Shattered Truths

Fumiko stormed into Hiroto Anzai's office. "What's the meaning of this, Mr. Anzai? You can't treat the media like this!"

Hiroto glared at her. "What about your behavior? I could ask you the same, Ms. Suzuki."

"Someone who claims not to be interested in money or reputation uses a fabricated story in an article! And you ask about my behavior? Yours is inexcusable!" Fumiko argued.

"Whether you wrote the article is irrelevant. This situation stems from your actions in my presence. You didn't discuss this before publishing it, revealing your true nature. It shows recklessness unbecoming of someone from a media firm."

"Mr. Anzai, I had nothing to do with this! I can share my intended stories with anyone. You have no right to dictate my actions. And who are you to lecture me? You're not my father, relative, or anyone in authority!" Fumiko fired back.

"And that was Akie, my son! Do you know how worried I was not finding him home but with a stranger? Can you compensate for my child's disappearance? Money wouldn't be enough to get him back."

"Your son, Akie? Have you lost your mind, or are you so caught up in fabricating stories that you claim someone else's son as yours?" Hiroto scoffed.

"You're delusional! Don't you think I'd recognize my own son?"

"No, you wouldn't, because he's my son, Hiro. I recognize him. Now you, a media person, want to claim my son as your own? Have you gone mad, claiming any child you see?"

"So you want to take my son away? Fine, let's go to Akie's school. I'll prove who my son is!" Fumiko stormed towards the door, then turned back.

"What are you waiting for? Come with me! I'll show you who I am and who my son truly is!"

"If you can't prove it, what then? Will you name a price for ruining my reputation?" Hiroto challenged.

"We'll see about that, Mr. Anzai. I'll introduce you to my Akie. You've essentially challenged my motherhood." Fumiko declared. Both Fumiko and Hiroto stormed out of the company and entered a car.

"Driver, to the school!" Hiroto barked.

Fumiko and Hiroto rode in tense silence, the weight of unspoken accusations hanging heavy in the air. The driver felt the chill of their animosity as they hurried to the school before it closed.

Reaching the entrance, they waited anxiously for Akie and Hiro. Akie emerged first, and Fumiko immediately pulled him into a hug.

"See, this is Akie, my son! Isn't he the one you claimed was yours?" she said, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"No, that's Haru, my son!" Hiroto countered, pulling the boy towards him.

Hiro, confused, tugged on Hiroto's shirt. "Dad, it's me, Hiro. Your son."

This revelation left Fumiko and Hiroto speechless.

"They look so alike," Fumiko finally said, bewildered.

"Yes, Mom, we do," Akie replied. "And we have something to confess."

"Confess?" Fumiko echoed, her voice trembling.

"Mom," Akie continued, "we went to Aunt Chiyo thinking we might be related. We needed a sample of your hair for a test."

Hiroto's eyes narrowed. "Chiyo? The woman who claimed to be my classmate? So, this woman knows her?"

Fumiko, piecing things together, turned to Hiroto. "Mr. Anzai, I think we need to find a quiet place to discuss this."

"Absolutely," Hiroto agreed, driving them to Fumiko's house.

As they entered, they found Chiyo waiting.

"Fumiko, I need to talk to you," Chiyo said as soon as the door opened.

"I know what you want to discuss," Fumiko replied, gesturing for Hiroto to enter.

"Akie, Hiro, go inside. This is adult stuff," Fumiko instructed, her voice strained.

"Okay, Mom," Akie said, leading Hiro inside.

Fumiko stood there, her face a mask of shock, struggling to process the situation.

"Fumiko, that's why I called you earlier, but the reception was bad," Chiyo began, glaring at Hiroto. "You couldn't hear me."

"You could have explained everything when you found out," Fumiko burst out. "And when the boys went to you, you could've told me then. But you kept it from me."

"I couldn't say anything for sure until we had confirmation," Chiyo explained. "I wanted a DNA test done. But then I went to Hiroto's company and what I heard… it was shocking. He made terrible remarks about you. That's when I realized the child wasn't dead back then, Fumiko. This man took him."

Chiyo scowled at Hiroto. "He stole your son for the sake of his legacy."

"Here we go again with accusations!" Hiroto scoffed. "This woman claims she didn't want her own kid, so she hands him to me and pretends I took him? That's a ridiculous lie, Fumiko Suzuki."

"Shut your mouth!" Fumiko roared. "Do you think I just gave up on my son? Then who is Akie? Some alien I adopted?You took my child, with the help of that Akane. Now I understand why she mocked me all these years. She thought she'd taken my son away, leaving me alone and helpless. But she was wrong. I have another son, and I'll find a way to reconnect with him too."

Fumiko turned on Hiroto, her voice dripping with anger. "What right do you have to question my motherhood? You did nothing but plant your seed and conveniently forget. Did you carry him for nine months? Did you experience the pain of childbirth? You have no right to judge me! You drugged me and took my innocence!"

"As if you did nothing wrong, Ms. Suzuki," Hiroto mocked again.

"You were too interested in me at the university festival. You came on to me, clinging to me like the other woman, so I made you feel satisfied. I gave you what you wanted – you touched me and had me. But now you mock me, Ms. Suzuki."

"Stop! I don't want to hear anything from you. You've ruined my life. Even though we spent the night together, I never considered it anything more. I lived only for my son. And you, I see you as nothing but a rapist." Fumiko said, her voice filled with disgust.