Chapter 6 SCAPEGOAT

#4 hours after Alex's death

Budi Budiman, who learned of Alex's death 4 hours after Alex's death, immediately informed Rehan that Rachel was being made the scapegoat for Alex's death and that of his two bodyguards.

'My child, what did you do to Alex?' Rehan asked Rachel.

"I didn't do anything, Father. Do I need to swear on God's name? At the time of the incident, I was shopping at the Gading Mall, and if you don't believe me, you can check the bank transactions I used for shopping at that mall." Rachel said, taking a deep breath.

"Rehan, my brother! I believe Rachel's words. It's impossible for Rachel to have killed Alex." Budi Budiman defended Rachel while glaring at Rehan.

"I also believe that, my brother! However, our witnesses and evidence are insufficient to refute Rachel as Alex's killer. Because Sony saw a long-haired woman leaving the place where Alex was getting his hair cut, and after that, Sony saw two of his men and Alex dead." Rehan said, taking a deep breath.

"What are you afraid of, Father? If The Beast wants war, I will be a member of the Black Wolves charging to the front lines of the battlefield. I promise you, Father, I won't back down an inch when fighting The Beast!" Rachel said passionately with a fiery tone.

"It's not that simple, young one!" Rehan interjected.

"Why do you always say that when I want to fight The Beast, which is like termites at our doorstep, eroding my territory in Bekasi!" Rachel said softly.

Rehan took a deep breath and looked at Budi Budiman's face.

"Bud, please explain the true state and condition of the Black Wolves to my daughter!" Rehan said softly.

After hearing Rehan's words, Rachel furrowed her brow in confusion. As far as she knew, the financial condition and stability of the Black Wolves were fine.

"Rachel, the truth is, the Black Wolves are not in good condition...."

Budi Budiman explained that in Depok, the territory under the Black Wolf's control was being disrupted by migrant thugs from Maluku. Initially, their movements were unorganised, but when a man named Bahrul Sangaji began gathering and uniting the Maluku people under his command and forming an organisation called MB (Maluku Bersatu), the situation changed.

Once the Maluku people had a leader, their movement became very intense and quite disruptive. However, the elders in Depok were still able to resist the groups of dark-skinned individuals from the Maluku region.

The worst impact of the Black Wolf's war with Sangaji's group was that the Black Wolf's forces could not be deployed when the war with The Beast occurred.

Meanwhile, in Tangerang, which is currently under Budi Budiman's control, he is currently at war with a youth organisation named Pemuda Tangerang Bersatu (PTB). Their movement initially started small and was initially overlooked by Rehan.

However, since PTB affiliated and joined forces with Pemuda Banten, their numbers have nearly matched those of the Black Wolves across the entire Tangerang region. Many factories in Tangerang have been forcibly seized by PTB and Pemuda Banten. The two organisations have merged and renamed themselves the United Youth Alliance (APBN).

"Only in Jakarta do we not have rivals from the underworld, but law enforcement officials have begun increasing their demands for bribes from us. If we do not provide the bribes they demand, these officials will raid all our nightclubs and search and hinder the Black Wolves' business. Such as debt collection, land expropriation, smuggled goods sales, and so on. That's why The Beast dared to attack us, Rachel!" Budi Budiman concluded his explanation to Rachel.

Brak

Rachel slammed the table hard and glared at Budi Budiman, whom she considered her own uncle, and also at Rehan's old eyes.

"Why have the two of you been hiding this from me all this time? Is it because I was born a woman that Father and Uncle Budi think I'm not worthy of receiving this information sooner? And do Father and Uncle Budi think I'm incapable of standing up to those clowns who call themselves gangsters or whatever they're called? They're just clowns, and their power pales in comparison to that of the Black Wolf." Rachel looked at her father and Budi with a disappointed and emotional gaze.

'Rachel, my dear daughter! It's not that I don't believe in your ability to lead the Black Wolf army. I and Budi have never underestimated you because you were born as a woman, Rachel said with a heavy sigh and shook his head.

'Then why did you and Uncle Budi keep such important information from me? Why? Why!' Rachel demanded an explanation from Rehan and Budi Budiman in a very high-pitched voice.

Rehan kept his head down, unwilling to make eye contact with Rachel.

"My brother Rehan, you should speak from the heart with your daughter. I'll wait outside until you and Rachel are done talking." Budi Budiman said, then stood up to leave the room.

"No need, Bud, stay here. You're not a stranger. I consider you my brother, and Rachel sees you as her own uncle." Rehan said, pulling Budi's hand and asking him to sit back down.

"Alright, if that's the case, I'll stay here and pour you some whisky. Do you want whisky or wine?" Budi Budiman asked Rachel and Rehan.

"I'll have wine, Bud!" Rehan said.

"I'll have whisky, uncle, and thank you in advance." Rachel said.

Budi nodded and immediately went to the mini bar in the room. Shortly after, Budi Budiman returned with a smile on his face, carrying a bottle of wine and whisky.

Budi then poured the wine and whisky into a glass and handed it to Rehan and Rachel.

"Oh, come on, Rehan, do I have to say it again before you start telling Rachel the story?" Budi remarked when he saw Rehan just staring at his wine glass.

Upon hearing Budi's remark, Rehan choked on his own breath.

"Uhuk... uhuk... you... you bastard, Budi Budiman! Even in this situation, you're still joking around!" Rehan said, trying to catch his breath.

Rachel, who witnessed this, smiled. For some reason, her father always acted silly in front of Budi and her.

"Well, this is better. No need to be too tense. We're not facing a death sentence." Budi said, laughing and downing the whisky in his glass.

"Anyone want more whisky and wine? Today, our place is offering free drinks for the girls." This creature named Budi Budiman acted like a professional waiter.

"Damn you, Budi Budiman, making me laugh in such a tense situation!" Rehan muttered, holding out his empty glass.

Rachel just smiled and also held out her empty glass.

"Start!" Budi said impatiently because Rehan hadn't started talking to Rachel yet.

"Uhuk... uhuk... Rachel, my dear daughter..." Rehan's words trailed off because he couldn't find the right words to say to his daughter.

"Yes, my dear father, your daughter is here and ready to listen!" Rachel said calmly while sipping her whisky slowly.

Rehan could only manage a wry smile when Rachel teased him for being nervous about speaking to his own daughter.

"Rachel, my daughter, it was actually your father who asked Budi Budiman to keep everything from you. Because your father didn't want you to be dragged deeper into the abyss of darkness like me and Budi Budiman."

Rehan finished his glass of wine and asked Budi to refill it. Budi, like a professional bartender, poured wine and whisky into the glasses of the father and daughter. Meanwhile, Rachel remained silent, wanting to know the reason her father had kept such important news from her.

"Rachel, you already know that your mother, Kurenai, is the most feared Yakuza princess in Japan. Kurenai deliberately sent a Yakuza tattoo artist from her clan when you turned 17 to create a purple-blue butterfly tattoo on your shoulder as a sign that you are the legitimate heir to the Yakuza organisation in Japan. The reason your mother left your father was because she deemed him inconsistent, as when we married, he promised to leave this underworld and raise you to become a renowned businessman or lawyer."

Rachel nodded her head in understanding and comprehension of the story, "Then why did Father keep such important information from me?"

"Father wanted to keep one of his promises to your mother, Rachel. Father wanted you to become a successful entrepreneur or a renowned lawyer. Father did not want you to inherit this dark world, Rachel. Father is afraid of losing you. You are the only one who gives Father the strength to live. Look at yourself, Rachel. You're already over 21 years old but you don't have a boyfriend. Father wants you to live a normal life, Rachel, far from blood and death!" Rehan said sincerely, gazing at and caressing the face of his beloved daughter.

"That all?" Rachel asked.

"Is My Love and affection not enough reason for Me to not want you to enter this dark abyss, Rachel?" Rehan asked with tearful eyes.

"Father! I know you love and care for me deeply. I will give anything to make you smile and be proud of me. Whatever you ask, I will do, but please let me decide my own path, Father. I beg you, Father!" Rachel said, gazing at her father's face, which seemed to have aged several years upon hearing her words.

Rehan took a deep breath, looking at his daughter's face. "Rachel, trust me. I will resolve this issue within ten months at the latest. If I cannot resolve it within ten months, I will hand the matter over to you, and you may do whatever you deem necessary to address the challenges faced by the Black Wolf." Rehan said to Rachel.

Rachel raised her eyebrows after hearing Rehan's words.

"Promise?" Rachel asked, extending her pinky finger to Rehan.

"I promise, my daughter!" Rehan said, crossing his pinky finger with his daughter's.

Rachel smiled after her father performed the sacred gesture that he could never break, as he had done since she was a child.

"Alright, Father, I trust you. Now, what do you want from me?" Rachel asked with a smile, finishing the whisky in her glass.

"I want you to relocate to America for ten months!" Rehan said.

"What? To America? Are you asking me to flee?" Rachel asked, disbelieving what she heard.

Rehan nodded and showed his pinky finger to Rachel. Immediately, Rachel frowned when she realised she had fallen into her father's trap.

Flashback Off.