|| CHAPTER - 42 ||

•| CHAPTER ~ 42 |•

•| “TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ME” |•

✿───❀  ♡  ❀───✿

It was early evening.

The soft orange light from the sunset cast long shadows in Evie's room as she sat on the edge of her bed, staring blankly at the floor. The house was quiet. Her father was outside, probably tending to the small garden or just getting some air. She was alone and her mind wasn't giving her a moment of peace.

It had been two days since that unexpected encounter with Jungkook. Two days, and yet she still couldn't get it out of her head. The way he looked at her, the way he spoke, those strange emotions he stirred–it was all stuck in her mind like a stubborn thought.

She hated it. Hated that she was thinking about him at all. And the more she tried to push it away, the more it kept circling back.

She had gotten a message from an unknown number earlier that morning. Something soft and unexpected.

—[Unknown number]Good morning, Sweetheart. I hope today treats you gently. Take care.

At first, she was confused. It felt oddly sweet, and for a second, she thought it might be from an old friend. But her gut told her otherwise. And not long after, she found out it was Jungkook.

She blocked the number without thinking twice.

But not even an hour later, another message popped up–from a different number.

—[Unknown number]Don't block me. Sweetheart I'll just message from another one.

She stared at the screen in disbelief, frustrated beyond words. Since then, he kept sending small messages. Nothing dramatic, just little lines.

—[Unknown number]Hope you ate something today.Don't forget to sleep well.You're stronger than you think.

Evie didn't reply to any of them. She refused to give him that attention. But the constant buzzing of her phone and those soft words were getting under her skin. He was trying to break through her walls.

She didn't trust him–not even a little.

A man like him didn't change overnight, and she wasn't going to fall for that fake kindness.

She threw her phone aside on the bed and rubbed her temples.

"I don't have time for this shit," she whispered to herself.

There were more important things weighing on her. The deadline to pay the fine was getting dangerously close, and it made her stomach churn with anxiety. Her father had managed to arrange part of the amount, but there was still a large chunk left. Both of them were doing everything they could to scrape it together.

Evie had applied for multiple jobs, and even sent in a few loan applications. Some of them were showing "processing," but nothing had been approved yet. The waiting was eating her up inside. She couldn't sit still, couldn't focus, couldn't breathe properly.

All she could do now was pray and hope that something, anything, would work out soon.

Just as Evie was about to bury her face in her palms again, trying to shut her thoughts off for a moment, she heard the front door open and then close. Footsteps followed–quick, light ones and then her father's voice called out, more energetic than usual.

"Evie?"

She straightened up, surprised by how... cheerful he sounded. It was rare these days.

"I'm in here," she replied, her voice tired.

A second later, her father pushed the door open and stepped in, holding a few papers in his hands, his eyes unusually bright, his face practically glowing. She blinked. He looked like someone who had just received the best news of his life.

"Evie... I got the job!" he said with a wide grin, almost breathless. "And the loan–they approved it! It's going to be issued in just a few days!"

For a moment, Evie just stared at him, not knowing what to say. It felt too sudden. Almost unreal.

"What? Really?" she asked, slowly standing up.

"Yes! Isn't it amazing?" he laughed, almost childishly. "After all these rejections, I wasn't expecting it. But this company—SkyHaven Enterprises—offered me the position!"

Evie's smile faltered.

"SkyHaven....?" she repeated the name, something nagging at the back of her mind. She frowned slightly, trying to place it.

Her father didn't notice her change in expression. He was still too caught up in his excitement. "Yeah! I applied to a bunch of companies, but this one? I didn't even think they'd consider someone like me. It's a huge firm, one of the branches owned by—what's the name again—ah yes, Mr. Jeon Jungson. Big-shot business tycoon. Anyway, I got in! Isn't that great?"

What?

Jeon?

Her breath caught in her throat. Of course. Jeon Jungson. Jeon Jungkook's father. One of the largest business empires in the city. She had read the name on buildings and company ads, but she never thought it would loop back to her life like this.

Now it all made sense.

The timing.

The job.

The approved loan.

All of it lined up too perfectly–right after she told Jungkook not to interfere.

Her father's smile was wide, proud, and full of hope. He had no idea what was really going on behind the scenes. And she didn't have the heart to tell him–not right now.

He sat down, still going on, "This changes everything, Evie. People won't look down on us anymore. We'll be okay. We can breathe again. You don't have to worry anymore."

Evie forced a tight smile and nodded, but her insides were twisting.

And then–ding.

Her phone lit up with a new message.

She picked it up slowly, already knowing who it was.

It was from the same number that had been messaging her earlier. Jungkook. She opened it hesitantly.

—[Unknown number]I hope things are getting better for you. You deserve it ♡I'm really happy for you. Sleep well tonight, sweetheart : )

The emoji. The sweetness. It all made her blood boil a little. Not because the message was kind–but because now she was sure it was him. And even though he didn't say it outright, she knew exactly what this was.

He had done all of it.

The job. The loan.

He had pulled the strings after she explicitly told him not to.

Her jaw clenched. She didn't know whether she was angry, frustrated, or just emotionally exhausted. Maybe all three. She looked over at her father–still smiling, still talking, still hopeful.

She couldn't ruin this moment for him.

"I'm going for a walk," she said suddenly, interrupting him.

He blinked. "Now?"

"Yeah... just for a bit. I need some air."

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. Just need to clear my head," she said, already grabbing her jacket and phone.

She stepped outside, closing the door behind her before he could ask anything more.

And she stepped out into the cool evening air, her heart beat a little faster from the anger and frustration bubbling inside her. She knew exactly where he'd be. Somehow, deep down, it didn't even feel like a guess. It felt like she just knew. Like her gut was leading her straight to him. Her shoes tapped as she walked down her quiet street and turned the corner into the main road. The lights from nearby stores cast a soft glow, and her breath fogged up in front of her with each exhale.

Then she saw him.

Just as she'd expected, he was sitting outside a coffee shop–looking far too relaxed for someone who had no business meddling in her life. He had a cup of coffee in one hand, his phone in the other, casually scrolling, probably vibing to music in his earbuds. His legs were crossed, back leaned against the bench like he owned the world. Like nothing could touch him.

She clenched her jaw and walked straight toward him, no hesitation. The wind tossed a few strands of her hair into her face, but she didn't bother brushing them away. She was too focused. Too furious.

Jungkook sensed her presence before she even spoke. He looked up, his expression instantly shifting from casual to pleasantly surprised. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he pulled out his earbuds.

"Well, well," he said smoothly, standing up. "This is unexpected. Did you come here on purpose, or… came to meet me? If it's the latter, I must say–I'm honored by your lovely presence."

The smile didn't leave his face, he's not even acting surprised because he knows she's going to show up.

He stepped closer, his voice dipped in charm as always. "Come on, I ordered your drink already. Figured you might show up eventually. Sit. Let's talk."

But Evie wasn't playing his game.

Without a word, she marched straight up to him, grabbed the collar of his expensive coat, and yanked him closer, her voice sharp and low. "You did this, didn't you?"

Jungkook blinked, surprised–at least pretending to be. "Whoa, what's gotten into you?" he said with a chuckle, raising his hands a little in mock surrender. "What did I do this time?"

"Don't act clueless," she snapped, her grip tightening slightly. "You sent those messages. You got my dad that job. You're the reason his loan was approved so fast. Don't fucking lie to me."

He looked around, checking if anyone was watching, then gently pried her hand off his collar, brushing it down like nothing happened. His voice dropped just slightly–less playful now, but still calm. "Alright. Yes, I did it. But why are you making it sound like I set your house on fire? I wasn't trying to hurt anyone, Evie. I was trying to help. That's all."

She stepped back, eyes narrowed with disbelief. "Help? Seriously?" she scoffed. "I told you I didn't need your damn help. I made it very clear. Or do you have some kind of memory problem now?"

He smirked slightly, like her anger amused him. "Don't be so dramatic. It's just a job. A well-deserved one, by the way. Your dad's been working under Taehyung's father for years–he's more than qualified. I didn't hand him anything he didn't earn."

"Cut the crap, Jungkook," she snapped. "You're not some fucking saint. I know exactly what you're doing. You want me to look at you like you're my savior. You want me to feel grateful, maybe even guilty. That's what this is all about, isn't it? So I'd come running back to you?"

He tilted his head, his smile never fading completely. "You really think I'm that desperate?" he asked with a chuckle, stepping closer again. "I did it for you, Evie. Because I wanted. And maybe... just maybe, I was hoping you'd see that. But I'm not asking for anything in return. I didn't come knocking on your door, did I?"

"You didn't need to," she bit back. "You just meddled with my life from behind the scenes like a goddamn puppeteer. You want to pretend it's all out of kindness, fine. But don't expect me to believe there's no string attached."

Gosh this girl, Jungkook can never be able to understand what her actual problem is!

"I didn't do it for recognition," he said softly, feigning sincerity. "The loan? Yeah, that was me too. Consider it a small act of gratitude. You've been through hell. I thought maybe you could use one less thing to worry about."

But obviously she's not ready to buy it.

Her eyes glinted with frustration. "Gratitude? Please. You're not doing any of this for me. You're doing it so you can feel like the good guy in your own twisted story, so you can say 'look, I saved her.' But whatever it is, I already made it clear that I don't want your interference, didn't it?"

For a second, the mask slipped. His eyes flickered–something unreadable but he caught himself quickly, exhaling and leaning back slightly.

"You're reading too much into this, Evie. But alright," he said smoothly, raising both hands again like he was done arguing. "If you want to be angry, be angry. If it helps you sleep at night, think the worst of me. I won't stop you."

There had to be a catch. This guy was drenched in suspicion, and Evie wouldn't buy a word of it. Not a single, blessed word.

Standing there, chest rising and falling as she tried to steady her breath. Jungkook looked at her as his expression was somewhere between amusement and mild offense, like a man who'd just been accused of stealing cookies and was trying to act surprised.

"I don't trust you," she said flatly, her voice low and firm. "Whatever game you're playing, it's not helping. You being suddenly kind and generous? It's suspicious as hell."

Okay, this hurts his ego a little, especially when he's trying so hard just to help her.

He blinked, drawing his head back slightly as if her words genuinely shocked him. He even scoffed a little, acting like her reaction was unreasonable. "Wow," he muttered, shaking his head with a mock laugh. "So let me get this straight. When I was rude and arrogant and didn't give a damn, I was the worst person alive. But now that I'm trying to be decent, that's a problem too?" He raised a brow. "Are you even in your right mind, girl?"

Still not enough to convince her. He should really try harder because she's not going to give in that easily.

"Then tell me one good reason why I should trust you," she challenged. "One."

Fucking god, he never thought it'll be that much difficult, his eyes narrowing as if he were thinking. "I have lots of things which can be trusted but you are too dumb to see them," he said smoothly. "And whether you like it or not, your father now has a stable job–earned by his hard work, not because of some favor. I just gave him a position he deserved. And that loan? I helped you apply, that's all. You still have to pay it back." His voice was calm, controlled, but there was something behind it–something smug.

He paused a little and smirked faintly, determined not to leave any chance to avoid making her pissed off. "But if you're going to cry about not being able to pay it back in time, you can just say it. I can handle it for you. Just say the word."

It worked perfectly. She felt a sharp sting of offense, the mocking tone in his words feels personal to her. How fucking dare he!

"Wow," she muttered, bitterness lacing every syllable. "So this is what it's about, huh? You want to show off your money now? Make me feel small? Act like the generous king coming down to help the poor? Is that it?"

He only let out a dramatic sigh and rolled his eyes, as if he was done entertaining her nonsense. "God, you're exhausting," he said under his breath, but loud enough for her to hear. "Do you seriously think I'm throwing my money around to impress you?" He looked at her like she was being unreasonable again, the patronizing calmness in his voice only adding fuel to her anger.

But her expression didn't change, and her face was anything but pleasant. Now he was slowly making her angry and frustrated for sure. Obviously, Jungkook, being the stubborn jerk he was, wasn't going to let it go without testing her patience.

He shifted slightly, his tone softening just enough to sound more persuasive. "Look, I'm not mocking you. I'm not here to throw your problems in your face. I know how serious this is, okay? You only have three or four days left. I know the amount–don't ask how, I just do. And don't pretend like you can magically come up with that kind of money in that little time. I'm not trying to act like some hero. It's just... impossible. And yeah, I could help. So why are you acting like I'm your enemy?"

She didn't speak for a moment, her eyes scanning his face—his face, which looked so innocent but was anything but. She'd be the biggest fool to believe him, having seen exactly who he was. "I still don't trust you," she said quietly but firmly. "Not even a little."

God, at this point he really wanted to bang his head against the wall instead of trying to make this girl understand.

Why the heck were women so difficult?

He was trying his best to fix things, but her stubborn self was making him lose his mind—especially since he kept himself in check because they were in public and he didn't want to shake her and force some sense into her brain, which seemed empty to him.

"Of course you don't," he muttered. "Because God forbid you to think properly without judging."

"Shut up." she just scoffed.

Hearing her response again, he let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand down his face as if trying to hold himself back. Then he looked straight at her, voice low, words tumbling out with raw impatience.

"You're the dumbest woman I've ever met," he muttered, not even bothering to hide the exasperation in his tone. "I'm literally running around you like a fool. I know I screwed up before. I was a jerk. I treated you wrong. And I've said I'm sorry–multiple times. But you? You're just standing here throwing an attitude like you're above it all."

His eyes met hers, unrelenting, as he stepped closer. The coffee cup in his hand found the bin with a casual flick. His voice, already low with frustration, dropped further, sharpening into intensity as he leaned in, tilting his head to study her pissed-off face—the one he had caused.

"You should be using me right now," he said, voice smooth but edged with something dangerous. "Take advantage of this situation. Isn't that what smart people do?"

He closed the distance a little more, his gaze locked onto hers, unblinking. "Don't take it as me trying to own you. Hell, think of it as… maybe one day, if I'm stuck in a mess, you'll return the favor. Nobody knows how life plays out."

Standing so close, he ignored the people passing by, the curious glances, the stares. She could feel the cold bite of the air against her skin, and the flush rising in her cheeks due to cold made him look at her even more intently, as if it was fuel for him.

She swallowed hard and stepped back, but he stepped forward at the same time, closing the space again. She tried to retreat, but his hand shot out, gripping her shoulder firmly, stopping her. The contact made her stiffen, shock flickering across her features.

"I'm making this simple," he said, voice low but commanding. "If you can't take it as a gesture… or even an apology, then treat it like you're getting even. Use me. Maybe it'll balance out everything I've done before."

His grip tightened slightly as she tried to pull away, her body stiff with resistance. "But no," he added, eyes narrowing, "you'd rather stand here, acting like some righteous angel, ruining both your mood and mine."

For a moment, his expression hardened, lips pressed tight, jaw tense. She blinked at his audacity, her pulse spiking as she pushed against his hold. He responded instantly, tightening his grip and pulling her subtly closer, forcing her to meet his intensity.

"I was actually in a good mood seeing you," he admitted, irritation threading through his tone. "But you've completely ruined it. As always."

He glanced around the street, noticing the few people who had slowed down to watch them, curiosity written all over their faces. He clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed. "And now you're just standing there, stiff as a board, staring at me like I'm a ghost. People are watching, Evie. I don't care but I'm telling you, for your sake, come. Sit. Stop making a scene."

Evie's chest rose and fell in sharp, uneven breaths as she struggled against his grip. The second his hand loosened even slightly, she pulled herself away, stepping back with every ounce of self-restraint she had. Her voice was low, restrained, but every word dripped with tightly coiled rage.

"If this is one of your twisted, dirty little games again," she hissed through clenched teeth, eyes flashing, "then believe me, Jungkook—it won't end well for you."

But instead of getting serious, he smiled–a lazy, cocky smile and without warning, reached out and pinched her cheek gently like she was some child throwing a tantrum.

"You're looking kind of cute when you're mad," he teased, amused.

She slapped his hand away instantly, not even hesitating.

"Don't touch me," she snapped, voice firm.

Then, with a firm tone, she looked him up and down, folding her arms. "Since you're suddenly so generous and full of gratitude these days," she began, tilting her head, "let me give you a piece of advice–and it's free, don't worry."

Jungkook raised a brow, clearly amused.

"Invest your money in something that actually matters," she said bluntly. "You clearly have a lot of free time and nothing productive to do, except follow me around like a lost cause. You might want to find yourself a job, or at least a purpose, because this aimless, unemployed version of you?" She gave a humorless smile. "It's getting kind of pathetic. Get a job and keep yourself busy before your boredom turns you into a full-time stalker."

What the fucking hell.

He just blinked as words hit him harder than he expected. His smirk faltered just a little, and for the first time, a flicker of irritation showed in his eyes. He leaned back slightly, crossing his arms over his chest, and let out a short breath.

"You know…" he muttered with a dry chuckle, almost as if he were offended but trying not to show it, "you really don't hold back, do you?"

But Evie wasn't in the mood to keep the conversation going. She turned around without saying a word, her silence was good than any of her savage comebacks. She didn't even look at him, just began walking away–calm and firm, like she'd already made up her mind that he wasn't worth her time.

Jungkook scoffed under his breath and took a few slow steps behind her. "Evie," he called, in a voice that tried to sound easygoing, like none of this bothered him. "Come on. Don't be so dramatic. Just sit down for five minutes and have some coffee with me."

But she didn't slow down. Didn't even acknowledge him.

He rolled his eyes and shoved his hands into his pockets, watching her walk away with growing frustration. "You're really giving me a hard time," he muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening slightly. "You know that?"

As her figure got smaller, he raised his voice slightly. "And don't even think about blocking my number again," he warned, but in that same playful tone. "I'll just message you from another one. You really think you can get rid of me that easy?"

But Evie kept walking, not turning around once.

By the time she reached home, the sun had started to dip beyond the buildings. The air had cooled, and the world felt quieter. Her shoes clicked lightly on the road as she walked, but her mind was anything but still. Thoughts tangled and untangled in her head, looping back to his face, his words, that irritating smile of his.

Why did he keep showing up?

Why now?

What did he really want?

She pressed her lips into a thin line as she walked on the road. Inside her head, the arguments continued.

Should she take what he's offering?

He said it himself—use her  Was that an invitation? Or another mind game?

Maybe it wasn't the worst idea. Maybe it was exactly what she needed. He had wronged her first. He was the one who caused all the–the humiliation. So if he was crawling back now with favors and fake kindness, what was the harm in taking advantage of it a little?

She paused just outside her house, opening the iron gate, her fingers grip tightly with a thought she didn't want to admit.

Maybe she could let him help. Just a little.

Not because she trusted him.

Not because she forgave him.

But because she could use him. Just like he said.

And she'd make sure he wouldn't bother her more than necessary. She knew guys like Jungkook–impulsive, arrogant, easily bored. He wasn't the type to chase after someone for too long. Once the thrill wore off, he'd move on from her. This wasn't some feelings. This wasn't redemption. This was him toying with her for entertainment.

She could play along–for now. Just enough to make her life a little easier.

Just enough until she didn't need him anymore.

She opened the door and walked into her house, the door closing behind her with a soft click.

She should take advantage of him—when he himself offering her.