Her weakness (R-18)

Ryo walked into his home, the echoes of the party still lingering in his mind. The grand celebration had been a success, but his thoughts were elsewhere—on Emi. He couldn't shake the image of her in that stunning gown, the way she moved with such grace and beauty, the warmth of her smile. 

"Well, looks like things are moving faster with her than I imagined," Ryo muttered to himself, impressed by his own acts.

As he made his way through the dimly lit hallway, he found himself mulling over the conversation they had shared on the dance floor.

"She might seem easy to charm," Ryo muttered to himself, loosening his tie as he approached his room. "But I know better. Emi's no pushover. She's tough when it comes to the things she cares about. I'll have to be careful with her… methodical."

He smiled to himself, a plan beginning to form in his mind. It wouldn't be easy to win her over, but he was determined. If he could make her fall for him, it would be the first step toward breaking the curse that has been haunting him—and right now, he needed all the support he could get.

But as he entered his bedroom, his thoughts came to a screeching halt. Akemi was there, sitting on the edge of the bed, her arms crossed, a scowl etched deeply on her face. Her piercing gaze locked onto him the moment he stepped through the door.

"Akemi," he greeted her, trying to keep his tone neutral, though he could already sense the storm brewing.

"You've got some nerve, Ryo," she spat, her voice laced with venom. "Dancing with that woman, at a party you didn't even bother inviting me to? Do you have any idea how humiliating that was for me?"

Ryo sighed inwardly. Of course, this was going to be about Emi and the party. He should've seen it coming. "Akemi, it was just a dance. The party was business-related; I didn't think—"

"That's the problem, isn't it?" Akemi cut him off, standing up to face him. "You didn't think! It bothers me that you don't think about me, about how your actions reflect on me. Do you know what people are saying? That you're losing interest in me, that you've already replaced me with someone else!"

Ryo raised his hands in a calming gesture. "That's not true, Akemi. You're still important to me—"

"Important?" Akemi scoffed, her eyes blazing with anger. "If I'm so important, why wasn't I with you tonight? Why was I left here, while you went out and flaunted yourself with another woman?"

Ryo struggled to find the right words. The truth was, he hated even being near her but he knew he had no choice. The previous host who had originally inhabited this body had kept postponing their marriage, always finding some excuse to delay it. It was clear that the man hadn't wanted to betray the wife he had left behind in his real life, even though that life was out of reach.

"The old Ryo was doing the bare minimum to keep everything together," Ryo thought, his mind racing. "He didn't want to face reality, so he just… avoided it. But I'm not him. I can't be him. It's because he was hesitant that he died."

Akemi's voice broke through his thoughts, sharp and cutting. "You think you can just ignore me, push me aside? I won't stand for it, Ryo. I deserve better after everything!"

Ryo took a deep breath. This wasn't going to end well if he didn't do something drastic. He had to take control of the situation and turn it in his favour. He stepped closer to Akemi, his gaze softening as he reached out to her.

"Akemi, I'm sorry," he said quietly, wrapping his arms around her from behind. She tensed at the contact, clearly not expecting this reaction. "I've been distant, I know. But it's not because of Emi or anyone else. It's just… everything has been overwhelming lately."

Akemi remained stiff, her body rigid in his arms. "Ryo, what are you—"

He cut her off by pressing his lips to her neck, a gesture that surprised them both. This was not something the previous Ryo would have done, but it felt like the right move. Akemi gasped softly, her anger wavering for just a moment as she leaned slightly into his embrace.

All the boasting about him being amazing on the bed was her lying because ever since they got into a relationship she didn't have any sex with him, but she had to pretend she was having the best time of her life just because of the money.

"Ryo…" she whispered, her voice trembling with uncertainty and excitement feeling the touch of a handsome young man.

He closed his eyes, the words of the shrine maiden echoing in his mind. Their conversation had been haunting him since the day it happened, and now, as he held Akemi, it all became clear.

"From what you said, she's not your enemy, but she's not your ally either, but she is already the first woman you seduced so you need to continue with it." the shrine maiden had told him. "But as you said, if you wish to remove a woman from your life, there's a way,"

Excited about a solution to leave Akemi, Ryo quickly asked, but soon he was disappointed. "If you just leave the woman, it will be considered as a failure or if the woman dies by your hand, the same thing will happen but if you can remove them from your life without any influence from you directly, simply they have to die without your involvement."

Ryo tightened his hold on Akemi, his resolve hardening. He knew he hated this woman who was in his embrace, but he didn't hate her enough to kill her. "I'll do whatever it takes," he thought. "If it means being there for my daughter, watching her grow up, then I'll manipulate anyone—Akemi, Emi, anyone who gets in my way. I won't lose this chance."

Akemi slowly relaxed in his arms, the tension in her body dissipating as she leaned back against him. For the first time in a long while, she felt a connection to a man that she hadn't felt before. Maybe he really was changing, becoming more attentive, more aware of her needs.

"I'm sorry too," Akemi murmured, her anger fading. "I just… I hate feeling like I'm being replaced. You're all I have, Ryo."

Ryo's heart clenched because of how poisonous and meaningless her words were, but he forced himself to stay focused. He couldn't let sympathy or anger cloud his judgment. He had to stay on course and keep his priorities straight.

"You're not being replaced," he assured her, his voice gentle. "I'm here, Akemi. And I'm not going anywhere."

Akemi turned in his arms, looking up at him with searching eyes. "Promise me that, Ryo. Promise me you won't leave me."

"I promise," he lied smoothly, stroking her hair. "I'm here with you."

Akemi sighed in relief, resting her head against his chest. "Thank you, Ryo. I just… I need to know that I matter to you."

"You do," Ryo said softly, his mind already calculating his next move. He had to keep Akemi on his side, at least for now.

Akemi sighed contentedly in his arms, but Ryo's mind was already elsewhere, planning his next move. He would play the part, of being the loving partner that Akemi wanted, all while keeping his true intentions hidden.

"I'll manipulate this woman," he thought, his resolve firm.

With that thought, he suddenly took some yen notes from his pocket and pushed them into the cleavage of Akemi, as if he was treating a whore, but for Akemi, it was the ultimate sign of love because it involved money. She started to drool at the sight, and Ryo didn't allow her to think twice.

He started to slowly remove her nightgown, which was slightly transparent. She wore some simple underwear because she didn't expect something like this to happen, and she regretted her decision.

"You have such a nice body, Akemi. I can't believe this!" Ryo said the truth but they were not words born out of love, just pure lust at the woman who ruined his previous life. At the moment, he saw her as nothing more than a simple woman that he could use to his advantage.

"You like my body! I thought you didn't have any interest in me since you never touched me within these few months we've been together," Akemi said, allowing Ryo to remove her bra, revealing her lovly breasts that looked as if they were ready to be devoured at any moment.

"Huh? I was just waiting until you're fully mine, and now I can finally completely make you mine," Ryo said but even he was surprised at how much he acted with her.

"Maybe I should start a career in the entertainment industry with how good my acting is," Ryo thought to himself while removing his own shirt revealing his perfectly chiselled abs and chest, which looked perfect that Akemi started to drool for the second time.