"WED TO WOUND" : vengeful ties/21+/ KTH

chapter:9

AT HER UNIVERSITY.
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Yn sat at her usual table in the university cafeteria, sipping on her orange juice while scrolling through her phone. Nothing caught her attention until she overheard a group of students at a nearby table discussing something that made her pause.

"Did you hear about the Kim family?" one of the elite students whispered, his voice laced with fear.

"I heard they’re involved in that mass weapon supply case a few months ago. It was all over the news."

Another student leaned in, their eyes wide with curiosity.

"Yeah, apparently their youngest son, Kim Taehyung, and one of his brothers Kim Namjoon are deep in the underworld. Mafia connections, black-market deals... They’re dangerous. Everyone knows to stay away from them."

Yn’s heart skipped a beat. Kim Taehyung?

She tried to focus on her juice, but the whispers grew louder in her mind. They mentioned the name so casually, but it hit her like a truck.

Could they be talking about the same Taehyung?  She gripped her glass tighter, her stomach churned.

"Apparently, the deal went down in Europe," another student said, lowering his voice even more. "The authorities have been investigating it for months, but no one dares to touch the Kims."

Yn’s blood ran cold. She didn’t know anything about mass weapon supplies or mafia dealings. Taehyung never mentioned anything about this... But why would he? She thought back to the cold, dominant way he treated her, the subtle danger that always lingered behind his charming face.

She felt the walls closing in, the once-ordinary cafeteria now feeling suffocating.

The moment Yn got home, she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling from the cafeteria. Her mother, Mrs. Kang, was in the living room, happily watching a soap opera. Yn gave her a forced smile, not wanting to show the turmoil inside her. She needed answers.

Heading straight to her room, she locked the door behind her and quickly grabbed her laptop. Her fingers trembled as she typed Kim Taehyung mass weapon supply into the search bar. A few articles from months ago popped up, detailing a major investigation involving illegal arms trafficking.

As she scrolled through the articles, her breath hitched when she saw a grainy image. It was Taehyung, his signature dark eyes and sharp features unmistakable, walking out of a black SUV alongside a group of men. Standing beside him was Namjoon, his older brother.

They were mentioned in several reports as potential suspects, though no concrete evidence was provided.

Her eyes widened in horror as she read more about the Kim family’s alleged involvement in the underworld. Mafia dealings, illegal arms trades, hidden connections to some of the most dangerous networks in the world... It was all right there in front of her.

Yn’s hands shook as she closed the laptop. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she felt lightheaded.

This can't be true. I'm supposed to marry into this family?  She couldn’t even imagine telling her mother, who had been overjoyed at the prospect of the marriage. Mrs. Kang was getting better, her health improving every day just by the thought of Yn having a secure future with a man like Taehyung, a man she believed to be good and respectable.

But now... how could Yn marry him? A man involved in such dangerous activities?

I HAVE TO TELL HER, she thought, but a sinking feeling stopped her. She couldn’t. Her mother was too fragile, too hopeful for Yn’s future. If she told her the truth, it would break her heart. And Yn wasn’t sure her mother’s health could handle such a blow.

Tears welled up in Yn’s eyes as the weight of her situation crashed down on her. She was trapped. No matter how terrifying this revelation was, she knew there was no way out. Her mother’s happiness, her health, and their entire future hinged on this marriage.

She wiped her tears and stood in front of the mirror, forcing herself to breathe. I have to marry this man, she thought, her voice trembling inside her mind. I have to protect her, even if it destroys me.

AUTHOR'S POV
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He was dangerous, ruthless. And now she knew the truth. If she tried to back out of the marriage, what would happen to her? To her mother? To her friends?

Her thoughts spiraled as she recalled the way Taehyung had spoken to her, the subtle threats behind his words, the control he exerted over her life. She hadn’t wanted this marriage from the beginning, but now she realized, she had no choice.

"He’ll do anything to marry me... if I refuse now... after everything." She thought, her heart racing.

She swallowed hard, knowing deep down that Taehyung wouldn’t let her go easily. He was powerful enough to ruin her life. If she tried to resist, her family  her friends could be in danger.

"What if he hurts Mom?" she thought, her body trembling. Her mother had been so happy lately, convinced that Taehyung was the perfect match for her daughter. Yn had watched her mother’s health improve, the light return to her eyes. How could she shatter that hope?

As much as the thought of marrying Taehyung terrified her, the thought of him turning his wrath on the people she loved terrified her more. He could destroy them all.

That night, as Yn lay in bed, she stared at the ceiling, her thoughts swirling. Her body felt numb, but her mind was racing. Every fiber of her being wanted to run, run far away from this nightmare of a life. But where could she go that Taehyung wouldn’t find her? His reach was too far, his power too immense.

She closed her eyes, forcing herself to accept the truth. There was no escape. She would marry him. She had to.

"I’ll marry him, even if it breaks me... even if it kills me." she thought, tears slipping down her cheeks.

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