"Jennie, this arrangement was never about what we want for ourselves. It's about what's expected of us."
"I understand the duty, Taehyung, but it's hard to ignore the silence between us. It feels like we're bound by an agreement we both hesitate to...
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It had been a few weeks since the awkward dinner where Taehyung and Jennie’s potential marriage was brought up. Taehyung, despite everything, had managed to keep his feelings about the whole situation tightly licked away. He avoided Jennie as much as possible, pretending that the engagement was something in the distant future—a business arrangement, nothing more.
But one evening, as he sat in his office late into the night, a knock on the door broke his focus.
It was his father.
“We need to talk,” Mr. Kim said, his expression serious as he stepped inside. “There’s something you should know.”
Taehyung leaned back in his chair, not liking the tone of his father’s voice. “What is it?”
“About your marriage. There’s a... situation with Jennie's family, one that could affect everything.”
Taehyung’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of situation?”
His father handed him a folder, and as Taehyung opened it, he was met with a series of documents—financial reports, company standings. Jennie’s family company, the one that had been thriving for years, was suddenly on shaky ground. Deals had fallen through, and their stock had taken a sharp dip.
His father’s voice was calm but firm. “The Park family has been keeping this under wraps. They’re desperate for this marriage to go through, not just for business ties, but to stabilize their reputation.”
Taehyung’s grip on the folder tightened. “So that’s why they’re pushing this so hard.”
Mr. Kim nodded. “Jennie knows, of course, but she hasn’t said anything. They’re trying to hide the cracks, but it’s only a matter of time before everything collapses.”
A bitter taste settled in Taehyung’s mouth. Jennie had been quiet, polite, even distant whenever they met—never once letting on that her family’s entire fortune was riding on their marriage. It wasn’t that she had lied directly, but the omission stung all the same.
He closed the folder with a snap, his jaw clenched. “So, she’s just like everyone else. Using this marriage for their own gain.”
Mr. Kim placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “It’s not that simple. Jennie’s in a difficult position. But yes, the Park family needs this marriage far more than we do. You have every right to be upset.”
Taehyung leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling as frustration boiled in his chest. It wasn’t that he had ever wanted to marry Jennie, but now this revelation made the entire situation feel like a manipulation. She had been silent, allowing her parents to push for this marriage, knowing full well what was at stake for her family.
