Netori: I Shall Steal All Of My Enemies' Women For Revenge!

"Hayase! Get a hold of yourself!"

The sound of Asuka's raised voice jolted Chiyo awake, her eyes snapping open just in time to see the karaage she'd been frying turn into a charred, smoking mess.

"Ahh! No, no, no—!"

Panic surged through her as she quickly turned off the stove, waving her hand to disperse the smoke before it could trigger the fire alarm.

"I'm so sorry! I fell asleep!" Chiyo sighed, rubbing her temples as exhaustion weighed heavily on her.

Asuka, standing nearby with her arms crossed, let out an exasperated grunt.

"If you're tired, just sleep and let me handle the cooking," she said, her tone firm but not unkind.

She gently nudged Chiyo away from the stove and began tidying up the burnt mess.

"I'm really sorry, Inoue—" Chiyo started, but Asuka cut her off with a sharp look.

"I finalized my divorce a week ago. I'm not 'Inoue' anymore. Did you forget already?"

Asuka frowned, her hands busy wiping down the counter.

"Let's drop the formalities. You call me Asuka, and I'll call you Chiyo. Now, go rest."

Chiyo didn't argue. She knew Asuka had a habit of grumbling like an old lady, but there was never any real bite behind her words. It was just her way of showing care.

"Thank you, Asuka," Chiyo said with a small smile, making her way to the living room.

She sank into the long sofa, lying down slowly as her body seemed to melt into the cushions.

Lately, she'd been feeling constantly drained, her energy levels plummeting for no apparent reason.

Even her sense of smell had become unusually sensitive, to the point where strong odors made her nauseous.

The fishy aroma of the miso soup wafting from the kitchen was already making her head spin.

"Ugh… I feel horrible," Chiyo muttered, burying her nose in the crook of her arm to block out the smell.

A sudden hand on her shoulder made her open her eyes. Asuka stood beside her, holding a tray with a glass of warm milk. She set it down on the coffee table and took a seat on the sofa.

"Drink this. It'll help you calm down and feel better," Asuka said, her voice firm but her eyes soft with concern.

Chiyo sat up slowly, reaching for the glass. But the moment the warm, milky scent hit her nose, her stomach churned. She grimaced, setting the glass back down.

Asuka noticed immediately, her sharp eyes narrowing as she studied Chiyo. "Have you gotten your period this month?" she asked, her tone direct.

The question caught Chiyo off guard, her eyes widening as she realized she hadn't had her period in over a month.

"Uh… no, but it's been irregular sometimes," she said quickly, her voice wavering.

She knew where this conversation was headed, and the thought made her heart race.

"You don't think I could be pregnant, do you? I mean, Haruto always uses condoms…"

Her voice trailed off as a memory surfaced—a hazy recollection of a night when she'd been drunk.

The warmth of his hands. His breath was on her skin. And the faintest recollection of what happened.

She had sex with Haruto that night.

But—

Did he…?

Asuka sighed, her expression a mix of exasperation and concern. "Even if you're careful, mistakes can happen. You should check."

Chiyo's mind raced, her thoughts spiraling as Asuka stood up and left her alone with her worries.

The room felt suddenly too quiet, the weight of the possibility pressing down on her.

***

Chiyo's hands trembled as she stared at the test pack in her grasp, her breath hitching with every second that passed.

Her gaze flickered to the bin beside her, where five other tests lay discarded—each one displaying the same unmistakable result.

Positive.

Her heart pounded in her chest, a mix of fear and uncertainty swirling within her. This wasn't something she had ever prepared for.

Haruto was still in high school. How would he react? Would he be happy?

Or would this become another burden on his already chaotic life?

She swallowed hard, feeling the walls of the bathroom closing in on her.

A firm knock on the door made her jolt. "You've been in there for too long," Asuka's voice called from outside. "What's going on?"

Chiyo's fingers clenched around the test pack as she forced a response, her voice slightly shaky.

"I-I'm fine!"

But she wasn't fine. Not in the slightest.

Taking a deep breath, she tucked the test into her pocket and gathered the courage to face reality.

As she pushed the door open, Asuka stood in front of her with arms crossed, her sharp eyes scanning Chiyo's pale face.@@novelbin@@

There was no point in hiding it. Chiyo hesitated for a moment before pulling out the test pack and holding it out.

"It's… positive," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "What should I do?"

Asuka's expression remained unreadable for a second before she let out a quiet sigh. Without a word, she placed a hand on Chiyo's shoulder and guided her toward the living room.

As they settled onto the couch, Asuka disappeared briefly into the kitchen before returning with two glasses of juice and a small container of gelato.

The sight of it made Chiyo blink in surprise—Asuka was notoriously possessive over her food.

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"This should help with the nausea," Asuka muttered, setting the items on the table before plopping down beside her. "Eat."

Chiyo hesitated, then scooped up a spoonful of the strawberry gelato. The cold, sweet, and slightly tangy taste melted on her tongue.

Somehow, it helped ground her.

A beat of silence passed before Asuka spoke again, her voice carrying an unusual gentleness.

"You don't need to worry about Haruto forcing you to abort." Her tone hardened slightly as she added, "And if he even dares to suggest it, tell me—I'll knock some sense into him myself."

Chiyo blinked at her before a small, relieved laugh escaped her lips.

"Haruto isn't that kind of person… but still, he's so young. I don't want to burden him with this."

Asuka clicked her tongue in irritation. "Stop that. He's the one who got you pregnant in the first place."

"Let him suffer and deal with the consequences. That's what a responsible man does." She leaned back against the couch, crossing her arms as she exhaled.

"You are lucky to have a baby with someone you love."

Something in her voice made Chiyo pause. There was an unspoken weight behind her words, a lingering pain that made her chest tighten.

She knew about Asuka's past, about everything she had endured. Maybe that was why she was being so firm now.

Chiyo reached out, gently taking Asuka's hand before guiding it toward her stomach. "This baby isn't just mine," she murmured with a soft smile.

"They have you too."

Asuka's eyes widened slightly before she frowned, clicking her tongue once more. "You say that like we're in some kind of relationship."

But despite her grumbling, she didn't pull her hand away.

Chiyo chuckled, feeling a warmth settle in her chest. "This child is going to have a lot of mothers." She sighed, shaking her head.

"Meanwhile, their father is out there gathering more members for his harem."

Asuka scoffed, finally allowing a smirk to tug at her lips. "Hopefully, they grow up to be more considerate than him."

The two of them laughed, the heavyweight in Chiyo's chest lightening just a little. No matter what happened, at least she wouldn't be alone.

And with that, she knew her child would grow up in a home filled with love.