|| CHAPTER - 37 ||

•| CHAPTER ~ 37 |•

•| The Night They Lost Each Other |•

✿───❀  ♡  ❀───✿

Taehyung's eyes once filled with warmth and affection–were now full of something Evie had never seen before.

Hatred. Pain. A deep, aching kind of heartbreak.

It scared her, not because he looked angry, but because he looked destroyed. This wasn't the man she knew, the boy who once smiled at her like she was the only girl in the world. Whom she used to love. This was someone else… someone broken.

When he slapped her hand away, refusing even the slightest touch, something inside her cracked.

The rejection stung so deeply that her eyes welled up instantly. But before she could even speak, before she could ask him what had gone so wrong, his grip tightened around her shoulders. Hard. Enough to make her freeze.

"Stop it," he hissed through clenched teeth, his breath reeking of alcohol, his voice filled with bitterness. "Stop those fucking tears. They're not gonna work on me this time."

Her breath caught in her throat. She couldn't believe what she was hearing–what she was seeing. Taehyung never used to curse in front of her or anyone.

He had always been gentle, respectful. Even in the worst of moods, he held himself back. But now… it was like he had been replaced by a stranger wearing his face.

"I used to think you were different," he spat, voice growing louder, rougher. "When I first met you, I thought–God, I was so stupid–I thought you were special. I really believed you were different from other girls. So soft. So genuine. So... real. Who saw the world the same way. I thought you understood me. And maybe that's why I fell for you so easily."

His words hit her, she opened her mouth to say something, anything but he didn't stop.

"But you fooled me," he said coldly, taking a step back only to slam her again with the weight of his next words. "You gave me a damn reality check. Never judge someone just by how sweet they look on the outside, right? Because beneath all that 'innocent' charm–you're just the same. A liar. A pretender. A girl who wears her innocence like a mask."

His voice trembled as his words sting knowingly.

"You're not different. You're just like the rest. And you're damn good at faking it too. Playing the sweet middle-class girl who doesn't know how much damage she causes. You think that makes you better? No. It makes you worse."

She stood frozen, her lips trembled as she tried to speak through the tightness in her chest. "Taehyung... please…" she said in a broken voice, her hand pressing gently on his chest, trying to push him away again. "Please go home. You're drunk. This isn't you. Whatever it is you're feeling, we can talk later. Just… not like this. Not when you're like this."

But before she could finish, he grabbed her wrist, stopping her again.

"I mean every damn word I said," he whispered harshly. "I'm drunk, yes but don't use that as an excuse. I know exactly what I'm saying, and I'm in my senses enough to tell you what's real."

His voice wasn't slurred. His hands weren't stumbling. He wasn't out of control. He was hurting and worse, he believed everything he was saying. That's what made it so much harder to take.

"I've never seen someone lie so easily… so shamelessly," Taehyung snarled, his voice low and venomous. "You wear that innocent face like a damn mask, but inside? You're just a two-faced fraud. A master at playing the game. How many guys have you fooled, huh? How many have you reeled in with those pretty eyes and soft words? I bet I wasn't the first and I sure as hell won't be the last."

Evie's heart pounded in her chest, her mouth opened slightly in shock. "Taehyung… what are you even saying?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Are you out of your mind?"

But he didn't stop. His hand gripped her shoulder tighter, fingers digging in with frustration and fury, making her flinch in pain.

"Oh, now it's me who's lost it?" he scoffed coldly. "You can't even handle the truth, can you? Can't stand being called out for what you really are. You're exposed now, Evie. The act's over."

His eyes scanned her face like she disgusted him. "You know what you are? A cheap, manipulative little girl who doesn't even know what self-respect means. Just another desperate, small-town girl who'd use anyone–any damn person–to feel important. You're the kind who knows exactly how to act sweet, how to talk soft, just to get what you want."

Cruel.

His words are so cruel and she didn't even know why he even accusing her and for what he's accusing for?

"You used me," he spat. "Just like I'm sure you've used others. Like some seductress who preys on anyone naive enough to believe there's something real behind that fake smile. And I was one of those fools. I actually thought you were different. Special."

He's not her Taehyung. No way.

She couldn't believe the things coming out of his mouth. She had never seen this side of him. She had never imagined this side existed.

Taehyung's breath was heavy, his eyes bloodshot–not just from the alcohol but from the storm raging inside him.

"I was a goddamn fool to trust you," he spat, stepping even closer, his voice dripping with bitterness. "A fool to believe that you–of all people–were something different. That you were someone worth loving."

She stood frozen in place, her back still against the wall, eyes wide with disbelief. But he wasn't done. Not even close.

"You're disgusting," he hissed. "Absolutely disgusting."

This is insane, this is absolutely insane. At this point she's really lost of words.

"You didn't even hesitate to spread those innocent little lies" he said, leaning closer, his face just inches from hers. "I gave you my heart, trusted every word that came out of your mouth, thought I'd finally found someone pure–different. But you? You're just like every other manipulative and cheap woman I swore I'd stay away from."

His voice grew louder, colder, more merciless with each word.

"Tell me something, Evie," he snapped, leaning in. "Was I not enough? Is that why you went crawling to other men? Was it fun pretending? Was I not satisfying enough, so you needed someone else to finish the job?" He said cruelly with no remorse. "Or did you just get bored and jump to the next guy with a thicker wallet or a bigger promise?"

Her eyes started sting with tears at his cruel, baseless accusation and mouth parted with disbelief.

"You pretend so well. That sweet little voice, those teary eyes–you think they make you pure? Do you know what you look like to me now? Cheap. Easy. Just another girl who opens her heart and legs to anyone who gives her attention."

What the hell?

Her entire body stilled. Her lips parted slightly, but no sound came out. She couldn't move, couldn't speak–only stare at him as if he'd just ripped the ground from under her feet.

"How many men, Evie?" he demanded, his voice rising, shaking with rage. "How many did you sleep with before me? During me? After me?"

He let out a cold, mocking laugh–one that didn't sound like him at all, his eyes fully red with intoxication.

"You've probably lost count, haven't you?"

His eyes scanned her face like she was filth.

"You're not a woman with dignity. You're just someone who uses people. For attention, for comfort, for whatever sick power trip you get from it. Maybe that's all you've ever known. A girl like you–middle class, no status, no name. Maybe this is your way of surviving. Spread your legs and fake a few tears–men fall for that, right? I sure did."

She almost stumbling backward as if his words had physically shoved her. Her chest tightened painfully, but she couldn't even cry–she couldn't process what was happening. It was like the world had slowed down, and she was stuck inside a nightmare she couldn't wake from.

"Taehyung…" she whispered, but her voice cracked.

She didn't know what to say because there was nothing that could be said in front of this version of him. This wasn't even someone she recognized.

He scoffed cruelly. "I should've known. I should've known no one's ever that perfect. That innocent. It was all just a goddamn show. And I bought every second of it."

Taehyung's words didn't stop. If anything, they grew harsher like knives meant to cut through whatever dignity she had left. His voice was no longer just angry–it was cruel. Spiteful. Poisonous.

" You really think you're something?" he sneered. "You're just a pretty face with cheap tricks. How many men have you spread your legs for? You think I'm the first? Or the only one dumb enough to fall for your act? You're not innocent–you're a damn whore who knows how to play sweet until you get what you want. And I was just another fool on your list."

This was enough.

He crossed his limits today.

With every word, he humiliated her, insulted her character. Her heart felt like it had stopped beating, and the silence in her mind was deafening.

But then it snapped.

She didn't hold back.

With all the strength in her, she shoved him hard. He stumbled slightly–already unstable from the alcohol in his system but before he could react, her palm flew across his cheek in a loud, sharp slap.

She slap him hard across his face.

The sound echoed in the room. His face jerked to the side, his eyes wide in stunned silence.

Tears slipped down her cheeks, but they weren't quiet tears of pain–they were loud, burning tears of rage.

"How dare you?" she shouted, her voice shaking as she glared at him. "How the hell do you even dare to say that to me? To think that about me?"

She stepped closer, her chest heaving, her hands clenched into trembling fists. "Who the hell gave you the right to speak to me like that? Just because I loved you? Trusted you? Does that give you the right to strip me of my dignity? To spit those filthy words in my face like I mean nothing?"

Taehyung remained still, stunned, unable to meet her eyes. For the first time, the rage in her felt more powerful than the pain.

Evie's hands shot up and grabbed the collar of his shirt, her face inches from his. "You think just because I stayed quiet, I'll let you stomp all over my character? You think my silence is weakness?" she snarled, her voice cracking as her hands trembled. "You crossed every line today."

She shoved him again, harder this time, breathing heavily through gritted teeth. Her voice dropped but her words hit harder.

"You insulted me, question about my character. How could you, Taehyung? I loved you. I believed in you. I knew you. Or at least I thought I did."

Her body trembled in front of him with fury. Her eyes, still glistening with tears, stared into his, demanding answers, demanding remorse. But he said nothing.

Her voice cracked as she finally spoke, eyes brimming with tears.

"How dare you?" she whispered, then louder - broken, trembling, and furious. "How can you accuse me of something so disgusting? How can you even think that about me?"

Her voice shook as the words tumbled out, fast and heavy, like she’d been holding them in for far too long. "It's so easy for you, isn't it? Easy to throw those words at me… easy to stain my name, judge my character like you know anything about me. But you don't, Taehyung. You don't know a damn thing about me."

Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she tried to steady herself. Her hands clenched at her sides, her heart pounding. "If someone else had said those things, maybe I could've walked away. Maybe I wouldn't have cared so much. But you? You, Taehyung? You were the one person I never expected this from."

She looked at him like she didn't recognize him anymore. "You used to be kind. Respectful. Gentle. A man I could actually admire. You were the only one I thought was different... the only one I believed would never try to break me the way the world already has. And now look at you."

She stepped closer, her voice cracking with disbelief. "You're not just accusing me–you're throwing filth at me, judging me like I'm some kind of toy passed around. And for what? Your own insecurity? Your unknown reason?"

Evie's tears slid down her cheeks, but this time she didn't wipe them. She let them fall, burning. "You've disappointed me in ways I can't even put into words. You've made me feel ashamed of loving you."

She shook her head, as if trying to wake up from a nightmare. "If you really think I'm that kind of girl… if you think I've slept around, lied, seduced, and used people… then the problem isn't me, Taehyung. The problem is your disgusting mindset."

She took a shaky step back, her voice rising in intensity. "You are the one who's two-faced. You pretend to be this genuine, good man, but deep down? You're just like the rest–cruel, judgmental, disgusting."

Taehyung staggered slightly as he stood there, still under the heavy influence of alcohol, but just aware enough to cling to his anger and pain. His voice was hoarse, words laced with bitterness and resentment.

"You're acting like the victim now," he muttered. "But you're the one who broke us. You betrayed what we had, and now you stand there, pointing fingers like I'm the only one at fault. How can you be like this? How can you act like you're the one who's hurt when you were the one who crushed everything we had?"

Evie stared at him in disbelief, her jaw tightening as her fists clenched at her sides. Her voice erupted in a trembling scream.

"Are you even listening to yourself?!" she shouted, her voice cracking with fury. "Why the fuck did you drink so much if you can't even control your tongue? Do you even realize what the hell you're saying right now?! Your mind isn't even in its senses, and you have the audacity to stand here and throw shit at me?!"

She stepped closer, her chest rising with rapid, heavy breaths. Her eyes, wide with pain and fury, locked with his. "You think I broke us? You think I'm the one who ruined what we had?! You don't get to say that–not when you were the one who walked away from me. You were the one who ditched me like I never meant a damn thing. You ignored me, pushed me away like I was just some burden. You said things in college that still echo in my head, and i still don't know why!"

Her voice trembled as emotion began to crack through her anger. "You broke things between us long before I even got the chance to explain anything. And those disgusting words you said to me tonight? I'll never forget them. Never."

Tears started to spill from her eyes, but this time, they weren't silent or subtle. They rolled down freely, soaked in pain, humiliation, and heartbreak. Her lips quivered as she spoke again, softer but more broken.

"I loved you, Taehyung… I really did. But my love isn't stronger than my dignity. My self-respect matters more than any relationship that makes me feel small, cheap, and filthy."

Her hands shook as she gripped the collar of his shirt tightly, fury boiling under her skin. "Get out," she spat through clenched teeth. "I want you out of my house right now."

She shoved him, hard, pulling him with both hands toward the door. Taehyung stumbled over the doorstep, nearly falling onto the ground as she dragged him out. The night air hit them both, cold but her anger kept her burning from within.

"You call me disgusting?" she snapped, her voice sharp as a blade. "You said I was cheap? Easy? You know what, Taehyung? You're the worst man I've ever known. You're a walking disappointment. And you want to talk about regrets?" Her voice cracked. "I regret everything now. Every moment. Every stupid little hope I held onto thinking you were different."

She looked at him like he was a stranger. "I only saw what was on the surface. I never realized how ugly you were on the inside. You're no different from your arrogant, self-righteous, rich dad. Same blood. Same pride. Same dirt."

Her chest heaved as her breath caught. "Maybe you're drunk right now, maybe tomorrow you won't remember every word. But I will. Every single word you spit at me tonight–every accusation, every insult–it's burned into me now. You crossed a line, Taehyung. And that's something you can never undo."

She stepped back into the doorway, voice low but trembling with rage. "If there's even a shred of decency left in you, if you still want to call yourself a man, then don't ever show your face in front of me again. Let's end this… whatever this was. I don't want it. I don't need it."

She shook her head, more tears falling. "From this moment on, you’re nothing to me. You're a stranger."

Her voice hardened. "And if you don't want to be beaten by my father, or have the cops drag you out of this neighborhood, then get the hell out of here. Now."

Without another word, she slammed the door shut.

She leaned her back against the door, hands over her mouth as sobs finally escaped her. She slid down slowly, unable to stop the shaking in her body. Her heart ached like it had been ripped in two, but even in her pain, she knew she had done the right thing–for herself, for her dignity.

From the other side of the door, Evie could still hear the banging–loud, desperate, and relentless. His voice broke through the silence of the night, cracked with raw emotion and intoxicated confusion.

"Evie…" Taehyung called out, his voice hoarse and shaking. "Evie, please… open the door. Just once, open the door…"

But she didn't move.

She stood frozen, her back pressed firmly against the door, tears streaming silently down her cheeks as she bit her lower lip to keep herself from sobbing out loud. Her heart was thudding violently in her chest, but her body refused to respond. She couldn't open the door. She wouldn't open the door.

Because the man standing outside wasn't the man she had fallen in love with.

That version of Taehyung–the kind one, the gentle one, the boy with laughter in his eyes and warmth in his words–no longer existed. The one now screaming from behind the door was someone else. Someone cruel. Someone so lost in his own darkness that all he could do was lash out.

"EVIE!" he shouted again. "COME OUT, DON'T DO THIS!"

She finally found the strength to speak, her voice firm but cracked at the edges. "If you don't leave right now, Taehyung, I'm calling the cops," she said through the door, wiping her tears roughly with the sleeve of her shirt. "Just go."

The banging didn't stop right away. For a few more agonizing minutes, he kept yelling, kept slamming his fists into the wood. But then… gradually… the sound began to fade. The pounding slowed. His voice grew quieter, more choked, slurred by drunken sobs.

She could hear him now–muttering to himself, his words no longer directed at her.

"You're the one who ruined everything…" he mumbled, the pain in his voice clearer now. "You broke it all, Evie… you betrayed what we had. I loved you… I fucking loved you with everything I had."

His cries grew softer, muffled now as he sank somewhere near the ground, his body no longer able to hold itself up. She could picture him there, crouched or curled up outside her door, his face buried in his hands.

"I'll never forgive you… never…" he slurred bitterly. "You and that bastard… you both betrayed me. You proved Jungkook right… everything he said about you… you proved it."

Evie shut her eyes tightly, her heart aching. She could hear him, but the words no longer made sense.

She didn't know what he meant about Jungkook or who he was accusing. His thoughts were fueled by heartbreak and alcohol. All she could truly feel was the weight of her own pain–the stabbing hurt of everything falling apart.

"I hate you…" his voice cracked again, low and trembling. "I hate you to my fucking core. I'll never show my face to you again… and I swear… I'll never look at yours either."

Then came silence–heavy, suffocating silence. All she could hear was the faint sound of him crying, quietly now, as if even he had run out of strength to scream.

And then, after what felt like an eternity, his footsteps retreated.

He was gone.

Evie slowly slid down the door, her legs giving out beneath her as she collapsed to the floor. Her arms wrapped around herself, as if trying to hold the shattered pieces of her heart together. She cried–freely now.

He had left.

But his words still lingered like ghosts, haunting the corners of her mind.

And though she wanted to forget everything that just happened, she knew–this night had changed everything forever.