Chapter 435
Sweating profusely
"Relatives and friends..."
Upon hearing this title, President Takeuchi paused for a moment, his expression becoming somewhat subtle.
The atmosphere on the scene began to become strange. Just as Kogoro Mouri was worried that he might have said something wrong and was about to apologize, President Takeuchi suddenly sighed.
“You could say that,” he said. “Actually, she is my mother’s younger sister, so in terms of blood relation, I should call her ‘aunt’.”
Kogoro Mouri and his two companions were all taken aback.
President Takeuchi took in their reactions and said helplessly, "Let me start from the beginning..."
……
The Takeuchi family was a powerful clan in Tottori Prefecture, a dominant family that had been entrenched in the area since the Edo period. Children of such families did not have the freedom to choose their own partners and were often married into families of equal social standing or with other interests at stake.
Forty-five years ago, the current chairman, Masaaki Takeuchi, married another heiress from a wealthy family. Although it was an arranged marriage, the two had a good relationship and had three children after marriage.
“My aunt is three years younger than my mother, but they got married in the same year. She didn’t marry into another Japanese conglomerate, but instead married and moved to America.”
Kogoro Mouri asked doubtfully, "Is this also an arranged marriage?"
"Probably." President Takeuchi nodded slightly. "However, she's not doing well. Her husband is a bit racist and doesn't like her. When her mother calls her, she often cries and says she doesn't want to stay in America and wants to go home."
Ran Mouri frowned slightly, unable to bear it.
President Takeuchi sighed softly, "Her first child, my cousin, was born in the same year as me. After that, she had a daughter. Neither child received much care, especially the boy, who I heard was often bullied by others."
Aoyagi Akimitsu wrote quickly, and Edogawa Conan secretly glanced at it, discovering that he remembered every single word perfectly.
"Then how did she get back to Japan?" Kogoro Mouri pressed.
"That's what I'm going to say next."
President Takeuchi gradually suppressed his sigh: "After discovering that her husband was keeping more than one mistress, she could no longer tolerate it and chose to divorce him, taking her daughter—whose family wouldn't allow her to take her son with her—back to Japan."
"Her family...my mother's family, had some trouble at that time."
President Takeuchi vaguely mentioned some details: "In addition, her divorce violated the original intention of the marriage, so they no longer accepted her. In the end, my mother paid for a house for her in Tokyo."
“Sometimes my mother would take my two siblings and me to Tokyo to visit her. On important holidays, she would also bring my cousin to celebrate together, which my father always welcomed. This tradition continued until my cousin got married. She fell in love with a local young man while traveling in the United States and stayed there.”
Conan Edogawa couldn't help but press, "Didn't your aunt feel reluctant to let you go?"
President Takeuchi shook his head: "No, although I haven't met the groom, I've heard he's very handsome and has a good personality and job. My aunt suffered from an arranged marriage, so she supports her daughter's free choice in love."
Kogoro Mouri sorted through this information: "Judging from this, the relationship between your two families is actually not bad?"
"That's what I thought," President Takeuchi's face gradually darkened. "But, after my mother passed away four years ago, she actually—"
His expression contorted as if he had thought of something extremely shameful.
Conan Edogawa vaguely guessed what was going on, and sure enough, the next second, President Takeuchi said in an extremely angry voice, "I found out that she's involved with my father!" Like a landmine exploding in the room, Kogoro Mouri and Ran Mouri were stunned by this thunderbolt and didn't react for a moment.
Aoyagi Akimitsu's hand, which was taking notes, finally paused for the first time. He looked up from his notebook, still speaking in the tone of a rookie detective assistant: "President Takeuchi, it's better not to be too hasty in some matters..."
Just as the police in this world always like to leak information to detectives, the heads of large conglomerates in this world never mind revealing their family secrets to detectives.
"I can't be wrong." President Takeuchi said firmly, "After my mother passed away, she started living in Gunma for a long time. I originally thought she missed her mother and couldn't bear to leave, but I didn't expect that she would often come and go from my father's room or office and stay for a whole night!"
Amidst the varied gazes of the four people opposite him, he slammed his hand on the table: "And every time we meet, they always stay inside alone, never letting me, my secretary, or my two younger siblings in!"
Aoyagi Akimitsu, seemingly oblivious to the atmosphere in Japan, interrupted him with a troubled expression: "Is it possible that it's related to work?"
Conan Edogawa snapped out of his daze and went to observe President Takeuchi's reaction.
President Takeuchi is currently 44 years old, while the chairman is almost 70. Rather than two elderly people with familial ties having a twilight romance, the speculation about their work is more plausible.
“Impossible,” President Takeuchi said stubbornly. “As my father’s eldest son, I know everything about the group’s affairs, and she hasn’t joined us all these years.”
Aoyagi Akimitsu seemed to want to say something, but Mouri Kogoro quickly gave him a wink, then turned to look at the middle-aged company president who was trying to find a partner for his elderly father.
“Okay, I understand the general situation.” Kogoro Mouri regained his serious expression. “So your request is for me to investigate her whereabouts in Tokyo after I get back, right?”
“She still has work,” President Takeuchi said curtly. “I want to know how she lived after my mother stopped supporting her.”
Kogoro Mori glanced discreetly at what Aoyagi Akimitsu had written down and nodded in response, "Is there a time limit for the investigation?"
"The sooner the better." President Takeuchi picked up his teacup. "My father is nearing the end of his life and has already arranged for a lawyer to finalize his will. She's a lawyer from Tokyo, and I'm not sure if she's related to me."
Upon hearing this, Conan Edogawa finally understood completely.
It turns out that she wasn't worried that her father and aunt's affair would cause her mother heartache in the afterlife; she was simply concerned about the inheritance and afraid that her father might have a moment of madness and give the inheritance to this woman who seemed to have a close relationship with him.
“You can stay here for one night, and I will make a hotel reservation for you.” President Takeuchi looked at them again. “She was in Anchu City not long ago, frequently visiting hospitals and interacting with some people. You can investigate them first.”
"The hospital is..." Kogoro Mouri asked.
“The largest general hospital in the city is owned by my family,” President Takeuchi said. “My father currently lives there. The hospital director is his confidant at work. He only reports to him and takes care of him. I don’t know anything else.”
Kogoro Mouri replied, "Okay."
He paused, observing President Takeuchi's expression, and tentatively asked, "By the way, President, you still haven't told me this lady's name..."
"Boom boom boom——"
His words were interrupted by a series of footsteps outside the door.
Everyone turned to look in that direction, and Conan Edogawa had a thoughtful expression on his face.
The footsteps were heavy and chaotic, as if... someone was about to go out, and those around them were trying to stop him. (End of Chapter)