The conference room on the thirty-eighth floor of the Shirogane Tower was wrapped in heavy silence just past nine in the morning. At the far end of the long table sat Shirogane Toshiya. Clad in a black suit, his figure was less that of a company president than a cold, merciless ruler. The small mole at the corner of his mouth lent a sharpness that seemed to catch even the slightest shift in expression. On either side sat the senior figures of the Akatsuki-kai. At the head position, Chairman Kugayama, seventy-five years old. On either side of him, titans of the financial world. The expressions of these senior members were rigid, betraying that this was no ordinary gathering. One more person. Shirogane Touitchiro also occupied a seat. The fifty-two-year-old vice chairman. His expression seemed gentle enough, but behind his eyes lay an icy coldness. The silver piercing in his right ear reflected the conference room's light. "Then, once more. Thank you all for gathering today." Touitchiro spoke. His voice was soft, polite. Yet beneath those words flowed something unmistakable—an intent to corner someone. "It concerns the internal whistleblowing problem within the Shirogane Group. And the grave suspicions related to it. We've also received information that the media has already caught wind of this, but—" A murmur ran through the room. Executives exchanged glances. Several lowered their eyes to the documents before them, furrowing their brows. "Today, extremely serious information has come to light." Touitchiro made eye contact with Himuro Saya. Saya responded immediately, raising a single document. It was projected onto the conference room screen. "This is evidence suggesting that the current president's wife, Kirihara Runa, may have a deep connection with the whistleblower. As you can see, email records from two years ago. Here we have traces of her having noticed irregularities within the Shirogane Group." With those words, the air in the conference room froze. Every eye in the room fixed on Toshiya. Those gazes were far from friendly. Suspicion. Wariness. And something more—something that dwelt in those pupils. The pen gripped in Toshiya's hand trembled slightly. That tremor revealed the turmoil within him. Yet his expression did not change. It remained cold, impassive. "Furthermore, we've discovered suspicious points regarding her past. Specifically—" "Wait." That voice cut through the room. It was Toshiya. He rose slowly. The motion was gradual, yet it carried unmistakable force. "Vice Chairman. I have one question about the legitimacy of this so-called 'evidence.' My wife pointed out contradictions in the real estate division via email. Why exactly did you arrive at the conclusion that this is related to internal whistleblowing?" Touitchiro smiled faintly. That smile was one of assured victory. "President. Naturally, the investigation is ongoing. However, the circumstantial evidence is sufficient, one would say. She noticed irregularities within the group. And afterward, she may have made contact with the current whistleblower—" "Speculation. You intend to make definitive claims about my wife based on speculation?" Toshiya's voice was low. Yet that lowness carried overwhelming force. "Then allow me to present it. The real evidence." With that, Toshiya operated his smartphone. The motion was swift, calculated. A new file appeared on the conference room screen. It was an audio file. A recorded testimony from Tachibana. "I was threatened by Touitchiro. I have a wife and children. He said 'harm will come to the children'—" A thin man's voice flowed from the speakers. That voice was filled with fear and regret. "He told me to falsify transaction records. To create fictitious transactions using Kirihara Runa's name. I thought those records would be used as evidence for the internal whistleblowing." When that voice ended, the conference room was enveloped in complete silence. The executives' gazes turned toward Touitchiro. Those gazes were filled with doubt. A loss of trust. And something more—anger itself could be felt. Chairman Kugayama slowly opened his mouth. "Touitchiro. Is this true? I want an answer." His voice was low. It carried suppressed anger. Touitchiro's complexion changed slightly. That change revealed his agitation. Yet he responded immediately. "This is fabrication. Tachibana—" "Tachibana himself is standing by as a witness. We can call him at any time." With Toshiya's words, Touitchiro's speech died. The conference room was enveloped in silence once more. That silence pressed down on Touitchiro with certainty. His scheme had crumbled in an instant. Yet Touitchiro did not give up. His eyes gleamed faintly. He had prepared one final move. "Still—" That voice was low. But that lowness was no longer gentle. It was cold, sharp. His true nature was finally laid bare. "There are suspicious points regarding the president's wife's past. There are aspects of her background that have not been fully revealed. This—" "I know everything about my wife." Toshiya's voice pierced through the conference room. That voice was filled with fury. For the first time, the emotion of this cold-hearted president was laid bare. "No one will cast doubt on my wife. I trust her. I will have this nonsensical speculation about her involvement in anything end here." With those words, the conference room erupted into chaos once more. Executives exchanged glances. Those gazes showed their support for Toshiya. Chairman Kugayama spoke again. "Touitchiro. Any further remarks will only leak internal Shirogane family conflict to the outside. Retract your statement." It was a command. An absolute command, laden with power. Touitchiro's face went pale. The sound of teeth grinding could be heard faintly. Yet he answered. "I retract it." With those words, the meeting ended. Toshiya's victory was assured. Six in the evening. The thirty-second floor of Residence Platine Shirogane. Runa sat on the sofa, gripping her smartphone. Her finger trembled slightly as she prepared to make the call. Yet she took a deep breath. And pressed her mother's number. The old house in Akabane. The phone rang. And her mother's voice. "Mom. Toshiya... he protected me." When those words left Runa's mouth, her tears spilled over as well. Her hand moved unconsciously to the star-shaped birthmark beneath her left collarbone. That gesture told the whole story of her emotions. "I'm so glad, Runa." Her mother Yoshie's voice rang out warmly. That warmth enveloped Runa. "I'm truly... so glad." In that moment, the two transcended distance. The bond between mother and daughter was reaffirmed through the telephone line. After hanging up, Runa waited in the living room. For Toshiya to come home. And in that moment, she realized something for the first time. *(This person truly protects me.)* That certainty filled her heart. At eleven at night, Toshiya finally came home. His expression was exhausted. Yet when he saw Runa, that expression softened just slightly. "Welcome home. You must be tired." Runa spoke softly to him. Her voice was small, yet it came from the heart. "Yes. Thank you." Toshiya's reply was brief. Yet that brevity said everything. He lowered himself onto the sofa. Runa sat beside him. The distance between them was minimal. Within that distance, something had unmistakably changed. "Touitchiro will be stripped of his position as vice chairman." With those words, Runa's heart wavered. The power struggle had ended. Yet this was only the beginning of the true ordeal. Turmoil within the group. Internal reconstruction. And beyond that— *(Will this person stay with me forever...)* That thought occupied her heart. Yet she did not know. She did not know that behind this victory, an even greater conspiracy was stirring. That Touitchiro's exposure was not complete, and that he still held something hidden.