FORCED MARRIAGE WITH BROTHER IN LAW

chapter 49

The air in the house grew heavier with each passing day. Taehyung’s control remained unrelenting, but something had shifted. The bruises on Y/N’s face had started to fade, no longer visible to prying eyes, but beneath her clothing, the pain remained. He made sure of that.

Jimin had done his part, ensuring Taehyung allowed Y/N time to heal before their trip to India. But that didn’t mean the torment had stopped—it had just changed form. Every touch, every grip, every strike was calculated, landing in places no one else would see. Y/N had learned to endure it in silence, but she wasn’t alone anymore.

Jungkook had arrived unexpectedly. He claimed he needed a place to stay, an excuse that Taehyung barely questioned. His presence was casual, his behavior normal, but there was something in his eyes when he looked at Y/N—something she hadn’t seen in a long time. Understanding.

It didn’t take long for her to realize that he knew.

The first night, when Taehyung had left them alone, Jungkook had quietly slipped into the kitchen where Y/N was washing the dishes. He stood beside her, reaching for a glass as if he were just helping.

“Sit down,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

Y/N froze. “I’m fine.”

Jungkook’s jaw clenched. “You’re not. I see it.”

She wanted to argue, to pretend everything was normal, but there was no point. He wasn’t asking—he was stating a fact. Reluctantly, she sat, and to her surprise, Jungkook took over the washing, his movements slow and deliberate.

“You don’t have to do this,” she said after a moment.

“I know.” He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “But I am.”

It continued like that. Small moments where Jungkook helped her in ways Taehyung wouldn’t notice. A glass of water placed near her when she was too weak to move. A strategically placed excuse that got Taehyung out of the house for a few hours, giving Y/N time to breathe.

Jimin noticed too. One night, when Taehyung had passed out from drinking, Jimin and Jungkook sat near Y/N in silence. Then, Jungkook finally spoke.

“We have to do something.”

Jimin nodded. “We will. But we can’t rush it.”

Y/N swallowed hard, looking between them. For the first time in what felt like forever, she wasn’t alone in this fight. They weren’t standing against Taehyung openly, but they were standing beside her.

And that was enough.

For now.
As the days stretched on, Jungkook's presence in the house became more than just an unspoken comfort. His help, though quiet and subtle, began to feel like a lifeline for Y/N. His understanding eyes never let her forget that she wasn’t invisible, that she wasn’t alone.

One afternoon, Taehyung had left for a meeting, and Y/N was once again alone with Jimin and Jungkook. She sat quietly on the couch, hands folded in her lap, trying to focus on anything other than the ache in her body. Jimin was in the kitchen, making tea, while Jungkook leaned against the doorway, watching her carefully.

“You know, you don’t have to do everything by yourself,” he said, his voice low. There was a tenderness to his words, one that felt different from the careful distance he had maintained in the past.

Y/N looked up, her gaze meeting his for the first time in what felt like forever. “I don’t have a choice,” she replied softly, her words tinged with resignation.

Jungkook stepped closer, his hand lightly brushing her shoulder in a comforting gesture. “You do. We’re here now.”

Before Y/N could respond, Jimin entered, holding a steaming cup of tea in his hands. He set it down on the table in front of her, his eyes flicking to Jungkook before returning to Y/N.

“You’re not alone,” Jimin added gently. “We won’t let him hurt you anymore.”

The weight of his words settled in Y/N’s chest, and for the first time, she let herself believe them. Maybe, just maybe, there was a way out.

Later that evening, Taehyung returned home early, his mood sour after a long day of meetings. Y/N braced herself, but as soon as he stepped inside, Jimin quickly stood, catching his attention.

“Hey, man, we were just talking about the trip to India,” Jimin said, his voice light but purposeful. “We’re all set, right? I’m ready whenever you are.”

Taehyung, always eager to focus on his plans, turned to Jimin, momentarily distracted from his usual need to control everything around him. “Yeah, yeah. We’ll leave in a couple of days. Everything’s in order.”

Y/N felt the tension in the air ease just slightly. It was a small victory, but it was something.

The next morning, Y/N found herself in the kitchen once again, trying to prepare breakfast before Taehyung could get angry. Her body ached, every movement a reminder of the pain he had caused. But this time, Jungkook was there before she could even start. Without a word, he took the spatula from her hand, his gaze locking with hers for a brief moment.

“Sit,” he said firmly, but not unkindly. “I’ll take care of it.”

Y/N hesitated, then sat down at the kitchen table, her hands folded tightly in her lap as Jungkook worked with a quiet concentration. There was no judgment in his gaze, no pity—just understanding. He wasn’t looking at her like she was broken. He was looking at her like she was still whole.

As the days passed, those quiet moments became a routine. Small acts of kindness from Jungkook and Jimin, always when Taehyung’s back was turned, always when Y/N needed them most. When Taehyung wasn’t looking, they would slip her notes, hidden in pockets, offering encouragement, telling her to hold on, that help was on the way.

One evening, after Taehyung had gone to bed early, Jimin, Jungkook, and Y/N sat together in the living room. It was a rare moment of peace, and they all silently acknowledged how much of a lifeline they had become for her.

“We’re getting close,” Jimin said softly, looking between the two of them. “But we need to be careful.”

Y/N nodded, feeling the weight of the unspoken plan hanging in the air. The end was in sight, but they had to be patient.

Jungkook reached over, placing his hand on hers. “We’ll do it together. No one will hurt you again.”

And for the first time in a long time, Y/N allowed herself to believe it.