King's Prize (Kissed By The Baddest Bidder)

Chapter 25: Fathers

Honey read the message on her phone and smiled wanly.

Going to Nagoya with Satine and Samejima. Inui will be there to be with you shortly.

She took it kindly, I suppose?

Soryu's reply came a minute later. She's excited. Almost happy.

Honey sighed and replied. Take care, all of you. I'll see you tonight at the condo. I miss you already.

The moment she pressed SEND, Eisuke entered the doors of the Rue, his commanding presence prompted other diners to turn their heads in his direction, the restaurant's staff clamoring to bow down to him as he passed.

Which he ignored. Typical Eisuke, and found her almost at once.

"This is quite sudden," he said as soon as he sat down. He only flicked a hand and soon a waiter appeared on his side, awaiting orders.

Eisuke requested a particular brand of wine Honey was sure she had never tasted before.

"Wine this early?" she asked to ease the tension, more to herself.

Eisuke smirked. "I've been thinking what Satine might prefer for tonight. Have a taste and tell me what you think."

Honey fidgeted on her seat at the sight of his rare smile. Eisuke seemed to be in a good mood; he'd been like that for many days now and the cause was very plainly written on his face.

Satine.

She groaned to herself. This is going to be difficult, if he's thinking of Satine's wants instead of his own.

"What's with the urgency?" Eisuke asked, impatience lacing his voice after several minutes that she managed to keep quiet and merely allowed him to take a sip of the wine first. Eisuke noticed she hadn't touched her glass and felt something was amiss. "Honey, what's wrong? You should know, I cancelled a meeting because of this. It better be important."

He stared at her and tapped his fingers on the table, Honey's anxiety increasing.

***

My chest hurt at the sight, and whatever emotion I'd been feeling prior to this somehow vanished.

Nagoya port. I have wanted so much to come here, having heard about the gardens and stuff from my mother, but never had the money to do so. Now I think I know why I was so fascinated with the thought of coming to this place.

We found him.

Tall. Slightly dishevelled. In gray overalls that were no different from the others who worked the docks, his graying hair and olive complexion stood out and couldn't disguise his features which were so like my own that it felt like I was looking at my reflection, thirty years from now. He was carrying a big carton on his shoulders, which seemed heavy by the looks of it.

Homeless. No permanent work for almost a decade now.

What happened to him?

I felt Soryu's hand on my arm, propelling me to walk. I was so grateful I held on to him tightly, glad that his strength was there to support me.

We took a step towards him and he must've sensed our presence, for he stopped and turned to look.

Russo Delacroix stared at me.

And I stared back.

After what seemed like a long while, he dropped the box, his eyes not leaving mine.

He was about ten feet away when Soryu walked over to him, produced the picture he showed me from out of nowhere and handed it to him.

"Mr. Delacroix?"

He nodded, and I watched him look at Soryu for a moment then take a step back; he was probably a little intimidated, for Soryu could inspire fear without even trying. "What can I do for you?" He reached out to take the picture from Soryu's hand and soon a flicker of emotions crossed his face, until finally he asked. "Who are you people?"

Soryu wasn't affected at all by the raised tone. "I have brought your daughter."

Shocked, my mouth dropped at Soryu's brutal honesty.

He was shocked, too. Russo Delacroix looked every bit as shocked as I am.

His eyes roamed my face once more, and when tears started welling in his eyes, I knew, as he knew, that what Soryu said was undeniable.

We are indeed, father and daughter.

I jumped in his arms as soon as he opened them wide, and ignoring the looks of the people who littered the docks and those who manned the nearby yachts, I hugged my father for the first time and had no intention of letting go.

***

Honey, however, had no such luck.

For after telling him what they've learned, Eisuke reacted just as she anticipated.

"Eisuke..." her voice trembled when Eisuke stood up calmly, nonchalantly and without a word, left her on their table at the Rue.

A tear fell on her cheek and she slowly wiped it with the back of her hand.

Who would've thought?

The man Eisuke had been looking all his life, the one who betrayed his father, the cause of their family's bankruptcy which led to his adoption by Akira Ichinomiya... that man was no other than Satine's father.

Fates must be jesting us again, she thought sadly, and with a heavy heart she texted Soryu.

I failed.

***

For once since he built Tres Spades, Eisuke ignored the elevator to the penthouse and instead walked the emergency staircase to the 51st floor, silencing with a cold glare the hotel maids who were stunned at the sight of him.

He didn't get tired at all; in truth, his mind was in a turmoil and the feeling was foreign to him. He'd been railroaded since Satine came to his life, and now in more ways than one, that the physical stress he was subjecting his body into was nothing in comparison.

The man was found.

Finally.

The fates must be mocking him right now.