"What?" Yurika was standing outside the cafe with a frozen expression.

"Yes, Mrs. Onodera! The name of the lady is Mrs. Ayame Takeshi. Well according to my investigations, she was also a part of your husband's work organization. She was even present on the day of their annual business meeting in the same hotel. But the next day, mysteriously she committed suicide and your husband disappeared too.." Detective Wan answered in a deep voice.

Yurika was feeling dizzy. Her mind was crowded with several questions. With a shaky voice, she asked him, "Was Mrs. Ayame accompanied by someone? Because Myobi-san told me that they were allowed to bring family members but as my son was very sick that day, I couldn't go with him.."

"Well, Mrs. Ayame did not have any child. Her only family member was her husband. And according to the registration of members in the hotel, she booked a room for her and her husband. So yes her husband accompanied her on the trip." He answered in a dense voice.

"Ca-Can you tell me the name of her husband?" Her heart was still unsure about everything.

"Umm, wait let me see....ahh yes, Mr. Hirotaka Takeshi."

Yurika suddenly felt a huge blow on her heart. She stood there motionless. "Hiro-san was present in Osaka that day? His wife even died that day too? Then maybe he has met Myobi-san too! But why didn't he tell me anything till now? Is he trying to hide something?"- she was immersed in thoughts.

"Hello? Mrs. Onodera? Hello?" He was asking continuously.

"Ye-Yes! Sorry I was unmindful!" She replied in a low voice.

"Well, all I can say Mrs. Onodera that something is very wrong with this case! When I was trying to solve one mystery, another one came into play! I think now I need to re-open Mrs. Ayame's case too! But I think both the cases were closed due to a lack of proper evidence. But I don't think these two cases are not interlinked with each other. The person who is behind all of these mysteries, he/she is a very sharp-minded criminal! I mean he packed up the whole mess so brilliantly that the cases were bound to be closed. But don't worry Mrs. Onodera, I will try my best to reach the end of this investigation. So, I need to know some basic pieces of information about Mr. Myobi, can I see you tomorrow in your cafe place?" He asked her.

"Ye-Yes! I will be waiting for you Sir!" She replied politely in a low voice.

He disconnected the call. Yurika looked at the sky hopelessly. "When I thought there is nothing hidden between us anymore, I came to know such a shocking truth! Why did you never tell me about this when I told you everything about Myobi-san? What are you hiding now Hiro-san?" She mumbled in a broken voice.

.

.

The next day, it was around 12 pm. Yurika was sitting in her cafe while looking outside the window in a blank gaze.

"Mom?" Irie came near her.

"Yes, Irie?" She answered slowly.

"Mom why do look so pale? Didn't you sleep last night?" He was very worried.

"Ahh, it's nothing Irie! I am just growing old now! But you told me you had promised to see your friend today! Aren't you going?"

"Yes! But you don't seem to be in a good condition today mom! So I won't leave you--"

"Ahhh I am absolutely fine honey! No need to cancel your plans because of me! Go now and I will see you later in-home" She interrupted him while gently patting his head.

"Um, Mrs. Onodera can I come in?"

Both of them looked at the door and Detective Wan was standing there with a small smile.

"Ahh yes sir! Please come in!" Yurika stood up from her chair & Irie was watching him with curious eyes.

"Well, I think he is your son! Wow, he is quite big! Mrs. Onodera, you look quite young than your age" He gently smiled while sitting on a chair. "Hello, kid! I am Detective Wan & I am investigating your dad's case. Nice to meet you!"

"Ohh, hello sir! Nice to meet you too!" Irie bowed in front of him.

"Irie you can leave now son! Enjoy the day!" Yurika slowly waved her hand towards Irie while he was leaving.

"Mrs. Onodera you can sit now!" Detective Wan pointed at the chair opposite to him.

"Well, sir would you like to have coffee?"

"No thanks! I have some important discussions to do. Well Mrs. Onodera, did your husband have any personal rivalry with someone? Or any opponents?" He asked her in a sharp tone.

"No sir! He was a friendly person and never had a foe! At least as his wife, I never knew about someone as such." She was answering while looking at him confusedly.

"Did you know Mrs. Ayame personally?"

"No sir." She replied in a serious tone.

"Is there something important discussion going on?" A sudden voice from behind interrupted them.

Hirotaka was standing at the door with a small smile while looking at the detective.

"Ohh? Hiro-san? Why are you here?" Yurika spoke abruptly.

Hirotaka slowly walked inside and sat on the chair next to her. The detective was watching everything in a sharp gaze.

"Um, mister we are in the middle of an important conversation. And by the way who are you to interrupt us?" Detective Wan asked him while frowning his eyebrows.

"Well, I am the husband of that person you were talking about just now! Sorry, but I overheard your conversation!" He replied abruptly.

"What? You are Mr. Hirotaka Takeshi? Oh my God! I can't believe it! I was about to look for you! Damn, I am really lucky to meet you!" He seemed to be overjoyed.

"You are not!" Hirotaka spoke with a dark expression.

"What do you mean Mr. Hirotaka?"

"Soon you will regret meeting me! I am an inevitable curse!"

Both Yurika and detective Wan were staring at him with a panic-stricken face.

"Haha! Did I scare you two? Actually, my mom had always cursed me that I am the one who brought misfortune in her life. She even told she regretted letting me born! So, I don't mind proving people if I am cursed or not! It's my ....passionate interest!" He was laughing vividly.

"Oh! I thought of that as a threat! Ahh never mind!" Detective Wan seemed nervous.

"Hiro-san what are you doing here?" Yurika asked him straightly.

"Well, I don't think I made the wrong choice coming here! And I wanted to see you!"

"So Mr. Hirotaka & Mrs. Onodera, how do you know each other?" He interrupted them in a deep voice.

"We are close!" Hirotaka smiled a bit. Yurika seemed to be tensed.

"Close? How close you two are? Mrs. Onodera said she doesn't know your wife! Then?"

"That's right. Yurika never met my wife. And about our closeness, should I elaborate on it?" He was staring at her while answering.

"W-We kn-know each other from my high school life! He was my homeroom teacher!" Yurika came to his rescue. She nervously replied in a husky voice.

"Teacher? Then why are you calling him with his name Mrs. Onodera?" Detective Wan appeared to be curious.

"Detective Wan I think you are being too curious about our relationship! But maybe you are forgetting your actual work! You came to investigate her husband right?" Hirotaka was looking at him with agitation.

"Actually this case is too complicated than I thought! You two seem to be close and your spouses knew each other and met on their last day! I mean something is terribly wrong with this case! Since you are here, I am thinking of reopening your wife's case to Mr. Hirotaka! It wasn't properly investigated. These two events are definitely interlinked!"

Hirotaka didn't say anything. He was quietly staring at him and nodded his head.

"So Mrs. Onodera, you said your husband called you before his disappearance right? Did he give any hint or something!"

"No. He seemed to be afraid of something but he didn't say anything!" She spoke in a low tone.

"And Mr. Hirotaka you were present there on that day! Did you met her husband?" Detective Wan was interrogating them.

"There were thousands of people I met who attended the meeting! How can I recognize her husband? We didn't know each other spouses!" He was answering everything boldly. Yurika quietly glanced at him while hearing everything.

"So your wife committed suicide that day too? It's very strange! What happened between you two?"

"We were having a heated argument and suddenly she walked away from the room. After some time I was looking for her almost everywhere and when I reached the terrace she had already jumped."

"Why didn't you went after her when she walked away? And why didn't you inform the hotel staff when she went missing?" Detective Wan was consistent.

"It was a couple's quarrel. She had a bad temper, so I thought she will eventually return after cooling down. But when it was more than 1 hour I went looking for her but the tragedy had already happened!" Hirotaka answered slowly.

"What about the hotel staff? No one noticed that she was about to jump? How is it possible!"

"When I found her I called the reception and informed them about the incident! Either you believe it or not, there was no staff at the terrace! We visited the terrace together last evening and liked the view, so I doubted that she must be there and sadly I found her in that state... Doctors arrived but she was already dead!" He was intensely staring at him while talking.

"Did you know your wife met her husband on that day at around 11 am?" He asked while looking at Yurika suspiciously.

"No. I am learning about it today and I am quite surprised!" He smirked while answering.

"Mr. Hirotaka what if someone murdered your wife and the same person is involved with her husband's disappearance too! Maybe the same person murdered her husband too?" Detective Wan sounded very serious.

"Wh-What?" Yurika murmured. She seemed very panicked.

"Then I must say that person is a genius! It's not easy to commit two crimes without leaving traces behind! He must be a mastermind! But I don't think Ayame was killed! If I had suspected something I should have definitely inquired the investigation.." He replied pretty quickly.

"That's my question Mr. Hirotaka, why didn't you inquired investigation for your wife, unlike Mrs. Onodera? Why were you silent for 10 years?"

"Detective Wan, are you suspecting me now? Do you think I am responsible for her death? From my childhood I was always blamed for something I never did... now I am blamed for her suicide too?" Hirotaka gave a death stare to him while asking.

"Sir, I don't know what's happening but please, I am very worried about my husband. Please can you find him as soon as possible? I am extremely stressed now! What's happening to us!" Yurika interrupted both of them.

They remained silent for some time while glaring at each other.

"Fine Mrs. Onodera, I won't interrogate further today. I will leave now but Mr. Hirotaka we will see each other soon. Please give me your contact information so we can meet again! And I am confident that I will surely find some productive information about this case! The criminal won't get away from me much longer!" He spoke loudly and stood up from his chair while gazing at him with suspicious eyes.

"Sure Detective Wan! I will be very excited to meet you further!" Hirotaka handed him his contact information card with a cunning smile.
He took the card and immediately left.

Hirotaka and Yurika were standing there with an awkward silence. It was almost evening. Yurika was looking extremely disturbed.

"Yurik--"

"Hiro-san why did you never told me about Ayame-san's death? You were present at that meeting too? Did you really never meet him?" She intervened with him with a sharp voice.

"Yurika I understand your concern but you never told me about the date of your husband's disappearance! We just met a few days ago! And I really don't feel comfortable talking about her death! I- I somehow feel guilty that we were living under a contractual marriage that must have stressed her but I never wanted her to be dead.." He answered slowly.

"Ahhhhggghhh damn my head feels it will burst anytime soon! I need a break from everything Hiro-san! I can't live with these piled up problems--"

"Then shall we go out for a drink? In this kind of situations, alcohol can calm your head. Shall we?" He asked her suddenly to her surprise.

"Well, it's not a bad idea though! Irie has gone to his friend's place so I am a bit free now!"

"But aren't you intolerant to alcohol? Will you be fine?" He was a bit curious while asking.

"That's fine! Let's go together! Just wait here I will bring my bag and close the cafe." She answered with a small smile and left inside to pack her stuff.

Hirotaka was standing there while looking outside the cafe. "You have messed with the wrong one... detective Wan! You will have to pay a high price now!" He slowly mumbled in a dark gaze.

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