Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

"Didn't the department store compensate you before the end of the millennium?" Konoe Daishi couldn't help but interject.

The fire was the department store's responsibility, and they should theoretically bear the corresponding compensation liability.

"They only paid a small portion of the compensation a month after the fire."

Ono Kayoko's face was expressionless, and her tone was as cold as frost.

"I waited ten years, made countless trips, and searched for them countless times for the remaining promised compensation, but I still haven't received it."

“They always made various excuses to avoid it, either saying that the company was short of funds or that the person in charge was not available. In the end, they even disappeared without a trace.”

"I've been lying to my mother all these years."

Ono Kayoko's voice was filled with pain and helplessness.
“I told her that the money for her medical treatment was all compensation from Sennichimae Department Store. Because my mother had been living in the hospital, she knew very little about what was happening in the outside world, so she believed it to be true.”

“Until last month, my mother learned by chance from a relative who was visiting her that the money she had spent on medical treatment over the years was not compensation at all, but the money I earned by selling my house, selling my car, and working hard.”

"She also found out that I suffered a lot to take care of her."

"After learning the truth, my mother felt extremely guilty, thinking that she had dragged me down."

Ono Kayoko's tears fell like beads from a broken string.

"That night, when the nurses weren't looking, she used her only remaining arm, which she could still move slightly, to slowly climb to the window and then jumped off the building..."

At this point, Yoko Ono could no longer control her emotions, squatted down on the ground, and burst into tears.

The cries were filled with grief over losing her mother, self-blame, and deep hatred for Mito Shinzo.

"If Sennichimae Department Store had paid us the compensation sooner, my mother wouldn't have committed suicide out of guilt!"

She cried and screamed.

"When I saw my mother's cold body lying on the ground, I swore then and there that I would kill Mito Shinzo, the owner of Sennichimae Department Store, to avenge my mother! I would make him pay for his crimes in blood!"

“Prince Jia…” Konoe Taisho stood to the side, his expression extremely complicated.

Although he had promised to help Ono Kayoko conceal her whereabouts and assist her in taking revenge because he liked her, he did not know that there was such a tragic story behind it.

Hattori Heizo's heart was also heavy. He remained silent for a moment before asking softly, "Last night, the railing on the hotel balcony that you broke... was that something you tampered with beforehand, wasn't it?"

Yoko Ono wiped away her tears and continued, "I had already damaged that railing before."

"Yesterday afternoon, after watching the magic show, I saw Mito Hayato and Ms. Tomizawa walk out one after the other, so I quietly followed them."

"Afterwards, Mito Jun and that woman named Minamino Momoko went into a love hotel. When Ms. Tomizawa saw this, she felt embarrassed and turned around and left."

“But I didn’t leave. Instead, I followed them into the hotel and even booked a room next to theirs.”

"The soundproofing in that hotel room wasn't very good. I vaguely heard Momoko Minamino and Hayato Mito talking in my room." "She mentioned her and Shinzo Mito's room number at the Riverview Hotel and said they were going there to watch the fireworks that night."

"When I heard the news, I was very excited and felt that this was a perfect opportunity for revenge."

"So I rushed to the Riverview Hotel. When I got there, I happened to see people hired by the hotel checking the balcony railings, saying they were worried that too many people would be watching the fireworks that night and that it would be dangerous."

"I then impersonated a staff member and sneaked in, and sawed off half of the railing of room 603, which they had already inspected."

"I originally thought that when Mito Shinzo was watching the fireworks on the balcony that night, he would fall off the balcony and die downstairs with just a little effort. That way, no one would suspect me."

"What I didn't expect was that, besides me, Mito Jun also tampered with the balcony railing later on."

"Then why did you deliberately break that tampered railing?" Hattori Heizo asked again. "If you hadn't done that, we might not have suspected you so quickly."

“Because I’ve already cut that railing in half,” Yoshiko Ono explained softly, “I was worried that if I didn’t break it, someone else might accidentally touch it and cause an accident, injuring innocent people.”

She looked up at Hattori Heizo with teary eyes, her gaze filled with complex emotions—it was hard to tell whether she was complaining or relieved.
"If you hadn't arrived at the hospital in time, I might have already avenged Mom."

Hattori Heizo felt a mix of emotions as he looked at her.

He could understand Ono Kayoko's pain and hatred, and he could also understand her determination to take revenge.

But he knew even better that revenge wouldn't solve anything; it would only plunge her into an abyss of no return.

He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and gently patted Ono Kayoko on the shoulder.

“I know you’re heartbroken and hate Shinzo Mito. But killing isn’t the only way to solve problems.”

“What Mito Shinzo owes you and your mother, we can make him pay the price through legal means.”

“His failure to pay compensation and his disregard for human life are evidence of his crimes.”

“We can gather evidence, prosecute him, bring him to justice, and hold him accountable for his actions.”

"The law?" Ono Kayoko laughed self-deprecatingly, her eyes filled with despair. "Can the law bring my mother back to life? Can the law make up for the suffering I've endured all these years?"

"Shinzo Mito is so rich and powerful, even if we sue him, we might not win."

“No, we will definitely win this time,” Hattori Heizo encouraged. “Don’t forget, Mito Shinzo committed other crimes this time. As long as we collect enough evidence, we will definitely make Mito Shinzo receive the punishment he deserves.”

Konoe Taisho quickly nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, Prince Kayo, Hattori is right. We will all help you."

Looking at the two sincere boys in front of her, and then at the wrecked car, Ono Yoshiko's defenses gradually crumbled.

She knew that Hattori Heizo and Konoe Taishi were genuinely looking out for her.

Over the years, she has borne all the pain and pressure alone. No one has ever cared for her like this, or been willing to do so much for her. (End of Chapter)