Love Candidate - Shadow Man - Chapter 32

Third Person POV

Taehyung sat in his car, parked beside Jiyoung's fence after Jimin got off to inform Jiyoung of their arrival. He quietly leaned back with a file in his hand to smile at his child's ultrasound capture on the medical document.

He finally had a family— a wife and child.

Never would he have imagined having a perfect family like this. He spent most of his life wasting his time on temporary pleasures, using drugs, women, and alcohol to entertain himself because that was his definition of happiness. Or not. Honestly, it was only a good distraction because he was uncertain of his purpose in life. Why is he alive? He never knew. He had money. He had friends. He had women. He had everything he wanted. And yet, he'd lay awake at night with a scary void inside his hollow chest. Is that all there is to his life? If he had everything, then why is he not satisfied? Why is he so empty? The thoughts scared him. Everything was evolving so fast-- it felt like he was stranded in the same position as he watched the world speed past him. Everything is spinning too fast, and he's too misplaced to figure out his set direction.

But it worked out. It worked out in the end. Jiyoung entered his life when he least expected her. He suddenly didn't feel so frightened anymore with her around. Maybe it's the way... she makes him forget the problems in his life. Maybe, it's the way she holds him in her arms. Maybe, it's the way her warmth flourished his love scarcity. Maybe... he never needed everything. Maybe... a person of comfort was all he needed to find a purpose in life. It wasn't like she was his everything because he was head over heels for her. It wasn't like that at all. Jiyoung and Taehyung both had missing chunks to their uncompleted puzzles... and weirdly... she has all his missing pieces. The edges and the ridges... fitting so perfectly with one another. Together. They completed each other.

Love is beautiful, and Taehyung finally understood that. Love isn't perfect. Love isn't just happiness. Love isn't merely about falling in love. It's about growing the love with the person you love. It blooms. And it withers... and with a little patience... it will bloom again. The cycle of love is just like a flower. It blooms so beautifully. And then it withers. The petals begin to fall... but it's not the end. It'll bloom again as long as it's being watered and taken care of.

Love blooms, just like flowers.

Taehyung blinked out of his thought when his phone started ringing, so he placed the document on the passenger seat and lifted his phone to find Jimin's contact on the screen.

"Why is he calling me? And what's taking Jiyoung so long?" Taehyung frowned, briefly glancing at Jiyoung's house. He didn't answer Jimin's call and got out of the car to enter the house with a curious expression.

"Yah? Why are you calling me? Jiyoung, we need to head home! It's getting late- you have to take your prescribed medication! We also have a maternity appointment tomorrow morning," Taehyung shouted from the base of the stairs when he noticed Jimin wasn't downstairs.

"She's not home," Jimin's voice replied from the floor above.

"What do you mean? She told me she came to visit her house," Taehyung dismissively walked away from the stairs to sit on the couch, leaning back on the leather cushion to soothe his sore back with his arm tucked under his head.

"Can you see her shoes downstairs?" Jimin asked. Taehyung glanced briefly toward the doorway, and sure enough... her shoes were on the rack.

"Yeah. What's the matter? Is she really not home?" Taehyung sat up on the couch in confusion. Jimin stopped responding, and the house suddenly grew hushed. Taehyung frowned at the vacant stairs as he perched awkwardly on the couch, waiting for a response. He lost his patience and stomped up the stairs to find Jimin kneeling inside Jiyoung's bedroom.

"She was here," Jimin muttered as he collected the scattered items... spilling from her bag. Taehyung glanced around the ordinary room to search for his lover, but she was nowhere to be found. He could still smell her fresh perfume in the room. She wasn't gone for long.

"Where did she go??? She shouldn't be out on her own," Taehyung sighed, pulling out his phone to contact her, but all his calls went straight to voicemail. He couldn't reach her. Jimin suddenly lowered his head to peek under the bed and extended his arm to grab something from underneath it.

"Isn't this her phone?" Jimin asked after retrieving a cracked phone screen to show Taehyung as he knelt on the floor. Taehyung slipped his phone back into his trouser pocket, unsurely turning to inspect Jiyoung's damaged phone with a slight frown.

"I just got her a new phone. Why is it broken-" Taehyung muttered, reaching out for the phone. Jimin collected the remaining photographs to place them back into her bag.

"This is weird. Why didn't Jiyoung lock the door if she left? The door was wide open. She usually locks her doors when she's away," Jimin muttered, carefully placing her bag on the bed. Taehyung scrunched his thick eyebrows and glanced around the room for any sign of break-ins, but there weren't any. The room was uncluttered and tidy. Nothing was out of place. The two men slowly looked up at each other in dread when they felt the alarming atmosphere expanding across the empty room. Something didn't feel right.

Kim Taehyung remained calm and responded to the situation by contacting Changwon to ask if Jiyoung had returned to his mother's place. Changwon denied her return. Jiyoung never went back to see ajumma. So, Taehyung called Jungkook. Her best friend. Jungkook wasn't aware of her whereabouts either. Taehyung was beginning to feel a little more anxious after speaking with Jungkook. He contacted his brothers next. Still, no one knew where she was. At this rate... Taehyung's mind began to race wildly after waiting at Jiyoung's house for over an hour. Where would she go? And why didn't she let him know in advance? Yoongi informed Jimin he was alone at the mafia apartment after he was contacted to verify Jiyoung's presence at the lair.

Where did she go? No one knew. She disappeared, and all her belongings were left behind in her bedroom. With all the possibilities behind her disappearance... Taehyung could only think of uncomfortable thoughts. His heart started thumping in fear at the thought of her being in trouble, yet-- He knew Jiyoung is the type to go off on her own. So he waited. He waited until sunrise, but there was still no sign of her. No presence. No texts. No calls. Taehyung repeatedly checked their exchanged texts, but the latest text between them was from Jiyoung asking if he could get her fruits on his way home from work. He didn't even respond to her last text.

Fast Forward

"WHERE IS SHE!?" Taehyung roared, barging into the meeting room to find Seokjin discussing with Namjoon and a few other directors. Secretary Yoon slightly jumped at Taehyung's abrupt outburst inside the room with a file clenched tightly in his hand. Everyone was startled by the Mafia's fuming presence. Seokjin exchanged awkward glances with the board of directors, and the room suddenly grew hushed. They were all startled by Taehyung's intrusion.

A moment later...

"Are you sure she's missing?" Seokjin frowned, crossing his arms with a skeptical expression after forcing Taehyung to leave the meeting room. Namjoon was left behind to deal with the directors.

"It's been two days! I've waited long enough!" Taehyung snapped at Seokjin, who was worriedly watching his younger brother pace back and forth in his office.

"Why would she go missing-"

"I don't know! She told me she was home, so I went to get her- and she disappeared! I can't contact her! She won't contact me either!" Taehyung whined, turning to glare at Seokjin's calmness in irritation.

"If she was abducted, then who-"

"What if it's mother?! What if she's after Jiyoung again!?" Taehyung seethed, firing Seokjin a sharp glare just as Namjoon strolled inside the room after he concluded the meeting.

"Mother is still recovering at home. I was by her side," Namjoon sighed, defending his stepmother's involvement with Jiyoung's disappearance.

"She could've sent people after Jiyoung! I'm going to see her! She can't do this to Jiyoung-"

"Wasn't Jiyoung's stepfather released from jail a few days ago?" Namjoon sighed, cutting his younger brother short. Taehyung immediately halted in his place at Namjoon's words. Seokjin blinked in confusion and glanced at Namjoon for an explanation.

"What do you mean he was released? How am I not aware of this?" Seokjin asked Namjoon, who was dismissively drinking water from a mug.

"For all I know... he's not in jail right now," Namjoon shrugged, smugly glancing at Taehyung's terrified face as he stared at the wall with his eyes bulging open in horror. Taehyung gasped in realization and suddenly rushed out of the room without speaking with his brothers. Seokjin frowned at his youngest brother's hysterical reaction as Namjoon settled on the couch with a neutral expression. He was unaffected by the dire situation.

"Who released Jiyoung's stepfather? Why wasn't I aware???" Seokjin asked, turning to face Namjoon's straight face with a bewildered look. Namjoon didn't respond and sat sternly staring right at Seokjin with his dull eyes.

Jiyoung's POV

Unconscious tears slipped from my eyes as I struggled to break the thick zip ties around my wrists- but the hard plastic only sliced deeper into my flesh with every tug. The more I resisted the restraint, the more blood seeped from my ripped skin. I whimpered in frustration with a wet cloth tied over my mouth before glancing at the closed door in panic when- Thud. Thud. I heard faint footsteps approaching the room, so I quickly swung my cuffed legs back onto the tiny mattress. And frantically lay down to face the opposite wall. Creak... I screwed my eyes shut when I heard the door opening behind my back and tried to stabilize my labored breathing as the man stepped inside the room to check on me.

"I brought you dinner," The sick man announced after closing the door. I remained motionless on the bed because I was too frightened to face him. I felt the mattress sinking and an arm gently slipped around my waist to lift me off the mattress. My body started shaking out of control at his touch until tears streamed down my face again. Flash. Flash. Flash. Disturbing traumas replayed relentlessly in my mind to paralyze me with painful memories until I flung my eyes open in fright. Shit! I don't want to be reminded of the past! I sucked in my breath in fear when I found my stepfather sitting on the bed beside me in casual clothes. He made me sit on the bed before turning to lift a plate from the nightstand. I glanced at the steak in fear as he slowly undid the cloth around my mouth to free my lips.

"W-What do you want?" I shakily whispered as my stepfather carefully sliced the steak meat with a knife and fork. The man glanced at my shaken condition with a warm smile.

"I'm taking care of my little princess," He chuckled, poking a chewable piece with a fork and lifted it toward my lips. But I refused to accept it and turned my face away to avoid his offer. I'm not eating or drinking anything!

"Rot in hell," I cursed, stubbornly gripping my bleeding fingers. My stepfather suddenly grabbed my cheeks- forcefully turning me to face him before shoving the meat inside my mouth. I whimpered at his painful clutch and tried to spit it out when he roughly covered my mouth to prevent me from refusing the food.

"Swallow the fucking food, or I'll shove it down your throat like a newborn bird," Jaehyun threatened, hastily grabbing my vulnerable neck. I groaned in pain when he suddenly squeezed my throat to warn me of his hostile intentions. The man glared at my stubbornness when I refused to chew my food, and slowly tightened his grip around my windpipe with his dangerous eyes trained on mine. Jiyoung! You have a child in you! You have to avoid getting hurt at all costs! I blinked in tears and slowly chewed the food as my stepfather watched me intensely. He eventually loosened his grip around my neck after I struggled to swallow the chunk of meat.

"Good girl," The man smiled, pulling his hand away to rub my tears. I can't resist him, or he'll hurt me... I need to keep my child safe at all costs. He can't know about my pregnancy.

"What do you want?" I blinked at him with my puppy eyes. He won't hurt me if I let him overpower me. My stepfather didn't reply and proceeded to feed me until I finished the entire steak slice he prepared.

"I'm going to take my revenge," My stepfather replied after placing the plate away.

"It's not my problem! So why are you dragging me into this?!" I confronted him in tears. The man chuckled at my words while dabbing my greasy lips with soft tissues to wipe me clean.

"We're on the same side, my princess. Don't worry. I won't hurt you," My stepfather smiled, gently placing his hand on my cheek to caress me with his cold fingertips.

"What are you-"

"That bitch turned her back on me after I granted her life with your father's kidney. I'm going to make her regret everything," The man grunted, turning to glare at a newspaper on the floor with Mrs. Kim's face on it. I wanted to scream at his hideous face- but held myself back and clenched my fist instead. If he beats me up... my baby will get hurt.

"Why did you kill my father?" I asked, unblinkingly staring at the sick man. I never understood the reason... my father was caught up in Jaehyun's political game, so I'll ask the killer himself. He huffed at my question, turning to observe my tear-soaked cheeks with an innocent smile.

"Didn't you say my dick is weak? Yeah. I couldn't produce any kids no matter how hard I fucked your mother. As a businessman... I needed children to expand my business network. I needed a daughter, to be specific," The man replied, tilting his head at me while tucking my hair strands behind my ear.

"So you killed my father? To get me?" I blinked in shock.

"Sweetheart... I was rich and successful. And yet I couldn't have any children. I saw your mother's desperation, so I seduced her. I loved her. She was an intelligent woman with great family background... but your greedy father ruined it all. He ruined your mother's life. Your so-called father used your mother's money to fund his stupid mining project until everything went downhill. She lost everything because of your father. It's such a waste. For a beauty like her... to live a wrecked life with an incompetent asshole like him. So I offered her a better life. She agreed. She agreed to stand by my side. She agreed to all my terms except for you," My stepfather spoke in a raspy voice.

"Me?" I frowned. I need to keep him talking, or his mind will wander to my body again.

"I asked her to place you under my custody. She refused. Your mother agreed to let your father have you instead. But I needed a daughter. I needed a beautiful daughter," He replied.

"Why do you need a daughter?" I asked.

"I wasn't a very influential figure a decade ago, you see. I wanted to join The Kim's group as a shareholder, but they wouldn't even acknowledge my existence. Despite their impenetrable wall... I saw their weakness. Their sons. Not one... but three sons. The eldest is the most handsome. He's the heir. The second is the most competent. The reputation. And finally... the youngest. The most loyal and dangerous child. The weapon. All three played an essential role as the Kim's pillars to sustain their extensive corporation. Now ask me again why I needed a beautiful daughter like you?" My stepfather laughed.

"Because you want to use me for marriage?" I answered.

"Yeah. I need a daughter to capture one of the sons. Preferably... the heir. But the other two are just as good. So I killed your father in exchange for my position. Seokjin's mother promised to let me join the Kim's Political Circle if I gave your father's kidneys to her, so I did. He's dead anyways. Why waste the organs? I killed him to gain a daughter and authority over the laws. That's how I got away with all the illegal funds, and the Kim has been overlooking my actions. But I was smart. I knew they'd someday turn their back on me... just like the day they submitted my ledger to the court. And that's where you play your role, sweetie. The bitch can't harm me if my daughter has a strong grip on her sons' dicks. Right? As long as they favor you... she can never defy me. I needed you to tame her sons... and you did. You did better than I expected, and I'm very proud of you," He smiled, gently patting my messy hair with a slight smile. A hot lump formed in my throat after hearing his confession.

I'm disgusted. This man is so sick it made my inside lurch at his disturbing words. My father wasn't the only victim of his dirty scheme. I was simply raised by my stepfather to be a whore for rich men? All those times... He showered me with materialistic items... The dresses. The shoes. The designer bags. The jewelry. The monthly skincare appointments. The bank account access. The luxury car and driver. I was never offered those materials in the name of my father's love. It was given to me with one sole purpose. And it was to make me his pretty doll. A doll... used to flatter wealthy boys. He never let me associate with ordinary guys from school because they didn't benefit him. How was I so foolish?

I was a minor. A child. An innocent young girl. And yet... I was groomed to be a sex doll for high-class men. That was my only purpose in life.

"If I succeeded... then why are you after me?" I whispered while staring at his dim face in fear. He kidnapped me and brought me here... to his hidden apartment. I don't know where I am or what day it is. I'm trapped with my rapist, and I can't reach anyone. Not even my mother.

"After you? I'm not after you. You're mine. I'm just using you to lure in the bitch's sons," The man chuckled, leaning his arms back on the mattress with a smug smile as he sat beside me.

"Why??? Taehyung is innocent, and so's Seokjin! Namjoon too!" I blinked at him in shock.

"Innocent? Your pretty gangster boy? Are you deaf? How many times did I tell you he's not that naive? In fact. He's a very dirty... dirty boy," The man scoffed, turning to look at my tearful eyes.

"Leave Taehyung alone-"

"Do you want to know how I got out of jail...?" My stepfather darkly smirked at me. I gripped my fist in fright as I scanned his evil energy.

"You bribed-"

"It was your boy. Kim Taehyung. He bailed me out of jail. He has a crazy network throughout the prisons all over the nation. Didn't you know? He always bailed his men out of jail... so I asked him for a favor," My stepfather laughed. I blinked at him in horror.

"Don't lie to me! Taehyung would never free you-"

"Should we ask him? I'll invite him over. He'll come running to you for sure," The man laughed, turning to raise his eyebrow at me. Terror swept across my chest when I realized my stepfather's prideful smile was genuine. Why would Taehyung- help my stepfather???

"You're lying-"

"I won't waste my time convincing you to see the truth in him. Kim Taehyung will eventually disclose his true colors. And you'll be devastated once you realize he's been fooling you," My father chuckled, getting onto his feet with the empty plate.

"I'm tired! Please! I don't want to be involved with you- Can't you free me?! I won't bother you anymore!" I cried in distress just as my stepfather reached for the door handle.

"I'll let you live in peace once you help me take my revenge," He replied without looking at me.

"I already got the sons-"

"You did, but you strayed off with the gangster. I can't access the Kim if Kim Taehyung is independent of his family. So behave yourself, and I'll deal with the rest of the work..." The man sideways darted me an evil smirk. I stared at his wicked face in horror before he opened the door and left the room without harassing me. Click. The man locked my door from outside, so I cursed under my breath, lowered my head to shake off the wild thoughts, and slumped back on the bed in defeat. What is his plan!? What the fuck is doing?! Did Taehyung really release him?! Why didn't he tell me?! And what secrets!? What secrets don't I know about?! Argh! I'm so frustrated!

Well. All the questions were answered on a stormy night when my stepfather sedated me with powerful drugs to put out my consciousness. I woke up to find myself sitting on the couch in a luxurious living room instead. My vision is blurry- and my heart is racing out of control because of the chemical my stepfather used to weaken my immune system. What did he do to my body...? Why do I feel so... dazed and drowsy? I blinked in confusion when my vision finally cleared up... and I realized I was dressed in a delicate silky nightgown. Did he change me!? Did he touch my body while I was unconscious?! I gasped in fright and tried to grab my body- only to realize I was securely bound by an unbreakable zip tie. What did he do!? I can't remember a thing! Did he harass me again?! I stared at my body in fear of being harassed by the sick man.

"Calm down. Your man is coming to see you, so I made you pretty," My stepfather chuckled, appearing inside the living room with a wine bottle and a few glasses.

"What are you doing?! I told you not to hurt Taehyung!" I screeched in distress while struggling on the couch. My stepfather slowly approached me after settling the glasses down to sit beside me. I fired him a sharp glare when he wouldn't stop grinning at me with a disturbing smile.

"I'll show you... his true color. I'll prove to you... he's nothing but a dirty boy," The man chuckled, lifting my chin with his finger to make me stare at his intimidating eyes. I angrily turned my face away to avoid him. He chuckled and leaned closer to me until my skin crawled with discomfort when I felt my stepfather's cold breath brushing against the side of my neck, so I screwed my eyes shut to ignore his lustful thirst. I can't provoke him! The baby! Jiyoung, think of your baby!

My stepfather finally got up to leave the living room after noticing my withdrawn reaction, so I exhaled in relief and leaned back on the couch. I can run for my life but my feet are tightly secured. I'll only trip and fall trying to flee the place and put my child at risk. I don't know where I am either. I gulped in defeat and glanced out the transparent glass wall to find the gloomy sky flickering brightly to ignite the harsh storm over the empty suburb. The area around the building is completely dark. I'm not in the city. Beep. Beep. I heard the front door unlocking... so I nervously glanced at the corridor to search for my stepfather before turning back to the entrance with an anxious feeling. Who is here to visit my stepfather at this hour?

"Jiyoung?" Taehyung's deep voice called for me from the doorway. My heart thumped so hard at his presence- I couldn't utter a single word.

"Taehyung-" I managed to whisper while perching on the couch with my eyes on the doorway leading into the living room to anticipate his presence. Is it really him??? Thud. Thud. Thud. I heard his footsteps approaching the room, and to my relief... Taehyung appeared with a gun raised before his face. His hair was soaking wet from the rainstorm, and he was dressed in a tight black turtleneck shirt and tight black jeans. His eyes flashed in horror when he found me sitting on the couch with my bleeding wrists. Taehyung glanced around the room to ensure my stepfather's absence with a baffled expression before averting his eyes back to me.

"Baby! I found you! Are you okay? Are you hurt?!" He gasped, dropping his gun to the side, and immediately rushed toward me. I tried to interrupt him, but he didn't listen and pulled me into a bone-crushing hug.

"Tae- baby listen to me- you have to leave- Taehyung-"

"What did he do to you!?" Taehyung frowned with a startled expression when he noticed the zip tie cutting into my bruised wrists. I tried to speak again when he suddenly dropped his gun to the side and attempted to break the plastic around my wrist.

"You have to leave! It's a trap! My stepfather will return at any moment and he'll hurt you!" I shook my head in fear. Taehyung halted at my claims and turned to scan the empty apartment with his wary eyes. It can't be this easy! I know my stepfather is up to something!

"Let's go! I'll protect you - don't worry-" Taehyung gave up on trying to free me and slid his arm under my body instead to lift me off the couch. I nervously glanced around the empty apartment as Taehyung raced toward the entrance. I wanted to burst out crying but chose to suppress my overflowing emotions because I was afraid of distracting Taehyung. He dashed through the corridor as fast as he could after fleeing the apartment with me, so I gripped his shirt in fear as we ran down the oddly dark hall. It's as if... we're the only ones alive inside the building.

"I'm scared," I whispered, leaning against Taehyung's pulsating chest after he stepped inside the elevator with me in his strong arms.

"You're safe with me. I'll bring you back home... okay? I've already called my men. They're on their way here," Taehyung assured me. I nodded in tears as Taehyung stared at me with a sad expression. He gently pecked my forehead to reassure me of the situation, so I snuggled against his warm lips when the elevator suddenly opened. Ding. Taehyung rushed me out of the building and hurried toward his car in the heavy rain. I glanced around the empty property in confusion as the cold rain drummed on our bodies. Where did my stepfather go?!? This doesn't feel right! Taehyung quickly placed me in the passenger seat of his car and buckled the seatbelt for me. I fearfully scanned the property through the foggy car window to check for the sick man's presence... until my eyes landed on a figure. He was standing at the base of the building... watching us calmly with his arms crossed.

"Taehyung- He's there," I whispered, tugging Taehyung's arm after he got inside to start his engine. Taehyung turned to glare at my stepfather and quickly drove out of the parking lot without responding to me. I exhaled in relief after we left the property.

"My men will take care of him," Taehyung freed one of his hands to rub my confined hands. I blinked at him in tears and nodded, so Taehyung weakly smiled at me before diverting his attention back to the road. I'm assured.

"What's going on?" I asked when Taehyung's car started making weird sounds. Taehyung slowed down on the dusty road in confusion as his car alarmed him of multiple malfunctions. I anxiously stared at the flashing touch screen... displaying various problematic sections of his car.

"Shit," Taehyung cursed, stopping the car after a while when his car refused to move forward. He quickly got out of the car into the pouring rain with a slight frown. I nervously glanced around the dark road as the headlight illuminated Taehyung's pale face and the light drizzle around him. Why did his car break down? Did something happen?! THUD. I flinched in fright when Taehyung suddenly kicked his car tire. He angrily circled the car to open the trunk with a frustrated frown.

"What's wrong???" I nervously asked him when Taehyung opened the car door to hop back inside. He quickly locked all the doors to keep us safe inside his car.

"He fucking punctured two of my tires! The engine is a mess too! I'll call my men- Fuck!" Taehyung grunted when his phone couldn't contact anyone. There's no signal in the area. I worriedly stared at Taehyung's fuming face. He gripped his phone in distress and leaned forward to press his damp forehead against the steering wheel.

"Your men will be stationed at the building. Right?" I whispered. He didn't respond to me... so I quietly watched him grip the steering wheel with his eyes closed to make up his mind.

"We'll have to head back," Taehyung exhaled, finally straightening his body after calming his nerves. He quickly snapped the zip tie from my wrists and legs to free me, and we both got out of the car together. I glanced at the punctured back tires with a restless feeling.

"Maybe it's a trap," I muttered as we walked down the muddy road.

"He told me not to bring anyone, but I already had my men stationed around the area. They should be at the building by now. Can you walk? I'll carry you if you're uncomfortable. Get on my back," Taehyung glanced at my bare feet as we walked on the dark road. He bent over the ground in his dirty clothes, so I crawled onto his back to let him secure my legs. He effortlessly stood up with me on his back as I wrapped my arms around his neck to maintain my balanced. And together... we made our way through the light drizzle and cold wind.

"Thank you," I muttered as Taehyung adjusted my position on his back. It took us about ten minutes to reach the building. It stopped raining, so there was a strong smell of wet soil in the atmosphere, but the wind was still strong- it made me shiver. Taehyung slowly let me down onto the ground after our brief walk.

"I'll find my men, and we'll leave immediately," Taehyung exhaled when he spotted a few black cars parked outside the building. I tiptoed on the wet pavement after Taehyung as he led me toward his gangster cars when a man appeared, rushing toward us from under the building parking space.

"BOSS! Our men are sweeping the building for-" KABOOM. KABOOM. KABOOM. A destructive fire rage suddenly erupted on all the floors. My eyes bulged open in horror when the deadly flames swallowed the man... who was rushing toward us into its scorching blast. The repeated eruption went off... inside the building until all the glasses shattered into bits. The explosion was so severe- the entire ground in the area shook as if it was struck by a strong magnitude earthquake.

Taehyung grabbed my body to stabilize me in shock when all the windows in the building exploded with the violent eruption. I squinted at the blinding flames before us with my mouth wide open as the burning debris rained over us. Our terrified pupils... reflecting the bright orange fire as we stared at the flaming building in bewilderment. Every entrance in the building was on fire. My heart sank when a few men came rushing out of the building... caught on fire. They were screaming in agony as they scurried in aimless directions to flee the deadly explosion. Taehyung's jaw dropped in horror at the sight of his scattered men.

"Taehyung- it's a trap," I whispered in realization. My stepfather knew! He knew Taehyung would bring his men!

"Shit-" Taehyung cursed, grabbing my hand and tried to drag me away when he was violently flung backward. I shrieked in shock when I found my stepfather swinging a metal bar at Taehyung's head. The impact sent Taehyung staggering weakly onto the ground with his hand gripped over his bleeding head.

"This is the cost of disobeying my orders," My stepfather smirked while standing over Taehyung with the metal bar gripped tightly in his hand.

"You fucking sick man-" Taehyung cursed, scrambling back onto his feet- only to be greeted by another painful blow. My stepfather struck the steel right at Taehyung's chest- sending him rolling across the rough ground in pain. I cried in horror and tried to help Taehyung when the man shoved me aside and repeatedly beat Taehyung with all his might.

"STOP! PLEASE! DON'T HURT HIM! I'M BEGGING YOU!" I screamed, scrambling over the rough ground to hug my stepfather's leg when he tried to strike Taehyung again, who was weakly coughing on his knees with a bloody face.

"I told you... you're mine, and yet you dared to run off with him-" My stepfather seethed, striking the back of my neck with his arm. I gasped at the harsh blow- collapsing weakly onto the ground- Thud. I blacked out on the spot.

Fast Forward

"Where is she!?" Jungkook roared, storming inside Seokjin's private villa to find the heir speaking with Jiyoung's mother and Secretary Yoo.

"We're trying our best to locate-" Secretary Yoo explained, stepping between Jungkook and Seokjin but was immediately cut short when Jungkook roughly shoved him aside. Mrs. Hwang took a step back when Jungkook angrily grabbed Seokjin's collar to seethe at the heir.

"IT'S BEEN ALMOST A WEEK! WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!?" Jungkook bellowed with his rageful eyes fixed on Seokjin, who was calmly staring right back at him.

"I'm searching for her-"

"I know it's your mother! She kept hurting Jiyoung! Why don't you ask your fucking mother!?" Jungkook gritted, tightening his grip around Seokjin's collar. Jungkook is dead worried about Jiyoung since her disappearance. No one knew where she was. Not even Kim Taehyung. He confronted Taehyung before, but the mafia boss is also missing now, and no one knows what happened to the couple.

"It's not our mother," Another voice spoke up. Jungkook snapped his head toward the exit to find Namjoon strolling inside with Jimin and Yoongi.

"Your mother tried to kill Jiyoung over a fucking necklace-"

"It's her stepfather," Namjoon exhaled, calmly walking up to Jungkook in his neat suit and slick black hair.

"Moh?" Mrs. Hwang asked while staring at Namjoon's composed expression. She wasn't aware of her husband's release from prison.

"I received a call. Hwang Jaehyun has both Jiyoung and Taehyung," Namjoon explained as Jimin anxiously eyed Jungkook's angered face. They were both dead worried about Jiyoung because only Jimin and Jungkook.... knew about Jiyoung's past sexual abuse.

"How did he-"

"Taehyung bribed him out of jail," Namjoon admitted.

"MOH? WHY WOULD HE DO THAT!?" Seokjin frowned in shock. Everyone turned to look at Namjoon's blank dragon eyes in bewilderment. Why would Kim Taehyung release Jiyoung's rapist?

"He was trying to use Hwang Jaehyun against our mother. I don't know the details, but my younger brother is in trouble, so I'm going to bring him back no matter what," Namjoon sighed, slightly tilting his head at Jungkook's burning red face.

"Your brother? If he was the one to cause this fucking disorder- Then he deserves to die! Jiyoung is the one in danger! She should be our priority!" Jimin argued, angrily stepping forward to fire Namjoon a sharp glare. Namjoon clenched his jaw at the disapproving stares he was receiving from everyone within the room.

"They're both in danger. Let's figure out a plan to bring them back... safely," Seokjin sighed, lowering his face to pinch his nose bridge in distress.

"What does the man want? What's his motive exactly? He set his own building on fire to eliminate all witnesses after Taehyung tried to capture him. Our men. They died while trying to rescue Jiyoung and Taehyung," Yoongi gripped his fist in frustration. Taehyung sent a squad of backup men- right to their death. The mafia lost their fellow brothers and their boss after the failed attack.

"No one knows his motive, but I'm sure it's related to the ongoing trial. We should suspend the case and focus on rescuing Jiyoung and Taehyung," Seokjin frowned.

"It won't be easy. Jaehyun is an ex-hitman trained by a private government-funded program. He might be retired- but he's not an easy man to capture," Mrs. Hwang confessed.

"He's a retired hitman?" Jungkook scoffed, turning to stare at Jiyoung's mother's dreadful face in disbelief.

"It's confidential information. I don't know much about Jaehyun's past work life, but he's a very... dangerous man. That's why I chose to keep silent about his abusive act to protect Jiyoung. All I could do was hold him back but given this situation... I don't think he'd listen to anyone. Not even me. We have to send someone to speak with him. It has to be someone he wants to speak with," Mrs. Hwang shook her head with a discouraged expression.

"Who is it?" Secretary Yoo questioned unsurely. Mrs. Kim exhaled deeply and slowly turned to stare at Seokjin.

"The heir," She exhaled. Everyone grew hushed. They glanced at Seokjin's uptight expression in utter silence. He uncomfortably gulped at the prying eyes with his fist clenched. The living room suddenly grew tense as they waited for his response to the situation. Seokjin was frightened, but he was more worried about Jiyoung and his brother's well-being.

He might not make it out alive once he meets the shadow man.

A moment later...

"Shadow man?" Jungkook frowned as Hoseok placed a stack of files on the table at the mafia building. Jimin and Yoongi quickly grabbed the files from the table to flip through the records.

"Hwang Jaehyun is the shadow man. He's a former hitman. Retired lieutenant of a secret squad. He has over 100 Kill Counts, but I doubt it's the authentic digits. His real body count is estimated to graze at least 500 victims. Most of his information is disclosed, so we can't really reveal much about him- except for the fact that he's a deadly serial killer, permitted by the government to kill on demand," Hoseok explained. Jungkook rubbed his lips in shock until his eyes met Jimin's. They both exchanged anxious glances knowing Jiyoung's rapist wasn't just an ordinary man... but a serial killer.

"That's how he managed to lure twenty men into a fire trap. He had it all planned," Yoongi grunted, tossing the file aside to rub his sore eyes.

"We can't risk our men's lives again. We need the government's involvement," Jimin shook his head in defeat. More people will lose their lives if they make rash decisions.

"The Kims will forbid any police involvement since they're against the shadow man," Jungkook shook his head.

"The Kim has the upper hand here, but Jiyoung had already leaked confidential information the night she disappeared. Mrs. Kim is also a retired assassin. Jiyoung claimed her birth father died at the hand of her stepfather and Mrs. Kim to achieve business and political objectives. I've already prepared the article to be released, but I'm hesitant now," Hoseok sighed.

"If we can't beat the shadow man... then we should side with him," Yoongi suggested, straightening his back on the couch. Both Jimin and Jungkook glanced at Yoongi with a disapproving look.

"That man abused Jiyoung-"

"Exactly. He will abuse Jiyoung if we keep provoking him. Maybe we should side with him. Not with the Kims. Let's publish the article to divert all the attention to Mrs. Kim. I'm sure whatever he's doing- it's for revenge. If we prove... that we're on his side. Maybe... maybe he'll release Jiyoung and Taehyung. We can't let the Kims take advantage of this situation. If both Jiyoung and Taehyung pass away at the hands of Hwang Jaehyun... all their assets will be inherited by the Kims. That's why The Kim is keeping silent on this matter," Yoongi frowned at the men inside the room. Jungkook pressed his face against his palm in defeat after listening to Yoongi's sensible explanations. He'd never side with the rapist... but if it means... securing Jiyoung's life... then... he never really had a choice.

Fast Forward

Jiyoung's POV

"Stop- please- s-stop! Appa! Please!" I begged in tears as I watched the sick man beat Taehyung repeatedly with a baseball bat. Taehyung grunted in pain when the metal steel struck his lower ribcage.

"Appa? You finally called me appa?" The sick man laughed, suddenly dropping the bat to the floor as I eyed Taehyung's beaten condition with an aching heart. His pretty face was bruised from the harsh impact, and his body was bleeding from the mild scratches. Taehyung's eyes were swollen. His lips were bleeding. And there was a deep gash across his left collarbone. Taehyung's body is severely damaged by the brutal abuse inflicted by my stepfather's violent acts. All the buttons of his bloody shirt were loose, and Taehyung was sitting on a wooden chair with his arms tied behind his back and legs restrained to the chair.

Taehyung spat out a mouthful of blood from his lips with his head hung low after the sick man took a break from using him as a human punching bag. I tearfully stared at Taehyung's wounded torso as he sat in his loose shirt before averting my eyes to my stepfather in fear. It's been three days since he captured Taehyung, and he's been hitting him every single day. I'm afraid Taehyung will pass out at this point. The man didn't feed Taehyung any food or water no matter how desperately I begged him.

"I'll do anything you ask me! Please- just stop hurting him!" I begged while sitting on a couch facing Taehyung in a spacious warehouse. It was my stepfather's plaster warehouse. Mismatched antique statues were scattered everywhere, and buckets of plaster powder were stacked against the wall. Rows after rows of shelves were stacked with equipment. My stepfather is holding us captive at his warehouse after burning down his building to kill Taehyung's men. No one will find us here since the plaster production was suspended months ago after the supreme court arrested my father.

"Anything?" The man wiped his disgusting sweat from his forehead and lowered his greasy hand to grab my chin. Taehyung coughed in pain as his head swayed from side to side... he was too weak to even lift his face. Sweat beads were dripping from his soaked bangs, and his skin was turning ash gray. He's depleted of energy. Taehyung will die if my stepfather keeps on torturing him. I fearfully gulped at his worrisome condition before glancing by at my stepfather's slight smirk in fear as the man towered over me.

"I promise," I whispered. I'll do whatever to keep the man from harming Taehyung again. My stepfather laughed and lowered his face to sniff my messy hair with a cocky smile. The man gently kissed my forehead, sensually tilting his head to the side to stare straight at my eyes with his evil intentions.

"Say you love me," The man urged. I gripped my cuffed wrists upon his deranged request. What? I would never- I halted and glanced at Taehyung again as he weakly stared at me in tears from across the room. Shit. The man will hurt Taehyung again if I refuse.

"I love- you," I stuttered, averting my tearful eyes back to the man's wicked gaze. He bit his lower lips at my words and chuckled softly while rubbing my cheek with an approving smile.

"Good girl," He nodded, straightening his back to stretch his sweaty body.

"Please give him water- please- He needs water," I whispered while staring up at my stepfather with my puppy eyes. He might be an abusive man... but he will always have a soft spot for me. Especially when I'm submissive to him.

"Sure. I'll be right back," The man nodded, disappearing inside his private office with a wide grin. He's in a good mood. I can spare some time for Taehyung. I quickly turned to look at Taehyung's weary face as he slumped motionlessly on the chair.

"Tae-"

"I'm fine. Don't provoke your stepfather. I'll endure the pain, so just stay calm," Taehyung whispered hoarsely without looking at me. His face was tilted upward to face the roof above us. I bit my trembling lips as I examined his severely wounded body. My stepfather didn't hurt me, but he'd force me to watch him break Taehyung day and night until I was crying in distress. How long can I bear this pain?

"Come this way. Your brother is still alive. I'm about to give him some water as requested by my precious daughter," My stepfather's voice echoed from my right side. I wildly turned to find my stepfather strolling back into the warehouse with a bucket of water. Taehyung huffed in shock when my stepfather splashed the cold water on his face and body.

"H-Hyung?" Taehyung frowned as the water dripped from his soaked bangs with his terrified eyes fixed on another person. I quickly turned to the side to find... Kim Namjoon... strolling inside the warehouse after my stepfather in his neat suit.

"You won't be thirsty anymore," My stepfather chuckled, ruffling Taehyung's damp hair to shake off the excess water. Clang-

"Ugh-" Taehyung seethed in pain when my stepfather threw the empty bucket at his head, sending it clattering onto the floor. The man turned to sit on an armchair beside my couch as Namjoon calmly stared at Taehyung's unpleasant condition with a straight face.

"What do you want?" Namjoon sighed, turning to face my stepfather without looking at me. He didn't even acknowledge my existence in the room.

"I expected to see your older brother. But I guess you can relay my message to the heir. Or not? Maybe you're here for personal motives?" My stepfather chuckled as he lit a cigar with a lighter. Taehyung glanced at me in confusion from his chair before glancing back at his older brother. The cold water... rinsing his swollen bruises, dirtying the concrete floor with his murky blood.

"I convinced my younger brother to help you escape prison. And yet you're torturing him like this?" Namjoon questioned in disappointment. I sucked in my breath and glanced at Namjoon in shock. So it's true? Taehyung bribed my father out of prison? Because Namjoon persuaded him? Why???

"I'm holding him captive until you fuck over your stepmother. I will not release him unless you restore stability," My stepfather puffed thick smoke into the air.

"I released you so you could oppose my stepmother-"

"Yah. You son of a bitch. You initiated the fight because I was too lenient with you. You let the bitch fool you into casting me inside a prison cell- Only to realize your own birth mother was brutally murdered by your stepmother. You set the rice field on fire, so put out the fucking fire. I'm not wasting my energy fighting your wench mother," My stepfather spat at Namjoon.

"Please refrain from addressing-"

"Ohoh? You're still defending her? She is a whore. Ask her. How many men did she fuck before she killed them under her father's order? Ah. You don't have access to this sort of information, do you? Hah! Fun fact- Your stepmother always kills men after she fucks them. She was a feral bitch during her youthful days. How did she win over your father's heart? By sucking his small dick! She fell in love with the businessman and thought she had everything until she realized another woman was better at fucking him. Your birth mother. She fucked your father better. Your stepmother got very upset and decided to murder the secret mistress. You weren't aware of it? Of course not," Jaehyun fired Namjoon an arrogant smile.

"Please- free Jiyoung. If I'm what you need to secure your deal- then free her," Taehyung painfully coughed between his words.

"Jiyoung? She's my precious daughter. I won't hurt her. Worry about yourself, dirty boy," My stepfather mocked Taehyung. Namjoon briefly glanced at me before averting his eyes back to his brother.

"I'll return for my brother after I revoke the case. And I expect him to be alive and well," Namjoon sighed, turning to stare at my stepfather as he sucked the cigar with a cunning smirk.

"Araso. I'll take care of your puppy boy, and don't leak our location- or many more people will die a tragic death. Finish your work quietly if you want your brother back in one piece," My stepfather nodded. Namjoon fired Taehyung a dull glance before striding out of the room, leaving us alone again after his brief visit to negotiate with my stepfather. I suddenly felt like puking, so I gagged and lowered my face in distress- shit. It's my pregnancy sickness.

"Can- I- have some water?" I whispered, looking up at my stepfather. He got up to grab a water bottle for me, roughly pouring it into my mouth until I started choking in distress. He threw the empty bottle aside after rubbing the excess water stain from my lips with his thumb.

"You look... sick..." My stepfather whispered, lowering his suspicious gaze to stare at my pale face. I gripped my fists in fear. I can't let him... know about my pregnancy. The man finally released my cheeks after holding intense eye contact with me and left to enter his private office. I turned back to find Taehyung sitting on the chair with his head hung low.

"Baby?" I whispered. No response. He fell unconscious. I sighed and leaned back on the couch to sleep with the chains around my ankle. We just have to survive a little longer.

__________________________

Third Person POV

Seokjin paced back and forth in his mother's mansion with his hand clasped over his chin until the front door flung open, and his mother came striding inside with a scarf wrapped around her head. The woman hurried into the living room after her bodyguard slammed the front door closed and dropped onto the couch to pour herself a whiskey with her shaky hands. Namjoon glanced at Seokjin as he entered the room after his stepmother with a file in his hand.

The heir pursed his lips at his mother's shaken condition before glancing at the sunglasses over his mother's eyes to the thin scarf, loosely dangling over her messy hair. She's hiding from the paparazzi outside her mansion. They've been chasing her around to snap pictures of her after the news leaked from an unknown source. It was a conspiracy article concerning her involvement with a former chairman's death. Jiyoung's birth father, Lee Hyung Seung.

"Eomma. I need to find Jiyoung and Taehyung-"

"Is that your only concern?! I'm the one dealing with this mess!" Mrs. Kim raised her voice at her son when he showed little concern for her troubles. Seokjin dimmed his eyes at his mother's furious argument.

"They're my family-"

"If they're your family, then what am I to you?! Neither of them is your own blood! Fuck- Can't you just focus on the trial right now!? The supreme court is trying to dismiss the case because of the public engagement!" She cursed under her breath, shakily draining the whiskey from the glass to cool her shaken nerves.

"The supreme court is considering the rumor associated with Lee Hyun Seung's death. Mrs. Hwang recently requested the court to relaunch the buried case related to her ex-husband's death," Namjoon exhaled, informing his stepmother of the unfavorable situation.

"The fucking news is too focused on me! They're spreading malicious lies!" Mrs. Kim gripped her hair after snatching the sunglasses from her eyes, hurling it aside in frustration.

"Lies? You stole Lee Hyun Seung's kidney-"

"Hwang Jaehyun killed the fucking bastard! I simply took his organ after he died! Jaehyun is the murderer!" Mrs. Kim seethed at Seokjin. Namjoon stood with a straight face beside his stepmother with his hands clasped together. The woman is unaware of his betrayal.

"I'm convinced Jiyoung and Taehyung are still alive-"

"They're better off dead! You're not risking your life to save them! Don't try to be a hero! I'll let you succeed all of Taehyung's assets if he dies so save yourself the trouble and focus on handling the corporation!" Mrs. Kim fired Seokjin an angry glare to warn him of his tempted intention to save his brother and lover.

"But Jiyoung-"

"She fucked your brothers! She's a fucking whore! I never raised you to chase after a worthless bitch like her!" Mrs. Kim seethed. Seokjin gripped his fists in anger after he heard his mother's hateful remarks toward his love interest. Namjoon sighed heavily and walked up the stairs to leave his brother and mother in the living room because he couldn't bear to listen to their arguments any longer.

"The work is done. I expect my brother's safe return," Namjoon informed with the phone pressed against his ear after he closed his bedroom door.

"Good job. I'd like to return him... but there's a problem here," Hwang Jaehyun replied. Namjoon frowned at the man's words with his hand on his hip.

"What are you talking about? We made a deal-"

"No. No. No. Your little brother refuses to leave my daughter's side. Here- listen to him- Hyung! I can't leave Jiyoung alone!- I refuse to leave without her-" The man handed the phone to Taehyung. Namjoon clenched his fist after hearing his brother's unstable voice through the line.

"Kim Taehyung! Don't be a fool and return-"

"I can't! I love her! I'd rather die than leave her with the fucking sick man- Argh!- How dare you call me a sick man!?- You son of a bitch- ugh-!" Namjoon lowered his phone after he heard the man beating up his brother on the other side of the phone. He hung up in frustration, slowly lowering his arms to lean against his desk with his eyes closed. The door to his room suddenly swung open, and Seokjin appeared out of nowhere with a glowering face.

"Where are they!?" Seokjin snapped, impatiently storming up to Namjoon in anger.

"What-"

"It's you! I know you're causing all these commotions! It was you who leaked eomma's confidential files related to her past assassination records!" Seokjin confronted his brother. Namjoon stood staring at Seokjin raging glare with a sour expression.

"I'm doing it to save my brother because you can't do anything about it," Namjoon exhaled, calmly crossing his arms over his buff chest.

"I care about Taehyung-"

"But you can't do anything about it. We might have the same last name, but we were never treated as your equals," Namjoon slightly shook his head.

"Eomma might not love you as much, but I see you as my blood brothers! Why are you doing this?- Stop the nonsense. Where's Taehyung and Jiyoung!?" Seokjin repeatedly shook his head in frustration.

"If I told you... would you be able to do anything?" Namjoon sighed, unfolding his arms to place them in his pocket instead.

"I will do anything for-"

"Once eomma falls... you'll go down with her. After all, it was you... who chose to cover Hwang Jaehyun's corruption in the corporation. You defended the shadow man for a woman. A woman. You risked your family's status to hold a woman who doesn't even desire you. Even if eomma collapse... Taehyung and I won't be scratched. We never intervened with eomma's dirty affairs, unlike the good boy you are," Namjoon stared dully at Seokjin's drained face. Kim Namjoon knew the executives in the corporation favored him over Seokjin because they despised his greedy stepmother.

"Jiyoung loves me, and I will not give up on her-"

"Even after she chose to marry Taehyung? She has his child," Namjoon scoffed at Seokjin's stubbornness in disbelief. A flash of annoyance swept across Seokjin's face.

"She is Taehyung's happiness. You can't save one without the other. If you truly cared about your brother- Then you can't kill his lover. She's carrying his child. She might not have chosen me, but I will not lose my integrity to my greed. She's a woman I love, and I will love her regardless of her decision to be with another man. If it's anyone... it's you. You're the greedy man. You're fueling all these commotions- not to save your brother- but to prove your competence. You want the president chair so badly, huh? Take it. I never intended to snatch it back from you- ever since you won the election. I planned on leaving the country to handle my own corporation, and once I'm gone- you'll become the heir. That's what you wanted, right? Revenge for your dead mother? Fine. If my status and wealth are what you desire to resolve your unspoken grudge towards me, then take all of it. I won't stop you, but I won't let you use Taehyung as an excuse to justify your pathetic actions. I'm not a sucker for women. You never really trusted anyone or even learned to appreciate their love because you're devoid of affection. And I'm terribly sorry you weren't raised with enough love! You hate my mother, and I know you despise me because of her! I was a fool for cherishing you as my family when you never really valued my affection- even after everything I did for you and Taehyung! You know nothing about love. What I feel for Taehyung and Jiyoung- you'll never understand it because you don't know what love is. Do whatever you want with the Kim's name if it'll appease your stupid revenge game. I don't care. So let me ask you again. Where is Taehyung and Jiyoung? Even if I have to die... I'll do it to save their lives. And once I die.... everything. Everything I had that you don't have... will become yours by law. You're not losing anything here, so tell me their whereabouts! I won't let either of them die!" Seokjin took a step forward to glare straight at Namjoon's blank eyes.

The two brothers stood fuming at one another in rage in the dark room. Namjoon was utterly speechless, but he kept his chin high as he glared at his older brother with his razor-sharp eyes.

Fast Forward

Jiyoung's POV

Appa hugged me tightly in his arms after I broke down in my dreams. I begged him to stay with me because I didn't want to release him. He held me. He embraced me tightly in his arms. Appa kept assuring me everything will be okay, but I was still very frightened of the future uncertainty. I didn't want to let go of his warm body. I wanted to be trapped in my mind forever... to remain with my father. Appa, I don't want to wake up again. The world is a scary place. Appa slowly dissolved from my grip as I began to regain consciousness. My eyes slowly opened... only to be greeted by a dull lightbulb over my head. It's cold. The warehouse doesn't have a heating system. Goosebumps suddenly swept across my body when I felt a hand caressing my thighs. I quickly glanced down to find my stepfather fondling my legs with a flushed face.

"You're awake? You were shivering in your sleep," The man smiled as he pushed my nightgown upward to expose my pale skin.

"You're drunk- please stop," I whispered, calmly sitting up on the couch to push his hand away from my thighs. The man laughed and tilted his head back to drain the wine bottle in one gulp. I nervously glanced at Taehyung... who was slouching unconsciously on the chair. My stepfather beat him up again after a brief call with Namjoon.

"It's cold, isn't it? I should've dressed you warmly," My stepfather rolled the empty wine bottle away as I hugged my knees in fear.

"Can you give him some clothes?" I muttered, glancing at Taehyung, who was shivering in his sleep. His torso is completely shirtless after my father tore his shirt apart to beat him. The bruises on his body were swollen, and he was growing weaker by the day.

"I'll give him my clothes, but I'll be shirtless. I'll be cold... so will you hold me?" My stepfather smirked as he undid his shirt on the couch. My body stiffened in fear as the drunk man stripped himself beside me.

"Appa- please-" I begged in tears. The man stood up from the couch and walked over to Taehyung to place his shirt over Taehyung's shoulders.

"You lucky bastard," My stepfather laughed, slightly slapping Taehyung's cheek to wake him up. Taehyung grunted, groggily looking up at the man with his swollen eyes before glancing down at the clean shirt over his dirty body in confusion. The man straightened his back after smacking Taehyung's head, causing him to groan in discomfort. I fearfully kept my eyes on the man as he drunkenly walked back toward me without any shirt on. The man slumped down next to me, so I quickly scooted away when he suddenly grabbed my arm to yank me against him.

"Appa-"

"I'm cold, Jiyoung-ah~ I'm cold because you asked me to cover your boyfriend. Keep me warm," The man chuckled lowly as he snaked his arm around my waist to hold me against him. My body began quivering at his uninvited touch... yet I refused to reject his embrace. I knew my resistance would only provoke the man to hurt Taehyung again.

"Don't touch her-" Taehyung grunted from the chair as he watched my stepfather clutch my body with his possessive arms. I bit my lower lips in fear and slightly shook my head at Taehyung to disapprove his concern. My stepfather will hurt him again if he won't stop speaking.

"Why not? She makes me feel good. Ah~ You smell so lovely!" My stepfather laughed, pressing his face against my hair to inhale my scent with a lustful expression. I gripped my gown in fear when I felt his nose grazing my earlobes. The man tightened his arm around my waist while rubbing my inner thigh with his other hand. I exhaled shakily and lowered my face to calm my trembling body. Stay calm, Jiyoung.

"Appa- please-" I whispered when the man started kissing the side of my neck. I sucked in my breath in fear and tried to push him away when he shoved me down on the couch to crawl over my body. The man chuckled and lowered his face towards mine, so I quickly turned my face away-

"NO- STOP! STOP IT! DON'T TOUCH HER- YOU FUCKING DISGUSTING PREDATOR!" Taehyung roared in panic when my stepfather started doing inappropriate things to my body. The man suddenly halted at Taehyung's rude remarks. He didn't look at Taehyung and kept his deadly eyes fixed on mine. I couldn't breathe when I felt his soft pants over my cheeks. My heart wasn't beating anymore, and my entire body was completely paralyzed by his cold stare.

"Are you uncomfortable, my love?" He whispered while combing his fingers through my loose hair. I gulped in tears, fearfully turning to look at Taehyung's bulging eyes as he fumed on the chair. What if he beats Taehyung again?

"Appa- please-"

"I'll beat him until he-"

"No! No! Appa! Please don't hurt him! Please- I love him! You can't hurt him!" I shrieked in pain when the man tried to scramble off me. I unconsciously grabbed his arm in panic, thinking he'd get up to hurt Taehyung again. The man scoffed at my defensive reaction and turned to glare at me as I fearfully pouted at him with my puppy eyes.

"Do you love him that much? Hmm? Fine! Go to him then!" My father suddenly grabbed a handful of my hair to yank me off the couch. I screamed in pain- tumbling off the couch after my stepfather. The man roughly hauled me onto my feet before I could stabilize my balance and dragged me toward Taehyung.

"Jiyoung!" Taehyung gasped, trying to reach for me, but his arms were securely tied behind his back. I slammed hard into Taehyung's body, weakly dropping to the floor in pain after my stepfather shoved me against his injured body.

"You love him, right?! So much you'd die for him!? Then suck his dick!" The man angrily shoved my head into Taehyung's crotch to suffocate me. I sat on the floor in tears as Taehyung sat over me on the chair to watch me whimper with a restless expression.

"Stop it! Don't hurt her! You can beat me all you want- just don't hurt-"

"No! You can't hurt him! Taehyung, stop it! You're too weak-" I gasped, lifting my head to look at Taehyung in panic when he tried to stop my stepfather from torturing me.

"Baby!-" Taehyung snapped disapprovingly when my stepfather started laughing like a madman. We both grew hushed and fearfully looked up at the madman. He shook his head with a psychotic smile, roughly releasing my hair, and went back to sit on the couch without his shirt. We fearfully watched him uncork another wine bottle in absolute silence.

"Okay. I get it. Your love for each other is unconditional... so show me your love then. Go ahead. Kiss each other if you want. Hold each other. Fuck each other... if it'll make you feel better. I've already freed your hands, my little princess. Touch him however you like," The sick man laughed at us from the couch. I glanced down at my swollen wrists, and sure enough... I was free. Only my left ankle was locked with the metallic chains. I slowly looked up at Taehyung with my pained eyes and shot onto my feet to embrace him. Taehyung snuggled his face against my face as I sat on his lap to hold him tightly in my arms.

"It's okay. I'm fine. Don't cry- Jiyoung, you have to stay strong for our baby," Taehyung whispered in my ear when I broke down against him. I can't do this anymore. I gripped his sticky hair... desperately drawing him closer to me as he sat on the chair in tears.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, guiltily pulling away to rub his puffy face. His eyeballs were bloodshot from being punched in the face. His lips were chapped and bleeding. His nose was broken, and there were messy cuts all over his firm skin. My heart ached in pain to witness him in this condition, so I gently lowered my lips to kiss him. Taehyung closed his eyes at my tender stroke to let out a deep sigh as I caressed his lips with my hand under his jawline to support his head.

"I want you to get on your knees," My stepfather dawdled from behind us. I broke the kiss to stare at Taehyung's torn expression as he gulped at me and shakily turned to look at my stepfather. The man drank directly from the wine bottle with his tempted eyes fixed on us.

"What?" I asked, unsurely staring at him.

"Get on your knees before him. I'll tell you a story," He ordered. I gripped Taehyung's shoulders with my eyes fixed on the sick man.

"Listen to him. Jiyoung- do everything he asks. You can't get hurt. I can endure it. Okay? Baby, you have to protect our child," Taehyung whispered, making my chest churn in pain. I turned back to look at Taehyung as I sat on his lap with a conflicted expression. I nodded and leaned forward to give him another kiss. Slowly, I released Taehyung's body and slipped onto the floor to kneel before Taehyung. I fearfully turned to look at my stepfather for approval.

"You never really appreciated me, so show me. Show me how you love that asshole. Go on. Unzip his trousers and suck his dick," The man nodded at me.

"Moh?! Are you out of your mind?!" Taehyung gasped in shock at my father's absurd request.

"It's what you want, isn't it? You desired my daughter's body. You love to fuck her because she's a rare gem. I'm sure you make her kneel before you like this all the time when your dick gets hard," The man laughed, taking another mouthful gulp from the wine bottle. Taehyung glanced down at me in horror as I knelt before him.

"Okay," I replied, turning to reach for Taehyung's belt.

"Jiyoung- you don't have to-"

"He'll beat you if I don't do as he says. Just relax- and pretend it's just us-" I stuttered, shakily unbuckling his belt. Taehyung scoffed and leaned his head backward as I undid his trousers. I grabbed his private part from underneath his dirty underpants and slowly lowered my face to take him inside my mouth in tears. Taehyung's body stiffened on the chair as I pleased him with my mouth.

"Good girl," The man praised me as I steadily bounced my head over Taehyung's crotch to pleasure him. Taehyung grunted in difficulty as I gave him the blowjob before my stepfather. The warehouse grew hushed, and the only sound was the moist smooching sound of my lips over Taehyung's crotch.

"Does it feel good? See. He's getting hard even in a situation like this. Jiyoung. Make him cum," The man instructed. I halted to catch my breath with his private part inside my mouth, uneasily glancing up at Taehyung's flustered face. He fired me an apologetic look as he struggled to contain his reaction on the chair. I took a deep breath and resumed pleasing him again until Taehyung groaned over me, so I sped up the pace until he finally hit his climax. I pulled away with my eyes closed when I felt his semen splattering all over my face. Taehyung gasped heavily after blowing his load at my face and slumped back against the chair in exhaustion.

"What a dirty girl. Jiyoung was always this dirty, you know? Even when she was young... she'd provoke me so innocently. She'd sometimes walk around my villa in her slutty nightgown without any panties or bra on. The silk was thin... so I could almost see through the fabric. Her body curves... her maturing breasts... her peachy ass... I could always see the defined silhouette of her naked body. I tried to dismiss my temptation. But you... my little princess kept on clinging your body onto mine. You kept prompting my desire. I knew you had alluring charms... a charm that turns every man hard for you. So I sent you to an all-girl school... hoping to keep you safe from all the hard dicks. But you always seem to find your way around... sneaking out with boys you meet online to suck their dicks. Letting their filthy hands touch your panties and breasts in the dark karaoke room," The man chuckled.

"I remember getting furious over it. But I never hurt you. Not once. I'd rather beat up the asshole who touches you. I forgave you... over and over again... until you decided to rub your fucking pussy on your tutor's dick. Under my roof. I hired the college student to coach you- yet you were trying to fuck him in your room. I lost my temper and started beating you. How can a child be so filthy? I was upset with your vulgar sexual nature. It was a disgrace to raise a disobedient child like you... I felt ashamed. I did things to you afterward and got addicted until you ran away. I didn't chase after you because I didn't want to hurt you anymore, but the audacity... to return to me. The audacity to steal my things. The audacity to beg me for money so you could help your drug addict boyfriend. I wanted to punish you. So I did. I punished you for being such a shameless slut," My stepfather spoke in a low tone. I gripped Taehyung's pants in discomfort as I listened to the man's vile comments.

"You raped her. Don't fucking use shitty excuses to justify your disgusting actions. It's her choice to sleep with people she likes, and you were not one of her choices," Taehyung seethed at the man.

"Jiyoung get up," The man ordered. I gulped and stood up as he demanded.

"She's not yours to control!" Taehyung snapped in irritation.

"She knows she's a dirty girl. That's why she kept quiet all these years. Slip off your panties... I know you're dripping wet for him," The sick man chuckled. I gripped my fist with my head hung low and slowly reached under my gown to pull down my panties from under my gown at his command.

"Baby. Baby, stop- You can't do this," Taehyung stuttered as he watched me slip the panties from my ankle with a startled expression. I refused to look at Taehyung because I was too embarrassed to face him.

"It's her filthy nature. She loves pleasure. Go on. Use him to please yourself," My stepfather urged. I gulped the lump in my throat and slowly walked up to Taehyung, who was staring at me in horror.

"Jiyoung- I know you're doing this for me. You don't have to. Baby, look at me-" Taehyung furiously whispered as I lowered myself to sit on his lap in my nightgown without anything under me. I anxiously looked at his eyes in pain. I'm ashamed of myself.

"If I don't do as he asks... the man... will rape me again," I whispered, fearfully staring at Taehyung. His face drained in horror. My stepfather is too drunk. If I don't occupy my body- then he will use me to pleasure himself. I'd rather let my lover use me than let that man touch me again.

"Fuck him. Fuck him good... like a dirty whore you are," The man smiled evilly from the couch. I exhaled and reached down to adjust our position until I felt him slipping inside me. Taehyung tensed his body at the taunting penetration until he was deep between my thighs.

"Ji-Jiyoung baby- you don't have to do this. I will never see you as an unworthy woman- ugh- shit- baby-" Taehyung tried to stop me when I lifted my hips and started bouncing over him. Taehyung moaned in distress as I slowly ride him on the chair.

"It's okay. Let's just pretend it's just us inside this room," I whispered, leaning against Taehyung's torso to hug his warm body. Taehyung panted against my ear and turned his face to kiss my ear as I made love with him on the chair before my stepfather's eyes.

"See? She's a dirty woman, isn't she? There's no shame in her at all. She'd fuck anyone she wants... if her wet pussy begs her to. Anyways... you must be embarrassed about your story, my little princess. Don't worry... your lover's past isn't so pure either," The man laughed as he watched me bounce over Taehyung. I forced his voice out of my head and turned to make out with Taehyung when I felt the warmness expanding inside my crotch with every thump. We both moaned against each other's lips to ignore the man's nasty words.

"Kim Taehyung. The Mafia Boss. A womanizer. The youngest of the three brothers. You were popular amongst the dark side. Oh. Women loved you. Even your own stepmother," My father chuckled. Taehyung suddenly stiffened his body at my stepfather's words, so I drew my lips away to frown at his unsettling reaction. My stepfather slowly stood up from the couch to approach us as I steadily grind my buttcheeks over Taehyung.

"Keep going. I won't interrupt you, but I want my little princess to learn a little more about her handsome lover. Jiyoung must've told you about her past sexual trauma because she loved you, but you never really told her... how dirty you are, right? Hmm? Pretty face man?" My stepfather reached out to grab Taehyung's cheeks. I glanced at Taehyung's burning eyes and abruptly stopped humping him to stare at my stepfather with a questioning look.

"Shut up-"

"You're aware his stepmother favors him, right?" My stepfather roughly released Taehyung's face, averting his attention to me instead. I gripped Taehyung's shoulders in fear.

"I'm aware," I swallowed. My stepfather scoffed and took a few steps backward to lean against the wall with his arms crossed.

"But were you aware of... his secret relationship with his stepmother?" My stepfather smirked. I blinked at the man's crooked smile... then turned to observe Taehyung's oddly dreadful expression.

"She abused him for her own gain-"

"Yeah, she does. She feeds her stepson tough love, so he would go around doing dirty work for her... but did he ever inform you of his secret love affair with his stepmother, my love?" My stepfather smiled. I blinked unsurely at his words, slowly glancing at Taehyung's trembling lips as he sat on the chair with his puppy eyes fixed on mine.

"You're saying nonsense. Taehyung told me everything. He lets her abuse him because he's deprived of love-"

"That's what you told her? Wah. You really are a sneaky jerk, huh? Lying to your soon-to-be wife like this?" My stepfather smugly laughed at my naive response.

"I don't understand-"

"Did you really think the abuse was the entire story? Did you... really think that's the only reason he kept crawling after his mother like a dog? Tell me, Jiyoung. Has this man... knelt for you? Did he crawl after you like a dog? Hmm?" The man asked, glancing back at me with his head tilted to the side. I stared at the man restlessly while recalling my memories of Taehyung's hopeless behavior whenever he was insecure or threatened.

"He does-"

"Jiyoung, I'm sorry- baby," Taehyung suddenly cut me short. I turned to examine Taehyung's quivering lips and broken eyes with my eyebrows furrowed.

"Right. He kneels for you. He crawled for you. For love. Your love. He did the same with his mother. Kneeling... crawling... whimpering like a pathetic pup to beg for love. It's all too familiar," My stepfather nodded. Taehyung suddenly screwed his eyes shut. His body started shaking under me as he fought to contain his emotions. I stared at Taehyung's torn condition in confusion. Why is he breaking down... all of the sudden?

"What are you trying to say-"

"After he kneels and crawls for you... to get you weak for him. What does he do to you afterward? Hmm? Let me guess. Lay you down on his bed? Strip your body naked. Starts to kiss your bare flesh until your body warms up to his touch? And then he proceeds to lower his head between your legs... right? And even before you know it... he's fucking you hard on his bed. Am I wrong?" The man asked while leaning against the wall. I gulped at my father's words with my eyes fixed on Taehyung's flooding tear streams.

"Please- stop-" Taehyung choked, desperately turning to beg my stepfather.

"I'm doing this for Jiyoung. Not for you. Look at her. I didn't hurt her, did I? The reason I kept beating you... it's because you deserved it for being unfaithful to her," The man suddenly walked towards us.

"I'm sorry- I really didn't mean to- Ugh!" Taehyung cried in pain when my stepfather suddenly yanked his hair backward with a furious glare. I glanced back and forth between them in bewilderment.

"Appa. What are you talking about!?" I snapped after losing my patience. What the fuck is he trying to say?!

"Why don't you tell her? Hmm? Tell her about your relationship with your mother. Confess your sin- you motherfucker," My stepfather roughly shoved Taehyung's head back up to position his face right before mine. My lips parted slightly when I noticed the unmistakable guilt on Taehyung's face.

"Jiyoung- I'm sorry," Taehyung sobbed in distress.

"Why- are you sorry?" I asked while searching Taehyung's pained expression for an appropriate explanation. Why is Taehyung this shattered? My chest churned and twisted in pain upon his apologetic gaze.

"Tell her, boy. Go on... it's too late to keep it hidden now, don't you think?" My stepfather lowered his face to whisper in Taehyung's ear. My chest burned uncomfortably... the longer I stared at Taehyung's remorseful expression. I'm lost. Why does he look so guilty?

"My relationship- with my mother- it's not- n-not- p- platonic-" Taehyung sobbed in distress. My heart dropped at his words. My mind completely went blank, and I suddenly lost all my senses. Taehyung broke into tears as I sat facing him on his lap in shock.

"What?" I whispered while gawking at him when I couldn't process his confession. Taehyung tried to speak but failed and lowered his head to cry instead. I stared at his anguished reaction in disbelief.

"You heard him. That's right. He fucks his own stepmother. Everything he did with you... he did it with her too. He'd kneel for her and lower his pretty face to eat her fucking pussy. He'd fuck her... hard... in his stepmother's room whenever his father was away on a business trip. When did it all start? Hmm? If I recall correctly... he's been like doing it since his past girlfriend died. You see. He went psycho after he killed his ex-girlfriend in the accident. Why else would his stepmother cover up his crime to safeguard his guilt? Because she loved his young dick. He never told you this side of the story, right?" My stepfather laughed, lowering his face beside Taehyung to stare straight at my swelling tears. I opened my mouth to speak and averted my eyes to Taehyung... but I was speechless. I lost my voice. What the actual fuck-

"Is it true?" I whispered after a long pause between us. I'm upset and dumbfounded at the same time. He sobbed even louder when he noticed the shock in my eyes, causing my heart to sink at his confirmation.

"You were wrongly punished by me, and it wasn't your fault, Jiyoung. I raped you. I'm the bad man. I'll admit it, but this man? Look at him. The dick you're sitting on right now. The dick inside you at this very moment... He was never forced by his mother. He chose to fuck her-"

"Stop! Please-"

"Why did he disappear after this fake death? Hmm? I wasn't even surprised when I found out he's been hiding with his stepmother. She kept him in her room while you were grieving his death. Jiyoung, baby girl, the reason he wasn't seeing you... it was because... he had his mother's company. Days... weeks... months... when you killed yourself for him... he was probably getting his dick sucked by his mother. When your heart was aching for him... he was probably thrusting inside his stepmother's pussy. Baby. The details will only hurt you. Not once... but twice... you tried to end your life over a pathetic scumbag like him. After everything, you did for him. After the position you granted him in the corporation. After all the money you made for him. He never really appreciated it. Why? Because his mother had already given him... everything he desired. Women. Money. Power. Pleasure. He already had it all, and you...? You were only his favorite toy. He'd hold onto you... and take you everywhere with him, but that's all you are to him. His favorite... pleasure doll," My stepfather slowly circled us to place his hands on my shoulders. I sat stiffly on Taehyung's lap with my tearful eyes nailed on Taehyung's ugly cry. My mind is completely fucked- I'm too overwhelmed with the information.

"If this is real. Then why did you keep it hidden from me?" I asked my stepfather. If he knew... Why did he keep it a secret?

"Jiyoung, sweetheart. I know I have wronged you in the past, but besides the abuse and the rape... was I ever harsh with you? I raised you like my own child. I know you loathe me for the wrongful things I did to you... but you're still my daughter, and I'm still your father. I love you. That's why I chose Seokjin because he's competent and pure. I wanted to offer you a fresh start with Seokjin because I know he's capable of taking care of you. But you chose this this fucker. I didn't like it because I was well... aware of his unholy relationship with his stepmother. I knew the witch would hurt you for stealing her favorite puppy, yet you never listened to me. So I allowed you to be with him... after I heard he wanted to marry you. For once, I wanted to let you go. I wanted my daughter to be happy because I was guilty of my actions. I safeguarded the nasty secret because he was treating you well. Also, he's wealthy, and he has his mafias. I figured I could use him for my benefits, so I let it slide... until he faked his death. Until my sweet girl tried to end her life twice for him. Baby, he's not worth your love. Never was," My stepfather whispered in my ears as I watched Taehyung struggle to contain his tears. He kept tugging his arms behind the chair as if to embrace me, but the knot was too tight for him to free himself.

"Is it true? Taehyung, is it true?" I asked while staring at him with a pained expression. Taehyung refused to answer me and tilted his head back to stare at the light above us instead.

"Why did he want to marry you in a rush like this? It's probably his mother's scheme to take control of your birth father's shares in Seokjin's corporation. Seokjin wouldn't let his mother touch his hand-built companies abroad because he wanted to be independent. But as the greedy woman... she is... she used her puppy to secure you. Once you're wedded to the mafia boss... all your shares will become his, and his mother will have access to Seokjin's foreign corporation- "

"THAT'S NOT TRUE! JIYOUNG, DON'T LISTEN TO HIM! I LOVE YOU! BABY, I LOVE YOU! THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO MARRY YOU! PLEASE- BELIEVE ME! I NEVER WANTED TO SEIZE YOUR SHARES FOR MY MOTHER! JIYOUNG, YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU!" Taehyung suddenly roared in tears as he struggled to express himself since his limbs were tightly bound to the chair.

"You denied my accusation so quickly- but you couldn't admit to your relationship with your mother? Son of a bitch," My stepfather scoffed, straightening his body to smirk at Taehyung's terrified expression. Taehyung pursed his lips while staring at me with his frightened eyes as I sat... motionlessly... staring at his beaten face with difficulty. I don't know how to respond to this situation.

"Baby... I love you. You have to believe me. Whatever happened... it was the past. I never wavered ever since we got together. You're my priority. You know that. I gave up on my family for you. Jiyoung- I'm sorry for not telling you the truth. I was scared you'd- leave me. Please- I can't lose you... baby, please..." Taehyung averted his burning red eyes to mine as he spoke in a shaky tone to beg me. I thought about his words and finally leaned forward to embrace him.

"I love you too," I whispered, tightening my clutch around his thick neck to hold him. We're all in an unstable condition right now... I can't afford to act recklessly. We're both in danger, so I can't fall for my stepfather's words. I have to hang onto Taehyung no matter what.

"I'm sorry. Jiyoung, I'm so sorry- please forgive me-" Taehyung cried in my ear. I gripped his shoulder and buried my face against his head in tears.

"I know- AH!" I replied but cried at the top of my lungs when my stepfather suddenly snatched my hair with all his might. Taehyung gasped in shock when I toppled off his lap and fell hard onto the floor after being yanked backward.

"You little bitch! How dare you say you love him after what he's done to you!?" My stepfather roared in anger. I sobbed in distress and tried to untangle his grip from my hair when he suddenly grabbed my arm to yank me onto my feet.

"What are you doing to her!? Let her go! YAH!" Taehyung bellowed as I stumbled across the room after my stepfather. My stepfather hastily shoved me hard onto the couch. I quickly shot back up- but whimpered in pain when he forced my shoulders down to trap me beneath him as he sat over me with a furious glare.

"How are you so pathetic?! You'll never change, huh?! Is his fucking dick really worth the betrayal!? You stupid little whore!" My stepfather slapped me hard across my face as I fought to resist him. Taehyung roared at the top of his lungs when my stepfather yanked my hair backward to hold me in place. I screamed in pain when he repeatedly slapped me until my cheeks burnt with his handprint.

Trigger Warning: [ Rape and Sexual Assault ]

"APPA! PLEASE- I LOVE HIM- AH!" I screamed in shock when he roughly jerked my hair to the side. I coughed in pain until I tasted blood in my mouth.

"You love him? A man who fucks his mother?! I told you to marry a proper man! Not a pussy pleaser like him! But it's your nature, isn't it?! Lusting for worthless men like him?! You want him that badly?! Alright! I'll fuck you until you change your mind!" My stepfather painfully clutched my chin to hold my head down as he sat over me. My eyes grew wide open when the man slipped his body between my thighs. I frantically twisted my legs close to keep him away, but he simply shoved my legs apart with his strong arms.

"STOP! NO! DON'T TOUCH HER! LEAVE HER ALONE! YOU FUCKING DISGUSTING SON OF A BITCH! I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU TOUCH HER! YAH!" Taehyung screamed in horror as he angrily jerked on the chair.

"APPA! PLEASE- NO! I'M SORRY! PLEASE- PLEASE DON'T DO THIS! APPA! I'M SORRY!" I begged in desperation as the man unbuckled his belt between my legs. I tried to sit up but he hastily shoved my face with his palm to pin me against the couch. My heart began racing like crazy as the man forcefully held me captive under him.

"I'll make you feel good if that's what you want! You love him?! Hah! I'll fuck him out of your mind, you pathetic bitch!" The man cursed. I cried at the top of my lungs as the man positioned his crotch between my legs.

"NO! NO! NO! YOU CAN KILL ME! DON'T HURT HER- PLEASE- I'LL DO EVERYTHING YOU ASK! PLEASE FREE HER! I'M BEGGING YOU!" Taehyung screeched with his eyes bulging open as he stared at us from his chair in horror.

"I won't hurt her. I'll make her feel good-" The man smirked at Taehyung before turning back to watch me sob in fright as I struggled to force his heavy body off mine.

"A-appa- please~ I'm begging you. I'm sorry for being a bad child- please~ you can't do this- Ah! Appa- stop! Hah! Appa~!" I cried in agony to plead for mercy when the man suddenly shoved his private part inside mine. My eyes bulged open in shock when I felt his presence inside me. I cried in horror and turned my head on the couch to look away from him.

"You'll feel good soon, sweetheart. This is your punishment for being a dirty girl," The man snarled as he repeatedly thrust between my legs. I choked in pain and turned to smack his chest in distress when I felt him reaching deep inside me. My wrecked heart broke into pieces and my bandaged soul... began to crumble apart when I realized I was being raped by the man again. The man grabbed my wrists to pin them over my head as he forcefully pounded between my legs until my body grew stiff in discomfort.

"Please... Please- I'm scared! Ah! This can't be happening- I'm so scared!" I sobbed in pain when the traumatizing memories filled my head all over again. My heart was beating so fast- I couldn't breathe properly, so I started hyperventilating on the couch as I watched the man rape me in despair. Nasty tears... snots and drool leaked all over my face as I begged the man to stop assaulting my body, but he never heard my distressed cries.

"PLEASE! KILL ME! KILL ME INSTEAD- YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO HER! STOP IT! PLEASE- I'M SORRY! PLEASE STOP HURTING HER!" Taehyung shrieked in horror as he watched my stepfather rape me from the chair in pain. Taehyung bellowed at the top of his lungs as he repeatedly twisted and turned on the chair to reach me, but it was useless.

"Taehyung- please- please don't look at me! Baby- baby- please close your eyes! I don't want you to look at me! Baby!" I screamed at Taehyung as heavy tears streamed down the side of my face. Taehyung bawled in distress as he watched me beg him from the couch.

"Baby- I'm sorry! Jiyoung- I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Baby- I know you're in pain, but I'm here- I'm here with you-" Taehyung bawled in despair to comfort me, but I shook my head and turned back to look at my stepfather. The man shoved my nightgown all the way up to my chest. I jerked in shock when he started groping my breasts, causing me to tremble in distress with every stroke of his disgusting touch on my body. Taehyung howled at the top of his lungs as he repeatedly stomped on the chair in anguish as he fought to reach me. I gasped in shock when my stepfather accelerated the speed of his hips to fuck me harder until I felt my inside throbbing with unbearable pleasure.

The man leaned down to suck my breasts, so I shrieked and tried to shove his head away, but he was too strong for me. I'm in so much pain! I gripped the man's hair and tilted my head back in difficulty as he took my body against my will. The room around me became distorted as my head swayed from side to side at the intensity of the trauma I was enduring. I felt like barfing. My organs lurched uncomfortably with every shove I felt between my legs. My mind was spinning like a whirlpool, and I was out of breath... it's as if my soul was being sucked out of my body. My remaining happiness and will to live slowly drained out of my body with every dirty stroke I felt over my vulnerable body. My heart was desperately hammering against my rib to plead to the sick man for mercy.

"Don't worry. I won't get you pregnant since I'm sterile," The man joked over me. I coughed in tears when I felt my body trembling out of control beneath him. The man refused to release my body and slammed harder inside me as he held my legs apart.

"Baby! Jiyoung! Look at me! Look at me! Baby- I'm so sorry!" Taehyung screamed for my attention, but I was starting to lose consciousness. I felt an intense painful contraction over my left rib- As if... I was having a stroke. The audio around me suddenly grew hushed, and my vision became blurry- as if everything was in slow motion. I couldn't concentrate on anything as the deadly seizure took over my body, and I suddenly couldn't breathe anymore. My ears rang loudly as my body began to shut down from the brutal panic attack until my limbs grew stiff. Taehyungs screamed in pain when my arms slowly dropped to the side in defeat. And my dirty face... flopped to the side to find Taehyung's burning red eyes and torn expression crying for me to stay awake.

Little did he know... I could no longer hear him. All I could see were the bulging veins forming over his forehead and his heavy tears. He was just as broken as I was as he struggled to reach me... but we were both hopeless. I blinked at him in tears as unconscious teardrops spilled from my cheeks. Slowly, I lifted my finger to reach for him, but I was too weak, so I sobbed and closed my eyes in defeat- THUD. I felt the man pulling out of me, but I was too weak to react. THUD. THUD. THUD.

My consciousness suddenly returned to my body after I heard the strange noises, so I blinked and glanced around the blurry room to find distorted figures beside the couch. I blinked in confusion when I realized my stepfather was no longer on top of me.

"UGH!" Someone grunted in pain. My sight suddenly cleared up, and a flood of low grunts suddenly drummed in my ears again. My suffocated chest suddenly grew lighter, so I turned to find two figures wrestling on the floor. I glanced at Taehyung, who was still wailing from his chair... before glancing back at the people on the floor. SMASH. I shielded my face in shock when I felt glass shattering all over me. THUD. Someone dropped to the floor... so I weakly turned my head on the couch to focus my gaze on the person. A man slumped onto the floor as the other one crawled on the floor... with his arms clasped over his rib. My head was spinning like crazy, and my body was still trembling like a lost puppy. I whimpered in pain when I realized I couldn't move my numb body anymore. Someone suddenly crawled on top of me again, causing me to jerk in panic.

"Don't touch me- d-don't touch me! Please!" I bawled, twisting and turning with my remaining energy to resist the person. I screwed my face in distress when I felt my entire body twitching with the aching jolts. The person grabbed my wrists and yanked my body upward to make me sit as I thrashed in distress to force him away from my sensitive body.

"Jiyoung! It's me! Seokjin! Jiyoung, look at me! I'm here! You're safe! No one's hurting you anymore!" The man snapped as he gripped my shoulders tightly to stop me from throwing a fit. I abruptly stopped pushing him away as I sat on the couch with my eyes wide open in horror. My vision finally stopped distorting- and I found Seokjin's sweaty face right in front of mine. My heart stopped beating when I realized it wasn't my stepfather.

"S-Seokjin?" I choked in shock as tears streamed down the side of my face. He quickly pulled me into a crushing hug, so I gripped his broad shoulders to cry in distress. Seokjin tightened his arm around my waist to hold my shuddering body against his warm body.

"I'm here. Jiyoung... you're safe. I promise. I'm- so sorry for not reaching you earlier, but I'm here now. It's okay... it's okay... I won't let anyone hurt you," Seokjin tugged my head to make me bury my face against his shoulder. I sobbed in fear as I hugged Seokjin for comfort.

"I'm scared- he- I- Seokjin, I'm so scared- He- he touched me- he- he forced me- I begged him not to- but he kept- he kept touching me- I can feel- his- disgusting hands- all over my body- I'm scared-" I howled with a broken heart. Seokjin pulled away to cup my cheeks with his stern gaze fixed on my torn eyes.

"I know. But I'm here for you. Okay? I need you to stay conscious, okay? Can you do that for me? We have to get out of here," Seokjin firmly held onto my cheek as he rubbed away my tears and snot with his thumbs. I gripped his forearms in tears and was about to reply when my stepfather launched off the floor to tackle Seokjin off the couch. I sucked in my breath in horror when my stepfather tried to stab Seokjin with a broken bottle neck, but Seokjin roughly grabbed his arm to stop the man from slashing his throat.

"I'll kill all of you since you're here-" My stepfather gritted, shoving his arm downward to try and stab Seokjin. I blinked and turned to look at Taehyung... who was still struggling to loosen the rope around his body. Seokjin seethed in pain when my stepfather thrust the broken bottleneck closer toward his sweaty neck.

"ARGH!" I screamed, launching off my feet to shove the man off Seokjin. My stepfather collapsed to the side, so I wrapped my arms around his throat to strangle him from behind.

"Let go- you little bitch-"

"Jiyoung! You'll get hurt!" Taehyung warned as I struggled to strangle my stepfather. The man coughed in pain as he clawed my arms to pull me off his back but couldn't, so he elbowed me hard in the stomach. I shrieked in pain and collapsed onto the broken glass on the floor.

"AH!" I screamed when the man turned to launch at me. He grabbed my frail body and slammed me hard into a wooden desk, causing me to shriek in pain when my stomach slammed right into the table edge. The man scrambled onto his feet again, and before I knew it- He kicked me hard in the stomach. I gasped in shock when I felt a painful contraction surging all over my body. Taehyung screamed in horror when the man lifted a crowbar to swing it right at my head- when Seokjin slammed the man onto the floor from the side- sending the crowbar clattering across the floor. Taehyung suddenly broke loose from his chair and scrambled toward me on his hands and knees. I grabbed Taehyung's arms as he lifted my wounded body off the floor to hold me.

"YOU FUCKER!" Seokjin screamed, shoving my stepfather hard onto the ground, repeatedly punching the man in his face. My stepfather angrily kicked Seokjin off him- sending the heir tumbling across the floor. The sick man spat out a few broken teeth before leaping back onto his feet.

"Did you think you can murder a perfect-kill hitman, you son of a bitch!" My stepfather laughed, turning to glare at me with a slight smirk as Seokjin struggled to regain his balance on the floor. Taehyung nervously glanced at the crowbar and back at my father. He suddenly released my body from his arms, swiftly scurrying across the floor to reach out for the weapon when my stepfather turned to kick Taehyung hard in the head. I gasped in shock when Taehyung dropped unconscious to the ground. The man chuckled at Taehyung's unexpected defeat, slowly lowering his shoes to crush Taehyung's head with the pressure.

"Maybe you shouldn't underestimate this son of a bitch," Seokjin grunted. My stepfather scoffed and turned away from Taehyung's lifeless body- only to be greeted by a crowbar. WHACK. Seokjin swung the steel crowbar with all his might at the man's head- sending my stepfather toppling across the floor. His fresh blood splattered all over the ground after being struck in the head with the heavy steel-

"Shit- URGH!" My stepfather grabbed his bleeding head in shock before lowering his hand to look at the blood on his fingers as he knelt on the floor. Seokjin huffed in difficulty after he regained balance... limping toward the man- and angrily kicked the sick man in his face. My stepfather collapsed onto the ground in pain as Seokjin towered over him with a blank expression.

"I'll send you right to hell," Seokjin spat his dirty spit on my fallen stepfather. Heavy blood were gushing out from the open gash across the sick man's face. I slowly crawled toward Taehyung as he grunted on the floor with a bleeding forehead to lift him into a sitting position.

"You'd have to kill me to send me to hell, and you'll become a murderer if you choose to kill me, Mr. Perfect man," The man sneered at Seokjin as he lay bleeding on the ground. Seokjin scoffed and turned to look at me and Taehyung's beaten condition with the crowbar gripped tightly in his injured hand. The man seized the opportunity and tried to get on his feet, so I screamed in shock to warn Seokjin of his intention when-

"URGH!" My stepfather groaned in pain when Seokjin turned to hurl the crowbar at his body again. WHACK. WHACK. WHACK. My eyes bulged open in horror when Seokjin lifted the crowbar in the air... again and again. The heir repeatedly smashed the sick man's head with the crowbar until the man was too weak to budge.

"Don't worry about me, old man. I was birthed... by the devil... herself. This. Is. What. You. Get. For. Fucking. With. My. People. You. Fucking. Old. Shit," Seokjin growled dangerously... word by word as he repeatedly smashed the man's head with the crowbar until bits and pieces of his skull and brain splattered all over the warehouse. My stepfather stopped moving his lifeless body after... receiving the crushing blows on his head.

Taehyung and I sat on the ground in horror until... dark murky blood seeped... from under my stepfather's body. Half of his head... was completely crushed- I could see his slimy brain spilling out of the cracked opening. Seokjin panted in exhaustion and slowly turned to look at us with his blood-drenched face. I stared at his lifeless eyes in horror. Slowly, I glanced at the blood stain... splattering viciously over his white shirt. Taehyung gripped my hand as we averted our gaze to the crowbar... to find thick blood dripping from the tip. Drip... Drip... Drip...

"Are you satisfied now?" Seokjin asked with his monstrous eyes fixed on mine. I opened my trembling lips to respond to him when Seokjin suddenly bellowed at the top of his lungs and turned back to smash my stepfather's corpse again. My entire body stiffened in fear as I watched my father's body parts... splattering all over the place. Taehyung and I... we both... sat frozen on the floor to watch... Seokjin... tear my father's body apart with every brutal blow.

The heir kept swinging and hurling the crowbar at the corpse until he was surrounded by a pool of murky red blood. I slowly glanced down... at the dirty floor as the blood paste oozed towards my feet. An earsplitting thunder drummed loudly over the warehouse as I listened to the consistent ominous sound of Seokjin bashing the heavy steel at the dead corpse.

WHACK. WHACK. WHACK. WHACK.

WHACK.

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Hello~! I'm back! I didn't think I could update another chapter before my exam but here it is! I'll be taking a short break to prepare for my exam so we won't be seeing each other for a while. This chapter is a bit heavy T_T but at least the man is dead. How is everyone doing? Did you enjoy the chapter? I hope you did! Thank you so much for supporting Love Candidate! Have an amazing day! I love you guys! Please take care! <3