Jungkook's Love • JJK

Eighty Six

You'd expected your stepfather to show up, but when you arrived and it was only her in the room it made sense he wouldn't. He was only confident enough to be your bully when you were alone. You didn't think he could pull off any sort of control with Jungkook at your side. If he tried he'd probably regret it instantly, your husband was capable of rabidly defending you.

"Are you having twins?" Your mother's smile was attempting to appear kind while white hot flecks of frustration were already present in her eyes. The backhanded compliment didn't hurt you like it might have months ago.

"I feel big enough for triplets, but no, just a single baby." You could tell she was wearing more makeup than usual and you wondered if he'd struck her again. Why did the thought seem so detached?

You waited for her to ask something, anything about her future grandchild. For even a split second to show actual interest in something that wasn't money or trying to bring you down. There was a tiny shred of disappointment when she remained silent, uncaring about the baby due any day, but like the insult it didn't stab nearly as roughly.

Jungkook was in a bad mood, his sweet caring attitude had bled into angry protectiveness the closer you got to the meeting room. Hadn't he been the one to insist on getting this over quickly? He pulled your chair out and waited while you lowered yourself into it. Your whole body ached and you regretted agreeing to this all at once. With only a week or less until your son arrived there was no option, the last thing you wanted was to interrupt bonding time to deal with her last shaky attempt to control you.

"You look well Soo-ahshi." Jungkook sat, the loud scrape of his chair legs against the floor making you flinch. He was full of noise when he was tense, erratic movement that took up the whole room, you grabbed his hand and pressed it against his thigh with a squeeze.

"You didn't think to invite your eomma to your wedding?" Contempt, not even slightly concealed. You rolled your eyes asking yourself if you would even respond to that slight. She didn't care at all about the ceremony.

"The guest list was exclusively selective, I'm sure you can understand that." Jungkook squeezed your hand back and you looked at his profile trying not to smile.

You guessed your mother probably read between the lines recalling how she'd barred him from her house at your 'welcome home' dinner. What could she really say when she wasn't on the moral high ground? Instead she lifted her palm from the white table top and revealed a flash drive. Using one fingertip she pushed it to the center of the table equidistant from the two of you.

"We're willing to give you that in return for compensation of our hurt feelings, loss of income due to your personal dramas, and grievances." A satisfied grinned turned the corners of her lips up and you tried not to roll your eyes.

"Is this the video of my suicide attempt?" The words felt wrong on your tongue, a part of you that you'd pushed so hard to grow past. A girl you didn't recognize anymore.

"Better you to have it than Dispatch. The two of you have managed to stay wildly under the radar since your marriage." She wasn't wrong, the fall out from the announcement had been slightly less positive than Namjoon but a thunderstorm instead of the tornado you'd forecast.

"One, we both know that's only a copy of the video, two, no thank you. We'll pass, show it to whoever you like, sell it if that's what will make you happy. If you're so desperate for money then who are we to stand in your way?" You said the words with confidence you felt deeply, you'd prepared for this moment with Dr Choi and Jungkook countless times.

Did you want that video to be plastered all over the internet? No. But you also didn't want to keep playing the never ending game of cat and mouse with your mother either. If she or your stepfather thought they had anything on you it would go on forever. Letting go of control was the only path to having real control.