† 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟲𝟲 †

╭─━─━─━─━─━─╮𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟲𝟲†❝𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡❞╰─━─━─━─━─━─╯

༺ ☠︎ †  𝖁 𝖎 𝖘 𝖎 𝖔 𝖓  𝖎 𝖓  𝕯 𝖆 𝖗 𝖐  † ☠︎ ༻

Never in her father's life had he imagined seeing his daughter like this—in the middle of the night, standing at his doorstep completely shattered.

She cried helplessly in her father's arms, her entire body trembling as another wave of sobs escaped her. He was completely caught off guard. He hadn't expected anyone at this hour and certainly not his daughter in this condition.

She looked like a mess. Her face was stained with tears, her eyes swollen and red from crying too much, and her formal dress was wrinkled and disheveled, like she had run all the way there without stopping for even a second. No bag. No coat. Nothing with her.

Just herself, broken and falling apart.

He couldn't understand what had happened but the way she clung to him made his chest ache painfully. Panic slowly settled inside him but he forced himself to stay calm for her sake. Gently, he guided her inside the house.

She didn't resist.

She simply let him lead her in like she no longer had the strength to do anything on her own.

Carefully, he sat her down on the couch as if she were a little girl again–hurt, and desperately needing someone to protect her.

But even after sitting down, she couldn't stop crying. Her trembling hands repeatedly wiped at her face, though fresh tears kept falling endlessly.

Her father sat down beside her, his heart heavy with worry as he looked at her helplessly, not knowing what to say first or how to ease whatever pain had broken his daughter this badly.

"Evie… what happened?" he finally asked softly, gently cupping her face as he wiped away her tears with his thumb. "Why are you here like this? Please tell me. How can I help you if you won't tell me what's wrong?"

But she didn't answer.

She only cried harder, covering her face with both hands like she was overwhelmed by everything or maybe even ashamed of breaking down like this.

Her father sat there silently for a few moments, watching her with a heavy heart. His daughter was clearly hurting. She didn't even need to say it aloud, he could see it in her eyes.

And seeing her like this, in the middle of the night, crying and running back home in such a condition… his mind immediately went to Jungkook.

Because what else could explain this?

What else could make his daughter run to him this late at night looking completely broken?

Something had clearly happened between them.

And just the thought of someone hurting his daughter was enough to make his chest tighten painfully. Protective anger slowly started rising inside him, though he tried not to let it show on his face yet.

"Did something happen between you and Jungkook?" he asked carefully after a moment, trying not to jump to conclusions too quickly. "Did… did you two have a fight?"

She didn't answer with words.

Instead, she looked at him for one brief second, her eyes filled with unbearable pain, before burying herself into his arms again and breaking down even harder than before.

And somehow, that reaction alone was enough for him to understand that something was very wrong.

He tightened his arms around her protectively and slowly rubbed her back, trying to calm her down. At first, he thought maybe this was just a bad argument between husband and wife. Couples fought sometimes –it was normal in marriage.

Maybe a small disagreement had turned into something bigger and she had only needed space to breathe and cool down.

But still… something about this didn't feel normal at all.

Because arguments didn't usually make someone run away from home alone in the middle of the night looking this shattered.

And that thought made him even more uneasy. Even more protective of his daughter.

"It's okay," he whispered gently while holding her close. "It's alright. I'm here now, so don't cry anymore. These things happen sometimes. Every relationship has ups and downs. Couples fight, but sometimes those fights help people understand each other better and grow stronger afterward."

He paused before speaking again, his voice softer now.

"But you shouldn't have run out alone like this, especially at night. It's dangerous outside. You could've called me if things got too overwhelming. I would've come to get you myself if you wanted to come home."

But instead of calming down, she cried even harder after hearing his words because he still didn't understand.

This wasn't some normal argument between husband and wife. It wasn't a misunderstanding or a small fight that had gotten out of hand. It was something far worse. Something that had been slowly destroying her for the past six months.

The way Jungkook treated her. The things he said to her. The way he made her feel trapped, controlled and small inside that house—none of it was normal.

None of it could simply be called a "couple's disagreement."

For her, it had become a complete disaster. A living hell she had been silently surviving every single day. And now, after holding everything in for so long, it finally felt like all the pain inside her was pouring out at once.

"He's… he's the worst…" she managed to whisper between broken sobs, her voice barely audible.

Her father frowned immediately. "What?"

But she couldn't repeat it properly. She kept crying so hard her words became unclear, tangled between shaky breaths and sobs.

Still, even through the broken sentences, he understood enough, she was talking about Jungkook.

Gently, her father pulled her back just enough to properly look at her face. His hands stayed carefully on her shoulders, his expression full of concern as he tried to calm her down.

"Evie… stop crying for a second, okay?" he said softly. "Let me call Jungkook. I'll talk to him. Whatever happened, he shouldn't have let things reach this point. He made you cry like this?" His face tightened slightly with anger and worry. "I'll speak to him right now."

But the moment he reached for his phone, Evie's reaction was immediate, she quickly grabbed his arm, panic flashing across her face.

"No!" she cried out desperately. "Don't! Don't you dare call him!"

The fear in her voice was so sudden and intense that it made him stop instantly. His hand froze midair as he stared at her in shock. She looked terrified, not angry, not simply upset after a fight but terrified.

And that alone told him this was far more serious than he had first believed. No one reacted like that after a normal argument.

Slowly, he lowered his phone back down, his eyes never leaving her face.

"Evie…" he said quietly now, his voice filled with growing concern. "What's going on?"

Still crying, she shook her head weakly.

"He's not what you think," she whispered through trembling breaths. "He's not the man he pretends to be. He's… he's terrible. He's the worst."

Her father went silent after hearing that, he didn't question her immediately this time, didn't interrupt or pressure her for answers. Instead, he simply pulled her back into his arms again, tighter than before, almost protectively.

And now he understood one thing clearly: This wasn't some small marital argument. Something had been happening behind closed doors for a long time, something his daughter had been silently carrying all by herself until she finally couldn't anymore.

His chest tightened painfully at the thought of her suffering alone while he knew nothing about it, but he didn't force her to speak yet, just held her close and let her cry.

Let her release all the pain she had been burying inside herself for months.

His hand gently stroked her hair while she continued breaking down in his arms, and he stayed there quietly beside her through every sob.

Once she calmed down… then he would ask her everything, without judging her, to understand exactly what his daughter had been going through all alone behind closed doors.

⋆༺𓆩✞𓆪༻⋆𝔙 𝔦 𝔰 𝔦 𝔬 𝔫  𝔦 𝔫  𝔇 𝔞 𝔯 𝔨⋆༺𓆩✞𓆪༻⋆

Morning light filtered through the curtains as Jungkook slowly stirred awake, a low groan leaving his lips from the dull ache pounding inside his head. He had been asleep for hours, his body weighed down by exhaustion after everything that had happened the night before.

Slowly, he pushed himself up on the bed and ran a tired hand through his messy hair while his eyes adjusted to the brightness filling the room. For a moment, his mind felt foggy and distant.

But then it all came rushing back.

Every single thing from last night.

Sharp, violent and impossible to ignore.

His gaze slowly moved around the room. The place was still a mess. Broken pieces of a shattered vase were scattered across the floor, furniture pushed slightly out of place like someone had lost control in the middle of an argument.

And immediately, the memories hit harder.

The fight. The screaming. The way everything between them had completely exploded.

Even now, he could still hear her voice echoing inside his head.

She had finally snapped.

Not like before—not like the quiet girl he could usually silence whenever she tried to argue back or challenge him. The same girl he always managed to put back in her place sooner or later.

No. Last night was different.

Last night, Evie fought back with everything she had. She pushed him to his limits without holding back a single word.

And those words…

Fuck.

They still burned inside his head like acid.

Especially when she threw it in his face that he had once begged her to marry him.

The memory alone made his jaw tighten instantly.

How the hell had she even found the courage to say that directly to him?

But somehow, even that wasn't the part that truly broke whatever control he had left.

No.

What really snapped something ugly inside him was hearing her say she could get any man she wanted. That she could find someone better than him.

Even now, just remembering those words made his hands curl tightly into fists.

How dare she say something like that to him?

How could she even think about other men?

Especially when, in his mind, she belonged to him.

The thought alone made his blood boil. She was his—his to control, his to destroy if he wished. Only he had the right to ruin her. No one else. She didn't get to look at other men, didn't get to think about anyone else. No one else had that right. Only him.

His eyes darkened at the thought, that dangerous kind of anger building slowly in his chest again. If any man even dared to look at her, he wouldn't hesitate to rip their eyeballs.

He had already shown her last night who he really was—not the version he played in front of her other times, but the real him—a twisted, cruel part of him that thrived on control.

It didn't matter anymore that this marriage had started as a game, a tool for revenge.

What mattered now was that he needed her beneath him in every possible way–mentally, emotionally, completely. He wanted her weak, dependent, desperate for his approval and attention.

That was where he found his real satisfaction. Not in meaningless sex, not even in winning, but in watching her slowly break apart and knowing he was the reason behind it. The tears she tried to hide, the silence, the quiet sobs in the middle of the night–that was what fed his twisted sense of pride. Her pain made him feel powerful.

He loved the version of her that chased after him desperately. The version that craved his attention, that clung to him even when he ignored her. The way she used to revolve around him, depend on him, stay under his control—that was what he wanted.

And yet, despite all of that, she had dared to fight back.

She had stood in front of him with her head held high and screamed at him without fear. She had defied him, challenged him, made it seem like he was losing his grip on her.

And he couldn't stand that.

The idea of losing control over her–even for a second–made something ugly rise inside him.

Because that control meant everything to him.

At first, he had only planned to torment her for a few months, break her a little as part of his revenge, and then eventually let her go. But somewhere along the way, things changed.

He didn't want to stop anymore.

He had become addicted to the way she depended on him, the way she feared him, the way her entire world had slowly started revolving around him. He didn't want to lose that feeling. And he definitely wasn't ready to let go of her or the control he had over her.

She was probably completely shattered after last night, and he knew he had crossed a line. A serious one.

In a moment of blinding rage, he had nearly choked her without even thinking twice. His mind had been too clouded with anger to care about consequences. It had happened purely on instinct.

But even now, sitting there and thinking about it, he still couldn't promise himself that he wouldn't do it again if she ever said something like that another time.

Because he didn't want this new version of her.

He didn't want the strong, rebellious woman who stood in front of him ready to fight back and tear apart his control.

He wanted her broken version, which is quiet and desperate for him again. Clinging to him like before, trying everything just to stay close to him.

Fuck.

He refused to accept any other version of her.

And after last night, he was damn sure she wouldn't dare try to rebel against him like that again.

But for now, he needed to see her. He needed to check on her because a part of him still needed to feel that control again. He needed to see her curled up on the couch, crying softly in her sleep, broken the way he wanted her to be.

With that thought, he stood up from the bed, drank some water from the glass beside him, and walked slowly toward the bedroom door. He opened it and stepped out, heading downstairs to the living room, expecting to find her there. In his mind, he could already picture her lying on the sofa, her eyes swollen, her body still, too exhausted from crying to even notice him coming.

But when he entered the living room, he stopped in his tracks.

The sofa was empty.

The mess from last night was still there–the broken vase, the shattered glass, and the chaos but she was nowhere in sight. His eyes scanned the space again, his brows furrowing.

Maybe she had gone to the guest room. Sometimes she slept there when things got bad between them. Without wasting another second, he walked toward the guest room, pushed the door open, and looked inside—but it was empty too.

Maybe she had gone out to the balcony, or somewhere else to calm herself.

Jungkook's eyes scanned the entire house, growing more restless with every passing second. He checked the living room again, the kitchen, even the balcony but Evie was nowhere to be found. Her bag and purse from the night before were still lying near the main door, right where the fight had started.

That's what made it more confusing.

If she left, why didn't she take anything with her?

Frowning, he pulled out his phone and called her but the sound of buzzing made him freeze. Her phone was still here–ringing on the floor not far from her purse. That only made his confusion worse. She left the house in the middle of the night with nothing—no phone, no bag, no money?

Where the hell could she have gone?

Cursing under his breath, Jungkook rushed outside and called out to the guards. As soon as they approached, he snapped at them, "Where is she? Did she go somewhere? Did you see her leave?"

The guards exchanged nervous looks, clearly unsure of how to respond. One of them finally spoke, hesitating, "Sir… she ran out of the house last night. She was crying really badly. We tried to stop her but she didn't listen."

Jungkook's expression darkened with disbelief and rising anger. "What the fuck! And didn't you think to tell me that last night?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

"We were going to, sir," another guard added quickly. "But you were already really angry and breaking things… you weren't listening to anyone. We thought it was better to wait."

Jungkook's eyes narrowed as the rage inside him exploded. Without thinking, he grabbed one of the guards by the collar and slammed him against the wall. "Are you all completely useless?" he shouted. "She ran away and none of you thought it was important enough to tell me?!"

The guards didn't say anything—they just stood there in fear.

After a few seconds, Jungkook let go and stepped back, breathing heavily. "I'll deal with you later," he muttered through clenched teeth. "Right now, I need to find her."

His heart was racing. He didn't know where she had gone, where she had spent the night, or if she was even safe. She had been angry, overwhelmed, terrified of him—God knows where she must have run off to after leaving like that last night.

The thought of her being out there somewhere all alone, with him having no idea whether she was safe or not, made panic and frustration rise inside him. What if something had happened to her? What if she had gotten herself into danger while running around alone at night?

"Fuck," he cursed under his breath, dragging a hand roughly through his hair.

He had to find her now.

†

Meanwhile, at Evie's father's house, the soft morning light came through the cracks of the curtain, though the room remained dim. Her father was sitting quietly at the edge of the bed, watching his daughter sleep. She was wrapped tightly in a blanket, her body still and her breathing slow, but he could see the dullness on her face, the tiredness in her features– signs of someone who had cried herself to sleep.

She hadn't told him everything last night, but she said enough.

That Jungkook wasn't the man she thought he was. That he was worse—much worse.

It was clear they had fought, probably a terrible one, bad enough that she left the house with nothing and came here crying her heart out. The way she broke down—it wasn't normal. And that alone gave him a bad feeling.

He had always thought Jungkook was a good man, someone who genuinely cared for his daughter.

But this? This didn't seem like just a regular argument. Evie wasn't the kind of woman to make a scene or run away over something small. She was mature, calm, someone who always matured enough to handle all this things. But for her to show up like this—it could only mean things had gone too far. Far beyond what was acceptable.

She was the most precious person in his life—the only family he had left. He couldn't watch her suffer like this, not in silence. If Jungkook really did hurt her, if he crossed a line, then he needed to talk to him directly. He had always thought of Jungkook like a son and trusted him with Evie, but now he wasn't sure what to believe.

Not wanting to disturb Evie's rest, he didn't open the curtains. Let her sleep, he thought. She needed it after last night. Slowly, he stood up from the edge of the bed, gently closed the door behind him and walked into the living room.

He picked up his phone, sat down on the couch, and took a deep breath before dialing Jungkook's number.

He still remembered Evie's reaction last night when he had tried to call him. She had stopped him immediately, almost desperately, like she didn't want Jungkook to know she was here. He knew she probably wouldn't like this, but as her father, he couldn't just stay silent. He needed to talk to him directly.

And if Jungkook had hurt his daughter in any way, then that was completely unacceptable.

Now, he waited. Waited for him to pick up because there were things that needed to be said.

†

Jungkook stood outside his house, frustrated and tense, his eyes scanning the road as if Evie might magically appear. It was fully morning, but there was no sign of her. He had been planning to get in his car and start searching the city, retracing every possible place she might have gone. Just as he reached into his pocket for his car keys, his phone buzzed.

He glanced down at the screen.

It was Evie's father.

His brows drew together, and without wasting a second, he answered the call. If her father was calling, it had to be about her.

"Hello?" Jungkook spoke quickly, trying to keep his voice normal.

"Good morning, son," the older man said kindly, calm and composed as always. "Hope I didn't disturb you."

Jungkook swallowed hard. "No. Not at all." He didn't ask anything right away, but there was a slight urgency in his tone– one that couldn't go unnoticed.

Evie's father paused for a moment, then spoke gently. "You must be looking for Evie."

Jungkook hesitated, caught off guard by how easily the man could read the situation. He sighed quietly. "Um.. Yes... actually, I've been looking for her since this morning. I had no idea where she could've gone and then—" He stopped himself, realizing he was saying too much. He cleared his throat. "I didn't know you knew she was gone."

Her father's voice remained calm, though there was a trace of concern. "She came home last night. I didn't ask her much, but she was... really upset. I haven't seen her cry like that in years." He paused, then added, "I figured you two might've had a fight."

Jungkook immediately straightened up, adjusting his tone. He couldn't afford to panic now.

"Oh..um ..Yes, we did have a bit of a misunderstanding," he said, carefully choosing his words. "I'm really sorry you had to see her like that. Honestly, things just... got out of hand. It started with something small but she's been under a lot of stress lately. I should've handled it better."

He made sure to sound sincere and thoughtful, masking the real reason behind their fight. He was relieved Evie hadn't told her father everything. That gave him the room to twist the situation the way he wanted.

Evie's father listened quietly, then responded in a firm voice. "I know couples fight. You're both young, and marriage isn't easy in the beginning. I understand that. And you know I care for you like a son, Jungkook. But last night… seeing her like that... it wasn't something I could ignore."

Jungkook nodded slowly, choosing words carefully. "I completely understand. And I take full responsibility. It won't happen again—I promise. I've already been meaning to come by and apologize to her in person. I just didn't want to show up without knowing how she was doing."

He spoke smoothly, his voice carrying just the right amount of regret and concern–exactly how any caring husband would sound. The last thing he wanted was for her father to grow suspicious or find out what had really happened between them.

That would not end well for him.

"You know how women can be sometimes… emotional," he said carefully. "We got into a serious argument. There had already been tension between us for days, and she took it harder than I expected. Things got a little out of hand. But Evie is more mature than me, honestly. I know she'll calm down eventually."

Deep down, he just hoped her father wouldn't question him too much and would accept this explanation without digging further.

But the voice on the other side of the call suddenly grew firmer.

"I know my daughter, Jungkook," her father said calmly, but there was something serious beneath his tone now. "She's not someone who runs away after every little argument. She's always been patient. So I think this is more than just emotional stress after a fight."

There was a brief silence after that.

Shit.

For a second, Jungkook didn't know what to say to make him believe him. So instead, he only hummed quietly in acknowledgment, choosing to stay careful with his words for his own sake.

Breaking the silence, her father spoke again.

"I was actually thinking of keeping her here for a few days," he said. "After the wedding, everything moved so quickly, and I hardly got the chance to spend time with her. Maybe staying here for a while will help her calm down. I think she just needs some space."

Jungkook's jaw tightened immediately at the suggestion.

No.

That was the last thing he wanted.

The thought of her staying away from him longer made something restless rise inside him. He hated the idea of losing control over the situation—losing control over her.

But he couldn't argue. Not without making himself look suspicious.

"Of course, sir," he replied smoothly, forcing himself to sound calm and understanding. "I completely understand. And honestly, you're right. Maybe she does need some time with you. I'll respect that."

He paused before adding carefully,

"But… if it's okay, I'd still like to stop by later and check on her."

There was another pause on the other side of the call.

A long one.

Long enough to make Jungkook uncomfortable.

Finally, her father spoke again, his tone polite but distant.

"I don't know. That's up to her," he said honestly. "If she's ready to see you, you're always welcome here. But after seeing her condition last night… I think it would be better if you gave her some space for now. I don't think she wants to see you yet."

Jungkook hummed softly in agreement, though inside, his mind was already racing with thoughts.

He wasn't going to let this situation slip out of his hands so easily.

But for now, he needed to think carefully. Evie was angry and emotionally overwhelmed right now, and pushing her further would only make her rebel more. The last thing he needed was to create a bigger scene in front of her father and risk him realizing that this wasn't just a normal fight between husband and wife.

"Thank you, sir," he said politely. "And again, I'm really sorry about everything. I'll make sure things get better from now on."

After a few more formal exchanges, the call finally ended.

Jungkook slowly lowered the phone from his ear, and the moment the line disconnected, the calm expression on his face completely disappeared.

⋆༺𓆩✞𓆪༻⋆𝔙 𝔦 𝔰 𝔦 𝔬 𝔫  𝔦 𝔫  𝔇 𝔞 𝔯 𝔨⋆༺𓆩✞𓆪༻⋆

More than a week had passed since Evie left Jungkook's house and came back to stay with her father.

And during those days, a lot had changed inside her mind, inside her heart.

For the first time in months, she had distance from Jungkook. Distance from the suffocating tension, the constant emotional exhaustion, the fear, the pressure of walking around him carefully every single day. And in that silence, she finally had time to think clearly.

Really think.

About everything that had happened during the last six months. About the things she had tolerated, ignored, excused and forced herself to normalize just because she loved him once.

But now, sitting away from him, those same things no longer felt normal at all. And maybe that was what hurt the most. The realization that she had spent so long trying to save a relationship that had slowly been destroying her from the inside.

Her father noticed the change too.

He hated seeing his daughter like this—quieter than before, emotionally drained, always lost somewhere inside her own thoughts. Though he never forced her, he had gently tried several times to ask what exactly had happened between her and Jungkook. Not just the fight that night, but everything leading up to it.

He never pressured her for answers.

Still, she could see the concern in his eyes every time he looked at her. The helplessness too because no father could stay calm after seeing his daughter return home broken like that.

But Evie still hadn't told him the full truth, not yet. A part of her wanted to, badly. She wanted to finally let everything out—the things Jungkook had said, the way he treated her, how trapped and miserable she had felt for months.

But another part of her wanted to wait until she was completely certain about her final decision.

Because once she spoke everything out loud, there would be no turning back after that.

And now… she had.

She had reached that decision.

This marriage meant nothing to her anymore. Not after everything Jungkook had done. She couldn't see a future in a relationship where there is ownership and where there is no understanding and mutual respect in the relationship.

Just the thought of living under the same roof with him again made her feel sick. No matter what others might think or say, she couldn't sacrifice herself anymore just to keep up appearances. People would always talk but it was her life, not theirs.

So now, standing once again in front of the house she had once believed was hers, Evie felt something heavy settle inside her chest.

This was the same house she had entered as a bride– full of dreams, hope, and love for the future she thought she would build with Jungkook. Back then, she had truly believed this place would become her home.

But now, standing quietly at the gate after everything that had happened, she finally saw the truth clearly.

This house had never really belonged to her. It had always been Jungkook's house from the very beginning. And maybe it always would be.

Honestly, she didn't even want to be here.

After everything that happened a week ago, this was the last place on earth she ever wanted to step into again.

But she wasn't here for another confrontation. At least, not yet. She had come only to finish what still needed to be done and prepare herself for the final step she knew was coming sooner or later.

The warm afternoon sunlight followed her as she stepped through the front door. The entire house was quiet, almost eerily silent.

She already knew Jungkook wouldn't be home at this hour. She had purposely chosen this time carefully, knowing the house would mostly be empty so she could finish whatever she came here for without dealing with him.

The maids immediately looked surprised the moment they saw her after so many days away. Quickly standing up, they greeted her politely.

"Good afternoon, ma'am."

Evie gave them a small nod in response before speaking calmly.

"Where are my things? My phone and my bag?"

One of the maids answered quickly, "They're in the bedroom, ma'am. On your side of the shelf."

Evie nodded once again before making her way toward the bedroom.

There weren't many of her belongings left there anymore. Long ago, when things between her and Jungkook had started falling apart, she had slowly begun keeping most of her things in the guest room instead. So now, only a few important belongings of hers still remained inside the bedroom they once shared.

She decided to collect those first.

Inside, the room looked exactly the same as she had left it. Nothing had changed.

Quietly, she walked toward the shelf where her belongings were kept and found her purse along with a bag containing her work documents. Her phone was inside too–switched off and untouched.

She hadn't used it in over a week.

And she already knew there would probably be dozens of missed calls waiting for her, especially from Ethan. Calls she hadn't been able to answer after everything that happened.

She made a mental note to call him back once she was done here.

But first, she needed to finish what she had come for.

Leaving the bedroom, she walked toward the guest room. Most of her clothes and personal belongings had already been shifted there weeks ago.

Now all that was left was packing everything and taking it away for good.

She quietly opened the wardrobe and pulled out a medium-sized travel bag before placing it on the bed. One by one, she began taking her clothes out carefully, folding them neatly before placing them inside the bag.

The entire process remained silent and strangely, she wasn't emotional anymore. Not angry. Not even sad the way she used to be before.

This wasn't about emotions anymore. This was about closure.

Little by little, she packed away every remaining piece of herself from that house.

She was ready to leave all of it behind now.

By the time she finished most of the packing in the guest room, the travel bag had become completely full, heavy and tightly zipped, resting near the doorway. But there were still a few of her belongings left inside the bedroom she once shared with Jungkook.

With slow, quiet steps, she walked back there again.

She didn't want to spend more time in that room than necessary, but she had no other choice. She needed to take everything and leave this place once and for all.

Since the bag had become too heavy to carry around repeatedly, she decided to move the remaining items little by little instead, bringing them out one at a time and placing them near the guest room door.

She moved carefully, avoiding unnecessary noise, almost as if even the walls around her could betray her presence.

Because the truth was—she didn't want to see him.

Not yet.

She wasn't ready for another confrontation. Not ready to hear his voice again or look into those eyes after everything that had happened.

But fate, as always, never cared about what she wanted.

She was holding a few things in her hands–a couple of files and a book, when suddenly she heard the front door click open downstairs, followed by the sound of footsteps entering the house.

Someone was home.

And instantly, she froze.

she heard the bedroom door closing behind her.

No.

No, no… God, please no.

She wasn't ready for this.

"Evie."

His voice was calm, almost too calm but it still made her hands stiffen tightly around the things she was holding.

For a second, she didn't turn around. Her breath caught painfully in her throat, anxiety instantly creeping beneath her skin, but she forced herself to stay composed. Slowly, she turned to face him.

Jungkook stood near the doorway in his office clothes, his tie loosened slightly around his neck and the top button of his shirt undone.

She hadn't expected him to be here. Hell, she had specifically chosen this time because she knew he was supposed to be at work. She had come carefully to avoid him completely.

But somehow, he was here anyway.

And honestly, she shouldn't even be surprised anymore. Jungkook always had ways of knowing things. It wasn't the first time he had acted almost like a stalker. One of the guards or maids must have informed him the moment she arrived.

For a long moment, he said nothing.

He simply stood there staring at her, his eyes slowly scanning her from head to toe. Then he tilted his head slightly as if trying to look at her more clearly before casually shoving one hand into his pocket and taking slow steps toward her.

That strange calmness immediately made her uneasy.

Too uneasy.

There was something deeply uncomfortable about the way he was acting right now. The calmness didn't comfort her–it only made her more anxious.

"Took you long enough to come back," he finally said, continuing to walk toward her at the same slow pace. His voice remained calm, but there was an intensity beneath it that was impossible to ignore. He pressed his tongue briefly against the inside of his cheek before speaking again. "It's been more than a week."

She didn't want to deal with any of this again. Not today. Not anymore.

So she stayed silent.

Without answering him, she simply looked away and tried to walk past him toward the guest room, the files and belongings still held tightly in her arms.

But Jungkook immediately noticed what she was carrying.

"Wait a minute," he said sharply, stepping further into the room. "Where are you taking those?"

Still, she didn't answer. She only tried to walk past him again as if he wasn't even there.

But this time, he moved faster.

Before she could avoid him, he stepped directly in front of her, blocking her path completely. She tried to sidestep around him but suddenly his hand grabbed her arm firmly enough to stop her in place.

The sudden grip made her entire body freeze.

The files and belongings slipped from her hands instantly, scattering across the floor with a soft thud.

"I'm talking to you," he said, his voice low but the authority and dominance in it hadn't disappeared at all. "Don't ignore me like that."

"Let me go," she said quietly, trying to sound firm, but her voice came out more defensive than she intended.

Inside, anxiety was already starting to crawl through her chest.

Not again.

She wasn't ready for this again.

Her throat suddenly felt dry, her breathing uneven. Maybe it was because of what had happened the last time they stood this close to each other. Maybe her body still remembered it too well.

Still, she tried to pull herself away from his grip.

But her struggle meant nothing against his strength.

In one quick movement, he grabbed her other wrist too and twisted both of her arms behind her back, restraining her completely to stop her from struggling further. A sharp gasp escaped her lips from the sudden force.

And before she could react properly, he pulled her directly against him.

She stumbled forward, crashing straight into his chest, her face suddenly only inches away from his.

"Jungkook, stop…" she whispered shakily, trying to sound defensive, but failing completely.

The anxiety inside her only worsened. It felt so overwhelming she thought she might actually faint.

Her breathing deepened unevenly as she stared up at his face—those dark eyes filled with far too much intensity. And instead of loosening his grip, he only pulled her even closer against him, making her recoil instinctively.

Her hands remained painfully twisted behind her back while she struggled helplessly to free herself from his hold. His scent surrounded her completely now, his warm breath brushing against her face at such close distance.

Her teeth clenched tightly in anger, anxiety, and something dangerously close to tears.

He was always like this–completely unmoved by her resistance, unbothered no matter how much she pushed back.

And suddenly, the memory of that night came crashing back into her mind so hard it made her chest tighten painfully.

The choking. The fear. The way he had looked at her like she's the thing he owns.

Her breathing immediately turned uneven as panic slowly crawled beneath her skin again. Tears began gathering in her eyes before she could stop them.

"Back off," she said shakily, trying to keep her voice steady despite the fear rising inside her. "I'm saying it again… let me go, Jungkook."

But instead of stepping away, he only leaned even closer toward her, forcing her body to recoil instinctively against him.

His eyes stayed locked onto hers with an intensity so heavy it felt suffocating.

"Where are you taking these things?" he asked again, his voice darker this time. Lower and more dangerous.

Her eyes filled even more with tears. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out immediately. She took a shaky breath, trying desperately to stay strong in front of him but the tears still slipped quietly down her cheeks anyway.

"I said leave me alone…" she whispered weakly.

Still, he didn't move, not even an inch.

Tilting his head slightly, Jungkook tightened his grip around both her wrists that were still pinned behind her back. He held both of them easily with one hand alone, not allowing her even the slightest chance to pull away when he felt her trying to struggle again.

Then slowly, he lifted his free hand toward her face.

The moment his fingers touched her cheek, she flinched hard, instinctively recoiling from his touch like it burned her skin.

But he ignored that reaction completely.

His thumb slowly wiped away the tear sliding down her cheek.

"Did I hurt you that much?" he asked quietly but there was no guilt in his voice, no remorse. Only that same dark intensity beneath an unsettling calmness that made her even more nervous.

Slowly, he leaned closer until his face was near hers, his breath brushing softly against her skin. His nose almost touched her cheek as he inhaled quietly before muttering in a deep voice near her ear.

"You left this house. Disappeared for a whole week." His grip around her wrists tightened slightly. "No calls. No messages. Nothing. You just ran away from me." He paused for a second before speaking again, his tone strangely calm despite the possessiveness hidden beneath it. "Was it really that bad? Was I really that terrible, hmm?" His eyes searched hers intensely. "You didn't even miss me once?"

That was enough.

Disgust immediately rose inside her so strongly that she tried pulling herself away from him again despite knowing it was useless.

A shaky hiss escaped her lips as more tears fell uncontrollably down her face.

"Stop…" she whispered brokenly before shaking her head harder. "I said stop this nonsense. There's nothing left between us, so stop acting like this." She struggled weakly against his hold again, her face twisting in anger and fear. "I don't even want to see your face anymore… just stop—"

But before she could finish speaking, he cut her off completely.

His hand suddenly slid into her hair, fingers tangling tightly through the strands before gripping the back of her head firmly enough to stop her from turning away again.

The sudden force made her recoil instantly.

He held the back of her neck through her hair and forced her face toward him, making her look directly into his eyes no matter how much she resisted.

"Are you this mad at me, hmm?" he murmured softly, his voice dangerously calm. "So mad that you're acting like this? I can understand it, you know." He tilted his head slightly, staring at her face far too closely. "You're angry at me. I get it, baby."

His thumb brushed lightly against her jaw while he held her in place.

That single word—baby—made nausea twist violently in her stomach.

How could he stand there acting this calm while she was literally crying in front of him?

How could he look at her struggling to get away and still keep holding her like this?

He could clearly see how much she was recoiling from his touch, how desperately she was trying to move her face away whenever his breath brushed against her skin, whenever his nose grazed her cheek or his lips came too close to hers.

And yet he kept doing it intentionally.

Like he enjoyed seeing her trapped beneath him.

"Jungkook, I swear—" she tried to speak again, but once more he interrupted her before she could finish.

"It was your fault too, you know," he said quietly, eyes darkened slightly. "You said things that night you never should've said. You crossed a line."

His grip in her hair tightened just enough to make her breathing hitch.

"That wasn't you protecting yourself anymore," he continued in that same calm voice. "That was you testing me." He leaned even closer until she could barely move her face at all. "And don't say things like that again..Talking about other men… saying you'd find someone else…You won't even think like that again because I do own you."

Then his eyes locked onto hers completely as he whispered slowly, almost possessively.

But the words hit her like a slap across the face.

For a second, all struggle disappeared from her body completely.

She just stared at him, breathing heavily, tears already spilling silently from her eyes. Her chest hurt painfully beneath the weight of everything he was saying to her.

Never in her life had she felt this disappointed in someone. This disgusted.

This terrified of the person standing in front of her.

Her lips trembled before she finally spoke in a broken whisper. "Why are you like this…?"

She looked at him through tear-filled eyes, her voice trembling under the weight of everything she had been holding inside for months.

Her breathing shook unevenly as tears continued falling down her cheeks.

"Why are you like this?" she whispered brokenly. "Why do you always have to control everything? Why do you always make me feel like I'm some object instead of a human being? Why do you make me feel worthless all the time? And why can't you respect someone's boundaries for once?" she asked, staring straight into his eyes despite the fear and disgust inside her. "Do you even have basic human decency?"

For a moment, Jungkook said nothing.

His jaw tightened sharply, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he were forcing himself to hold something back–anger, frustration, maybe something else he refused to let her see.

His grip loosened slightly around her, but he still didn't let her go completely.

"You once promised me I would never regret marrying you," she continued softly, her voice barely above a whisper now. "But you broke that promise too." Fresh tears slid down her face. "You said you would never make me feel like this. But all you've done is make me feel small… worthless… like I don't matter at all. The way you act… the way you treat me…" she whispered shakily, "it's making me disgusted by you."

Her eyes filled with hurt as she looked at him.

Still, he remained silent.

But she noticed the slight shift in his posture.

His hand slowly loosened from her hair completely, though he still held onto her wrists like he couldn't fully force himself to let go.

"I'm not yours," she finally said, this time more firmly despite the tears still running down her face. "I never was. I'm not something you get to own or control. And after everything you've done…" her voice lowered painfully, "I don't even want to look at your face anymore."

She looked at him with raw disappointment burning in her eyes now.

There was silence after that.

Heavy and suffocating.

Jungkook stared at her with a stone-cold expression, his face unreadable except for the way his jaw remained clenched so tightly it looked like he was only seconds away from losing control again.

It felt like he might snap at any moment—just like he always did but something in her eyes stopped him this time.

Because this wasn't just anger anymore.

It was disgust.

Disappointment.

And something far heavier than either of those things.

She didn't need to scream anymore. She didn't need to argue or explain herself further. Her eyes had already said everything he needed to hear.

She regretted marrying him.

She regretted trusting him.

Regretted believing, even for a second, that maybe there had once been something good inside him strong enough to rise above all the darkness he carried within himself.

And Jungkook saw it clearly now.

The hatred growing behind her tears.

The disgust she could no longer hide from him.

And for the first time maybe that truth actually reached him.

It burned.

Burned so badly that suddenly her touch itself seemed unbearable to him.

With a sharp movement, he let go of her wrists abruptly, almost violently, as if touching her any longer would've scorched him alive from the inside out. The force pushed her slightly backward against the wall again.

Then, without saying a single word, without even looking back at her, he turned around and walked out of the room.

A second later, the bedroom door slammed shut behind him so violently that the sound echoed through the entire house, making her flinch instinctively.

She remained standing there motionless, her back still pressed against the wall.

Her hands trembled weakly at her sides as if her body still hadn't fully processed what had just happened. Her chest rose and fell unevenly, her heart pounding painfully against her ribs but there was nothing left for her to say anymore.

And for once… he had finally walked away first.

Slowly, she lifted trembling fingers to wipe away the tears on her cheeks before forcing herself to calm down. Then silently, she bent down and picked up her belongings scattered across the floor.

And without another thought she continued packing the last pieces of her life away from him.

†

It was evening now.

The sky outside had already turned grey. Most of Evie's belongings were packed—her bags sat quietly in the guest room, almost like they were waiting with her. The only thing left now was the most important one. The one thing she hadn't yet dealt with, because it wasn't something that could be packed into a suitcase and carried away. It needed to be faced.

Jungkook hadn't returned after storming out earlier and she was relieved. The last thing she needed right now was his presence, his twisted words, or his controlling interference. She didn't want to see his face, not tonight, not ever if she could help it.

She sat alone in the living room, her heart heavy but her decision clear. She waited in silence, hands resting on her lap, legs slightly bouncing with nervous energy. She had no idea how this would go but she knew it had to happen. She couldn't delay it anymore.

A little while later, the doorbell rang.

Evie stood up quickly, already knowing who it was. She opened the door, and as expected, Ethan stood there. His expression was concerned and confused, his brows furrowed and eyes scanning her face the moment she appeared in front of him.

He stepped inside the house without hesitation. "Evie, what happened?" he asked immediately, his voice low but urgent. "You weren't answering your phone. Jungkook said you went to your father's place and weren't home for a week. I tried calling you so many times. Is everything okay?"

She didn't respond right away. She quietly shut the door behind him and gestured for him to follow her inside. They walked to the living room together, and she sat down slowly on the edge of the couch. He sat beside her, still waiting for a reply, his eyes never leaving her face.

He asked again, softer this time, "Evie, is everything alright?"

She turned to look at him, her eyes a little tired, her expression heavy. And she finally said the truth: "No… nothing's fine, Ethan."

He straightened up slightly, concern deepening. "What's going on?"

She took a moment before speaking again. "I need your help," she said clearly. "Not for the job or anything work-related. I need your personal help. Because right now… you're the only person I can trust with this."

Ethan's brows pulled together. "Okay… of course. Tell me what happened."

She took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. "Do you… know any lawyers? I mean, I know you have your own legal team, or maybe someone who handles personal cases... someone trustworthy?"

Ethan blinked in confusion. "A lawyer? Wait—why do you need a lawyer?" His voice carried genuine worry now, as if his mind was trying to fill in blanks too quickly.

Evie nodded slowly, and then said it. Clearly and firmly. "Because I want a divorce."

Ethan stared at her for a moment, confused. "Wait—divorce? Who's getting divorced?"

She exhaled deeply, her voice steady even as her heart raced. "Me. I'm talking about my divorce. Mine and Jungkook's."

★ ★ ★

—𝖽𝗈𝗇’𝗍 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗀𝖾𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗏𝗈𝗍𝖾         𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖽𝗋𝗈𝗉 𝖺 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍···୨ৎ