𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒 || 𝐊𝐓𝐇

Chapter-12: Mine to hate

Millie

The door to the bathroom clicked shut behind me as I wrapped a towel around my damp hair, my thoughts heavy with the weight of the last few days. Seven days until the wedding. Seven days that felt more like seven lifetimes. Taehyung and I had become strangers in our own house, locked in a silent war where every word, every glance, felt like another battle we were doomed to lose.

I glanced at him as I reached for the hairdryer, watching him struggle with his tie in the mirror. He looked frustrated, the muscles in his jaw working overtime as he tried to adjust the knot. The tension in the room thickened with each passing second.

"Come on, darling, help me with this," he muttered, his voice laced with a mix of irritation and helplessness.

I raised an eyebrow, my eyes narrowing in the reflection. The request caught me off guard. This was no longer a partnership; this was a power struggle, and I wasn’t about to give in.

"No," I said, my voice sharp, a clear line in the sand.

His eyes darkened, his lips tightening into a thin line. He took a deep breath, visibly trying to keep his cool.

"Millie!" His tone was louder this time, an edge of frustration in it.

I didn’t flinch. In fact, I walked over to him, snatching the tie from his hands before he could protest further. I worked quickly, my fingers moving skillfully as I knotted it with precision.

His gaze softened, a mischievous glint lighting up his eyes as he watched me.

"You’re so good with your hands. I wonder if you’re this skilled with other... knots," he teased, his voice dropping to something more intimate.

My stomach turned. Anger flared, hot and sharp, but I kept my eyes on the knot I was tying, refusing to let him see how much his words affected me.

"You’re disgusting," I muttered, tugging the tie a little tighter than necessary, watching as his expression shifted from smugness to mild discomfort.

He leaned in, his breath warm against my ear as his voice dropped even lower.

"You know, darling, the way you scrunch your face when you’re mad is adorable," he murmured, a strange tenderness in his voice. "But it’s all a lie, isn’t it? Your anger... it’s just a mask."

I froze for a second, my heart skipping. How could he be so sure of himself? How could he twist everything I felt and make it about something else?

My patience snapped. I yanked the tie away from him and stepped back.

"Your attitude makes me want to kick you in the balls," I snapped, my voice tight with the effort to hold back my frustration.

His grin only widened, amusement dancing in his eyes as he stepped closer. "Your legs would never reach, darling. But I could show you what 'height' really means. Your kicks would turn into caresses, and your anger would melt into something else entirely."

I didn’t know how to respond to that. All the words I wanted to say felt like they were caught in my throat. I spun around, grabbing the hairdryer from the counter in a desperate attempt to distance myself from him.