The group turned and found the Old Master standing at the entrance. The old face had a thunderous appearance as he looked at the mess on his courtyard.

"Father, you have to support Mom and get her justice. Brother's daughter is set on driving her to the grave." Makiko spoke up quickly.

"What has Akira done? Will you continue making up things just so that you can get your way?" Daiki responded angrily.

Usually, he did not argue with his sister because he believed he was above her mean and petty ways. However, she had become too much since Akira returned. It was like she wanted to destroy everyone in the Yamazaki family.

Even their mother was, without a doubt, driven to the current state because of her.

He did not understand why Makiko resented him or his brother. They had never interfered with her life. She was not forced to choose a life in the arts. But she always acted like they had robbed her of her inheritance,

Since she was younger, she held a grudge against them. She was always making snarky remarks about how it was good to be a boy. She would always claim that if she were a boy, she would have the right to inherit and become the head of the family.

However, she never took action to realise this dream of hers. While the two of them chose business-related courses and training, she focused on learning music. She was good at it and gained a good reputation.

Still, she continued complaining about how she was not able to join the family company. Daiki told her that no one was stopping her from learning business or changing her career. But she just said he did not understand the struggles of a woman.

When Makiko got married, she continued to grumble about changing her name and how her brothers could enjoy being Yamazakis forever while she had to become a Satou.

This attitude of hers was probably what had driven their youngest sister to choose a university outside the country and a spouse from far away. She probably never wanted to return to Mountain Ridge.

"If it is not because of Akira's attitude, would Mom be in this state? For the sake of money, she wants to drive her grandmother to death." Makiko faced Daiki.

"Are you talking about her or yourself?" Daiki responded without giving her face.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Makiko shouted angrily at the question.

"Exactly what I have said. In this whole courtyard, the only person who has not gained a benefit from the Yamazaki family is Akira." Daiki said coldly. "She has not taken a single thing from us even though we owe her so much."

"When she says she does not need the Yamazaki money it is because she does not need it. Can you all say the same thing? Aren't you all here because of the benefits you can receive from the Yamazaki family?" He added.

The relatives lowered their heads at the cruel exposure.

"Even if you want to protect your wild daughter, you cannot insult everyone," Makiko said. "And didn't you buy her a crystal piano and a Stradivarius violin? The total price of all those things is over one billion yen."

"What?" The crowd was shocked and called out. They could not bear to think of money being wasted like that.

The old woman seemed to recover miraculously and stood up straight. "Daiki, did you spend one billion on this jinx in less than a month?"

Daiki laughed out loud. "Mom, you chose to listen to sister without even trying to accept anyone else's words. Do you take me and Isami as your children?"

"What are you saying?" The Old Madam hid her guilt.

"Akira said the piano is hers. You were there. And you might not know it, but Makiko is familiar with the music industry. Are those things that can be bought with money only? It should be easy to find out the ownership of such unique items." Daiki said.

"And since they are now in my house, Akira has contributed more than a billion to the Yamazaki family. That is how we are calculating the value of things now, isn't it? So, I will ask you, do you think Akira has any need for our money?"

Daiki had never spoken so many words before, and he had never argued in public. However, he refused to allow people to look down on his daughter. She was adorable and a hard worker. Why did she have to suffer in this kind of environment?

He realised that his father was right in what he said before. Letting her remain outside might have been a kinder action. But he could not bring himself to regret meeting her again.

"Makiko… Is what your brother is saying true?" The old woman looked at the daughter beside her uncertainly.

The Old Madam had an unconditional trust towards her daughter. They were always close, always had been. Unfortunately, Grandma Yamazaki did not know how much her daughter hated her deep inside. It was the reason she was willing to manipulate and lie to her mother unscrupulously.

Makiko blamed her mother, especially after growing up. Her mother encouraged her to learn music, telling her that it would help her find a better husband. She told her not to bother joining the company because she would eventually belong to her husband's family.

In the end, it had left her with a life she hated.

"What if it is true? It does not mean that she will not take from the Yamazaki family in the future?" Makiko was unrepentant.

The old woman felt weakened.

"Enough! Let us talk inside." The Old Master said before turning to the relatives. "We will not keep entertaining you for now."

Inside, Elder Yamazaki looked at his embarrassing family. He had been gone for only a few days, and his home had turned into a circus. He already had an understanding of the occurrence.

"Makiko, I have warned you time and time again about manipulating your mother. I thought you would develop some affection for her and see her as more than a means to an end. But you clearly cannot overcome your resentment." He said directly.

The Old Madam shook as she looked at her daughter. She tried to understand what her husband said, but she could not wrap her head around it.

"Why should I not resent her? If it were not for her, I would have a better life." Makiko said directly since the jig was up.

"Makiko…" The old lady whispered.

"Since you do not have any affection for your family, do not come to disrupt peace again." The Old Master expelled her effectively. "You should know that all the benefits you tricked out of your mother, the Satou family did not take them. They refused the funding and contracts, but they chose not to tell you."

Makiko felt her heart sink. "Are you expelling me from the family?"

"If you have a life and death crisis, I will intervene. But yes, we are breaking off relations. I have given you time to change your ways, but you have lost affection for the family. There is no need for us to keep up the farce." The old man added.

"You can all leave. Let me speak to Akira alone." Elder Yamazaki waved a weary hand at his family with tiredness.

Akira was left alone with her grandfather. The two people faced each other with calmness. Elder Yamazaki could see that the girl was not simple.

"Why did you return?" He asked.

"Curiosity."

"I see."

Another long moment of silence followed.

"Here." Akira offered the bag she was carrying to the old man.

"What is it?"

"A gift. It's impolite to show up empty-handed."

The old man did not hesitate anymore. He opened the bag and took out a box with a calligraphy scroll. He took out the item and looked at it: Inner Peace. The strokes were gentle and flowed like quiet water, and at the bottom were the simple initials, A.Y.

"It is an expensive gift." The old man said while putting away the scroll.

Even though he said those words, he did not intend to return the gift. Most masters did not duplicate their work, so he was unlikely to find the piece again. He would be a fool to give it back.

"Hardly. I wrote it myself." Akira shrugged.

She would never spend a lot of money on unfamiliar people. Of course, she did not say that aloud.