Chapter 174: Tuesday (9)
"Why is your father trying to keep you a virgin?" Jack asked Naoko.
"He wants to use me in some bullshit marriage alliance. He knows how badly I want to get into nanotech research and is using that knowledge to manipulate me."
"What about your mom? Is she one of his mistresses or his official wife? Would he kick her out if you rebelled and refused to submit to any more virginity tests?"
"She’s his official wife. But you don’t need to worry about her. She actually approves of his plans and thinks I should be learning how to be a good little wife instead of wasting my time on science."
"So what would your father do if you said you found someone else to pay for your college and refused to participate in his creepy virginity tests?" he asked.
"I’m not sure," she said hesitantly. "If he knew it was you, he’d probably try to find a way to force you to give me up. He’d probably start by offering you a lot of money."
"Even if he knew you were no longer a virgin?"
"Yes, I think so. Me still being a virgin is more the cherry on top, pardon the pun, than the main course. I think he’d still try to marry me off, regardless."
"And if paying me off didn’t work?"
"I’m not sure, but I think he might try more drastic measures. Nothing illegal, but he’d try to buy out anyone that employed you, or threaten companies that tried to do business with you."
This sounded more and more like a serious headache. Naoko was his now, so he refused to let her father manipulate her. But how could he free Naoko without also incurring the focused wrath of her father?
"What about a trust fund?" asked Madison.