The temperature had dropped slightly that day.
As the cold wind outside swept snow from the tree branches, Beniko Suo pulled her luxurious mink coat tighter around herself.
She was already in her sixties.
But as the saying goes, wealth preserves beauty. Beniko Suo had always appeared elegant and radiant in the public eye, every movement exuding refined dignity.
She gestured for someone to pour her a glass of red wine.
With only seven days left until the charity gala, everything had been progressing smoothly.
That rude mystery novelist who had dismissed her over the phone had made no public moves. Perhaps he was overwhelmed by the barrage of negative press. After all, Beniko Suo had meticulously orchestrated it all.
Charity, in her eyes, was no different from business.
While she was earning money, she was also expanding her network — with celebrities, socialites, and even political figures on her contact list. Her entertainment company held real influence in the industry. She knew how to leverage relationships and channels to craft narratives in her favor.
Compared to someone like her, Hayashi Yoshiki was merely a fledgling.
To be safe, she had her secretary double-check potential vulnerabilities and patch up inconsistencies. She was confident that Hayashi held no definitive proof. After all, she wasn't foolish enough to directly siphon donations into her personal accounts.
After Hayashi's rejection, she had even considered inviting Sleeping Kogoro, now a media sensation. But the moment Mōri Kogorō heard her name on the phone, he coldly hung up without a word.
Do I have some grudge with detectives now...?
She was secretly livid. She had planned to use Kogorō's presence to step on one genius while propping up another — a perfect PR maneuver.
"Madam Beniko! Madam!!"
Urgent knocks at the door broke her thoughts.
"Come in! What's going on?" she asked, startled.
Her secretary Inaba Kazuyo burst in, clutching several newspapers with a grim expression.
"Something terrible has happened!"
Beniko's stomach dropped. She hurried forward.
She snatched the newspaper from Inaba's hands.
A single glance made her hand tremble.
"H-How could this be…?"
She hastily flipped through the stack.
The headlines screamed at her:
"The Truth Behind Mahogany Promotions' Charity Gala!"
"Offshore Accounts? Internal Ledgers?"
"The Business of Charity – A Queen's Greed Unmasked"
"Kisaki Eri Makes a Move – Lawsuits Filed Against Multiple Outlets!"
"Mahogany Investigated for Fraudulent Charity and Illegal Fundraising"
"Super Idol Okino Yoko Speaks Out"
"Suzuki Conglomerate Establishes Their Own Charitable Foundation"
"Police Launch Official Investigation into Mahogany Advertising"
"The 'Eastern Canary' Now a Crooked Crone"
What... is happening?!
She staggered backward, her face drained of color.
"How could this happen?! Where did this evidence come from?! This doesn't make any sense!"
She clutched Inaba Kazuyo's sleeve in desperation.
"You—didn't we patch everything?! How could this information leak?!"
Inaba's own face had gone pale.
She, too, had received a share of the embezzled funds over the years. Seeing the words 'police investigation' sent ice through her spine.
Though the room was freezing cold, Beniko Suo was sweating through her designer coat.
The tiny black print on the newspapers swam before her eyes. Her mind buzzed with panic as she tried to focus, only to catch snippets accusing her of profiting from orphans under the guise of charity.
Her chest tightened. Her breath shortened.
Lies! These are malicious rumors!
What kind of monster would target an old woman ?
But when she read through other papers and saw the solid evidence printed there — she knew:
Inaba Kazuyo's phone suddenly rang. Her face turned ghostly as she answered.
Without a word, she grabbed the TV remote and turned on the screen.
The news station had switched to a live press conference.
Standing before a crowd of cameras was the rock musician Aikawa Touya.
He faced the cameras solemnly, eyes blazing with hatred.
"I apologize for disturbing everyone. I am Aikawa Touya. Today's press conference has one purpose — to expose Beniko Suo as a murderer."
The crowd of reporters exploded in an uproar.
Shutters clicked. Flashes lit up the stage.
Beniko Suo sat frozen, staring at the screen, her mouth dry.
She collapsed onto the floor.
Five years ago, Beniko Suo had committed a hit-and-run accident.
To escape accountability, she pinned the blame on her maid — then later, killed the maid and staged it as a suicide.
When… when did he find out?!
Beniko Suo shivered uncontrollably.
Touya's voice rang out again:
"I also accuse Beniko Suo of embezzling charity funds for years, and she—"
"Turn it off! TURN IT OFF!"
The old woman shrieked.
She lunged at Inaba to grab the remote. In the chaos, she accidentally changed the channel again.
Hayashi Yoshiki's Voice
"Following recent news surrounding Mahogany Promotions' alleged fraud, we are honored to welcome renowned mystery novelist Hayashi Yoshiki for an exclusive interview."
"Before bringing him on stage, let's play a recording from a phone call between him and Beniko Suo."
"Sorry, I'm not interested."
"As for the reason? I don't want you pocketing the money."
"Some people survive by abusing others' kindness for their own benefit."
"Bluffing only exposes your weakness, Ms. Beniko Suo."
"Now, please welcome Mr. Hayashi Yoshiki."
Beniko Suo stared at the television, her soul crumbling.
The world she built over decades — crumbling in seconds.