Saved || A Jungkook fanfic

42.

I felt like I was drowning.

Like the air had been poisoned, thick and suffocating, seeping into my lungs and filling me with something heavy, something unbearable.

A slow, numbing realization sank in as Jungkook's mother's words echoed in my head, twisting deeper, burrowing beneath my skin.

That lying, scheming bitch. Jin was right.

The hall remained alive with applause, cheers rippling through the crowd as if they had just witnessed the most wonderful of announcements. And then, as the noise settled, Mrs. Jeon turned her attention back to the microphone, her voice laced with elegance and satisfaction.

"We are beyond delighted to welcome Jennifer and the esteemed Kim family into our lives. Their legacy, their values, and their vision align perfectly with our own." Her eyes swept over the audience, basking in their approval before she continued, her smile sharp. "This union marks the beginning of a prosperous future—one built on strength, tradition, and, of course, many beautiful heirs."

A round of laughter. Hoots of encouragement.

"To Jungkook and Jennifer," she finished, stepping aside as applause erupted once more.

"Congratulations!" the announcer chimed in, beaming. Mrs. Jeon clapped along, but her intent gaze remained fixed—on me. The corners of her lips lifted just slightly, knowingly.

Like she had won.

And then, from across the room, the woman stood.

Tall. Poised. Confident.

With a graceful push of her long, fiery-red hair behind her shoulder, she turned toward Jungkook with a dazzling smile. The movement was effortless, the kind of practiced elegance that came naturally to someone born into power.

Jennifer. Jungkook's declared fiance.

I didn't know her, but the way the room responded to her—the admiring looks, the murmured approvals, the subtle nods of respect—told me everything I needed to know. She wasn't just a random girl. She was someone. Someone who belonged in this world. Someone who had likely been prepared for this moment her entire life.

And she was beautiful. Undeniably beautiful.

Everything about her—from her long, statuesque frame to the way her champagne-colored gown clung to her curves—screamed refinement, wealth, and class. She exuded the kind of effortless allure that made people stop and take notice. The kind of woman Mrs. Jeon had always envisioned for her son.

Not me.

Not the girl she had barely tolerated in his life.

My name fell from Jungkook's lips, a quiet, urgent plea beside me.

I flinched, my body locked so tightly that even the smallest movement felt impossible. My eyes met his, wide with disbelief, but he wasn't looking at Jennifer. He was looking at me.

And he was furious.

Jungkook's fingers found mine beneath the table, his grip tight, grounding. His other hand curled into a fist against his thigh. He looked like he was barely holding himself together, like this moment was as much of a shock to him as it was to me.

His gaze flickered toward his mother, then back to me.

"Ailene," he murmured, his voice low, controlled—but desperate.

I swallowed hard.

"I'm going to figure this out," he promised, voice barely above a whisper. His grip on my hand tightened. "You have to trust me, okay?"