I N N O C E N C E (Shu Sakamaki)

Chapter 23

"Daisuke... who is this?"

The unknown woman gasped and the man looked up to find his wife at the doorway.

"Daisuke." Emiko clenched her fists. "Who. Is. This."

The room was silent until a sigh escaped from the man's lips.

"Emiko, please, calm down." He said, as he shuffled over to sit at the edge of the bed, serenely. "This is Yukijia. She is the daughter of-"

"I don't care whose daughter she is!" Emiko screamed, causing Yukijia to flinch. "Why the fuck is this whore in your bed?"

"Emiko." Daisuke said sternly. "Don't scream at me."

Emiko clenched her fists even tighter, the rough palm skin underneath beginning to bleed.

"How long?" She asked, but no answer came. "I asked... how long?"

"A year."

"A fucking year?!" Emiko yelled, as she slammed her fist at the door frame.

She gritted her teeth as she fell to her knees, hiding her face in her hands.

"I thought you loved me." She lifted up her head, tears were flooding down her face.

Daisuke's eyes widened, as the realization of what he had done started to sink in.

"Emiko-"

"We have two children." She cried, tears continued to fall, some even landing to the floor. "Two beautiful children. We have been married for 10 years. You proposed to me and you even begged my father for permission. All for this? I loved you, you asshole! Didn't you?"

Daisuke didn't know how to respond.

Emiko's eyes widened at his expression. He wasn't saying anything. There were no 'forgive me' or 'this is a misunderstanding.'

'He doesn't care.' Emiko thought to herself. 'He never did. My life was a waste.'

"I see." Suddenly, she sniffled, the tears that were ones streaming down her face, gone. "I guess I wasn't enough to satisfy you."

"Emiko, what are you saying?"

"I think I should leave." Yukijia said, getting up to grab a shirt but Emiko stood up suddenly.

"No," Emiko cocked her head to the side, "you stay."

With that, Emiko made her way quickly down to the first floor into the kitchen, before opening up one of the wooden counter shelves.

"If I can't have you, then nobody else can." She whispered to herself, a smile appearing on her face. "Yes, that's it!"

"Manami, wait-"

"Mother, what are you doing?"

Emiko looked over at her daughter and her son, which had now stood at the doorway.

"Ah, you guys are here too!" She continued grinning, as she patted the both of them. "Let's go. We have a guest."

"A guest?" Manami asked, as Reo wrapped his hand around Manami's tightly.

"Manami," he whispered, "whatever you do, do not get in her way. Just listen to everything she says."

"What do you mean?" Manami asked. "Tell me what's going on!"

Emiko made her way back up the stairs, a sharpened object in her hand and her kids trailing behind her.

"I am glad you are still here!" Emiko laughed, as she watched her now half dressed husband and almost fully dressed woman stand at the far side of the room. "You love me, right, darling?"