A heavy, suffocating silence loomed over the towering, wrought-iron gates of the Kaminari Estate. Amaya stood there, her breath hitching as she looked at the ancestral fortress she once called home. Behind her eyes, a storm of pain and resentment flickered, but the moment she turned toward her three daughters, she masked it with a fragile, loving smile.
"From today," Amaya began, her voice steadying, "the four of us will live here. With your grandfather."
Yuki, the youngest, still clutching her middle-school bag, looked up with wide, sorrowful eyes. "But Mom... when are we going back to Dad's house?"
Amaya knelt slightly, placing a tender hand on Yuki's head. A ghost of a sad smile touched her lips. "Forget about that place, my sweet girl. You're too young to understand right now... but that life is over."
Emi, the eldest, standing tall in her first-year high school uniform, crossed her arms. Her face was a mask of cold defiance and biting attitude. "I thought I knew him, Mom. But after what he did? I never want to see his face again."
Hana, the middle child in 10th grade, let out a sharp, cynical laugh. "Honestly, Dad is such an idiot. I still can't believe he was that stupid. Did he really think he wouldn't get caught?"
"Hana! Emi!" Amaya's voice sharpened into a warning. "Watch your tongues in front of your younger sister. Enough."
Yuki looked down at her shoes, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm not a baby, Mom. I know Dad did something bad... that's why you're getting a divorce, right?"
Amaya pulled Yuki into a tight embrace, shielding her from the harsh truth. "Don't listen to them, Yuki. Everything is going to be okay."
Emi turned away, her gaze fixing on the massive mansion ahead. "The truth is the truth," she muttered under her breath. "No matter how much you try to hide it."
As they stepped through the grand entrance, the household staff lined up in perfect unison, bowing deeply. The air inside smelled of expensive incense and old money. From the top of a magnificent marble staircase, the patriarch of the Kaminari clan, Kenzo Kaminari, descended with a wide, welcoming smile.
"Amaya! My dear daughter!" he exclaimed, his voice booming with authority and warmth. "And my three beautiful princesses! Welcome home."
But as he drew closer, his smile faltered. He saw the shadows under their eyes, the unspoken grief etched into their young faces. "What is this? Why do you all look so miserable?"
Emi stepped forward, her voice blunt. "Grandpa, do you want me to tell you exactly what happened?"
Amaya shot Emi a warning glare, her eyes burning with a silent command. Emi instantly rolled her eyes and went quiet. Amaya turned back to her father. "Dad, I need to speak with you. Privately."
Kenzo's expression grew grave. "Is it that serious? Fine. Girls, go to your rooms. Amaya, follow me."
Inside Kenzo's study—a room filled with leather-bound books and the scent of rich mahogany—Kenzo sat on a velvet sofa. Amaya stood by the door, her composure finally shattering.
"Is everything okay with your husband?" Kenzo asked softly.
Amaya looked down, her shoulders trembling. "Nothing is okay, Dad. It's... it's all over."
She looked up, tears finally spilling over, and collapsed into her father's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Kenzo, panicked and heartbroken, held her tight. "My child, please... don't cry. You know I can't bear to see your tears. Tell me everything."
"I... I got a divorce, Dad," she choked out.
Kenzo's eyes snapped wide. He stroked her hair, his voice turning into a low, protective rumble. "Shhh. I know. I know it must have been his fault. You are too innocent for this world, Amaya."
Once the sobbing subsided and Amaya revealed the sordid details—how her husband had been caught in an affair with their own housemaid—Kenzo's face turned a dangerous shade of crimson.
"I cannot believe that monster!" Kenzo roared, his fist slamming onto the table. "I trusted him! To betray my flower-like daughter for a servant... he will regret the day he was born. I'll make sure of it."
Amaya wiped her eyes, her voice hollow. "I never truly trusted him, Dad. Nineteen years... nineteen years I endured his coldness. He never loved me, and he didn't even care for his own daughters. I only stayed for the sake of the girls."
Kenzo hugged her again. "If you had told me sooner, I would have dragged you away from that beast years ago. But from today, you and my granddaughters are part of the Kaminari Joint Family again. Don't worry about Jiro, Tatsuya, or Izumi. If they try to give you trouble, they'll have to answer to me."
"Thank you, Dad," Amaya smiled weakly. "But I want to work. I want to help in the company. I want to raise my daughters on my own feet."
Kenzo tried to protest, telling her she didn't need to work, but Amaya's gaze was steely. "Please, Dad. I need this. I will make Kaminari Zen-Tech even more successful. Just give me the chance."
Kenzo sighed, unable to say no to his only daughter. "Fine. You always were stubborn. But listen, tomorrow you'll take Yuki and Hana to school. But what about Emi? Her high school is on the other side of the city."
He smiled knowingly. "I have just the person. A young man, very handsome, very capable. He used to be my personal bodyguard and he's an expert in martial arts. He's a student himself, but he'll be Emi's personal driver. His name is Haruki Sora. He'll keep her safe."
That evening, the rest of the Kaminari family returned from the company. The news of Amaya's divorce and her permanent return rippled through the house like a cold draft. Jiro, the second son (himself a divorcee), Tatsuya, the third son (whose wife lived separately), and Izumi, the youngest sister (still unmarried), were far from pleased. The house was becoming crowded, and the power dynamics were shifting.
A lavish dinner was held to "celebrate" Amaya's return. The long, ornate table was filled with delicacies, but the atmosphere was thick with unspoken tension.
Kenzo broke the silence, raising a glass. "To Amaya and my granddaughters. May you find nothing but happiness in this house."
Hana, ever the troublemaker, grinned. "Grandpa, can I play video games in my room all night?"
Kenzo laughed. "You can play whatever you want, my dear." He clapped his hands, and three maids appeared behind the girls. "These are your personal attendants. They are here for whatever you need."
Amaya frowned slightly. "Dad, isn't this too much? You're spoiling them."
"Nonsense!" Kenzo beamed. "They are my blood."
Izumi, sipping her wine, let out a sharp, mocking smile. "Brother, don't you think you're overdoing it? This isn't a fairy tale."
Kenzo ignored her, looking at Jiro and Tatsuya. "You two don't have a problem with Amaya staying here, do you?"
Jiro wiped sweat from his brow, forcing a fake smile. "Of course not, brother. The house feels... livelier now." Tatsuya nodded in silent, reluctant agreement.
"Then it's official," Kenzo declared. "Amaya is back where she belongs."
The next morning, after Amaya left with the younger two, Emi stepped out of the mansion's front doors. She stopped in her tracks.
Standing beside a sleek, polished luxury car was a young man. He was tall, with sharp features and a calm, effortless aura that demanded attention. He looked more like an idol than a driver.
He bowed slightly, his gaze meeting hers. "Good morning, Miss Emi. My name is Haruki Sora. I will be your driver from today."
Emi's breath caught for a split second. She stared at him, her heart giving a strange, unfamiliar flutter.
So... this is my first car driver, she thought, her eyes narrowing as she prepared to test his limits.