The gentle breeze of Osaka's night air sent a chilling feeling down the spines of everyone present at the open gala.
Tonight, elites from all around Japan gathered at the Takanashi Mansion to celebrate Shinkai Cybernetics Industry's major milestone of reaching a total net worth of 50 Billion Yen.
Among the aristocrats was the organiser family's heiress. Mia Takanashi — the first and the only one in line to take over the family business when the right time came to pass.
She stood tall in the crowd, her white designer gown billowing around her as her silk-like hair was gently blown by the cool air. Although her face lacked makeup, her natural beauty was enough to attract any man at a mere glance.
Throughout the event, Mia welcomed the guests and mingled with the high society folks to fulfill her role as the perfect heiress.
Occasionally, she caught herself wondering about the whereabouts of her beloved. She can't help but glance over her shoulder as if he would somehow appear behind her.
"Is there something bothering you sweetheart?" The voice of an old man came from behind.
As she turned to face the man, she realized that it was his father, Mr. Yamada Takanashi.
"Oh, father.. mm.. It's nothing, I'm just.. thinking. That's all." She said, her face flushing a bit.
Mr. Yamada chuckled softly, patting the shoulder of his daughter.
"You're thinking of him aren't you?" He asked softly.
Mia nodded shyly, hiding behind her shoulder. The bright red creeping up her neck contrasts with her pale fair skin.
"There's nothing to worry about, my dear. Everything will go as we planned. Speaking of the devil... isn't that him?" He pointed towards a man standing at the edge of the garden.
She turned her gaze towards the railing of the garden. And there she saw a man who stole her heart, the lover of her life.
It was Kaizuka Matsumoto, the young master of the renowned Matsumoto family that owns a major share of the tech industry, and her soon-to-be husband.
Mr. Yamada gently squeezed her shoulder, encouraging her to approach him.
"Go ahead. Don't keep him waiting. Show him what Takanashi is made of. Make me proud, my little dove." He adds.
Mia looked up at her father — staring him in the eyes. A small smirk played on her lips and she nodded at him.
She quickly lifted up her gown to her ankle level and rushed towards Kaizuka, her face lit up with joy and her heart raced with excitement at the sight of her fiancé.
But... as she drew closer to him, she saw another woman standing beside him, holding hands as their fingers intertwined in an intimate gesture.
"What.." she murmured to herself.
Mia's heart ached with disappointment and suspicion. She told herself that maybe... just maybe the woman beside him was just a relative he had yet to introduce to her.
With a deep breath, Mia put on a forced smile and approached them with hesitant steps. She tried to look at his face, but her gaze kept drifting towards the girl and their intertwined hands.
'Is this what jealousy feels like?' She asked herself.
Every step towards them was slower, until she finally met face-to-face with her fiancé and the girl.
Mia gulped her pride down her throat and caught herself together.
"Good evening, darling... I didn't realize you were here... father said that you—"
"Huh? Who are you?" He asked coldly.
Kaizuka cut her off before glancing towards her with a piercing gaze.
Mia's eyes widened at his question, she looked up at him with disbelief.
'Who.. am I..? What does he mean, " Who am I!? No.. could it be..?' she asked to herself, clearing her throat and gripping the hem of her dress tightly.
"Ahem.. I don't understand your question, Kaizuka. What do you mean, 'who am I'? I'm your—"
His eyes narrowed dangerously, shutting Mia's completely before she could retort. A lump formed in her throat, she had never seen this side of him before.
"Who is this woman Kaizuka? Does she bother you? Flirting with you?" The girl beside him spoke, she reached for his arm and clung to him tightly.
Mia was taken aback by their display of affection. 'How could he..? Surely this is all just a misunderstanding.." Mia tried to convince herself.
Kaizuka placed his hand on the girl's back, soothing her in front of Mia as if she weren't even there.
Suddenly, he turned to face Mia who was growing restless. The once cheerful expression turned grim as she clutched at the hem of her dress.
He looked down at her and said; "Meet me somewhere else when I'm alone." He said coldly, his voice was devoid of warmth.
And just like that, the two of them walked away from Mia, leaving her to her own peace of mind. She watched them go as tears welled up in her eyes, yet she refused to let them fall.
But from afar, someone was watching this fateful event. Their reflection on the window was blurry as the light from the mobile phone illuminated the dark room. And that person already knows the outcome.
Meanwhile, Mia sat by herself for hours next to the fountain — occasionally chatting and waving with whoever passed by her. Throughout it all, she put on a fake smile to conceal her sadness.
In her heart, there was only one question; 'What if he had chosen another woman?'
Yet she clung to the tiniest of hope for dear life, believing that her fiancé would have never done something like that.
The night grew older as her resolve weakened. She sighed deeply with a knowing heart that her love life had taken a significant shift for the worse.
"Maybe.. this is destiny..?" She murmured to herself.
Just as Mia stood up to leave, she heard a familiar footstep approaching her. She quickly turned to face the man.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mia." The figure spoke.
It was him.
{To be continued…}