Shattered Empress|kth

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟳

Y/n

I straightened the tray for the hundredth time, giving it a critical eye as I did so. June was coming for lunch today, so I had made sure that all her favorite foods were here. I needed her to be willing to help us and create a story that would paint Baekhyun in a bad light. It was no different than the one that she did on the app that created the rift between Taehyung and me, but I was hoping this time that it would actually help my husband instead of harming his reputation.

I wasn't going to lie. Having Taehyung tell me yesterday that he was impressed meant everything. No, that wasn't the most important information. Having him tell me that he couldn't lose me again meant a heck of a lot more.

If nothing else, it showed me that he was willing to try again, and while I knew that to everyone else, I was being crazy for wanting to stay with him after everything he had done, it was the best thing for our family and us.

If I could get Taehyung through this war, then maybe our lives could begin.

"You're an idiot, Y/n," I muttered to myself as I wiped my hands on my pants. I was turning into one of those tough women that stood by their men no matter what they did. I mean, it wasn't easy being around the man who had taken my children from me, but he had warned me. He had told me not to cross him, and I hadn't listened.

I hadn't thought he would do it.

Maybe I wasn't any better than he was.

Now, he knew I had killed Dr. Gwan, and if he really wanted to, he could turn me over to the feds. I didn't think that Taehyung would do anything like that, but he could.

However, I wasn't scared enough to stay with him. No, I loved him, and it was a love I couldn't explain, nor did I feel like I had to.

Starting with June.

The elevator doors opened, and I turned to find my best friend striding out, Jungkook disappearing behind the door again. I had begged Taehyung to let me talk to June alone, without Jungkook hovering over our shoulders, and he relented, stating that he would stay in his office and Jungkook would be within reach.

I didn't know what in reach meant, but I was sure that Jungkook was riding the elevator, waiting for me to call for him. The thought was hilarious in itself.

"June!" I called out, meeting her halfway to wrap her in a hug. "Oh my God, I feel like it's been ages."

"It has," she stated, pulling back to look at me. "You look not pregnant."

Laughing, I looked down at my slowly shrinking stomach. "I'm not. I had my daughter."

June's eyes flashed hurt, and I wished that I had mentioned that tidbit on the phone when I had called her. "I'm sorry," I said automatically. "It's been crazy around here. Would you like to see her?"

"Sure," June said slowly. I linked arms with her and took her to Eun Jun's nursery, where she was sleeping soundly, her nanny reading in the chair nearby.

"Look at that hair!" June commented with a laugh as we gazed down at my sleeping daughter. "I think she looks like you."

"She does something," I told her. "But there's a good bit of Taehyung in her, too, especially her temper." The girl didn't like to wait for anything, from changing her diaper to her bottles. Taehyung and I both had laughed just last night about her temper, and he had casually mentioned that her namesake was likely the cause.

I liked when he talked about his sister. I could see the love he had for her and how her death had nearly destroyed him. It was yet another layer of Kim Taehyung that I was pulling back.