Not Just An Infatuation ( COMPLETED )

Chapter 74

It was often said that time heal all wounds, that every scar eventually fade and that with enough time, one learn to live as though nothing had ever happened. For Sia, this couldn’t have been further from the truth. Time hadn’t healed her. It hadn’t erased the trauma etched deep into her heart and soul. But it had taught her something else—it had taught her how to survive. She had learned to live her life under the constant shadow of Taehyung, to wear a mask of calm and control, to play the role of the perfect, dutiful wife.

The sprawling mansion she now called home seemed peaceful in the early morning light. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting a soft glow over the expensive furniture and immaculate decor. To an outsider, it might have appeared tranquil, a place of elegance and stability. But Sia knew better. Behind the luxurious façade lay years of torment, pain, and fear—memories that refused to fade no matter how much time passed.

Sia had accepted her fate. There was no escape from Taehyung. Not now, not ever. She had tried once, long ago, when the weight of his obsessive love had become unbearable, but that attempt had cost her dearly. It had shown her just how far Taehyung would go to keep her by his side. So, she had learned to live with him, to endure the day-to-day cruelty with quiet resignation.

But in these past two years, something had shifted. At first, it had been small—a slight change in Taehyung’s behavior, his moods softening after therapy sessions. She had noticed it, but had been too wary to hope. His therapy had been her last-ditch effort, a recommendation made by doctors who had no idea of the full extent of his madness. Therapy was supposed to help him confront his demons, to break the cycle of violence and obsession that had ruled their lives for years.

She hadn’t believed it would work. In fact, Sia had feared it might make him worse. What would happen when Taehyung was forced to face his past, to confront the horrors he had inflicted not only on her but on so many others? Would he lash out even more violently? Would his obsession deepen into something even darker, more dangerous?

But this time, fate seemed to have played in her favor. Taehyung had changed. Slowly, over time, he began to manage his emotions. His mood swings became less frequent, his anger less explosive. And for the first time in their twisted relationship, Sia saw something new in his eyes—guilt.

It had been during one of his therapy sessions, after the therapist had made him confront the atrocities he had committed against her. That night, he had come to her, broken and sobbing, begging for forgiveness.

Sia had stood there, watching him crumble at her feet. She had heard the words he said, felt the weight of his tears as they dampened her clothes. But she had felt nothing. His apologies, though genuine, did not reach her heart. How could they, after everything he had done? The man who had destroyed her life, who had killed her husband and children in the name of love, now knelt before her, pleading for her forgiveness. But Sia remained cold, her heart untouched by his misery.

Trusting Taehyung had never been an option. Even now, as he tried to redeem himself, as he worked through his therapy and showed her glimpses of the man he could have been, Sia remained on guard. She didn’t know if this new side of him was real or just another layer of manipulation. After all, with Taehyung, she could never be sure.

But over the months, the changes in him became harder to ignore. He no longer punished her for the smallest of mistakes. He no longer controlled her every move with the same iron grip. And he no longer expressed his love through violence or possessiveness. Instead, he showed her the kind of affection a normal man would—gentle, patient, tender. For a moment, Sia allowed herself to wonder if, perhaps, he had truly changed. If the therapy had helped him see the error of his ways. But deep down, she knew the truth.

He might have learned what love truly was, might have started to understand the difference between love and obsession, but that didn’t make what he had done forgivable. And Sia could see the new emotion growing in him now—a desperate fear that she might leave him. It was almost pathetic, the way he clung to her, the way his gaze lingered on her as if he feared she would vanish the moment he looked away.

But what Taehyung didn’t understand was that Sia wasn’t staying out of love or fear. She was staying because she had no other choice. In the past year, her parents had passed away, leaving her truly alone in the world. With no family, no home to return to, where could she go? She was trapped with Taehyung, not because of his possessiveness, but because she had no one else.

Yet, despite her outward submission, Sia was far from defeated. She had spent these past two years quietly working on Taehyung, molding him into a semblance of a normal person. She had shown him what love could look like, what a life of peace and understanding could be. She had fed him the illusion of a perfect marriage, knowing full well that he believed in it. He thought she had forgiven him. He thought she was truly trying to be his dutiful wife, to make their life together something real.

But Sia knew better. She was waiting, biding her time. She had played her part well, lulling him into a false sense of security, making him believe that everything was finally as it should be. And Taehyung, in his desperation to hold onto her, had fallen for it. He believed her. He believed they could be happy.

As Taehyung sat across the room, absorbed in a book, the peaceful domesticity of the moment would have seemed perfect to anyone looking in from the outside. But Sia knew the truth. She had not forgiven him. She had not forgotten the life he had stolen from her, the unspeakable cruelty he had inflicted.

The game was still in play, and Sia was waiting for her moment. She had worked too hard, endured too much, to let it all go to waste now. Taehyung might believe that he had won her over, but he was wrong. Sia’s heart remained cold, her mind calculating. She was waiting for the right time to strike, for the moment when she could finally free herself from the man who had destroyed her life.

Let him think I’ve accepted him,"

Sia thought, her eyes glancing over to him. **

"Let him think he’s won. But when the time comes, I’ll be the one who walks away. And he’ll never see it" coming."**