Chapter 291: Do You Mean My Wife's Safety Is Below This Measly Thing?
Ren was negotiating with the representatives of the company he intended to collaborate with when Matsuzaki suddenly came to him with an anxious look. Apologizing for the interruption, he gestured for the special assistant to whisper what he wanted to relay.
Matsuzaki bent down and said quietly by his boss's ear, "There's a call from the city. It's about Madam."
Ren felt it wasn't something good when he looked at Matsuzaki's face. If the matter wasn't a serious one, Matsuzaki rarely intervened when a meeting was currently on progress. He turned to face the older man in his fifties, "I'm sorry, Mr. Okumura. I have to step outside for a moment."
"Please do, Mr. Fuse," Mr. Okumura kindly smiled, trying to ease the younger man's sorry look, "You may use the lounge if it's a private call."
Ren muttered his thanks. He headed toward the guest lounge beside the meeting room, Matsuzaki was quick to follow him from behind. Hirata, the chief of security who guarded Ren, trailed behind them as well.
"What's the matter?" Ren immediately asked once Matsuzaki closed the doors. He cast a glance at Chief Hirata, "Did something happen to my wife?"
Matsuzaki pursed his lips, he solemnly shook his head, "A man called me, saying Madam would be brought to meet his master. He just wanted me to notify you, Master."
"What?" Frowning, Ren's expression turned a shade darker as he sensed something bad, "Did that man say where he came from?"
"He said he worked for the Souma family."
His eyes widened in surprise. As he stared at Matsuzaki in disbelief, Ren spat out his words in nervousness, "What did you say? Does my wife have to go to meet him? What happens?"
"The man just said that. When I asked for details, he hung up on me," Flustered by his boss's fiery gaze, Matsuzaki almost flustered.
"The security at the old house received a signal from Mr. Hibiki," Chief Hirata butted in. Although his face was stoic yet one could see he was disturbed by the sudden incident, "They said the message was sent approximately five minutes after Mr. Hibiki drove the car out of the yard. Mr. Hibiki asked for a backup."
"Did they send help?" With fury blazed in his eyes, Ren held himself back from yelling at them.
Shaking his head, Chief Hirata answered apologetically, "They noticed the message late because a false alarm occurred at the old house. The fire alarm went off yet nothing actually happened."
Ren's expression sank instantly.
"Find out what happened now!" Ren quickly took out his phone. He shot a look at Matsuzaki, "Be prepared to act. Hirata, call the team!"
"Yes!"
It might be a hoax but Ren refused to just brush it off especially since the man who called Matsuzaki mentioned his wife. He wouldn't compromise her safety, not even once.
The time Hibiki took to answer felt like the longest minute in his life. He unconsciously tightened his grip on the phone, veins bulged on his forehead as the whites in his eyes were gradually replaced by reds.
"Master," Finally, Hibiki's voice came from the end of the line.
"Where's my wife?" Ren's voice turned a degree colder, "Is she safe? Did something happen?"
"We're blocked by cars on the road," Hibiki sullenly reported the situation to him, "The men said they're from the Souma family. Madam followed them."
"What?" Surprised, Ren almost stumbled on his feet, "Why did you allow them to take her? Did they use force?"
"No, Madam herself who chose to follow the men," Hibiki sounded so remorseful when he quietly added, "I'm sorry, Master. I failed to protect Madam."
"For now, get my wife back to safety," Ren pushed the unimportant matter to the back of his mind, "I'll return now. Get everyone to wherever they brought her to. First of all, make sure she is safe."
"Understood, Master," Hibiki hung up once he got the order.
Ren pressed his lips into a tight line, his frosty gaze turned several degrees colder as his whole being exuded dark and oppressive aura.
"Master," Chief Hirata had just finished talking to Kaede, he turned to look at the man brewing in fury, "The Souma's men allowed Kenzou to follow Madam. From the GPS, they are heading to Souma manor."
His last two sentences were unable to ease Ren's worry.
"We're going back."
His order didn't surprise Matsuzaki and Chief Hirata yet they still found it hard to accept. Before Ren got out of the lounge in a haste, Matsuzaki was quick to hold him back.
"Master, if we go back now, the collaboration..."
"Do you mean my wife's safety is below this measly thing?" Ren snapped back.
Matsuzaki flinched, he shook his head, "It's not what I mean. I just..."
"Shut your mouth and do your job," Ren totally couldn't control his emotion right now. All he felt was why did he have to be away when something like this happened? His wife was currently pregnant and if something bad befell on her, he doubted he could retain his sanity.
The usually calm him whenever he faced an obstacle was replaced by the franticness nagging at the back of his mind.
Ring~
Ren paused his step, his heart suspended for a second when he recognized it was the ringtone he specially set for Tsubaki.
"Tsubaki!" Ren cursed himself inwardly as he answered the phone. Due to his anxiousness, he forgot to call his wife himself.
At the end of the line, Tsubaki's soft voice passed through his ear, "Ren, darling, you must have heard of what happened, right?"
Ren took a long breath, trying to calm himself. He didn't realize his other hand was trembling. His voice carried the tremor when he spoke to her, "Sweetheart, are you alright? They let you call me? What actually happens?"
"Someone has graciously invited me to meet him," Tsubaki's cold voice sounded. It was rare for him to hear his wife using such a voice. He could already picture her eyeing the men with scorn. When she added, her voice turned softer, "Thankfully, they didn't restrict me calling you. I just want to say I am alright."
"Don't worry, they wouldn't do anything to you," Ren was certain on this matter by seeing how the men acted yet he still couldn't let go of his worry, "I'll come back right now. Hibiki and the rest would go at you so don't be afraid, sweetheart."
Tsubaki was obviously baffled by his choice as he heard her soft gasp. Before he could assure her, Tsubaki spoke first, "Finish whatever you're doing. You don't have to come back."
"But..." Perplexed by her words, Ren was rendered speechless.
"It's an important collaboration, right?" There was a hint of a smile in her voice as Tsubaki continued persuading her husband, "I could handle this so you don't have to drop everything off. Just finish your job first."
Ren let out a helpless sigh. He didn't mind if the potential collaborator deemed he was unreliable if he backed away at this moment but his wife certainly thought otherwise. Although her voice remained soft yet her determination didn't escape his notice.
"Then, turn on the loudspeaker," He resisted the urge to pinch the space between his brows as his gaze turned heavier, "I'll speak to the men."
"Alright," Tsubaki obediently followed Ren's request. After a second, she said, "You can talk now."
Ren refrained himself from cursing the men when he spoke, "Since you guys allow my wife to talk to me, I hope you're prepared on what you're getting yourself into," The iciness in each of his words sounded clearly in the quiet lounge, his fiery gaze was a stark contrast to his frosty cold voice, "If even one strand of her hair got hurt, I'd pay it back to your master thousandfold."
After what seemed a minute had passed, an unfamiliar voice finally responded to him, "Mr. Fuse, Mrs. Fuse would be safe."
His short and concise words made Ren sneered with malice glinted in his eyes, "Keep my words in mind. Nothing untoward shall fall on my wife and child."
No matter what happened, they have to be safe.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
hansora
hansora I'm sorry for the late update, got so busy with work. By the way, please share your opinion on these latest chapters after my hiatus the other day.
If you find these chapters were written poorly or in a rush, please tell me. I'm afraid the quality going down after a few months of hiatus :)
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