Shattered Empress|kth

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟯

Y/n

I tried not to show my nervousness as I walked out of the station, acutely aware of how many of Taehyung's guards surrounded the area. The train was long gone, and most of the people that were left were staring at the ensuing chaos around them. After all, it wasn't every day that a Mafia 깡패 came out of hiding long enough to save his wife.

Okay, that was a bit farfetched, both Taehyung hiding from anything and him coming for me. He hadn't come for me.

He had come for Dr. Gwan, no one else.

I, for one, was glad that at least this part was over with. Dr. Gwan was going to get her punishment from Taehyung.

I was going to see my children.

Something was going right for once, that is if my husband kept up his end of the bargain. I had tried and failed not to stare at him when he had opened the door. He looked like he had been run through the wringer, the dark shadows under his beautiful eyes not easily hidden from anyone. There were lines bracketing his mouth, telling me he hadn't been getting any sleep, and his impeccable clothing looked wrinkled.

Taehyung's appearance never looked mussed, yet here he was, looking very unlike the polished Mafia 깡패 I knew him to be.

It seemed I wasn't the only one who had suffered this week.

Still, my heart had done a slow thud in my chest as I gazed upon him, the heat pooling between my thighs as his eyes had raked over me as if he were assessing me for any injuries, for any changes that he hadn't noticed before.

It had only been a week, after all.

What had surprised me was the fury I had seen in Taehyung's eyes when I had confirmed that the doctor had hit me; it wasn't something I was completely expecting from him.

Heck, I didn't know what to expect.

I climbed into the helicopter, dropping my bag on the floor as I waited for Taehyung to join me. I was bone-tired of it all, of the fighting, of the worry, of the feelings that were constantly mixed up with my husband. I wanted some peace for once, peace in knowing that I didn't have to worry any longer.

Taehyung climbed in beside me, his hands hanging loosely between his legs. "I'm not going to go back on my word, Y/n."

So, he knew I didn't trust him. How could I? He had lied to me repeatedly, forced me away from my children, and made me run from him more times than I could count.

Still, I wanted him to keep his word once, especially when it was so important. "I hope not."

"I'm not," he grated out, his jaw clenched tightly. "I swear to you on my life and that of my men."

Slumping against the seat, I wanted desperately to just lay my head against his shoulder and forget that we had just spent a week apart, hating each other. "How are the kids?" I asked, my throat suddenly tight. I had missed out on some of the special times in a newborn's life, like the first time she had the hiccups or the sheer pleasure of watching her eat and knowing that she had been in my belly just hours before.

He had robbed me of those moments, those stolen moments, and for that, I would never be able to fully forgive him. I would like to think that Taehyung knew that.

"They're fine," he said after a moment, his voice holding the same weariness that I felt. "They miss you."

I turned to watch his strong profile, the way he avoided my gaze and instead locked in on the seat across from us. He looked, well, defeated, and as much as I would have liked to comfort him, I held back. Taehyung didn't deserve my comfort. He didn't deserve any feelings I had for him in the past or any that I might hold in the future.