Yuji stood over Akame, his hand still raised, his chest heaving. “Don’t you dare talk back to me!” he roared. “You’ve ruined everything! Everything your grandfather built, you’ve just handed away!”Akame’s vision blurred with tears. She clutched the side of her face, trembling violently, unable to meet his eyes. His face was monstrous, consumed by years of bitterness and drink.“Father,” she whispered weakly, her voice quivering. “Please stop. You’re scaring me.”But Yuji only snarled, pacing like a wild animal. “You think this is over? I’ll get that money back,” he muttered darkly. “If I have to drag that Sullivan man here myself, I’ll do it. I’ll make him pay.”Akame pressed her palms together, silently willing herself not to cry louder. Her cheek still burned from the sting of her father’s hand. Her knees wobbled as she struggled to her feet, holding herself upright only through sheer will.“Please excuse me, Father,” she whispered, bowing slightly, her voice trembling despite he

That evening, the house was quiet again—eerily quiet. Akame had locked herself in her room, her cheek still red from the slap, her heart torn between rage and heartbreak.Meanwhile, Yuji sat in his bedroom surrounded by the smell of perfume and alcohol, two women giggling beside him. But his laughter had faded long ago. His eyes, bloodshot from drink and frustration, burned with bitterness.He had lost control of his daughter, and worse, of his access to money.That night, long after the women had fallen asleep on the bed, Yuji stepped outside into the cold air, lit a cigarette, and stared at the dark city skyline. His thoughts were ugly.He muttered to himself, “She thinks she can defy me. She wouldn’t have any of it if it weren’t for me. That money... it’s mine. I'll take it back even if I have to kill her.”The ember of his cigarette glowed red as his mind drifted toward a dangerous thought. If Akame wouldn’t listen to reason, there were other ways to reclaim what was “rightfully

A wave of nervous murmurs swept through the lawyers. The lead attorney, a man with severe glasses, cleared his throat and leaned forward."Mr. Sullivan, with all due respect," he began, choosing his words carefully, "the law in this matter is quite clear. In the absence of a will, which we have confirmed does not exist, the estate passes to the closest living relative. As Akame Yamamoto's father, Mr. Yuji Yamamoto is the undisputed and sole heir. We have the death certificate and all the necessary documentation. There is no legal basis for your refusal."Another lawyer chimed in, "We understand this is emotionally difficult, but you are holding assets in trust. Your fiduciary duty, at this point, is to release them to the lawful beneficiary."Yuji shot to his feet, his face purple with rage. He slammed his hands on the table. "You hear that, Sullivan? There's no basis! This is my money! I am not going to sit here and watch you steal what is rightfully mine!"Barry had let them all spe

Barry had no love for the current administration. The previous government had been pragmatic, understanding and had a symbiotic relationship between them and his corporation. But this new regime only saw Sullivan Group as a piggy bank to be cracked open.Ever since Barry's official retirement as Sullivan Group chairman, Veronica and Snow have been battling with sudden tax hikes and endless regulatory hurdles from the government. The senate, in particular, had been a thorn in their flesh.“Shut down?” Barry repeated, his voice low. “How is that even possible? They’ve been bleeding us dry for months.”“According to Senator Davies,” Veronica began as if she was delivering a boardroom report. “He came to me, hat in hand. It seems their plan had a fatal flaw.”She paused, ensuring she had his full attention. “Their plan was to use the big taxes they were forcing us to pay as leverage to borrow even more money.”A cold, grim smile touched Barry’s lips. He could see where this was going.“

A wave of excitement spread through the room. Clearing the national debt entirely was far more generous than anyone had dared to hope for.But Senator Branson was not swayed. His face was a thundercloud. "Don't be deceived. It's a trap!" he shouted, slamming his hand on the desk. "Even if he clears the debt, the terms are still outrageous! He wants to own our government!"The President finally had enough. "Senator Branson," he said, his voice sharp with authority. "You keep saying 'no.' Do you have a better option? A real one? Because my desk is piled with reports of our military not getting paid and our hospitals running out of funding."Branson drew himself up. "Yes, Mr. President, I believe I do. But I won't discuss it here, not in front of him." He pointed a trembling finger at Barry. "We cannot give this man more power! He's already a shadow king. If we let him clear the debt, we will be forever under his thumb, living by his mercy!"A chorus of agreement rose from Branson's sup