The rain had passed, but its shadow still clung to the mansion.
Anika stood in the garden at dawn, wrapped in a pale silk robe. The cherry blossoms had started to fall early, scattered like ashes on the stone paths. She reached down to catch one—and paused.
A thorn pricked her finger.
A single black rose had bloomed in the middle of the cherry grove.
It hadn't been there yesterday.
A chill ran down her spine.
"You shouldn't be out here," said a quiet voice behind her.
Aiko.
The older woman never raised her voice, never showed emotion—but this time, her hands were clenched around the tea tray.
"I needed air," Anika replied softly. "I couldn't sleep."
Aiko hesitated. Then, with a glance at the rose, she set the tray down. "Do you know why the Black Rose is feared?"
Anika shook her head.
"It doesn't just symbolize death or darkness," Aiko murmured. "In the old legends, it was said the Black Rose only blooms for the cursed bloodline. For those who carry a name that should have died generations ago."
Anika blinked. "What are you talking about?"
Aiko's eyes met hers. "Your mother. She wasn't just a schoolteacher in Osaka, was she?"
Anika's breath hitched. "She—she died when I was eight. I barely remember—"
"She died because someone remembered her blood."
The words hit like gunfire.
Aiko stepped closer. "Her maiden name was Kanzaki, wasn't it?"
Anika froze. "How do you know that?"
Aiko didn't answer directly. Instead, she handed her a sealed envelope.
"It was hidden in your belongings. Rai-sama ordered no one to open it, but... I think you should know."
Anika stared at the paper. Her fingers trembled as she broke the seal.
Inside was a birth certificate.
Not hers.
Her mother's.
And underneath the name Kanzaki Ayame was a chilling signature.
Kanzaki-gumi.
Anika's knees weakened. The Kanzaki-gumi had been one of the most feared Yakuza clans in Japan—until they were annihilated in a bloodbath nearly two decades ago.
Everyone thought the bloodline was wiped out.
But here she was.
Living proof.
"You were born under a name Rai's enemies would kill to erase," Aiko whispered. "That's why he picked you. Not just because you were simple or quiet. But because you were already part of this world, whether you knew it or not."
Anika shook her head. "No... no, that's not possible…"
Aiko bowed her head. "You may hate him. You may fear him. But Rai Kurosawa married you not just for protection. He married you to protect a legacy."
Anika clutched the envelope to her chest.
The wind howled through the garden.
Above the cherry trees, the black rose stood tall.
And for the first time, she wondered—
Was she really the pawn?
Or had she always been the queen in a game she never chose to play?