Chapter 29: Not Suited
Sam stands before one of her finished paintings. She can't believe that she has completed three pieces in a little over a week, after struggling to find inspiration for years.
Her eyes scan over the canvas, taking in every brush stroke, every color, every detail. But as she continues to look at the painting, she realizes that there is something missing.
'It's good, but it's not great.'
Sam sighs.
She has always been her own harshest critic, and no matter how hard she tries, there is always something more she feels she could do, something better she could create. But for now, she decides to let go of her perfectionism and simply enjoy the fact that she has found her way back to painting.
She takes a step back and looks at the painting once more. She feels content and grateful.
'Ed is going to be happy.' Sam smiles at the thought. Her assistant has been walking on eggshells around her every time the subject of her struggle with painting comes up.
She has no time to dwell on the thought when the doorbell rings. Sam frowns. She is not expecting anyone. She walks to the intercom to check who it is. The man on the screen is wearing a black suit and looks like a bodyguard.
"Yes?" Sam says.
"Ms. Martin, Mr. Ichihara has asked to meet you urgently. I am here to escort you," he explains.
"Urgently?" Sam's heartbeat quickens. "Are Yoko and the baby alright?" she asks.
"My apologies, but I was not provided with any more details."
"Ok, give me a minute, I'll be right back."
Sam hurries to her room to change from her paint-stained clothes into jeans and a t-shirt. She grabs her purse and phone and rushes back to the door where the man is still waiting.
"Right this way, ma'am." He guides her to the car he had parked in front of her building.
As soon as gets in the car, Sam calls Kei, but he doesn't pick up. Then she calls Jiro.
"Jiro, is everything okay?" she asks as soon as he picks up.
"Sam?" His voice is surprised. "Yeah, everything is fine."
"Yoko and the baby?"
"They're both fine. Sam, what's going on?"
Sam lets out a sigh of relief. "Nothing," she tells him. "Kei sent someone to pick me up, I thought something happened." She chuckles. "Sorry to bother you."
Jiro smiles. "All good. My brother can be dense sometimes." He laughs. "He should have just called you."
"Right?" Sam shakes her head. "Anyway, I'll let you go. Give a kiss to Haku for me. I'll come over tomorrow."
"Sure, that sounds good," Jiro says with a smile, before hanging up.
Sam relaxes back in her seat, and looks out of the window. She notices that they are not in the city anymore.
"Where are we going?" She asks the driver.
"We are almost there, ma'am," he answers, making Sam frown.
'Did Kei instruct him not to tell me?'
The thought only lasts a few seconds before they pull in front of large iron gates. It takes a few seconds for them to open, revealing a long driveway. They drive up to a Japanese style house. It is so big, it could be mistaken for an old lord's castle.
The driver opens the door for Sam and ushers her to the house.
"Please follow me, Ms. Martin," an older woman utters as she opens the front door and bows slightly.
'What is going on here? Why would Kei bring me here?'
She walks behind the older woman quietly. When the woman opens the sliding door to a study, Sam finally understands what is going on.
"Please, go in. Mr. Ichihara is expecting you."
Sam clenches her jaw as she enters the room. She should have tried harder to get in touch with Kei.
"Ms. Martin, welcome." Ryota Ichihara takes off his glasses and places them next to the bonsai he was working on.
Sam has never met Kei's grandfather, but standing in front of him, she knows exactly who he is.
"Hello, Mr. Ichihara," she utters.
"Please, have a seat," Ryota orders.
Sam takes a few steps to the chair facing him while the old man studies her.
"I have no idea what kind of game you're playing with my grandson, but it needs to stop." He wastes no time in getting straight to the point.
"Game?" Sam frowns.
"I don't know what you hope to accomplish by coming back into his life."
'What the hell is this old man talking about?'
"Mr. Ichihara, I'm the one confused," Sam says. "Why am I here?"
"A simple warning." Ryota sits back in his leather chair. "I don't want you anywhere near my family."
His words trigger something in Sam. For a moment, she remembers all the pain she went through. She doesn't know what really happened thirteen years ago, but she was sure that the man sitting in front of her had something to do with it.
Sam mimics his movement and relaxes into her chair. "I am not afraid of you," she utters.
Her words surprise Ryota, but he recovers quickly. "Ah, finally showing your true colors."
"Mr. Ichihara, you are wasting both my and your time. I have no idea what you are imagining, but let me–"
"Are you telling me that you have nothing to do with Kei chasing his wife out of the house?" he asks.
"What?"
"Oh, don't pretend you don't know," Ryota says with an unconvinced expression.
Sam is silent for a moment. This is news to her, she had no idea Hana left. "You are wrong," she tells him. "I have nothing to do with it."
"Funny that only a few months after you show up in our lives again, Kei is behaving this way."
Sam looks at Ryota with a steely gaze. "Maybe he is sick of being controlled by you. Don't you think he deserves to be happy?"
"Do you think you can make him happy, Samantha Martin?" Ryota sneers. "Is that why you tried to trap him with a baby thirteen years ago?"
Color leaves Sam's face. 'Trap him?'
"Just like back then," Ryota continues. "You are not suited for my grandson."
A sharp pain stabs Sam's chest as breathing becomes difficult. She feels a sting in the back of her eyes. The last thing she wants is to cry in front of Ryota Ichihara. She pushes to her feet, to try to escape before she breaks into tears, when the door of the study flies open.
"What the hell is going on here?" Kei hisses.
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