The Yakuza's Heir

Part 11

Sakura stood in the entrance hall of the Uchiha Compound, her thoughts and emotions swirling like a storm within her. The weight of her father's concern and the impending trip to the Senju estate pressed heavily on her. Beside her, Sasuke was a steady anchor in the chaos of her mind.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Sasuke's voice was soft, laced with genuine concern as he looked into her distant eyes.

Sakura nodded, her gaze fixed on the floor. "We need to go. It's important."

Kizashi Haruno approached them, his face etched with worry and a hint of something unspoken. "Sakura, I need to talk to you before you leave."

She looked at her father, her resolve wavering for just a moment. "Dad, not now. We have to get to the Senju Compound."

Kizashi's shoulders slumped slightly, understanding but still troubled. "Alright, but we'll talk when you get back."

Without further words, Sakura and Sasuke departed, their car slicing through the early morning fog as they made their way to the Senju estate. The drive was wrapped in heavy silence, both lost in their own thoughts, contemplating the gravity of what they were about to face.

The Senju interrogation room was cold and stark, its walls bearing silent witness to countless harsh truths being unearthed. When Sakura and Sasuke entered, their expressions were hardened by determination. In the center of the room sat Nawaki, his face bruised, evidence of the violence he had endured at the hands of his own brother-in-law.

Sakura's heart clenched as she took in the sight, but she kept her voice steady and cold. "Uncle Nawaki," she began, forcing herself to look him in the eye.

Nawaki glanced up, his gaze almost vacant before it flickered with something darker. "Sakura."

She took a deep breath, trying to suppress the turmoil roiling inside her. "I need to understand why you did this. What was your motive?"

Nawaki's silence weighed heavily in the room, the tension thickening with every passing second. As Sakura's gaze fell on the bruises marring his face, recognition hit her with a surge of anger and confusion. The marks were unmistakably her father's work.

"I see my father's handprints on your face," Sakura said quietly, her voice trembling slightly. "You despise me so much, yet you saved me. Why?"

For a moment, something like confusion flashed in Nawaki's eyes. Then his expression hardened, his voice cold and resigned. "Sometimes sacrifices are necessary for a greater cause."

Sasuke's patience snapped, his anger barely contained as he stepped forward. "Sacrifices? What could possibly justify this betrayal?"

Nawaki's gaze remained unflinching, his voice now a harsh whisper. "It's not about justification, Sasuke. It's about what needs to be done."

Sakura's frustration boiled over. "You couldn't handle the responsibility of being a head member of this clan. You failed to see the consequences of your actions, and now you're facing them."

The room fell into a tense silence, Sakura's words hanging in the air like a heavy weight. Nawaki's earlier defiance faltered as he absorbed the reality of his situation.

"You wanted chaos and destruction," Sakura continued, her voice steady and resolute. "You tried to sabotage peace, killed an heir, and turned against your own family. This is the result of your actions."

Sasuke moved with controlled fury, his fist connecting with Nawaki's face—a firm blow that conveyed the gravity of Nawaki's betrayal. It wasn't as brutal as Kizashi's actions, but it was enough to make Nawaki wince in pain and shame.