, then sips the liquor. “Wow! That’s amazing.”
“It’s from my aunt. She got it in a town called Saijo. Very famous in Japan for saké.”
The next dishes come out and the meal progresses. The family purposely keeps the conversation light and warm to make Lareina feel welcome and included. The saké puts a lovelyrose in her cheeks, and she seems to enjoy the meal, as well as the dessert and cheese that end the dinner. Akiko serves four different cakes and tarts the size of my thumb and three different types of cheese imported from France and Holland. A well-aged port is passed around as well, and I take a sip before giving it to Lareina.
On the way home, she hums softly, her voice slightly off-key but pretty in its airiness. “Thank you,” she says when we arrive. “For believing me and being on my side.”
“You’re my wife. It’s the least you deserve,” I say gruffly.
I help her out of the car, then keep my arm around her waist. Her warm, soft weight pressed against my side feels amazing. We fit perfectly, and I seethe for the hundredth time that I almost lost her because of her criminally insane aunt. Lareina is so slight, and I wonder if it’s because of the poison her aunt added to her food. I wish I could go back in time and protect her.
A gentle smile splits her face as we enter the house and climb the steps to our bedroom. “You’re a good man, Ares.”
“I’m not. Not really.” She might scream and run the opposite way if she could peer into my head and see all the horrible things I’m fantasizing about doing to her aunt, et al. Lareina said I hit Rupert in Vegas. I should’ve broken his neck. “Have you thought about what you might do to your aunt and her family?”
“Oh, hundreds of times. First, I’m going to take over my trust and completely cut them off. Then I need to audit exactly what they’ve stolen from my inheritance. They think they’re slick, but I know they’ve been selling my antiques and paintings to set up a slush fund just in case they fail. I’ll make them disgorge everything.”
“Need help? I can arrange a team for you.” I mentally flip through the entire firm and all the attorneys who could assist. Having Huxley & Webber on her side would ensure the total and utter annihilation of her aunt and family.
“Thank you, but I already hired someone.”
“Who? Where did you find them?”She found a lawyer already?A quick Google search wouldn’t have given her an attorney who can handle a complex cocktail of international financial, tax and inheritance laws. She’s going to need a team of highly trained, capable people.
“Ethan Beckman.”
What?The annoying, smarmy face of John Highsmith’s sycophant pops into my mind. Where did she find him? How does she even know him?
“He came recommended. He works at Highsmith, Dickson and Associates,” she adds, as though I’ve never heard of one of the most prominent law firms in the country. “Apparently a big and proper entity. I was going to ask for John Highsmith, but he was too busy to take my appointment. But Ethan was nice enough.”
