Kaguya Shinomiya's Mother, Shimizu Nayetake

Shinomiya Estate.

Kaguya Shinomiya arrived at a dungeon.

A golden-haired maid was being held here, her hands bound as she hung suspended in the air.

It was Ai Hayasaka.

She had not suffered any external injuries or torture, but her expression was somewhat dejected. She did not dare raise her head to look at her young mistress.

Kaguya Shinomiya hesitated, then ultimately decided to let her go.

She ordered the other maids to lower her, then turned and prepared to leave, unwilling to say even a single word to Ai Hayasaka.

After all, what Kaguya Shinomiya hated most in her life was betrayal!

And ever since learning that Ai Hayasaka worked for her third brother, Unyo Shinomiya, there was no going back for the two of them.

Ai Hayasaka looked slightly dazed. She knew that her relationship with her young mistress had come to an end. All she could do was return to Unyo Shinomiya's side and tell him roughly what had happened.

Unyo Shinomiya, male, was the third-ranked heir of the Shinomiya Conglomerate. He was already in his thirties.

Kaguya Shinomiya was the youngest in the family, ranked fourth, and also the only woman. She had three older brothers: the eldest, Oko Shinomiya, was already forty-six this year.

The second was Seiryu Shinomiya, who was nearly forty.

The third was Unyo Shinomiya, also well into his thirties. His ambitions were enormous—he wanted to hold absolute power and seize control of the entire Shinomiya Conglomerate. That was why he had sent Ai Hayasaka to spy on Kaguya Shinomiya.

As for why Ai Hayasaka obeyed him so readily?

It was because Ai Hayasaka's mother was still in Unyo Shinomiya's hands.

She was essentially being held hostage.

Unyo Shinomiya sat in a luxurious chair, his fingers continuously tapping against its armrest. He