Falling for the dark

CHAPTER SIXTEEN : MANIPULATION

Y/n's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at Jungkook's sleeping form, the peaceful expression on his face completely at odds with the turmoil that churned inside her. She felt trapped, desperate, and utterly alone, unable to see any way out of the nightmare she was living. As she quietly slipped out of bed, she moved to the bathroom, splashing water on her face, trying to steady her shaking hands. She thought of the child growing inside her and the suffocating weight of Jungkook's control. This wasn't the life she had imagined.

After washing up, Y/n decided to make breakfast, hoping it might soothe his unpredictable temper. She worked quickly, preparing his favorite dishes, the routine of it providing her a brief distraction from her racing thoughts. But as she finished and returned to the bedroom, she noticed something that made her heart race: Jungkook's phone, resting on the bedside table, untouched. He was still asleep, oblivious.

A wave of hesitation washed over her. She knew what she was about to do was risky, but this might be her only chance. With trembling hands, she reached for his phone and quickly darted into the en suite bathroom, her breath coming in short, panicked bursts. Her fingers fumbled over the screen as she tried to guess the passcode, the seconds ticking by like a countdown in her mind. She had no time to waste.

Her mind raced—what could his password be? She tried a few combinations, her anxiety mounting with each failed attempt. Just as she thought she might crack it, her heart nearly stopped when the door behind her flew open.

Before she could even turn around, the phone was ripped from her grasp. She spun around, terror flooding her veins as she saw Jungkook standing in the doorway, his eyes blazing with fury. The sleepy, calm expression he had worn moments ago was gone, replaced with a rage so palpable it made her knees buckle.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he shouted, his voice echoing in the small bathroom.

Y/n felt frozen, unable to form words as her mouth opened in shock. Her body shook with fear, the terror of what was coming paralyzing her. She tried to stammer an apology, but before she could get a single word out, Jungkook's hand shot out, slapping her hard across the face.

The force of the blow sent her crashing to the cold, tiled floor, her head spinning as pain erupted across her cheek. She gasped, clutching her face as the shock of what had just happened hit her. Tears stung her eyes, but they weren't just from the pain—they were from the realization that no matter what she did, no matter how hard she tried to please him, nothing would ever be enough.

Jungkook towered over her, his face twisted in anger as he glared down at her crumpled form. "You think you're smart, huh? Sneaking around behind my back? You really think I wouldn't catch you?"

Y/n sobbed, curling into herself on the floor, too terrified to even try to get up. "I-I'm sorry," she managed to choke out, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just...I just wanted to—"

"Shut up!" Jungkook bellowed, his voice making her flinch. "You're nothing but a pathetic liar. I've given you everything, and this is how you repay me? By trying to invade my privacy?"

He paced in front of her, his hands running through his hair in frustration before he stopped and crouched down beside her. His cold eyes locked onto hers, and in that moment, Y/n felt like she was nothing more than prey caught in the jaws of a predator.

"You know what happens when you disobey me, don't you?" he whispered harshly, his voice low and menacing. "You can't ever go against me, Y/n. I own you. You're mine."

Y/n couldn't stop the tears that fell, her whole body trembling as she lay there on the floor, helpless and broken. She knew she couldn't fight back—he had too much power over her. The fear of what he could do, what he might do next, was too great.