Bride.exe | JAYHOON [Hiatus]

4.1: HAUNTING MEMORIES

༻♡⃛༺

Sunghoon's heart pounded as the henchmen dragged him back to the main estate, their grip like iron vices around his arms. The weight of his father's disapproval hung heavy in the air, suffocating him with its intensity. They shoved him into a dimly lit room, securing him with shackles, the door slamming shut with a finality that echoed through his bones.

His attempts to break free were futile, the door steadfast against his desperate onslaught. Panic gripped his throat as he frantically searched for an escape, his hands tracing the walls in vain. But there was no reprieve, only enclosing walls, a ruthless prison.

As the hours stretched into eternity, Sunghoon felt the burden of his father's expectations crushing him. He had failed to retrieve Minjoo and break free from the family's grip. Now, there would be consequences.

Bound by chains, Sunghoon slumped against the wall, his pulse quickening with each passing moment, ears straining for any hint of his father's approach.

Outside the confines of his cell, the estate bustled with activity, servants darting about in silent obedience to their master's commands. But within the confines of Sunghoon's mind, a storm raged, a tempest of fear and uncertainty threatening to consume him whole.

He could only imagine the fury that would ignite within his father's eyes when he discovered their deception, the betrayal of his own flesh and blood.

Minjoo's safety hung in the balance, her whereabouts a closely guarded secret, hidden away from prying eyes. Sunghoon prayed fervently that their carefully laid plans would not unravel, shielding her from his father's fury a little longer.

Yet, a persistent doubt gnawed at him, whispering of uncertain consequences. Would his father settle for punishment, or unleash his power like a weapon, crushing any who dared defy him?

As he sat in the darkness, his thoughts drifted back to the years of careful planning that had led them to this moment. Dongmin, his brother, had been his steadfast companion in their quest, a silent shadow shielded from their father's piercing gaze. Sunghoon had carefully crafted a plan, sending his brother away to study, far from their father's suffocating grip. It had been a gamble, fraught with danger at every turn, but Sunghoon had been willing to risk it all for the hope of liberty.

Even as Dongmin had departed, ostensibly to pursue his education, Sunghoon remained vigilant, a distant sentinel watching over his brother. He had forged documents, and manipulated circumstances, all to ensure Dongmin's safety from their father's relentless pursuit.

Back then, Sunghoon hadn't fathomed the necessity of involving Minjoo in their scheme. After all, she had always been the apple of their father's eye. But reality proved far from that assumption.

With Minjoo safely hidden from their father's grasp and Dongmin out of reach, Sunghoon should breathe a sigh of relief. Yet, a seed of doubt had taken root in Sunghoon's mind. A lingering fear whispered that their efforts might prove futile. Their father's influence knew no bounds, his power an ever-present specter, haunting every decision.

And then there was their eldest sister, her disappearance a haunting specter that loomed over them like a dark omen. They spoke of her in whispers, her name a forbidden utterance, speaking of her as if she were already dead, erased from existence by their father's ruthless hand.

Sunghoon's gaze drifted to the flickering flames that danced in the hearth, casting eerie shadows upon the walls. He could still feel the heat of the fire that had consumed her belongings, the flames devouring every trace of her existence until she was nothing more than a ghost haunting their memories.