Gangster Cinderella

Chapter Forty Three: Leaving Wasn't the Hard Part

The ticking of the clock is all I can hear as my mother pours herself another glass of whiskey in order to continue telling her story. I speak, interrupting the silence for a moment, "Did...did dad know about this?"

She walks back over to her chair across from me and sits down before answering, "Yes he did. But somehow despite my past Akira still loved me...he asked me to marry him when I was pregnant with you. I've already told you the mental and emotional reasons for why I left...but there was one other reason that I never told you." She once again takes a long sip of her whiskey. "I assume you already know why Hoang had to step down from motorcycle racing at such a young age...but what you probably don't know is the true extent of his injuries from that accident. He not only lost his fingers but also broke his ribs and nearly snapped his neck. His survival of that accident was a fifty-fifty chance, but my aunt and uncle refused to pay for the operation and that left me with one choice: I had to go back into organized crime. I joined the yakuza when I was sixteen years old. Although I'm not famous in the organized crime under belly, I wasn't a nobody either. Enough people in the organized crime scene have heard of the Marksman of Saigon, so getting accepted was easy once I threw my name around. My current boss decided to pay upfront for my brother's operation in exchange for me being his language translator and representative. Hell he even paid for my education. Even though it's an improvement to what I did in Saigon, it was and still is risky; too risky to have a child involve. But fortunately my time serving the yakuza will soon come to an end."

"When?" I quickly ask.

"February of next year I'll be done paying off my debts and hopefully that'll come with peace."

"Ok...but what were you talking about with the leader of the Black Dragon?"

"Oh...that, I was asking him to possibly scare your stepmother into folding if she refuses our offer on Friday. I'm sorry..."

I take a deep breath before telling my mother, "I don't want anyone to bloody their hands on my behalf. If she refuses to cooperate, then I'd prefer if we continue against her legally. I want my ownership to be ironclad and legitimate so that she is unable to ever try taking them again."

Her face contorts from shock to shame. "I understand, I'm sorry. I just wanted to help you, but I should've considered your feelings about that. So..." She pauses, her discomfort becoming increasingly evident. "do you still want to...ya know, live here? I understand if you want to move out-"

I walk over and hug my mother, "I'm fine with staying here...and you don't have to be alone anymore mom." 

The tears she fought so hard to hold back came forth. She cries against my frame, "I-I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry Chieko..."

We hold each other for a while after that; both of us seeking healing from each other that night.

🍂🍂🍂🌌🍂🍂🍂

"Wow that's fucked up...but does that mean she's on the side of the Black Dragons?" Mikey asks me while we're watching Cowboy Bebop in his room.

"I wouldn't say she's on the Black Dragon's side. More like she's the middle man between her boss and Taiju. It doesn't seem to me like she would help him out in any way with his gang. She definitely won't now after she threatened to shoot his face off."

"Jesus that's hardcore. So when're you guys meeting with your step sow to negotiate about the lawsuit?"

"This Friday. We're hoping that we can convince her to just take a settlement outside of court and that going to court will only reveal skeletons in her closet." I rest my head on his shoulder.

"Is your sister going to be there?"

"Shikha can't be there but we will show her the written character witness statement she gave us about her mother."

"Do you think it'll work?"

I sigh, "I don't know, but I'm hoping that her raging narcissism will make her back out in order to protect her image."

A reassuring rough hand holds mine, "You'll win. I just know you will."

My heart eases at his confidence, and for the moment I am not scared of facing Kita Yashido.

❤️‍🔥Friday❤️‍🔥

The day I face Kita Yashido has finally arrived. I can already feel myself shaking with both dread and anticipation. Hopefully our threat of outing her illegal activities and domestic abuse record will be enough to make her back down from this case. Suddenly someone's hand takes hold of my own. My mother looks at me, brimming full of confidence.

"Don't worry, the dirt I have on her is enough to make anyone fold. It'll work out."

"Ok, I trust you." I concede.

"You...! What're you doing here?!" A familiar voice screeches. I look to meet the hostile glare of Kita Yashido. "You're the one who works for-"

My mother cuts her off, "Well miss Yashido you threatened my daughter and what mother wouldn't help their daughter out." Her smile more fake than Kita's ass. 

"So that mean- ah I see, so the runaway mother returns. Not that I can blame you for leaving, from one woman who made a mistake to another I can understand why-"

"My daughter isn't a mistake, and I think we're wasting time talking out here." 

"Yes, let's get this sad excuse for a negotiation over with." She coughs before pushing by us to go inside of the law firm.

We follow after her to a secluded office where our respective lawyers are already waiting on opposite sides of a long table. As soon as we are sat down on our side of the table, Kita opens her mouth, "I would like to put out my demands first before we start negotiating. I'll forget about the motorcycles if I receive what is equal in value to the motorcycle collection. I believe that the ball park amount would be eight hundred thousand yen." 

"Yashido...when was the last time you saw your daughter?" My mother coldly asks.