𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒 || 𝐊𝐓𝐇

Chapter-29: Why these feelings?

Taehyung

I sat at my desk, staring blankly at the stack of papers in front of me. My eyes skimmed over the words, but none of them registered. My mind was elsewhere—on her. Millie. Again.

It frustrated me to no end. I’d told myself countless times that I hated her, that I didn’t care about her. But if that were true, why couldn’t I stop thinking about her? Why did her face keep haunting me, her voice echoing in my head?

I clenched my jaw and shook my head, trying to shake the thoughts away. Focus, Taehyung. Work. You have work to do. But it was no use. The argument from earlier replayed in my mind, her eyes glistening with hurt as my words cut into her.

I felt a surge of resentment rise in my chest. Why did she have to care so much? Why did she let my words affect her like that? It made me angry—angry at her for being so... vulnerable. Weak. And yet, I hated myself even more for feeling guilty. For caring.

I slammed my fist on the desk in frustration, startling my assistant, who froze mid-step.

“What’s wrong, sir?” he asked cautiously.

“Nothing,” I barked, my voice sharp and unrelenting. “Get out. Now.”

He didn’t hesitate. He quickly gathered his things and scurried out of the office, leaving me alone with my raging thoughts. I stood up, pacing back and forth, my anger boiling over. Why did she make me feel this way? Why couldn’t I just let it go?

And then it hit me, a cold, unwelcome realization that rooted me to the spot. I wasn’t angry because of her weakness. I was angry because of how she made me feel—because I couldn’t stop thinking about her, couldn’t push her out of my mind no matter how hard I tried.

I gritted my teeth, trying to suppress the thought. No. This isn’t about feelings. I don’t care about her. I married her for revenge. That’s all it is. That’s all it will ever be.

But deep down, a part of me whispered otherwise. And I hated her for that.

Millie

I stood in the kitchen, chopping vegetables mechanically, my mind far from the task at hand. The maid hadn’t come today, so I had no choice but to cook. But it didn’t matter. My thoughts were consumed by him—by the cruel words he had hurled at me earlier.

Why did they hurt so much? Why did it feel like his words had pierced straight through me?

And then, the answer came, a bittersweet truth that left me breathless. I loved him. I loved him with every fiber of my being. That’s why his words felt like a knife to my heart.

I sighed, trying to focus on the task at hand. But as I reached for the pot handle, my fingers slipped, brushing against the hot metal. A sharp, burning pain shot through my hand, and I let out a cry of pain.

Within seconds, I heard the sound of hurried footsteps, and Taehyung appeared in the doorway, his face etched with concern.

“What happened?” he asked, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

I looked up at him, torn between the sting of his earlier words and the sudden tenderness in his tone. “I burned my hand,” I murmured.

Without a word, he crossed the room and took my hand gently in his, examining the burn. “Come on,” he said, his voice low but firm. “Let me take care of it.”

He led me to the living room, guiding me to sit on the couch. Moments later, he returned with the first aid kit. Kneeling in front of me, he carefully applied ointment to the burn, his touch surprisingly gentle.

I couldn’t stop myself from looking at him, from searching his face for answers. Why was he being so kind now? It was a stark contrast to the coldness he had shown earlier.

“I don’t understand you,” I said quietly, breaking the silence. “One minute, you’re tearing me apart with your words, and the next, you’re here taking care of me like this.”

He paused for a moment, his gaze flickering to mine. For a brief second, I thought I saw something there—guilt, maybe even regret. But then his expression hardened, and he looked away.

“You don’t need to understand me,” he said flatly. “You just need to do as I say.”

Anger flared within me, and I pulled my hand away from his. “I’m your wife, Taehyung—not your servant. I deserve respect. I deserve kindness. I deserve better than this.”

He stood abruptly, towering over me, his eyes burning with anger. “Deserve?” he scoffed. “You deserve nothing, Millie. Nothing but my contempt.”

My heart twisted painfully, but I refused to back down. “Then why?” I demanded, my voice trembling. “Why do you care for me when I’m hurt? Why do you bother at all?”

His expression faltered for a brief moment, and I saw something flicker in his eyes—something raw and unguarded. But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by the same cold indifference.

“It’s nothing, Millie,” he said, turning away. “Let’s forget about it.”

But I wasn’t done. “How long are you going to pretend, Taehyung?” I asked, my voice trembling with emotion. “How long are you going to act like you don’t have feelings for me?”

He froze, his back to me. For a moment, I thought he might respond, might say something—anything. But he didn’t. Without a word, he walked away, leaving me alone.

I sat there, staring down at my wrist where he had applied the ointment. My heart felt heavy, torn between the love I felt for him and the pain he caused me.

On impulse, I reached out and wiped the ointment away, scrubbing at it with my sleeve. It was a futile gesture, but I felt like I needed to erase any trace of his touch.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I couldn’t hold them back anymore. I cried—not just for the hurt and frustration he caused me, but for the love I couldn’t stop feeling for him.

As the tears dried, I felt a resolve growing within me. I wanted to be free of this pain, of his coldness. But how could I ever be free when my heart refused to let him go?

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