Bound by Love (Jaeyong)

Chapter 3: The Chasm Deepens

As weeks turned into months within the sprawling confines of their opulent home, the fragile peace between Jaehyun and Taeyong seemed to teeter on the brink of collapse. While Jaehyun endeavored to navigate their arranged marriage with quiet resolve, Taeyong's rebellious spirit proved to be a formidable obstacle.

Jaehyun, ever the dutiful husband, attempted to bridge the widening gap between them. He extended small gestures of kindness—a favorite meal prepared by the household staff, invitations to accompany him to social gatherings among their affluent peers. Yet, each attempt was met with Taeyong's indifference or outright defiance.

One evening, as Jaehyun returned from a long day at the family business, he found their home shrouded in an eerie silence. The grand halls echoed emptily, devoid of the usual hum of activity that accompanied their staff's meticulous care. Jaehyun frowned, a sense of unease settling in the pit of his stomach as he ascended the staircase to their shared bedroom.

To his surprise, the room was empty save for the faint scent of Taeyong's cologne lingering in the air. A pang of disappointment flickered across Jaehyun's features as he sank into an armchair by the window, the city lights twinkling in the distance like distant stars.

Hours passed before Taeyong finally returned, his arrival announced by the soft click of the front door. Jaehyun glanced up, his expression guarded as Taeyong entered with an air of nonchalance that grated against Jaehyun's sense of propriety.

"Where have you been?" Jaehyun's voice was calm, though beneath the surface, frustration simmered like a dormant volcano.

Taeyong shrugged dismissively, his features carefully neutral. "Out with friends," he replied casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Jaehyun's brow furrowed imperceptibly. "You left without informing anyone," he pointed out, his tone betraying a hint of reproach.

"I'm an adult, Jaehyun," Taeyong retorted, his voice tinged with defiance. "I don't need permission to go out."

"It's not about permission," Jaehyun countered evenly, his patience wearing thin. "We're married, Taeyong. We should at least communicate with each other."

A flicker of irritation flashed across Taeyong's features before he masked it with practiced ease. "I didn't ask for this marriage," he muttered under his breath, though the words carried the weight of resentment.

Jaehyun's jaw tightened, the sting of Taeyong's defiance cutting deeper than he cared to admit. "Neither did I," he admitted quietly, his gaze steady.

The silence that followed was heavy with unspoken truths and the weight of expectations left unmet. Jaehyun rose abruptly, the scrape of his chair against the floor breaking the tense stillness that had settled between them.

"I'm going to bed," Jaehyun stated firmly, his tone a quiet assertion of boundaries. "Good night, Taeyong."

Taeyong watched in silence as Jaehyun retreated to the sanctuary of their bedroom, his emotions a tumultuous storm beneath the mask of indifference he wore for the world. Alone in the dimly lit hallway, Taeyong's facade crumbled, revealing the ache of longing and the bitterness of unfulfilled desires.

In the days that followed, their interactions became increasingly strained—a delicate dance of avoidance and simmering resentment. Taeyong continued to defy the conventions of their marriage, disappearing for hours on end and returning with a defiance that bordered on reckless.

Meanwhile, Jaehyun immersed himself in the familiar routines of their household, his work at the family business offering a refuge from the turmoil that plagued their marriage. Yet, beneath the facade of composure, Jaehyun's heart yearned for the connection that had eluded them—a bond forged not out of duty, but out of genuine affection.

Tbc.