Pathway to Japanese Literature
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| Original Title | 秘密の代償 |
|---|---|
| Author | 岸田 国士 |
| Genre | War & Social Literature |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In a seaside villa during a sweltering July, a high-ranking official’s family grapples with simmering tensions beneath their polished facade. Ikuta Korenori, his wife Kazuko, and their son Koremori retreat for summer respite, accompanied by Teru—a captivating new maid whose poised demeanor masks unsettling secrets. When Teru abruptly resigns, her cryptic pleas hint at scandalous entanglements with either the patriarch or heir. Kazuko’s probing unveils stolen money and veiled accusations, while clandestine meetings in moonlit arbors blur truth and deception. As pride clashes with guilt, the family scrambles to bury the maid’s transgressions, each member guarding unspoken fears of exposure. Yet Teru’s arrest for theft forces a reckoning: Was she a manipulative schemer or a pawn in their moral decay? Elegant yet taut with unease, this psychological drama weaves lies and desire into a web where every glance conceals betrayal, and salvation hinges on secrets too poisonous to confess. |
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