The Yakuza’s Mute Bride novel Chapter 78

Chapter 78

Chapter 78

I had been staring at the mountain for too long.

The snow clung to Mount Fuji like a quiet confession, soft and relentless, turning the world into something almost unreal. The cold air bit at my cheeks, but I welcomed it. It kept me grounded, kept my thoughts from shattering completely under the weight of everything I refused to say.

Then suddenly-A hand grabbed mine.

I gasped softly as my body reacted before my mind could, my fingers instinctively curling around the warmth that closed around them. His hand was large, steady, unmistakably familiar in a way that made my chest ache sharply.

Tadashi.

My eyes widened in shock as he pulled me forward, not roughly, but with a certainty that left no room for hesitation. It was as if his hand knew mine, as if muscle memory had reached for me even when his mind could not.

He did not look back.

He simply walked, his grip firm, guiding me toward the restaurant as though this had always been the plan.

Why?

Why was he doing this?

Inside, the restaurant was warm and softly lit, the scent of simmering broth and grilled meat wrapping around us immediately. Several men stood waiting near the entrance. They straightened the moment they saw him, eyes flickering briefly to me before returning to respectful neutrality.

His men.

That realization sent a quiet shiver through me.

Why bring me here?

He did not slow his pace, did not release my hand, instead leading me past the main dining area and down a narrow corridor toward a closed door. He opened it and ushered me inside.

A private room.

VIP.

The space was elegant and traditional, low table, floor cushions, wide windows framing the snowy mountain beyond. The door slid shut behind us with a soft, final sound that made my heart skip.

We sat across from each other.

The silence between us was thick, heavy with everything unsaid.

Not long after, the food arrived.

Dish after dish was placed carefully on the table, steam curling into the air, aromas rich and unfamiliar. The presentation alone was beautiful-simple, refined, unmistakably Japanese in a way that made me acutely aware of how far from home 1 truly was.

“Eat,” Tadashi said.

Chapter 78

His voice was cold. Controlled. Empty of the warmth I remembered.

I hesitated for a brief moment before nodding and picking up my chopsticks. I told myself to focus on the food, not on him, not on the way his eyes never left me.

The first bite surprised me.

The flavors were deep and layered, nothing like the food I was used to in London. Comforting and sharp at the same time, as if the land itself had poured something ancient into the dish.

I ate slowly, carefully, letting the warmth spread through me while my gaze drifted toward the window. Outside, winter painted everything in muted whites and grays. Mount Fuji stood silent, beautiful, and distant.

It felt sad.

I did not know why Tadashi had brought me here. But the way he watched me-cold, assessing, detached-made one thing painfully clear.

He did not remember me.

So why?

One by one, the dishes were cleared away.

Still, his gaze never wavered.

When the table was empty, the door slid open again.

A man entered quietly, carrying two heavy duffel bags.

The sound they made when he placed them on the table was unmistakable.

Heavy.

Dense.

My stomach sank.

Tadashi stood.

He unzipped one of the bags and folded the fabric back.

Cash.

Stacks and stacks of it.

Not yen.

Pound sterling.

My breath left me in a quiet, bitter exhale.

Of course.

Understanding settled over me like a cruel certainty.

“This is for you,” Tadashi said calmly.

Just as I thought.

Chapter 78

Het out a soft, huniorless chuckle before I could stop myself.

Slowly, I stood from my seat.

My legs felt steady, but my chest felt like it was collapsing inward.

I pulled out my phone and typed carefully, deliberately, refusing to let my hands shake.

“You think I want your money?”

The phone spoke the words aloud, clear and unmistakable.

His expression did not change.

“I read everything about you,” he replied coolly. “Your background. Your history. I am releasing you, but there is a condition.”

The word releasing cut deeper than I expected.

“You will never mention my name,” he continued. “Nor anything related to me. Or… whatever this was.”

My throat burned.

So that was it.

He believed I was a gold digger.

He believed what we had could be erased by money.

That this-us-had a price.

I knew he did not remember.

I knew this was not the man who had held me, protected me, loved me with a devotion that shook his entire world.

But it still hurt.

It hurt so much.

I typed again, my vision blurring despite my resolve.

“Money was never what I wanted from the beginning, Tadashi.”

He raised an eyebrow slightly, skepticism clear.

I smiled then.

Not because I was okay.

But because I refused to beg.

I walked toward the door, stopping only long enough to type one last message.

“In fact, I thought I would never see you again. And yet you took me here.”

I turned to face him fully, meeting his cold, unfamiliar gaze with as much dignity as I could gather.

“Thank you. I will leave.”

12:58 Mon, Jan 12 TOG.

Chapter 78

I slid the door open and stepped out, my movements quick, almost desperate.

No-Not walking.

But, running.

Running from the man I loved.

From the man who forgot me.

From the pain that threatened to shatter me completely.

My heart screamed questions I already knew the answers to.

Why did he think that was all I wanted?

Why did he believe money could replace love?

Why did forgetting me turn me into something so small in his eyes?

I did not look back.

I could not.

Because if I did-I knew I would break.

AD