Only yours

Final Preparations

Finally, everything for tomorrow was set. Nothing could go wrong, as the situation was already complicated enough. I kept rehearsing what I wanted to say to Usagi, trying to find the right words for an apology, but every formulation seemed inadequate, so I discarded them again. The weight of my mistakes still pressed heavily on my shoulders.

Exhausted, I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. I longed to simply collapse into my bed and close my eyes. But my plans were thwarted when, upon opening my apartment door, I smelled my father's thick cigar smoke. Damn it, I still hadn't changed that stupid security code. How could I keep putting it off? It was my own fault that my place seemed to have an open-door policy.

My hallway was brightly lit, and my office door was wide open. Just what I needed. My good mood instantly evaporated.

"Father, what brings you the honor of your visit?" I asked tensely as I reached the door to my office. He was sitting at my desk, puffing away and rifling through my papers. He looked up and eyed me from head to toe. "You're late. Where have you been so long?" "I had some things to take care of. Have you been waiting long?" "What did you have to do? Something for tomorrow's trial?" he asked, and I could practically feel his suspicion growing.

Of course, he was here because of the trial; that much was obvious. "Yes, my appointment was about tomorrow, but it has nothing to do with the trial."

Father's gaze became skeptical, and he took a long drag from his cigar. It would take forever to get this stench out of my apartment; he could have at least opened a window.

"Before you ask further, it was personal," I added hastily.

"Diamond, you currently have no time for personal matters. Tomorrow is important; our reputation is at stake." "I am fully prepared for tomorrow, thank you, Father. I don't need any further instructions from you. I've already discussed everything thoroughly with the lawyer... And what I did was important for my future."

He skeptically raised his eyebrows, his suspicion now fully piqued. "What are you planning now? Is this still about your foolish idea to move?"

I took a deep breath, considering what to say to him. But he would find out anyway. "No, the move is canceled. Congratulations, you got your way once again. I'm staying in Tokyo. But not because of the company, but because of Usagi."

I could see the gears turning in his head. "Usagi? Usagi Tsukino? The singer's wife?" "Yes," I answered curtly.

Within seconds, he stood up and slammed his hands on the desk. He glared at me angrily. "Diamond, what are you thinking, getting involved with her again? That matter was settled! Do you have any idea what kind of waves this will make? Of all the women in Tokyo, you have to choose her. End it!" he shouted at me, and the vein in his neck pulsed menacingly.

But anger was rising in me too. Why did everyone always have to meddle in my life? "No, Father. I won't. Usagi has been through enough because of me, because of my family, because of us, your sons! She needs me, and I need her," I thundered back at him.

I could see him struggling to maintain his composure. If there was one thing that could push his buttons, it was defiance. And he wasn't used to being spoken to like that.

"Diamond, I'm telling you for the last time, you will distance yourself from Mrs. Tsukino," he hissed at me, and I saw his hands clench into fists.

"No. I won't. I've thought about it long enough, I won't let her walk out of my life again, because..." I took another deep breath. "...because I love her. I also ask you to leave me alone now. It's late, and we all need to be on time tomorrow. Good evening, Father," I said firmly, though I felt my voice might break at any moment.

Without waiting for his reaction, I stormed out of the office and into the bathroom. I had actually dared to stand up to my old man. I'd surely feel his wrath in the coming days. But for once, I didn't care.

The apartment door slammed shut behind him. Finally, peace. Exhausted, I fell into bed.

The alarm rang, and I knew today was the big day. Saphir's trial was set for 11 AM, giving me three more hours for preparations. My first stop was a refreshing shower. As I stood before the mirror, shaving, Massaru knocked twice on the door. He had a knack for always showing up at the right time.

"Boss, everything is ready. We hired a team for the decorations, organized a chocolate fountain, booked your favorite chef, and found a duo for romantic live music. If you want, we can head to the yacht before the trial. Also, Mrs. Prince called and expects a return call."

"Very good, thank you, Massaru. I'll be right down, then we can head to the yacht. Did the witch say what it's about?" I called back. "No, sir. Sorry, she didn't. I'll wait downstairs."

I slipped into my suit, adjusted my tie, and took one last look in the mirror. Not bad, hopefully Usagi would think so too. I wouldn't have time to change again after the trial.

Massaru drove me to the harbor. Preparations on the yacht were in full swing when I boarded. The decorators were going all out, and I tried not to think about what this would cost in the end. But after all, I knew what it was for, and no price would be too high.

I carefully inspected the deck, watching the bustling workers. They had begun adorning the railing with flower garlands, the ropes were wrapped in twinkling fairy lights, and the chocolate fountain had found its place. Suddenly, the chef approached me and asked, "Mr. Prince, at what time would you like dinner to be served?" I thought for a moment and then replied, "Please plan to serve dinner around 6 PM. Can you manage that?" Her hearty laughter was the answer. "Of course."

My gaze drifted from the deck of the yacht to the pier, where Kaori suddenly appeared. Her presence was the last thing I had wished for, but today I couldn't afford another confrontation with her. After all, she had provided me with crucial information about Usagi. I had to be nice to her, at least for now.

"Diamond, here you are hiding. Oh, the yacht looks wonderful," Kaori suddenly chirped from the pier.

Kaori approached, initially skeptical of the elaborate preparations. Her surprise quickly turned to admiration. "I must say, I didn't think you had a romantic bone in your body, but this? Very impressive. This will blow her away," she commented before her expression hardened again, and she wagged her finger in my face. "But remember, if you mess this up, you'll regret it."

I rolled my eyes and replied, "Don't worry, Kaori, I don't plan to. And if I do mess up, you won't need to threaten me with hell. It will be that way without your help."

Kaori suddenly hugged me, catching me off guard. "Good. I'm so happy for you. It's about time you settled down." I was so shocked by her hug that I didn't dare move.

"I'm glad you two are apparently on good terms now, but we really need to hurry. The trial starts soon," Kunzite called over to us. With that, his wife finally let go of me.

I glanced at the clock. Damn, we had dawdled here. The trial would begin shortly. Outside the courthouse was a veritable crowd. Reporters, onlookers, and curious faces were everywhere. I had expected the trial to attract attention, but this crowd was impressive. I forced myself to put on my business face and entered the courthouse, followed by Kunzite and Kaori.

The reporters swarmed us with questions, and cameras flashed incessantly around us. Nevertheless, I walked forward, undeterred, my goal in sight, ignoring the barrage of questions. Before the courtroom, I made a brief stop.

"No matter what happens inside, Saphir must not notice that Usagi and I are getting close," I whispered to the two of them, and they nodded understandingly. My trust in my brother was practically nonexistent, even in a courthouse.

Father had demonstratively taken a seat several places away from Usagi, and I noticed his dark look as we walked past their row. I remained silent, reminding myself that I had already made my stance clear to him yesterday. We chose seats in the front row, avoiding the temptation to look back at Usagi. Instead, I had a clear view of the reason my life had been shaken: Saphir.

He sat there with an expressionless face, a perfect poker face, just as Father had taught us from a young age. We were allowed to feel whatever we wanted, but no one was to ever guess what was going on inside us. Now it was time for Saphir to finally pay for his actions. A brief staring contest between us was interrupted by the judge as he opened the trial.