Bound by Obsession || Jeongcheol ||

Part 26-A Night of Reckoning

After that night, Jeonghan became a silent figure within Seungcheol's world, an ethereal presence bound by unseen chains. He had stopped fighting, resigned to the shadows and darkness that followed him like a silent predator. The days bled together, marked only by the subtle rise and fall of Seungcheol's moods. Sometimes, Seungcheol would hold him close, murmuring empty promises of protection and undying love; other times, he would let his wrath run wild, leaving Jeonghan feeling trapped and powerless beneath his obsessive gaze.

One cold night, as rain poured down in relentless sheets outside, Seungcheol announced a grand gathering. The mansion came alive with the darkly clad figures of Seungcheol's allies and enforcers. A sharp tension hung in the air, and Jeonghan felt it burrow deep under his skin. He knew that tonight was different. He could feel it in the low whispers exchanged in the hallways, the furtive glances cast in his direction by those who served Seungcheol without question.

As the clock struck midnight, the gathering began in the grand ballroom. Velvet curtains, heavy and dark, lined the walls, and candlelight cast ghostly shadows that flickered over the guests. Seungcheol, in a suit that seemed to absorb the light, stood at the center of the room with Jeonghan at his side, his grip on Jeonghan's hand unyielding, possessive.

"Tonight, I unveil my most prized possession," Seungcheol announced, his voice a low growl that filled the room. His fingers tightened around Jeonghan's wrist, the pressure almost painful. He tilted his head down, his eyes meeting Jeonghan's with a gaze that was equal parts adoration and obsession. "My beloved Jeonghan. Marked as mine, eternally."

The crowd shifted, murmurs spreading as eyes fixed on Jeonghan, curious and darkly intrigued. Their stares felt like weights pressing down on him, and he fought to keep his composure, his heart pounding wildly. He was paralyzed by fear, yet a part of him wanted to scream, to run, to do anything to break free from the chains that bound him to Seungcheol.

But Seungcheol's hold on him was too strong. His touch was possessive, his gaze like iron, and Jeonghan could feel the walls of his cage closing in around him.

Suddenly, an unsettling calm settled over Seungcheol. His hand left Jeonghan's wrist, trailing up to his face, fingers brushing against Jeonghan's cheek with an unexpected gentleness that was almost more terrifying than his usual intensity.

"You know," Seungcheol murmured, his voice soft but laced with a chilling undertone, "I would destroy anyone who dared to touch you, to look at you with anything but respect." His eyes darkened, a storm brewing within them. "I've kept you safe from this world. I've marked you as my own. But tonight..." He paused, his gaze flickering to the crowd before resting back on Jeonghan, "I will prove to everyone that you belong to me, body and soul."

Jeonghan's heart sank as Seungcheol's words washed over him, an ominous weight settling on his shoulders. He realized that tonight wasn't just about flaunting his ownership; it was a night of reckoning, a night where Seungcheol would cement his claim in a way that would make it irreversible.

At Seungcheol's signal, two of his guards brought forward a small box, ornate and ominous, etched with dark symbols. Seungcheol opened it, revealing a silver pendant engraved with his initials, a twisted symbol of his claim over Jeonghan. Without hesitation, he placed it around Jeonghan's neck, the cold metal heavy against his skin, sealing his fate further.

But the ceremony was interrupted by a sound, a faint creak that broke through the quiet. A door on the far side of the ballroom slowly opened, and in the silence that followed, a lone figure stepped inside. Jeonghan's breath hitched. It was Joshua, his friend, his last connection to a world that felt like a distant memory.

Joshua's face was pale, his eyes wide as he took in the sight before him. He looked between Seungcheol and Jeonghan, his expression a mix of horror and disbelief. "Jeonghan..." he whispered, his voice barely audible over the hum of whispered confusion from the crowd.

Seungcheol's gaze turned icy, his eyes narrowing as he observed Joshua. His grip on Jeonghan tightened, his fingers digging into his arm with a force that made Jeonghan wince.

"What are you doing here?" Seungcheol's voice was cold, his tone deadly. It was a question, but the menace in his voice made it clear that there was no acceptable answer that would save Joshua from the consequences of his intrusion.

Joshua swallowed, glancing between them, his face full of fear and determination. "I came for Jeonghan. He doesn't belong here, Seungcheol. Let him go."

A dangerous silence fell over the room. Seungcheol's eyes glinted with fury, a darkness Jeonghan had never seen before. "Let him go?" he repeated, his voice mocking. He pulled Jeonghan closer, his hand possessively sliding around his waist, a twisted smile stretching across his lips. "Jeonghan is mine. He belongs to me, and no one, no one will take him from me."

Joshua took a step forward, his face defiant. "Jeonghan isn't an object, Seungcheol. He's a person. And you can't keep him like this."

But Seungcheol only laughed, a low, sinister sound that sent chills down Jeonghan's spine. "You think you can save him, Joshua?" He released Jeonghan just long enough to approach Joshua, his smile fading as he stood before him, a towering figure of intimidation and power.

Joshua's resolve wavered, but he stood his ground, his eyes blazing with a determination that matched Seungcheol's. "Jeonghan deserves freedom," he whispered, his voice shaking yet unyielding.

In an instant, Seungcheol's fist shot forward, connecting with Joshua's jaw in a brutal strike that sent him sprawling to the floor. Jeonghan gasped, his instincts screaming for him to move, to intervene, but he was frozen in place, trapped by Seungcheol's dark presence.

"You dare to defy me?" Seungcheol growled, his voice a deadly hiss. He stepped closer to Joshua, his eyes wild with rage, the mask of control slipping to reveal a raw, unfiltered anger.

Jeonghan took a trembling step forward, his voice barely a whisper. "Seungcheol, please..."

But Seungcheol ignored him, his gaze fixed on Joshua, a look of pure malice in his eyes. "You thought you could come here and take what's mine?" His voice was low, his tone venomous. "You're a fool, Joshua. And fools pay the price."

He raised his hand again, but Jeonghan couldn't bear it any longer. He lunged forward, throwing himself between Seungcheol and Joshua, his arms outstretched in a desperate attempt to shield his friend.

"Enough, Seungcheol," he whispered, his voice filled with a quiet desperation. "Please... don't hurt him. I'll stay. I won't try to leave. Just... let him go."

Seungcheol's eyes narrowed, his expression unreadable as he looked down at Jeonghan. For a moment, the darkness in his gaze softened, and he nodded slowly, his hand falling to his side.

"As you wish, my love," he murmured, his voice a chilling mix of affection and cruelty. He glanced at his guards, nodding toward Joshua. "Take him away. Make sure he never returns to the mansion again."

Jeonghan's heart sank as he watched Joshua being dragged away, his friend's defiant gaze lingering on him until he disappeared from sight. A hollow ache settled in his chest, but he knew there was no turning back. He was bound to Seungcheol, marked as his, and he could only watch as the last fragments of his old life slipped through his fingers, lost to the darkness that now consumed him.

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