Obviously enough, this exchange led nowhere.

I wasn’t all that serious in my attempts at getting answers, and both of them were perfectly aware that was the case. Neither of them were actually upset at my lack of attention, which I, in turn, understood.

As such, the topic went elsewhere. This time, being inclusive enough to accommodate me.

***

Time flew by, as it usually was with enjoyable things, all too quickly.

The ringtone of Bella’s smartphone interrupted an improvised lecture from Lady in Black about the specifics of clans’ inner workings. The whole distinction between main and side branches, hierarchy, power succession, and struggles.

My special woman looked at her phone’s screen, the expression of irritation and urgency marring her beautiful face, and excused herself.

I followed her retreating figure with my eyes, absentmindedly noting that one of the shadows accompanied her outside.

“So, what do you think about her?” I asked once the door closed behind Bella’s back.

“Will my opinion change anything?” Kouzuki Miya responded with a question of her own.

I took a few moments to mull it over.

“Not really. She is special.” I told her what was on my mind. “But I won’t bring her with me when visiting, if that’s what you want.”

It was Lady in Black’s turn to think.

“You can bring her whenever,” she said.

“I guess she made quite an impression, huh?” I joked back.

“I am thinking about mentoring her,” my grandmother said, dropping a bombshell. “Of course, it would depend on whether she agrees or not.”

I whistled. A mentorship from one of the Kouzuki Twins held immense weight in upper society.

“The girl is obviously important to you,” the Lady in Black continued. “And with you serving as her front, my teachings would suit her very much.”

I nodded.

To be honest, even fifteen years later, there were too many people who looked down on Bella for being a woman. Well, most of them paid dearly for underestimating That Alvarez Woman, yet the whole process went much more smoothly once she stepped down from being official leader and became the nominal advisor and chief of operations.

Truly, people’s stupidity and bias knew no bounds.

“She refuses to become my Lady Long,” I informed my grandmother.

“But you are going to do so anyway?” she replied.

“Yes,” I affirmed.

Another brief pause followed.

“What if some of the more tradition-oriented elders oppose your decision?” The tone Kouzuki Miya used was gravely serious.

“Then the Long Clan will need a few new elders,” I shrugged.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“That’s a risky move,” my grandmother chided me.

“Well, what can I do?” I spread my arms. “I am the brute, and Bella is the wise woman who can rein me in. Alas, unless she is a Lady Long, she won’t have a say in matters of clan.”

My words lingered in the air as Kouzuki Miya used refilling my cap as an opportunity to think some more.

“For the Three Families, blood is everything,” she said, placing the kettle back on the table. “But it works both ways. Tian, this way of thinking would work for a Kouzuki, but the Long clan is different.”

I felt a wave of anger rising inside.

“What then? Should I just bow my head and let them walk all over someone dear to me?” It took quite a bit out of me not to scream.

“Of course not,” she snorted. “But using force isn’t the right approach. They all have the blood of the Long clan; they are stubborn and ready to die for the things they hold dear. You force one to break, and three more will stand in their place, and three more for each of those as well.”

The cold gaze of the steel eyes of the Lady in Black met my own. I looked away first.

“I am Lady Long myself, Tian. I don’t want to see my clan go down due to some misguided infighting that could’ve been easily avoided.” Kouzuki Miya shook her head. “You are a Kouzuki as well, so use your cold rationale to think like one. Make them submit, and they will follow you to hell and back.”

I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm myself down. This wise woman was one hundred percent right, and I knew it.

“What should I do, grandmother?” I asked, bowing my head.

A small, soft, and pleasantly cool palm landed softly on my cheek, making me raise my face.

“Make them see your worth. Not just as a symbol but as a leader worth following. As for the details, just leave it to me and this special girl of yours. That will be a great way to teach her about the things she needs to know as a Lady Long, don’t you think?” Her words were reassuring.

“Just don’t forget to tell me the plan this time.” I reminded her, only half-joking.

“Tian…” my grandmother started.

“I trust you,” I interrupted. “But miscommunication like that can lead to all sorts of complications. I managed to salvage the things with Helen, but it could’ve been easily avoided if I only knew about it beforehand.”

The sound of the door being opened and closed served as a signal to end this conversation.

Bella came back, obviously enough. And judging by the fact that she looked pissed off, the phone call was far from pleasant.

My special woman took her place and gulped down the lukewarm tea. Then she took a moment to look into an empty cup and turned to the bartender with a contemplative expression.

“Bad news?” asked the Lady in Black.

“One of my workers fuc…mbled some things, and now my day off needs to be cut short,” Bella responded with a sigh. Then she shook her head, sighed again, and turned to me. “Dear, it seems there is a change of plans. I’ll need to be in the club around ten.”

I looked at the time—four p.m.—and nodded.

“Sure thing, dear.” I said, not without a certain level of reluctance.

Not being able to spend another night in her company was certainly a regrettable turn of events, but it would make the situation with Helen a bit more manageable instead.

“Are you going already?” My grandmother chimed in.

Her unwillingness could’ve been heard clearly.

“How about we stay here, dear?” Bella offered before I could do so myself.

I glanced at her, trying to confirm what she was up to. My gaze was met with a shrug, a soft smile, and a nod. Well, it looked like good impressions went both ways.

“Well, I don’t see why not,” I readily agreed. It was all the same to me. “If somebody is going to feed me, that is.”

With a brilliant smile on her face, the Lady in Black clapped her hands.

“Men,” she ordered. “You’ve heard Tian.”

Well, I guess starvation wasn’t a concern.

***

About an hour later, the Lady in White decided to join in, accompanied by the Su clan’s first young lady.

I couldn’t be sure if Kouzuki Twins planned it beforehand or Kouzuki Maya decided to visit entirely on her own, but one thing dawned upon me with a fury of a thousand suns.

Between everything that happened since last Friday, I completely forgot to tell Bella about her role in my plans for world dominance.

I fucked up.