The FORCED MARRIAGE | KTH FF

Chapter 25

It was just another busy day at the office for Y/N, though today, things felt different. Her cramps were intense, gnawing at her with every passing hour.

But she refused to let it show. She kept her head down, working through the pain, moving between meetings and deadlines, though each step was slower, her movements more careful.

Her eyes were puffy from lack of sleep, her face pale from exhaustion, but she pressed on.

Across the office, Taehyung watched her. His gaze was cold, but there was something else there too-something deeper. His mind, ever focused on power, couldn't shake the sight of YN's struggle.

He saw how she winced occasionally, how her fingers trembled on the keyboard, how her posture slumped in between tasks as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders.

His ego burned with irritation. Why was she still pushing herself so hard? Why did she refuse to take a break? But the worst part is The pain in her eyes. It was as if she had accepted that suffering was part of the deal.

He clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to intervene. It wasn't that he cared, not truly. But watching her-weak, yet determined-tore at something deep inside him, something he wasn't ready to confront.

______________

As the day dragged on, Y/N's discomfort became harder to hide. She was barely managing, but she wasn't about to let her weakness show in front of her colleagues. However, the moment her phone buzzed with a message from Taehyung, her heart sank.

"Y/N. My office. Now." The words were sharp, commanding, leaving no room for refusal.

She swallowed, trying to steady her breathing, before slowly standing up from her desk. Every step felt like a battle, but she forced herself to walk with her usual composure, though her body trembled slightly.

The moment she entered Taehyung's office, the cold air hit her, and her nerves shot through the roof. Taehyung was sitting behind his desk, his expression unreadable, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at her pale, worn-out figure.

"Mr. Kim," Y/N said, voice soft but laced with fear. She didn't dare call him anything else. He was her boss. He had power over her. He'd made sure of that when he'd forced her to sign the marriage contract.

Taehyung's eyes flickered to her as she stood frozen near the door, visibly trying to keep it together. His gaze, cold as ice, made her spine stiffen.

"Close the door," he said, his voice low and commanding.

Y/N obeyed, shutting the door behind her with a soft click, then walked to the front of his desk, her hands clenched tightly to her sides to stop them from trembling.

Taehyung didn't look up immediately. He was watching her from beneath his dark lashes, noticing every little sign of her exhaustion. The pale face, the dark circles under her eyes, the way she stood as if every inch of her body ached.

"Sit," he ordered.

Y/N hesitated for only a moment before pulling out the chair, sitting down with the smallest sigh of relief.

"Mr. Kim," she said again, keeping her voice steady, though it cracked slightly.

He finally spoke, his tone sharp. "You're looking... sick. Can't even make it through a day of work without falling apart?"

Y/N's heart pounded. "I'm fine, Mr. Kim. I'll manage."

Taehyung's gaze flickered with something dark. He leaned back in his chair, his hands steepled, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the wood. "If you were fine, I wouldn't be seeing you like this, would I?" He let the words hang in the air, his voice hard. "But of course, you won't stop. Will you? You never do."