The FORCED MARRIAGE | KTH FF

Chapter 24

A few days passed like this. There was no warmth between them.

Y/N continued to avoid Taehyung as much as possible, her fear of him guiding every interaction. At work, she kept her head low, addressing him only as "Mr. Kim" in the professional environment they shared. Taehyung, on the other hand, remained distant and cold, his sharp eyes and stern words enough to make her flinch.

One day, Y/N got on her periods. The pain was unbearable, but she forced herself to endure it, knowing that Taehyung's anger was not something she could risk provoking. The day went by painfully slowly, and by the time an important team meeting was called, she was struggling to stay focused.

"Y/N," Taehyung's voice rang out, sharp and authoritative, cutting through the chatter in the room.

Her head shot up as his cold eyes bore into hers. "Can you explain why this report is incomplete? Or is doing your job too much for you to handle?"

Y/N's heart pounded in her chest. She stood up, trembling slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I... I'm sorry, Mr. Kim. It was a mistake. I'll fix it immediately."

"Sorry doesn't fix incompetence," he snapped, his voice echoing in the room. "If you can't manage your responsibilities, perhaps you don't belong here at all."

The room went silent. Y/N's face burned with humiliation, and she lowered her gaze to the table, biting the inside of her cheek to hold back tears.

Eunwoo, seated a few chairs away, frowned in concern, but no one dared to speak. Taehyung's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, and as his eyes trailed downward, he froze. His sharp eyes caught the faint stain on her jeans.

His expression shifted subtly-still unreadable, but softer somehow. "Meeting dismissed," he said abruptly, his tone quieter than before. "Everyone, back to work."

As people filed out of the room, Y/N remained seated, paralyzed by shame. Her hands trembled slightly as she tried to gather her things, but Taehyung's voice stopped her.

"Y/N," he said, his voice quieter now but still firm.

"Yes, Mr. Kim?" she asked, not daring to look at him.

He hesitated before speaking. "Are you... feeling unwell?"

Her breath hitched, and for a moment, she thought she misheard him. When she finally looked up, her voice cracked as she said, "I don't understand why you're asking, Mr. Kim."

His jaw tightened at her words, but instead of replying, he stepped out of the room, leaving her confused and on edge.

Moments later, he returned, holding his jacket. Without a word, he placed it on the table in front of her.

"Wrap this around your waist," he said curtly, his voice still low. "And take the rest of the day off."

Y/N blinked, staring at him in disbelief. "I-I'm fine. I don't need-"

"That wasn't a request," he interrupted, his tone softening only slightly. "Just... do as I say."

Tears pricked her eyes, not from fear this time but from the unfamiliar kindness in his words. She took the jacket hesitantly and tied it around her waist. As she moved toward the door, she paused, her voice barely a whisper. "Thank you, Mr. Kim."

Before she could leave, he spoke again. "Y/N."

She stopped but didn't turn around, unsure of what he'd say next.

"I'm sorry," he said, the words almost foreign in their sincerity. "For earlier. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that."

Her eyes widened, and for a moment, her heart fluttered in confusion and disbelief. She nodded stiffly and left without another word, her mind racing with thoughts she didn't know how to process.