𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑪𝒓𝒖𝒆𝒍 |니키˚˖𓍢ִ໋🦢˚

1.4🦢

Japan; Okayama; Nishimura Manor; 21-5-2026

The weight of everything that had just happened pressed heavily on me as I helped Kenji to his feet. His labored breathing and the bruises forming along his face were evidence enough of how close we had come to real disaster. Riki was slipping further into a darkness I hadn't expected, and it made him all the more dangerous. I could feel it—he was watching, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, to uncover the truth he was beginning to suspect about me.

"We can't keep meeting like this," Kenji muttered, his voice hoarse as he leaned heavily against the wall for support. "He'll kill us both."

I bit back the bitter reply that almost spilled from my lips. He was right. Riki was ruthless, and now that he knew of our meetings, there was no telling how much further he'd go. But I couldn't stop. Not now. Not when we were so close.

"Come on," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "Let's get you out of here before he changes his mind."

As we moved down the dimly lit corridor, the air between us was thick with tension and unspoken fears. Every creak of the mansion's floorboards sent my nerves on edge, making me glance over my shoulder, half-expecting Riki to appear at any moment, katana in hand.

When we finally reached the side entrance, I opened the door and ushered Kenji through, my heart pounding as the cool night air hit my face. The estate felt strangely quiet, as if holding its breath, waiting for something terrible to unfold.

"I'll be fine from here," Kenji said quietly, his eyes filled with a weariness I hadn't seen before. "But you need to be careful. He's onto you."

I met his gaze, the weight of his words sinking in. Riki knew something, or at the very least, suspected that I wasn't who I claimed to be. It was only a matter of time before he dug deeper, before he uncovered the truth I'd been so carefully hiding.

"I know," I replied softly. "But this is bigger than just us. If we don't stop him..."

Kenji nodded, understanding flashing in his eyes. "He's out of control. But don't make the mistake of underestimating him again. He won't hesitate to destroy you the moment he finds out who you really are."

His words hung in the air, a chilling reminder of the stakes. Riki was not just a man in power—he was a man obsessed with control, and anyone who threatened that would be crushed without mercy. I had seen it firsthand tonight.

"I'll be careful," I promised, though the words felt hollow. How careful could I be when Riki was always two steps ahead?

Kenji gave me one last nod before disappearing into the shadows, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I stood there for a long moment, staring into the night, my mind racing.

As the night air pressed in around me, I remained rooted in place, trying to steady my heartbeat, which was still erratic from the events of the night. Kenji's words echoed in my mind:

"He's onto you."

The truth was inching closer, suffocating me with every passing second. I couldn't let that happen. Not now.

I turned back toward the mansion, knowing I couldn't leave things unresolved. There was no escaping Riki now—not after what he'd just shown me. His cruelty was calculated, a game of power and fear, and I was caught in the middle of it.

As I slipped back inside, the cool darkness of the mansion enveloped me. Every step I took felt heavier than the last, weighed down by the knowledge that I was running out of time. The corridors stretched out endlessly before me, shadowed and silent, but I knew better than to assume I was alone. Riki's presence was everywhere. He was watching, always watching, and with every secret I kept from him, the tighter his grip around me became.