A Deal Forged in Chaos

"I'm not dying to marry you either. So don't think I'm considering this because I need your money, since all you think about is money," Fumiko said.

"Guys, I think you're forgetting I'm here as well. So, you guys are fighting like a couple," Chiyo said, grabbing their attention.

"We are not," both of them shouted at once.

"Chiyo, have you lost it? You're saying I'm arguing with this man like a couple? Seriously? From which angle does this look like a couple bickering? This man hates me, thinking I'm a gold digger, and I hate him to my core for ruining my life and taking away my son. And yeah, one thing I still don't know is how Hiro reached you. Are you perhaps hiding something?" Fumiko said, glaring at Hiroto once again.

"Tell me who brought Hiro to you. How did you meet him? How did you take him home? Tell me, I want to know everything. Or perhaps you took him from the hospital when I was in labor, dying to give birth? Were you present there all the time?" Fumiko said in anger.

"Your sister Akane brought him to me," Hiroto said, looking away.

"Akane? That bitch! I will not spare her," Fumiko said, boiling in anger.

"Tell me everything she told you. I want to know everything. How she met you, how she knows you—everything. I want to know about her. So just utter everything you know," Fumiko said while Chiyo patted her shoulder to calm her down.

"She brought him to me, saying you had abandoned your son. She kept on blackmailing me, threatening to reveal to the world that he is the illegitimate child of the Anzai group," Hiroto said.

"And what did you do? Nothing? The great Hiroto Anzai did nothing about the threats from a girl who is nothing but a normal person? She said nothing but foul lies when she can't do anything about this?" Fumiko asked.

"But I have my own fears. I can't let anyone reveal about my Hiro. The same way you want to protect your son, I want to keep Hiro away from everything as well. If the media and press find out about his existence, it will be a huge scandal in the business world. It will lower so many share prices. It will harm my reputation and the upcoming projects I have. This is not simple," Hiroto said.

"Oh, once again, after all the circling, you've come to the same point. It is all about your reputation and money, not your child. Even if he is legitimate or illegitimate, he is still your son. For God's sake, you are letting Akane blackmail you. I can't believe this from you, Hiroto Anzai," Fumiko said in frustration.

"It is not about money," Hiroto said.

"It is all the same. I know, you don't have to clarify it," Fumiko said.

"You want to marry me, right? Okay, I agree, but on one condition," Fumiko said.

"What condition?" Hiroto asked.

"After the marriage, you will reveal to everyone about your son. Even though my name will not come up in the media, it will simplify my life and yours. You won't have to hide it anymore," Fumiko said.

"You're saying you want the news for your media release, right?" Hiroto said.

"I'm not a workaholic like you, but after this, you have to reveal it either way. So do it my way. It will simplify everything," Fumiko said.

"Okay, let us do it your way," Hiroto said while dialing a number on his phone.

"I need everything ready immediately. I will send the address, so bring everything to this place," Hiroto said in his call and hung up.

"Everything will be here soon," he said, looking at Fumiko.

"Okay, I'm ready for whatever issue may come next," Fumiko said, sitting on the couch and rubbing her temple.

"I still can't believe I have a son who was away from me for years. If I had known he was my son that day, I wouldn't have let him go to you but kept him with me," Fumiko muttered.

"Don't you think I wouldn't have done anything if you had hidden my son?" Hiroto said, continuing his bickering.

"Yeah, a business tycoon who has everything but still couldn't deal with a woman like Akane, saying he would have done something if I had taken my son. What a hilarious joke you are telling, Mr. Anzai," Fumiko said, making Hiroto shut his mouth.

They waited for a long time until a person arrived with papers in hand.

"What? Who is it?" Fumiko asked.

"It's the assistant of Hiroto Anzai. I saw him at his company. So perhaps he brought the necessary things to proceed with the contract marriage on paper," Chiyo said.

"Are you sure you want to do it?" Chiyo asked once again.

"I don't have any other option. If I don't choose this way, I wouldn't have any other option. I can't let my son Hiro go away from me, and now that Akie knows about him, he too wants to be with this man. I can't," Fumiko said.

"But it's about your life. What if you get tangled in this business world?" Chiyo asked again.

"I'm already tied," Fumiko said, sitting on the couch once again, flipping through the papers one by one.

"I have not added any clauses that will go against you," Hiroto said.

"So what? I shouldn't read the papers too? Is that what you want to say?" Fumiko said.

He stayed silent.

"I am a journalist. Don't forget that. I know when to read and how to read every clause written on the paper, so I will be at an advantage," Fumiko said.

"And why is there no time limit for this marriage?" Fumiko asked.

"Time limit? You want to be married to me for a certain time limit?" Hiroto asked.

"Of course. You expect me to be married to you for a lifetime? No chance. So add a clause immediately. In five years, we will go our separate ways," Fumiko said.