Chapter 269 Catch a Rat in Its Hole.
Yuma’s face instantly tumed deathly pale.
For the first time in his life, he was truly afraid.
He had long since lost count of how many lives he had taken, how many people he had crussed, and how many deaths he had ordered without a second thought. Violence had always been a means to an end, and he had never once believed the same fate could come for him.
But this…
This was different.
The Takahashi Family is one of the Five Great Families. In the underworld, everyone knows the same
unwritten rule–you never provoke any of them unless you’re prepared to face the consequences.
Then the rumors had begun.
The Takahashi heir had supposedly refused to inherit the throne, fled Japan, and disappeared without a trace. With the current Oyabun growing old and no successor stepping forward, many believed the
Takahashi Family was no longer the powerhouse it once had been.
That was exactly what had given the Shibata brothers the confidence to make their move.
If they could bring down one of the Five Great Families, they wouldn’t simply eliminate a rival–they would rise in status themselves, earning the recognition and influence that came with defeating a dominant
power.
But the young woman standing before him…
Every instinct screamed that something was terribly wrong.
Her shuriken throw had been impossibly fast and frighteningly precise–even he couldn’t have pulled off a
throw like that himself.
More importantly, hardened elite operatives–men twice her size–addressed her as “Bosu–san” and carried out her every command without question.
Then her earlier words echoed in his mind.
“You poisoned my people.”
His pupils contracted.
Her people…
Those weren’t the words of someone merely carrying out orders.
Could she be…
The missing Takahashi heir?
Harper stepped closer, her expression as bright as ever. She held the syringe up for a brief moment, giving it a light tap before expelling a tiny bead of the dark purple liquid from the tip.
She looked at Yuma and smiled.
“Ready?”
The color drained from Yuma’s face.
“M–Matte!” Yuma blurted out. “Tanomu! Hanashi ae! Gojū pāsento da! So da! Ore–tachi no shūeki no gojū päsento wa Takahashi–ke ni watasu! Shibata–gumi wa Takahashi–ke ni shitagau! Dakara… dakara tasukete kure!” (W–Wait! Please! We can talk this over! Fifty percent! Yes–fifty percent of everything we earn will go to the Takahashi Family! The Shibata Family will work under the Takahashi Family! So… please let us go!)
Harper burst into laughter.
“Cute,” she said, pretending to wipe away an imaginary tear. “Watashi–tachi ga okane ni komatte iru to demo omotta no?” (Do you really believe we’re short on money?)
Her laughter gradually faded, though the smile remained.
She stepped closer until only a breath separated them. The warmth vanished from her eyes, replaced by something so cold that Yuma instinctively held his breath.
Leaning in just enough for him to hear every word, she spoke softly, her voice carrying through the truck.
“Nande anata–tachi no yogoreta okane no hanbun de manzoku shinakya ikenai no? Mondai no moto o keseba ii dake no hanashi desho?” (Why would I settle for half of your dirty money when I can erase the problem at its source?)
She leaned back just enough for their eyes to meet, her bright smile returning.
“Besides…” she said almost sweetly, “keeping an enemy alive is bad juju.”
Without a single hesitation, she stabbed his leg with the syringe.
Yuma froze, the shock taking a second to sink in before the reality of what happened hit him. He instantly started thrashing and yelling, but the man behind him held him down.
“That’s the same poison you used to try to kill my men,” Harper said. “But yours is weak and cheap, so I made some upgrades. I’m just giving you a literal dose of your own medicine.”
Harper held his gaze for another moment before giving a small, satisfied nod. Then she turned her
attention to Riku.
“Now,” she said brightly, “where were we?”
She smiled–a cheerful, bright smile that was much more terrifying than her earlier expression.
Riku’s face instantly paled as Harper approached him. She took out the second syringe and looked at him
nte
Chapter 249 C
with that same bright expression.
This might sting a little,” she said, and without missing a beat, she drove the needle deep into his thigh.
Riku immediately began thrashing as well, cursing and shouting as the fluid entered his system, but Harper just calmly set the empty syringe away. She lightly patted her hands together to dust them off, completely
unbothered.
“Don’t worry, you won’t die… yet!”
She placed a finger on her chin, tilting her head as if genuinely trying to solve a fun little puzzle.
“Mmmm… I’d say… twenty hours tops. But… it all depends on how your body can keep up. If you’re weak… maybe ten to twelve.”
Suddenly, she clapped her hands together like an excited little girl, her eyes lighting up
“I can always give you a little dose of antidote here and there to keep you alive!”
Almost immediately, the brothers felt the toxin spreading through their veins, their strength draining with
every passing second.
Harper smiled sweetly as her gaze drifted over the two brothers.
“Catching a rat in its hole is surprisingly easy.”
With that, she clasped her hands behind her back and turned to the two operatives.
“Chop, chop! We have less than twenty–four hours,” she said with her usual sunny smile. “I have guests arriving soon, and I still want to play.”
“Hai, Bosu–san.” (Yes, Boss.)
The two operatives let go, and the brothers immediately went limp–looking like complete dead weight, hanging like wet paper against their restraints.
Satisfied, Harper turned on her heel and walked toward the waiting SUV, leaving the brothers in uneasy
r silence.
The two prisoners could only watch in growing fear as the van doors slowly slid shut.
36
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Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.