Chapter 445: The Second Wife Auditions

I grabbed my shirt off the floor and pulled it on, then pointed at Maki.

"Stay. Transform into a cat. Hide. Don’t make noise. Don’t break anything. Don’t electrocute anyone."

"That’s a lot of don’ts." She pouted. "What about the dos?"

"Exist quietly."

"Boring." But she transformed anyway, becoming a sleek black cat who immediately claimed my pillow as her new throne.

I stumbled downstairs with the kind of headache that usually required divine intervention or a bullet. The common room was already a warzone.

Five women sat in strategic positions around the space. Natalia had claimed the armchair nearest the door, her purple hair still damp from a shower. Emi perched on the couch arm, her blue antennae wilted. Skylar slouched in the corner wearing my hoodie, her violet eyes half-lidded but tracking everything. Celeste sat by the window, spine straight as ever, though her usual composure had developed cracks. Akari sprawled across the loveseat like a cat in a sunbeam, her emerald eyes lazy but sharp.

The tension could’ve powered the entire atoll.

Raphael was doing pushups in the middle of the floor. Jaime was flexing at his reflection in the window. Marco and Malachi sat on the stairs. Jacob hunched over his datapad at the dining table. Hikari bounced between conversations.

Isabelle watched me from the kitchen doorway with wine-red eyes that missed nothing.

"Rough night?" Her tone suggested she knew exactly how rough.

"Braxton postponed practice till four." I grabbed a Thunder-Strike from the fridge. The can hissed when I cracked it open. "My mother and Luka are coming this afternoon."

The room went quiet.

Even Raphael stopped mid-pushup.

"Your mom?" Emi’s voice pitched higher than usual. "Here? Today?"

"Wellness check." I downed half the energy drink in one pull. It tasted like chemicals and regret. "So everyone needs to act civilized."

"Define civilized." Akari sat up, suddenly interested. "Are we talking normal civilized or rich people civilized?"

"Don’t destroy furniture. Don’t insult guests. Don’t demonstrate your Aspects unless specifically asked." I looked directly at Natalia. "And any grief my mother gives me, I’m paying back to you during training. Tenfold."

Raphael barked out a laugh.

"Bring it." He stood, his amber eyes bright. "I’m winning the festival anyway. Your time as leader ends then."

"Sure it does."

"But I don’t disrespect mothers." He crossed his arms. "My abuela raised me right. So if your mom shows up, she gets nothing but respect from me."

"Same." Jaime bounced over, grinning wide enough to show all his teeth. "I want to meet Luka anyway! I’ve heard stories about his work with Aegis Prime! The man tanked a Crawler’s pincer strike and kept fighting! His muscles must be glorious!"

"They’re...substantial," I admitted.

"This is amazing!" Jaime flexed reflexively. "I’ll ask about his training regimen! His protein intake! His philosophy on pre-workout supplements!"

Marco wandered over from the stairs. "Your stepdad’s cool. He bought me ice cream once when I was helping you move boxes."

"That sounds like something he’d do."

The five women hadn’t moved.

They sat in their respective territories, watching each other like poker players hiding tells.

Emi stood first. "I should make cookies. Mothers like cookies, right? I can make good cookies. Better than my eggs."

"Much better than your eggs." Skylar’s contribution came from behind her phone.

"I’ll help." Celeste rose with dancer’s grace. "My finishing school included baking. I can execute a proper tea service."

"Of course you can." Akari stretched, her shirt riding up to show tan skin. "But can you make small talk? That’s the real test."

"I’ve attended state dinners with foreign dignitaries."

"This is different." Natalia finally spoke, her purple eyes cold. "This is Satori’s mother. Not some ambassador you can charm with protocol."

The temperature dropped three degrees.

Celeste’s spine straightened further. "I wasn’t suggesting—"

"You’re all overthinking this." I pressed my fingers against my temples. The headache was getting worse. "It’s lunch. Maybe dinner. Then they leave."

"But it matters." Emi twisted her hands together. "First impressions matter. What if she doesn’t like us? What if she thinks we’re not good enough for—"

She cut herself off.

Too late.

The other four women’s eyes sharpened.

"Not good enough for what, exactly?" Akari’s smile could cut glass. "For being his friend? His teammate?"

"His girlfriend," Skylar said flatly.

The word hung in the air like smoke.

Natalia’s fingers curled around the armrest. Frost spread from her touch, thin white fractals crawling across the leather.

"We should clean." Isabelle’s voice came from the kitchen. "If Luka’s coming, this place needs to look like a functioning dormitory rather than a post-apocalyptic frat house."

She was right.

The common room looked like something had exploded. Pizza boxes stacked near the trash. Protein shake bottles scattered across every surface. Someone’s combat boots sat in the middle of the floor. A training dummy’s head rolled under the couch.

"Everyone cleans." I pointed at the mess. "Now."

Raphael grumbled but grabbed the trash bags. Jaime started collecting protein containers with religious fervor. Marco and Malachi straightened the furniture while Jacob began organizing scattered textbooks.

The five women didn’t move.

They watched each other instead.

"You know," Akari said slowly, "whoever Kimiko likes best probably has an advantage."

"An advantage at what?" Emi’s innocence was almost painful.

"At being second wife, obviously." Akari’s grin turned wicked. "First wife’s already decided. But second place is up for grabs."

"There’s no first wife situation happening here," I said.

Natalia’s expression suggested otherwise.

"I’m already family." Her tone was calm. Too calm. "Kimiko knows me. Trusts me. I have the advantage before this even starts."

"But I can cook." Emi’s hands twisted together. "I can show her I’m useful. Practical."

"I have political connections." Celeste’s voice carried that edge I’d heard in caves when she was calculating survival odds. "And my sister personally commended Satori for saving my life. That carries weight."

"I’m fun." Akari shrugged. "Mothers want their sons to be happy. I make people happy."

Skylar didn’t say anything.

She just pulled her hood up and went back to her phone.

But her jaw was tight.

"None of you are marrying me right now." I finished my energy drink and crushed the can. "We’re eighteen. Can everyone calm down?"

"No." They answered in unison.