Arranged marriage

Chapter 19

Y/N's heart dropped to the floor as she stood frozen in the doorway, her eyes locked on Jungkook's. For a split second, his expression shifted—surprise, perhaps guilt, flickering across his face—but it quickly hardened again, becoming the familiar mask of cold indifference she had come to know.

The woman by his side straightened, removing her hand from his shoulder with slow, deliberate grace. She didn't seem startled by Y/N's presence. In fact, she almost looked amused.

"Who... who is she?" Y/N's voice trembled, a raw edge of hurt lacing each word.

Jungkook's jaw tightened. He stood up from the desk, slowly walking toward Y/N, his presence commanding the room like an invisible force. He stopped a few steps in front of her, the distance between them suddenly feeling like a chasm.

"She's none of your concern," he said flatly, his tone devoid of any emotion.

Y/N blinked, struggling to process his words. None of her concern? She could barely comprehend how cold and distant he sounded, as if her heart wasn't shattering right in front of him.

"None of my concern?" she repeated, her voice rising. "I'm your wife, Jungkook! You can't just stand there and act like I'm some stranger. Who is she, and why is she here in the middle of the night?"

Jungkook's gaze flickered to the woman, then back to Y/N. His expression remained unreadable, but Y/N could feel the tension in the air thickening by the second.

"She's here because of business," he finally said, his words clipped. "Nothing more."

Y/N clenched her fists at her sides, the hurt and frustration bubbling up to the surface. "Business?" she spat. "I'm not blind, Jungkook. I heard what you said on the phone. You think I'm your weakness? Is that why you've been pushing me away?"

The woman's smile widened slightly, as if enjoying the spectacle. Y/N shot her a glare, anger and jealousy flaring inside her.

"I think it's best if I leave," the woman said, her voice silky smooth. She glided toward the door, but before leaving, she paused beside Y/N, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Don't take it too personally, dear. In this world, business always comes before pleasure."

Y/N's blood boiled at the condescending tone, but before she could respond, the woman slipped out of the room, leaving her and Jungkook alone in a suffocating silence.

Y/N turned back to Jungkook, her chest heaving with the weight of everything unsaid. "Are you going to explain, or are you just going to keep treating me like this?"

For a moment, Jungkook didn't answer. He simply stood there, his expression closed off, like a wall she could never break through. Then, without warning, he stepped closer to her, his voice low and controlled.

"I'm trying to protect you, Y/N. But you keep putting yourself in situations you shouldn't be in."

Y/N shook her head, her eyes filling with frustrated tears. "Protect me? How is treating me like this protecting me? You can't keep pushing me away and expect me to just sit quietly while you deal with whatever dangerous game you're playing."

Jungkook's hand twitched at his side, as if he wanted to reach for her, but something stopped him. "You don't understand," he said through gritted teeth. "This isn't some fairy tale, Y/N. This world is brutal. And the more you get involved, the more danger you're in."

Y/N took a step forward, her voice trembling with emotion. "Then let me in, Jungkook. Stop shutting me out! I'm your wife. If I'm already in danger, the least you can do is tell me the truth. I deserve that much."

Jungkook's eyes darkened, the conflict clear in his gaze. For a brief second, Y/N thought he might finally open up, finally let her in. But then, his expression hardened once again, and he turned away, walking back to his desk.

"You deserve a life far away from this," he muttered, barely audible. "But that's not the life you have now."

Y/N's heart ached at his words. She stood there, staring at the man who had saved her life yet continued to push her away at every turn. Her body trembled with a mix of hurt, confusion, and something else—something she didn't want to admit to herself.

"Why are you doing this?" she whispered, her voice breaking. "Why do you act like you care one moment, then treat me like I'm nothing the next?"

Jungkook's fingers clenched the edge of the desk, but he didn't turn around. The silence between them was suffocating.

Y/N's tears fell silently down her cheeks as she backed toward the door. She couldn't stay here any longer, not when it felt like her heart was being torn apart piece by piece.

"If you won't let me in," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, "then maybe I should leave."

Jungkook froze, his back still to her. His knuckles were white, gripping the desk so hard it looked like he might break it. But he said nothing.

Y/N waited for him to stop her, to say something—anything—that would make her stay. But the silence stretched on, heavy and unbearable.

With one last glance at his back, Y/N turned and left the room, her heart breaking with every step she took.

Later that night, Y/N sat in her bedroom, her bags half-packed, her mind racing with uncertainty. She didn't know where she would go or what she would do next, but she couldn't stay in this house where she felt like a prisoner.

As she zipped up her suitcase, there was a soft knock on her door.

Her heart leaped in her chest. Could it be Jungkook?

But when she opened the door, she found herself face-to-face with someone she hadn't expected.

"Leaving already?" the woman from earlier smirked, leaning casually against the doorframe.

Y/N's blood ran cold. What was she doing here? And how had she known?

"You should reconsider," the woman said, her voice dripping with false kindness. "Because if you leave now, you might not survive what's coming next."