Arranged marriage

Chapter 18

Y/N's pulse raced as the figure's hand tightened over her mouth. Her body froze with terror, mind scrambling for any way out. She could feel the cold, sharp edge of the knife pressing just barely against her side, the weight of the threat clear. In the dim moonlight filtering through the curtains, she couldn't make out the intruder's face, but the malice in their voice was unmistakable.

"Don't struggle," the figure hissed, low and threatening. "You make one wrong move, and this all ends badly."

Y/N's heart thudded painfully in her chest. Her mind raced, thinking back to all the warnings Jungkook had given her, the cryptic conversations she had overheard. Whoever this was, they weren't here by accident.

The figure glanced toward the door, listening intently, and in that moment, Y/N felt the weight of their grip loosen slightly. It was a small opportunity, but it was all she had. Without thinking, she jerked her body to the side, trying to push the attacker off balance.

The sudden movement startled the figure, and for a split second, their hold on her slipped. Y/N tried to scream, but the sound barely escaped her lips before the figure's hand clamped down on her mouth again, more forcefully this time. Panic surged through her, but then she heard something—a muffled shout from the hallway.

The door flew open, slamming against the wall with a deafening crash.

"Get away from her!"

It was Jungkook.

In an instant, the room erupted into chaos. Jungkook lunged toward the intruder, his face a mask of fury. The attacker turned just in time to block his punch, but they were no match for Jungkook's speed and strength. Within moments, he had the figure pinned to the ground, his arm twisted painfully behind his back.

Y/N scrambled off the bed, pressing herself against the wall, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Her heart pounded in her chest, fear and adrenaline coursing through her veins.

"Who sent you?" Jungkook growled, his voice dangerously low as he leaned over the intruder, tightening his grip. "Who are you working for?"

The figure let out a choked laugh, their voice strained from the pressure of Jungkook's hold. "You think this ends with me?" they rasped, a twisted smile curling on their lips. "You're too late, Jungkook. They're already closing in."

Jungkook's jaw clenched, and he slammed the attacker's face into the floor with a sickening thud. "Tell me who it is. Now."

The figure coughed, spitting blood onto the floor, but they didn't speak another word. Jungkook pulled out his phone and called for security, his expression dark and furious.

Within minutes, guards flooded the room, dragging the intruder away, leaving only Jungkook and Y/N in the aftermath of the chaos.

Y/N sank to the floor, her hands trembling uncontrollably. The reality of what had just happened hit her all at once. She had almost died—again. This wasn't some distant threat. It was real, right here, in their own home.

She looked up at Jungkook, her breath shaky. He was standing by the window, staring out into the night, his posture rigid. Even now, after everything, he seemed more distant than ever.

"Jungkook..." Y/N's voice cracked, and she struggled to find the words. "What just happened? Who was that? Why are they after me?"

Jungkook didn't turn to face her. His eyes were fixed on the darkness outside, as if searching for something—or someone.

"I warned you," he said quietly, his voice devoid of emotion. "This world... it's dangerous."

Y/N clenched her fists, her frustration boiling over. "You keep saying that, but you never tell me anything! How am I supposed to understand if you won't even explain what's going on?"

Jungkook finally turned to face her, his expression hard, but there was something else there too—something darker. "Because the less you know, the better. You don't belong in this world, Y/N. And the more involved you get, the more danger you're in."

Y/N shook her head, anger and hurt bubbling to the surface. "How can you keep saying that? I'm already involved! I'm your wife, Jungkook! I deserve to know the truth."

His gaze softened for a brief moment, but it was gone just as quickly. "You don't deserve this," he muttered under his breath, almost as if speaking to himself. "None of this."

Y/N took a shaky breath, trying to calm herself. "Then help me understand. You're pushing me away when I'm already in the middle of this mess. I can't do this alone."

For a moment, Jungkook's expression faltered. He looked conflicted, torn between his desire to protect her and the walls he had built around himself. But then, his face hardened again, and he turned away, walking toward the door.

"I'll handle this," he said, his tone final. "Stay in your room. Don't leave until I say it's safe."

And just like that, he was gone.

The hours that followed were agonizing. Y/N couldn't sleep, couldn't think clearly. Her mind kept replaying the attack, the moment Jungkook had burst into the room, the way his eyes had burned with fury. She couldn't shake the feeling that something much larger was at play, something that Jungkook was desperately trying to keep from her.

She spent the next few days trapped in the house, as Jungkook had ordered. Every time she saw him, he was cold, distant, and busy with things she wasn't privy to. He barely spoke to her, and when he did, his words were clipped and emotionless.

But Y/N wasn't blind to the subtle changes in him. She saw the way his eyes lingered on her a moment longer than they used to, the way his jaw tightened whenever she mentioned the attack. It was as if he was torn between his need to protect her and something else—something he refused to acknowledge.

Jungkook continued to keep her at a distance, but Y/N noticed the growing tension in him. He was spending more time in his office, making phone calls late into the night, his expression growing darker with each passing day. Whatever was happening, it was closing in on them.

One evening, as Y/N was passing by his office, she overheard a heated conversation.

"...can't afford to let this slip," Jungkook's voice was sharp, laced with frustration. "We're already exposed. If they find out about her—"

The person on the other end of the call said something Y/N couldn't make out, but Jungkook's response sent a chill down her spine.

"They already know she's my weakness."

Y/N's heart skipped a beat. Weakness? Was that how Jungkook saw her?

She backed away from the door, her mind racing. It was clear that Jungkook was keeping secrets, but now more than ever, she needed to know what they were. If she was truly in danger, she couldn't afford to sit idly by.

Later that night, after the house had fallen silent, Y/N crept out of her room. She had made up her mind. If Jungkook wouldn't tell her the truth, she would find it herself.

With careful, quiet steps, she made her way toward his office, her heart pounding in her chest. She reached for the doorknob, hesitating for just a moment before pushing it open.

The room was dark, the only light coming from the dim glow of a computer screen. And there, sitting at the desk, was Jungkook.

But he wasn't alone.

A woman stood beside him, her hand resting on his shoulder, whispering something in his ear. And the way Jungkook looked up at her—soft, familiar—made Y/N's stomach twist.

She froze, her breath catching in her throat. What was this? Who was she?

Before she could make sense of it, Jungkook's gaze shifted, and his eyes locked with hers.

For a moment, everything stopped.

"Y/N..."