Asuka had a reason why she chose this day to demand a divorce—a reason that had kept her silent for years, even through the birth of Kota.


    It was because her father was still alive.


    His cold, sharp words had always pierced her resolve, leaving her unable to muster the courage to fight back.


    Her fear of him was deeply ingrained, especially after her mother''s death. Knowing that her mother had died upon seeing Asuka''s humiliating pornographic video had been a wound that never healed.


    Her father''s gaze had grown sharper, cutting into her like a de, and she had no strength to resist.


    In front of him, Asuka had always been a doll—obedient, passive, and devoid of agency.


    She knew that the moment she defied him, she would be discarded like a broken toy, deemed worthless and unwanted.


    But now, with her father gone and only her brother, Renji, remaining, she finally found the courage to stand up for herself. Especially when her son was already gone, she didn''t has any reason to stay by Isamu''s side.


    Haruto''s unwavering support and fierce determination to fight for her had further ignited her courage, the embers of resistance blooming into a me within her heart.


    "Please, let me do something I truly want with my life," Asuka continued, her voice steady butced with emotion.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Renji watched her in silence, startled by the transformation. The sister he had always known—the lifeless doll molded by their father''s will—was no longer before him.


    This was a woman with spirit, with agency.


    And he, as her brother, had failed to protect her when she needed him most. He had allowed fear of losing his position as the head of the Furukawa family to paralyze him.


    He knew how much she had suffered, but she had never asked for his help. To her, he had merely been an extension of their father—aplicit enforcer of her oppression.


    Still, Renji couldn''t ignore his responsibilities. As her elder brother, he had a right to question the man she had chosen, especially when that man was still so young.


    "I understand what you want, Asuka," Renji began, his tone measured. "But Haruto… he''s still a high schooler. Can he truly provide for you?"


    He paused, his gaze shifting to both of them. "And what about the video and the inevitable gossip? This will hurt your reputation, Asuka. You need to think carefully."


    Isamu''s eyes widened, seizing the opportunity. "Brother-inw, you can''t seriously allow this! Reject their rtionship outright!" he demanded, his voice rising in desperation.


    Renji exhaled deeply, his sharp gaze cutting into Isamu. "Enough with your nonsense, Inoue," he said, his tone colder than ice.


    "I support Asuka''s decision to divorce you. You''re a terrible human being, and my sister hates you."


    He leaned forward, his words slicing through the air like a de. "You have no right to be part of this conversation anymore."


    "Brother-inw!" Isamu sputtered, his face twisted in despair.


    "I told you to shut your mouth, or I''ll shut down that excuse of apany you''ve been running at a loss, draining Furukawa Group''s resources!" Renji''s voice thundered, leaving no room for argument.


    Isamu fell silent, his face a mix of anger and humiliation as he turned his hateful re toward Haruto. The younger man smirked in triumph, unfazed by the venom in Isamu''s eyes.


    "Mr. Furukawa," Haruto said, his voice calm but resolute. "You don''t need to worry. I can provide for Asuka just fine."


    He nced at Asuka, ensuring her agreement before continuing. "And I understand your concerns. Let''s not rush things. We can wait for the gossip to settle, right, Asuka?"


    Asuka nodded, her rational natureing to the forefront. "Brother, even if you were to take all my shares or remove me from my position as CEO of my ownpany, I would still choose Haruto."


    Her voice softened, yet the determination in her eyes remained. "So please, don''t stand in the way of our rtionship."


    Renji''s smile was bitter, tinged with regret. He knew there was little he could do to change her mind, and her perception of him as an extension of their father stung deeply.


    "I won''t do anything like that, Asuka," Renji said, his voice quieter now.


    "I know yourpany''s sess stems from your hard work, not from Furukawa Group''s investments. I won''t take it from you."


    Asuka''s eyes widened, surprised by her brother''s words. It had been years since she had seen him smile like this, and a thin smile spread across her own lips.


    "Thank you, Brother," she murmured, ncing at Haruto in quiet relief.


    Haruto met her gaze, his hands twitching with the urge to embrace her, but he restrained himself, unwilling to shatter the fragile peace in the room.


    Isamu, however, could not hide his fury. His clenched fists shook, his face red with anger.


    "Asuka, how could you do this to our family?!" he bellowed. "What about our son, Kota? That man sitting beside you killed him!"


    His voice cracked with anguish as he mmed his fists on the armrest. "How could you talk about divorce on the day our son died? How could you leave me for another man so heartlessly? Don''t you have a shred of decency? Are you a demon?!"


    The usation hung heavy in the air, the raw emotion slicing through the room like a dagger.


    Tears welled in Asuka''s eyes, but she met his re head-on. "Of course I''m sad, Isamu. I''m still a mother," she said, her voice trembling yet firm.


    "But I know for certain that Kota was already lost long before this. And it wasn''t Haruto''s fault."


    Her tone hardened as she continued. "It was ours—yours and mine. Our loveless marriage turned our son into a broken person!"


    Her words were like thunder, silencing even Isamu''s outburst.


    Deep down, Isamu knew she was right. He had never truly seen Kota as a son. To him, the boy was merely a tool—a shackle to bind Asuka to his side.


    There was no love in his heart for the child he had fathered, no acknowledgment of his humanity. His mind had been consumed by a singr obsession: Asuka.


    But now, Kota was gone, and with him, thest chain Isamu had used to tether Asuka to his will.


    Even his desperate usations and attempts to burden her with guilt over their son''s death had failed to sway her.


    He had lost her.


    Forever.


    Asuka''s liberation wasplete, and for her, it was a triumph. But for Isamu, it was a bitter, hollow defeat, leaving him alone with the ruins of his obsession.