Resurgence ~VKOOK~

Chapter 6: Fractured Bonds

The atmosphere in the mansion shifted subtly when Anna returned. It was as if a cold wind had blown in, chilling the air and making the once tranquil environment tense and uneasy. The servants moved around cautiously, careful not to speak too loudly or linger in Anna’s presence for fear of disrupting her delicate mood.

She had come back from the fashion week brimming with excitement, her beautiful face glowing with the thrill of success. She breezed into the mansion, her aura vibrant and lively, eager to share every detail of her triumphs abroad. For the first time in months, her eyes sparkled with genuine happiness.

“I was the center of attention,” she gushed as she stepped into Taehyung’s study, arms spread wide as if to encompass the grandeur of her achievements. “Everyone was talking about me, the media couldn’t get enough! The front row was packed with designers, photographers, and even a few Hollywood stars. They’re saying it was the best show of the entire week!”

Taehyung glanced up briefly from his desk, his expression neutral, and offered her a polite nod. “That’s good to hear.”

Her smile faltered slightly at his bland response, but she forged on, determined to make him see how well she had done. “The magazine shoot went perfectly, and I even got offers for a new campaign! It’s for a major brand, Taehyung. I could become the face of their next collection—think about what that means for us!”

But as she continued to speak, animatedly recounting every detail of her trip, Taehyung merely hummed in response, his gaze drifting back to the stack of papers in front of him. He flipped a page, his eyes skimming over the text as if Anna’s words were no more than background noise.

Her excitement dimmed, replaced by a flicker of frustration. She paused mid-sentence, waiting for him to look up, to give her some sign that he was listening, that he cared. But Taehyung didn’t lift his eyes from the document he was reading.

“I’m talking to you, Taehyung,” she murmured, voice softening with hurt.

Taehyung’s gaze flicked up briefly. “I’m aware,” he replied evenly, then went back to his work.

Anna’s shoulders slumped, the vibrant energy she’d walked in with fading completely. For a long moment, she stood there, staring at him as if willing him to say something, to reach out, to acknowledge her in some meaningful way. But Taehyung didn’t.

When she finally turned and left the study, the sharp click of her heels echoing through the silent hallways, she looked smaller somehow, her figure hunched and defeated.

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The following days were marked by Anna’s attempts to rebuild the fragile threads of their relationship, only to be met with the same cold indifference. She would invite Taehyung to join her for dinner, only for him to decline with a polite but firm, “I have work.” She tried to engage him in conversations about their future, their plans, but he would merely nod absentmindedly, his mind clearly elsewhere.

Even during the rare moments they were together, Anna felt as though she were talking to a stranger. She would laugh, joke, try to share stories or bring up shared memories, but Taehyung would only offer her a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes. It was as if he were indulging her, humoring her, rather than being genuinely interested.

It hurt more than she could admit. The Taehyung she had married had been cold, yes, but never so completely distant. Back then, there had been a spark—a glimmer of something deeper beneath his reserved exterior. A quiet intensity that made her believe she could one day break through his walls. But now… now it was as if there was nothing left.

Each rejection, each dismissive glance or monosyllabic response, chipped away at her resolve, until all the excitement and hope she had brought back with her crumbled into dust.