Melissa was too busy packing her things for the trip.
"I just can't believe you're going on a business trip tomorrow without any warning" Sunny said.
"Chill Sunny, it's an emergency trip... I'm sure it wouldn't take long" Ariana said.
"Wouldn't take long? How can you be so calm about this Melissa? This is considered slavery" Sunny said.
Melissa threw her clothes on the bed. "Slavery? Since when did emergency business trip became slavery? When Olivia make you close late isn't that slavery as well?" Melissa asked.
"Mhmm hmmm" Ariana said. "That's different"
"How's that different Sunshine?" Melissa asked with her arms crossed.
"At least I'm not half way across the world!! At least I can take a freaking cab back to the house" Sunny said.
"What's gotten into you Sunny? I've never known you to be miss sassy pants" Ariana said.
Melissa walks up to Sunny and holds her shoulder firmly. "Look at me"
Sunny refused to look her in the eyes. Melissa caressed her cheeks.
"You look like a pufferfish when you're mad" Melissa said. "And it's cute" Ariana said with a laugh.
"Sunny everything would be fine. I'm gonna be back before you even realize" Melissa said.
"Promise?" Sunny asked. "I promise" Melissa replied.
The door flew open, Sofia enters the room. "Papa bear I'm set for the vacation"
"What vacation?" Ariana asked. "The one papa's packing for" Sofia replied.
"Baby papa isn't taking anyone along" Sunny said. "Then she isn't going anywhere unless I come with her" Sofia said.
"You're making this difficult. Papa Bear just needs to handle some certain things and then she'll be back before you know it, I promise" Sunny tries to convince Sofia but she was adamant.
"I am going Papa Bear. If I'm not going with Papa then I am not going to school tomorrow. In fact if she doesn't take me, I'll drop out of school. I'll skip classes, I will become a bad girl.
"What do you mean by you'll become a bad girl?" Ariana asks in concern.
"It means I won't go to classes. It means if my teacher asks me a question I'll tell her the opposite of what she wants to hear. I can even use bad languages too if Papa Bear doesn't take me with her" Sophia said.
"Well then if that's how you want to play this game. I'll tell Abuela to cut off your Wi-Fi, change the netflix password. I would make sure you get no more ice cream, no more tea parties, no more trip to the salon. No more trip to the movies. You want to be a bad girl then I'll teach you what it's like to be a bad girl"
"Melissa it's okay" Sunny said.
"I would make sure she lives her life without gadgets. Do you want to know what that feels like?" Melissa asks.
"You're bluffing" Sofia yells shaking her little head and snapping her fingers like a karen.
"Then try me missy, I'll show you what I'm capable of. If you think you're going to threaten me then I wouldn't come back any longer. I'll abandon you, mama bear and auntie bear" Melissa said.
Sophia paused in fear. She looks at Melissa in horror. "You're joking. You're not going to abandon us" She said trembling.
"No no no baby, that's not what she meant. Papa never meant it like that.... Right papa?" Ariana asked.
"Sofia wants to be a bad girl, I'm simply treating her like one. I'm grounding her till I get back" Melissa said.
"I hate you!!!" Sofia said.
"Hate me? You hate me?" Melissa asked in surprise.
Sophia marched up to her room and slam the door pretty hard.
"Was that really necessary?" Sunny asked.
"I had to do what I had to do. Now she'll be so mad at me that she wouldn't remember my trip tomorrow" Melissa said with the shrug.
"By telling her you'll abandon her?" Sunny asked.
"I think that's a bit too far if you ask me" Audrey said.
"Don't worry she'll come around" Melissa said. "You're sick" Sunny said.
"I know... Anyways I need to get packing, my flight leaves first thing tomorrow morning and I don't want to be late"
"Get some rest.... See you in the morning" Ariana said.
It took fifteen hours from Mexico to Japan. Melissa dragged their suitcases outside the airport.
Antonio walked with confidence and pride, like he knew he was a celebrity because people kept whispering and staring at him.
Melissa noticed cars were parked outside. People rushed to a car and opened it, a man stepped out.
He wore a black outfit and the sleeves were rolled up revealing all his tattoos.
"Damn... That boy's hot" Melissa whispers to herself. Antonio looks at her.
"Is he that hot?" Antonio asked still looking at the man making his way to them.
"Sorry.... I find men with tattoos fascinating" Melissa said honestly.
"Interesting" Was all Antonio could say.
The man finally stopped Infront of them. "Antonio, I'm glad you could make it" He said.
"I wasn't given much of a choice" Antonio replied. The man laughs out loud.
"You're a real comedian" He said.
Melissa softly tugged Antonio's sleeve.
"Least I forget, this is Melissa she's my secretary. Melissa this is Hikaru Sato. He's the man we're here to see" Antonio said.
"It's a pleasure to meet you sir" Melissa said.
"Please call me Hikaru... Get in, I'll take you to my place" Hikaru said.
Some men carried their suitcases. Antonio and Melissa sat in a car alone.
"He looks like a Yakuza" Melissa said. "You are indeed very observant. He is" Antonio said calmly.
"What business do you have with a Yakuza?" Melissa asked. "The less you know the better" Antonio said.
"I believe that won't do. I didn't accompany you just so you could leave me in the dark. You're literally putting my neck on the line and yet you won't tell me what's going on?"
Antonio exhales in exhaustion. "You're stubborn" Antonio finally said.
"You have no idea" She said.
"There's this business we're into... Don't ask me what kind of business, it's best you didn't know. Anyways, he invited me here so we could deal with it together" Antonio said.
"The things I do for my boss" Melissa said to herself. "About the tattoo....."
"Let's pretend that never happened" Melissa said in embarrassment.
"Hell no.... I want to know" Antonio said. "Ugh fine... I have this thing for guys with tattoos.... I find them gorgeously mouthwatering and sexy" Melissa said.
"What's your best tattoo?" Antonio asked.
"I don't know much about tattoos but I would love my man to tattoo my name on his dick. So the ladies know he belongs to me" Melissa said.
"Wow, you just don't have a filter do you" Antonio said. "I'm sorry" Melissa's said sheepishly.
The car stopped Infront of a mansion. Maids and men waited outside to welcome them.
Melissa stepped out of the car and walked cautiously. "Welcome Mr Antonio--san" They all said.
"It's not your first time is it?" Melissa asked. Antonio just glanced at her sideways.
Hikaru stepped out of his vehicle.
"Antonio has been here countless times. Make yourself at home, please don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything" Hikaru said.
Maids carried the luggages inside. "The maids would show you to your room" Hikaru said.
"Okay" Melissa replied. "Antonio about the..."
"Let's not discuss it here. Do it in your study" Antonio said. Hikaru nods in approval.
Antonio left with Hikaru leaving Melissa downstairs.
"The house is beautiful.... It's different from the ones on TV" Melissa said.
"Ma'am let me show you to your room" A maid said.
"Not yet, I would like to explore" Melissa said.
"Follow me" she said. Melissa follow the maid outside. They both walked round the entire building.
Melissa noticed the house was heavily guarded. "This is some scary shit" Melissa said.
A young man walks up to Melissa. "So you're the new toy he brought home" He sneered.
Melissa looked puzzled, she didn't understand what he was saying.
"Master Kenji she isn't...."
"Shut up" He ordered.
{What's his problem?}
Kenji hits Melissa across the face. "I've told that prick, if he wants to bring his prostitutes home he should do it with respect" He said
Melissa touched her face in disbelief. It hasn't even been up to an hour she arrived in Japan, yet someone slapped her and mistook her for a ho.
She clenched her fist and punched him so hard causing him to lose his balance.
"You bitch" Kenji hissed. "I'll give you five seconds to apologize or else you'll regret it" Melissa said.
Kenji stood up and massaged his fist. "I will show you what I'm capable of" He said.
{Up In The Study}
Antonio sat with a whiskey in his hand. "I got news that Davin is dead" Hikaru said.
"Quite unfortunate" Antonio said. "It was surely your doing... am I correct?"
Antonio sipped his whiskey calmly. "What did he do to you that results to such a cruel death?"
"It was a merciful death" Antonio said. "Ah so you don't deny the fact that you killed him"
"There's nothing to deny. He messed with me far too long" Antonio said.
"From what I was told he messed with your secretary, not you" Hikaru said.
"She's under my protection" Antonio said.
"Could she be the black raven we've been searching for?" He asked.
"I don't know for certain... Perhaps you missed something crucial during the search" Antonio said.
"I missed something?" Hikaru asked in anger.
He ran his fingers through his hair. "The raven is the only clue I have to shut down Davin's entire operation.... And find my brother"
Antonio placed the cup on the table. "Your brother must be in hiding" Antonio said.
"From who?" Hikaru asked. "From you.... We both know Yuko never wanted to be part of the business. You were so hard on him that he chose to study abroad" Antonio said.
Hikaru sighs. "Does he hate me that much? He changed his number and identity.... Now I can't find him" Hikaru said.
A man pushed the door open. "Oyabun there's a situation. Master Kenji got into a fight" he said.
"Minato what did I tell you about interrupting my meeting for unnecessary things god-damnit" Hikaru said.
"I'm sorry Oyabun but he got into a fight with Miss Melissa and they have refused to break it up" Minato said.
Hikaru massage his temples with a long sigh. "Shall we?" Antonio asked.
"Of course..."
Both men went outside to find Melissa on top of Kenji. She pulled out a knife from her pocket.
Antonio rushed to her and pulled her by the waist. Melissa struggled to break free, she used the knife to cut him.
"Melissa snap out of it" Antonio said.
Kenji stood up with shaky legs. He cleans his bloody nose.
Antonio held Melissa on the waist and placed his hand on her mouth.
"Breathe" He said trying to soothe her. Melissa slowly fell to her knees panting for air.
"I'm sorry.... I didn't mean to hurt him.... He hit me first... He called me a prostitute...." Melissa said trembling in his embrace.
"Kenji what the hell is wrong with you" Hikaru asked. "Who is she? Your new toy?" He asked
Hikaru raised his hand to slap Kenji. "Stop... Don't... Don't hurt him because of me... I'll take the punishment instead" Melissa said.
"I apologize for the misunderstanding. I will surely discipline him for this" Hikaru said.
Antonio noticed Melissa holding the knife tightly causing it to cut deep into her flesh.
"Let go of the knife Melissa.... We need to clean the cut" Antonio said.
Melissa slowly lets go of the knife. "I'll call a doctor to attend to her..."
"No need, I'll take her to her room" Antonio said.
He carried her princess style to her room. Melissa held his neck and buried her face.
Antonio dropped her on the bed. She looks at her bleeding hands.
"I didn't mean to hurt him... I.... He attacked me... My brain..... It went on battle mode" Melissa said with an awkward laugh.
"No one is mad at you.... If anything I'm proud that you kicked his ass" Antonio said.
Melissa wiped tears from her eyes. "I made a bad first impression. I embarrassed you infront of Hikaru" She said.
"Fuck him and his lover" Antonio said.
"His lover?"
"Yes.... He's lover" Antonio said. "That explains the jealousy"
Antonio treated her wound. He gently caressed her cheeks.
"What made you want to take his place?"
"I'm tired of people always taking the blame for my actions" Melissa said. "It wasn't your fault"
Melissa sighs. "I know.... But I can't help but feel like it wasn't" She said with a weak smile.
Antonio ruffles her hair. "Don't think much into it" Antonio said. "You're really associated with a yakuza"
"I believe the term is "WE" are associated with a yakuza" Antonio said. Melissa laughs. "I believe so"