The Conquest (Underworld 5) SH

39: I'm Sorry

When Yuta returned to the apartment, the energy was different. He walked in quietly, his face calm but eyes sharp, as if calculating his next move. Soonyoung was still sitting on the floor, his body heavy from exhaustion, emotionally drained from the turmoil of his thoughts. He didn't even hear Yuta come in at first.

"Soonyoung," Yuta's voice was soft, almost gentle, as he walked over. "I'm sorry."

Soonyoung looked up, his eyes red and swollen from crying, his expression still raw from everything he had just been through. The apology caught him off guard. Yuta never apologized—at least not like this. For a moment, Soonyoung just stared, trying to gauge if this was real or just another temporary truce.

Yuta crouched down in front of him, reaching out to brush a tear away from Soonyoung's cheek. "I shouldn't have hurt you. I've just... been stressed. I lost control, and that's on me."

The words sounded sincere, but something about Yuta's tone felt hollow, like it lacked the depth of real regret. Soonyoung, too tired to overthink it, just wanted the fighting to stop, even if it meant forgiving Yuta. He wanted some semblance of peace, even if it was fragile and temporary.

Soonyoung looked down, his voice quiet. "I don't know if I can keep doing this, Yuta."

Yuta's jaw tightened for a split second before softening again. "You don't have to, baby. I'll do better, I promise. I don't want to lose you." He leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Soonyoung's forehead. "I love you. I can't imagine my life without you."

Soonyoung closed his eyes, letting the moment wash over him. He wanted to believe Yuta's words. He needed to believe them, if only to make the pain in his heart bearable. He nodded slowly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Okay. I forgive you."

But as soon as those words left his lips, Yuta's true intentions stirred beneath the surface. Yuta wasn't sorry at all. He didn't care about Soonyoung's pain, not really. His apology wasn't about fixing their relationship—it was about control. He had seen the way Jihoon looked at Soonyoung, the way Jihoon still cared for him, and Yuta couldn't allow that. He couldn't let Jihoon win, not after everything.

Yuta's grip on Soonyoung tightened ever so slightly, possessive, as he pulled him into an embrace. "I'll never let anyone take you from me," Yuta whispered, his voice dripping with a quiet menace that Soonyoung couldn't quite catch in the haze of his exhaustion.

Soonyoung, leaning into the comfort he desperately needed, didn't see the coldness in Yuta's eyes. He didn't see the way Yuta was already planning his next move, ensuring that Soonyoung stayed right where he wanted him—far from Jihoon, trapped in a love that was more about power than affection.

Yuta smiled to himself, knowing that as long as he played his cards right, Soonyoung would never go back to Jihoon. Not if he had anything to do with it.

The next morning, Yuta seemed like a completely different person—charming, smiling, as if the events of the past few days had never happened. He drove Soonyoung to the CBI headquarters, humming along to the radio and occasionally glancing at Soonyoung, who was staring out the window, lost in his own thoughts. When they arrived, Yuta leaned over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I'll pick you up later, okay? Take care," Yuta said, his smile wide and convincing.

Soonyoung nodded, returning a small smile. "See you later."

As he walked toward the entrance of the CBI building, Yuta watched him for a moment before driving off, his mind already turning with darker thoughts. He knew what was coming, but Soonyoung didn't. That was the beauty of it—Soonyoung still trusted him.