Chapter 21

While Okaya Masahiko was having a pleasant meal with three high school girls, at that time...

As for Okaya's ex-wife Misa:

"Um, Nagano Misa-san. I'm sorry, but we can't hire you here. I'm really sorry."

This was in the back room of a family restaurant in the city.

Nagano was Misa's maiden name; she had been married to Okaya.

"Why...! Why not!"

Misa had just arrived at the family restaurant for a part-time job interview a minute ago.

"The sign outside said, 'Part-time workers wanted! No experience necessary!'"

"Well, that's true, but... we can't hire you, Nagano-san."

"Why not! Explain yourself!"

"Well, it's kind of a company secret... to be honest, it's an order from above."

Misa lunged at the manager, but he easily dodged.

"To put it simply, we've been told not to hire you. I don't know why, though."

"Such...!"

"I know, you seem like a nice person, and I'd like to hire you, but I have to follow orders. I'm really sorry."

"......It's unreasonable."

"Society is full of unreasonable things. Besides, without part-time or work experience, no one will hire you."

"Shut up!"

With a distorted face of anger, Misa tried to leave the back room.

"I'll never use this family restaurant again!"

With that, Misa left the restaurant.

The sign behind her read "Kaiders," a family restaurant under the Kaida Group.

As the name suggests, it was a restaurant under the Kaida Group.

"What the hell! Damn it! Shit!"

...So, what had Misa been doing since her divorce from Okaya?

First, Misa had her personal belongings from Okaya's place sent to her parents' house.

She only returned to her parents' house for a brief moment.

Her father was often away from home due to work.

Taking advantage of his absence, Misa sold all her belongings.

After collecting and selling anything else of value, she left the house.

After that, Misa had been staying at a nearby business hotel.

There was a reason for this.

"Huh? I... can't rent a house...?"

To live, she needed a place to stay.

Misa went to a real estate agency near the station to find a cheap place to live...

"I'm sorry, but based on the review, we cannot rent a room to Nagano Misa-san."

The largest real estate agencies like "KAIKAI" and "Kaida Apartments"...

No matter which real estate agency she went to, no one would rent her a room.

Needless to say, these real estate agencies were under the Kaida Group.

In modern Japan, it was harder to find a company not under the Kaida Group.

Convenience stores, family restaurants, banks, and real estate agencies were all influenced by the Kaida Group.

Now that Misa had incurred the displeasure of Kaida Takahiro, the chairman of the Kaida Group, she could not live freely in Japan.

"It's a nightmare..."

After failing the part-time job interview, Misa was curled up alone in her hotel room.

Gurrr...

"Ugh... I'm so hungry..."

Misa had been staying at a cheap business hotel for several days.

Of course, she had been turned down by several hotels before finally renting a cheap, dimly lit business hotel in the basement.

The hotel only provided breakfast, and naturally, she was hungry.

"I have nothing left to sell... I don't want to live on the streets. And I don't want to go back to my parents' house... even if I die!"

Misa had not told her parents about her divorce.

Her father was a strict parent.

If she had divorced due to her partner's infidelity, it would be one thing, but if she had been unfaithful...

Her father would not remain silent. Most importantly, her pride would not allow her to tell her parents such an embarrassing thing.

...However, she couldn't stay in the hotel forever.

"I don't have much money left..."

Her funds were running low, and she kept failing part-time job interviews.

"I can't rely on my parents..."

Just then, the landline in the room rang.

"Hello."

"Um, Nagano-san. This is about your accommodation fees..."

Misa had been staying at this hotel for over ten days.

Initially, she had planned to stay for only one night, intending to find a place to live and a part-time job quickly.

But as days turned into weeks, she kept extending her stay.

She had been kicked out of the previous hotel for the same reason.

If she was kicked out of this cheap hotel, there would be no other affordable hotels in the city.

The option of moving to a cheaper suburban area was not even considered by Misa.

(Who would want to live in a remote, inconvenient place...!)

...But Misa was foolish.

There were still facilities in the countryside that were not under the Kaida Group.

However, it was harder to find a place in the city that was not under the Kaida Group.

The Kaida Group was that large...

"The hotel policy is to pay at check-out, but since you've extended your stay for ten days, if you want to extend it further, could you please pay now?"

"Damn it! I know! I know! Stop nagging me!"

Lashing out was pointless.

Moreover, she was inconveniencing the hotel staff.

Despite this, she acted arrogantly.

"...In that case..."

Misa took out a credit card from her wallet.

"Haha... It's your fault...!"

She gave an evil smile.

This credit card was in Okaya's name, and Misa had obtained it without his knowledge.

Of course, the charges were deducted from Okaya's bank account.

Okaya was unaware that Misa had a credit card in his name.

"It's your fault for rejecting me...!"

She had not used this card until now because it would leave a trail.

If unfamiliar charges appeared, he would investigate and possibly cancel the card.

But Misa was cornered.

"In that case, I'll use it to the limit...! You'll suffer when the bill comes next month!"

Misa took the credit card in Okaya's name and went to the front desk.

She slammed the card on the counter.

"Here! Your money! Are you satisfied now!?"

The front desk attendant, without showing any displeasure, took the card and tried to process the payment.

Beep... beep... beep...

"Huh...?"

The front desk attendant tilted his head.

"Something's wrong...?"

Beep... beep... beep...

"Hey, how long are you going to keep me waiting, you slowpoke!"

"Sorry... I'll call my supervisor."

"Tch...! Hurry up, you scum!"

Soon, the hotel manager arrived.

"Customer, this card cannot be used."

"Wh... What...?"

Taken aback, Misa froze.

"Can't... be used...? What... what do you mean...?"

"The card has expired."

"What! Are you kidding me!"

Misa snatched the card from the manager.

"The card's surface! Look here! The expiration date is still five years away! It can't be expired!"

"Yes, but... according to the system, the card expired a year ago."

"That's impossible..."

Indeed, it was impossible.

She had been using this card since her marriage to Okaya Masahiko.

In fact, she had used it just last month to buy an expensive gift for Kiso River.

How could the card have expired a year ago?

It was ridiculous, impossible.

"It's your system's fault!?"

"Why don't you contact the card company?"

"I will!"

Misa borrowed a phone and called the card company.

...Incidentally, the name of this credit card was "Kaida Card."

The parent company was, of course, the Kaida Group, and the result was obvious.

The card could not be used, and the company insisted there was no issue with their system.

"Damn it! Why! Why is this happening!"

...So, Misa found herself in a situation where she could not use the credit card.

Moreover, she did not have enough cash to cover the expenses.

In other words...

"Customer, we would like to request payment for ten days of accommodation, totaling 25,000 yen."

"Ugh... ugh..."

25,000 yen.

When her husband was around, it was a trivial amount.

It was the same as the cost of a fancy dinner for two, or a night's dinner for two (of course, including Kiso River, which she paid for).

Before, it was manageable.

But now, she knew that 25,000 yen was a significant amount.

Okaya Masahiko had been an employee of the TAKANAWA Group, the largest publishing company in Japan.

Misa had not realized this until her divorce.

She had no interest in the publishing industry or Okaya's work, so she had not noticed.

"Please, just wait ten more days! I'll pay then...!"

"No, that's not possible. Please pay now."

"I said I'll pay in ten days!"

Bang! She slammed the front desk, but the manager did not flinch.

"If you continue to refuse, I will call the police."

"Police!?"

"Of course. You have stayed for ten days without paying."

The manager reached for the phone.

"Wait! Wait a minute!"

Misa lunged at the manager, but the young hotel staff held her back.

"Let go, you fool!"

Just then...

Woo... woo... woo...

Thump thump thump...

"What! Police!? Why!?"

Multiple police officers arrived at the scene, even though the manager had not yet called them.

Of course, this was due to the power of Kaida Takahiro.

The hotel was not under the Kaida Group, but the security camera management company was.

Kaida Takahiro was aware of Misa's movements.

"Are you Nagano Misa? Please come with us."

"No...! Wait! Wait! Noooooo!"

Misa struggled, but the police officers took her away.