Hostage Handbook

Chapter Seventeen | True Enemies

YEOREUM

A small crowd gathers around us. The bloating interest sucks away the blood from the woman's face like vicious maggots.

"Mr Jeon, I was only joking. Please don't—"

"Right," Jungkook says as he guards me away from the woman. "You are a bitchy,slut-ass whore. It's funny how you think you have the right to stand before me. Although I would like to commend you on your courage, the sight of your repulsive face makes me hesitate to breathe in the same room as you."

"Mr Jeon...."

A broad smile tugs at Jungkook's lip. "I was also only joking too."

"I'm so sorry for upsetting you," the woman cries. "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have reacted to Miss Song's insults."

"Good, you should be," Jungkook snarls. "I know for a fact that Yeoreum didn't insult you. But even if she did, she would merely be stating facts."

"Yes, absolutely, Mr Jeon."

Jungkook narrows his eyes. "You're out."

"But my father—"

"I said, you're out," Jungkook utters. "It's dead set. You can take your father's money and leave this place as soon as possible."

Whispers and chuckles ripple through the audience, drowning the gasp that slips from the woman's colourless lips.

Jungkook brings me to a quiet corner of the venue. A look of concern settles into his features.

"Are you all right, Yeoreum? What did she do?"

An ambiguous emotion twinges in my chest when Jungkook's eyes crash into mine. I brush his hands away.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm defending you."

"Are you in your right mind?" I snap. "Why are you pulling the rich dude card for me?"

"You are the woman I love with all my pride and ego. By insulting you, they also insulted my pride and ego."

I look away from Jungkook to fight the feeling in my chest that grows clearer and clearer. "You're so fucking cheesy," I mumble.

"Right, did you actually insult her?" Jungkook says, tugging my sleeve. "Tell me."

"No, I didn't say anything."

Jungkook pouts. "Can't you lie to me? You know how happy I would be if you actually got into a fight with her because of me."

"Jeon Jungkook, you're so psychotic." A speechless laugh escapes me.

"I'm happy you're saying that," Jungkook says. He smiles and leans in to kiss me. "I guess you finally know I'm psychotically in love with you."

"Jungkook Oppa," a young woman cries. "What are you doing?"

I look at the young woman in a mini dress. It's Kwon Saeeun, the daughter of N&R International, a formidable corporate known to have connections with underworld organisations. Perhaps it is my deteriorating eyesight, but her features seem very different from how I remembered her. She strangely resembles me.

I roll my eyes at Jungkook. "You're popular."

It has merely been five minutes, and I am already entering another fight with a woman who resents me because of my supposed relationship with Jungkook. A dark part of me wants them to take my so-called luck and see if they are willing to sacrifice what Jungkook robbed of me for the extravagant sex doll life I have now.