Arranged marriage

Chapter 26

The car ride back to the estate was silent, but it was anything but peaceful. Y/N couldn't tear her eyes away from Jungkook's profile as he drove, his knuckles white as they gripped the steering wheel. His jaw was clenched, a storm brewing behind his eyes. It was as if the fight with Minho had lit a fuse inside him, and the tension in the air felt suffocating.

Y/N shifted uncomfortably in her seat, trying to shake off the lingering fear from the night's events. Minho's words echoed in her mind, the chilling promise that he'd be back, that this wasn't over. The way Jungkook had reacted to the message only confirmed that the danger was far from gone.

She didn't know what to say, or if she should say anything at all. Every attempt she had made to reach out to Jungkook had been met with coldness, with distance. It was clear that he didn't want her involved in his world any more than she already was, and yet, after everything, she couldn't just sit in silence anymore.

"Are you okay?" Y/N finally asked, her voice soft, almost hesitant.

Jungkook's eyes flicked to her briefly before returning to the road. His silence hung in the air like a heavy weight. For a moment, Y/N thought he wouldn't answer, but then his voice broke through the tension, low and sharp.

"I'm fine."

The words were clipped, dismissive, and it stung. Y/N swallowed hard, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her dress. She wanted to ask about the fight, about Minho, about the growing danger that now surrounded them—but she knew better than to push him. Jungkook had made it painfully clear that he didn't want her prying into his life.

But she couldn't help it. The memory of Minho's hand on her arm, the knife at her throat, sent shivers down her spine. It was a reminder that she was more entangled in Jungkook's dangerous world than she had ever wanted to be. And no matter how hard Jungkook tried to shut her out, she was in this now, whether he liked it or not.

"You're bleeding," Y/N said softly, nodding toward the growing stain on Jungkook's shirt, the blood from his wound soaking through the fabric. "You need to get that looked at."

Jungkook's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed on the road, his hands gripping the wheel even tighter. Y/N sighed, frustration bubbling inside her. Why did he have to be so closed off? Why did he insist on carrying everything alone?

"You can't just ignore it," she pressed gently, trying to meet his eyes. "It could get worse."

Jungkook let out a breath through his nose, the sound almost like a laugh, but it was devoid of any humor. "I've had worse."

His words were like a slap in the face. Y/N stared at him, her heart sinking. She didn't know why she had expected anything different, why she thought he might let her in even for a moment. He had saved her life, but it seemed that was as far as his concern for her went.

"Fine," Y/N muttered, turning her gaze toward the window, her heart heavy. If he didn't want her help, she wasn't going to force it on him.

The rest of the ride passed in strained silence. Y/N's thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion, frustration, and fear. Despite everything, she couldn't stop the questions racing through her mind. Who was Minho really? Why was he so determined to destroy Jungkook? And why did Jungkook insist on shutting her out when she was just as much a part of this now?

By the time they arrived back at the estate, the air between them was thick with unspoken words. Jungkook parked the car in the driveway, but neither of them moved to get out. Y/N sat there, her fingers clutching the edge of her seat, waiting for him to say something—anything—but he didn't. He simply sat there, staring straight ahead, lost in his own world.

Finally, Jungkook broke the silence. "Go inside," he said, his voice low and hard. "I'll take care of everything."

Y/N blinked, taken aback by the coldness in his tone. "What do you mean? You can't just—"

"Just go, Y/N," Jungkook cut her off, his eyes dark as he finally turned to face her. "This is my problem, not yours."

Y/N's chest tightened at his words, anger flaring in her veins. "Not mine? Jungkook, Minho threatened me too! I'm not just some bystander in this anymore."

Jungkook's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing as if he was fighting some internal battle. "I didn't ask you to get involved."

"Well, I didn't ask to be dragged into your mess!" Y/N shot back, her voice rising with frustration. "But here we are! And like it or not, I'm in this now, so stop pretending like you're the only one affected by all of this."

Jungkook's eyes flashed with something unreadable—anger, regret, maybe even guilt—but he didn't respond. Instead, he turned away from her, his silence a wall she couldn't break through.

Y/N felt her heart sink. No matter what she said, no matter how much she tried to reach him, he would always push her away. She was nothing more than a pawn in his world, someone he had to deal with because of their arrangement. And it hurt, more than she was willing to admit.

Without another word, Y/N shoved the car door open and stepped out into the cool night air. She didn't look back as she walked toward the front door, her emotions swirling inside her like a storm. She wanted to scream, to cry, to do something—anything—but all she could do was walk away.

As she reached the door, she heard the car door slam behind her, followed by Jungkook's heavy footsteps. He caught up to her, his hand reaching out to stop her just as she reached for the door handle.

"Y/N," Jungkook said, his voice low, almost pained. "I'm trying to protect you."

Y/N turned to face him, her eyes searching his face for any hint of sincerity. "By pushing me away?"

Jungkook's gaze softened for a brief moment, but then the cold mask was back. "I can't afford to care about you."

The words hit her like a punch to the gut, and Y/N had to force herself to breathe. She knew he was trying to protect himself, trying to distance himself from her to keep his walls intact. But it didn't make the sting of rejection any less painful.

"I'm not asking you to care, Jungkook," Y/N said quietly, her voice trembling. "I'm just asking you to let me in."

Jungkook's eyes flickered with something—regret, maybe?—but he quickly turned away, his expression hardening once again. "This isn't about you."

Y/N bit her lip, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over. "Fine," she whispered, turning back to the door. "But don't expect me to just sit around and do nothing while my life is at risk."

With that, she opened the door and stepped inside, leaving Jungkook standing alone in the dark.

As Y/N walked down the dimly lit hallway toward her room, she felt the weight of the night's events pressing down on her. She had barely taken a few steps when her phone buzzed in her pocket.

She pulled it out, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the message.

Unknown Number: You think you're safe? Think again.

Her blood ran cold.