Golden Chains of Love

CHAPTER 1

Kim Taehyung stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of his penthouse, the sprawling view of Seoul glittering beneath him. The city was alive, thriving under his empire. He was the world’s youngest billionaire, the ruthless head of Kim Enterprises, and he prided himself on being untouchable.

But nothing prepared him for the absurdity of his mother’s latest demand.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” he asked, turning toward the elegantly dressed woman seated on his pristine white couch.

“You’ll marry Jeon Jungkook,” his mother said, sipping her tea calmly, as though she hadn’t just detonated a bomb in his perfect life.

Taehyung let out a humorless laugh, adjusting his cufflinks. “You must be joking. I don’t even know who that is.”

His mother’s gaze sharpened. “You don’t need to. I’ve made the arrangements. The wedding will be in two weeks.”

Two weeks. Was she serious? Taehyung clenched his jaw, his perfect composure threatening to crack. “I’m not marrying a stranger. Especially not some—”

“A boy who saved my life,” she interrupted, her tone softening. “You were too busy building your empire to care, but Jungkook was there when I fainted in the countryside. He carried me to safety. Without him, I wouldn’t be alive.”

Taehyung’s fists tightened. He wasn’t heartless, but marriage? To someone below his status? His mother might have been sentimental, but he wasn’t. “Mother, you can’t be serious. I can reward him in other ways—money, a house, anything but this.”

His mother set down her cup, her gaze unwavering. “I’m not asking. This is my final wish, Taehyung. And if you truly love me, you’ll respect it.”

Jungkook’s hands trembled as he set the envelope down. It was unlike anything he’d ever seen—thick, embossed with gold, and bearing the emblem of Kim Enterprises. Inside, there was a single card: an invitation to meet Taehyung’s mother in Seoul.

Why would someone like her want to meet him again? He remembered her kindness vividly; she had treated him with warmth, even though he was just a boy trying to make ends meet in a remote village. But this… this felt unreal.

“Go,” his best friend Jimin urged, nudging him. “It’s not every day the richest family in the world notices someone like us. Who knows? Maybe it’s your big break.”

Jungkook wasn’t sure he wanted a “big break.” He liked his simple life, as hard as it was. Still, curiosity got the better of him, and two days later, he found himself sitting awkwardly in an opulent lounge, facing a woman who radiated power and elegance.

“You must be wondering why I called you,” she said with a kind smile.

Jungkook nodded nervously. “Yes, ma’am.”

“I want you to marry my son.”

Jungkook blinked, sure he’d misheard. “Excuse me?”

She leaned forward, clasping his hands in hers. “I know it’s sudden, but you’re the kind of person I want for Taehyung. You’re honest, kind, and selfless. He needs someone like you to balance him.”

Jungkook’s heart raced. “I… I’m sorry, but I’m just a nobody. Why would he agree to this?”

She chuckled softly. “He won’t. That’s why I need your courage, Jungkook. This won’t be easy, but I promise you—it’ll be worth it.”