╰┈➤ "𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮?" The king's words were like a dagger piercing through my heart. In the brief moment where his gaze met mine, I felt an overwhelming sense of fear rise into my belly. The question, though simple in its wording, was weighted...
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Jungkook's hand fell from my cheek as his expression shifted, the easy smile that had been on his lips replaced by a sharp focus. The sudden intrusion pulled us back into the realm of reality, and I blinked in confusion, my eyes flickering between Jungkook and the person standing in the doorway.
It was Jasmine.
The very same woman who was once to be his bride—who still carried herself as if the title was hers by right, even though Jungkook had made his feelings clear. Behind her, the soldiers hesitated, caught between duty and the unmistakable tension in the air. They had been told not to enter, and yet Jasmine had pushed past them without a second glance, her presence more commanding than any order.
I saw Jungkook's jaw tighten, his posture stiffening. He didn't move toward her, didn't greet her as he would have before. His face, however, betrayed the conflict raging within him—a storm of emotions that he had kept buried until now.
Jasmine's eyes sought out Jungkook's, and when she spotted him, standing there with me, a flicker of something unrecognizable passed through her expression—hurt, anger, maybe both. I could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating. Jasmine's presence was like a stone thrown into the calm waters, creating ripples that reached all the way into my chest.
"Jungkook," Jasmine said, her voice calm but sharp, like the edge of a blade. She stepped forward, her movements purposeful, ignoring the soldiers who finally stepped aside, unsure whether they should intervene. "You said no one would disturb you."
Jungkook's eyes met mine briefly, and I saw the silent apology in his gaze. He'd never wanted this, never wanted to hurt Jasmine, but the truth of what was between us—what had been growing between us—could no longer be hidden. It was clear in every way.
He stood taller, his voice steady but filled with an unmistakable weight. "I did," he replied, his eyes never leaving hers. "But this is different."
Jasmine's gaze flickered toward me. She had always known there was something between Jungkook and me, though she'd never spoken of it outright. But now, in the quiet intensity of the throne room, it felt like the whole truth was laid bare.
"Jungkook," Jasmine began again, her voice softer now but with an undercurrent of pain. "You cannot possibly expect me to just... accept this." Her eyes flashed toward me, a sharp edge behind the carefully constructed mask she wore. "You're going to choose her over me, over the marriage that was already promised?"
I could see her heart breaking, even if she tried to hide it. She had been in love with Jungkook, even if their marriage was born of political necessity. And now, seeing the woman who had taken his heart, Jasmine was left standing at the edges of a life she had once believed was hers.
