† 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟲𝟳 †

╭─━─━─━─━─━─╮𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟲𝟳†❝𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡 𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗞𝗘❞╰─━─━─━─━─━─╯

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

"Wait—divorce? Who's getting divorced?"

"Me. I'm talking about my divorce. Mine and Jungkook's."

Ethan stared at Evie in complete shock the moment the word "divorce" left her mouth. His jaw dropped slightly, unable to believe what he had just heard. This was the last thing he had expected from her. He blinked a few times, trying to process her words, then asked again, just to be sure he had heard it right.

"Wait… are you seriously talking about divorce? Like, you're getting divorced from Jungkook?" he asked, his voice low and hesitant.

Evie didn't react much to his taken-aback expression. She looked him in the eyes and repeated herself clearly. "Yes, you heard right. I'm talking about my divorce. I'm getting divorced."

A heavy silence fell between them after that.

Ethan letting her words sink in. Even now, he was still trying to process what she had just said. He knew things between her and Jungkook had never been good—if anything, they were toxic.

He had seen the way Jungkook treated her, the way Evie slowly lost herself in that marriage. But despite all of that, Ethan never thought she would actually reach this point. Never thought she would suddenly stand in front of him one day and ask for help getting a divorce.

It felt sudden. And that's what worried him.

If she was talking about divorce so seriously, it meant something big must have happened. Something serious.

Almost a week ago, she had looked happy when he arranged her new job. She had even sounded hopeful. But after that, she disappeared. She didn't answer any of his calls, didn't reply to his messages. Then, Jungkook told him that she had gone back to her father's house. That had already felt strange to Ethan. Something about it didn't sit right with him.

But now… Evie was suddenly sitting here, asking for a lawyer, asking for a way out of her marriage.

That could only mean one thing—Jungkook must have done something terrible to her.

Ethan looked at her closely, his eyes searching her face for answers. He wanted to ask what Jungkook did. What exactly happened between them? What did he say? Did he hurt her again?

But Evie didn't say anything.

Her silence spoke louder than words.

He leaned in a little and asked softly, "Are you… even okay?"

She looked at him then. Her eyes were shiny with unshed tears and she tried her best to hold herself together. But the moment he asked that simple question, everything she had been bottling up inside started to come loose.

For months, she had been keeping her pain hidden, swallowing it day after day. But now, with someone finally asking if she was okay–with genuine care in their voice—it was all too much.

Looked at him with moist eyes, her voice barely above a whisper, but filled with emotion. "No… I'm not fine," she said, her voice cracking. "Not anymore."

Ethan's heart sank at her words. The pain in her eyes was impossible to ignore, and at that moment, he became even more certain that Jungkook had done something terrible to her again. He knew how twisted Jungkook's mind could be—how far he was willing to go just to justify his pathetic revenge.

And judging by the broken look on her face, Ethan knew whatever Jungkook had done this time was far worse than before.

He gently asked her again, "What happened, Evie? You can tell me everything. I won't judge. I'm here for you. Just talk to me… please."

She took a shaky breath, trying to control her emotions and hold back her tears, but the weight of everything inside her had become too much.

"I'm done, Ethan," she whispered, finally letting a few tears fall. "I've tried to stay strong. I've tried to make things work, but I just… I can't anymore. I feel so pathetic, crying like this, but I don't know what else to do. I need someone to listen to me. I need someone to tell me what to do because I'm suffocating. I don't even recognize myself anymore."

Concern was written all over Ethan's face. He could see how drained and defeated she looked. The moment she mentioned the word "divorce," a knot had formed in his chest, and now it was only tightening. Gently, he asked, "Evie… did Jungkook do something? Did he hurt you? You can tell me. I'll talk to him myself if I have to."

But Evie didn't answer right away. She just stared at the floor for a long moment, her eyes filled with tears. Then, quietly, she looked up at him and said, "I'm done, Ethan. I really am. I can't keep doing this anymore. I've lost myself in this marriage. I've lost my strength, my peace… even my hope."

Her voice was low and tired, but the pain behind it was heavy and raw. And it only confirmed Ethan's fear that Jungkook had done something that finally pushed her to the edge.

She let out a shaky sigh before adding, "I never thought my married life would turn out like this. If I had known back then what was waiting for me, I swear I would have never gotten married in the first place."

"Evie…" he breathed out her name softly as he listened to her trembling voice. He didn't know what to say to comfort her or how to ease the pain she was carrying. But he also knew he couldn't force her to speak before she was ready.

So he stayed quiet, letting her continue at her own pace—letting her say whatever she needed to let out. More than anything, he wanted her to know that he was here for her and willing to listen.

She paused, trying to hold back her tears as she met his eyes. She knew he wouldn't judge her, and she trusted him enough to finally open up.

In a trembling voice, she continued, "I know marriage isn't easy. It's not some child's game where you marry one day and sign divorce papers the next. I know it takes compromise, effort, love, and patience. I didn't give up because of some silly argument. This… this is not about a small fight. I can't even explain what I'm feeling because everything is just too much." She lowered her gaze for a moment and wiped a drop of tear from her eyes, "It's only been six months since our wedding. Six months. And I still remember how everyone congratulated me so happily, like it was the beginning of a beautiful life. And now… here I am, asking for a way out."

Ethan chose to stay silent this time because he genuinely didn't know what to say anymore. It was heartbreaking to see such a beautiful and cheerful woman slowly get destroyed by the man she loved the most, only to be played with so cruelly in return.

And the worst part was knowing he couldn't do a damn thing to stop it. That helplessness would forever remain a guilt he carried inside him.

She swallowed hard, trying to push down the overwhelming emotions choking her. She looked away for a moment, attempting to control her tears, but they refused to stop.

"I feel ashamed even saying this out loud," she admitted weakly. "People always say you shouldn't bring your private life to others, that married couples should fix their problems behind closed doors. And I tried, Ethan. I really tried. I gave everything I had to make this marriage work. I stayed silent when I was hurting. I adjusted, compromised, and kept hoping things would get better. But now… I'm just tired. I've tried so hard, and somewhere along the way, I lost all my hope."

"Don't think like that," Ethan said softly. "You don't have to keep everything to yourself. I'm here to listen to you, and you can say whatever you want. I won't judge you for any of this."

The moment those words left his mouth, Ethan saw the way her expression slightly weakened, as if she had desperately needed someone to say that to her.

And honestly, Ethan himself knew that if she had been completely alone while carrying all this pain, he didn't know how she would have survived it without completely breaking apart. The thought alone made his chest tighten painfully. He had already watched her slowly lose herself over the past months, and it terrified him to think about how much worse things could have become if she had no one beside her at all.

Knowing he was there for her and wouldn't judge her, Evie finally forced herself to continue.

"I've never been someone who walks away when things get hard," she said quietly. "I've never been the kind of person who gives up just because something feels difficult. That's not who I am. But this…" Her voice cracked. "What I'm going through in this marriage… it's not just hard. It's toxic. It's soul-crushing. And now, no matter how much I try, I can't see any other way out except divorce."

She didn't even need to explain all of it. Ethan had already seen enough with his own eyes. And maybe that was what would haunt him forever—the fact that he saw her suffering and still couldn't save her from it sooner.

"I know you did your best," he told her gently. "I've seen enough to understand how things were between you two. None of this is your fault."

She took a deep breath and wiped her tears before speaking again.

"But still… I never expected my life to turn out like this. Not in just six months." She let out a bitter laugh through her tears. "Jungkook… he's not the person I thought he was. I don't know what changed in him after marriage, but something did. He's not the man I believed in anymore. I don't even know what he wants from me now. He's cruel in ways I can't even explain." Her voice dropped into a whisper. "And what hurts the most is that he's not hurting me by accident. He knows exactly what he's doing."

Watching the tears gathering in her eyes and the way she seemed emotionally exhausted just from speaking. His fingers twitched slightly, wanting to reach out and comfort her somehow, but he stopped himself. He didn't want her to misunderstand his intentions or feel uncomfortable.

Still, it is worse to watch her break apart piece by piece while talking about Jungkook.

Jungkook didn't deserve her. Not even a little. Not even her presence.

Especially after all the disgusting things he had done just to justify his childish revenge. Revenge for something Evie didn't even know about in the first place.

And the more Ethan listened, the more anger burned inside him toward Jungkook.

Her voice cracked and she looked down again, blinking away the tears gathering in her eyes. "When I married him, I was truly happy. I thought I had found someone I could build a future with. I believed in him, Ethan. I trusted his words. I thought he would protect me… love me. And instead…" She swallowed hard. "He crushed every single hope I had. He broke me in ways I didn't even know a person could break."

He said quietly, his voice filled with concern, "you don't deserve any of this."

She quickly wiped her cheek when a tear slipped down. "In just six months, he made me feel like I was nothing. Like I was never wanted." Her voice trembled more with every word. "And no matter how much I tried to fix things, it only got worse. I gave my best, but it was never enough." She shook her head weakly. "Now I can't do this anymore. I don't want to keep losing myself just to hold onto something that's already dead."

Ethan stayed silent for a moment, letting her words sink in. He hated how defeated she sounded, like she had already exhausted every last bit of strength trying to save something that was never healthy to begin with.

"You shouldn't have been the only one trying," he finally said softly. "Marriage doesn't work when only one person keeps sacrificing themselves."

Her watery eyes slowly met his again, filled with hurt and regret. "I know you probably think I'm being dramatic or immature…" she whispered. "I mean, I'm only twenty-three. Maybe people will say I should've focused on my career first or waited longer before making such a huge decision like marriage."

"I don't think that," Ethan interrupted gently, not wanting her to blame herself more than she already was. "Loving someone and trusting them doesn't make you immature, Evie."

His words made her eyes soften slightly before she looked away again.

"But back then, I really believed him," she admitted quietly. "I believed in us. And now…" her voice nearly broke again, "I'm paying the price for trusting someone who never deserved it in the first place."

Ethan knew from the very beginning that this whole marriage meant nothing to Jungkook. His intentions, his actions—none of it had ever been genuine. Not just Ethan, but everyone who truly knew Jungkook could tell what kind of person he really was. A man like him loving someone sincerely? Marrying out of love? No one who knew his past would ever believe that nonsense.

Everyone around Jungkook knew exactly who he was.

And they also knew men like him never really changed.

Never.

And yet… Evie still couldn't see the real face behind the man she once believed in.

A part of Ethan wanted to shake her and ask how she could have ever trusted someone like Jungkook in the first place. Even if she didn't know about his revenge plan, she still knew about his past.

Everyone did.

Jungkook had always been known as arrogant, reckless, and careless with people's feelings—a complete playboy who never believed in commitment.

But Ethan swallowed those harsh thoughts down. Hurting her now, when she was already falling apart in front of him, would only make things worse. Still, he needed to understand.

Leaning forward slightly, he spoke gently, carefully choosing his words.

"Evie, please don't take this the wrong way… I'm only asking because I genuinely want to understand." His voice softened further. "Why did you agree to marry him? You studied in the same college as Jungkook—even if it was only for six months—you must've heard about his past. Everyone knew the kind of person he was. His reputation was never exactly clean." He hesitated briefly before continuing, "So… didn't you ever hesitate? Didn't it scare you even a little to say yes to someone like him? I'm not blaming you, I just…" He sighed quietly. "I don't understand how you could trust him."

Evie didn't answer immediately.

She sat there silently, her eyes lowered while her fingers remained tightly intertwined in her lap. Then, after taking a deep breath, a few tears slipped down her cheeks as she slowly looked up at him.

"I came to New York almost two years ago," she began softly, her trembling voice carrying the weight of old memories. "With my dad… and with so many dreams and hopes. Everything felt new back then. We had just moved because of my father's urgent transfer, and I got admission into that college midway through the semester."

A faint, bitter smile touched her lips before fading again.

"When I first met Jungkook, I honestly didn't like him at all. I had already heard things about him—about his reputation—and none of them were good. He was arrogant, rude…" She let out a quiet breath. "Basically everything I hated in a guy. We even argued a few times back then. But I didn't really care about him. I tried to ignore all of that and focus on my own life."

Ethan stayed quiet, listening carefully.

Honestly, he was grateful that she trusted him enough to finally open up about her past. He already knew parts of the story from what he had figured out himself over time, but hearing everything directly from her felt different. He wanted to understand the full truth from her perspective before deciding how he could truly help her.

Evie paused for a moment, slowly wiping her tears as if she hesitated to even say the next name.

"And then I met someone else," she whispered. "His name was Taehyung… Kim Taehyung."

The moment his name left her lips, Ethan froze slightly.

It was like the final missing piece suddenly clicked into place.

Kim Taehyung.

Jungkook's childhood best friend… or former best friend.

And more importantly, Evie's ex-boyfriend.

Ethan had known fragments of the story before, but now he was finally hearing it from her side.

"Taehyung…" A small, painful smile appeared on her lips. "He was the kind of person I thought I would never find. He was kind, sweet, supportive… different from anyone I had ever known." Her eyes softened slightly at the memories. "Everything with him felt new. He was my first relationship… my first love."

Her voice trembled again.

"We were so happy… or at least I thought we were. We made plans together, talked about our future, and I truly believed him when he said he saw that future too." She lowered her gaze again. "I trusted him with everything."

"You were in a relationship with him before meeting Jungkook or after getting involved with Jungkook?" Ethan asked carefully.

"Actually… it was almost around the same time. But I was already with Taehyung when me and Jungkook had that fight."

"Then what happened between you and Taehyung? Why did you two drift apart?" he asked gently, hoping the question wasn't too sensitive for her.

Evie simply closed her eyes for a moment, as if forcing herself to relive memories she would rather forget. Ethan instantly felt bad for asking, but after a few seconds, she opened her eyes again and took a deep breath. He knew this must be difficult for her.

"To be honest… I still don't know what exactly happened," she admitted quietly. "But everything suddenly changed. He stopped talking to me. He started avoiding me, stopped showing up, and then one day…" Her voice weakened. "He told me he regretted everything."

Ethan frowned slightly but stayed silent, letting her continue.

"He never gave me a proper reason. He just said the most hurtful things and left." Her fingers tightened together in her lap. "Left me without any explanation… without any closure. All I got was a letter where he wrote that he never wanted any of this, that he wasn't happy." A tear slipped down her cheek. "He made it seem like everything was my fault. And then he just disappeared… went away to chase his career or whatever he thought was more important than me."

"And you still don't know why he left or why he did all that?" Ethan asked softly.

"Trust me, I really don't know why he did it," she whispered. "But that wasn't even the end of it." She shook her head slightly and bit her lip, trying hard to hold herself together. "Taehyung made sure my father got dragged into some scam issue. At that time, my dad was working under Taehyung's father. Suddenly, false allegations appeared out of nowhere, and my dad was humiliated and thrown out of his job." Her voice cracked painfully. "We were left in debt without even understanding how any of it happened. I was completely broken, Ethan. I felt like I lost everything."

The entire story had been framed in a way that made Taehyung look like the one who betrayed her.

Everything sounded so perfectly planned, so one-sided.

God knew how cruel Jungkook truly was to manipulate things this way.

Evie wasn't even able to see the truth behind it all. From her perspective, Taehyung was the one who abandoned her, ruined her family, and destroyed her life.

But Ethan knew better.

And the saddest part was that from Taehyung's side, things were probably framed in the exact opposite way—as if Evie was the one at fault.

It was all so twisted.

But honestly, Ethan wasn't even surprised anymore. He had already witnessed Jungkook's manipulative games too many times before. This wasn't the first time he had seen one of Jungkook's carefully planned schemes destroy people's lives.

She took another breath before continuing, her eyes growing distant as if she were slowly slipping back into those memories.

"And that's when Jungkook came into my life again," she said quietly. "Yes, I knew who he was. I knew about his past too. But…" Her fingers tightened together. "He was there for me when no one else was."

Ethan stayed silent, listening carefully.

"When I had no one, he stayed," she continued. "I insulted him, pushed him away, even cursed at him sometimes but he still stayed. When my father was hospitalized, Jungkook was the one sitting beside me all night. When I broke down, he was the one holding me together." Sadness crossed her face. "He helped my father get a job again. He protected my family from humiliation and stood beside me through everything, even I never asked for.."

Ethan frowned slightly, finally speaking after a moment. "But Evie… support alone isn't enough to trust someone like Jungkook. Especially when you already knew the kind of past he had."

"I know," she whispered immediately, as if she had expected that question. "Trust me, I didn't want to fall for him. I tried not to." She gave a weak laugh through her tears. "But he just… kept showing up. Keep being there for me. He told me he wanted to change. That he wanted to become a better person… for me. He said maybe I was the reason he finally wanted something real." She lowered her eyes again. "And after everything Taehyung did to me, I was just tired. So tired of getting hurt and ending up abandoned." Her throat tightened slightly. "Then Jungkook came and made me believe in love again… in his own way."

She looked at Ethan then, her eyes filled with quiet sadness and regret.

"But still," Ethan said carefully, "none of that changes who he was before. You knew his past, Evie. Didn't any part of you think maybe he could hurt you too?"

"I know how stupid it sounds," she admitted softly. "But I'm human, Ethan. I feel things." Her voice trembled slightly. "When someone constantly shows you care, attention, and support… when they stay beside you while everyone else leaves… it becomes hard not to feel something for them."

Ethan couldn't even argue with her.

Because honestly, if anyone had been placed in her situation—emotionally exhausted, abandoned, vulnerable—the result probably wouldn't have been much different. Humans naturally held onto the people who stayed beside them during their worst moments.

And Jungkook had used that vulnerability perfectly.

That was the cruelest part.

He had entered her life at the exact moment she was emotionally broken, carefully becoming the person she depended on most. Ethan couldn't fully blame Evie for believing his lies when Jungkook had manipulated everything so perfectly.

"I was really vulnerable when Jungkook came into my life," she continued slowly, choosing every word carefully. "But I didn't say yes to him immediately. I wasn't foolish." She shook her head lightly. "I waited. I gave it time. I watched him carefully… the way he behaved, the way he kept showing up for me every single time. He didn't disappear when things became difficult. He didn't walk away like everyone else did." Her voice weakened. "He stayed."

"And during all that time," Ethan asked quietly, "you never saw this side of him? Not even once before marrying him?"

She immediately shook her head.

"No." Her answer came out almost broken. "We were together for more than six months before marriage. And during those six months…I was happy. I truly was..Jungkook wasn't perfect," she admitted. "Not even close. But back then, he was good to me in his own way. Caring. Protective. Sometimes even gentle." Her eyes filled again. "He made me feel like I mattered after everything that happened with Taehyung."

Ethan remained quiet letting her continue.

She paused for a moment, taking a slow breath before continuing.

"When Taehyung left me, he didn't even give me a proper reason. No explanation. No closure. Just silence… and then that cruel letter." Her fingers trembled slightly in her lap. "So when Jungkook stayed, I kept waiting for the moment he would leave too. I thought maybe one day he'd get tired of me. Maybe he'd get bored and disappear just like Taehyung did." A tear slipped down her cheek. "But he never did."

"And that's how he earned your trust," Ethan said quietly, letting out a slow breath.

Evie lowered her eyes immediately, shame flickering across her face as if she hated herself for believing it all.

"Unfortunately… he did," she admitted softly. "For more than six months, we were together. And during those months, I was genuinely happy. Jungkook made me smile again. He was patient with me. He showed me sides of himself no one else ever talked about—his softer side, his playful side." Her voice trembled slightly. "He made me believe love didn't always have to hurt."

Ethan stayed silent, watching the way her fingers twisted together anxiously.

"And somewhere along the way," she whispered, "I fell for him completely. I didn't plan to, but I did."

A heavy silence settled between them for a moment before Ethan finally spoke.

"You were emotionally exhausted back then, Evie," he said gently. "People become attached to those who stay beside them during their worst moments. That doesn't make you foolish."

Her eyes slowly lifted toward him, glistening with tears.

"But it still feels foolish now," she admitted weakly. "Maybe even naive." She swallowed hard. "But isn't it natural, Ethan? When someone keeps showing up for you… when you push them away over and over again, yet they still come back just to make sure you're okay…" Her voice cracked softly. "How do you not fall for someone like that?"

Ethan's chest tightened hearing the sincerity in her voice.

Because the worst part was that she wasn't wrong.

Jungkook had become exactly what she needed at the time—a source of comfort, stability and support when her entire world was collapsing around her.

And he had used that perfectly.

"He was there when I needed someone the most," she continued, tears finally spilling from her eyes. "I never even asked for his help but he still helped me anyway. When I was too broken to even talk, he would just sit beside me quietly." She let out a shaky breath. "Even when I told him to leave me alone… he stayed." Her lips trembled. "And back then, that meant everything to me."

Ethan looked at her quietly for a moment before speaking in a calm voice.

"Wanting love and comfort during a painful time doesn't make you weak." He paused briefly. "You trusted the version of him he chose to show you. Anyone in your position could have done the same."

That only made her cry harder.

"I know it sounds stupid now," she whispered through tears. "But back then… it felt right." She quickly wiped at her cheek, trying to calm herself enough to continue. "And about marriage… I was only twenty-three, Ethan. I know that's not exactly the ideal age to settle down and honestly, I never even imagined I'd get married that early." She shook her head lightly. "I wasn't ready for it."

Ethan asked carefully, even though he knew. "Then why…?"

"As I already told you this…," she replied. "Jungkook came to me himself. He told me he had a lot of pressure from his family. You already know about the business arrangement his parents were trying to force on him." She looked down at her trembling hands. "He said he didn't want to marry anyone else."

Ethan's jaw clenched slightly.

Because unlike Evie, he knew exactly how carefully planned all of those lies had been from the very beginning.

"He told me he wanted me," she whispered, tears falling faster now. "And he never made it sound like pressure or manipulation. He said marrying me would help him avoid that arrangement."

A broken laugh escaped her lips, maybe laughing at her past self for believing all this nonsense.

"And I believed him. I trusted his words. I trusted the way he made me feel."

The moment her voice fully broke, she covered her face with both hands, unable to hold herself together anymore as quiet sobs escaped her.

Ethan immediately stood up from the sofa, his expression softening with concern. Slowly, carefully, he walked toward her before sitting beside her.

For a brief second, he hesitated.

Then gently, he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Hey…" he said softly. "Look at me."

Another broken sob escaped her lips as she completely fell apart.

"I married him because I loved him," she cried helplessly. "Because I truly believed he loved me too." Her voice shattered with pain. "And now… now look at me. It's only been six months since our wedding, Ethan. Six months… and I'm already sitting here crying over a divorce. I don't even know where everything went so wrong."

The sight of her breaking down like that made something deeply inside Ethan.

The guilt of knowing this earlier but couldn't able to help her.

Without thinking further, he finally pulled her gently into his arms, wrapping one arm securely around her shoulders. The moment she felt that comfort—that silent reassurance that someone was finally there for her and she broke down even harder.

Her trembling hands clutched onto him as she cried against his chest, years worth of bottled-up pain pouring out at once.

Ethan held her carefully, one hand moving slowly up and down her back in an attempt to calm her shaking body.

"Shh… it's okay," he murmured softly. "Just let it out."

Her sobs turned uneven, broken by hiccups as she struggled to breathe properly between cries.

"You don't have to blame yourself for wanting to be loved the way every person deserves to be loved," Ethan told her quietly while comforting her. "None of this happened because you were stupid or blind." He gently rubbed her back. "You trusted someone who spent months convincing you he cared. That's not weakness. That's called being human."

That only made her cry harder.

"Everything was fine at first, Ethan," she whispered through broken sobs. "Before the marriage… things were good. I was happy. And Jungkook seemed happy too. He cared about me. He made me feel seen, wanted…" She closed her eyes tightly. "I believed in him. I believed in us."

Ethan stayed quiet, allowing her to finally empty all the pain she had buried for months.

"But after the wedding…" her voice cracked again, "he changed. Completely. He became someone I didn't recognize anymore. So cruel."

"And whatever Jungkook became after that," Ethan said carefully, still holding her close, "that's on him, not you."

"I don't even know what my fault was," she sobbed, her voice muffled against his chest. "He became worse and worse every day. He wasn't just distant, Ethan… he was cruel. He would say things no husband should ever say to his wife. He humiliated me constantly. Sometimes even in front of other people."

His hand continued moving slowly along her back, silently encouraging her to let everything out instead of holding it inside any longer.

"He treated me like I was a burden," she continued painfully. "Like he regretted marrying me. And I kept thinking maybe if I stayed patient, maybe if I gave him space, things would get better… I tried so hard, Ethan," she whispered. "I really did. I even left my job because he wanted me to. I gave up so many things just to make this marriage work. I stayed quiet when he got angry. I stopped arguing back. I kept swallowing the pain because I didn't want things to become worse. He never respected me, every single day felt like another piece of me disappearing. His words… They weren't just hurtful. They made me feel worthless. Like I was being punished for something I didn't even understand. I left everything behind for him, Ethan. My home, my father… everything." Tears soaked into his shirt as she cried harder. "I trusted him enough to build my whole life around him. And now I just feel like a mistake he regrets."

Months of bottled-up anger, pain, heartbreak and exhaustion came pouring out of her all at once as she cried in Ethan's arms. And Ethan simply held her there, comforting her quietly while she let everything out.

But while he tried to calm her down, another feeling kept growing inside him.

Guilt.

Deep, unbearable guilt.

Guilt for staying silent all this time. Guilt for knowing parts of the truth and still watching her slowly break apart without being able to tell her anything.

Jungkook had done this to her.

He had hurt her so badly that she was falling apart in front of someone else now, completely shattered by a marriage she still didn't fully understand.

And the worst part?

She still didn't know who Jungkook truly was.

Evie thought Jungkook had simply fallen out of love with her. She believed he regretted marrying her. That he got tired of her and no longer wanted her around.

But the reality was far uglier than that.

She didn't know their marriage had never truly been about love from Jungkook's side. She didn't know that from the very beginning, he had been playing a twisted game with her emotions. While she stayed awake at night trying to fix their relationship, Jungkook had been out with other women—betraying her, disrespecting her, destroying her little by little without remorse.

And somehow, despite all of that, Evie still blamed herself.

Still believed she wasn't enough.

Still thought she had failed him somehow.

Ethan could barely even look at her without feeling sick.

A part of him desperately wanted to tell her everything—that Taehyung hadn't willingly abandoned her, that Jungkook had manipulated things from the beginning, that this entire mess had been carefully planned.

But he didn't know how. Not without proof and certainly not against someone like Jungkook.

Ethan had seen firsthand what Jungkook was capable of when he wanted to destroy someone. And no matter how much he hated himself for it, fear kept him silent.

So for now, the only thing he could do was help her escape.

Help her get as far away from Jungkook as possible.

Slowly, Ethan loosened the hug once her sobs calmed slightly. Evie pulled back weakly, quickly wiping her tear-stained face in embarrassment.

"I'll help you," Ethan said softly, looking at her seriously. "So please stop crying, okay?" His voice remained calm and reassuring. "I'll help you with the lawyer, with the divorce… with everything." He paused briefly before adding quietly, "Just don't waste your tears on him anymore. Jungkook doesn't deserve even a single one of them."

Evie shook her head weakly while wiping her eyes again.

"I don't even want to think about him anymore," she whispered hoarsely. "I don't even want to see his face again after this. I hate him for what he did to me. And I think I'll hate him forever for choosing my life to play with."

Ethan let out a slow sigh, his jaw tightening slightly.

A selfish part of him wanted Jungkook to someday realize exactly what he had lost. He wanted him to feel the weight of losing someone like Evie.

And if helping her leave was the only way for that to happen, then Ethan was willing to do it without hesitation.

Still, things had to be handled carefully—especially legally.

"Does your father know about any of this?" Ethan asked gently after a moment. "I mean… about the divorce?"

"Not exactly," Evie admitted quietly. "He thinks we just had a small fight." She lowered her gaze. "But I'll tell him everything once I actually file for divorce. I know my father, he's a good man. Always patient. Always understanding." Her eyes softened slightly at the thought of him. "And I know that once he sees what I've been through… once he understands everything… he'll support me. Maybe he'll be hurt that my marriage failed but he would never turn his back on me."

Ethan nodded slowly.

"And he shouldn't," he said quietly. "You're his daughter, Evie. No decent father would ever want his child to stay in a marriage that's destroying her. You don't have to go through this alone anymore."

Her eyes filled again, though this time the tears felt quieter.

She exhaled shakily before nodding to herself more than to him.

"I'll start working again once things settle down," she murmured. "I've saved a little money… not much, but enough to start over." A weak smile touched her lips briefly. "And when everything is over, I think I'll go back to my hometown. I'll stay with my father again."

Ethan nodded slowly, understanding the desperation in her voice.

"Alright," he said gently. "I'll see what I can do. I'll try to pull a few strings and see if there's a way to speed things up. Sometimes, if there's proof of emotional abuse or mistreatment, the process can move faster. It'll also make it easier for you to leave without complications."

Relief instantly filled Evie's tearful eyes.

"Thank you…" she whispered before quickly adding, "But please don't tell Jungkook. Not yet. If he finds out, he'll try to stop it somehow." Anxiety flickered across her face. "He'll manipulate the situation or try to make me look unstable. I know him… he won't let this go easily."

Ethan gave her a reassuring nod.

"I won't say a word," he promised calmly. "This stays between us."

Despite everything, despite the breakdown she had only moments ago, Evie managed to give him a small, exhausted smile as she slowly stood up from the sofa. She quickly wiped her face, trying to make herself look more composed than before.

"I've already packed my things," she said quietly. "Just the essentials. I'm leaving tonight. In a few minutes, actually. I'm going straight to my father's place. I'll sign whatever paperwork is needed. I just want all of this to end. Just stay in contact with me, please."

Ethan nodded, his eyes briefly shifting toward the bags placed near the door, silently confirming that she had already prepared herself to leave everything behind.

"I'll explain everything to my father later," she continued softly. "He deserves to hear the truth from me directly." A faint sadness crossed her expression. "And I know he'll understand… maybe not immediately but eventually he will. He's a kind man. He raised me to value my peace more than anything else."

Ethan stood up as well, facing her properly now.

"You're doing the right thing, Evie," he said firmly but gently. "I'll handle everything from here. You just focus on yourself for now. Leave the rest to me."

A small but genuine smile appeared on her lips.

"I'm trusting you, Ethan."

"And I won't let you down," he replied without hesitation.

"Thank you," she whispered emotionally. "I don't even know how to explain how grateful I am." Her eyes became glossy again. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

Ethan gave her a soft smile in return, though there was quiet sadness behind it.

"You didn't deserve any of this, Evie," he said honestly. "Not a single bit of it. And you definitely didn't deserve someone like him. You deserve someone who sees your worth… someone who treats you with love and respect the way you should've been treated from the beginning."

Evie lowered her gaze, blinking back the tears threatening to fall again.

But this time, she simply nodded silently.

†

What neither of them knew… was that someone had been standing just outside the hallway, hidden in the shadows, quietly listening to every word.

Jungkook.

He had left the house earlier in a fit of anger after Evie told him she was done. But something pulled him back. As his anger cooled, curiosity and something else he couldn't quite explain—brought him back through the front door.

He hadn't meant to listen.

But the moment he heard voices, he stopped.

And once he heard her voice, he couldn't move.

He just stood there in silence.

And he heard everything.

Every word she said.

Every word Ethan said.

★ ★ ★

—One thing's for sure–this story isn't going to be as simple as it seemed… ;)

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