ANGEL MASK

Part 5

He eyed you warily through the corner of his eye as you walked, your slippers dragging on the concrete floor. He tried to stay away, trying to give you your space, afraid you'd have another breakdown, and be gone once again.

"Where is she?" You breathed, catching him off guard. "What did you do to her... body?"

"Near the garden. I can take you." he offered, his voice soft. You nodded, sniffling, "I just can't believe she's gone." Your voice broke just as your shoulders shook from the incoming sobs. "It's not fair, it's your fault. You said we were safe, you said everything was fine - that we were going to be fine!"

How many times would his heart break? Yoongi lost count. He took you into his embrace, allowing the hits against his chest. "You said you would keep me safe when we met, when you saved me from those me -"

"I know sweetheart. I know." He breathed, taking a hold of your wrist to hold your sobbing body. "I failed you, I know that, but I promise you, this will never happen again. I promise you, you're safe -"

You grunted pushing him away, but Yoongi did not let go, hugging you with a vice grip. "Let me go." You croaked. "I don't want to see you."

Your words pained him, but he understood. "Baby, look at me, look at me." He cupped your cheeks in his hands, "We're supposed to stick together now more than ever, sweetheart. You need me just as much as I need you. I might not show it, you may not see it, but I'm hurting too. The loss of Sunhee hurts me just as much. Together we can cope, we can be stronger for our child." He whispered trying to coax you.

No matter how many times you wished he wasn't the voice of reason, because he was always right, and you were never, you still stuck with your stubbornness, refusing to forgive. You wanted to hate him. But you knew better. It was your decision to stay despite knowing the dangerous world he surrounded himself with, and now? Now you were paying the consequences.

"Okay." You whispered.

Things with Yoongi moved slowly, reminding you of the bittersweet memories you had of the beginning of your future. He was kind and incredibly sweet, just like he'd always been, but more giving and gentle. His actions made you happy as time passed, allowing you to heal, gifting you the uplifting you wanted and deserved. The horseback riding was perhaps your favorite time of day. The wind would blow on your face as the horse ran, reminding you of the days you did the same when your parents lived. Would Sunhee have felt the peace you felt when you rode?

It was bittersweet to think of the various milestones she sure would have passed if she were alive today. She looked like Yoongi, he confessed when you asked. You shed tears when he described her whilst you laid on his chest. She was full of black, raven hair, with fair skin and doll lips, her father's copy. Her bracelet he'd custom made for her was recovered, placed on her tiny wrist when she was put to rest in the garden.

You'd both sat there every morning on that granite bench that had her beautiful initials engraved, keeping your child company and dreaming of the life that would've been.

Life was tranquil, but only in the morning. At night, the nightmares took over and dominated your mind. It was clear the traumatizing event was still deep in the crevices of your mentality.

Everything was almost normal, until it wasn't.

There was a storm coming, that much was clear.
The harsh wind swayed the trees with violence, the clouds a barrier to the sun.

The book in your hand slammed shut causing you to groan in annoyance. You sighed, placing your back against the gazebos' wooden pillar to gaze at the body of water that surrounded you.

"Hello." A voice greeted.

There was a goddess of a woman standing before you when you turned to face her. She was alluring with full, cherry red lips and accentuated cheekbones. A long black cocktail dress hugged her body just right.

She sipped the glass of Chardonnay in her hands whilst her eyes stared down into yours, like a preys, watching your moves. When she gulped, she stuck out her hand for you to shake, "Kang Seulgi, I believe you're the lady of this exquisite estate? Y/n Min, am I correct?"

It surprised you when she pecked your hand just like many gentlemen would do without breaking eye contact. It was almost as if she was trying to seduce you and you looked away at her shamelessness.

"You could say that." You responded, "I don't believe we've ever met Ms. Kang." Seulgi chuckled, placing the glass on the bench where you once sat, opening the black clutch she carried and fishing out a silver cigarette holder.

You shook your head when she offered you one and she smiled mischievously, lighting the cigarette in her lips, inhaling the nicotine in her lungs before the smoke impaled your nose.

"Oh, please call me Seulgi. I'm twenty-six not 40."

"Right, pardon me Seulgi." You awkwardly smiled. There was no doubt your social skills were terrible. You never really had any friends, Yoongi was all you knew.

"I don't mean to be rude, but may I know what you're doing here?" It was certainly weird seeing a young woman near you. They usually were middle aged maids and house staff, and they definitely did not look like the alluring woman in front of you.

"Business." She answered. "You're husband and I have a few things we need to discuss."

"Business?" Your brows furrowed. "Since when do women do business with men like my husband?"

Seulgi raised her eyebrows, eyeing you offended. "You'd be surprised, darling. I run my own business, how's that?"

"What?" You breathed, taken aback by her answer. Such a thing was unheard of. "How - how is that possible?"

She laughed, "I know it seems a little crazy, considering this world revolves around men and their sexism and misogyny. It is such a delight to see and imagine their faces once they realize a woman is beating them. They don't seem to like that very much, just like children, throw a damn tantrum when they don't like what they see. That's the reason why I'm here. You see -" Seulgi licked her lips. "- I'm the competition your lovely husband was afraid of, and let's just say he didn't like that very much. He was going to eliminate me. but I offered him a deal he couldn't decline."

You shivered slightly, trying not to think of that oh so special deal she offered. You knew what this business brought - you've experienced it firsthand, and you wanted absolutely nothing to do with it. Seulgis' eyes remained on you even when you stared onto the green acres of land.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Sure."

"Are you here by will or force?"

"Sorry?" You questioned.

"Are you here by will or force?" She said once again, emphasizing her words.

"Uh, Ms. Kang, I truly don't know what you mean by that."

Seulgi huffed, "Does he have you threatened, has something over you to keep you here?

"What? Of course not, he's my husband. I think you have me confused with someone else."

Seulgi studied you for what seemed the hundredth time today and when she saw you still remained bewildered by her comments, she scoffed. "You really don't know, do you? Son of a bitch. I really should've listened, he told me all about it but I still didn't want to believe it. " The disbelief was clear on her face.

"Know what?" You pushed. "Tell me what it is that I don't know."

"If I wasn't gonna die before, I sure as hell am now." She muttered, opening the black clutch, and grasping something in her palm. "This is all you need for you to understand me. That's all I can say. Watch it when you're alone." She leaned in, pressing a simple kiss on the corner of your mouth, and placing the unknown object into your hand.

"Don't trust anyone. Yoongi isn't who you think he is." She leaned in closer, breathing next to your ear.

"I had a husband just like yours once. Knew the exact words to say, how to act, manipulate to the point where you think you're the crazy one. Believe me, I know and if I were you? I will get the hell out of here. Run and never come back. He'll never see it coming."