Taiki returned to the vehicle with a security guard behind him. Even though he was doing a menial task, the man still looked calm and elegant. Akira turned to the unfamiliar guard beside him and looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Young Miss, I apologise for the inconvenience. We will clear the gate as soon as possible." The man spoke with clear and firm resolve.

His courteous attitude was impeccable as he faced the infamous Yamazaki Akira. He and his fellow guards were informed by the boss about the return of his mysterious daughter. Yamazaki Daiki had made it clear that his daughter was his priority.

The attitude of the boss confused them, but they were his subordinates. They could not question the man's affection for his daughter. Their doubts came from what they had heard from the rumour mill. Even though the information online was wiped, the people of Mountain Ridge loved talking.

Of course, the rumours about her were spoken in hushed whispers around Mountain Ridge. Perhaps, locals were afraid of Daiki's wrath. But it was inevitable for the new guards to have heard about her. They did not know the truth in the stories, but they knew that the people of Mountain Ridge treated Akira like a pariah.

According to the grapevine, she was a vicious girl who had broken up her parents' marriage and taken action against her relatives. The sins laid upon her were countless, including breaking two other marriages.

Rumour had it that it was her fault that her paternal aunt and her eldest brother ended up divorced. Moreover, everyone knew it was her fault that her maternal aunt and cousin were sent to court some months back.

However, the guards did not dare to be negligent when dealing with this daughter with a bad reputation. They already knew that their boss, Yamazaki Daiki, treasured the girl like she was a priceless jewel.

Regardless of what the world said, they would follow their employer's desires and opinions.

"Who is it blocking the gate?" Akira asked.

The guard displayed an awkward expression. He was not willing to reveal the truth if he could help it. He did not want to displease the rumoured demon girl. Unfortunately for him, he had already spilt the beans to Taiki in explanation.

"It is your mother. It seems your father barred her from entry, but she has refused to leave." Taiki spoke up.

Akira smiled while her eyes concealed her emotions. "Let her in."

The guard was startled. "Young Miss, the Master…"

"If I said that you can let her in, then you can let her in. Or don't you recognise me as someone with authority?" Akira asked with annoyance.

In the last few days, she had been feeling a little irritable. Therefore, when faced with someone who was questioning her, she became even moodier.

"Of course not, Young Miss." The guard was horrified by the cold tone. "We will let her in."

He rushed off while Taiki stepped into the vehicle. He glanced at Akira. He could see that she was rearing for a fight with someone. If he was someone who was easily moved by emotions, he might have gotten angry in the past few days.

"If something is bothering you, you should talk to Kaito. Keeping in your feelings and trying to be mature will only make you angrier." He said. "You are still young. You have the right to have a temper even when it seems unreasonable."

Akira looked angrily at Taiki. She did not like his calm façade that made people feel like nothing could faze him. He was like someone who had overcome all tribulations in his cultivation. Moreover, he acted like he was mature and experienced in the ways of the world.

"What does an old virgin like you know?" She retorted.

Taiki did not let the words get to him. "Stress is also not good for the baby."

Akira almost said something else, but the vehicle stopped in front of the mansion. The driver opened the door, allowing her to step out. The man stood vigilantly as Akira got down from the vehicle. He wanted to offer to help her down, but he did not dare.

From the conversation he heard, he felt it was better not to mess with the moody lady. He thought about his current life. Who knew that a mercenary like him would wind up working as a driver and living in fear of a small lady? His lips stretched to a smile. A simple life was also not bad…

"What are you smiling at?" Akira snapped.

"Nothing." He responded with exasperation.

Taiki looked meaningfully at Akira as they walked to the house. The cute kitten was turning into a fear-inspiring tigress woman.

Akira huffed and turned her head. She felt a little guilty towards the driver. When she saw him smiling, her mind thought about how ridiculous she looked getting down from the vehicle. She snapped at him to stop him from laughing at her.

She sighed helplessly. She was not usually an unreasonable person. But she felt constantly like she had a weight or fire in her chest. She could not understand the reason she had become like this when she was supposed to be happy.

"Akira, it has been a while." A gentle voice spoke up.

Akira had been so deep in her thoughts that she had temporarily forgotten about her mother. She turned to the direction from which the voice came. She stopped in her steps for a moment to assess the woman who gave birth to her.

Sayaka was not doing well since the break-up with Daiki, but she was also not living badly. Ultimately, she was not a poor woman even without the marriage. She had received a lot of gifts over the years from Daiki.

She could not live like the wife of the CEO of a major company, but she could live like a normal wealthy woman. In essence, she had enough money to purchase designer wear and even take holidays around the world.

And if she did not sell the properties she had and chose to become a landlady, she could be comfortable for the foreseeable future. Furthermore, even if she ran out of money, her children were unlikely to desert her.

Moreover, once she signed the divorce agreement, she would receive a considerable amount of money from Daiki. All in all, she still looked well. She had also lost some weight, so she looked refined.

"Hello, mother," Akira said without emotion.

"I missed you. And I am sorry, Akira." Sayaka walked closer to her. "I do not know what came over me. I think I became overly obsessed with how people view me and the family. But I should never have taken such steps against you."

Akira looked at her mother. Just like before, she could not understand her mother. Outwardly, she looked like she cared, and her face showed she was contrite. However, she had seemed like a good person before, but her actions betrayed her dark soul.

"There is no need to apologise," Akira replied. "You tried to hurt me, and I returned the favour. I consider us even. If you do not do anything against me, I will not do anything against you. You are still my biological mother. I would hate to be cruel to you. Again."

Before Sayaka could open her mouth, Daiki stepped out of the house and looked at the scene.