The night ahead seemed darker than ever.
Suzuko knew she had no choice. She would be forced to endure a pregnancy, likely with a man not of her choosing, to carry on a family's lineage. A part of her felt like she was being pulled back into a world she thought she'd left behind with her husband's passing.
Takahiro's expression hardened. "Our family's future is at stake, Suzuko. This is not about your personal feelings. You will do this for the sake of our ancestors and our family's honor." Widow Honjo Suzu- who is forced to get pregnant...
Widow Honjo Suzu sat alone in her dimly lit home, the smell of incense and tea wafting through the air. It had been a year since her husband's passing, and the grief still lingered like an open wound. As a widow, she was expected to lead a simple, chaste life, dedicating herself to her late husband's memory.
"Suzu, I have some news," he said, his voice measured. "Our family's future is at stake. Our ancestors' lineage is about to be severed. You see, our family's male heir, my son, passed away unexpectedly. And with no other male relatives to take his place... " The night ahead seemed darker than ever
Suzuko's heart sank. She knew where this was heading.
Suzuko felt a cold dread creeping up her spine. She had heard stories of widows being forced into such situations, their bodies used as vessels to carry on a family's lineage. It was a fate worse than death, a complete disregard for her autonomy and grief. A part of her felt like she was
"But Takahiro-san," she protested, trying to reason with him, "I'm still in mourning. My husband's memory is still fresh. How can I even—"
The door creaked open, and a gentle voice called out, "Suzuko-san?" It was her brother-in-law, Honjo Takahiro. He entered the room, his eyes laced with concern.
Takahiro continued, "The elders have decided that you must carry on the family line. You must get pregnant and bear a child to secure our family's future."
But life had other plans.